Water inlet control method of washing machine and washing machine

Abstract

The application provides a water inlet control method of a washing machine, the washing machine is provided with a distance measuring sensor, when the distance measuring sensor detects that the load height in the washing machine reaches a preset value, the water inlet is controlled to stop. The application further provides a washing machine provided with the water inlet control method. The water inlet control method of the washing machine and the washing machine provided by the application compare the data detected by the distance measuring sensor with preset data to accurately control the water inlet process and reduce water and electricity consumption.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of washing equipment technology, specifically, it relates to a water inlet control method for a washing machine and the washing machine itself. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of the national economy, washing machines have become essential household appliances. To adapt to more application scenarios, such as washing thicker sheets, duvet covers, and curtains, more users are choosing high-powered washing machines, such as those with a rated washing capacity of 8 kg or more. However, for daily washing, especially in recent years, with people increasingly choosing to wash clothes daily, particularly underwear, the large washing capacity of these machines can lead to overcapacity and excessive water and electricity consumption. Therefore, when possible, users choose to also have a washing machine with a smaller washing capacity, such as one with a washing capacity of less than 3 kg. This has led to the development of top-loading washing machines with smaller rated washing capacities. Their compact size, lightweight design, and suitability for daily washing, especially underwear washing, have made them increasingly popular, complementing washing machines with a capacity of 8 kg or more to meet household washing needs.

[0003] Typically, these small-capacity pulsator washing machines are small in size. Due to their structure and size, they cannot be equipped with water level sensors. They can only be filled with water at once, making it impossible to accurately and reasonably control the water intake, resulting in waste of water and electricity, which goes against the original intention of setting up, purchasing and using them.

[0004] Similarly, ordinary household top-loading washing machines may also have issues with the water level sensor being insensitive, leading to an inability to accurately control the water intake. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a water inlet control method and washing machine for a pulsator washing machine. The method compares the data detected by the distance sensor with the preset data to accurately control the water inlet process and reduce water and electricity consumption.

[0006] To achieve the first objective of the invention, this invention first provides a water inlet control method for a pulsator washing machine, the technical solution of which is:

[0007] A water inlet control method for a pulsator washing machine, wherein the washing machine is equipped with a distance sensor, and when water is being introduced, the distance sensor detects that the load height inside the washing machine has reached a preset value, the water inlet is stopped.

[0008] Furthermore, the ranging sensor is a laser ranging module with both transmitting and receiving functions.

[0009] Furthermore, the ranging sensor is a laser ranging module capable of emitting wavelengths in the range of 900-960nm.

[0010] Furthermore, when the difference between the real-time distance detected by the ranging sensor and the maximum detected distance reaches a preset value, the water intake is stopped.

[0011] Furthermore, after water enters the system, the distance between the ranging sensor and the load is detected in real time, and the distance decreases and then increases as the water continues to enter the system. The distance measured before the increase is the maximum distance. Alternatively, there may be multiple ranging sensors, and the maximum distance is the average of the maximum distances measured by each of the ranging sensors. Or, during the initial water entry, the distance between the ranging sensor and the load is set as the initial distance. The multiple initial distances are sorted, and after water enters the system, the maximum distance is the maximum value measured in real time by the ranging sensor corresponding to the maximum initial distance.

[0012] Furthermore, during the initial water intake, the distance between the distance sensor and the load is set as the initial distance. The difference between the initial distance and the real-time distance is calculated. When the difference of the later difference is greater than or equal to the difference of the previous difference, or when the absolute value of the later difference is less than or equal to the absolute value of the previous difference, the real-time distance h corresponding to the previous difference is marked as the maximum distance h2; or when the same difference occurs after n intervals, the real-time distance or the maximum distance value corresponding to the difference between the same differences is marked as the maximum distance.

[0013] Furthermore, when there is no water ingress, the distance between the distance sensor and the load is set as the initial distance. The difference between the initial distance and the real-time distance is calculated. A continuous and overlapping comparison interval for the real-time distance or difference is set, with n distance values ​​and / or differences within each interval. An interval is set every m data points, where m ≤ n, so that the data in adjacent intervals have a certain degree of overlap. According to the time order of the received data, if all the real-time distances h or differences in the same interval are the same, the data in this interval is excluded. If there are differences in the real-time distances h or differences in a certain interval, the maximum real-time distance h or difference in the interval is determined. For the remaining intervals after excluding intervals with all identical data, the real-time distance corresponding to the maximum real-time distance or maximum difference in each interval is determined and marked as the maximum distance.

