Machine for textile treatment, method for operating machine, and related computer program and computer readable medium

Abstract

A method of operating a machine (1) for textile treatment, the machine (1) comprising a front portion (2), a rear portion (3), a drum (4), a frame (7), a motor (6), a tilting device (8), a controller, the method comprising: a) tilting the frame in a first tilting direction towards the front portion or the rear portion and rotating the drum at a first rotational speed; b) accelerating the drum to rotate at a second rotational speed higher than the first rotational speed; c) rotating the drum at a second rotational speed for a period of time, and monitoring or calculating the value of a parameter related to the rotation of the drum during the period of time; d) determining whether a first condition is satisfied; and e) if the first condition is met, stopping inclining the rack, and accelerating to enable the roller to rotate at a third rotating speed higher than the second rotating speed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a machine (or system) for textile processing and an associated method of operating the machine. The method may also be considered as a method for controlling rotational imbalance (rotational imbalance) in a machine. The present disclosure also relates to software for use in (with) such a machine or system, and associated computer readable media. Background Art

[0002] Various types of machines for textile treatment (e.g. washing machines or dryers) are known, comprising a rotatable drum in which the textile to be treated is placed. Typically, in such machines, the tumbler (also referred to as drum) may become unbalanced or unbalanced, i.e. rotational imbalance, due to uneven distribution and / or movement of the textile inside the drum, when the drum rotates, in particular at high speeds. Rotational imbalance may lead to vibrations of the drum, uncontrolled variations in the rotation speed of the drum, and even damage to the machine, in particular to the transmission and / or motor usually used for rotating the drum. This imbalance and any uncontrolled variations in the rotation speed of the drum may in turn affect the treatment or finishing of the textile in the drum and lead to the formation of undesirable defects and unevenness on the textile.

[0003] Therefore, there is a need to control rotational imbalance. The present disclosure provides a solution to this problem. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present invention provides a solution to the problem of how to control the rotational imbalance in a textile processing machine. Some non-limiting examples of such machines are washing machines, tumble dryers, dryers, or machines that use liquids, compounds, sprays, gases, solids (e.g., stones), compounds, or other media to finish textiles. The drum can be a drum. The machine comprising the drum can be used to process one or more textiles. Some non-limiting examples of textiles that can be processed by the machine are clothing, clothes, cloth, towels, home textiles, leather, fabrics, denim, clothing products, or others.

[0005] A first aspect of the present invention relates to an operating method of a machine for textile processing, the machine comprising a front part, a rear part opposite to the front part, a drum extending longitudinally from the front part to the rear part, a motor connected to the drum at the rear part and configured to rotate the drum, a frame for supporting the drum, a tilting device configured to controllably tilt the frame in a tilting direction, and a controller configured to control the motor and the tilting device, wherein the tilting direction is a tilting direction toward the front part or a tilting direction toward the rear part, the method comprising the following steps performed in sequence:

[0006] a) controlling the tilting device to start tilting the frame along the tilting direction (i.e., start tilting the frame toward the front or toward the rear), and controlling the motor to rotate the drum at a first speed and direction of rotation;

[0007] b) controlling the motor to gradually accelerate so that the drum rotates at a second speed, the second speed being higher than the first speed;

[0008] c) controlling the motor to rotate the drum at a second rotation speed for a period of time, and monitoring or calculating a value of a parameter related to the rotation of the drum during the period of time (the parameter is preferably configured or selected as an indication of the rotation balance of the drum; for example, the parameter is preferably configured as a state indication of the rotation balance of the drum);

[0009] d) determining whether the first condition is met according to the value of the parameter;

[0010] e) If the first condition is met, the tilting device is controlled to stop tilting the frame, and the motor is controlled to accelerate the drum to rotate at a third speed higher than the second speed.

[0011] Based on the above, it can be understood that the motor is connected to the far end or distal part of the drum, and the far end or distal part of the drum is located at the rear of the machine. The far end of the drum can also be called the "rear end" of the drum, and the far part of the drum can also be called the "rear" of the drum. The method according to the first aspect of the present invention can also be regarded as an operating method of the machine. Steps (a)-step (e) can preferably be used, that is, performed using (with the help of) a controller. The latter can be a computer system or microcontroller that includes or can be connected to one or more computer storage media. Similarly, the controller can preferably include a central processing unit (CPU) and / or an electronic interface. Therefore, the microcontroller can optionally include one, two or more electronic interfaces, which are used to control and / or operably communicate with the motor and the tilting device. Optionally, the controller can also include an interface or can be connected to an interface, and a user can program the controller through the interface. Preferably, the controller can include a memory for storing programs and information related to the method steps. Optionally, the controller can be connected or can be connected to the memory. The controller can also include more than one microcontroller or similar unit.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the first aspect of the invention, the first condition comprises that the parameter is constant or within a first predetermined range, or the difference between the values ​​of the parameter is less than a predetermined difference. Advantageously, in these embodiments, the implementation of step (d) is not difficult.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the present invention, before performing step (a), the method includes a preparatory step, the preparatory step including: a1) controlling the motor to rotate the drum in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of step (a), and the rotation speed thereof is equal to or less than the first rotation speed, and a2) controlling the motor to stop rotating before performing step (a). Step (a1) can distribute and disperse the textile in the drum. This may be particularly useful, especially in the case where the textile introduced into the drum is originally pilling, tangled or unevenly placed, which often happens.

