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EP2597186A1 - Procédé pour estimer la charge de linge dans une machine à laver - Google Patents

Procédé pour estimer la charge de linge dans une machine à laver Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2597186A1
EP2597186A1 EP11190680.6A EP11190680A EP2597186A1 EP 2597186 A1 EP2597186 A1 EP 2597186A1 EP 11190680 A EP11190680 A EP 11190680A EP 2597186 A1 EP2597186 A1 EP 2597186A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
drum
water
load
torque
laundry
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP11190680.6A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Daniele Martinello
Davide Colombo
Claudio Civanelli
Davide Parachini
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Whirlpool Corp
Original Assignee
Whirlpool Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Whirlpool Corp filed Critical Whirlpool Corp
Priority to EP11190680.6A priority Critical patent/EP2597186A1/fr
Publication of EP2597186A1 publication Critical patent/EP2597186A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F34/00—Details of control systems for washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
    • D06F34/14—Arrangements for detecting or measuring specific parameters
    • D06F34/18—Condition of the laundry, e.g. nature or weight
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F2103/00—Parameters monitored or detected for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
    • D06F2103/02—Characteristics of laundry or load
    • D06F2103/04—Quantity, e.g. weight or variation of weight
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F2103/00—Parameters monitored or detected for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
    • D06F2103/44—Current or voltage
    • D06F2103/46—Current or voltage of the motor driving the drum
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F2105/00—Systems or parameters controlled or affected by the control systems of washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F2105/00—Systems or parameters controlled or affected by the control systems of washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
    • D06F2105/02—Water supply
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F2105/00—Systems or parameters controlled or affected by the control systems of washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
    • D06F2105/46—Drum speed; Actuation of motors, e.g. starting or interrupting
    • D06F2105/48—Drum speed

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method for estimating the load of laundry in a washing machine comprising a drum rotating in a tub and having a substantially horizontal axis.
  • the present invention relates also to a washing machine adapted to carry out the above method.
  • EP 143685 discloses a method for determining the charge of dry or dewatered laundry comprising the determination of the moment of inertia of the mass of laundry for a measured value of acceleration of the drum and from a measured value of the motor torque for driving the drum to said acceleration.
  • the motor torque is easily detected by measuring the current used by the electric motor driving the drum.
  • the clothes have to be somehow plastered by centrifugal force on the circular wall of the drum.
  • EP 1447469 discloses a method for determining the load in a drum of a washing machine by establishing the moment of mass inertia of the drum from the electrical power consumption of the drive motor for the drum which rotates at different rotation speeds above the resting rotation speed.
  • US 7484258 discloses a method for detecting a laundry weight in a washing machine where the machine is driven at a first speed and then to a second speed (both speed being above the resting rotation speed), the laundry load being detected on the basis of a value of a first current for driving the motor at the first speed and a value of a second current for driving the motor at the second speed.
  • Another problem with the known method relates to the speed at which such load assessment is made, which has to be higher that the tumbling speed, i.e. the speed at which the speed of rotation of the drum is not sufficient for keeping the laundry "plastered" against the wall of the drum. This means that in a condition where no unbalance assessment has been already made, there is the possibility of a high vibration of the whole washer, particularly when the laundry is partially or totally wet.
  • a further problem of the known methods relates to the quite complex algorithm needed for assessing the mass of laundry from electrical parameter when a certain precision of the mass signal is needed; this can increase the cost of the electronic control and therefore of the overall washing machine.
  • the drum is rotated at a tumbling speed, that could be constant or not, and a motor torque or an electrical parameter related to such torque for driving the drum is measured at said speed.
  • the method for estimating the load of clothes in household washing unit uses fire angle signals of the motor during water filling.
  • the method according to the invention can discriminate quickly the load size in the drum. There is no added time to the traditional washing program timing, and the risk of damaging delicate clothes in a dry sate by rotating the drum at a speed typical of intermediate spinning speed is greatly reduced.
  • a high torque, measured at tumbling speed is indicative of a low charge of laundry, and vice versa.
  • a washer machine 10 is composed by the following components: a rotating drum 12 actuated by an electric motor 14, an electronic board driving the system (not shown), several electromechanical devices to fill or drain out the water in the system and a main voltage sensor and a speed sensor.
  • One of the main features of a method according to the invention is to use the motor torque variation during the water filling, in order to evaluate quickly the load size inside the washing unit.
  • the drum is rotating at slow speed (tumbling speed) and the clothes inside the washing unit starts to absorb water.
  • the inertial torque ( J ⁇ ) is negligible if the speed is almost constant.
  • the clothes volume is lower than drum volume ( Fig 3 ) the laundry can move inside the drum and after being lifted up by the drum movement, will fall down continuously at the tumbling speed due the gravitational force. As soon as the tumble starts (in example counter clock wise) the clothes move in the bottom right side of the drum.
  • Example 1 load mass estimator using torque measure at water filling end
  • the torque can be estimated by using the fire angle target used to drive the universal motor ( figure 4 )
  • Figure 5 and 6 show two tests (one with 4 kg of laundry and one with 8 kg of laundry) carried out with a commercial washing machine AWOE 91200 produced and sold by the applicant. These charts show how the fire angle increases during the water filling: according to such experimental tests, the fire angle of the 4kg load ( figure 6 ) increases more than the fire angle of the 8kg load ( figure 6 ), therefore in full agreement with the theory set forth above.
  • the fire angle value (or any other electrical measure linked to torque) at the end of water filling can be used to evaluate the load size of clothes inside the washing machine ( figure 7 )
  • m water_end water_flow ⁇ time end - time start
  • the distance between drum axis B and center of gravity G is proportional to the amount of laundry inside the washing machine and can be evaluated in the following way: load_amount ⁇ d ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ water_flow ⁇ time end - time start
  • the torque can be estimated using the fire angle target used to drive the universal motor, while the water flow can be considered nominal: load_amount ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ Firing_angle waterflow_nom ⁇ time end - time start
  • Equation 8 load_amount ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ Firing_angle
  • Fig. 8 reports the relationship between the fire angle increase and the load mass inside the washing machine.
  • the motor torque measurement or any signal related to it (measured current, target current, fire angle etc.), during the water filling, can be used to estimate the load mass inside the washing machine.
  • This estimation can be used together with other estimators (e.g. inertia estimators, wetting dynamic estimator etc) at following stages of the washing program in order to optimize the water filling process and the selection of washing cycle parameters.
  • estimators e.g. inertia estimators, wetting dynamic estimator etc
  • the motor torque measurement or any signal related to it (measured current, target current, fire angle etc.), can be also used to understand the mechanical stress applied to fabric. This information can be used in order to adapt the tumbling speed to increase or reduce the mechanical action according to the fabric type and/or the selected cycle.
  • a motor torque measurement this information can be obtained using other system variables such as the motor current, the required current, the triac fire angle etc.
  • a valve status on/off this information allows to know when the water starts/ends to enter the washing unit.
  • a motor speed sensor In order to adapt the motor speed to the desired mechanical stress applied to the clothes and for improving torque estimation a motor speed sensor, a voltage sensor and a water flow sensor can be used, even if they are not strictly needed to evaluate the laundry load mass.
  • the present invention can be applied in any kind of washing machine having a drum with an horizontal or tilted axis; the motor can drive the drum through a traditional pulleys and belt system (as in figure 1 ) or through a direct drive system.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Control Of Washing Machine And Dryer (AREA)
EP11190680.6A 2011-11-25 2011-11-25 Procédé pour estimer la charge de linge dans une machine à laver Withdrawn EP2597186A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP11190680.6A EP2597186A1 (fr) 2011-11-25 2011-11-25 Procédé pour estimer la charge de linge dans une machine à laver