[0014] Furthermore, when no water enters the system, the distance between the load and the distance measured by the ranging sensor is set as the initial distance. When the difference between the real-time distance detected by the ranging sensor and the maximum detected distance reaches a preset value and the real-time distance is greater than or equal to the initial distance, the system controls the water intake to stop.

[0015] Furthermore, when no water is introduced, the distance between the distance sensor and the load is set as the initial distance. While detecting the distance and introducing water, the impeller is rotated or the impeller moves in the opposite direction to the washing tub. When the difference between the real-time distance and the detected minimum water level reaches a preset value and the real-time distance is greater than or equal to the initial distance and / or the number of times the difference between the real-time distance and the detected minimum water level reaches a preset value, the water introduction is stopped.

[0016] The second objective of this invention is to provide a pulsator washing machine, which adopts the following technical solution:

[0017] A pulsator washing machine includes a water inlet control method as described above.

[0018] In summary, the water inlet control method and washing machine provided by this invention have the following advantages compared with the prior art:

[0019] 1. No changes are required to existing products; the water inlet control method described in this invention can be completed simply by adding a ranging sensor and modifying the control program in the controller.

[0020] 2. Use multiple distance sensors, take the average value or select the sensor with the largest initial distance according to the preset program to determine the water inlet height, so as to reduce the influence of false height caused by the stacking of clothes (loads) and the support of hard clothing on the judgment of water inlet control.

[0021] 3. Depending on the load, the water intake is precisely controlled by adjusting the distance to ensure washing effect while avoiding waste of water and electricity. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The accompanying drawings, as part of this invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments and descriptions of the invention are used to explain the invention, but do not constitute an undue limitation of the invention. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely some embodiments, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without creative effort. In the drawings:

[0023] Figure 1 This invention provides a schematic diagram of the working state of a laser ranging sensor in a washing machine.

[0024] Figure 2 The present invention provides control logic in a water inlet control method for a washing machine;

[0025] The system includes a transmitting unit 1 and a receiving unit 2.

[0026] It should be noted that these accompanying drawings and textual descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way, but rather to illustrate the concept of the invention to those skilled in the art by referring to specific embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0027] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments are used to illustrate the present invention, but are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0028] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting this invention.

[0029] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0030] This invention provides a washing machine, including a washing tub, a door, and a distance sensor. The distance sensor is located at the top of the washing tub, above the maximum allowable water level of the washing machine, to accurately detect the distance between the clothes inside the washing tub and the distance sensor. In this embodiment, the distance sensor can be a laser distance measuring module, specifically a TOF laser distance measuring module, which has both transmitting and receiving functions. It includes a transmitting unit and a receiving unit, and can emit laser light with wavelengths from 900nm to 960nm, preferably 940nm. The laser light is emitted towards the bottom of the washing tub. After reaching the water surface or the surface of the clothes, it is reflected. The receiving unit receives the reflected laser light. Based on the propagation speed of the laser and the propagation time from emission to reception, the height of the water surface is calculated. Distance detection can be performed in real time or at regular intervals to precisely control water intake.

[0031] like Figure 1As shown, the laser ranging module is positioned above the washing tub, such as on the bottom of the door (facing the inside of the tub), at the balance ring, or on the upper part of the tub's side wall. It emits a laser beam into the tub, ensuring the beam lands on the bottom of the tub and the clothes inside for effective distance detection. Taking the bottom of the door as an example, the laser ranging module is fixed to the bottom of the door using adhesive or other methods. To prevent water from entering the laser ranging module during washing and causing it to malfunction, silicone is poured into the module. To improve the appearance of the bottom of the door, the silicone covers the entire bottom. The transmitting and receiving units are spaced apart, and each unit has a transmitting hole. Both transmitting holes are conical holes, differing only in size. The top of the transmitting hole corresponding to the transmitting unit (the top surface of the silicone) is straight. The diameter is between 0.3cm and 0.5cm, preferably 0.4cm. The cone angle is between 25° and 45°, preferably 35°. The top diameter of the transmitting hole corresponding to the receiving unit is between 0.15cm and 0.3cm, preferably 0.2cm. The cone angle is between 15° and 35°, preferably 25°. The diameter of the transmitting hole and the cone angle of the receiving unit are smaller than the relative data of the transmitting unit. This can avoid the receiving unit receiving too many invalid laser signals from diffuse reflection. The invalid laser signals include, but are not limited to, the portion of diffusely reflected laser light that is reflected again by the load and then by the clothes or the side wall of the washing tub and received by the receiving unit. This portion of invalid laser signal increases the propagation time, and the measured distance is greater than the actual distance, causing the ranging to fail. The emission port is set as a conical hole, the silicone has a certain thickness, and the large diameter end of the conical hole faces the water surface. During the washing process, water droplets splashed into the conical hole and the path narrows. Under the combined effect of gravity and surface tension, the water droplets cannot completely enter the conical hole and contact the emission unit or the receiving unit, thus not affecting the laser emission and reception effect.