[0014] In step (a) of the method, controlling the tilting device to tilt the frame so that the drum is tilted in the tilting direction (i.e., toward the front or toward the rear) is an important part of the method, which affects the type of rotational imbalance that may occur in the drum when the rotational speed (rotational speed) of the drum is changed and increased in subsequent steps. The rotating drum in a textile machine may exhibit two types of rotational imbalance (imbalance), one is dynamic rotational imbalance and the other is static rotational imbalance, either of which will cause the rotating drum to vibrate. At relatively low rotational speed values, usually not exceeding 220rpm or 250rpm (revolutions per minute), static (rotational) imbalance usually causes drum vibration. At relatively high rotational speed values, usually exceeding 220rpm or 250rpm, static imbalance and dynamic imbalance usually jointly cause drum vibration. Both types of imbalance need to be controlled because vibration may have a catastrophic effect on the system, however, controlling dynamic imbalance is usually a more challenging and complex task than controlling static imbalance. In step (a) of the method, the tilting device is controlled to tilt the frame (and the drum) in a tilting direction toward the front, so that when the tilting direction is the tilting direction toward the front, the textiles are forced to move and accumulate toward the front, away from the rear of the machine and the corresponding rear or "rear" distal end of the drum, thereby reducing or eliminating (i.e. preventing) dynamic imbalance (the latter is also generally referred to as "dynamic imbalance"), especially dynamic imbalance occurring at the above-mentioned relatively high rotation speed. Similarly, in step (a) of the method, the tilting device is controlled to tilt the frame (and the drum) in a tilting direction toward the rear, so that when the tilting direction is the tilting direction toward the rear, the textiles are forced to move and accumulate toward the rear, away from the front of the machine and the corresponding front or "front" distal end of the drum, resulting in reducing or eliminating (i.e. preventing) dynamic imbalance. The reduction or elimination of dynamic imbalance may in turn simplify the problem of "how to control rotational imbalance" to the simpler problem of "how to control static rotational imbalance?" In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the latter more specific additional problem of controlling static rotational imbalance is also advantageously solved.

[0015] In step (a), the direction of rotation may be clockwise or counterclockwise. Optionally, prior to step (a), there may be an additional step of rotating the drum clockwise or counterclockwise. Preferably, tilting the frame and controlling the motor may be performed simultaneously in step (a). Alternatively, controlling the motor in step (a) may occur after controlling the tilting device to tilt the machine (e.g., in a tilting direction). The tilting toward the front may be achieved by raising the rear of the machine and the frame portion thereat relative to the floor to be higher than the front. Alternatively, the tilting toward the rear may be achieved by raising the front of the machine and the frame portion thereat relative to the floor to be higher than the rear.

[0016] The effect of steps (b) and (c) is to accelerate the rotation of the drum so that any fabrics that may be present in the drum can move toward the drum wall during the time period when the rotation speed is the third rotation speed, and change their position in the drum (drum) so as to find an empty space close to the drum wall. In addition, in step (c), the value of a parameter (or at least one parameter) related to the rotation of the drum during the time period is monitored or calculated, which effectively allows monitoring or estimating whether the rotating drum is unbalanced, and whether the imbalance (rotational imbalance) is static, dynamic, or has both static and dynamic imbalance components. Therefore, the value of the parameter (or multiple parameters - such as a set of parameters) monitored or calculated in step (c) can be configured to indicate (e.g., by being a state indication) the balance of the rotating drum, for example, a change in the value of the parameter can allow the detection of the imbalance of the rotating drum (i.e., the parameter can be configured to change according to the rotational balance of the drum, so that a disturbance of the (rotational) balance of the rotating drum can be detected by a change / change in the value). Thus, the parameter (or parameters) associated with the rotation of the drum may be configured to vary in accordance with changes in the balance of the rotating drum (i.e., by being sensitive to changes in the balance in the rotating drum). Thus, in a highly preferred embodiment, the parameter represents the torque of the motor during the time period. Optionally, the parameter indicative of the motor torque is the torque or power of the motor, or the value of the parameter (measured / monitored) is a percentage of the motor torque or power.

[0017] In one non-limiting example, implementing step (c) includes the controller monitoring the motor power or power change required to rotate the drum at a given speed. The parameters monitored or measured in step (c) can indicate the characteristics of the motor, such as the strength, frequency or DC braking current of the motor. There are also some conceivable embodiments in which the machine includes a sensor connected to the controller and configured to measure different parameters related to the rotation of the drum, such as the vibration of the machine during rotation or the load distribution of the drum, in which case the parameter monitored in step (c) is the parameter measured by the sensor.

[0018] Therefore, it should be noted that there are multiple parameters related to the rotation of the drum used in step (c), which can be configured (or selected) to change according to the change of the rotation balance of the drum (i.e., as a status indicator), and a non-limiting list is:

[0019] - a parameter indicating the torque of the motor, preferably, the parameter is the torque or power of the motor, or the value of the parameter is a percentage of the torque or power of the motor;

[0020] - parameters related to the operating characteristics of the motor, such as its strength, frequency or DC braking current;

[0021] - Parameters related to measurements performed by at least one sensor, such as vibrations of the machine during rotation or, for example, load distribution of the drum during rotation.

[0022] The first condition (criterion) can be configured as a predetermined value or a predetermined value group (i.e., a range) of a parameter related to the rotation of the drum, which indicates that the rotational imbalance of the machine is in a dynamic state within a tolerable range (i.e., the machine does not exhibit static and / or dynamic imbalance or tolerable static and / or dynamic imbalance, and the machine is in a predetermined state of rotational balance). Therefore, the first condition can be configured as a predetermined value or a predetermined value group so that when the value of the parameter monitored or calculated in step (c) is consistent with the value or predetermined value group of the first condition (i.e., when the monitored or calculated value falls within the range), it indicates that the drum is not in a state of rotational imbalance (or is in a predetermined situation / state of tolerable rotational imbalance, i.e., in a predetermined state of rotational balance). The rotational imbalance situation / state corresponds to a situation in which the rotational balance (also called balance, static balance and / or dynamic balance, or static rotational balance and / or dynamic rotational balance) of the drum is disturbed. Therefore, a parameter that is considered to be an indication of the (state) of the (rotational) balance of the drum is also an indication of a static imbalance and / or dynamic imbalance situation of the drum. Therefore, the first condition is preferably configured so that satisfying the first condition indicates that the drum is in a (predetermined) condition (i.e., state) of rotational balance / equilibrium (e.g., static balance and / or dynamic balance). In other words, the first condition can be configured so that when the first condition is satisfied, it means that the drum is in a (predetermined) state of rotational balance.

