Washing machine control method for increasing dissolving amount of detergent

Abstract

The invention relates to a control method suitable for a washing machine having a drum and a motor for moving the drum.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a washing machine control method, which realizes the dissolution rate of the used detergent in water.

[0002] In a washing machine, the heater is located in a heater slot. Increasing the size of the heater slot, especially increasing its depth, results in an increased distance between the tub and the heater, and detergent accumulates at the bottom of the heater slot. This situation adversely affects washing performance because the detergent cannot be effectively used during washing.

[0003] In the prior art, Chinese Patent Application Nos. CN103850087 and CN107059322 disclose washing machines in which the rotation speed of the drum is changed in order to perform a tumbling process.

[0004] The object of the present invention is to realize a washing machine control method which realizes the dissolution rate of the used detergent in water.

[0005] The control method implemented to achieve the purpose of the present invention as set forth in the first claim and its corresponding claims includes a detergent dissolving step having the following steps: using detergent and water, then detecting the load amount, determining an unbalanced load amount predetermined by the manufacturer for the load amount, determining the water level in the washing machine, and if the unbalanced load amount and the water level are lower than the values ​​predetermined by the manufacturer, continuously rotating the motor at a low speed and a high speed at least twice.

[0006] The detergent dissolving step includes rotating the washing machine drum motor at least once successively at 90 rpm and 300 rpm.

[0007] In an embodiment of the present invention, if the unbalanced load amount is higher than the value determined by the manufacturer, an attempt is made to eliminate the unbalanced load by reducing the motor speed preferably to 40 rpm. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, if the unbalanced load cannot be eliminated by reducing the motor speed, the washing step continues without applying the detergent dissolution step.

[0008] In another embodiment of the invention, the control method comprises the step of measuring the foam level during the detergent dissolving step. In this embodiment of the invention, if the foam level measured for a certain period of time is higher than a level determined by the manufacturer, the detergent dissolving step is ended.

[0009] In another embodiment of the invention, the control method comprises detecting the amount of dirt and if the amount of dirt is above a level determined by the manufacturer, increasing the number of repetitions of the detergent dissolving step. Thus, when the amount of dirt detected is high, the number of repetitions of the 300 rpm movement is increased.

[0010] In another embodiment of the invention, the control method includes increasing the number of repetitions of the detergent dissolution step if the water inlet temperature is below a value determined by the manufacturer. In this embodiment of the invention, when the water inlet temperature is low, the reduction in the detergent dissolution rate is minimized by increasing the number of repetitions of the 300 rpm movement.

[0011] In another embodiment of the present invention, the detergent dissolving step is also applied in the rinsing step. Therefore, the detergent on the clothes can be easily dissolved in water, improving the rinsing performance.

[0012] By means of the present invention, the washing performance can be improved by increasing the dissolution rate of the detergent used in the washing machine in water. By means of the control method, at the end of the heating step, the water heated by the heater at the bottom of the washing machine can be delivered to the clothes in a shorter time and the detergent use efficiency is improved. Therefore, the duration of the washing program of the washing machine is shortened and the energy consumption is reduced.

[0013] By means of the control method of the present invention, the energy performance of a washing machine not including a jet pump or a flow meter can be the same as that of a washing machine including said components.

[0014] The control method is applicable to a washing machine having: a tub in which a washing process is performed; a drum arranged in the tub; a motor that moves the drum; a heater that heats water in the tub; and a detergent dispenser in which detergent to be used in the washing process is loaded, and the control method includes a detergent dissolving step having the following steps: using detergent and water, then detecting a load amount, determining an unbalanced load amount predetermined by a manufacturer for the load amount, determining a water level in the washing machine, and if the unbalanced load amount and the water level are lower than values ​​predetermined by the manufacturer, continuously rotating the motor at a low speed and a high speed at least once.

[0015] The detergent dissolving step comprises rotating the washing machine drum motor at least once at a speed lower than 100 rpm and at a speed higher than 200 rpm. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the detergent dissolving step comprises rotating the washing machine drum motor at least once continuously at 90 rpm and 300 rpm.

[0016] In an embodiment of the present invention, if the unbalanced load amount is higher than the value determined by the manufacturer, an attempt is made to eliminate the unbalanced load by reducing the motor speed preferably to 40 rpm. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, if the unbalanced load cannot be eliminated by reducing the motor speed, the washing step is continued without applying the detergent dissolving step.

[0017] In another embodiment of the invention, the control method comprises the step of measuring the foam level during the detergent dissolving step. In this embodiment of the invention, if the foam level measured for a certain period of time is higher than a level determined by the manufacturer, the detergent dissolving step is ended.

[0018] In another embodiment of the invention, the control method comprises detecting the amount of dirt and if the amount of dirt is above a level determined by the manufacturer, increasing the number of repetitions of the detergent dissolving step. Thus, when the amount of dirt detected is high, the number of repetitions of the 300 rpm movement is increased.