[0032] The laser ranging module and the water inlet control module are connected via a communication protocol, such as I2C, which simplifies the process, enhances scalability, and allows for synchronous communication. The water inlet control module communicates with the washing machine's controller via the washing machine bus or is integrated with the controller.

[0033] The laser ranging module detects the distance between the load (including but not limited to clothing before water enters, the surface of damp clothing when water has initially entered but has not yet submerged the clothing, and the water surface after the clothing has been submerged, hereinafter the same) and the laser ranging module, and sends the detected real-time data to the water inlet control module (when the water inlet control module is integrated with the controller, it can be sent directly to the controller, hereinafter the same). The water inlet control module then determines whether the water inlet meets the requirements according to a predetermined program, and controls the water inlet accordingly. The data sent by the laser ranging module includes, but is not limited to, laser emission time, reception time, and converted real-time distance data. When the laser ranging module only has emission and reception functions, it emits laser light periodically according to the instructions of the water inlet control module or controller, receives the reflected laser light, and sends the emission and reception times to the water inlet control module. The water inlet control module, combined with the pre-stored laser propagation speed and wavelength of the laser ranging module, calculates the distance between the laser ranging module and the load, and compares it with a preset value to determine whether the water inlet requirement is met, thus controlling the water inlet. Alternatively, if the laser ranging module has calculation capabilities, it calculates the distance between the load based on the laser emission and reception times, propagation speed, and wavelength, and sends the calculated distance value to the water inlet control module or controller. To achieve precise water inlet control, and considering the different water absorption rates of different fabric materials and the varying water consumption during the washing process, this invention further provides a water inlet control method for a pulsator washing machine, specifically including:

[0034] Example 1

[0035] According to the rated washing capacity of the pulsator washing machine, the user puts clothes to be washed into the washing tub of the washing machine with a weight less than or equal to the rated washing capacity, and selects a washing program. In this invention, the washing program includes, but is not limited to, the entire washing process, any washing stage in the washing and rinsing process that requires water intake control. The user starts the washing program by pre-setting a program or by pressing the start button. The controller first controls the pulsator to move relative to the washing tub, or only controls the pulsator to move, causing the clothes in the washing tub to tumble slightly. During the tumbling process, the clothes are spread out as much as possible and the top surface is flat. This avoids the clothes from being randomly thrown in, piling up on each other, supporting each other, or having local areas of thick and hard clothes that are raised, which would affect the initial distance measurement between the clothes and the laser ranging module before water enters, thus affecting the subsequent accurate control of water intake.

[0036] After the impeller rotates or rotates relative to the washing tub for a predetermined time, the clothes are considered to have reached a smooth surface. At this point, water intake is controlled, and the distance between the clothes surface and the laser ranging module is measured and marked as the initial distance h1. Clothes have a certain degree of water absorption. After water intake begins, the water is poured onto the clothes and absorbed by them. The false height created by the initial stacking of clothes is reduced by the impact of the water intake and the weight of the wet clothes themselves. The load sinks, and the distance value measured by the laser ranging module increases. When the clothes and water mix to a certain proportion, the clothes are fully saturated with water. Under the action of gravity, the clothes are all stuck together, the false height disappears, and the true height created by the stacking of clothes at the bottom of the washing tub is revealed. At this point, the maximum distance h2 between the load and the laser ranging module is measured. This is the minimum measurable water level. As water intake continues, the saturated clothes no longer absorb water, and the water rises along the surface of the clothes, causing the measured distance value to decrease. Therefore, the maximum distance h2 is the maximum value obtained during the measurement process. During this process, starting from the initial distance, the clothes absorb water and sink, and there is no obvious water level in the washing tub. Then, after the water absorbs to saturation, the water level begins to rise. The distance value measured by the laser ranging module reaches its maximum value from the initial distance, then bounces back to the initial distance, and then the distance decreases as the water level rises again. The laser ranging module detects the distance value in real time or according to the program's timer settings and sends the measurement data to the water inlet control module or controller. The water inlet control module or controller records the initial distance, minimum distance, and real-time distance value, and controls the continuous water intake.

