Method for determining loads in clothes washing machines

• US 20110202303A1
• Filed: 12/09/2010
• Published: 08/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Andre Petronilho, Marcelo Andrade Dias
• Original Assignee: Andre Petronilho, Marcelo Andrade Dias
• Inventors: PETRONILHO, ANDRE, Dias, Marcelo Andrade
• Granted Patent: US 8,489,358 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/141
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/04 Quantity, e.g. weight or variation of weight
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/38 Time, e.g. duration
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/48 Drum speed
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/18 Condition of the laundry, e.g. nature or weight

Abstract

The present invention refers to a method for determining loads in clothes washing machines which comprises the following steps: method for measuring loads in clothes washing machines, characterized by comprising the following steps: (E1) Acceleration of the mobile assembly of the washing machine until the mobile assembly reaches a low rotation speed; (E2) Acceleration of the mobile assembly until the mobile assembly reaches a medium rotation speed faster than the speed in the first step (E1); (E3) Deceleration, whereby the engine which turns the mobile assembly is shutdown; (E4) Acceleration of the mobile assembly and measurement of the engine current, whereby the speed of the engine which turns the mobile assembly is increased up to a pre-determined rotation speed limit; (E5) Measurement, whereby parameters regarding the engine are measured; (E6) Shutdown of the engine and measurement of the deceleration time, whereby the said engine is turned off and turns via inertia, with the time spent from the shutdown until a pre-determined minimum speed limit is reached, being measured; (E7) Repetition, whereby the forth (E4), fifth (E5) and sixth (E6) steps are repeated at least once before the performance of the eighth step (E8); (E8) Calculation of the average of each one of the parameters measured in the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh steps; and (E9); Obtainment of clothes load value based on the values obtained by the eighth step (E8) through the application of a neural network or from an empirical equation.

Claims

1. A method for determining loads in clothes washing machines, CHARACTERIZED by comprising the following steps:

(E1) Acceleration of the mobile assembly of the washing machine until the mobile assembly reaches a low rotation speed

(E2) Acceleration of the mobile assembly until the mobile assembly reaches medium rotation speed faster than the speed in the first step (E1);

(E3) Shutdown of the engine, whereby the engine which turns the mobile assembly is shutdown;

(E4) Acceleration of the mobile assembly until it reaches a low speed, whereby the speed of the engine which turns the mobile assembly is increased up to a pre-determined rotation speed limit;

(E5) Measurement, whereby parameters regarding the engine are measured;

(E6) Acceleration of the mobile assembly until it reaches a medium speed, whereby the engine current is measured;

(E7) Shutdown of the engine and measurement of the deceleration time, whereby the said engine is turned off and turns via inertia, with the time spent from the shutdown until a pre-determined minimum speed limit is reached, being measured.

(E8) Repetition, whereby, the following steps are repeated at least once;

acceleration of the mobile assembly until it reaches a low rotation speed (E4);

Measurement (E5);

acceleration of the mobile assembly until it reaches a medium speed (E6); and

shutdown of the engine and measurement of the deceleration time (E7)

(E9) Calculation of the average of each one of the parameters measured in the previous step; and

(E10) Obtainment of the value of clothes load based on the values obtained in the previous step.

3. The method for determining loads in clothes washing machines, in accordance with claims 1 and 2, CHARACTERIZED by obtaining the clothes load value through the application of an empirical equation

4. The method for determining loads in clothes washing machines, in accordance with claims 1 and 2, CHARACTERIZED by obtaining the clothes load value through the application of a neural network.

5. The method for determining loads in clothes washing machines, in accordance with claim 3, CHARACTERIZED wherein an empirical equation associates line voltage, engine temperature, engine control module temperature, sum of engine current and deceleration time.

6. The method for determining loads in clothes washing machines, in accordance with claim 4, CHARACTERIZED wherein the neural network uses the parameters:

line voltage, engine temperature, engine control module temperature, sum of engine current and deceleration time.

7. Method for determining loads in clothes washing machines, in accordance with claims 1 and 2, CHARACTERIZED wherein in the first step (E1) a given amount of water is released over the clothes.

8. Method of load measurement in clothes washing machines, in accordance with claims 1 and 2, CHARACTERIZED wherein during the fifth step (E5) the speed of the engine which turns the mobile assembly is increased up to a pre-determined rotation speed limit through the application of a variable voltage supply to the engine.

9. Method for determining loads in clothes washing machines, in accordance with claims 1 and 2, CHARACTERIZED wherein the parameters measured in the fifth step (E5) are measured with the engine at a low rotation speed.

10. Method for determining loads in clothes washing machines, in accordance with claims 1 and 2, CHARACTERIZED wherein the parameters relating to the engine measured in the fifth step (E5) are:

line voltage, engine temperature and engine control module temperature.

2. A method for determining loads in clothes washing machines, CHARACTERIZED by comprising the following steps:

(E1) Acceleration of the mobile assembly of the washing machine until the mobile assembly reaches a low rotation speed

(E2) Acceleration of the mobile assembly until the mobile assembly reaches a medium rotation speed faster than the speed in the first step (E1);

(E3) Shutdown of the engine, whereby the engine which turns the mobile assembly is shutdown;

(E5) Measurement, whereby parameters regarding the engine are measured;

(E6) Acceleration of the mobile assembly until it reaches a medium speed, whereby the engine current is measured;

(E7) Shutdown of the engine and measurement of the deceleration time, whereby the said engine is turned off and turns via inertia, with the time spent from the shutdown until a pre-determined minimum speed limit is reached, being measured.

(E8) Repetition, whereby, the following steps are repeated at least once;

acceleration of the mobile assembly until it reaches a low rotation speed (E4);

measurement (E5);

acceleration of the mobile assembly until it reaches a medium speed (E6); and

shutdown of the engine and measurement of the deceleration time (E7)

(E9) Calculation of the average of each one of the parameters measured in the previous step; and

(E10) Obtainment of the clothes load value based on the values obtained in the previous step.