Clothes washing machine with lint filter monitor

• US 5,829,275 A
• Filed: 04/15/1997
• Issued: 11/03/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Electrolux Zanussi SpA (AB Electrolux)
• Original Assignee: Electrolux Zanussi Elettrodomestici SPA
• Inventors: Cimetta, Silvano, Babuin, Piero
• Primary Examiner(s): Coe, Philip R.
• Application Number:
  US08/834,257
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 68/12.13, 68/18 F, 68/208
• US Class Current: 68/12.13
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/42 related to filters or pumps
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/58 Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/47 Responding to irregular working conditions, e.g. malfunctioning of pumps safety arrangements D06F37/42
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/082 detecting faulty draining operations, e.g. filter blockage, faulty pump
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/10 Filtering arrangements

Abstract

A monitoring arrangement for the filter of a washing machine is disclosed wherein the user is warned of the clogged filter when an actual clogging condition occurs. Control elements that are normally used in washing machines, such as an analog pressure switch (13) and an electronic control circuit (14), are utilized. The control parameter for detecting clogging is the variation of the water pressure before and after the priming of the drain pump (12) or the recirculator pump (17) of the machine.

Claims

1. In a clothes washing machine including a wash tub (10), a drain pump (12) for discharging washing water, a switch (13) for controlling the level of the washing water in the tub, a filter (11) for separating foreign matter from the washing water, and an electronic circuit (14) for controlling the operation of the machine, the improvement wherein said switch (13) is adapted to supply said electronic circuit (14) with a continuous analog indication of the pressure prevailing in a water circuit of the machine, said electronic circuit (14) being adapted to compare a value of the stabilized water pressure (A), when the drain pump is at a standstill, with a value of a water pressure (B) immediately after a priming of the drain pump (12), in order to supply a signal which is indicative of the operating condition of the filter (11).

2. A clothes washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the machine has a plurality of discharge phases and said electronic circuit (14) is adapted to carry out said comparison between said pressure values (A, B) in any water discharge phase of the machine.

3. A clothes washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the machine further includes a recirculating circuit (15) for recirculating the washing water in the wash tub, said recirculating circuit including a filter (16) and a recirculating pump (17), wherein the electronic circuit is adapted to make a comparison between the pressure value (A) when the recirculating pump (17) is at a standstill and a water pressure value (D) after a priming of the recirculating pump, in order to supply a signal which is indicative of the operating condition of the filter (16).

4. A clothes washing machine according to claim 3, wherein the machine has a plurality of discharge phases and said electronic circuit (14) is adapted to carry out said comparison between said pressure values (A, D) in any water discharge phase of the machine.

5. A clothes washing machine including a wash tub (10), a switch (13) for controlling the level of washing water in the tub (10), an electronic circuit (14) for controlling the operation of the machine, a recirculating circuit (15) for recirculating the washing water in the wash tub (10), the recirculating circuit (15) including a filter (16) and a recirculating pump (17), wherein the switch (13) is adapted to supply the electronic circuit (14) with a continuous analog indication of the pressure prevailing in a water circuit of the machine, the electronic circuit (14) being adapted to compare a value of stabilized water pressure (A) and a water pressure value (D) after a priming of the recirculation pump (17), in order to supply a signal which is indicative of the operating condition of the filter (16).