Adaptive water volume control method for washing machine and dishwasher

Abstract

The present invention relates to an adaptive water volume control method for a washing machine. When the washing machine is started, water is added to the washing chamber, and the operating power of the motor used to draw water is detected in real time. Water addition is controlled until the motor's operating power reaches the power range corresponding to the motor's stable operating state at full load. This adaptive water volume control method for a washing machine can adaptively adjust the water intake based on the items being cleaned, thereby ensuring effective cleaning while reducing energy consumption. The present invention also relates to a dishwasher utilizing this adaptive water volume control method. This dishwasher is energy-efficient and water-efficient, and provides excellent cleaning results.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an adaptive water volume control method for a cleaning machine, and also relates to a cleaning machine applying the adaptive water volume control method. Background Art

[0002] When a dishwasher is in use, the accuracy of its water intake directly affects the degree of cleanliness. Water level sensors and flow sensors are commonly used in the prior art to control the water volume within the dishwasher. For example, in Chinese invention patent application publication number CN112971660A (application number 201911275435.6), "A Water Level Detection Method and Dishwasher," the disclosed water flow sensor can determine the amount of water entering the inner tank and, therefore, determine whether a drainage failure has occurred. Another example is Chinese invention patent application publication number CN112294214A (application number 202011148755.8), "A Dishwasher, Dishwasher Water Intake Control Method, Device, and Storage Medium," which discloses a solution that uses a water volume detection device to detect water intake. Depending on the location of the device, this water volume detection device can use either a water level sensor or a flow meter. These dishwashers either control the water intake by a set amount or set the water level in the washing chamber to a fixed level, making it impossible to adaptively adjust the water intake to the specific dishware placed.

[0003] However, when a dishwasher is in use, the amount of clinging to the dishes varies depending on the amount of dishware placed in its wash chamber, meaning that the dishes have varying impacts on water consumption. Existing dishwashers typically flow water into the wash chamber at the maximum volume required to maintain stable operation. This, when the dishwasher is loaded with fewer dishes, not only wastes water but also increases power consumption due to the water heating process during the wash cycle. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The first technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an adaptive water volume control method for a washing machine in response to the above-mentioned prior art, which can adaptively adjust the water intake according to the situation of the items to be cleaned in the washing machine, so as to ensure the cleaning effect while reducing energy consumption.

[0005] The second technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a dishwasher that saves energy and water and has good cleaning effect in view of the above-mentioned prior art.

[0006] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the first technical problem mentioned above is: an adaptive water volume control method for a cleaning machine, which is characterized in that: when the cleaning machine starts working, water is controlled to be added to the cleaning chamber, and the working power of the motor used to draw water is detected and obtained in real time, and water is controlled to be continuously added until the working power of the motor reaches the power range corresponding to the stable operating state of the motor running at full load.

[0007] In order to improve the precise control of water inlet, when there is no object to be cleaned in the cleaning chamber of the cleaning machine, the corresponding relationship between no-load water inlet and motor power is preset;

[0008] When the cleaning machine starts cleaning, it first injects a fixed amount of water A into the cleaning chamber to control the motor operation, and then detects and obtains the working power P of the motor under the current fixed water volume A state. The data A and P are compared with the correspondence between the no-load water intake volume and the motor operation, and then the amount of water replenishment C that needs to be injected into the cleaning chamber is determined to achieve a stable operating state of the motor running at full load.

[0009] As an improvement, based on the correspondence between different no-load water inflows and motor power, the no-load water inflow B corresponding to the current motor operating power is determined, and the water replenishment volume C required to achieve a continuous and stable water flow state is calculated. C = D - B, where D is the minimum no-load water inflow corresponding to the stable operation state of the motor running at full load when there is no object to be cleaned in the cleaning chamber of the cleaning machine, and A < D;

[0010] Control and inject water of replenishment amount C into the cleaning chamber.

[0011] In order to inject the most appropriate amount of water into the cleaning chamber, while ensuring that the water volume meets the cleaning effect, the purpose of saving water and reducing consumption is achieved. After controlling the water replenishment volume C to be injected into the cleaning chamber, the real-time working power P1 of the motor is obtained, and it is determined whether P1 is in the power range corresponding to the full load operation of the motor. If so, the water intake work of the current cleaning process is completed; if not, the calculation of the new water replenishment volume C is cyclically performed until the working power of the motor reaches the power range corresponding to the full load operation of the motor.

