A washing machine control method

Abstract

For the washing machine comprising a control unit wherein the amount of main washing water to be taken in an amount appropriate to the main washing step of the washing program selected by the user is loaded, the washing machine control method of the present invention comprises the steps of taking some of the main washing water at the beginning of the washing process, taking detergent, moving the drum and then taking the remaining amount of main washing water and completing the main washing process by rotating the drum at the high speed determined by the manufacturer.

Description

[0001] A WASHING MACHINE CONTROL METHOD

[0002] The present invention relates to a control method for a washing machine with increased washing performance and low energy consumption.

[0003] Washing machines comprise a fixed drum and a drum with a horizontal axis which rotates in the drum and which receives the laundry. In order to increase the washing performance, there are a pump and a circulation line which ensure that the washing water taken from the lower part of the tub is sent back into the drum via the upper part of the tub. In this type of washing machines having the circulation line, it is possible to keep the detergent concentration high since by means of the circulation line, the water at the bottom of the tub, which does not come into contact with the laundry, is supplied back into the drum. The purpose of the circulation line is to ensure that the free water in the lower part of the tub gets back into contact with the laundry throughout the washing process, even if the laundry absorbs the free water. However, the circulation line causes an increase in number of components and costs.

[0004] In the state of the art International Patent Application No. WO2020126465, the water is transferred from the lower part of the tub to the upper part of the tub and transferred into the drum by means of the circulation pump. Moreover, the document discloses that the baffle is enabled to stand in an upright manner at the uppermost point of the drum by means of a position sensor and different flows are provided by changing the form of the water outlet by means of a mechanism in the baffle.

[0005] The aim of the present invention is the realization of a washing machine which increases detergent solubility at the beginning of the washing cycle to increase the washing performance.

[0006] The washing machine control method realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof, comprises the steps of determining the amount of main washing water to be taken according to the main washing step of the washing program selected by the user, taking some of the main washing water at the beginning of the washing process, taking detergent, moving the drum and then taking the remaining amount of main washing water and completing the main washing process by rotating the drum at the high speed determined by the manufacturer.

[0007] In the embodiment of the present invention, the amount of water to be used in the main washing step of the washing program selected by the user is determined by the manufacturer. When the main washing step starts, only some, not all, of the water to be used in the main washing step is taken into the tub of the washing machine. Since the laundry in the drum does not completely absorb the water at the beginning of the main washing step, the partial amount of water taken at the beginning of the main washing step is sufficient and the washing process is performed. At the same time, the detergent transferred to the drum is enabled to be dissolved in the partial amount of water by moving the drum. Thus, the detergent is dissolved quickly, the stain removing effect of the water with detergent is increased and the washing efficiency of the washing machine is improved. During the time determined by the manufacturer, after completing the washing with the partial amount of water taken at the beginning of the main washing step, the remaining amount of water to be used in the main washing step is taken into the tub, completing the intake of all the water to be used in the main washing step. Then, the drum is rotated again at high speeds to quickly dissolve any detergent which may remain undissolved. With this high-speed drum movement, the amount of free water in the environment is increased by releasing the water with detergent absorbed by the laundry and the dissolution of the detergent is accelerated. After this process continues for a period of time determined by the manufacturer, the main washing process is completed.

[0008] In the present invention, only some, not all, of the water amount determined is taken at the beginning of the main washing step, and the drum is moved at high speeds immediately afterwards. After continuing the washing process with only a small portion of the amount of water to be taken in the main washing step for a certain period of time, the amount of water is completed to the required amount, the drum is moved again at high speeds such that the detergent is dissolved and an effective washing process is carried out. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the amount of water taken at the beginning of the main washing step is seventy-five percent of the amount of water to be taken in the entire main washing step. In this embodiment of the present invention, when the main washing step starts, only 75% of the total water to be taken in the main washing step is taken, and thus, the detergent is dissolved in water by moving the drum at high speeds. By taking some, not all, of the water, the detergent concentration is kept high and the stain removal performance is increased. Then, the remaining part of the water which needs to be taken in the main washing step is taken into the tub. As the amount of free water increases, the drum is rotated at high speeds so as to provide a mixing effect. By means of this movement, any undissolved detergent is dissolved quickly and the detergent concentration is increased, and the dissolution of the detergent is accelerated by enabling the water held by the laundry to become a little more free.

[0009] In another embodiment of the present invention, the amount of water to be taken in the main washing step is determined according to the washing program selected by the user and to the detected load amount.

[0010] By means of the present invention, the detergent is enabled to be quickly dissolved at the beginning of the main washing step thanks to the high mechanical movement of the drum when the free water is at the level of the drum and above, before the laundry starts to absorb water.

[0011] Since the water is not absorbed by the textile at the very beginning of the washing cycle, the amount of water is higher than at a normal cycle moment, the washing performance is prevented from decreasing because the detergent is not dissolved yet, the detergent is enabled to be dissolved quickly in the water, the laundry absorbs the detergent water quickly and the washing performance is improved.