[0023] The first condition in step (d) of the method may indicate (i.e., may be configured to be) a dynamic state in which the machine exhibits no dynamic imbalance or exhibits a dynamic imbalance component that is small compared to the static imbalance component of the system. The first condition (or first criterion) may be selected based on the desired level of control of the rotational imbalance of the system and / or based on the rotational speed at which the drum rotates in a subsequent stage. Thus, in the disclosed method, the fact that the value of the parameter (or multiple parameters) is constant or within a predetermined range is interpreted as an indication that the first condition is met / complied with.

[0024] If the first condition is met, controlling the motor to accelerate the drum to rotate at the third rotation speed can reduce or eliminate the risk of uncontrolled imbalance, which can damage the system at high rotation speeds.

[0025] In an embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, in step (b), controlling the motor to gradually accelerate includes controlling the motor to rotate the drum at one or more first intermediate speeds for corresponding one or more first intermediate time periods, the first intermediate speed being between the first speed and the second speed. Thus, the speed may be increased stepwise, i.e., by acceleration steps, and between each acceleration step, the acceleration may be paused so that the drum rotates at the corresponding first intermediate speed. Advantageously, these pauses in the acceleration process may allow textiles that may be present in the drum to change their positions. Whenever the speed increases, any textiles close to the drum wall may be fixed there, while the rest of the textiles may fall, thereby changing their positions until they find empty spaces close to the drum wall. This will further improve the distribution and redistribution of textiles in the drum, and thus help optimize the imbalance control provided by the present invention.

[0026] In one embodiment, step (e) further includes: if the first condition is not met / satisfied, controlling the motor to decelerate so that the drum rotates at a speed lower than the second speed, and repeating steps (a) to (e) one or more times. When repeating steps (a) to (e), this can advantageously achieve fine control of the imbalance, especially when it is difficult to meet the first condition. For example, this may occur if the first condition is related to a certain value (e.g., a torque value) or a value range, and the value or value range is difficult to reach through the first iteration of steps (a) to (e). However, an embodiment including repeating steps (a) to (e) may optionally further include counting one or more repetitions of steps (a) to (e) if the first condition is not met, and if the count is higher than a predetermined number of times, generating an alarm signal or controlling the motor to stop. Advantageously, this can further avoid damage to the system.

[0027] As described above, the method according to the present invention provides control of rotational imbalance, and, advantageously, the preferred embodiments of the present invention also provide a solution to the more specific additional problem of "how to control static rotational imbalance?" According to an exemplary embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, this additional problem is solved. In this exemplary embodiment, the machine also includes a liquid injection device and a vibration measurement system, the vibration measurement system is configured to measure mechanical vibration characteristics in the machine, and the drum includes a paddle configured to contain or store a liquid, and the liquid injection device is configured to inject the liquid into the paddle. In addition, in an exemplary embodiment, the method further includes the following steps:

[0028] f) controlling the motor to accelerate the drum, preferably rotating at a speed faster than the third speed;

[0029] Measuring mechanical vibration characteristics in machines in vibration measurement systems;

[0030] Analyze mechanical vibration characteristics and calculate one or more quantities of liquid;

[0031] controlling the liquid injection device to supply or inject one or more amounts of liquid into the paddle (e.g., into one or more paddles);

[0032] determining whether a second condition is satisfied / met, the second condition comprising at least one mechanical vibration characteristic being within a second predetermined range; and

[0033] If the second condition is met, the motor is controlled to accelerate.

[0034] More preferably, step (f) is as follows: controlling the motor to gradually accelerate so that the drum rotates at a second intermediate speed in a corresponding second intermediate time period, the second intermediate speed being higher than the third speed, and performing the following steps in each second intermediate time period:

[0035] -Measure mechanical vibration characteristics in machines in vibration measurement systems;

[0036] - Analyze the mechanical vibration characteristics and calculate one or more quantities of liquid and calculate or select one or more blades;

[0037] - controlling the liquid injection means to inject one or more quantities of liquid onto one or more blades, for example onto one or more blades, preferably calculated or selected as described above;

[0038] - determining whether a second condition is satisfied, the second condition comprising at least one mechanical vibration characteristic being within a second predetermined range; and

[0039] - If the second condition is met, the motor is controlled to accelerate.

[0040] For the latter acceleration, preferably control the motor to rotate the drum at a fourth speed that is the next speed of the second intermediate speed or the same or higher than the maximum speed in the second intermediate speed. Similarly, step (f) of the exemplary embodiment optionally also includes controlling the motor to rotate the drum at the fourth speed for a period of time.

[0041] Step (f) in the exemplary embodiment is preferably performed after step (e). Step (f) and any sub-steps thereof may be performed by a controller of the system and, if necessary, together with other components, for example, together with a vibration measurement system for measuring vibration characteristics. The vibration measurement system may preferably include one or more vibration detectors configured to measure vibrations of the drum or an optional axis supporting the drum, or vibrations of a part of an optional transmission preferably connected to the drum and the motor and connecting the motor to the drum, or vibrations of another part of the machine. Similarly, the vibration measurement system may include a control unit, i.e., an independent controller belonging to the vibration measurement system itself, which controller may preferably be communicatively connected to a controller of the textile processing machine. Alternatively, however, the controller of the textile processing machine may be operably connected to a vibration sensor of the vibration system. The characteristics measured by the vibration measurement system may include a vibration phase and / or a vibration amplitude.

