Drum washing machine

Abstract

A drum-type washing machine has a tub (33), a rotating drum (31), a motor, a water supply portion, a water discharge portion, a water discharge port, a water overflow port (60), and a control portion. The control portion performs a first process after controlling the water supply portion to supply water into the tub (33), and performs a second process after controlling the water discharge portion to discharge water in the tub (33) from the water discharge port and controlling the water supply portion to supply water into the tub (33) again. The first process is a process of controlling the motor to rotate the rotating drum (31) in a first rotation direction at a rotation speed for raising water in the tub (33) to a height of the water overflow port (60). The second process is a process of controlling the motor to rotate the rotating drum (31) in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction. Moreover, the first rotation direction is set to a direction in which a lower portion of the rotating drum (31) faces the water overflow port (60) side.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a drum washing machine, and more particularly to the maintenance of a so-called washing tub. Background Technology

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a washing machine with a tub cleaning program. This washing machine includes a water tank, a rotating tub housed rotatably within the water tank, and a drive unit for rotating the rotating tub. The tub cleaning program combines a first step and a second step. The first step involves rotating the rotating tub at a first rotational speed while filling the water tank to a level higher than the water level in the washing step of a laundry program. The second step involves rotating the rotating tub at a second rotational speed, which is higher than the first speed, and at this second speed, the centrifugal force acting on the water adhering to the rotating tub is greater than gravity but lower than the resonance point.

[0003] In addition, the rotation direction at the second rotation speed is only one direction, which is set to prevent water splashed out of the rotating tank from flowing into the drying air duct above the tank when the rotating tank is rotating.

[0004] Existing technical documents

[0005] Patent documents

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-43171 Summary of the Invention

[0007] This disclosure provides a drum washing machine that can effectively remove dirt from the inner surface of the sink and the inner and outer surfaces of the rotating drum in a short time without using a sink cleaner, thereby making it easier to keep the sink and rotating drum clean.

[0008] The disclosed drum-type washing machine includes a water tank, a rotating trough, a motor, a water supply unit, a drain unit, a drain outlet, an overflow outlet, and a control unit. The water tank is used to store water. The rotating trough is rotatably disposed within the water tank. The motor drives the rotating trough. The water supply unit supplies water into the water tank. The drain unit discharges water from the water tank. The drain outlet is located at the lower part of the water tank. The overflow outlet is located above the drain outlet in the water tank. The control unit performs a first process after controlling the water supply unit to supply water into the water tank, and a second process after controlling the drain unit to discharge water from the drain outlet and controlling the water supply unit to supply water into the water tank again. The first process is controlling the motor to rotate the rotating trough at a rotation speed sufficient to raise the water in the water tank to the height of the overflow outlet in a first rotational direction. The second process is controlling the motor to rotate the rotating trough in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction. Furthermore, the first rotational direction is the direction in which the lower part of the rotating trough faces the overflow outlet.

[0009] The disclosed drum washing machine can effectively remove dirt from the inner surface of the sink and the inner and outer surfaces of the rotating drum in a short time without using a sink cleaner, thus making it easier to keep the sink and rotating drum clean. Attached Figure Description

[0010] Figure 1 This is a side sectional view of the drum washing machine according to Embodiment 1.

[0011] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the maintenance procedure for a drum washing machine according to Embodiment 1.

[0012] Figure 3A This is a schematic front view showing the water tank and rotating drum of a drum-type washing machine in the first step of Embodiment 1.

[0013] Figure 3B This is a schematic front view showing the water tank and rotating drum of a drum-type washing machine in the first step of Embodiment 1.

[0014] Figure 3C This is a schematic front view showing the water tank and rotating drum of the drum-type washing machine in the second process of Embodiment 1. Detailed Implementation

[0015] (Basic insights, etc., disclosed in this publication)

[0016] When the inventors conceived of this disclosure, a conventional washing machine was known to have a tub cleaning program that reliably cleans the tub by adding tub cleaner and taking approximately 3 hours. However, this conventional washing machine cannot be used daily because the tub cleaning program takes a very long time to run, resulting in reduced frequency of maintenance via the tub cleaning program and causing problems with the accumulation and adhesion of dirt in the tub.

