EP1861537A1 - Wetting process for the laundry inside a program-controlled washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a wetting process for the laundry (7) inside a program-controlled washing machine that can be adjusted to the amount of laundry in a washing drum (2), which is mounted inside a washing machine tub (1) in a manner that enables it to rotate about a non-vertical axis (3), by means of a water supply system (8 to 11) and of a control device (12), via which the supply of water into the washing machine tub (1) can be controlled in a temporal manner. In addition, the wetting process starts in a first phase (Ph1) with a supply of a first metered amount of water into the washing machine tub (1) when the washing drum (2) is stationary or continuously rotating. The aim of the invention is to provide a wetting process of the aforementioned type that is optimized with regard to completeness, uniformity, and reproducibility. To this end, the washing drum (2) rotates in the first phase (PM) at least in a continual manner with the supply of water until an at least approximate agreement between the set and actual quantity of water inside the washing machine tub (1) occurs based on the measurement signals of a water level sensor (15), and it rotates in a second phase (Ph2) at least in an essentially continual manner. Water is additionally supplied until the level in the washing machine tub (1) has reached a certain water level during filling and subsequent absorption based on the signal progression of the water level sensor (15) identified in the first phase (Ph1) with regard to the maximum height and rate of change of the water level (N) and with regard to falling back due to subsequent absorption of water by the laundry (7), or based on a signal progression of the water level sensor (15) identified by an expert system within the second phase (Ph2). This enables the wetting process with the number and formation of individual phases to be adjusted to the amount and the specific absorbency of the laundry (7) to be washed.

Description

 Wetting process for the laundry in a program-controlled washing machine

The invention relates to a wetting process for the laundry in a program-controlled washing machine, which can be tuned to the amount of laundry in a tub in a tub about a non-vertical axis rotatably mounted laundry drum by means of a water supply system and a control device through which the inflow of water in the tub is timed, and begins in a first phase with an inlet of a first measured amount of water in the tub at dormant or permanent rotating laundry drum.

[0002] When adapting the quantities of water required for washing in program-controlled washing machines, the wetting processes in particular are to be optimized in such a way that the respective items of laundry are completely and completely removed in the shortest possible time for each amount of laundry and each type of textile and the amount of water in the tub evenly wetted before the actual washing process begins.

Previously known wetting phases use their own predetermined reverberation rhythm of the laundry drum at reduced drum speed for different amounts of laundry or pre-filling of the tub at standstill of the laundry drum, then continuous rotation of the laundry drum in the scarfing direction and subsequent wetting phase as described above or with additionally switched spin phase for Acceleration of the leaching penetration of the laundry.

Other wetting phases provide different operations with downtime of the laundry drum, unidirectional or reversing drum movement at low speed and possibly reduced reversing rhythms.

The previously known wetting processes could not satisfy in terms of the optimum of procedures. In particular, the known wetting processes have barely taken due account of laundry items of different sizes, so that in the case of very large items of laundry (near the loading limit) no complete wetting takes place, whereas with small items of laundry, the wetting phase lasts too long, measured by its wetting success. Moreover, at the known wetting processes in general, the uniformity of wetting unsatisfactory.

The invention is therefore an object of the invention to set up wetting processes so that the uniformity of wetting in each batch of laundry can satisfy, and at the same time adapt the wetting processes to the amount of laundry of a laundry item to the effect that with uniform wetting the laundry with the optimal Amount of water or alkali is wetted in order to successfully carry out the washing process.

According to the invention a washing machine described above according to the characterizing part of claim 1 is characterized in that the laundry drum in the first phase under inflow of water as long as at least substantially continuously driven until due to the measured signals on the accumulated amount of water substantially no suction can be determined more, and at least substantially continuously driven in a second phase and a further amount of water is filled until the level in the tub a due to the first phase detected in the water level profile with respect to maximum height and rate of change of the water level and in relation to Falling back of the level due to ingestion of the water has determined by the laundry or reached a level recognized by an expert system in the second phase water level when filling and Nachsaugen of water through the laundry adjusted water level.

[0008] This observation and evaluation of the parameters of the ongoing wetting process allows the adaptation of the respective steps of the process to the type and quantity of the present laundry item.

In an embodiment of the invention, at least one of the two phases contains at least one section in which the laundry drum is reversibly driven without the water level course has an immediate influence on the control of the water supply (claim 2). Thus, an abbreviation of the wetting process succeeds, because the laundry to be treated is temporarily shifted faster in the drum, so that during the subsequent continuous turning in the scooping direction new districts of the laundry batch are wetted by scooped water. This also improves the uniformity of wetting. The intensity of wetting is especially very large if, according to an advantageous embodiment, the continuous direction of rotation of the laundry drum of the direction of the effectiveness of a scoop device attached in it corresponds (claim 4).