[0042] By injecting liquid into the paddles based on the vibration analysis performed, the system can be advantageously balanced so that it preferably exhibits static balance and dynamic (rotational) balance, so that the system can be safely accelerated to higher rotational speeds as may be required for the desired textile treatment. In order to better accurately balance the system, the rotational speed can be gradually increased, that is, through the aforementioned second intermediate rotational speed, at which the system can also gradually reach equilibrium.

[0043] According to this exemplary embodiment, the liquid injected into the blades is used to compensate for the weight distribution of the textile or other factors that cause static imbalance. In a second exemplary embodiment according to the first aspect of the present invention, the tilting direction is a tilting direction toward the front, each blade is configured to hold liquid in a respective first portion of each blade, the first portion being closer to the front of the machine (compared to the rear of the machine), and the tilting in step (a) promotes the accumulation of textiles in the front, which can allow the (static) balance of the system to be subsequently controlled by holding liquid only in the blades close to the first portion. Therefore, for this second exemplary embodiment, it is not important to inject and store liquid (through the blades) near the rear or along the entire longitudinal direction of the drum. Instead, it is only necessary to supply and store liquid (such as water) at a position close to the front. Therefore, this second exemplary embodiment advantageously allows simplification of the weight compensation steps associated with reducing static imbalance. In another exemplary embodiment, the direction of inclination is toward the rear, each paddle is configured to hold liquid in a respective second portion of each paddle, the second portion being closer to the rear of the machine (compared to the front of the machine), and the inclination in step (a) promotes accumulation of textiles in the rear, which can subsequently allow the (static) balance of the system to be controlled by holding liquid only in the paddles near the second portion.

[0044] In one of the exemplary embodiments, the vibration measurement system includes a vibration detector configured to measure the vibration amplitude; the mechanical vibration characteristic measured by the vibration measurement system includes the vibration amplitude; and one or more quantities of liquid are calculated as a function of (i.e., based on) the measured vibration amplitude. In another exemplary embodiment, step (f) also includes calculating or selecting one or more blades, the vibration measurement system includes a vibration detector configured to measure the vibration phase; the mechanical vibration characteristic measured by the vibration measurement system includes the vibration phase; and one or more blades are calculated or selected as a function of the measured vibration phase. The calculation or selection of the blades can preferably be performed by a controller. In summary, measuring the vibration phase and / or vibration amplitude to perform calculations related to system balancing provides a practical and reliable balancing technique. Therefore, in another highly preferred embodiment according to the example embodiment, wherein step (f) further comprises calculating or selecting one or more paddles into which one or more quantities of liquid are injected, the vibration measurement system comprises a first vibration detector configured to measure vibrations along a first vibration axis, and a second vibration detector configured to measure vibrations along a second vibration axis; the mechanical vibration characteristics measured by the vibration measurement system comprise a corresponding vibration amplitude and a vibration phase along each of the first vibration axis and the second vibration axis; the one or more quantities of liquid are calculated as a function of the corresponding vibration amplitudes along one or both of the first vibration axis and the second vibration axis; and the one or more paddles are calculated or selected as a function of the corresponding vibration phases along one or both of the first vibration axis and the second vibration axis, preferably, the first vibration axis and the second vibration axis are perpendicular to each other.

[0045] In a preferred embodiment, wherein the machine for textile treatment comprises a paddle configured to contain liquid, the paddle comprising an opening for draining the liquid, and the method further comprises the steps of:

[0046] g) controlling the motor to decelerate, preferably gradually decelerating, so that the drum rotates at a fifth speed lower than the first speed;

[0047] h) controlling the motor to stop rotating. After step (g) and step (h), the textiles that may be present in the drum can be taken out from the drum. In addition, the aforementioned fifth rotation speed is preferably between 2 rpm and 6 rpm.

[0048] In an embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, the method further comprises the following steps: before performing step (a), controlling the motor to rotate the drum at a starting speed less than the first speed or the same as the fifth speed. In addition, in an embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, the first speed is between 15rpm-40rpm, and the second speed is between 25rpm-50rpm. Controlling the first speed between 15rpm-40rpm can avoid significant and potentially dangerous dynamic imbalances in the system, and allows the distribution of clothes within the system when the system is tilted, thereby achieving control of the type of imbalance in the system according to the present invention.

[0049] A second aspect of the present invention relates to a machine for treating textiles, the machine being as defined in claim 1 and being configurable or configured or adapted to perform the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 12. Specifically, the machine may comprise a front portion, a rear portion opposite to the front portion, a drum extending longitudinally from the front portion to the rear portion, a frame for supporting the drum, a motor connected to the drum at the rear portion and configured to rotate the drum, a tilting device configured to controllably tilt the frame in a tilting direction, a controller configured to control the motor and the tilting device, wherein the tilting direction is a tilting direction towards the front portion or a tilting direction towards the rear portion, and the machine is configured to perform the method according to the first aspect of the present invention.

[0050] Therefore, the machine comprises a tilting device and a controller. The controller can be programmed or programmable to perform the steps of the method according to the first aspect of the invention. The machine according to the invention preferably comprises a transmission device, which is located at the rear and connected to the drum, wherein the motor is configured to rotate the drum via the transmission device.

[0051] Alternatively, a motor or similar rotating device configured to controllably rotate the drum may be directly connected to the drum. The program may enable the machine, in particular the controller of the machine, to perform the steps of the method of the first aspect of the invention, the controller interacting with and controlling other components of the machine when necessary. Therefore, another aspect of the invention relates to a computer program comprising instructions for causing the machine to perform the steps of the method according to the first aspect of the invention. The computer program may be stored in a computer-readable medium. The medium may be a memory of the controller, a medium connectable or readable by the controller, or other forms of media.