[0037] The water inlet control module or controller has a pre-stored water inlet control threshold Δhth. When the maximum distance h2 is measured, the distance value rebounds and decreases. The distance value h is detected in real time, and Δh = maximum distance h2 - real-time distance h is calculated. When Δh ≥ Δhth, the water inlet control module or controller determines that the water in the washing drum has met the washing needs, controls the water inlet to stop, and starts the washing program.

[0038] In this embodiment, although the initial distance is not included in the calculation, the initial distance h1 is used to determine and obtain the maximum distance h2, and at the same time, it is used to limit the highest position of the load after water intake, that is, the minimum distance between the load and the laser ranging module after water intake. When Δh ≥ Δhth, the water intake control module or controller determines that the water in the washing drum has met the washing needs, controls to stop water intake and start the washing program. Further, when Δh ≥ Δhth, it is further determined that the real-time distance h ≥ the initial distance h1, controls to stop water intake and start the washing program. At this time, the initial distance h1 is used to limit the minimum distance between the load and the laser ranging module, or is slightly higher than the initial distance h1. At this time, the water intake has submerged the clothes and has surplus, which is sufficient for washing.

[0039] Regarding determining and obtaining the maximum distance h2, methods include, but are not limited to, the following:

[0040] 1. After water enters the washing machine, the laser ranging module detects the distance between itself and the load in real time. As the load inside the washing machine gets wet and sinks, the measured distance increases. As the clothes and water gradually mix, the ranging sensor detects that the distance between itself and the load first decreases and then increases. The distance measured before the load increases is marked as the maximum distance h2. The water inlet control module or controller records the real-time distance h obtained each time and obtains the maximum value from a large amount of data, which is marked as the maximum distance h2. This method is the simplest and most direct, and the real-time distance can be obtained without complicated calculations.

[0041] 2. Before or at the initial stage of water intake, when the water has not affected the position of the clothing, the laser ranging module measures the distance between itself and the clothing and marks it as the initial distance h1. As the water intake process continues and the clothing begins to sink, the measured distance value increases, and the measured data is sent to the water intake control module or controller to calculate the difference between the initial distance h1 and the real-time distance h. During this process, the difference is negative, and the absolute value of the difference increases as the water intake continues. The difference or the absolute value of the difference is recorded. When the difference of a later time is greater than or equal to the difference of the previous time or the difference of the later time... When the absolute value of the difference is less than or equal to the absolute value of the previous difference, the real-time distance h corresponding to the previous difference or the absolute value of the difference is marked as the maximum distance h2; or when the same difference appears after n intervals, it means that the increase in real-time distance has reached an inflection point, and the inflection point is located within these n differences. If n = 1, the real-time distance corresponding to the difference between the same differences is the maximum distance h2, and the distance between the same real-time distances is the maximum distance h2. If n > 1, the real-time distance corresponding to the difference among the n data or the maximum distance value is marked as the maximum distance h2.

[0042] 3. Since the clothes need time to absorb water during the water intake process, the water intake control module or controller may obtain two or more adjacent real-time distances h or the difference between the real-time distance h and the initial distance h1. However, at this time, the clothes are still in the process of absorbing water and sinking, and have not reached the lowest point. Therefore, continuous and overlapping comparison intervals of real-time distances h or differences are set. Each interval has n distance values ​​and / or differences (which can be differences or the absolute value of the differences). An interval is set every m data points, where m≤n, so that the data in adjacent intervals have a certain degree of overlap. According to the time order of the received data, if all the real-time distances h or differences in the same interval are the same, the data in this interval is excluded. If there are differences in the real-time distances h or differences in a certain interval, the maximum real-time distance h or difference in the interval is determined. For the remaining intervals after excluding intervals with all the same data, the real-time distance corresponding to the maximum real-time distance h or the maximum difference in each interval is determined and marked as the maximum distance h2. It should be noted that as the clothing absorbs water and the distance value increases, there will be a large number of identical real-time distances or differences. After reaching the maximum distance and starting to rebound, the clothing has reached water saturation, and the occurrence of identical real-time distances or differences will decrease or even disappear. The range of the maximum distance can be determined by whether there is identical data within the range and the disappearance of identical data.