[0017] Furthermore, even with daily maintenance, water alone is sufficient without using sink cleaner, but users often fail to perform daily maintenance for the reasons mentioned above. Therefore, maintenance is performed only once every three months, resulting in the inconvenience of needing to purchase sink cleaner to remove accumulated and sticky grime. Moreover, even when using sink cleaner, rinsing the sink is still necessary, inevitably extending maintenance intervals and increasing water consumption.

[0018] On the other hand, it is also considered that users can manually set "wash time 1 minute, no rinsing, spin time 1 minute" and run the standard program for washing clothes to perform maintenance simply. However, in this standard program, the water level and the speed of the swirl tank are not as high as in the tank cleaning program, so the tank cannot be cleaned thoroughly.

[0019] Furthermore, during the cleaning process of the tank cleaning program, once water is supplied to the tank, it is not drained, and the cleaning continues for a long time, such as up to 2 hours. Therefore, there are drawbacks such as dirt peeling off from the surface of the tank and rotating tank re-adhering to other parts of the tank, and there are also problems such as detergent deposits accumulating in the tank and abnormally foaming due to the long cleaning time.

[0020] The inventors discovered this problem and, in order to solve it, came up with the subject matter that constitutes this disclosure.

[0021] Therefore, this disclosure provides a drum washing machine that can effectively remove dirt from the inner surface of the sink and the inner and outer surfaces of the rotating drum in a short time without using a sink cleaner, thereby making it easier to keep the sink and rotating drum clean.

[0022] The embodiments will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, sometimes overly detailed descriptions are omitted. For example, detailed descriptions of well-known matters or repetitive descriptions of substantially the same structures are sometimes omitted. This is to avoid the following description becoming too lengthy and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art.

[0023] Furthermore, the accompanying drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand this disclosure, and are not intended to limit the subject matter of the claims.

[0024] (Implementation Method 1)

[0025] Next, use Figures 1 to 3C To illustrate implementation method 1.

[0026] [1-1. Structure]

[0027] First, use Figure 1 To illustrate the structure of the drum washing machine 10. Figure 1 This is a side sectional view of a front-loading washing machine 10. Additionally, it may sometimes be described below as follows... Figure 1 The vertical direction in the state where the drum washing machine 10 is set up as shown is recorded as the up and down direction. Additionally, in the case of... Figure 1 In the state where the drum washing machine 10 is set up as shown, sometimes the side where the cover 37 is located is set as the front or front, and the side where the motor 35 is located is set as the back or rear.

[0028] like Figure 1As shown, the drum-type washing machine 10 includes a water tank 33, a rotating drum 31, a motor 35, a water supply valve 44, a water level detection unit 46, a drain valve 43, a drain outlet 40, an overflow outlet 60, and a control unit 57. The water level detection unit 46 consists of an air trap 46a and a pressure sensor 46b, and is used to detect the water level in the water tank 33. Furthermore, the rotating drum 31 corresponds to an example of the rotating tank of this disclosure, the water supply valve 44 corresponds to an example of the water supply unit of this disclosure, and the drain valve 43 corresponds to an example of the drain unit of this disclosure.

[0029] The water tank 33 of the drum washing machine 10 is configured to be supported by a suspension 41a above the washing machine body 39 and a vibration damping member 41b below in a rocking manner, for accumulating water (hereinafter also referred to as "washing water").

[0030] The rotating drum 31 is rotatably mounted within the water tank 33, with its rotational axis inclined downwards from the front side towards the back side. Alternatively, while the rotating drum 31 is configured with its rotational axis inclined downwards from the front side towards the back side, it could also be configured with its rotational axis horizontal. The rotating drum 31 is formed into a bottomed cylindrical shape, with numerous water passage holes 32 provided on its entire outer periphery. Multiple protrusions 36 for agitating clothes are provided on the inner wall of the rotating drum 31. Openings 38 are provided on the front sides of both the water tank 33 and the rotating drum 31, and are covered by a cover 37 that can be opened and closed freely. Users can place laundry into or remove laundry from the rotating drum 31 through the openings 38 by opening the cover 37.

[0031] The water supply valve (water supply unit) 44 is used to supply water to the water tank 33 through the water supply path 45.