[0052] Therefore, one aspect of the present invention relates to a computer readable medium having stored thereon the aforementioned computer program. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0053] Figure 1 A side view of a machine according to one aspect of the invention is shown.

[0054] Figure 2 Shows Figure 1 The machine is shown in a different state in which the frame and the drum of the machine are tilted.

[0055] Figure 3 Shows Figure 1 Front view of the machine.

[0056] Figure 4 is a flow chart of one embodiment of a method according to the present invention.

[0057] Figure 5 is a flow chart of one embodiment of a method according to the present invention.

[0058] Figure 6 is a flow chart of one embodiment of a method according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0059] Figure 1-Figure 3 A preferred embodiment of a machine, ie an embodiment of a system or an apparatus, according to one aspect of the invention is shown. The machine shown is suitable for textile processing. Figure 1-Figure 3 , the machine shown comprises: a front part 2; a rear part 3 opposite to the front part 2; a drum 4 extending longitudinally from the front part 2 to the rear part 3; a frame 7 for supporting the drum 4; a motor 6 connected to the drum 4, wherein the motor is configured to rotate the drum; a tilting device 8, which is configured to controllably tilt the washing machine frame in a tilting direction toward the front part 2 (it should be noted that this is a specific embodiment of the present invention, and in other compatible inventions, the tilting direction can be configured to be a tilting direction toward the rear part 3); and a controller (not shown) configured to control the motor 6 and the tilting device 8. The front and rear parts are in opposite positions / places in the machine and are opposite to each other.

[0060] Figure 1 The machine shown also comprises a transmission 5, which is located at the rear and connected to the drum 4. In the machine shown, a motor 6 is connected to the transmission 5, and the motor 6 is configured to rotate the drum 4 via the transmission 5.

[0061] In the machine shown, the transmission comprises a transmission shaft. In a very preferred embodiment, the transmission comprises a transmission belt, which may also be referred to simply as a "belt". The transmission (which may also be referred to simply as transmission) may comprise other components such as gears, and there are various possible alternatives for the design of the transmission and its connection to the motor and the drum. Alternatively, however, the motor or similar rotating device may also be directly connected to the drum for rotating the latter.

[0062] When operating the machine, the controller may be programmed to perform the steps of the method according to the first aspect of the invention. To perform the above steps, the controller may control the above motor and tilting device. Therefore, preferably, the controller is operably connected to the motor and tilting device. Figure 1-Figure 3 In the machine shown, a frame 7 surrounds the drum and also supports the transmission 5 and the motor 6.

[0063] Therefore, if Figure 2 As shown, when the tilting device tilts the frame of the illustrated embodiment, they also cause the transmission device and the motor to move in the tilting direction (i.e., toward Figure 2 In a preferred embodiment, the tilting device comprises a hydraulic system including a pump, an oil tank, a hydraulic piston and two hydraulic solenoid valves for upward and downward movement. Alternatively, the tilting device may include a pneumatic system or other systems.

[0064] Figure 3 The drum of the machine shown also includes a paddle, which can be optionally configured to accommodate liquid, particularly water. In order to accommodate (hold) liquid, the paddle can be shaped or hollow so that the liquid is contained inside the paddle. In one embodiment, each paddle defines (has) at least one hollow chamber inside it, and during the rotation of the drum, water can be retained by the hollow chamber of the paddle due to the centrifugal force generated by the rotation. Water or liquid can be injected into the machine through a liquid injection device. The liquid injection device can be configured, for example, to be arranged in the drum, or near the drum, or around the drum, or near the paddle to inject water. The paddle preferably has an opening through which the liquid enters the paddle. In a preferred embodiment, the liquid injection device is connected to a water supply system, and the liquid injection device includes a valve controlled by a controller, which is used to controllably open / close and inject a desired amount of liquid. In a preferred embodiment, water is injected into the blades in the following manner: the rear end of the drum includes a guide device connected to the corresponding point of each blade; at the rear end (rear) of the machine there is a water inlet and a liter meter for controlling the amount of water required for each blade; the water is injected into the guide device through a nozzle (injection device) and physically reaches the corresponding position in the blade; the machine includes a vibration sensor, which is used to measure the vibration angle and amplitude of the machine and generate a corresponding signal to send to the CPU; the CPU analyzes the signal and enables the solenoid valve to inject the required amount of water; the injection process is completed during the rotation of the drum. Figure 3 The door 10 of the drum is also depicted.

[0065] Figure 4 Shows the use of Figure 1-Figure 3 Flowchart of a preferred embodiment of the method implemented by a machine shown in FIG. 1 , the machine may be configured to perform the method. Figure 4As shown, the preferred embodiment includes the following contents:

[0066] - In step 101, the tilting device is controlled to start tilting the frame and the drum in a tilting direction (ie, toward the front or toward the rear), and the motor is controlled to rotate the drum at a first speed and direction; then,

[0067] - In step 102, the motor is controlled to gradually accelerate so that the drum rotates at a second speed, which is higher than the first speed; then,

[0068] - In step 103, the motor is controlled to rotate the drum at a second speed for a period of time, and the value of the parameter related to the rotation of the drum during the period of time is monitored or calculated; then,

[0069] - In step 104, it is determined whether the first condition is met according to the values ​​of these parameters; then,

[0070] - In step 105, if the first condition is met, the tilting device is controlled to stop tilting the frame and the drum, and the motor is controlled to accelerate the drum to rotate at a third speed higher than the second speed.