It is advantageous if the measurement signals determined during a section of continuous drum rotation and / or during a section with reversing drum rotation through the water level course are fed to an electrical filter with algorithms adapted to the wetting process and the water supply is controlled using the output signal of the filter is (claim 3). Then, in fact, it can already be decided, during this section from the current situation, whether additional amounts of water will be required in order to impregnate the laundry intensively, so that the required feed quantity can be determined and supplied at an early stage.

Advantageously, the section with continuously rotating laundry drum lasts until reaching the predetermined level after sucking back through the laundry (claim 5). Then either the next phase or the washing process can be started immediately.

In an advantageous method for adjusting the wetting process of a laundry item to be treated in a laundry drum of a washing machine according to the invention, the first phase is followed by a second phase, if in the first phase according to the measurement parameters, a small amount of liquor is not sufficient for a small phase. ne amount of laundry has been determined (claim 6).

For the determination of the reaching of the predetermined level, means for measuring the water level may be provided which include a time measuring device for determining the opening duration of an inlet valve (claim 7) or a liquid quantity measuring device for determining the amount of liquid that has accumulated (claim 8).

Advantageously, the control device has a comparator for the measured value of the target level for terminating the phase (claim 9). Then, after a comparison with the calculated reference value, a decision can be made as to whether a second or even further phase of the wetting process will follow because of the size of the first-phase laundry item. By the way, in each phase you can do one level with continuous turning - A -

the washing drum are assigned a stage with reversing drum movement at an arbitrary time of the phase.

If, according to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the means for measuring the water level during the reversing drum movement and / or the comparator are inoperative (claim 10), an adequate wetting of the laundry item can be carried out without adding further water will cause the moisture in the present batch of laundry, which may be too small in so far unrecognized way for so much water, to the supersaturation.

Only in the subsequent section of wetting by unidirectional rotation of the laundry drum only in the scooping direction can be determined again on the basis of the now to be measured amount of feed water, as large as the laundry items. Given a given geometry of the tub / drum system, a speed of approximately 20 rpm (corresponding to a circumferential speed of approximately 0.5 m / s) has proven to be very suitable (Claim 11).

Accordingly, the reversing drum movement in accordance with the design features of the tub and / or the laundry drum at a speed in the range of 40 rpm (corresponding to a peripheral speed of about 1m / s) has been found to be very suitable (claim 12). From these prerequisites, the two phases of the wetting process together can last between 60 seconds and 4 minutes, resulting in an overall ideally optimized wetting process. The specified times depend on the size and the absorbency of the respective laundry item and can be adjusted accordingly.

[0019] The embodiment of the washing machine according to the invention and method steps suitable for this embodiment are explained in more detail below with reference to an exemplary embodiment of a wetting process. Show it

1 shows a wetting process for a large batch of laundry with reference to a diagram and

Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of the relevant parts of the invention for a washing machine, in which a wetting process according to FIG. 1 is applied. 1 is a washing machine at least similar to FIG. 2 with a tub 1, in which a laundry drum 2 is mounted and can be driven by the drive motor 14. [0020] In the case of the wetting process shown in FIG. According to recent findings for the ergonomics in dealing with such washing machines, the axis of rotation 3 of the laundry drum 2 from the horizontal by a small angle (eg 13 °) directed forwardly upwards, so that the user of the washing machine easier access and insight into the interior of the laundry drum. 2 receives. By this arrangement, in conjunction with specially shaped Wäschemitnehmern 4 and 5 Schöpfeinrichtungen for the liquor 6 also in the direction of rotation of the arrow 16 also an intensification of the leaching of the laundry 7 with alkali and a reduction in the so-called free liquor reaches that amount referred to wash liquor in the tub 1, which has not been recorded by the laundry and is located substantially below the lowest point of the laundry drum 2 in the tub. Apart from such modern construction methods, the described wetting process is, of course, equally advantageous for conventional construction.

The washing machine also has a liquor inlet system comprising a water connection fitting for the domestic water network 8, an electrically controllable valve 9 and a supply line 10 to the tub 1, which may optionally be performed via a Waschmitteleinspüleinrichtung 11, from which the feed water detergent portions in can transport the tub. The valve 9 may be controlled by a controller 12 in response to a program schedule that may be tied to a time schedule and / or the achievement of certain measurements of parameters (liquor level, caustic temperature, laundry drum speed, etc.) within the washing machine , Further, in the tub 1 a Laugenheizeinrichtung 13, which can also be switched by the control device 12 and according to similar criteria.

