washing machine

Abstract

To provide a washing machine capable of suppressing the proliferation of bacteria in laundry stored in the washing machine.SOLUTION: A washing machine has a pre-drying mode. When the pre-drying mode is set (YES at S1), after a prescribed time lapse after a lid of the washing machine is closed (YES at S3) (S5), a pre-drying operation is executed (S7). The pre-drying operation is, for example, when the washing machine is a drum-type washing and drying machine, an operation to drive a blower fan while rotating a washing tub drum to evenly apply air to laundry in the washing machine. Since the aim is to suppress the proliferation of bacteria in the washing machine, it is not necessary to completely dry the laundry. By this pre-drying operation, it is possible to suppress the proliferation of bacteria in laundry and in the washing machine, and it is possible to suppress the generation of an unpleasant odor and lowering of the effect of a detergent due to the proliferation of bacteria.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a washing machine. [Background technology]

[0002] Some recent washing machines have a sterilization and deodorization function (for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-100433 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In Patent Document 1, there is a risk that moisture such as humidity may remain inside the washing tub after the washing course or the washing and drying course has been performed.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to provide a washing machine that accelerates drying of the inside of the washing tub. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a washing machine according to one aspect of the present invention includes an ion generator that supplies ions to the inside of a washing tub, and after detecting information indicating that a washing course including a spin-drying process for spin-drying has ended and that laundry has been removed from the washing tub, performs a pre-drying operation to promote drying of the inside of the washing tub, drives the ion generator during the pre-drying operation, and after the washing course has ended and before the pre-drying operation is performed, The notification sound will be Notify users in advance After the washing course is completed and it is detected that the lid covering the opening of the washing tub is closed, the main power is kept on for a predetermined period until the preliminary drying operation is started, and after the predetermined period has elapsed, the preliminary drying operation is started. It is characterized by the following. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, a washing machine that promotes drying of the inside of the washing tub can be obtained. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 4 is a flowchart showing control of the washing machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] 10 is a flowchart showing control of a washing machine according to a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] First Embodiment Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. A washing machine according to the first embodiment is characterized by its control, and the washing machine structure itself can be publicly known, so a detailed description of the washing machine structure will be omitted. Note that the present invention can be applied to both drum-type washing machines and vertical washing machines, but the following description will exemplify the case where the present invention is applied to a drum-type washing machine.

[0010] The washing machine according to the first embodiment is characterized in that it performs a pre-drying operation on laundry when the laundry is stored in the washing machine for a long period of time, thereby suppressing the growth of bacteria. The washing machine has a washing tub for storing laundry. The washing machine executes a washing course including at least one of a water filling process for filling the washing tub with water, a washing process for cleaning the laundry, a rinsing process for rinsing the laundry, and a spin-drying process for spin-drying the laundry. FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing control of the washing machine according to the first embodiment. This control illustrates a case where no scheduled operation is set in the washing machine. In this control, the washing machine has a pre-drying mode, which the user can set as desired. The pre-drying mode is set using an operation unit (not shown). The operation unit may be, for example, a touch panel in which a display unit and an input unit are integrally formed, or a push-button switch. The operation unit may be, for example, a remote controller connected to the washing machine so as to be able to communicate with the washing machine, or a mobile terminal. The pre-drying mode may be set using a hidden command executed by combining multiple button inputs. This reduces the risk of providing the preliminary drying mode to users who do not need it.

[0011] When the washing machine finishes the washing course, it checks whether the pre-drying mode is set (S1). If the pre-drying mode is not set (NO in S1), the washing machine's main power is turned off by the auto power off function, etc. If the pre-drying mode is selected, the main power remains on.

[0012] If the pre-drying mode is set (YES in S1), the process proceeds to S3. In this control, the pre-drying operation is triggered by the user closing the washing machine lid (note that this washing machine is equipped with a sensor that detects the opening and closing of the lid). In S3, it is checked whether the washing machine lid is being closed, and if the lid is not being closed, the washing machine enters standby mode (S4) and the pre-drying operation is not performed.