[0019] In another embodiment of the present invention, the control method includes, according to the unbalanced load amount determined in the step of determining the unbalanced load amount, adopting the amount of detergent predetermined by the manufacturer in the step of adopting water and detergent. According to the detected unbalanced load amount, the amount of detergent to be adopted in the drum for use in the washing process is predetermined by the manufacturer. In a preferred version of this embodiment, the control method includes: if the determined unbalanced load amount is less than the threshold unbalanced load amount, the average amount of detergent predetermined by the manufacturer is adopted, and if the determined unbalanced load amount is greater than the threshold unbalanced load amount, the increase compared to the average amount of detergent predetermined by the manufacturer is adopted. The amount of detergent predetermined by the manufacturer is preferably transferred to the barrel by means of a dosing member (such as a valve, a flow meter, etc.) provided on the detergent dispenser, and the detergent dissolution step is activated. Therefore, in the case of a high unbalanced load, the cleaning performance is prevented from being reduced due to the reduction in the number of repetitions of the detergent dissolution step.

[0020] In another embodiment of the present invention, the control method comprises the steps of heating the water in the barrel by activating a heater, determining the temperature of the water, and activating the detergent dissolution step when the temperature of the water reaches a defined temperature value predetermined by the manufacturer. After the water in the barrel reaches the defined temperature value, the detergent dissolution step begins. The defined temperature value is preferably about 40 degrees Celsius. Therefore, the heated water can more effectively penetrate the clothes, and the detergent can be dissolved at a higher rate, thereby improving the cleaning performance.

[0021] In another embodiment of the invention, the control method includes increasing the number of repetitions of the detergent dissolution step if the water inlet temperature is below a value determined by the manufacturer. In this embodiment of the invention, when the water inlet temperature is low, the reduction in the detergent dissolution rate is minimized by increasing the number of repetitions of the 300 rpm movement.

[0022] In another embodiment of the present invention, the detergent dissolving step is also applied in the rinsing step. Therefore, the detergent on the clothes can be easily dissolved in water, improving the rinsing performance.

[0023] In another embodiment of the present invention, the control method includes a softener adopting step, in which the softener is adopted from a detergent dispenser; and a detergent dissolving step is applied in the softener adopting step. The detergent dissolving step is also applied after the softener adopting step. Therefore, the softener is more easily dissolved in water, and the softening performance is improved.

[0024] By means of the present invention, the washing performance can be improved by increasing the dissolution rate of the detergent used in the washing machine in water. By means of the control method, at the end of the heating step, the water heated by the heater at the bottom of the washing machine can be delivered to the clothes in a shorter time and the detergent use efficiency is improved. Therefore, the duration of the washing program of the washing machine is shortened and the energy consumption is reduced.

Claims

1. A control method for a washing machine having: a tub in which a washing process is performed; a drum disposed in the tub; a motor that moves the drum; a heater that heats water in the tub; and a detergent dispenser in which detergent to be used in the washing process is loaded, characterized in that A detergent dissolving step, the detergent dissolving step having the following steps: detecting a load amount; determining an unbalanced load amount predetermined by a manufacturer for the load amount; using detergent and water; determining a water level in the washing machine; and if the unbalanced load amount and the water level are lower than the values ​​predetermined by the manufacturer, continuously rotating the motor at least once at a relatively low speed and a relatively high speed.

2. The washing machine control method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The detergent dissolving step includes rotating the washing machine drum motor at least once at a speed lower than 100 rpm and at a speed higher than 200 rpm.

3. The washing machine control method according to claim 2, characterized in that: The detergent dissolving step includes continuously rotating the washing machine drum motor at 90 rpm and 300 rpm at least once.

4. The washing machine control method according to any one of the above claims, characterized in that: Procedure for measuring foam levels during the detergent dissolution step.

5. The washing machine control method according to claim 4, characterized in that: If the suds level measured for a particular time period is above a level determined by the manufacturer, the detergent dissolution step is terminated.

6. The washing machine control method according to any one of the above claims, characterized in that: The amount of soil is detected and if it is above a level determined by the manufacturer, the number of repetitions of the detergent dissolution step is increased.

7. The washing machine control method according to any one of the above claims, characterized in that: According to the unbalanced load amount determined in the step of determining the unbalanced load amount, an amount of detergent predetermined by a manufacturer is adopted in the step of adopting water and detergent.

8. The washing machine control method according to claim 7, characterized in that: If the determined unbalanced load amount is less than a threshold unbalanced load amount, an average amount of detergent predetermined by the manufacturer is used, and if the determined unbalanced load amount is greater than the threshold unbalanced load amount, an increased amount compared to the average amount of detergent predetermined by the manufacturer is used.

9. The washing machine control method according to any one of the above claims, characterized in that: The water in the tub is heated by activating a heater, the temperature of the water is determined, and the detergent dissolving step is activated when the temperature of the water reaches a defined temperature value predetermined by the manufacturer.

10. The washing machine control method according to any one of the above claims, characterized in that: If the water inlet temperature is below the value determined by the manufacturer, increase the number of repetitions of the detergent dissolution step.

11. The washing machine control method according to any one of the above claims, characterized in that Detergent dissolution step applied during the rinse step.

12. The washing machine control method according to any one of the above claims, characterized in that a softener adopting step in which softener is adopted from a detergent dispenser; and a detergent dissolving step applied in the softener adopting step.