[0032] The control unit 57 is located below the main body 39 of the washing machine. The control unit 57 performs a first process after controlling the water supply valve 44 to supply water to the water tank 33, and a second process after controlling the drain valve 43 to drain water from the drain outlet 40 and controlling the water supply valve 44 to supply water to the water tank 33 again. Details of these first and second processes will be described later. Furthermore, the control unit 57 has a computer system with a processor and a memory. The computer system functions as the control unit 57 by executing a program stored in the memory by the processor. Here, the program executed by the processor is assumed to be pre-recorded in the computer system's memory, but it could also be provided by recording on a non-transitory recording medium such as a memory card, or by providing it via an electrical communication line such as the Internet.

[0033] Additionally, a drain path 42 is connected to one end of a drain outlet 40 located at the bottom of the sink 33, and a drain valve (drainage section) 43 is connected to the other end of the drain path 42. The drain valve 43 is used to drain the washing water in the sink 33.

[0034] A rotating shaft 34 is provided on the back of the rotating drum 31, and a motor 35 mounted on the back of the sink 33 is connected to the rotating shaft 34. The motor 35 is composed of a DC brushless motor or the like and is used to drive the rotating drum 31. The motor 35 is controlled by a control unit 57 and a drive circuit (not shown) to rotate in both directions with variable speed, and the load applied to the motor 35, i.e., the amount of laundry, is detected based on a signal from a current detection circuit (not shown).

[0035] The control unit 57 takes information from the input setting unit 58, which is used by the user to set the operating program, as input, and displays the content corresponding to the input information on the display unit 59 to notify the user. Furthermore, when the operation is set to start by the input setting unit 58, the control unit 57 takes data from the water level detection unit 46, which consists of the free air trap 46a and the pressure sensor 46b, as input to detect the water level in the water tank 33 and performs the following control. That is, based on the input data, the control unit 57 controls the operation of the drain valve 43, the water supply valve 44, etc., via the load drive unit (not shown). In addition, the control unit 57 controls the motor 35 via the drive circuit (not shown) to perform a series of processes such as washing, rinsing, dehydration, and drying.

[0036] In addition, the drum washing machine 10 has a drying function, which is achieved by including a heater 47, a blower fan 48, and a warm air delivery path 49. Specifically, the drum washing machine 10 has a warm air intake 52 for drawing air into the water tank 33 at the front of the upper surface of the water tank 33, and a warm air outlet 51 is provided at the upper back of the water tank 33. Moreover, the drum washing machine 10 directs warm air in the direction b into the water tank 33 and the rotating drum 31, heating and circulating the air inside the rotating drum 31 and the water tank 33 to dry the laundry.

[0037] An overflow outlet 60 (e.g., water level 160 mm) is formed on the side surface of the water tank 33. The overflow outlet 60 is located slightly lower than the lower end of the opening 38 (e.g., water level 170 mm) of the water tank 33. That is, the overflow outlet 60 is located above the drain outlet 40 of the water tank 33. The overflow outlet 60 is connected to one end of the overflow passage 61 on the side surface of the water tank 33, and the other end of the overflow passage 61 is connected to the outside of the machine downstream of the drain valve 43.

[0038] In addition, the drum washing machine 10 is configured to have a circulation pump 80 that is connected to the drain outlet 40 via the drain path 42, and the circulation path 81 connected to the circulation pump 80 is connected to the circulation outlet 82 at the lower front of the water tank 33, so that the washing water in the washing process is circulated like the washing water flow a.

[0039] [1-2. Actions and effects]

[0040] For a front-loading washing machine 10 configured as described above, using Figures 2 to 3C This explains the operation and function of a shorter maintenance procedure compared to existing tank cleaning procedures. Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the maintenance procedure for a front-loading washing machine 10. Figure 3A and Figure 3B This is a schematic front view showing parts of the water tank 33 and rotating drum 31 of the drum-type washing machine 10 in the first process. Additionally, Figure 3C This is a schematic front view showing the portion of the water tank 33 and rotating drum 31 of the drum-type washing machine 10 in the second process.

[0041] The tank cleaning process typically runs for a relatively long period, such as 3 or 12 hours, to remove detergent deposits and dirt that have accumulated inside the tank 33 and on the inside and outside of the rotating drum 31. Specifically, the cleaning time is 2 or 11 hours, accounting for the majority of the running time, with the remaining time used for rinsing and dehydration processes.

[0042] Furthermore, to improve the cleaning effect, the user adds tub cleaner to the rotating drum 31. This tub cleaner contains a lot of surfactants and bleaching agents, so it requires more rinsing times (e.g., 4 times) than the standard rinsing procedure for washing clothes (e.g., 2 times).