[0013] If the washing machine lid is confirmed to be closed (YES in S3), it is possible that the user closed the lid after putting laundry inside the washing machine. Therefore, the washing machine locks the lid (S6) after a predetermined time (e.g., 5 to 10 minutes) has elapsed since the lid was closed (S5), and then performs a pre-drying operation (S7). The reason for performing the pre-drying operation after the predetermined time has elapsed is that it is considered possible that multiple additional laundry items will be added within the predetermined time. The lid lock in S6 is unlocked when the pre-drying operation in S7 is completed. In addition to locking the lid in S6, the user may be notified that the pre-drying operation is about to begin by sounding an alarm or by displaying an alarm message while the pre-drying operation is in progress. The pre-drying time for which the pre-drying operation continues may be preset in the washing machine, or may be set by the user.

[0014] The pre-drying operation performed in S7 is preferably performed by a function that the washing machine normally has. For example, if the washing machine is a drum-type washer-dryer, the pre-drying operation can be performed by rotating the washing drum and driving the blower fan to evenly blow air over the laundry inside the washing machine to dry it.

[0015] Since the purpose of the pre-drying operation is to suppress the growth of bacteria inside the washing machine, it is not necessary to completely dry the laundry, and even if the washing machine has a drying means such as a heater or heat pump, it is considered that it is not necessary to use this drying means. If the pre-drying operation is performed without using a drying means, power consumption during the pre-drying operation can also be reduced. However, the use of a drying means during the pre-drying operation is not prohibited, and pre-drying operation using these drying means is also possible.

[0016] Also, if the washing machine does not have a blower fan, the preliminary drying operation can be performed by simply rotating the washing drum. This is because simply rotating the washing drum is enough to evenly expose the surface of the laundry to air and achieve a drying effect. Alternatively, if the washing machine has a blower fan, the preliminary drying operation can be performed by simply driving the blower fan.

[0017] If the washing machine is a top-loading washing machine, the pre-drying operation can be performed by rotating the pulsator and / or washing tub. In this case, the drying effect is achieved by rotating the pulsator to evenly expose the surface of the laundry to air, and by rotating the washing tub to remove moisture from the washing tub and efficiently expose the surface of the laundry. The most efficient pre-drying operation in a top-loading washing machine is thought to be alternating between rotating the pulsator and the washing tub. When rotating the pulsator for pre-drying, it is sufficient to move it so that the surface of the laundry is evenly exposed to air. Therefore, it is preferable to keep the pulsator rotation speed lower than normal (washing or spin-drying) to avoid damaging the laundry. For example, it is preferable to keep the pulsator rotation speed during pre-drying operation at half or less of its normal rotation speed (if the normal pulsator rotation speed is 1000 rpm, the pulsator rotation speed during pre-drying operation should be 500 rpm or less). Also, when rotating the washing tub for the preliminary drying operation, it is preferable to keep the rotation speed lower than that during normal times (washing or spin-drying).

[0018] Recently, some washing machines are equipped with an ion generator that generates ions with sterilizing and deodorizing effects and releases the ions into the washing tub. It is preferable for such washing machines to release ions into the washing tub during the pre-drying operation. In this case, the ions released into the washing tub during the pre-drying operation can enhance the sterilizing and deodorizing effects on the laundry and the washing tub.

[0019] Even after the pre-drying operation is performed in S7, the washing machine continues to monitor whether the lid is open or closed until the next wash cycle starts (S8). If the lid is confirmed to be open or closed (YES in S8), it is assumed that new laundry has been put into the washing machine, and the process returns to S5 to S7 to perform the pre-drying operation again. Note that if the result in S8 is YES, the process may return to S6 instead of S5. In this case, the pre-drying operation is performed immediately when the lid is closed. If the next wash cycle starts without confirming whether the lid is open or closed (NO in S8), the pre-drying operation ends.