[0043] There are many ways to determine the maximum distance h. The above are just a few of the feasible methods. In practical applications, one method can be selected as needed. Any method that can determine the maximum distance h, whether now or in the future, is applicable to this invention.

[0044] When the distance between the load and the laser ranging module begins to rebound, the distance value decreases from the maximum distance h2. When the difference Δh between the rebounded maximum distance h2 and the real-time distance h is greater than or equal to the preset value Δhth, and the real-time distance h ≥ the initial distance h1, the water inlet control module or controller determines that the water inlet is sufficient for washing and stops the water inlet. It should be noted that during the water filling process, the addition and injection of detergent are carried out in the conventional manner without any changes and will not affect the overall water inlet control logic. After the water inlet is completed, the controller controls the washing machine to start the formal washing process.

[0045] For the entire washing process, including washing and rinsing, before the washing cycle, the water intake process, as mentioned earlier, involves the clothes absorbing water, causing the distance to increase to its maximum value before rebounding and decreasing. During the rinsing process, although the clothes contain water, they are not saturated. Furthermore, the spin-drying process at the end of the wash cycle is equivalent to the pulsator rotating before the first water intake (or the pulsator rotating relative to the washing tub) to smooth the surface of the clothes. Therefore, before rinsing, there is no need to rotate the pulsator again or make the pulsator rotate relative to the washing tub. Based on the maximum distance h2 recorded during the washing water intake process and real-time monitoring, combined with the water intake time, if the water intake time exceeds a predetermined value, and the difference Δh between the recorded maximum distance h2 and the real-time distance h is greater than or equal to a preset value Δhth, the water intake is stopped. A preset time value is set based on the water intake time to avoid insufficient water intake caused by insufficient water intake time, preventing the clothes from reaching a specific water-to-clothes ratio, and thus avoiding insufficient water intake when the difference Δh between the maximum distance h2 and the real-time distance h is greater than or equal to the preset value Δhth. In this embodiment, the preset control threshold Δhth is the threshold value of the difference in distance between the load and the laser ranging module.

[0046] When the user selects a program without rinsing, the surface of the clothes will not be smooth when the user puts them in, nor will they be in the same state as clothes after spinning. Therefore, it is still necessary to rotate the impeller or make the impeller move relative to the washing tub to smooth the surface of the clothes. The clothes will also sink slightly due to water absorption. The sinking distance is smaller than that of dry clothes, but the water required for this part of the distance is already included in the clothes to be spun dry. Therefore, even if the difference between the maximum distance h2 and the initial distance h1 is small, there is still a certain difference. The maximum distance h2 can be determined by the above method. When the maximum distance h2 is obtained, and the difference Δ between the real-time distance h and the maximum distance h2 is greater than or equal to the preset value Δh, the water intake is stopped. Therefore, the water intake control method provided by this invention is also applicable to the standalone rinsing program.

[0047] Implementation 2

[0048] Similar to Embodiment 1, the difference is that even if the impeller rotates or moves relative to the washing tub, the height of various points on the surface of the clothes will still deviate, making it impossible to achieve a completely flat state. Therefore, in this embodiment, multiple laser ranging modules are provided to detect the distance between the load and the load at multiple locations inside the washing tub, so as to further control the water intake precisely.

[0049] Multiple laser ranging modules simultaneously collect data and send it to the water inlet control module or controller. Multiple initial distances can be obtained at the beginning of water inlet or before water inlet. The weighted average of the multiple initial distances is calculated, and the calculated average value is marked as the initial distance h1. The water inlet control module or controller controls the continuous water inlet. Each laser ranging module determines the maximum distance at each detection position as described in Example 1. Similarly, the weighted average of the multiple maximum distances is calculated, and the calculated average value is marked as the maximum distance h2. After the distance at each detection position reaches the maximum distance, the water level rebounds and rises, and the distance value decreases. When the distance at each detection position reaches the maximum distance, the distance between all detection positions and the laser ranging module is counted in real time, and the weighted average value is calculated. The difference Δh between the maximum distance h2 and this average value is calculated as described in Example 1 and compared with the preset Δhth. When the difference Δh is greater than or equal to the preset value Δhyh, the water inlet is stopped.