[0043] Furthermore, the cleaning time of the tank cleaning program is longer than that of the standard program (e.g., approximately 9 minutes), as mentioned above, and the tank cleaner contains many of the various cleaning ingredients described above. Therefore, the cleaning process in the tank cleaning program generates significantly more foam compared to the standard program. This is one of the main reasons why the tank cleaning program requires more rinsing cycles.

[0044] As mentioned above, existing sink cleaning programs run for a very long time, making daily use impossible. This results in less frequent maintenance using sink cleaning programs, leading to the accumulation and adhesion of dirt and grime in the sink. Furthermore, even with daily maintenance, water alone is sufficient without sink cleaner, but users cannot perform this maintenance daily for the reasons stated above. Therefore, using sink cleaning programs only once every three months, for example, results in the inconvenience of having to purchase and use sink cleaner.

[0045] Therefore, a maintenance program that is short in duration, easy to use for daily maintenance, and does not require the use of a sink cleaner would be very useful for the user. In addition to daily maintenance, there are scenarios where users feel they need to perform special maintenance. Examples of such scenarios include after a wash cycle for clothes with a lot of mud, after a wash cycle for toilet seat covers, and after a wash-dry cycle (when a lot of lint remains in the sink). This is because in these scenarios, there was a lot of dirt from the previous wash cycle, and the user is concerned that some of this dirt may remain in the sink and re-adhere to the clothes in the next wash cycle. Another example is before a wash cycle for baby clothes. This is because, in these scenarios, the user feels it's important to ensure the sink is clean again before washing clothes (baby clothes) that they want to get particularly clean.

[0046] like Figure 2 As shown, when the maintenance program begins (step S100), the control unit 57 starts supplying water to the water tank 33 by opening the water supply valve 44 (step S101). Next, the control unit 57 determines whether the water level in the water tank 33 has reached a first predetermined water level based on the output of the pressure sensor 46b (step S102). The control unit 57 continues to supply water until the water level in the water tank 33 reaches the first predetermined water level (step S102: "No"). When the first predetermined water level is reached (step S102: "Yes"), the control unit 57 closes the water supply valve 44 to stop the water supply (step S103). The process from steps S101 to S103 takes approximately one minute. Here, the first predetermined water level is set to be higher than the water level in a regular laundry washing program (e.g., water level height 60 mm) and lower than the overflow outlet 60 (e.g., water level height 160 mm) (e.g., water level height 90 mm).

[0047] Furthermore, the control unit 57 can also rotate the rotating drum 31 (e.g., at a speed of 35 r / min) or drive the circulation pump 80 during the water supply process (steps S101 to S103). In this way, the drum washing machine 10 can promote the cleaning of the inside of the water tank 33, the inside and outside of the rotating drum 31, and the inside of the circulation path 81.

[0048] Additionally, the control unit 57 can also drive the drain valve 43 for a certain period of time to perform the draining action before step S101. This is because, if the user has turned off the power during the rinsing or final spin-drying process during the last washing operation, water may remain in the tank 33 or the drain path 42, thus avoiding performing the tank cleaning operation with this water remaining.

[0049] Next, the control unit 57 executes the first process (step S200). The first process is to control the motor 35 to rotate the rotating drum 31 in a first rotational speed at a first rotational speed used to raise the water in the sink 33 to the height of the overflow outlet 60 in a first rotational direction. Specifically, the control unit 57 starts rotating the rotating drum 31 at a first rotational speed (e.g., 80 r / min) and a first rotational direction via the motor 35 (step S201). Furthermore, the first rotational speed is higher than the rotational speed (e.g., 45 r / min) in a program for washing ordinary clothes. As a result, the water in the sink 33 is agitated, making it easier to wash away dirt adhering to the inside of the sink 33 and the inside and outside of the rotating drum 31. In addition, by agitating the detergent deposits remaining in the sink 33, a small amount of foam is generated even without adding sink cleaner. The washed-off dirt and the generated foam, such as Figure 3A As shown, the water gathers near the surface of the water that is raised by the rotation of the rotating drum 31.