[0020] In this way, in the washing machine according to the first embodiment, even if the user puts laundry into the washing machine and leaves it without starting the wash immediately, the pre-drying operation is performed while the washing machine is in standby mode until the next wash cycle starts. This pre-drying operation promotes the drying of the damp laundry and the washing tub, and can suppress the growth of bacteria in the laundry and the washing tub, thereby suppressing the generation of unpleasant odors due to bacterial growth and the reduction in the effectiveness of detergent.

[0021] In the above-described control, a pre-drying operation is performed when the lid is opened and then closed after the washing course is completed. The pre-drying operation is useful because it can quickly dry the inside of the washing tub and has the effect of suppressing the growth of bacteria and mold in the washing tub. For example, after the washing course is completed, it may be detected that the laundry has been removed, and the pre-drying operation may be performed after the laundry has been removed. The detection of the removal of the laundry may be performed using a capacity detection sensor that detects the volume of the laundry. The capacity detection sensor may have, for example, a sensor that detects weight. The volume of the laundry may be calculated using the power consumed when the washing tub is operated.

[0022] Second Embodiment 2 is a flowchart showing the control of a washing machine according to the second embodiment. This control illustrates a case where a scheduled operation is set in the washing machine. In this control, the washing machine also has a pre-drying mode, which the user can set as desired.

[0023] To schedule a scheduled operation in a washing machine, the user loads laundry into the washing machine and sets the scheduled operation. When the user sets the scheduled operation, it is checked whether the pre-drying mode is set (S11). If the pre-drying mode is not set (NO in S11), the volume of the loaded laundry is determined (S12), and the washing machine then enters a standby state until the scheduled operation begins. The volume determination in S12 is performed so that the washing machine automatically determines the amount of water and detergent to use according to the amount of laundry in the wash course.

[0024] If the pre-drying mode is set (YES in S11), the process proceeds to S13. In S13, the laundry volume is determined in the same way as in S12. However, if the pre-drying mode is set, the result of the volume determination in S13 is used not only to determine the amount of water and detergent for the wash course, but also to determine the pre-drying time (S14). Specifically, the larger the laundry volume, the longer the pre-drying time is set. For example, the pre-drying time can be set to "30 minutes" for a "large" volume, "20 minutes" for a "medium" volume, and "10 minutes" for a "small" volume.

[0025] Once the pre-drying time corresponding to the laundry volume is determined in S14, the washing machine locks the washing machine lid (S15) and performs the pre-drying operation (S16). The pre-drying operation in S16 is performed for the pre-drying time determined in S14. As in S6 of FIG. 1, in S15, in addition to locking the lid, an alarm or the like may be sounded to notify the user that the pre-drying operation is about to begin. The pre-drying operation in S16 can be performed in the same manner as the pre-drying operation described in the first embodiment.

[0026] Even after the pre-drying operation is performed in S16, the washing machine continues to monitor whether the lid is open or closed until the scheduled operation starts (S17). If the lid is confirmed to be open or closed (YES in S17), it is assumed that new laundry has been placed in the washing machine, and the process returns to S13 to S16 to determine the capacity and perform the pre-drying operation again. If the scheduled operation starts without confirming whether the lid is open or closed (NO in S17), the pre-drying operation ends.

[0027] Note that after a YES result in S17, the result of the capacity determination performed again in S13 may be used only to determine the amount of water and detergent, and not to determine the pre-drying time. This is because, for example, even if the result of the capacity determination performed again in S13 is "large," it is expected that in most cases the amount of laundry initially loaded is large and the amount of laundry added later is small. In such a case, only the small amount of laundry added later requires another pre-drying operation, so the pre-drying time may be shortened regardless of the result of the capacity determination in S13.