[0050] It should be noted that since the surface of clothing cannot be completely flat, the water absorption rate of clothing at each detection position may not be exactly the same, and the time it takes for each detection position to reach the maximum distance is not the same. The water inlet control module or controller records the maximum distance between each laser ranging module and the detection position. After all detection positions have measured the maximum distance, the weighted average of each maximum distance is calculated. At the same time, after the maximum distance of all detection positions has been detected, the water level in the washing tub will rise evenly. The real-time distance of each detection position is then detected again, and the weighted average is calculated. At this time, the water level at each detection position is roughly the same, and the weighted average is basically the same as the actual water level, which can accurately control the water inlet.

[0051] Example 3:

[0052] Similar to Embodiment 2, multiple laser ranging modules are also provided. The difference lies in that the clothes to be washed are evenly distributed within the washing tub by rotating the impeller or by causing the impeller to move relative to the washing tub. Although the surface of the clothes cannot be completely flat, there will be no areas with no clothes or very few clothes. Therefore, the multiple initial distances obtained are sorted, and the initial distance corresponding to the minimum value is considered as a false height caused by the stacking of clothes and is excluded. The largest initial distance is marked as the initial distance h1 mentioned above. Correspondingly, after water enters, the maximum distance detected by the laser ranging module corresponding to this initial distance is marked as the maximum distance h2 required for the water control process. After determining the maximum distance h2, the real-time distance continues to be detected at this point, and water entry is controlled as described in Embodiment 1.

[0053] Sometimes, rotating the impeller or having the impeller rotate relative to the washing tub cannot completely eliminate the false height caused by clothes squeezing against each other. Therefore, the detection position with the largest initial distance is selected as the detection point for the initial and maximum distances. The largest initial distance corresponds to the smallest height of the clothes at this position, and the corresponding maximum distance at this position will also be the largest. This method controls the water level and can avoid the false height caused by clothes squeezing against each other, which would result in insufficient water intake and ineffective washing.

[0054] Example 4

[0055] The method for determining the initial and maximum distances is basically the same as in Example 1, but a laser ranging module is used. The difference is that during the detection of the initial and maximum distances, as well as the real-time distance after the distance bounces, the impeller is kept rotating or the washing tub and impeller move in opposite directions while water is being introduced. This allows the laser ranging module to detect at different positions within the washing tub. Over time, these detection positions form a ring, which controls the water introduction process. Specifically:

[0056] like Figure 2 As shown, the user puts the clothes to be washed (the weight of the clothes is less than or equal to the washing capacity) into the washing tub of the washing machine according to the rated washing capacity of the pulsator washing machine, and selects a washing program (including but not limited to the entire washing process, washing, rinsing, and any washing stage that requires water intake control). The user then starts the washing program by pre-setting a program or pressing the start button. The controller first controls the pulsator to move relative to the washing tub, or only controls the pulsator to move, causing the clothes in the washing tub to tumble or move slightly. During the tumbling process, the clothes are spread out as much as possible and the top surface is flat. This avoids the clothes from being randomly thrown in, piling up on each other, supporting each other, or having some parts of the clothes that are thick or hard, standing tall. This would affect the initial distance measurement between the clothes and the laser ranging module before water enters, thus affecting the subsequent accurate control of water intake.

[0057] While the pulsator rotates or moves relative to the washing tub, the laser ranging module activates to detect the distance between the clothes and the module. Since the laser ranging module calculates the distance based on the emission and reception times, the emitting unit periodically emits laser light. As the pulsator rotates or the relative movement between the pulsator and the washing tub continues, the emitting unit forms a ring of laser detection points at the bottom of the washing tub. By performing ring-shaped detection at the bottom of the washing tub and averaging multiple detection values, the initial distance h1 mentioned earlier is obtained. The specific time period T1 can be determined based on the pulsator's rotation speed and the laser emission time interval of the laser ranging module's emitting unit, ensuring that at least each detection position forms a complete ring at the bottom of the washing tub, with each detection position evenly distributed on this ring. The multiple initial distances h1 are weighted and averaged to obtain the average distance havr within the period T1, which is set as the upper limit of the water level hmax, meaning that after water is introduced, the maximum height of the load does not exceed the average height of the dry clothes before water is introduced.