[0071] exist Figure 4 In the preferred embodiment shown, the actions of controlling the motor, controlling the tilting device, monitoring or calculating the parameter value, and determining whether the first condition is met are performed by (i.e., with the aid of) the controller. For this reason, the controller can be programmed to Figure 4 Steps 101 to 105 are performed in the order shown. In a preferred embodiment, in step 104, the first condition includes that the parameter is constant or within a first predetermined range, or the difference between the values ​​of the parameter is less than a predetermined difference. In addition, in the preferred embodiment, in step 103, the monitored (or measured) parameter represents the torque of the motor during the period of time. However, in other embodiments, the parameter can be another different parameter, such as a parameter of other characteristics of the motor, such as current intensity, frequency or DC braking current.

[0072] Reference Figure 5 The preferred embodiment of the method comprises the aforementioned steps 101 to 105, wherein step 105 comprises sub-steps 105a, 105b and 105c, which are specifically as follows:

[0073] - In step 105a, if the first condition is met, step 105b is selected to be executed; if the first condition is not met, step 105c is selected to be executed;

[0074] - In step 105b, the tilting device is controlled to stop tilting the frame, and the motor is controlled to accelerate the drum to rotate at a third speed higher than the second speed. Figure 1-Figure 3In an embodiment, when the tilting of the frame is stopped (finished), this will cause the roller to return to its initial position, wherein the initial position is usually that the roller is substantially horizontal with the floor in the longitudinal direction, such as Figure 1 As shown;

[0075] - In step 105c, the motor is controlled to decelerate so that the drum rotates at a speed lower than the second speed, and steps 101 to 105 are repeated one or more times.

[0076] An embodiment of the method including step 105c further includes, if the first condition is not met, counting one or more times of repeating steps 101-105, and if the count is higher than a predetermined number of times, generating an alarm signal or controlling the motor to stop. This generation is preferably accomplished by a controller. The machine may optionally include a speaker, screen, light or other similar component that can be controlled by the controller to generate an alarm signal.

[0077] Reference Figure 6 The method shown in the flowchart includes step 100a and step 100b performed before step 101, which are as follows:

[0078] - in step 100a, controlling the motor to rotate the drum in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation in step 101, and the rotation speed thereof is equal to or less than the first rotation speed in step 101, and

[0079] - In step 100b, before executing step 101, the motor is controlled to stop rotating.

[0080] An embodiment according to the first aspect of the present invention further comprises Figure 6 Steps 106-108 shown in the figure are implemented by a machine including a liquid injection device and a vibration measurement system, which is configured to measure the mechanical vibration characteristics in the machine. In this case, the drum of the machine includes a paddle, which defines a compartment inside which can be filled and hold (hold) water. Water can be provided to the paddle by the liquid injection device. In a very preferred embodiment, the liquid injection device is connected to the paddle. In addition, in a preferred embodiment, the liquid injection device (which may also be referred to as a liquid injection system or a part of the liquid injection system) is operably connected to a controller for controllably injecting (i.e., supplying) a required amount of liquid to the paddle. Similarly, preferably, the vibration measurement system is operably connected to the controller. This can be done, for example, through the corresponding electronic interface of the controller. The aforementioned steps 106-108 are specifically as follows:

[0081] - In step 106, the motor is controlled to gradually accelerate so that the drum rotates at a second intermediate speed in a corresponding second intermediate time period, the second intermediate speed being higher than the third speed, and the following sub-steps are performed in each second intermediate time period:

[0082] Measuring mechanical vibration characteristics in machines in vibration measurement systems;

[0083] Analyze mechanical vibration characteristics and calculate one or more quantities of liquid;

[0084] Controlling the liquid injection device to inject one or more amounts of liquid into one or more paddles 9;

[0085] determining whether a second condition is satisfied, the second condition comprising at least one mechanical vibration characteristic being within a second predetermined range; and

[0086] If the second condition is met, the motor is controlled to accelerate to reach a higher rotation speed, preferably so that the drum rotates at the rotation speed for a period of time; if the second condition is not met, optionally, the whole process can be stopped, for example, by controlling the motor to stop rotating; or, the controller can control the motor and the liquid injection device to repeat the above steps and sub-steps once or multiple times until the state of meeting the second condition is reached.

[0087] - In step 107, the motor is controlled to gradually decelerate so that the drum rotates at a fifth speed, which is lower than the first speed and is between 2 rpm and 6 rpm.

[0088] - In step 108, the motor is controlled to stop rotating.

[0089] In a preferred embodiment, the vibration measurement system includes a first vibration detector configured to measure vibration along a first vibration axis, and a second vibration detector configured to measure vibration along a second vibration axis; the mechanical vibration characteristics measured by the vibration measurement system include a corresponding vibration amplitude and a vibration phase along each of the first vibration axis and the second vibration axis; in step 106, one or more amounts of liquid are calculated as a function of the corresponding vibration amplitude along the first vibration axis and the second vibration axis; step 106 also includes calculating or selecting one or more paddles to be injected (one or more) amounts of liquid, and the one or more paddles are calculated or selected as a function of the corresponding vibration phase along the first vibration axis and the second vibration axis, the first vibration axis and the second vibration axis are perpendicular to each other. The first axis and the second axis can be an X-axis and a Y-axis, respectively. An embodiment can also be considered in which the machine includes a sensor suitable for measuring vibrations on the first axis and the second axis. The first axis and the second axis may not be perpendicular to each other.

[0090] In another embodiment, which may be considered simpler than the previous one, the vibration measurement system includes a vibration detector configured to measure vibration; the mechanical vibration characteristic measured includes vibration amplitude; one or more amounts of liquid are calculated as a function of the vibration amplitude. Similarly, in one embodiment, step 106 includes calculating or selecting one or more paddles; the vibration measurement system includes a vibration detector configured to measure vibration phase; the mechanical vibration characteristic measured by the vibration measurement system includes vibration phase; one or more paddles to be injected with one or more amounts of liquid are calculated or selected as a function of the vibration phase.

