Controller for operation of washing machine

• US 5,230,228 A
• Filed: 04/11/1991
• Issued: 07/27/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Shikamori, Tamotu, Hiyama, Isao, Nakano, Shigeharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Coe, Philip R.
• Application Number:
  US07/683,694
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 68/12.02, 68/12.09, 68/12.27, 68/12.04, 68/12.05
• US Class Current: 68/12.04
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/04 Quantity, e.g. weight or variation of weight
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/18 Washing liquid level
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/38 Time, e.g. duration
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/02 Water supply
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/56 Remaining operation time; Remaining operational cycles
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/58 Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/18 Condition of the laundry, e.g. nature or weight
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 706/90 Fuzzy logic

Abstract

The quality and quantity of clothes to be washed are measured with a detecting unit, the measured values are referenced to cloth quantity and quality Fuzzy functions to control the strength of wash current, wash time, and rinse time so as to be suitable for the quantity and type of clothes to be washed.

Claims

1. A controller for controlling an operation of a washing machine, by utilizing a detected quantity of clothes to be washed and a detected quality of clothes to be washed, said controller comprising means for defining a first region corresponding to a clothes quantity by a first Fuzzy function and the detected quantity of clothes and means for defining a second region corresponding to a cloth quality by a second Fuzzy function and the detected quality of clothes, and means for composing said first region and second region together to control a strength of water current, a wash time, a rinse time, and a water extract time.

2. A controller for controlling the operation of a washing machine according to claim 1, wherein said strength of water current is controlled in accordance with an on-time and off-time of a motor of said washing machine.

3. A controller for controlling the operation of a washing machine according to claim 1, wherein said strength of water current is controlled in accordance with the speed of a motor.

4. A controller for controlling the operation of a washing machine, said controller comprising means for detecting a quantity of clothes to be washed and a quality of clothes to be washed, means for calculating an on-time of a rotary vane for washing and rinsing, a wash time and a rinse time by utilizing a quantity Fuzzy function corresponding to said detected quantity of clothes to be washed and a quality Fuzzy function corresponding to said detected quality of clothes to be washed.

5. A controller for controlling an operation of a washing machine, said controller comprising means for detecting a quantity of clothes to be washed and a quality of clothes to be washed, and means for calculating strength of a wash current, a wash time, and a rinse time by utilizing a quality Fuzzy function corresponding to said detected quality of clothes to be washed and a quantity Fuzzy function corresponding to said detected quantity of clothes to be washed.

6. A controller for controlling an operation of a washing machine, said controller comprising means for detecting a quantity of clothes to be washed and a quality of clothes to be washed, and means for calculating a strength of a wash current, a wash time, and a washing water level by utilizing a quality Fuzzy function corresponding to said detected quality of clothes to be washed and a quantity Fuzzy function corresponding to said detected quantity of clothes to be washed.