[0058] After cycle T1, the water inlet control module or controller initiates water inlet. During cycle T1, it measures the distance between the load (including but not limited to clothes, wet clothes after absorption, and water level) and the laser ranging module in real time. Similarly, it calculates a weighted average of the distances obtained during cycle T1 to obtain the average distance h over T1. As the water inlet continues, the water inlet time will continue for multiple cycles T1, obtaining multiple average distance h values. As described in Example 1, these multiple average distance h values ​​are compared to obtain the maximum distance h2, i.e., the minimum water level, and is denoted as hmin (hmin = distance between the laser ranging module and the washing machine). The distance from the bottom of the bucket (H - maximum distance h2) is used to calculate Δh = h - hmin, and the threshold for stopping water intake is pre-stored as Δhth. The first judgment condition for triggering the stop of water intake is set when Δh ≥ Δhth. Furthermore, in order to avoid occasional situations where a single Δh ≥ Δhth is caused by local clothing being too low, resulting in a larger detection distance and thus affecting the average distance, a time period T2 is set. When Δh ≥ Δhth is detected for the first time, the time period T2 is entered. During the time period T2, the number of Δh ≥ Δhth detected is counted. When the number of Δh ≥ Δhth is greater than the preset value, the water intake is controlled to stop.

[0059] Furthermore, to more accurately control the water intake and avoid the first detection of Δh≥Δhth being an occasional occurrence, when Δh≥Δhth is detected, the average real-time distance is further compared with the upper limit of the stop set before water intake, hmax. When h≥hmax, there is no need to enter time cycle T2 again; the water intake is directly stopped and the washing program starts.

[0060] In this embodiment, as described above, when Δh≥Δhth is detected, it can be determined whether to stop water intake and start the washing program by judging h≥hmax. When h<hmax, the number of times Δh≥Δhth is further judged within the period T2. In practical applications, the conditions for triggering the stop of water intake can be determined based on experimental results, including but not limited to the two conditions mentioned above. Alternatively, a single trigger condition can be selected. For example, when Δh ≥ Δhth is detected, there is no need to enter cycle T2; water intake continues, and distance detection and weighted average calculation are performed continuously. The calculation cycle is cycle T1. When h ≥ hmax is detected, the process is stopped, and the washing program begins. Alternatively, when Δh ≥ Δhth is detected, cycle T2 is entered, and the number of instances of Δh ≥ Δhth is counted. When the number of instances of Δh ≥ Δhth exceeds a preset value, water intake is stopped, and the washing program begins. Or, when Δh ≥ Δhth is detected, cycle T2 is entered, and the number of instances of Δh ≥ Δhth is counted. When the number of instances of Δh ≥ Δhth exceeds a preset value and h ≥ hmax, water intake is stopped, and the washing program begins. When Δh≥Δhth is detected, it is necessary to count the number of Δh≥Δhth and determine h≥hmax. The triggering sequence can be further determined by combining the washing machine's volume, water inlet flow rate, water inlet velocity, and other conditions. Any of the triggering conditions mentioned above are within the protection scope of this invention.

[0061] Furthermore, in the four water inlet control embodiments provided by this invention, the distance between the load and the laser ranging module is detected by the laser ranging module and judged against a preset value to accurately control the water inlet. The laser ranging module is installed inside the washing machine, at any position such as the upper part of the washing tub, the inner side of the door, or the balance ring. It does not affect the washing program, is not easily affected by splashing washing water and thus does not become damp and malfunction, and can emit laser light into the washing tub, so as to stably detect the height of the load inside the washing tub or the distance between the load and the laser ranging module.

