RU2169219C2 - Washing method and washing machine for performing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: washing processes and equipment. SUBSTANCE: washing method includes alternating stages of agitation of linen and interruption of agitation in washing mixture being simultaneously heated. Stages of agitation interruption are realized according to predetermined washing cycle and they may be lengthened or shortened depending upon increased or reduced time periods for heating washing mixture caused by change of electric current value. Number of agitation and agitation interruption stages and also duration of said stages are constant. Washing machine includes apparatus for programming washing cycle, devices for measuring electric current values and processors for measuring changes of duration of agitation interruption stages according to electric current changes relative to nominal values. EFFECT: improved design of washing machine preventing damage of drive electric motor caused by its overheating. 5 cl, 5 dwg

Description

 The invention relates to a method of washing with a washing machine, comprising alternating phases of mixing and stopping mixing of the laundry in the washing mixture and a simultaneous phase in which the washing mixture is heated.

 Currently, in washing machines, especially those intended for domestic use, the washing effect is achieved by shaking and mixing the laundry in a mixture of water and detergent. In addition to the mixing phase, there are also other phases in which the washing mixture is heated to increase the washing efficiency (SU 1772265 A1, 10.30.1992). Washing programs typically provide the selection shown in FIG. 1-3. The mixing phases at predetermined intervals alternate with the phases of stopping mixing; the relative duration of the stirring and stopping phases changes according to the washing cycle: normal, intensive or gentle, and these alternating phases, including stirring and its termination, are repeated until the maximum temperature, which is set or which can be set, is reached. This is followed by rinsing and draining phases and, possibly, phases including drying the laundry (see Figs. 1 and 2).

 Differences in the washing programs shown in the diagrams in FIG. 1 and 2 are that in the program shown in FIG. 2, the alternation of the phases of mixing and its stops continues for a set time, which can be set, before the rinse and drain cycles and, possibly, drying.

 With these well-known washing programs and with any other known type of washing program, the duration of the washing cycle in time is related to the length of the period required to heat the mixture of water and detergent. Thus, with these washing methods, differences in electric current cause a change in the time periods required to heat the mixture of water and detergent. However, due to constant periods of mixing and stopping it, changes in electric current cause an increase or decrease in the washing effect. Indeed, when the current is greater than anticipated, the washing time is reduced and thus the washing effect is reduced. On the other hand, when the current is less than expected, the heating time increases and the washing effect increases. In addition, the drive motor, which, both for reasons of cost and because of its size and weight, is specifically designed to work as much as it should, exceeds the set operating time and risks breaking due to overheating.

 Changes in electric current, especially in everyday life, are relatively common and their occurrence and influence vary from district to region depending on the state of power plants, the number and type of consumers and the period of time.

 For this reason, the purpose of the invention is to provide a washing method of the type described at the beginning of this document, which, thanks to simple devices that are safe and economical, allows you to take into account changes in electric current and eliminate the above-mentioned inconveniences.

 The invention achieves the aforementioned objectives by a washing method of the type described at the beginning of this document, in which the stirring stop cycles in the installed washing program are lengthened or shortened in accordance with an increase or decrease in the time required to heat the mixture of water and detergent caused by changes in electric current, while the number of stirring and stopping cycles and the duration of the stirring cycle remain constant.

 An advantage of the method according to this invention is the presence of a stage at which an electric current is measured, which can be carried out either continuously or at regular intervals during the washing cycle, a stage which includes determining a positive or negative change in the effective current relative to its rated value, which can be defined, the determination of a positive or negative change in heating periods and an increase or decrease in the duration of individual stops for which A marked elongation or reduction of all phases of stops corresponds to changes in the heating time.

 The invention also encompasses a washing machine for implementing this method, comprising a device that programs a washing cycle, especially turning a drive motor on and off, devices that supply electric current to heating coils with power, other devices that measure electric current, and devices that control lengthening or shortening of the stop phases according to changes in the effective electric current, measured in relation to the set nominal value.