A wash program typically begins - as in Fig. 1 - with the opening of the valve to lead water from the domestic water network 8 in the tub 1. There, the water should be brought into contact with the laundry 7 stored in the laundry drum 2 intensively in the fastest possible way so that on the one hand the entrained detergent develop its chemical effect as quickly as possible and on the other hand introduced by the heater 13 heat as quickly as possible on the laundry Ü can be transferred.

In the diagram of Fig. 1, the speed n of the laundry drum 2, the volume V of the accumulated water [1/10 liter] and the water level N [mm] in the tub 1 over the time t is plotted. In particular, the speed control characterizes the novel wetting process. Water supply, optionally supply of detergent and control of the heater 13 are made according to the prior art. The wetting process stored in the program as a whole comprises two phases Ph 1 and Ph 2, of which the phase Ph 2 is faded in or out as required. If the wetting in the phases PM and Ph2 is still insufficient, then optionally another phase Ph3 is connected (see below). The wetting process is immediately followed by the washing process W, which continues with a known form of reversing drum movement at a peripheral speed of approximately 1.25 m / s.

In phase Ph1, after the feed of a sufficient amount of liquid (eg 2 liters of water, if appropriate plus detergent), the drum 2 is set in motion. It is moved exclusively in one direction (section A ₀₁ ), in the direction (arrow 16), in which the scooping devices 5 act on the laundry drum 2 as intended. The setpoint speed of the laundry drum 2 is set to a value of approximately 20 rpm (corresponding to a circumferential speed of approximately 0.5 m / s) in the case of the budgetarily selected, but unspecified geometric dimensions of the laundry drum. However, according to the respective distribution of the laundry load in the laundry drum, the actual speed varies by this value. The drum movement is maintained for about 30 seconds. Approximately Namely, it takes 12 seconds until the required initial amount of feed water in the tub 1 is present. Thereafter, the laundry is already wetted with scooped water.

The value of this Erstmenge is determined, either by measuring the valve opening time, which is a measure of the absolute feed amount is assumed to be sufficiently uniform specific feed rate of the valve, or by direct measurement of the feed quantity, for example by means of a flow meter (not ) shown. The value for the Erstmenge is to achieve the monitored by a level measuring device 15 target liquor level N _1-0 in the tub (at 121), so that indirectly results from that amount that has been absorbed by the laundry items 7. A large batch of laundry absorbs a lot of water, so that the initial amount of supply water increases until it reaches the target level N _1-0 in the tub 1 stronger than a smaller batch of laundry. The suction speed can be measured on the diagram of the water level N and is a measure of the specific absorbency of the textile type.

In the phase Ph1 the laundry drum 2 is reversibly driven after its continuous drive in the scooping direction (arrow 16) for about 20 seconds at a peripheral speed of about 1, 0 m / s. Through the reversing section A _R1 , a thorough mixing of the laundry item is achieved and the laundry is also given the opportunity to continue to wet out of the already accumulated water. This section A _R1 can be up to one minute long and contain more intervals than shown here by only a few intervals within a relatively short period of time. The duration of this section A _R1 is essentially dependent on the selected reversing rhythm, the liquor level and the technical conditions of the machine.

After the reversing A _R1 starts either the washing phase W, if it had been a small, less absorbent items of laundry, or the second phase Ph2, if - as shown here - is a larger amount of laundry, the relatively much Can suck water.

The described differences in the water resistance behavior between different large linen items and different textiles makes use of the invention to decide on the basis of these differences, whether the wetting process at the end of the phase Ph 1 can be stopped (at a small or low absorbent Laundry items), or whether it needs to be continued in a special way. For a small batch of laundry namely the first amount of feed water is perhaps only almost completely absorbed (except for the rest of the free fleet), because all parts of the Wäschepostens be brought without significant delay in contact with the feed water and the Erstmenge already large enough for the small batch of laundry was. If the laundry item has been identified as small in this way, as can be seen from the fact that the level N only drops to the level of the volume diagram V towards the end of the phase Ph1, then the wash phase W is immediately transferred to this point. If it has been determined according to the above described manner that the laundry item to be treated is so large that the liquor level N reached in this phase PM can not be sufficient to completely wet the laundry, a second phase Ph2 of the wetting process is initiated , Namely, in the present diagram, the level line N has fallen below the volume line V toward the end of the phase Ph1. This means that so much water has been taken up in the laundry that the level N falls below the level that would correspond to the inflow volume V if the water would stand in the tub 1 without suction effects.

