Patent Application
20230160124
The disclosure relates to a method and to a control unit for operating a cleaning appliance for the pre-treatment and main treatment of textiles, and to a cleaning appliance.
EP 2 309 048 A1 describes a drum for a washing machine having at least one engagement rib that is attached to a drum casing.
The problem addressed by the approach presented herein is that of creating an improved method and an improved control unit for operating a cleaning appliance for the pre-treatment and main treatment of textiles, and an improved cleaning appliance.
According to the disclosure, this problem is solved by a method and by a control unit for operating a cleaning appliance for the pre-treatment and main treatment of textiles and by a cleaning appliance having the features of the main claims. Advantageous embodiments and developments of the disclosure can be found in the subsequent sub-claims.
The advantages that can be achieved with the disclosure consist in a pre-treatment of particularly stubborn stains that, for example, cannot be removed or can only be removed with difficulty using a standard washing program.
For this purpose, a method for operating a cleaning appliance for the pre-treatment and main treatment of textiles is presented. The cleaning appliance has a rotatable non-ribbed drum for holding the textiles, which can be closed using a drum door and has a drum casing and at least one honeycomb. The method comprises a step of supplying a feed signal to an interface of a feed unit of the cleaning appliance, wherein the feed signal causes a cleaning liquid to be fed into a suds container of the cleaning appliance until a predetermined initial fill level is reached, which represents a liquid level of the cleaning liquid lying between the drum casing and an upper edge of the honeycomb. In an execution step, a saturation action is executed in order to saturate the textiles to be pre-treated with the cleaning liquid. The method also comprises a step of reading in a fill level signal that represents a fill level of the cleaning liquid. The method optionally comprises a step of repeating the step of supplying the feed signal and the step of executing the saturation action until the fill level signal represents a fill level of the cleaning liquid that indicates saturation of the textiles to be pre-treated. In a step of supplying, a further feed signal is supplied to the interface of the feed unit, wherein the further feed signal causes the cleaning liquid to be fed into the suds container until a target fill level is reached, which represents a liquid level of the cleaning liquid lying above the predetermined initial fill level, at which a sliding of the textiles to be pre-treated inside the drum is made possible. Furthermore, the method comprises a step of supplying a motion signal to an interface of a drive of the cleaning appliance, which causes a rocking rhythm of the drum for pre-treating the textiles to be pre-treated. In an unlocking step, the drum door is unlocked after the pre-treatment of the textiles to be pre-treated in order to allow additional textiles to be added for a main treatment of the textiles.
The method can be executed, for example, in a commercially available cleaning appliance, which can be implemented as a washing machine, for example. The pre-treatment can also be referred to as a washboard function and the main treatment can be referred to as a normal washing program. The drum can be referred to as a washing drum or laundry drum and can be rotated in two opposite directions. The drum door can be arranged, for example, on a front of the cleaning appliance, so that it is advantageously easily accessible for a user and thus simplifies a loading process by the user. The drum casing can be formed as a circumferential side wall of the drum. The initial fill level can be selected in such a way that a cavity formed by the honeycomb is not completely filled with cleaning liquid when the honeycomb is oriented vertically downwards. An inside of the drum can thus be slightly wetted at the initial fill level. The honeycomb can be implemented, for example, as a surface structure of the drum casing, which protrudes into the interior of the drum. “Non-ribbed” can be understood to mean that the drum has no ribs on the inside that extend between the drum base and the drum opening, for example parallel to the axis of rotation of the drum. A honeycomb can be understood to mean a hump-like elevation on the inside of the drum. A honeycomb can be pyramid-shaped or tapered. A honeycomb can have a circle or a regular polygon as its base. A honeycomb can also be referred to as a structural element, hump, or mini entraining element. A non-ribbed drum is used, for example, if the drum does not contain any geometry protruding from the surface where the drum radius is reduced by more than 10%. The feed unit can be formed, for example, as a valve. The cleaning liquid can be water, for example, which can additionally or alternatively be mixed with a detergent. The saturation action can comprise, for example, waiting, slightly rotating, or circulating. The step of repeating can be executed when the textiles are not sufficiently saturated. In such a case, the textiles can absorb cleaning liquid, so that the initial fill level is undershot. The drive can comprise an electric motor and cause the drum to execute the motions. The drum can be moved when the target fill level is reached, for example to simulate a washboard function. The rocking rhythm advantageously describes a back and forth motion of the drum in two opposite directions. Advantageously, the unlocking step represents the end of the pre-treatment, so that the user can advantageously add more textiles to the cleaning appliance. A main wash cycle can then be executed, for example.