[0062] The laser ranging module's transmitting unit emits laser beams (hereinafter referred to as lasers) at regular intervals, and the receiving unit receives the laser reflected by the load. Based on the emission and reception times, and combined with the laser's wavelength or propagation speed, the distance between the laser ranging module and the load is calculated. The laser emission interval can be controlled according to factors such as the height of the washing tub, the installation position of the laser ranging module, and the laser wavelength. Furthermore, considering that the surface of clothing is rough, the laser undergoes diffuse reflection on the clothing surface. Even on water, due to the rotation of the impeller and / or washing tub during water intake, the water surface is dynamic. Laser reflection on dynamic water surfaces cannot guarantee complete specular reflection or a perfect reflection angle. Diffusely reflected laser light may be reflected onto the washing tub and then reflected again or multiple times before being received by the receiving unit. In this case, the received reflected laser light, due to multiple reflections, has a path exceeding the actual distance between the load and the laser ranging module. Therefore, this part of the signal needs to be excluded. In this invention, the first signal received by the receiving unit within a predetermined time after the transmitting unit emits the laser is the laser reflection received signal, used for distance calculation. Signals received after the predetermined time, as well as signals after the first signal, are considered invalid signals. When no valid signal is received within a predetermined time, the water inlet control module or controller counts the number of valid signals. This is particularly relevant in Embodiments 3 and 4. When calculating the weighted average to obtain the initial distance and maximum distance, invalid signals are excluded and the number of signals is reduced to avoid distortion of the calculated distance value, such as the occasional case of Δh ≥ Δhth as in Embodiment 4. The predetermined time for receiving a valid signal is determined based on the normal reception time of the laser direct-light washing tub's bottom reflection (when unloaded). Furthermore, the predetermined time is variable. When detecting the initial distance, the predetermined time is less than the normal reception time of the laser direct-light washing tub's bottom reflection. As the detected distance increases, the predetermined time lengthens. When the maximum distance is reached, the predetermined time is less than or equal to the normal reception time of the laser direct-light washing tub's bottom reflection. As the distance rebounds, the predetermined time decreases. The water inlet control module or controller has a preset table corresponding to the predetermined time and distance values. In this table, the distance value corresponding to the predetermined time is a data range to accommodate different washing conditions. The laser emission time interval is longer than a predetermined time. Furthermore, the laser emission time interval is greater than the maximum predetermined time in the corresponding table to avoid the receiving unit receiving multiple diffuse reflections of the laser emitted by the previous transmitting unit during the later emission and reception process. It should be noted that the conical aperture at the receiving unit, due to its angle, will typically strike the wall of the conical aperture after multiple diffuse reflections, effectively avoiding the reception of laser signals after multiple diffuse reflections. The diameter of the conical aperture at the receiving unit is set smaller than that at the transmitting unit to further avoid receiving unnecessary and invalid signals.

[0063] In summary, the water inlet control method and washing machine provided by this invention have the following advantages compared with the prior art:

[0064] 1. No changes are required to existing products; the water inlet control method described in this invention can be completed simply by adding a ranging sensor and modifying the control program in the controller.

[0065] 2. Use multiple distance sensors, take the average value or select the sensor with the largest initial distance according to the preset program to determine the water inlet height, so as to reduce the influence of false height caused by the stacking of clothes (loads) and the support of hard clothing on the judgment of water inlet control;

[0066] 3. Depending on the load, the water intake is precisely controlled by varying the distance to ensure washing performance while avoiding waste of water and electricity.

[0067] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention in any way. Although the present invention has been disclosed above with reference to preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art can make some modifications or alterations to the above-described technical content to create equivalent embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. The implementation schemes in the above embodiments can also be further combined or replaced. Any simple modifications, equivalent changes and alterations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention without departing from the scope of the present invention shall still fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A water inlet control method of a pulsator washing machine, characterized in that: The laundry machine is provided with a distance measuring sensor, which is arranged at the upper part of the washing tub and above the highest water level allowed by the laundry machine; The controller first controls the relative movement of the pulsator and the washing tub, or only controls the pulsator to move, so as to make the laundry in the washing tub turn over slightly, and make the laundry spread out as much as possible and the top surface flat during the turning over process; After the pulsator rotates or the pulsator and the washing tub rotate relative to each other for a predetermined time, it is considered that the laundry has reached a flat surface, at this time, water is controlled to be filled, and the distance between the laundry surface and the sensor is detected and marked as the initial distance; After the water is filled, the distance between the laundry and the distance measuring sensor is detected in real time, which decreases first and then increases with the continuous filling of water, and the distance detected before the increase is the maximum distance; The difference between the initial distance and the real-time distance is calculated, and a continuous and overlapping comparison interval of the real-time distance or the difference value is set, which has n distance values and / or difference values in the interval, and one interval is set every m data, m≤n, so that the data in adjacent intervals have a certain overlap, according to the time sequence of the received data, if the real-time distance h or the difference value in the same interval are all the same, the data in this interval is excluded, if there is a difference in the real-time distance h or the difference value in a certain interval, the maximum real-time distance h or the difference value in the interval is determined, and the maximum real-time distance or the maximum difference value corresponding to the real-time distance in the remaining intervals after excluding the data in the all-the-same interval is determined, which is marked as the maximum distance; When the difference between the real-time distance detected by the distance measuring sensor and the maximum distance detected reaches a preset value and the real-time distance is greater than or equal to the initial distance, the water filling is controlled to stop.

2. The water inlet control method of a pulsator washing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The distance measuring sensor is a laser distance measuring module with transmitting and receiving functions.

3. The water inlet control method of a pulsator washing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The distance measuring sensor is a laser distance measuring module that can emit a wavelength of 900-960nm.

4. A pulsator washing machine characterized by: The water filling control method of the pulsator washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The water filling control method of the pulsator washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

Images