JPH074463B2 - How to drive a washing machine - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a method for operating a domestic washing machine.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in this type of washing machine, if the water level is set in advance according to the amount and type of laundry before starting washing, for example, when washing, the water level is reached when the water level reaches a predetermined level. At the same time, the motor was driven and stirring was started. The same operating method was generally used even during rinsing.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention Recently, laundry has been diversified along with diversification of clothes and development of new water flow of washing machines. Examples include wool sweaters and synthetic fiber blankets, but not limited to these.
For clothing that has a hydrophobic or water-repellent material, is relatively bulky, and contains a large amount of air inside the clothing, the clothing floats with water supply during rinsing, and the clothing is sufficient when rinsing. There was a phenomenon that it did not sink in water. In FIG. 2, 1 is a pressure switch for stopping water supply at a specified water level for rinsing, 2 is a laundry item floating near the water surface, 3 is a stirring blade, and 4 is a drive motor. This phenomenon is remarkable at the time of rinsing immediately after washing. This is because fine bubbles of detergent at the time of washing enter the inside of the clothes due to dehydration, and the clothes contain a considerable amount of air bubbles (air). It is thought that this is due to the difficult property. Even if stirring is started in this state, the clothes become stiff and the force of the stirring blades is difficult to be transmitted directly, so the movement is slow and the penetration of water into the clothes is delayed. Therefore, there is a problem that the efficiency of diluting the detergent and dirt components contained in the clothes is poor, the rinsing effect is reduced, and the amount of detergent and dirt remaining on the clothes is increased.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is intended to solve such problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a sufficient rinsing effect by allowing laundry to move in the water as well as during washing without causing the laundry to rise during the rinsing process.

Means for solving the problem In order to solve this problem, the present invention, by a water level detecting means such as a water level sensor during the rinsing step, starts stirring at a low water level that does not reach a preset water level for rinsing, The operation method of the washing machine is controlled so that the water is kept at least until the water level reaches the specified water level for rinsing while allowing the clothes and water to fit well.

Action According to this method, stirring starts at a water level lower than the prescribed water level for rinsing, so even with a fairly weak stirring force it is easily transmitted to the laundry, the air in the clothes is gradually expelled, and the clothes are drawn into the water and submerged in water. It works just as well when washing. Further, since the water is supplied up to the prescribed water level for rinsing, the detergent component is often diluted and a sufficient rinsing effect can be obtained.

Example An example of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. In the figure, 5 is a washing and dehydrating tub (hereinafter referred to as a washing tub), 6 is a water supply valve, 7 is a stirring blade, 8 is a drive motor, and 9 is a drive motor.
Is a water level sensor that detects the water level in the washing tub, 10 is a control device that is composed of a microcomputer and that controls the operation of the washing machine, 11 is laundry, 12 is the water level detected by the water level sensor, and 13 is a predetermined water level.

In the above configuration, the water supply valve 6 is opened by a signal from the control device 10 after washing (washing) and intermediate dehydration, and water supply to the washing tub 5 starts. The laundry 11 emerges as the water is supplied. A specific water level 12 (for example, a water level of 1/2 to 2/3 of the predetermined water level) lower than the prescribed water level 13 for rinsing is detected by the water level sensor 9, and a signal is sent to the control device when the water supply amount reaches the water level. Upon receiving the signal, the control device drives the motor 8,
The stirring by the stirring blade 7 starts. During this time, the water supply is continued, and the action of the stirring blade is transmitted well, and the air in the laundry is gradually expelled, and at the same time, the rinse water quickly penetrates and moves on the water flow while it is fully submerged in the water. become. When the water level further reaches the prescribed water level 13 for rinsing, the water supply is stopped in the case of rinsing, and in the case of overflow rinsing, the water supply is further controlled by the control device 10. In this case, the water level sensor is
There is a method of directly or indirectly detecting changes in resistance, ultrasonic waves, magnetic changes, etc.

Speaking of the rinsing effect of the sweater in the above operating method, when the stirring force is weak, the conventional method still causes the laundry to float near the water surface, and therefore the rinse is still considerably used for 3 minutes after stirring. In the case of the present embodiment, the same amount of rinse is used for 3 minutes, but in the case of the present embodiment, since the stirring is started from a lower water level, the sweater is more likely to be pulled toward the stirring blade, and the rinse is 3 minutes. In the meantime, it is submerged enough to move. Therefore, the water inside the laundry is often replaced, and the dilution degree is low, and a good rinsing effect can be obtained (about 1/2 to 1/4 of the conventional rinsing dilution degree).

Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, the stirring method is started at the water level until the preset rinse water level is reached during the rinsing step, and the operation method is to continue the water supply until at least the predetermined rinse water level is reached. Detergent bubbles are liable to be contained inside the clothes, and even hydrophobic clothes are drawn into water at the beginning of rinsing and the water does not permeate into the inside of the clothes and agitation is performed without floating to obtain a good rinsing effect. It is especially effective for weak water streams such as those for delicate clothes.Because the water level is lower than the prescribed water level for rinsing at the beginning of stirring during rinsing, the agitation force applied to the clothes becomes relatively stronger, but It is not large enough to cause damage, and during that time it is easy for clothes to be drawn into the water. Further, conventionally, since the rinsing agitation was started after the water supply was completed, the rinsing time was the water supply time + the agitation time, but in the present embodiment, the rinsing agitation is carried out while partially supplying the water. Therefore, even with the same rinsing stirring time, the total rinsing time can be shortened and the time can be shortened as compared with the conventional case, because water supply and stirring are performed at the same time.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a washing machine according to this embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the washing machine showing a state of a sweater when a conventional operating method is performed. 6 ... water supply valve, 7 ... stirring blade, 8 ... motor, 9 ... water level sensor, 10 ... control device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A washing tub having a pulsator at the bottom, a motor for driving the pulsator, a water supply valve for supplying water to the washing tub, a drain valve for draining water, and a water level sensor for detecting the water level in the washing tub. In a washing machine equipped with a control device for controlling each mechanism, agitation of the pulsator in the rinsing process is started from the time when the water level in the washing tub reaches a specific water level lower than the prescribed water level for rinsing by water supply, A method of operating a washing machine in which water is supplied at least until the specified water level for rinsing is reached.