Advantageously, the pre-treatment of individual stained textiles can be executed automatically by the cleaning appliance in the form of a pre-treatment phase, which means that the user can save a great deal of time compared to manual activities. Thus, the pre-treatment can be left to a washing machine, for example. In addition, various method parameters can be intelligently coordinated with a mechanical pre-treatment while exactly positioning of stained textiles is executed in the drum. Such method parameters relate, for example, to the level of the cleaning liquid or the characteristics of the rotation of the drum. Advantageously, this can be executed in connection with washing drums without laundry entraining elements, i.e., for example without ribs. By selecting various options, process engineering settings can be made; for example, washing rhythms can be adjusted. There are different washing rhythms that differ in the washing rotational speed, in the geometric shape of the rotational speed, for example in the form of a rectangle or a ramp, and in the rotational speed frequency. An intelligent adaptation of the washing rhythm to increased mechanical requirements in the pre-treatment process, e.g., depending on the stains or the degree of soiling, in conjunction with other process parameters such as water level, circulation, or saturation, allows for an optimal pre-treatment in the sense of a washboard function. In particular in the case of stains that are to be removed mechanically, whereby the mechanism refers to the washing rhythm, the pre-treatment can ensure complete removal of the stain in the pre-treatment phase (stains, pre-wash, soaking), since a targeted mechanical treatment can be executed on the stained textile region. This allows for a targeted mechanical treatment of the stained textile region. Advantageously, the pre-treatment process does not affect the entire batch of laundry, since textiles that are not to be pre-treated can be added after the pre-treatment and are therefore not stressed by the pre-treatment. This avoids that even slightly soiled textiles are washed for a long time and subjected to high mechanical stress.
According to one embodiment, the step of executing the saturation action can comprise a step of supplying a further motion signal to the interface of the drive of the cleaning appliance, wherein the further motion signal can cause rotational motions of the drum in a rocking rhythm in order to saturate the textiles to be pre-treated with the cleaning liquid. The further motion signal can be supplied, for example, when the initial fill level has been reached. The rocking rhythm can denote, for example, a back and forth motion of the drum in two opposite directions, in which a rate of rotation can be kept low. Advantageously, this allows the textiles to be moved in the drum such that a period of time for saturating the textiles can be reduced. The rotational motions of the drum can then be stopped.
According to one embodiment, the step of executing the saturation action can comprise a step of supplying a circulation signal to an interface of a circulation device of the cleaning appliance, wherein the circulation signal can cause circulation of the cleaning liquid in order to saturate the textiles to be pre-treated with the cleaning liquid. The circulation device can comprise a pump, for example, through which the cleaning liquid can be conveyed from the suds container onto the textiles. A program duration of the pre-treatment can advantageously be shortened as a result, since saturation can be reached quickly.
According to one embodiment, in the step of supplying the motion signal, the rocking rhythm can define successive rotational motions of the drum at increasing rotational speeds without complete revolution of the drum until a final rotational speed of the rocking rhythm is reached. Advantageously, stubborn dirt on the textiles can also be removed in this way.
According to one embodiment, the method can comprise a step of supplying a stop signal for ending the rotational motions of the drum when the final rotational speed is reached. Advantageously, this can prevent the textiles from laying too tightly against the drum casing, for example.
According to one embodiment, in the step of supplying the motion signal, the motion signal can cause the rocking rhythm with a frequency between 0.1 Hz and 0.3 Hz. Advantageously, a slight rubbing motion of the textiles on the drum casing can be implemented in this way, so that a stain, for example, is treated in the manner of a washboard-like treatment.