[0050] Here, as described above, the first rotational speed is set to a speed used to raise the water in the water tank 33 to the height of the overflow outlet 60. Additionally, as... Figure 3B As shown, the first rotation direction of the rotating drum 31 is set to the direction from which the lower part of the rotating drum 31 faces the overflow port 60. Therefore, the washed-off dirt and the generated foam are naturally discharged out of the machine from the overflow port 60 through the overflow passage 61. Thus, the disadvantage of causing washed-off dirt and foam to adhere to the inside of the water tank 33 and other parts inside and outside the rotating drum 31 can be suppressed. Similarly, the washed-off detergent deposits are also discharged out of the overflow port 60, thus suppressing the disadvantage of abnormal foaming caused by the continuous generation of foam due to the rotation of the rotating drum 31.

[0051] Next, the control unit 57 determines whether a predetermined time (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed since the rotation of the rotating drum 31 began in step S201 (step S202), and continues to rotate the rotating drum 31 until the predetermined time has elapsed (step S202: "No"). Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first process (step S200) is defined as the processing of steps S201 and S202, but it may also include other processes, such as the processing of step S203 described later. That is, the first process of this disclosure only needs to include the process of controlling the motor of this disclosure to rotate the rotating tank of this disclosure in the first rotational direction at a speed used to raise the water in the tank of this disclosure to the height of the overflow outlet of this disclosure, or it may include other processes.

[0052] Next, after a predetermined time has elapsed (step S202: "Yes"), the control unit 57 opens the drain valve 43 to drain the water in the water tank 33 from the drain outlet 40 (step S203). The processing of steps S201 to S203 takes approximately 30 seconds. During this time, the rotating drum 31 is preferably stationary.

[0053] This is because the lighter-weight dirt washed away by rotating the drum 31 at a first rotational speed is discharged from the overflow port 60 as described above. However, in the case of very heavy dirt, it is possible that this very heavy dirt may not reach the surface of the water raised by the rotation of the drum 31 and thus cannot be discharged from the overflow port 60. Therefore, in step S203, in order to quickly discharge this very heavy dirt from the drain path 42 to the outside of the machine, it is necessary to avoid unnecessarily creating water flow that obstructs the discharge due to driving the drum 31.

[0054] In addition, as mentioned above, the very heavy attached dirt is sometimes difficult to be discharged from the overflow outlet 60, so it is best to drain the water from the drainage path 42 between the first and second processes.

[0055] Then, the control unit 57 closes the drain valve 43 and opens the water supply valve 44, thereby restarting the water supply to the water tank 33 (step S300). Similar to the process in step S102, the control unit 57 determines whether the water level in the water tank 33 has reached the first predetermined water level (step S301). The control unit 57 continues to supply water until the water level in the water tank 33 reaches the first predetermined water level (step S301: "No"). When the first predetermined water level is reached (step S301: "Yes"), the control unit 57 closes the water supply valve 44 to stop the water supply (step S302). The process from steps S300 to S302 takes approximately one minute.

[0056] Next, the control unit 57 executes the second process (step S400). The second process is to control the motor 35 to rotate the rotating drum 31 in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction. Specifically, similar to the first process, the control unit 57 uses the motor 35 to start rotating the rotating drum 31 at a first rotational speed (e.g., 80 r / min) (step S401). Here, as... Figure 3C As shown, the second rotation direction of the rotating drum 31 is the direction in which the lower part of the rotating drum 31 faces the side opposite to the overflow port 60, that is, the direction opposite to the first rotation direction.

[0057] Generally, a lot of dirt in the sink 33 adheres to the water level near the surface during the washing of ordinary clothes. First, in the first step, for example... Figure 3A The area located on the right side (overflow outlet 60 side) of the sink 33, viewed from the front, is cleaned as shown. Next, in the second step, the area is cleaned as shown... Figure 3C The area located on the left side (opposite to the overflow outlet 60) within the water tank 33, viewed from the front, is cleaned as shown. By performing the first and second processes in this way, uneven cleaning of the area can be prevented.

[0058] In addition, such as Figure 3A and Figure 3B As shown, in the first process, the attached dirt in the sink 33 and the foam generated by the residual detergent deposits have been discharged from the overflow outlet 60, so the final cleaning can be carried out in the second process with less dirt and foam.

[0059] Next, the control unit 57 determines whether a predetermined time (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed since the rotation of the rotating drum 31 began in step S401 (step S402), and continues to rotate the rotating drum 31 until the predetermined time has elapsed (step S402: "No"). Furthermore, in this embodiment, the second process (step S400) is defined as the processing of steps S401 and S402, but it may also include other processes, such as the processing of step S403 described later. That is, the second process of this disclosure only needs to include the process of controlling the motor of this disclosure to rotate the rotating groove of this disclosure in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction, or it may include other processes.