[0028] Alternatively, when the capacity determination is repeated due to the addition of laundry, the difference between the previously determined capacity and the currently determined capacity may be detected, and the pre-drying time may be determined based on the detected difference in capacity.

[0029] In this way, in the washing machine according to the second embodiment, after the user places laundry in the washing machine for a scheduled operation, the pre-drying operation is performed while the washing machine is on standby until the scheduled operation starts. This pre-drying operation dries the damp laundry and the washing tub, preventing bacteria from growing on the laundry and in the washing tub, and preventing unpleasant odors caused by bacterial growth and a decrease in the effectiveness of detergent.

[0030] Third Embodiment In the above-described first and second embodiments, the case where the pre-drying operation is triggered by the user closing the lid of the washing machine has been described as an example. However, in the present invention, the condition for the washing machine to perform the pre-drying operation is not limited to this.

[0031] For example, some washing machines are equipped with a humidity sensor that can detect the humidity inside the washing tub. In such washing machines, the pre-drying operation may be performed when the humidity detected by the humidity sensor exceeds a predetermined upper limit. In this case, the pre-drying operation may be terminated after a predetermined time (pre-drying time) has elapsed since the start of the pre-drying operation, or may be terminated when the humidity detected by the humidity sensor falls below a predetermined lower limit.

[0032] In the control according to the third embodiment, the preliminary drying operation is performed under conditions where the humidity inside the washing tub is high, so that the preliminary drying operation can be performed at a timing when it is deemed necessary.

[0033] Furthermore, the method of performing the preliminary drying operation using the humidity sensor can be applied regardless of whether or not a scheduled operation is set in the washing machine.

[0034] [Modification] In the above-described first and second embodiments, the lid of the washing machine is closed and locked when the washing machine performs a pre-drying operation. This is done on the assumption that the pre-drying operation includes the rotation of the washing drum and pulsator, and the lid is locked for safety reasons. However, if the pre-drying operation does not include the rotation of the washing drum and pulsator (for example, if the pre-drying operation is performed using only airflow from a blower fan), the lid of the washing machine does not necessarily need to be closed during the pre-drying operation. In particular, if the washing machine releases ions with a sterilizing and deodorizing effect into the washing tub during the pre-drying operation, performing the pre-drying operation with the lid open can also achieve a sterilizing and deodorizing effect in the environment surrounding the washing machine (for example, the changing room).

[0035] In addition, if the lid of the washing machine needs to be closed during the pre-drying operation, and the lid is left open even though the pre-drying mode is set, the system may be configured to notify the user that the lid is open. In this case, for example, a voice message such as "The lid is open and pre-drying operation cannot be performed" may be output.

[0036] In the above-described first and second embodiments, the preliminary drying operation is performed only once unless additional laundry is added (unless the lid is opened or closed at S8 or S17 in FIGS. 1 and 2). However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the preliminary drying operation may be repeatedly performed at regular time intervals even if additional laundry is not added.

[0037] The pre-drying operation may be forcibly terminated by a user operation (for example, pressing a pause button) during the pre-drying operation, which allows the user to terminate the pre-drying operation and add new laundry even while the pre-drying operation is in progress.

[0038] The washing machines according to the first and second embodiments may be connected to a manufacturer's server (cloud) via the Internet, and users may configure various settings on the cloud. For example, if the user is allowed to set the pre-drying time as desired, the user may configure the pre-drying time on the cloud.

[0039] The washing machine according to the present invention can also be described as the following aspect: The washing machine according to the present invention is characterized by having a pre-drying mode in which a pre-drying operation is performed under predetermined conditions during standby for washing.

[0040] According to the above configuration, even if a user leaves the laundry in the washing machine without starting the wash immediately after putting it in, the pre-drying operation is performed while the washing machine is waiting for the next wash cycle to start. This pre-drying operation dries the damp laundry and the washing tub, preventing the growth of bacteria in the laundry and the washing tub, and preventing the generation of unpleasant odors and the reduction in the effectiveness of detergent due to bacterial growth.