In the step of supplying the motion signal, according to one embodiment, the motion signal can cause successive rotational motions at a rotational speed increase of between 4 rpm and 6 rpm. According to one embodiment, in the step of supplying the motion signal, the final rotational speed can be between 50 rpm and 70 rpm. Advantageously, this allows a particularly thorough pre-treatment to be implemented.
According to one embodiment, the method can comprise a step of supplying a heating signal to an interface of a heating device of the cleaning appliance during the step of supplying the motion signal, wherein the heating signal can cause the cleaning liquid to heat up. This can increase the cleaning effect.
Furthermore, the method can comprise a step of reading in a locking signal after the step of unlocking and a step of supplying a subsequent motion signal to the interface of the drive of the cleaning appliance if the locking signal indicates a locked state of the drum door. In this case, the subsequent motion signal can cause rotational motions of the drum in a main treatment rhythm for causing the main treatment of the textiles. The main treatment can be, for example, a standard washing program for the cleaning appliance, which program can advantageously be executed after the pre-treatment. Between the pre-treatment and the main treatment, the user can advantageously have the opportunity to add further textiles which, for example, have a lower degree of soiling than the textiles to be pre-treated. Advantageously, the drum door can be locked after refilling, so that, for example, no cleaning liquid escapes to the outside of the cleaning appliance during the main treatment.
According to one embodiment, the main treatment rhythm can comprise the rocking rhythm of the drum. The rocking rhythm can advantageously be used in a spin program.
The approach presented herein also creates a control unit designed to carry out, control, or execute the steps of a variant of a method presented herein in corresponding devices. The problem addressed by the disclosure can also be solved quickly and efficiently by this embodiment variant of the disclosure in the form of an apparatus.
The control unit can be designed to read in input signals and to determine and supply output signals using the input signals. An input signal can represent, for example, a sensor signal that can be read in via an input interface of the control unit. An output signal can represent a control signal or a data signal that can be supplied at an output interface of the control unit. The control unit can be designed to determine the output signals using a processing specification implemented in the hardware or the software. For example, the control unit can comprise for this purpose a logic circuit, an integrated circuit, or a software module and can be implemented as a discrete component or be comprised by a discrete component.
A computer program product or computer program having program code that can be stored on a machine-readable carrier or storage medium, such as a semiconductor memory, a hard disk memory or an optical memory, including non-transitory storage mediums even if such mediums do not necessarily store information permanently, for example random access memory (RAM), is also advantageous. If the program product or program is executed on a computer or a control unit, the program product or program can then be used to carry out, implement, and/or control the steps of the method according to one of the embodiments described above.
Furthermore, a cleaning appliance for cleaning textiles is presented, which has a suds container for collecting a cleaning liquid and a rotatable, non-ribbed drum arranged in the suds container and comprising a drum casing and a plurality of honeycombs. The drum is shaped to receive the textiles in a receiving space. Furthermore, the cleaning appliance has a feed unit for feeding the cleaning liquid into the drum, a drive for causing the drum to execute a rotational motion, and a control unit in an aforementioned variant.
The cleaning appliance can be implemented, for example, as a household appliance in the form of a standard washing machine or as a commercial or professional appliance.
According to one embodiment, an inside of the drum casing can be smooth apart from the plurality of honeycombs. Advantageously, this creates a gentler way of cleaning the textiles.
An embodiment of the disclosure is shown in the drawings in a purely schematic manner and will be described in more detail below. In the drawings:
According to this embodiment, the drum 106 allows a pre-treatment of a spot-stained textile using washing mechanics that imitate a washboard-like cleaning process. This is achieved through an intelligent interplay of the fill level of the cleaning liquid and the rotational speed of the drum 106, despite the absence of ribs in the drum 106, which are also referred to as laundry entraining elements. By virtue of an intelligent addition function of the cleaning appliance, a remaining batch of laundry can be added subsequently after the pre-treatment, which batch is therefore not additionally mechanically stressed by the pre-treatment.