 Devices that measure current and computer processors used to lengthen and shorten the phases of mixing stop can include devices for comparing the effective current with respect to the nominal reference value, a memory device that stores a specific program, for example, a table or function, correlating changes in current with changes in the duration of the phases of stopping mixing, and a device for programming automatic adjustments in accordance with changes in the phases of stopping mixing. All these functions can simply be carried out using a specially programmed microprocessor, which is associated with the programs of the washing machine.

 Other parts of the invention are the subject of the claims.

The essential features of the invention and the advantages they provide are set forth in detail in the following description of a non-limiting example of its implementation, shown in the accompanying diagrams:
FIG. 1 and 2 illustrate two typical washing methods in washing machines;
FIG. 3 illustrates different washing cycles that can be used in the diagrams shown in FIG. 1 and 2;
FIG. 4 illustrates washing cycles established according to the invention;
FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram of a washing machine for implementing the method according to the invention.

 FIG. 1, 2 and 3 illustrate two washing methods commonly used in washing machines. In FIG. 1, while the washing mixture is gradually heated until it reaches the set temperature, the mixing phase and the mixing stop phase alternate at a predetermined time, as shown in three different cycles, i.e. normal, intense and gentle, shown in FIG. 3. In this figure, the mixing phases 4 are shown with shaded lines marked with the letter A, and the phases of the mixing stop are shown with shaded lines marked with the letter S. When the maximum set heating temperature is reached, the washing cycle ends and rinse and drain cycles begin. The washing method shown in FIG. 2 differs from the washing method in FIG. 1 by the fact that in the washing cycle the mixing and stopping phases continue for a certain period of time even when the washing mixture reaches its maximum set heating temperature before rinsing and draining.

 In both washing methods, the duration of the washing cycle is always related to the time required to heat the washing mixture to the set temperature; thus, a positive or negative change in the heating time directly affects the duration of the wash cycle in the form of a positive or negative change. Consequently, the washing effect of the set cycle can be affected in that the cycle itself can excessively decrease or increase.

 As shown in FIG. 4, the invention makes it possible to compensate for changes in the heating time by lengthening or shortening the phases of the mixing stop in the wash cycle and by keeping the number and duration of the mixing phases constant. The total change in heating time is distributed between the individual phases of the mixing stop, while the washing cycle always has a set number of mixing phases with their set duration; thus, the washing effect and the processing of the laundry remain constant even in the event of changes in the heating time.

 In FIG. 5 shows a washing machine that is capable of performing the washing method according to the invention shown in FIG. 4. The washing machine has a rotating drum 1 in the housing 2 for the washing mixture M. The drum 1 has openings for introducing the washing mixture and rotates driven by an electric motor 3 through the transmission 4. On the housing 2 for the washing mixture M there is a distributor 5 for water or washing mixture , an electric shut-off valve 6, a pipe 7 for draining the washing mixture M and rinse water, which also has an electric shut-off valve 8, a device for heating the washing mixture in the form of a heating coil 9, at least one sensor 10 for measuring Ia temperature washing mixture M in the housing 2 and at least one sensor 11 to measure the level of the washing mixture M in the housing 2.

 The above devices are connected to a control unit, which is designed to enable the execution of predetermined washing programs. The control unit 12 may be electric or electronic. It is connected to the outputs of the sensors 10,11, which measure the temperature and level of the washing mixture, and with electric lines from the engine 3, the heating coil 9 and the electric valves 6 and 8. The control unit 12 is powered by current in the network and is equipped with devices for input and / or selection of programs and the display device of the selected or specified programs. All of these devices are shown in FIG. 5 with the designation 13.

 To amend the changes in the electric current, which lead to an extension or reduction of the time required to heat the washing mixture M, the control unit 12, which serves as a programming device, is equipped with other devices 14 that measure the current in the network.