[0012] Preferably, the fixed water volume A adopts data of the no-load water inlet volume-motor working correspondence, which is greater than the no-load water inlet volume corresponding to the motor idling state and less than the minimum no-load water inlet volume corresponding to the motor full-load operation state.

[0013] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the second technical problem mentioned above is: a dishwasher applying the aforementioned adaptive water volume control method, including a cabinet having a cleaning chamber, a water inlet pipe connected to the cleaning chamber, a flow sensor arranged on the water inlet pipe, a motor arranged at the bottom of the cabinet for driving the water flow, and a control circuit board connected to the flow sensor and the motor electrical signal, characterized in that: the aforementioned adaptive water volume control method is applied.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are as follows: the adaptive water volume control method of the washing machine of the present invention determines the water intake according to the motor power. For different amounts of tableware in the washing chamber, the corresponding water intake varies when the motor's operating power reaches the power range corresponding to the stable operating state of the motor at full load. When the motor power reaches the power corresponding to the motor at full load, it indicates that the water intake can meet normal washing work, excluding the water consumption of the tableware. In this way, the water intake is as close to the minimum amount as possible while meeting the cleaning effect, reducing the water cost during the washing work and saving the energy consumption required for water pumping and heating. The adaptive water volume control method of the washing machine can dynamically adjust the water intake based on changes in the tableware situation, which not only achieves efficient cleaning but also facilitates the collection of debris during the cleaning process.

[0015] A dishwasher that applies the adaptive water volume control method of the washing machine saves water and energy and has a good cleaning effect. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 Flowchart of the adaptive water volume control method for a cleaning machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] The present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0018] The adaptive water volume control method for a washing machine in this embodiment can be applied to washing machines such as dishwashers and fruit and vegetable washing machines.

[0019] This embodiment describes a dishwasher using the adaptive water volume control method. The dishwasher includes a housing, a water inlet pipe, a flow sensor, a motor, and a control circuit board. The control circuit board is electrically connected to the motor and the flow sensor to control the water volume.

[0020] The housing includes a cleaning chamber, into which dishes are placed for cleaning during use. A water inlet pipe is connected to the cleaning chamber and attached to the upper portion of the housing. The water inlet pipe is also connected to an external water source, thereby injecting water for cleaning into the cleaning chamber. A water cup is formed in a recessed portion in the middle of the bottom surface of the cleaning chamber. The rim of the water cup is covered with a drain plate, and a slag basket extends downward from the drain plate, facing the opening in the cleaning chamber. Spray arms are provided within the cleaning chamber, and the number of spray arms can be set as needed. For example, for a cleaning machine with a smaller cleaning chamber, only a spray arm at the bottom can be provided. For a cleaning machine with a larger cleaning chamber, multiple spray arms can be provided within the cleaning chamber, evenly distributed at the top, bottom, and sides of the cleaning chamber. A flow guide seat is provided within the water cup, the upper portion of which extends to a position above the drain plate. The spray arms are connected to the flow guide seat. The bottom sidewall of the guide seat is provided with a water inlet connected to the inner cavity of the water cup. This water inlet is located above the water cup. A motor is installed at the bottom of the housing, corresponding to the position of the water cup. The motor's drive shaft extends into the guide seat, and the upper end of the drive shaft is connected to a guide vane. The motor drives the guide vane to rotate, drawing water from the water cup into the guide seat and directing it toward the spray arm.

[0021] During the washing process, water adheres to the dishes, and since water adheres to the dishes to a certain degree, it needs to drip slowly. Therefore, different amounts of dishware require different amounts of water to adhere to the dishes. Therefore, when washing, the ideal amount of water should not only remove the adhered water from the dishes, but also ensure that each spray arm is filled with water to ensure continuous spraying, and that the flow rate from the drain plate into the water cup is reasonable, effectively flushing debris into the debris collection basket. It is also important to avoid water flowing too slowly or too quickly on the drain plate, preventing debris from effectively entering the debris collection basket and potentially clogging the drain holes on the drain plate. Based on these requirements, the minimum water volume corresponding to the motor reaching full load is used as the optimal water intake for control.