The read-in unit 300 is designed to read in a fill level signal 304 that represents a fill level of the cleaning liquid in the suds container. According to this embodiment, the fill level signal 304 is supplied by a fill level sensor 306 which is designed to detect the fill level, for example via light measurement. According to this embodiment, the read-in unit 300 is also designed to read in a locking signal 308 that indicates a locked state of the drum door 116.
The supply unit 302 is designed to supply a feed signal 310 to an interface of a feed unit 114 of the cleaning appliance. According to this embodiment, the feed signal 310 causes the cleaning liquid to be fed into the suds container of the cleaning appliance until a predetermined initial fill level is reached, which represents a liquid level of the cleaning liquid lying between the drum casing and the honeycomb. For example, the initial fill level is selected in such a way that a cavity formed by the honeycomb is not completely filled with the cleaning liquid when the drum is rotated in such a way that the honeycomb is at the lowest point of the drum. In this case, the upper edge of the honeycomb below, i.e. the portion of the honeycomb below that protrudes furthest into the interior of the drum, protrudes from the cleaning liquid. Thus, the textiles in the drum come into contact with the cleaning liquid when it reaches the initial fill level. When the textiles are saturated with the cleaning liquid, the supply unit 302 is also designed to supply a further feed signal 314 to the interface of the feed unit 114. The further feed signal 314 causes cleaning liquid to be additionally fed into the suds container until a target fill level is reached, which represents a liquid level of the cleaning liquid lying above the predetermined initial fill level.
Furthermore, the supply unit 302 supplies a motion signal 316 to an interface of a drive 110 of the cleaning appliance, which signal causes a rocking rhythm of the drum for pre-treating the textiles to be pre-treated. Furthermore, the supply unit 302 is designed to supply an unlocking signal 320 for unlocking the drum door after the pre-treatment of the textiles to be pre-treated, whereby a user is able to optionally add further textiles for a main treatment of the textiles. The fact that textiles have been added is recognised, for example, by the locking signal 308 indicating a locked state of the drum door 116. According to one embodiment, the supply unit 302 is designed to supply a subsequent motion signal 309 to the interface of the drive 110 of the cleaning appliance after the optional addition of further textiles, which causes rotational motions of the drum in a main treatment rhythm to execute the main treatment of the textiles. Only optionally is the supply unit 302 designed to supply a stop signal 322 to end the rotational motion of the drum when the final rotational speed is reached.
In order to accelerate the saturation of the textiles, the supply unit 302 is optionally designed to supply a further motion signal 323 which, according to this embodiment, causes rotational motions of the drum in a rocking rhythm in order to saturate the textiles to be pre-treated with the cleaning liquid. Additionally or alternatively, the supply unit is designed to supply a circulation signal 328 at an interface of a circulation device 330, the circulation signal 328 causing the cleaning liquid to be circulated in order to saturate the textiles to be pre-treated with the cleaning liquid. For this purpose, the circulation device 330 comprises a pump, for example.
Furthermore, the supply unit 302 is optionally designed to supply a heating signal 324 to an interface of a heating device 326 of the cleaning appliance. According to this embodiment, the heating signal 324 causes the cleaning liquid to be heated up.
In order to execute the pre-treatment, according to one embodiment using the feed signal 310, cleaning liquid is first filled in until the textiles to be pre-treated are saturated. This process can be accelerated by supplying the further motion signal 323 to rotate the drum slightly and/or by the circulation signal 328. When saturation has been reached, a level of the cleaning liquid in the suds container is increased using the further feed signal 314 until the target fill level is reached. The target fill level can be predetermined or, for example, adjusted as a function of an amount of textile or textiles to be pre-treated. The drum is then caused to execute the rocking rhythm using the motion signal 316, which allows pre-treatment using a clear mechanical component. The target fill level is selected in such a way that the textiles in the drum can slide along the drum casing when the drum is rotated. According to one embodiment, the target fill level is selected in such a way that the textiles are prevented from floating. In order to achieve an optimal cleaning effect, it is advantageous if the textiles to be pre-treated are placed in the drum with the side to be pre-treated pointing downwards. After stopping the drum, the drum door can be unlocked using the unlocking signal 320. This gives the user the opportunity to place additional textiles in the drum. The main treatment of the textiles can then be executed. If necessary, the level of the cleaning liquid can be adjusted for this purpose. For the main treatment, the drum can be rotated in a main treatment rhythm using the subsequent motion signal.