 These devices can be of any type. Preferably, they are electronic, like a control unit or programming device 12. In particular, these measuring devices consist of a microprocessor that compares the change in electric current with respect to a predetermined nominal value according to which washing programs are calibrated.

 The microprocessor 14 may have a storage device 15 that stores a processing program and a program for converting changes in the heating time into changes in the phases of stopping mixing in the washing cycle. This occurs as a result of a special algorithm or based on a table, which is determined empirically and stored in the storage device 15 of the microprocessor.

 In addition, the microprocessor 14 may have devices 16 used for inputting, converting, correcting and / or displaying protocols for correlations between changes in the heating time and changes in the duration of the stop phase or a given nominal current value.

 The microprocessor 14 connected to the programming device 12 changes the parameters of the command in order to obtain changes in the duration of the phases of the mixing stop, determined in accordance with changes in the heating time, i.e. in accordance with electric current.

 The washing method is presented in detail in FIG. 4, which compares two washing cycles carried out with different electric currents and, thus, with different heating periods. Similarly, in FIG. The 3 mixing phases A are shown by shaded lines, and the stop phases are shown by unshaded lines. The duration T1 of the mixing phases is the same in two examples, where the duration T2 of mixing stops in the cycle at the top of the diagram is less than the duration T2 'of stops in the cycle at the bottom of the diagram. In the cycle shown at the top of the diagram, the effective current, especially in the coil, is greater than the nominal value, which is the estimated value; thus, the total heating time is less than the time set for the process, and the decrease in heating time is compensated by a corresponding reduction in all phases of the mixing stop; with this method, the number of alternating phases of mixing and its stops and the duration of the stages of mixing remain constant.

 In the cycle presented at the bottom of the diagram, the electric current is less than the current available at the top of the diagram. In this case, the increase in the heating time is compensated by a corresponding extension of the phases of mixing stop without changing the duration of the mixing phases.

 Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and illustrated herein; it can be modified mainly in terms of design. For example, a programming device and a microprocessor used to measure electric current are not necessarily limited to the illustrated embodiments. Instead, they can also be mechanical, electrical, or similar devices, or other types of electrical circuits without departing from the essential features described above and set forth in detail in the claims.

Claims (5)

 1. A method of washing in a washing machine, comprising alternating phases of mixing and stopping mixing of the laundry in the washing mixture of water and detergent and a simultaneous phase in which the washing mixture is heated, characterized in that it comprises the steps of lengthening or shortening the duration of the phases of the mixing stop set in in accordance with a given washing program, in correlation with an increase or decrease in the time required to heat the mixture of water and detergent, caused by changes in the electric flow, and keeping constant the number of mixing phases and stopping the mixing and the duration of the mixing phases.  2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises the following stages: measuring an electric current, which can be carried out either continuously or at regular intervals during the washing cycle, the first stage of determining positive or negative changes in electric current relative to the nominal value, which can be set for electric current, the second stage of determining positive or negative changes in heating time in response to the specified first stage of determination, and the third Adiya determining increase or decrease the duration of the individual phases stopping agitation so that the amount of elongation or contraction stop agitation phases corresponds to variations in the heating time, certain of said second determining step.  3. A washing machine comprising a drive motor for driving the washing machine and a programming device for determining a washing cycle comprising turning the drive motor on and off, characterized in that it comprises a measuring device for measuring electric current, a heating coil connected to the measuring device, and a processor for regulation of the elongation or reduction of the phases of mixing stop in correlation with changes in electric current, measured relative to the nominal value electric current.  4. The washing machine according to claim 3, characterized in that it further comprises a storage device for storing in memory at least one of (a) programs, (b) tables and (c) functions and correlating changes in current and changes in the duration of the phases of stopping mixing, said processor comprises a device for programming automatic corrections in accordance with changes in the phases of stopping mixing.  5. The washing machine according to claim 4, characterized in that at least one of (a) the programming device, (b) the measuring device and (c) the processor consists of a programmed microprocessor.

Images