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP11190680.6A EP2597186A1 (fr) 2011-11-25 2011-11-25 Procédé pour estimer la charge de linge dans une machine à laver

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2597186A1 true EP2597186A1 (fr) 2013-05-29

Family

ID=45094504

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP11190680.6A Withdrawn EP2597186A1 (fr) 2011-11-25 2011-11-25 Procédé pour estimer la charge de linge dans une machine à laver

Country Status (1)

Country Link
EP (1) EP2597186A1 (fr)

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0143685A1 (fr) 1983-10-25 1985-06-05 Esswein S.A. Procédé de détermination d'une charge de linge dans un tambour tournant, et machine à laver et/ou à sécher mettant en oeuvre ce procédé
US5507055A (en) * 1993-10-25 1996-04-16 Bosch-Siemens Hausgeraete Gmbh Method for determining the amount of lanudry in a laundry handling machine
EP1447469A2 (fr) 2003-02-12 2004-08-18 Diehl AKO Stiftung & Co. KG Procédé pour determination de la charge dans le tambour d'une machine de traitement du linge
US6842928B2 (en) 2001-07-10 2005-01-18 Lg Electronics Inc. Apparatus and method for detecting laundry weight in washing machine employing sensorless BLDC motor
US7484258B2 (en) 2003-07-23 2009-02-03 Lg Electronics Inc. Method and apparatus for detecting laundry weight of washing machine

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0143685A1 (fr) 1983-10-25 1985-06-05 Esswein S.A. Procédé de détermination d'une charge de linge dans un tambour tournant, et machine à laver et/ou à sécher mettant en oeuvre ce procédé
US5507055A (en) * 1993-10-25 1996-04-16 Bosch-Siemens Hausgeraete Gmbh Method for determining the amount of lanudry in a laundry handling machine
US6842928B2 (en) 2001-07-10 2005-01-18 Lg Electronics Inc. Apparatus and method for detecting laundry weight in washing machine employing sensorless BLDC motor
EP1447469A2 (fr) 2003-02-12 2004-08-18 Diehl AKO Stiftung & Co. KG Procédé pour determination de la charge dans le tambour d'une machine de traitement du linge
US7484258B2 (en) 2003-07-23 2009-02-03 Lg Electronics Inc. Method and apparatus for detecting laundry weight of washing machine

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