System and process for detecting a load of clothes in an automatic laundry machine
First Claim
1. A system for detecting a load of clothes in an automatic laundry machine of the type which comprises:
- a tub, a basket mounted in the interior of the tub and which is dimensioned to receive a load of clothes; and
an electric motor which selectively rotatively drives the basket in an operation of the machine, comprising;
a voltage sensor to detect the voltage supplied to the electric motor;
a rotation sensor detect the rotation of the electric motor, and a control unit operatively associated with a timer, with the voltage sensor, and with the rotation sensor, and which is supplied, in a presetting step of the machine, with data representative of the medium torque Mmot of the electric motor in different voltage ranges, and with data representative of the acceleration and deceleration reference times (Ta1, Td1) of the electric motor, with the basket in the unloaded condition, between two distinct and predetermined rotation values of the electric motor, in order to calculate the reference moment of inertia (Jv) of the basket in the unloaded condition, said control unit receiving, selectively, at the beginning of each operation of the machine, data representative of the acceleration and deceleration operation times (Ta2, Td2) of the electric motor, with the basket containing a load of clothes, between said rotation values of the electric motor, and processing the data representative of the medium torque Mmot of the electric motor, in the voltage range detected by the voltage sensor, and the data of the acceleration and deceleration reference times (Ta1, Td1) and of the acceleration and deceleration operation times (Ta2, Td2), in order to determine the moment of inertia (Jc) of the basket with the load of clothes and the difference of said moments of inertia (Jc and Jv) of the basket, and to produce a signal representative of the mass of the load of clothes.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and a process for detecting a load of clothes in an automatic laundry machine, comprising a voltage sensor, a rotation sensor, and a control unit associated with a timer, with the voltage sensor, and with the rotation sensor and which is supplied with data representative of the medium torque Mmot of the electric motor in different voltage ranges and with data representative of the acceleration and deceleration reference times (Ta1 and Td1) of the electric motor with the basket in the unloaded condition and containing a load of clothes, between two distinct and predetermined rotation values of the electric motor, so as to calculate the moments of inertia (Jv, Jc) of the basket in the unloaded and in the loaded conditions, said control unit calculating the difference between said moments of inertia (Jc e Jv) of the basket and producing a signal representative of the mass of the load of clothes.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A system for detecting a load of clothes in an automatic laundry machine of the type which comprises:
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a tub, a basket mounted in the interior of the tub and which is dimensioned to receive a load of clothes; and
an electric motor which selectively rotatively drives the basket in an operation of the machine, comprising;
a voltage sensor to detect the voltage supplied to the electric motor;
a rotation sensor detect the rotation of the electric motor, and a control unit operatively associated with a timer, with the voltage sensor, and with the rotation sensor, and which is supplied, in a presetting step of the machine, with data representative of the medium torque Mmot of the electric motor in different voltage ranges, and with data representative of the acceleration and deceleration reference times (Ta1, Td1) of the electric motor, with the basket in the unloaded condition, between two distinct and predetermined rotation values of the electric motor, in order to calculate the reference moment of inertia (Jv) of the basket in the unloaded condition, said control unit receiving, selectively, at the beginning of each operation of the machine, data representative of the acceleration and deceleration operation times (Ta2, Td2) of the electric motor, with the basket containing a load of clothes, between said rotation values of the electric motor, and processing the data representative of the medium torque Mmot of the electric motor, in the voltage range detected by the voltage sensor, and the data of the acceleration and deceleration reference times (Ta1, Td1) and of the acceleration and deceleration operation times (Ta2, Td2), in order to determine the moment of inertia (Jc) of the basket with the load of clothes and the difference of said moments of inertia (Jc and Jv) of the basket, and to produce a signal representative of the mass of the load of clothes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A process for detecting a load of clothes in an automatic laundry machine of the type which comprises a tub;
- a basket mounted in the interior of the tub and dimensioned to receive a load of clothes; and
an electric motor which drives, selectively and rotatively, the basket in an operation of the machine, which comprises the steps of;
rotatively driving the electric motor with the basket in the unloaded condition, maintaining its energization until a maximum rotation has been reached, the electric motor being then de-energized and decelerated to a reduced rotation value, as a function of the friction between the movable parts;
detecting the rotation of the electric motor in two distinct and predetermined rotation values, which are lower than the maximum rotation value, both in the acceleration phase and the deceleration phase;
measuring the acceleration and deceleration reference times (Ta1 and Td1) of the electric motor between said distinct and predetermined rotation values;
calculating a reference moment of inertia (Jv) of the basket in the unloaded condition, in a step of presetting the machine to a posterior operation, by processing the data representative of the acceleration and deceleration reference times (Ta1 and Td1) and of the known medium torque (Mmot) of the electric motor for the determined voltage;
before each washing operation of the machine, measuring the voltage supplied to the electric motor and rotatively driving the electric motor with the basket containing a load of clothes, maintaining the energization of the electric motor until said maximum rotation has been reached, and de-energizing and decelerating the electric motor by action of the friction between the movable parts;
detecting the rotation of said electric motor in the two distinct and predetermined rotation values in the acceleration and deceleration phases with the load of clothes;
measuring the acceleration and deceleration operation times (Ta2 and Td2) of the electric motor between said distinct and predetermined rotation values;
calculating the moment of inertia (Jc) of the basket with the load of clothes, by processing the data representative of the acceleration and deceleration operation times (Ta2, Td2) and of the medium torque (Mmot) of the electric motor for the detected supply voltage; and
calculating the difference between said moments of inertia (Jc, Jv) of the basket and producing a signal representative of the mass of the load of clothes. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
- a basket mounted in the interior of the tub and dimensioned to receive a load of clothes; and
Specification