JPH05137881A - Control of water stream for washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain the water stream suitable for the load quantity and quality of the washing by setting the number of revolution of a DC brushless motor, revolution angle, starting-up speed and starting-down speed of the number of revolution, and the stop judgement time to each arbitrary value and selecting each set value arbitrarily. CONSTITUTION:The intensity of the water stream for washing and rinsing processes is determined according to the number of revolution of a DC brushless motor 8, revolution angle, starting-up speed and starting-down speed of the number of revolution, and stop judgement time. Among these elements, the number of revolution of the DC brushless motor 8 is determined by controlling the voltage controller for the motor by a transistor module 26. The revolution angle is set by controlling the electric conduction time for the DC brushless motor 8, and the starting-up speed and starting-down speed of the number of revolution are controlled by adjusting the applied voltage for the motor 8 and the electric conduction rate. Accordingly, fine water stream control can be carried out, and the water stream suitable for the load quantity and quality of the washing can be obtained.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a water flow control method for a washing machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, as is well known, a fully-automatic one-tub agitation type washing machine has a water receiving tub suspended from an outer box, and a stirring blade is erected at the center of the water receiving tub to surround the side wall of the surroundings. A washing / dehydrating tub having a dehydrating hole formed therein is disposed, a motor is disposed below the water receiving tub, and the rotation shaft of the motor is connected to the washing shaft of the stirring blade and the dewatering shaft of the washing / dehydrating tub. There is.

In the washing process, for example, the motor is energized, the rotation of the motor is transmitted only to the washing shaft, and only the stirring blade is rotated, whereby the water and the laundry in the washing / dehydrating tank are stirred and washed. To do. In this case, the strength of the water flow is set according to the load on the laundry and the quality of the cloth, but the conventional method for setting the strength of the water flow is, for example, 1
It only controls the energization time of the times, and the strength of the water flow can be switched between two levels, for example, strength and weakness.

[0004]

As described above, since the strength of the water stream can be set to either strong or weak, the strength of the water stream cannot be obtained according to the quality and quantity of the laundry. Because of this, it was not possible to control the water flow in detail.

The object of the present invention is to eliminate the disadvantages of the conventional example, and to obtain a water flow having a strength corresponding to the quality and quantity of laundry.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a water flow control method for a washing machine, which enables fine water flow control.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention uses a DC brushless motor as a motor for rotating a stirring blade, and the DC brushless motor is provided with an encoder for detecting the number of rotations and the rotation angle of the motor. In the washing machine, the rotation speed of the DC brushless motor,
The gist is to set the strength of the water flow by making it possible to arbitrarily set the values of the rotation angle, the rising speed and falling speed of the rotation speed, and the stop determination time, and arbitrarily selecting these setting values. is there.

[0007]

According to the present invention, the strength of the water flow is set using all of the rotation speed, rotation angle, rotation speed rising speed, falling speed, and stop determination time of the DC brushless motor, and these factors are also set. Since the set value can be set arbitrarily, the strength of the water flow can be set in multiple stages, and the strength of the water flow can be set according to the cloth quality and the load amount.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. 1 is a control block diagram of an embodiment of a water flow control method for a washing machine of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a washing machine in which the method of the present invention is implemented, and FIG. The configuration will be described first.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show an example of a stirring type fully automatic one-tub type washing machine, in which water is passed through a vibration-proof means such as a suspension rod 3 having a vibration-proof spring 2 inside an outer box 1. Suspend the receiving tank 4. Inside the water receiving tank 4, a washing / dewatering tank 6 having a dehydration hole 7 on a side wall and a stirring blade 5 were rotatably arranged. Below the water receiving tank 4, a U having a permanent magnet arranged in a rotor
3-phase DC brushless motor 8 phase, V phase, W phase 8
And the rotor shaft is connected to the rotating shaft of the stirring blade 5 and the rotating shaft of the washing / dehydrating tank 6.

A drain hose 11 is connected to a drain pipe 9 opening at the bottom of the water receiving tank 4 via a drain valve 10, and a circulation hose 13 is connected via a circulation pump 12.
The circulation hose 13 is raised in the outer box 1, and the tip is opened above the washing / dehydrating tub 6. Reference numeral 14 in the drawing denotes a lint filter arranged below the open end of the circulation hose 13.
Reference numeral 5 is a power cord, and 16 is a ground wire.

