CONDUCTIVITY MEASUREMENT METHOD THAT SLOWS DOWN CONDUCTOR OXIDATION

• US 20160069830A1
• Filed: 09/05/2014
• Published: 03/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Solteam Opto, Inc. (Solteam Electronics Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Solteam Opto, Inc. (Solteam Electronics Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: WU, Chun-Yen, LIU, Hsiang Chiang, WU, Shang-Jung, CHEN, Shih-Hua, CHEN, Chin-Feng
• Application Number:
  US14/478,997
• Publication Number:
  US 20160069830A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4297 Arrangements for detecting or measuring the condition of the washing water, e.g. turbidity
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/30 Variation of electrical, magnetical or optical quantities
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/20 Washing liquid condition, e.g. turbidity
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/22 Condition of the washing liquid, e.g. turbidity
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/1886 using probes, e.g. submersible probes, buoys

Abstract

A conductivity measurement method for measuring the conductivity of a fluid in a washing chamber in an electrical washing machine using a water quality sensor consisting of a control unit and first and second conductors by alternatively changing the electric potential of the first and second conductors and repeatedly measuring the conductivity of the fluid in the washing chamber between the first and second conductors upon each electric potential alternation.

Claims

1. A conductivity measurement method for measuring the conductivity of a fluid in a washing chamber in an electrical washing machine using a water quality sensor that comprises a control unit, and a first conductor and a second conductor respectively electrically coupled to said control unit and suspending in said washing chamber, the conductivity measurement method comprising the steps of:

(A01) turning on said water quality sensor;

(A02) said control unit driving said first conductor into HIGH and said second conductor into LOW;

(A03) said control unit measuring the conductivity of said fluid between said first conductor and said second conductor within a predetermined sensing period;

(A04) said control unit driving said first conductor into LOW and said second conductor into HIGH;

(A05) said control unit measuring the conductivity of said fluid between said first conductor and said second conductor within another said predetermined sensing period;

(A06) said control unit driving said first conductor and said second conductor into LOW; and

(A07) turning off said water quality sensor.

2. The conductivity measurement method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said predetermined sensing period is in the range of 3-30 seconds.

3. The conductivity measurement method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step (A07) further comprises a sub step of returning to step (A01) a predetermined period after said water quality sensor is off.

4. The conductivity measurement method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control unit comprises a microcontroller, and a driver circuit electrically coupled to said microcontroller;

said first conductor and said second conductor are respectively electrically coupled to said driver circuit.

5. The conductivity measurement method as claimed in claim 4, wherein said microcontroller is adapted to provide a control signal to said driver circuit, causing said driver circuit to change the electric potential of said first conductor and said second conductor.

6. The conductivity measurement method as claimed in claim 4, wherein said microcontroller is adapted to provide a sensing signal to said driver circuit, causing said driver circuit to detect the conductivity in said fluid between said first conductor and said second conductor.