[0091] In a preferred embodiment, the first rotation speed of step 101 is between 15 rpm and 40 rpm so that the machine is ready for rotation. In a preferred embodiment, the second rotation speed of step 102 is between 25 rpm and 50 rpm so that the textile can be fixed to the drum wall for the parameter estimation part of the method.

[0092] An embodiment of the method for processing clothing according to the first aspect of the present invention comprises the following steps:

[0093] - In a first step, the drum of the machine rotates at a low speed (3 RPM) to drain possible water that was injected into the blades during the previous process. The drainage of the blades is done by gravity, and the water falls directly to the drainage points of the machine. For this purpose, the blades have drainage holes (openings). This first step is a non-limiting example of step 100a.

[0094] - In a second step for influencing the distribution of the laundry in the drum, the machine rotates the drum at medium speed in a clockwise and counterclockwise direction in an alternating manner to separate the laundry and avoid entanglement. This second step can be an optional part of the aforementioned step 100a or an optional part of another step before step 101.

[0095] - In the third step, the machine rotates the drum clockwise at medium speed (25RPM-28RPM) for 30 seconds to spread the clothes (to avoid tangling). This third step can be an optional part of the aforementioned step 100a, or an optional part of the step before step 101.

[0096] - In the fourth step, the rotation is stopped. This fourth step is the aforementioned step 100b.

[0097] - In the fifth step, the machine is tilted upward to send the laundry to the lower part of the drum (i.e., the lower part - also called the lowest point - corresponds to the front when the tilt direction is toward the front, and corresponds to the rear when the tilt direction is toward the rear) so as to concentrate the load at the lowest point, and with the machine still tilted, counterclockwise rotation is started again to prepare for the machine rotation. This fifth step is a non-limiting example of the aforementioned step 101.

[0098] In a sixth step, which is a non-limiting example of step 102 , the machine slowly increases its rotation speed.

[0099] - In a seventh step, which is a non-limiting example of step 103, the machine accelerates the rotation of the drum until the rotation speed value is reached to fix the clothes on the drum wall, and during the acceleration, the machine stops accelerating for a few seconds at different speed points. These pauses allow the clothes to change their position in the drum. Whenever the speed increases, the clothes close to the drum wall are fixed, and the rest of the clothes will fall, thereby changing their position until they find a vacant position close to the drum wall. When the machine rotates at a speed at which the clothes are fixed to the wall (usually 34RPM-38RPM), the algorithm executed by the controller calculates the torque percentage of the motor. This percentage indicates whether the clothes are evenly distributed in the drum.

[0100] A constant torque value means that the load is evenly distributed around the drum.

[0101] - In an eighth step, which is a non-limiting example of step 104, it is determined whether the torque value is correct. The torque value is constant (which is an example of the first condition), meaning that the load is evenly distributed around the drum.

[0102] - In step nine, which is a non-limiting example of step 105, if the torque value is correct, the rotation process continues and the machine tilts down and accelerates. However, if the torque value is incorrect, the machine will slow down (25RPM-28RPM) and retry from step two. The controller's CPU counts the number of attempts completed and if the number is higher than the configured set point, an alarm is issued to stop the process. This means that the load cannot be distributed for high-speed rotation.

[0103] -In step 10, which is a non-limiting example of step 106, assuming that the machine has been tilted downward and the drum is accelerated during rotation, the machine stops accelerating at several rpm points to measure vibration. When the machine reaches 120 RPM, the balancing system starts working. The paddles of this machine have gaps inside, into which water can be injected. The balancing system reduces vibration by injecting water into the paddles. The balancing system provides two measurements for each sensor, amplitude (usually in mm / s (milometers per second)) and phase (°). The machine has two sensors, for the X-axis and Y-axis, for measuring horizontal vibration and vertical vibration. From the amplitude, the algorithm can calculate the amount of water to be injected into the paddle, and from the phase, the direction of the force generated by the vibration can be calculated, so that the CPU can instruct to inject a certain amount of water in the corresponding paddle to balance the load and reduce the vibration of the machine. Generally, a vibration amplitude of less than 4 mm / sec is acceptable, which allows the rpm to be increased from 140 rpm to 500 rpm by repeating the steps at constant intervals, during which the balancing system is operated to finely control the vibration.

[0104] - In step 11, once the machine reaches the rotation speed set by the user, it maintains that speed and calculates the rotation time. The balancing system works until the time is up.

[0105] - In step 12, which is a non-limiting example of step 107, once the rotation time is over, the machine is slowly decelerated (3RPM / s-5RPM / s) to avoid vibration and high temperature of the brake resistance, and the machine is rotated at a low speed (3RPM) to discharge moisture that may be injected into the blades during the rotation process.

[0106] In one embodiment, the parameter related to the rotation of the drum (which can be configured to indicate (i.e., an indicator) the state of the rotation balance / imbalance of the drum) is a parameter indicating the torque of the motor; preferably, the parameter is the torque of the motor. In one embodiment, the parameter is the power of the motor driving the drum to rotate. Alternatively, the value of the parameter can be a percentage of the motor torque or power.

[0107] According to a preferred embodiment of the machine for textile treatment of the present invention, the machine can be configured to perform the steps of the method according to the first aspect of the present invention. According to a preferred embodiment of another aspect of the present invention, the computer program includes instructions for causing the above-mentioned machine to perform the steps of the method of the first aspect of the present invention. Such a program can be executed by a controller of the machine. According to a preferred embodiment of the computer-readable medium of the present invention, it includes a computer-readable medium having the aforementioned computer program stored thereon.