[0012] For the washing machine comprising a control unit wherein the amount of main washing water to be taken in an amount appropriate to the main washing step of the washing program selected by the user is loaded, the washing machine control method of the present invention comprises the steps of taking some of the main washing water at the beginning of the washing process, taking detergent, moving the drum and then taking the remaining amount of main washing water and completing the main washing process by rotating the drum at the high speed determined by the manufacturer.

[0013] In the embodiment of the present invention, the amount of water to be used in the main washing step of the washing program selected by the user is determined by the manufacturer. When the main washing step starts, only some, not all, of the water to be used in this step is taken into the tub of the washing machine. Since the laundry in the drum does not completely absorb the water at the beginning of the main washing step, the partial amount of water taken at the beginning of the main washing step is sufficient and the washing process is performed. At the same time, the detergent transferred to the drum is enabled to be dissolved in the partial amount of water by moving the drum. Thus, the detergent is dissolved quickly, the stain removing effect of the water with detergent is increased and the washing efficiency of the washing machine is improved. During the time determined by the manufacturer, after completing the washing with the partial amount of water taken at the beginning of the main washing step, the remaining amount of water to be used in the main washing step is taken into the tub, completing the intake of all the water to be taken in the main washing step. Then, the drum is rotated again at high speeds to quickly dissolve any detergent which may remain undissolved. With this high-speed drum movement, the amount of free water in the environment is increased by releasing the water with detergent absorbed by the laundry and the dissolution of the detergent is accelerated. After this process continues for a period of time determined by the manufacturer, the main washing process is completed.

[0014] In the present invention, only some, not all, of the water amount determined is taken at the beginning of the main washing step, and the drum is moved at high speeds immediately afterwards. After continuing the washing process with only a portion of the amount of water to be taken in the main washing step for a certain period of time, the amount of water is completed to the required amount, the drum is moved again at high speeds such that the detergent is dissolved and an effective washing process is carried out. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the amount of water taken at the beginning of the main washing step is seventy-five percent of the amount of water to be taken in the entire main washing step. In this embodiment of the present invention, when the main washing step starts, only 75% of the total water to be taken in the main washing step is taken, and thus, the detergent is dissolved in water by moving the drum at high speeds. By taking some, not all, of the water, the detergent concentration is kept high and the stain removal performance is increased. Then, the remaining part of the water which needs to be taken in the main washing step is taken into the tub. As the amount of free water increases, the drum is rotated at high speeds so as to provide a mixing effect. By means of this movement, any undissolved detergent is dissolved quickly and the detergent concentration is increased, and the dissolution of the detergent is accelerated by enabling the water held by the laundry to become a little more free.

[0015] In another embodiment of the present invention, the amount of water to be taken in the main washing step is determined according to the washing program selected by the user and to the detected load amount.

[0016] In another embodiment of the present invention, the amount of water taken at the beginning of the main washing step at least reaches the level of the lowermost point of the drum. In this embodiment of the present invention, the amount of water taken at the beginning of the main washing step preferably goes above the level of the lowermost point of the drum.

[0017] By means of the present invention, the detergent is enabled to be quickly dissolved at the beginning of the main washing step thanks to the high mechanical movement of the drum when the free water is at the level of the drum and above, before the laundry starts to absorb water.

[0018] Since the water is not absorbed by the textile at the very beginning of the washing cycle, the amount of water is higher than at a normal cycle moment, the washing performance is prevented from decreasing because the detergent is not dissolved yet, the detergent is enabled to be dissolved quickly in the water, the laundry absorbs the detergent water quickly and the washing performance is improved.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A washing machine control method, which is suitable for a washing machine comprising a control unit wherein the amount of main washing water to be taken in an amount appropriate to the main washing step of the washing program selected by the user is loaded, characterized by the steps of taking some of the main washing water at the beginning of the washing process, taking detergent, moving the drum and then taking the remaining amount of main washing water and completing the main washing process by rotating the drum at the high speed determined by the manufacturer.

2. A washing machine control method as in Claim 1, characterized in that only some, not all, of the water amount determined is taken at the beginning of the main washing step, and the drum is moved at high speeds immediately afterwards.

3. A washing machine control method as in Claim 1, characterized in that the amount of water taken at the beginning of the main washing step is seventy-five percent of the amount of water to be taken in the entire main washing step.

4. A washing machine control method as in Claim 1, characterized in that the amount of water to be taken in the main washing step is determined according to the washing program selected by the user and to the detected load amount.

5. A washing machine control method as in Claim 1, characterized in that the amount of water taken at the beginning of the main washing step at least reaches the level of the lowermost point of the drum.

6. A washing machine control method as in Claim 1 or Claim 5, characterized in that the amount of water taken at the beginning of the main washing step goes above the level of the lowermost point of the drum.