This second phase Ph2 now begins, since the first phase has been completed with continuous rotation, with a first section A ₀₂ and continued continuous drum movement in one direction of rotation 16 at speeds of 20 rpm (corresponding to a peripheral speed of approximately 0.5 m / s). If necessary, a section with a reversing phase of about 40 rpm (corresponding to a circumferential speed of about 1.0 m / s) may also be incorporated in this section (not shown). In addition, individual short spin intervals may also be embedded in this section in order to better penetrate the laundry with the newly taken up liquid.

In this section A _{02 of} the phase Ph 2, water is supplied in a predetermined amount. During this section A _{02 of} continuous drum rotation and / or during a later phase reversing drum rotation A _R2 within the phase Ph2, signals output from the water level sensor 15 may be matched to a filter included in the controller 12 and not specifically illustrated with the wetting process Algorithms are supplied and the control of the water inlet take place using the output signal of the filter. Then, in fact, it can already be decided, during this section from the current situation, whether additional amounts of water will be required in order to impregnate the laundry intensively, so that the required feed quantity can be determined and supplied at an early stage. Such algorithms take account of accumulated water volumes, the courses of water levels during individual time periods and possibly also after filling and after inflow and outfeed times reached levels of water levels in which no more suction through the laundry takes place (so-called compensating plateaus) and exist in mathematical equations , the are stored in the filter and change the signal sequences process- and device-specific.

The section A ₀₂ in which the laundry drum 2 is driven unidirectionally in the scooping direction 16 at a speed of approximately 20 rpm (corresponding to a peripheral speed of approximately 0.5 m / s), as in the phase Ph 1, again can be interrupted by a reversing section A _R2 and again serves to gradually re-suck the water into the laundry item (recognizable by the slowly decreasing level N) and to check the specific and absolute absorbency of the laundry item 7, thus indirectly the type of textile and the amount of laundry , For this purpose, it is measured (at 15) whether the liquor level drops below a limit value N _2-11 , which is the measure of the amount of laundry associated with this phase. If this value is undershot, water is refilled during the continuous movement of the washing drum 2 until the level switching value N _{2-0 is} reached. The total amount of water that has accumulated until reaching the switching point N _2-0 is - as in phase PM - a measure of the amount of laundry and determines whether now (in a medium-sized batch of laundry) has gone directly into the washing process W or if another phase Ph3 of the wetting process initiated becomes. For example, the typical value of the total amount of water for a mid-sized batch of laundry may be a maximum of 18 liters.

The two additional thick, dotted lines at a lower level than lying at level 50 line V in phase Ph2 and the additional dot-dash lines and two dot-dash lines N indicate that at less absorbent or smaller items of laundry correspondingly less water in the tub must be filled.

The decision to move to the washing phase W but also depends on the specific absorbency of this Wäschepostens. If the rate of descent of level N at the beginning of phase Ph2 is low, then these are textiles which can not be wetted very quickly with water. These are, for example, multi-layer textiles, those with coated or water-repellent fibers or membranes, which are particularly difficult to wet. If then additionally the level N, as described in paragraph 0032, at the end of the phase Ph2 the level N still falls below the volume line V, then the decision for a further phase to make Ph3, are repeated in the parts of the phase Ph2 can. But now there is a particularly large amount of laundry before (total amount of water over 18 liters), then another phase Ph3 is also initiated. The phase Ph3 may in turn contain a portion such as the section A _R2 in phase Ph2 with rever- sierenden drum movements with short intervals of speeds up to 40 rpm (corresponding to a peripheral speed of about 1, 0 m / s) in each direction. Otherwise, the phase Ph3 begins at least once again with a continuous rotation section such as A ₀₂ with only 20 rpm (corresponding to a circumferential speed of about 0.5 m / s) in the scooping direction 16 and may even include activated short spin intervals. Again, the level control is switched on only during continuous rotation, so that during the wetting movement, if necessary, namely only strong Nachsau-, further water is introduced. The structure of the movement sequence and its dependencies correspond to phase Ph2.

Also in this phase Ph3, a section is connected, in which the drum 2 unidirectional at about 20 rpm (corresponding to a peripheral speed of about 0.5 m / s) is driven continuously, and in turn serves to fill up with water. The target liquor level N _3-0 is now the intended level for washing and is no longer used to determine the amount of laundry. After a certain period of mixing in Schöpfrichtung the washing process begins with the known parameters. The duration of mixing in this continuous rotation section can be varied from phase to phase; preferably, it becomes longer as the number of phases increases.