[0108] Although the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the present invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope of the present invention. For example, other aspects may be implemented in hardware or software or a combination of hardware and software. In addition, a software program as a part of the present invention may be embodied in a computer program product, which includes, for example, a computer-usable medium of a readable storage device such as a hard drive device, a flash memory device, a CD ROM, a DVD / ROM, or a computer disk, on which a computer-readable program code segment is stored. The computer-readable medium may also include an optical, wired or wireless communication link, on which a program code segment as a digital signal or an analog signal is carried.

Claims

1. A method for operating a machine (1) for textile processing, the machine (1) comprising a front part (2), a rear part (3) opposite to the front part (2), a drum (4) extending longitudinally from the front part (2) to the rear part (3), a frame (7) for supporting the drum (4), a motor (6) connected to the drum (4) at the rear part (3) and configured to rotate the drum (4), a tilting device (8) configured to controllably tilt the frame in a tilting direction, and a controller configured to control the motor (6) and the tilting device (8), in, The tilting direction is a tilting direction toward the front part (2) or a tilting direction toward the rear part (3), and the method comprises the following steps performed in sequence: a) controlling the tilting device to start tilting along the tilting direction, and controlling the motor to rotate the drum at a first speed and in a first rotation direction; b) controlling the motor to gradually accelerate so that the drum rotates at a second speed, wherein the second speed is higher than the first speed; c) controlling the motor to rotate the drum at the second speed for a period of time, and monitoring or calculating a value of a parameter related to the rotation of the drum during the period of time, wherein the parameter is preferably configured as a state indicator of the rotation balance of the drum; d) determining whether the value of the parameter satisfies a first condition, the first condition preferably being configured such that satisfying the first condition indicates that the drum is in a predetermined state of rotational balance; e) If the first condition is met, the tilting device is controlled to stop tilting the frame, and the motor is controlled to accelerate the drum to rotate at a third speed, which is higher than the second speed.

2. The method according to claim 1, in, The first condition includes that the parameter is constant or within a first predetermined range, or that a difference between a plurality of values ​​of the parameter is less than a predetermined difference.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, in, Before executing step (a), the method includes controlling the motor to rotate the drum in a direction opposite to the rotation direction of step (a), and the rotation speed is equal to or less than the first rotation speed in step (a), and controlling the motor to stop rotating before executing step (a).

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, in, In step (b), the motor is controlled to gradually accelerate, including controlling the motor to rotate the drum at one or more first intermediate speeds for corresponding one or more first intermediate time periods, wherein the first intermediate speed is between the first speed and the second speed.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, in, Step (e) also includes: if the first condition is not met, controlling the motor to decelerate so that the drum rotates at a speed lower than the second speed, and repeating steps (a) to (e) one or more times.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising: include: If the first condition is not met, the number of times steps (a) to (e) are repeated one or more times is counted, and if the count is higher than a predetermined number, an alarm signal is generated or the motor is controlled to stop.

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The machine also includes a liquid injection device and a vibration measurement system configured to measure mechanical vibration characteristics in the machine, The drum comprises a paddle (9) configured to contain a liquid, and The liquid injection device is configured to inject the liquid into the paddle (9), And the method further comprises the following steps: f) controlling the motor to accelerate so that the rotation speed of the drum is faster than the third rotation speed; In the vibration measurement system, a mechanical vibration characteristic in the machine is measured; analyzing the mechanical vibration characteristics and calculating one or more quantities of liquid; Controlling the liquid injection device to inject the one or more amounts of liquid into one or more of the paddles (9); determining whether a second condition is satisfied, the second condition comprising at least one of the mechanical vibration characteristics being within a second predetermined range; and If the second condition is met, the motor is controlled to accelerate.

8. The method according to claim 7, in: The vibration measurement system includes a vibration detector configured to measure vibration; The mechanical vibration characteristic measured includes vibration amplitude; One or more quantities of liquid are calculated as a function of the vibration amplitude.

9. The method according to claim 6 or 7, in, Step (f) also includes calculating or selecting the one or more blades into which the one or more amounts of liquid will be injected, the vibration measurement system including a vibration detector configured to measure a vibration phase; the mechanical vibration characteristic measured by the vibration measurement system includes the vibration phase; wherein the one or more blades are calculated or selected as a function of the vibration phase, wherein the one or more blades will be injected with the one or more amounts of liquid.

10. The method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, in, The paddle (9) comprises an opening for discharging the liquid, and the method further comprises the following steps: g) controlling the motor to decelerate, preferably gradually decelerate, so that the drum rotates at a fifth speed, the fifth speed being lower than the first speed, preferably the fifth speed being between 2 rpm and 6 rpm; and h) controlling the motor to stop rotating.

11. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The first rotation speed is between 15 rpm and 40 rpm, and the second rotation speed is between 25 rpm and 50 rpm.

12. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The parameter related to the rotation of the drum is a parameter indicating the torque of the motor. Preferably, the parameter is the torque or power of the motor, or the value of the parameter is a percentage of the torque or power of the motor.

13. A machine (1) for treating textiles, comprising a front part (2), a rear part (3) opposite to the front part (2), a drum (4) extending longitudinally from the front part (2) to the rear part (3), a frame (7) for supporting the drum (4), a motor (6) connected to the drum (4) at the rear part (3) and configured to rotate the drum (4), a tilting device (8) configured to controllably tilt the frame in a tilting direction, and a controller configured to control the motor (6) and the tilting device (8), in, The tilting direction is a tilting direction towards the front part (2) or a tilting direction towards the rear part (3), the machine (1) being adapted to perform the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. A computer program comprising instructions which, when executed by a machine (1) as claimed in claim 13, preferably by a controller of the machine (1), causes the machine (1) to perform a method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12.

15. A computer-readable medium data carrier having stored thereon a computer program as claimed in claim 14.

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