Washing machine water control

• US 6,935,142 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2001
• Issued: 08/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nidec Motor Corporation (Nidec Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
• Inventors: Gross, Frederick M., Musser, Thomas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stinson, Frankie L.
• Application Number:
  US10/036,643
• Publication Number:
  US 20040143907A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,338 Days
• Field of Search: 298/25, 298/29, 298/31, 68/120.2, 68/120.3, 68/120.5, 68/121.6, 68/121.9, 68/122.1, 68/122.2, 68/122.7
• US Class Current: 68/12.16
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/04 Quantity, e.g. weight
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/12 Washing temperature
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/20 Operation modes, e.g. delicate laundry washing programs, service modes or refreshment cycles
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/16 Washing liquid temperature
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/18 Washing liquid level
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/02 Water supply
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/34 of water filling
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/28 Arrangements for program selection, e.g. control panels therefor; Arrangements for indicating program parameters, e.g. the selected program or its progress
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49124 On flat or curved insulated base, e.g., printed circuit, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49128 Assembling formed circuit to base

Abstract

Water temperature selection in a washing machine is accomplished by utilizing a single selector that is in communication with an associated processor. The single selector is preferably on the same board as the processor thereby defining a water temperature selection and control module. The water temperature selector and control module is in communication with various other selectors, sensors, detectors, inputs, or the like to receive signals therefrom. The input signals are processed by the processor to produce signals to control water flow for the washing machine. In one form, the single selector is a resistive potentiometer that provides a resistance signal to the processor. In this form, the processor is in communication with the water valves and directly energizes the water valves in accordance with the resistive signal from the potentiometer.

Claims

1. A modular washing machine control comprising:

a circuit board;

a processor mounted on the circuit board, the processor having input lines and output lines;

a water valve driver mounted on the circuit board and being operatively coupled to the processor so that the processor operates a water valve by generating a signal on an output line of the processor that is coupled to the water valve driver;

a water temperature selector mounted on the circuit board and operatively connected to the processor so that a signal generated on the circuit board by the selector is received by the processor and used to control the signal on the output line to the water valve driver; and

a housing mounted to the circuit board to enclose the water temperature selector, water valve driver, and processor so that the water temperature selector, water valve driver, and processor may be mounted to the frame of a washing machine as an integral unit.

2. The modular control of claim 1, the selector including:

a potentiometer mounted on the circuit board; and

a shaft extending through the housing and operatively coupled to the potentiometer so that rotation of the shaft varies the resistance of the potentiometer and generates a variable signal on the circuit board for the processor to determine the water temperature for a washing machine.

3. The modular control of claim 2, the processor further including:

an analog-to-digital input coupled to the potentiometer for converting an analog signal received from the potentiometer to a digital value;

an internally stored lookup table; and

the processor determining the selected water temperature by selecting a water temperature from the internally stored lookup table in accordance with the digital value for the analog signal received from the potentiometer.

4. The modular control of claim 3 further comprising:

a temperature sensor operatively coupled to the processor, the sensor for sensing temperature of water downstream of a water valve coupled to the water valve driver and for generating a temperature signal received by the processor; and

the processor generates the signal coupled to the water valve driver in accordance with the water temperature selected from the internally stored lockup table and the temperature signal received from the temperature sensor.

5. The modular control of claim 4 further comprising:

a detent/position clip; and

a series of detents carried by the shaft that engage the detent/position clip as the shaft is rotated to generate positive rotational stops for the shaft rotation that correlate to water temperature selections.

6. A method for forming an integral machine control module for mounting to the frame of a washing machine comprising:

mounting a processor having input lines and output lines on a circuit board;

mounting a water valve driver on the circuit board and operatively coupling the water valve driver to the processor so that the processor operates a water valve by generating a signal on an output line of the processor that is coupled to the water valve driver;

mounting a water temperature selector on the circuit board and operatively coupling the water temperature selector to the processor so that a signal generated on the circuit board by the selector is received by the processor to control the signal on the output line to the water valve driver; and

enclosing the circuit board in a housing so that the water temperature selector, water valve driver, and processor may be mounted to the frame of a washing machine as an integral unit.

7. The method of claim 6, the selector mounting including:

mounting a potentiometer on the circuit board; and

extending a shaft through the housing so the shaft is operatively coupled to the potentiometer whereby rotation of the shaft varies the resistance of the potentiometer and generates a variable signal on the circuit board for the processor to determine the water temperature for a washing machine.

8. The method of claim 7, the potentiometer mounting further including:

coupling the potentiometer to an analog-to-digital input of the processor to convert the signal from the potentiometer to a digital value; and

selecting a water temperature from a lookup table internally stored in the processor in accordance with the digital value.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

generating a signal corresponding to a temperature of water downstream of a water valve coupled to the water valve driver mounted on the circuit board; and

generating a signal with the processor for controlling the water valve driver in accordance with the water temperature selected from the lookup table.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

locating a series of detents about the shaft; and

mounting a detent/position clip proximate the series of detents so that the detent/position clip engages the series of detents as the shaft is rotated to generate positive rotational stops for the shaft rotation that correlate to water temperature selections.

11. A modular washing machine control comprising:

a circuit board;

a processor mounted on the circuit board, the processor having input lines and output lines;

a water valve driver mounted on the circuit board and being operatively coupled to the processor so that the processor operates a water valve by generating a signal on an output line of the processor that is coupled to the water valve driver; and

a water temperature selector mounted on the circuit board and operatively connected to the processor so that a signal generated on the circuit board by the selector is received by the processor and used to control the signal on the output line to the water valve driver.

12. The modular control of claim 11, the selector including:

a potentiometer mounted on the circuit board; and

a shaft extending from the potentiometer and operatively coupled to the potentiometer so that rotation of the shaft varies the resistance of the potentiometer and generates a variable signal on the circuit board for the processor to determine the water temperature for a washing machine.

13. The modular control of claim 12, the processor further including:

an analog-to-digital input coupled to the potentiometer for converting an analog signal received from the potentiometer to a digital value;

an internally stored lookup table; and

the processor determining the selected water temperature by selecting a water temperature from the internally stored lookup table in accordance with the digital value for the analog signal received from the potentiometer.

14. The modular control of claim 13 further comprising:

a temperature sensor for sensing temperature of water downstream of a water valve coupled to the water valve driver and for generating a temperature signal; and

the processor generates the signal coupled to the water valve driver in accordance with the water temperature selected from the internally stored lookup table and the temperature signal received from the temperature sensor.

15. The modular control of claim 14 further comprising:

a detent/position clip; and

a series of detents carried by the shaft that engage the detent/position clip as the shaft is rotated to generate positive rotational stops for the shaft rotation that correlate to water temperature selections.

16. The modular control of claim 12 further comprising:

a housing mounted to the circuit board to enclose the potentiometer, water valve driver, and processor so that the potentiometer, water valve driver, and processor form an integral unit.