A top panel 17 and a lid 41 are provided on the top surface of the outer box 1.
The operation panel 18 and the display unit 19 shown in FIG. 4 are provided on the upper panel 17. The display unit 19 includes a water flow intensity switch 20, a dehydration intensity switch 59, a start / stop switch 6 for setting the intensity of water flow and dehydration.
The number display section 6 by LED lamps for displaying the time for turning on, the start time of reserved operation, the washing time, the number of rinses, the dehydration time, etc.
2. A monitor unit 63 for displaying the strength of water flow and the strength of dehydration as the driving content of the DC brushless motor 8 is provided.
Of the motor unit 63, the monitor unit 63a for displaying the strength of the water flow has, as an example, nine display units so that the strength of the water flow can be set in nine steps as shown in the figure.

Further, the DC brushless motor 8 is
In order to detect the energized position of the motor 8, the motor 8
The rotor position detector (encoder) 28 for detecting the magnet position of the permanent magnet is attached. This encoder 2
Reference numeral 8 denotes a slit 2 for rotating in synchronization with the rotor shaft of the motor 8 to detect the energized position, as shown in FIGS.
And the slit 29 of the reflector 30.
A sensor for detecting is attached to a mounting plate 32 facing the reflection plate 30, and the mounting plate 32 is fixed by a boss stand inside an encoder case 28a mounted on the motor frame 8a.

The slit 29 is formed in an arc shape of 30 degrees corresponding to either the N pole or the S pole of the permanent magnet attached to the rotor, and the slits 29 are arranged to detect the magnetic pole position with respect to each other. There are a total of 6 depending on the width. In addition, a slit 33a and a non-slit 33b are formed on the outer periphery of the reflection plate 30 as a slit for speed detection in the circumferential direction, which are equally divided.
Were alternately formed.

The sensors provided on the mounting plate 32 are arranged on the same circumference having the same radius as the slit 29 at an equal interval of 50 degrees.
The individual sensors 31a, 31b, 31c are arranged, and the slit 33a is provided near the outer periphery of the mounting plate 32.
A sensor 31d for detecting is provided.

As shown in FIG. 8, each of the sensors 31a to 31d is composed of a light emitting diode as a light emitting portion and a phototransistor as a light receiving portion. The energization detection circuits 34a to 34d of the phototransistor are zener diodes. It is a reflective sensor composed of a transistor that turns on and off when driven by a base.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of operation control. A switching power supply 27 is connected to an AC power supply 22 via a noise filter 23, a power relay 24, and a voltage doubler circuit 25, and this switching power supply 27 is used as a DC power supply. The DC brushless motor 8 is connected via the transistor module drive circuit 35 and the transistor module 26, and the DC brushless motor 8 is connected to the encoder 28 and the brake circuit 58.

In the figure, reference numeral 21 is a control device using a microcomputer or the like. An input switch of the control device 21 has an operation switch 37 provided on the operation panel 18, a lid switch 38 for detecting opening / closing of a lid 41, a washing / dehydrating tub. Unbalanced switch 39 for detecting the deviation of clothes in 6; water temperature detection thermistor 40; crixon 42 for detecting overheating of motor 8; power failure detection circuit 43; encoder signal conversion circuit 44 connected to encoder 28; water level sensor 64 is connected.

At the output port of the control device 21, an LED driving driver 45, a power element driving driver 47,
The motor energization signal conversion circuit 55 is connected, and the LED provided on the operation panel 18 or the like in the LED driving driver 45
An LED indicator 46 by a lamp is connected, and a power element driving driver 47 is connected to a water supply valve 4 for the washing and dehydrating tub 6.
8, finishing agent water supply valve 49, lid lock solenoid 5
0, clutch switching torque motor 51, drainage torque motor 52, circulation pump 12 pump motor 53,
The buzzer 54, the power relay 24, and the brake circuit 58 are connected.

Reference numeral 36 in the figure denotes a low-voltage constant-voltage power source as a power source of the control device 21, which is connected to the AC power source 22 via the noise filter 23. Reference numeral 56 is a reset circuit, and 57 is an oscillation circuit.