[0022] The dishwasher of this structure can operate using the following adaptive water volume control method for a washing machine.

[0023] The adaptive water flow control method for this cleaning machine involves controlling the addition of water to the cleaning chamber upon startup, and monitoring the operating power of the water pumping motor in real time. The specific motor operating power can be acquired using existing data acquisition circuitry, and then a controller on the circuit board calculates the corresponding operating power based on the acquired motor operating data. Water is continuously added until the motor operating power reaches the power range corresponding to a stable operating state under full load.

[0024] Specifically, before a cleaning machine leaves the factory, its operating parameters are tested. This involves measuring the motor speed (i.e., blade speed) and spray arm speed at different no-load water inflows, with no items being cleaned placed in the cleaning chamber. The no-load water inflow refers to the water inflow when the machine is empty. The data in Table 1 below represents the test data for a cleaning machine.

[0025] Table 1

[0026]

[0027] It can be seen from Table 1 that when there is no object to be cleaned in the cleaning chamber of the cleaning machine, if the no-load water intake is below 3.2L, the water flow cannot be effectively sucked in and directed to the blade position in the guide seat, and the blade is in an idling state, that is, the no-load water intake range belongs to the idling zone of the cleaning machine.

[0028] If the no-load water intake is in the range of 3.2L to 3.9L, the water flow can be directed into the spray arm by the blades, but the cleaning machine cannot reach the working state under the aforementioned optimal water intake condition. At this time, the motor is in a non-full-load working state. The no-load water intake range belongs to the operating filtration area of the cleaning machine.

[0029] When the no-load water intake reaches the range of 4L to 4.2L, the cleaning machine reaches the aforementioned optimal water intake level. At this point, the motor is operating at full load. To save energy, the minimum water intake level under this condition is the preferred option. This no-load water intake range represents the stable operating zone of the cleaning machine.

[0030] If the no-load water intake exceeds 4.2L, the power of the motor will decrease, that is, the water volume is too large, and the cleaning effect cannot be improved at this time, and the slag collection effect may even be worse.

[0031] In the data in Table 1, when the motor power reaches 118W-119W, the motor reaches full load working state.

[0032] In this embodiment, the adaptive water volume control method of the cleaning machine is to control the addition of water into the cleaning chamber when the cleaning machine starts working, and to detect and obtain the working power of the motor used to draw water in real time, and to control the continuous addition of water until the working power of the motor reaches the power range corresponding to the stable operating state of the motor running at full load.

[0033] like Figure 1 As shown, the adaptive water volume control method of the cleaning machine in this embodiment specifically includes the following steps.

[0034] S1. Based on the aforementioned test, when no object to be cleaned is placed in the cleaning chamber of the cleaning machine, a corresponding relationship between no-load water inflow and motor power at different no-load water inflows in the cleaning chamber is preset.

[0035] S2. The cleaning machine starts cleaning and first injects a fixed amount of water A into the cleaning chamber. In this embodiment, the fixed water amount A is the data obtained from the no-load water inlet-motor working state correspondence, which is greater than the no-load water inlet corresponding to the motor idling state and less than the minimum no-load water inlet corresponding to the motor full-load operation state. Specifically, according to Table 1, A is 3.9 L.

[0036] S3. Control the motor to work, and then detect and obtain the working power P of the motor under the current fixed water volume A state.

[0037] S4. Compare the data A and P with the no-load water intake-motor working correspondence, and then determine the amount of water C that needs to be injected into the cleaning chamber to achieve a stable operating state of the motor running at full load.

[0038] This step S4 can be completed through the following process.

[0039] S4.1. Determine the no-load water intake B corresponding to the current motor operating power based on the correspondence between different no-load water intakes and motor power. According to Table 1, for example, if the current motor power is 95W, the no-load water intake B corresponding to the current motor power = 3.5L;

[0040] S4.2. Calculate the amount of water replenishment C required to achieve a continuous and stable water flow state, where C = D - B, where D is the minimum no-load water intake corresponding to the stable operation state of the motor running at full load when no objects to be cleaned are placed in the cleaning chamber of the cleaning machine, and A < D.

[0041] According to Table 1, D = 4 L. For example, when B = 3.5 L, C = 0.5 L.