[0060] Next, after a predetermined time has elapsed (step S402: "Yes"), the control unit 57 opens the drain valve 43 to drain the water in the water tank 33 from the drain outlet 40 (step S403). The processing of steps S401 to S403 takes approximately 30 seconds. After that, the processing of the control unit 57 moves to the next process (step S500).

[0061] In a typical tank cleaning procedure, tank cleaner is added during the washing step, followed by a rinsing step to prevent the cleaner from remaining in the tank 33. However, the maintenance procedure of this embodiment is designed for easy daily maintenance without using tank cleaner; therefore, no tank cleaner is added to the tank 33. Thus, step S500 is not a rinsing step, but a final dehydration step. This final dehydration step takes approximately one minute.

[0062] By setting the sequence structure as described above, this maintenance procedure runs for a very short time (e.g., about 5 minutes), making it a very useful procedure that users can easily use whenever they want.

[0063] Furthermore, if the input setting unit 58 can set both a tub cleaning program that formally cleans the water tank 33 with tub cleaner and a short maintenance program of this embodiment, the drum washing machine 10 can perform extensive washing machine maintenance according to the situation, which is more useful.

[0064] Alternatively, in step S301 of the second process, the control unit 57 may control the water supply valve 44 to set the water supply level to a second predetermined water level (e.g., 110 mm) that is higher than the first predetermined water level (e.g., water level height 90 mm). This is because in the first process, the water level in the water tank 33 is raised to the height of the overflow port 60 by the rotation of the rotating drum 31, and even if the water supply level is further increased, it only increases the amount of water overflowing from the overflow port 60. In contrast, in the second process, the water that rises in the water tank 33 by the rotation of the rotating drum 31 exists on the opposite side of the overflow port 60, so the higher the water supply level, the better the cleaning effect of the water tank 33.

[0065] Similarly, to further improve the cleaning effect of the water tank 33, the control unit 57 can also control it as follows. That is, the control unit 57 can control the motor 35 to make the rotation speed of the rotating drum 31 in step S401 of the second process a second rotation speed (e.g., 100 r / min) higher than the first rotation speed (e.g., 80 r / min). Alternatively, the control unit 57 can control the motor 35 to make the rotation time of the rotating drum 31 in step S402 of the second process a longer time (e.g., 60 seconds) than the predetermined time (e.g., 30 seconds) of the first process. In this way, by making the rotation speed of the rotating drum 31 faster or the rotation time of the rotating drum 31 longer, the cleaning effect of the water tank 33 can be further improved.

[0066] [1-3. Effects, etc.]

[0067] As described above, in this embodiment, the drum washing machine 10 includes a water tank 33, a rotating drum 31, a motor 35, a water supply valve 44, a drain valve 43, a drain outlet 40, an overflow outlet 60, and a control unit 57. The water tank 33 is used to store water. The rotating drum 31 is rotatably disposed within the water tank 33. The motor 35 drives the rotating drum 31. The water supply valve 44 supplies water to the water tank 33. The drain valve 43 drains water from the water tank 33. The drain outlet 40 is located at the lower part of the water tank 33. The overflow outlet 60 is located above the drain outlet 40 in the water tank 33. The control unit 57 performs a first process after controlling the water supply valve 44 to supply water to the water tank 33, and a second process after controlling the drain valve 43 to drain water from the drain outlet 40 and controlling the water supply valve 44 to supply water to the water tank 33 again. The first step is to control the motor 35 to rotate the rotating drum 31 in a first rotational direction at a speed sufficient to raise the water in the water tank 33 to the height of the overflow outlet 60. The second step is to control the motor 35 to rotate the rotating drum 31 in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction. Furthermore, the first rotational direction is set to the direction in which the lower part of the rotating drum 31 faces the overflow outlet 60.

[0068] Therefore, after the first step of the drum washing machine 10 removes dirt and foam from the overflow outlet 60, the second step can perform simple maintenance on the inside of the sink 33 in a short time without using tub cleaner. Thus, without using tub cleaner, dirt on the inner surface of the sink 33 and the inner and outer surfaces of the rotating drum 31 can be effectively removed in a short time, making it easier to keep the sink 33 and the rotating drum 31 clean.