Next, a method for setting the strength of the water flow will be described. The strength of the water flow during the washing and rinsing process is determined by using the rotation speed, rotation angle, rising speed and falling speed of the rotation speed, and the stop determination time of the DC brushless motor 8 as factors. Among these elements, the rotation speed of the DC brushless motor 8 utilizes the fact that the DC brushless motor 8 rotates at a rotation speed proportional to the applied voltage.
The voltage is output to the transistor module drive circuit 35 via the, and the output from here controls the voltage controller of the motor 8 by the transistor module 26.

The rotation angle is set by controlling the energization time to the DC brushless motor 8, and the rising speed and the falling speed of the rotation speed are determined by applying a direct current from the switching power supply 27 to the voltage applied to the motor 8. Controlling is performed by accelerating and decelerating the number of revolutions by adjusting. Here, in the graph shown in FIG. 10, the rising speed and the falling speed are the slope angle of the rising from the start of energization until reaching the set rotation speed, and after reaching the set rotation speed, the DC brushless motor 8 It is the slope angle of the fall until the motor 8 is stopped after the energization is stopped.

The stop determination time is the time during which the motor 8 is energized and the stirring blade 5 is rotated, for example, to the right, and then the energization is not performed until the power is supplied to rotate the stirring blade 5 counterclockwise.

As described above, the number of rotations, the rotation angle, the rising speed and the falling speed of the rotation speed of the DC brushless motor 8 and the values of the stop determination time are arbitrarily set and the following Table a,
As shown in b and c, the strength of the water flow was set in 9 stages. In addition, the strength of the water flow set in these 9 stages is set corresponding to the amount of load, that is, the level of the water level, respectively. In the table below, only high water level, medium high water level, and medium water level are shown. Nine levels of water flow are set for low water level and low water level, respectively.

[0024]

[Table 1]

[0025]

[Table 2]

[0026]

[Table 3]

As described above, the strength of the water stream is set with the number of revolutions as an element as described above. As a method of setting the strength, for example, a water stream of standard strength is located at the fifth position of the stage, To make the water flow stronger, only the rotation angle (rotation angle of the stirring blade 5) is set to be larger than this standard value, and to weaken the water flow, the rising speed is made slower than the standard value. That is, the rotation speed was set to gradually increase gradually.

Next, a case will be described in which the washing operation is carried out at a high water level, for example, by setting the strength of the water flow to the step "5". The strength of the water flow is set by pressing the water flow strength switch 20 provided on the display unit 19 shown in FIG. 4, and the switch 20 is pressed to change the level of the indicator lamp “9” on the monitor display unit 63a. The part corresponding to "5" is turned on. As shown in the table above, the strength of the water flow at this stage “5” is as follows: rotation angle 180 °, rotation speed (rotation speed) 160 r / m, rising speed 2/5, falling speed 50/5, stop determination time 20.
It is 0 msec.

When washing with the water flow at this stage "5" is started, the DC brushless motor 8 is energized and the stirring blade 5 rotates in one direction (for example, rightward). The number is detected by the encoder 28. That is, when the motor 8 rotates, the sensor 31
Since a, 31b, and 31c are respectively displaced by 50 degrees, the positions of the slits 29 are detected by deviating by 50 degrees, and the sensors 31a, 31b are detected at the timings shown in FIG.
Energization detection circuits 34a, 34b, 34c of 31b, 31c
Is output from the encoder signal conversion circuit 44 to the control device 21 as a digitized magnetic pole position detection signal. The control device 21 determines the magnetic pole position of the rotor based on this signal and outputs it to the transistor module drive circuit 35 via the motor energization signal conversion circuit 55, and the output from here controls the voltage of the motor 8 by the transistor module 26. Control the vessel.

The sensor 31d has a slit 33a.
The non-slits 33b and the non-slits 33b are alternately arranged at intervals of 10 degrees, and the reflective state and the non-reflective state are alternately displayed.
Turns off in the non-reflective state. The on / off signals are input to the input terminal of the energization detection circuit 34d, the on / off signals here are compared with the reference voltage, and the sensor 31 shown in FIG.
The output signal of the rectangular wave by d is the encoder signal conversion circuit 4
4 outputs to the control device 21, the control device 21 takes in this signal and calculates the rotation operation.

As described above, the energization is stopped at the rising speed 2/5 set as shown in FIG. 10 until the set number of circuits reaches 160 r / m, and when the rotation angle is 180 °, the energization is stopped. Then, the rotation speed is reduced at the set falling speed of 50/5, the energization is stopped for a set stop determination time of 200 msec, and then the motor 8 is energized again so that the stirring blade 5 rotates counterclockwise this time. Washing is performed by repeating on / off of such energization.