[0042] S4.3, control to inject water of replenishment volume C into the cleaning chamber. According to the above embodiment data, control to inject another 0.5L of water into the cleaning chamber. At this time, the actual water volume in the cleaning chamber is 3.9L+0.5L=4.4L.

[0043] S4.4. After controlling the injection of water of replenishment volume C into the cleaning chamber, obtain the real-time working power P1 of the motor.

[0044] S4.5. Determine whether P1 is in the power range corresponding to the full load operation of the motor. According to Table 1, determine whether P1 is in the range of 118W-119W.

[0045] If yes, the water intake work of the current cleaning process is completed.

[0046] If not, return to S4.1 and loop to calculate the new water replenishment amount C until the working power of the motor reaches the power range corresponding to the full load operation of the motor.

[0047] If the cleaning machine has multiple cleaning processes, the aforementioned method can be used to add water during the first cleaning process of the cleaning machine and calculate the corresponding total water intake. The water intake of each subsequent cleaning process is directly controlled based on the total water intake calculated for the first cleaning process. Alternatively, the aforementioned water intake method can be used for each cleaning process.

[0048] The adaptive water volume control method for a washing machine disclosed herein determines the water intake based on the motor power. For different amounts of dishware in the washing chamber, the corresponding water intake varies when the motor's operating power reaches the power range corresponding to the motor's stable operating state at full load. When the motor power reaches the power corresponding to full load, the water intake is sufficient for normal washing, excluding the water consumption of the dishes. This minimizes the water intake while maintaining a satisfactory cleaning effect, reducing water costs during the cleaning process and saving energy for pumping and heating water. This adaptive water volume control method for a washing machine can dynamically adjust the water intake based on changes in the dishware's condition, not only achieving efficient cleaning but also facilitating debris collection during the cleaning process. Dishwashers that utilize this adaptive water volume control method for washing machines save water and energy, and achieve excellent cleaning results.

Claims

1. A method for adaptive water volume control of a washing machine, characterized by: When the cleaning machine starts working, it controls the addition of water into the cleaning chamber, and detects the working power of the motor used to draw water in real time, and controls the continuous addition of water until the working power of the motor reaches the power range corresponding to the stable operating state of the motor running at full load; When no object to be cleaned is placed in the cleaning chamber of the cleaning machine, a corresponding relationship between no-load water inflow and motor power is preset between different no-load water inflows in the cleaning chamber; When the cleaning machine starts cleaning, it first injects a fixed amount of water A into the cleaning chamber to control the motor operation. Then, it detects and obtains the working power P of the motor under the current fixed water volume A. The data A and P are compared with the corresponding relationship between no-load water intake and motor operation. Then, it determines the amount of water replenishment C that needs to be injected into the cleaning chamber to achieve a stable operating state of the motor running at full load. Based on the correspondence between different no-load water inflows and motor power, determine the no-load water inflow B corresponding to the current motor operating power, and calculate the water replenishment volume C required to achieve a continuous and stable water flow state. C = D - B, where D is the minimum no-load water inflow corresponding to the stable operation state of the motor running at full load when there is no object to be cleaned in the cleaning chamber of the cleaning machine, and A < D; Control and inject water of replenishment amount C into the cleaning chamber.

2. The adaptive water volume control method for a cleaning machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: After controlling the injection of water of the replenishment volume C into the cleaning chamber, obtain the real-time working power P1 of the motor, and judge whether P1 is in the power range corresponding to the full load operation of the motor. If so, the water supply work of the current cleaning process is completed; if not, the calculation of the new replenishment volume C is cyclically performed until the working power of the motor reaches the power range corresponding to the full load operation of the motor.

3. The adaptive water flow control method according to claim 1, wherein: The fixed water volume A adopts the data of the no-load water inlet volume-motor working correspondence, which is greater than the no-load water inlet volume corresponding to the motor idling state and less than the minimum no-load water inlet volume corresponding to the motor full-load operation state.

4. A dishwasher comprising a housing having a cleaning chamber, a water inlet pipe connected to the cleaning chamber, a flow sensor disposed on the water inlet pipe, a motor disposed below the housing for driving water flow, and a control circuit board electrically connected to the flow sensor and the motor, characterized in that: Apply the adaptive water volume control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 3.

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