[0041] Moreover, in the washing machine, the washing machine may be a drum type washing machine, and the pre-drying operation may include an operation of rotating a washing tub drum.

[0042] According to the above configuration, the surface of the laundry can be evenly exposed to air to achieve a drying effect.

[0043] Moreover, in the washing machine, the washing machine may be a vertical washing machine, and the preliminary drying operation may include an operation of rotating a pulsator and / or a washing tub.

[0044] According to the above configuration, the surface of the laundry is evenly exposed to air by rotating the pulsator, and the moisture inside the washing tub is blown away by rotating the washing tub, and the surface of the laundry is efficiently exposed to air, thereby achieving a drying effect.

[0045] In the washing machine, the preliminary drying operation may include an operation of driving a blower fan that blows air into the washing tub.

[0046] According to the above configuration, air can be effectively blown onto the surface of the laundry to achieve a drying effect.

[0047] In addition, the washing machine may be configured to include an ion generator that generates ions that have a sterilizing and deodorizing effect, and the pre-drying operation may include an operation of releasing the ions into the washing tub.

[0048] According to the above configuration, the ions released into the washing tub during the preliminary drying operation can enhance the sterilizing and deodorizing effect on the laundry and the washing tub.

[0049] The washing machine may be configured such that the preliminary drying operation is triggered by an opening and closing operation of a lid of the washing machine while the washing machine is on standby.

[0050] According to the above configuration, when it is confirmed that the lid is open or closed, it is assumed that new laundry has been put into the washing machine, and the pre-drying operation can be carried out.

[0051] Furthermore, the washing machine may be configured to include a humidity sensor that detects the humidity inside the washing tub, and the pre-drying operation may be performed when the humidity detected by the humidity sensor exceeds a preset upper limit reference value.

[0052] According to the above configuration, the preliminary drying operation is performed under conditions where the humidity inside the washing tub is high, and the preliminary drying operation can be performed at a timing when the preliminary drying operation is deemed necessary.

[0053] Furthermore, the washing machine can be configured so that a scheduled operation can be set, and when the scheduled operation is set, the pre-drying operation can have a pre-drying time determined based on the volume of laundry placed in the washing tub.

[0054] According to the above configuration, the pre-drying operation can be performed for an appropriate pre-drying time according to the volume of laundry.

[0055] The embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and are not intended to be limiting. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention should not be interpreted solely by the above-described embodiments, but should be defined by the claims. Furthermore, all modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the claims are included.

Claims

1. Equipped with an ion generator that supplies ions to the inside of the washing tub, After detecting information indicating that a washing course including a dehydration process for dehydrating is completed and that laundry has been removed from the washing tub, a preliminary drying operation is performed to promote drying of the inside of the washing tub, During the preliminary drying operation, the ion generator is driven, When the washing course is completed and before the preliminary drying operation is performed, a notification sound is generated to notify the user in advance that the preliminary drying operation will be performed; The washing machine is characterized in that, after it is detected that the washing course has ended and that a lid covering the opening of the washing tub has been closed, the main power is kept on for a predetermined period until the preliminary drying operation is started, and the preliminary drying operation is started after the predetermined period has elapsed.

2. The washing machine according to claim 1, a drying means which is a heater or a heat pump; The washing machine is characterized in that the drying means is driven during the preliminary drying operation.

3. The washing machine according to claim 1 or claim 2, A blower fan is provided to blow air into the washing tub, The washing machine is characterized in that the blower fan is driven during the preliminary drying operation.

4. The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The washing machine is characterized in that the washing tub is rotated during the preliminary drying operation.

5. The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The washing machine is characterized in that, during the pre-drying operation, information indicating that the pre-drying operation is being performed is notified.

6. The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The washing machine is characterized in that the preliminary drying operation is terminated after a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the preliminary drying operation.

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