[0032]

As described above, according to the water flow control method of the washing machine of the present invention, the strength of the water flow can be set in a number of stages, and the water flow can be controlled based on many factors such as the number of rotations and the rotation angle. Since the strength is set, fine water flow control can be performed and a water flow suitable for the load amount and the cloth quality of the laundry can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a control block diagram showing an embodiment of a water flow control method for a washing machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a fully automatic one-tub agitation type washing machine in which the method of the present invention is carried out.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional side view of a fully automatic single-tub agitation type washing machine in which the method of the present invention is carried out.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a display unit of a fully automatic single-tub agitation type washing machine in which the method of the present invention is carried out.

FIG. 5 is a partially cutaway front view of an encoder device of a fully automatic single-tub agitation type washing machine in which the method of the present invention is carried out.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a reflection plate of an encoder device of a fully automatic single-tub agitation type washing machine in which the method of the present invention is carried out.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a mounting plate of an encoder device of a fully automatic one-tub agitation type washing machine in which the method of the present invention is carried out.

FIG. 8 is a configuration circuit diagram of a sensor.

FIG. 9 is a timing chart of output signals of a sensor energization detection circuit.

FIG. 10 is a characteristic curve diagram showing changes in the number of rotations of the motor in the washing process.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... Outer box 2 ... Anti-vibration spring 3 ... Suspension bar 4 ... Water receiving tank 5 ... Stirring blade 6 ... Washing / dewatering tank 7 ... Dewatering hole 8 ... DC brushless motor 8a ... Motor frame 9 ... Drain pipe 10 ... Drain valve 11 ... Drainage hose 12 ... Circulation pump 13 ... Circulation hose 14 ... Lint filter 15 ... Power cord 16 ... Ground wire 17 ... Top panel 18 ... Operation panel 19 ... Display 20 ... Water flow intensity switch 21 ... Control device 22 ... AC power 23 ... Noise Filter 24 ... Power relay 25 ... Double voltage circuit 26 ... Transistor module 27 ... Switching power supply 28 ... Encoder 28a ... Encoder case 29 ... Slit 30 ... Reflector 31a, 31b, 31c, 31d ... Sensor 32 ... Mounting plate 33a ... Slit 33b ... Non-slits 34a, 34b, 34c, 34d ... Energization detection circuit 35 Transistor module drive circuit 36 Low voltage constant voltage power supply 37 Operation switch 38 Lid switch 39 Unbalance switch 40 Water temperature detection thermistor 41 Lid 42 Motor over temperature detection crixon 43 Power failure detection circuit 44 Encoder signal conversion circuit 45 ... LED driving driver 46 ... LED indicator 47 ... Power element driving driver 48 ... Washing / dehydrating tank water supply valve 49 ... Finishing agent water supply valve 50 ... Solenoid 51 ... Clutch switching torque motor 52 ... Drainage torque Motor 53 ... Pump motor 54 ... Buzzer 55 ... Motor energization signal conversion circuit 56 ... Reset circuit 57 ... Oscillation circuit 58 ... Brake circuit 59 ... Dehydration strength switch 60 ... Start / pause switch 61 ... Off switch 62 ... Numeric display 63 ... Monitor 63a Monitor display section 64 ... the water level sensor

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Kazuhiko Yamagami, 1-1 1-1 Yamate, Funabashi, Chiba Pref., Funabashi Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (72) Masami Yorida 1-1, Yamate, Funabashi, Chiba No. 1 Nippon Steel Co., Ltd. Funabashi Works (72) Inventor Tatsuo Inada 1-11-1 Yamate Funabashi City, Chiba Prefecture Japan No. 1 Funabashi Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Toyozo Kato 1 Yamate Funabashi, Chiba Prefecture No. 1 No. 1 at Nippon Steel Co., Ltd. Funabashi Works

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A washing machine in which a DC brushless motor is used as a motor for rotating a stirring blade, and the DC brushless motor is provided with an encoder for detecting the number of rotations and the rotation angle of the DC brushless motor. The angle, the rising speed and falling speed of the number of revolutions, the value of the stop determination time can be set arbitrarily, and the strength of the water flow is set by arbitrarily selecting these set values. Water flow control method.