The levels (equalization plateaus) in the individual phases should also increase, but at least from the first PM to the second phase Ph2. Although with the number of phases rising liquor levels increase the relative total amount of water for large amounts of laundry; However, this increase is low and it comes faster to a more intense moistening of the laundry. If a constant level is selected in advanced phases, then a particularly high scooping power of the laundry pick-up 4 and a good redeployment of the laundry within the laundry load must be ensured for satisfactory moisture penetration.

To optimize the scooping effect, a level or load-dependent

Adjusting the drum speed in the scooping direction 16 may be useful if the moisture is to be intensified and / or accelerated. For reasons of program technology, it may be advantageous, instead of the preliminary circuit proposed here, for have to include the reversing phases in the continuous rotation phase.

Advantageously, the reproducibility of the moisture and the washing effect can be improved with the measures according to the invention, because the water is introduced at defined times, in defined amounts and under defined conditions. In an inclined drum system - as explained above - the adjustment of the water level to the introduced amounts of laundry can lead to a refinement of the load-dependent process conditions, especially for small items of laundry. In addition, the uniform moisture content is improved at large laundry items. Overall, this aims at optimizing the required quantities of water, so that savings in water consumption can be observed as a result of the differentiation over longer periods of time.

Claims

claims 1. wetting process for the laundry (7) in a program-controlled washing machine, the laundry quantity in a in a tub (1) about a non-vertical axis (3) rotatably mounted laundry drum (2) by means of a water supply system (8 to 11) and a Control device (12) can be tuned, by which the supply of water in the tub (1) is temporally controllable, and in a first phase (Ph 1) with an inlet of a first measured amount of water in the tub (1) at The washing drum (2) starts at a constant or permanently rotating drum (2), characterized in that the washing drum (2) in the first phase (PM) is driven at least substantially continuously with the supply of water until, due to the measured signals, the laundry has overflowed Amount of water essentially no more suction can be determined, and in a second phase (Ph2) at least substantially continuously driven and a further amount of water is filled until the level in the tub (1) due to the in the first phase (PM) detected water level course with respect to the maximum level and rate of change of the water level (N) and with respect to falling back of the level due to ingestion of the water by the laundry (7) or a water level profile during filling and after-suction recognized by an expert system within the second phase (Ph2) of water through the laundry (7) has reached adjusted water level. 2. Wetting process according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the two phases (Ph 1 and Ph2) contains at least one section (A _R ), in which the laundry drum (2) is reversibly driven, without the water level course has an immediate effect has the control of the water inlet. 3. wetting process according to claim 2, characterized in that during a section (A ₀₁ or A ₀₂ ) with continuous laundry drum rotation and / or during a section (A _R ) with reversing drum rotation determined by the water level measurement signals an electric filter to the wetting process adapted algorithms are fed and the water flow is controlled using the output signal of the filter. 4. wetting process according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the laundry drum (2) in that of the direction (16) is driven continuously, which corresponds to the effectiveness of a scooping device (5) mounted in it. 5. Wetting process according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the section (A ₀₁ and A ₀₂ ) with permanently rotating laundry drum (2) until it reaches a predetermined level (N ₁ to N ₃ ) after it has been sucked back through the wash. 6. A method for adjusting the wetting process of a laundry item to be treated in a laundry drum (2) of a washing machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first phase (PM) is followed by a second phase (Ph2) when in the first phase (PM) according to the measurement parameters not a small amount of alkali has been determined as sufficient for a small amount of laundry. 7. A washing machine with a wetting process according to any one of claims 1 to 5 or for carrying out the method according to claim 6, characterized in that means (15, 12) are provided for measuring the water level, a time measuring device for determining the opening duration of an inlet valve ( 9) included. 8. Washing machine according to claim 7, characterized in that the means (15, 12) for measuring the water level, a liquid quantity measuring device for Determining the accumulated amount of liquid included. 9. Washing machine according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the control device (12) has a comparator (121) for the measured value of a target level (N _x-0 ) for terminating the phase (Ph 1 and Ph2). 10. Washing machine according to claim 9, characterized in that the means (15, 12) for measuring the water level during the reversing drum movement and / or the comparator (121) are ineffective. 11. Washing machine according to one of claims 7 to 10, characterized in that the unidirectional drum movement in coordination with the design features of the tub (1) and / or the laundry drum (2) with a peripheral speed of about 0.5 m / s (corresponding to a Speed in the range of, for example, 20 rpm) is executable. 12. Washing machine according to one of claims 7 to 11, characterized in that the reversing drum movement in coordination with the design features of the tub (1) and / or the laundry drum (2) with a peripheral speed of about 1.0 m / s (corresponding to a Speed in the range of, for example, 40 rpm) is executable.