[0069] In this embodiment, the drum washing machine 10 also includes a water level detection unit 46 for detecting the water level in the water tank 33, and a control unit 57 for controlling the water supply valve 44 in such a way that the water level in the second process is higher than the water level in the first process.

[0070] Therefore, in the second process, since the water rising in the sink 33 due to the rotation of the rotating drum 31 exists on the opposite side of the overflow outlet 60, the higher the water level within the specified range, the better the cleaning effect of the sink 33. Thus, the drum washing machine 10 can effectively remove dirt from the inner surface of the sink 33 and the inner and outer surfaces of the rotating drum 31 in a short time, thereby making it easier to keep the sink 33 and the rotating drum 31 clean.

[0071] As in this embodiment, the control unit 57 may control the motor 35 such that the rotational speed of the rotating drum 31 in the second process is higher than the rotational speed of the rotating drum 31 in the first process.

[0072] Therefore, in the second process, the higher the rotational speed of the drum 31 within the specified range, the better the cleaning effect of the water tank 33. Thus, the drum washing machine 10 can effectively remove dirt from the inner surface of the water tank 33 and the inner and outer surfaces of the drum 31 in a short time, thereby making it easier to keep the tank clean.

[0073] As in this embodiment, the control unit 57 may control the motor 35 in such a way that the rotation time of the rotating drum 31 in the second process is longer than the rotation time of the rotating drum 31 in the first process.

[0074] Therefore, in the second process, the longer the rotation time of the rotating drum 31 is within the specified range, the higher the cleaning effect of the water tank 33. Thus, the drum washing machine 10 can effectively remove dirt from the inner surface of the water tank 33 and the inner and outer surfaces of the rotating drum 31 in a short time, thereby making it easier to keep the tank clean.

[0075] Furthermore, the above embodiments are illustrative of the technology disclosed herein, and therefore various modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, etc., can be made within the scope of the claims or their equivalents.

[0076] Industrial availability

[0077] This disclosure can be applied to the maintenance of drum washing machines.

[0078] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0079] 10: Front-loading washing machine; 31: Rotating drum (rotating trough); 32: Water inlet; 33: Water tank; 34: Rotating shaft; 35: Motor; 36: Protrusion; 37: Cover; 38: Opening; 39: Washing machine body; 40: Drain outlet; 41a: Suspension; 41b: Vibration damping component; 42: Drainage path; 43: Drain valve (drainage section); 44: Water supply valve (water supply section); 45: Water supply path; 46: Water Position detection unit; 46a: Air trap; 46b: Pressure sensor; 47: Heater; 48: Air supply fan; 49: Warm air supply path; 51: Warm air outlet; 52: Warm air intake; 57: Control unit; 58: Input setting unit; 59: Display unit; 60: Overflow outlet; 61: Overflow passage; 80: Circulation pump; 81: Circulation path; 82: Circulation port; a: Flow of washing water; b: Direction of warm air.

Claims

1. A drum-type washing machine, characterized in that, have: A water tank is used to store water. A rotating tank, which is rotatably disposed within the water tank; A motor, which is used to drive the rotating groove; A water supply unit, used to supply water to the water tank; A drainage section for draining the water from the tank; A drain outlet is located at the bottom of the water tank; An overflow outlet, located above the drain outlet in the water tank; and The control unit performs a first process after controlling the water supply unit to supply water into the water tank, and a second process after controlling the drainage unit to discharge the water in the water tank from the drain outlet and controlling the water supply unit to supply water into the water tank again. The first process is controlling the motor to rotate the rotating tank in a first rotation direction at a speed sufficient to raise the water in the water tank to the height of the overflow outlet. The second process is controlling the motor to rotate the rotating tank in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction. Wherein, the first rotation direction is set as the direction in which the lower part of the rotating groove faces the overflow outlet side.

2. The drum washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drum washing machine also includes a water level detection unit for detecting the water level in the tank. The control unit controls the water supply unit in such a way that the water level in the second process is higher than the water level in the first process.

3. The drum washing machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The control unit controls the motor in such a way that the rotational speed of the rotating groove in the second step is higher than the rotational speed of the rotating groove in the first step.

4. The drum washing machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The control unit controls the motor in such a way that the rotation time of the rotating groove in the second step is longer than the rotation time of the rotating groove in the first step.

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