In other words, the approach presented herein creates the opportunity of allowing a washboard function in a non-ribbed drum, which is also referred to as a washing drum, as a pre-treatment method. It makes sense to place the textile having the stain to be treated in the cleaning appliance, also known as a washing machine, in such a way that the stain lies in contact with the drum casing. The level of the cleaning liquid and a characteristic of the rotational motion of the drum is selected during the pre-treatment according to one embodiment in such a way that the textile is not rotated during the pre-treatment.
With the approach presented herein, heavily stained textiles are pre-treated with a significantly higher mechanical component than was previously the case. A prerequisite for this is that the textile to be treated is not turned, which is made possible by the non-ribbed drum. The textile to be pre-treated is ideally prepared for the subsequent washing process, which is referred to herein as the main treatment, through an intelligent interplay between drum motion, saturation, fill level, circulation, heating method, and/or structural element that is referred to herein as honeycomb and alternatively can also be described as royal honeycomb.
This upstream method, referred to herein as pre-treatment, is an enhancement to a “washboard principle” known from the early days of washing. The textile to be treated is placed in the drum with the stained side down. At the start of the pre-treatment, the initial fill level is adjusted so that it is between the drum casing and the upper edge of the structural element of the honeycomb. It is necessary for the textile to be 100% saturated. According to this embodiment, this state is achieved by a minimal rocking motion of the drum in that the textiles are absorbed and/or the circulation in activated in a targeted manner. For an optimal pre-treatment, after adjusting the saturation, a water level, which is also referred to as the liquid level, is adjusted between the textile and the drum casing, which allows a sliding of the textile. The saturated textile and the precisely adjusted water level allow for the “washboard function,” where a washboard function is generated using special rhythms. For this purpose, according to this embodiment, the washing rhythm, which is also referred to herein as the rocking rhythm, is parameterised such that the washing drum does not complete a complete revolution. The rocking rhythm is also defined by the frequency of, for example, 0.2 Hz, the final rotational speed of, for example, a maximum of 60 rpm and the increase in rotational speed per cycle of, for example, 5 rpm. After reaching the final rotational speed, a pause, which is also referred to as drum standstill, is inserted. This allows a normalisation, through which the cleaning liquid is again adjusted to a fill level, in this case the target fill level, which makes it possible to repeat the process described as desired.
In summary, it is possible to pre-treat even stubborn stains using this washing rhythm. The washboard function is a frequent cleaning method that improves upon the original washboard philosophy and suggests an increase in the mechanical washing component. Depending on the variation of the stains, a treatment is executed, for example, with or without heating.
The method 400 comprises a step 402 of supplying a feed signal to an interface of a feed unit of the cleaning appliance, wherein the feed signal causes the cleaning liquid to be fed into the suds container of the cleaning appliance until a predetermined initial fill level is reached, which represents a liquid level of the cleaning liquid lying between the drum casing and the honeycomb.
Furthermore, the method 400 comprises a step 404 of executing a saturation action in order to saturate textiles to be pre-treated with the cleaning liquid. In the simplest case, the saturation action only represents a waiting time, which allows cleaning liquid to be absorbed by the at least one textile to be pre-treated. In a step 406 of reading in, a fill level signal is read in, which represents a fill level of the cleaning liquid. Step 402 of supplying the feed signal and step 404 of executing the saturation action are optionally repeated until the fill level signal represents a fill level of the cleaning liquid, which indicates saturation of the textiles to be pre-treated.
After saturation has taken place, in a step 408 of supplying, a further feed signal is supplied to the interface of the feed unit of the cleaning appliance, wherein the further feed signal causes the cleaning liquid to be fed into the suds container of the cleaning appliance until a target fill level is reached which represents a liquid level of the cleaning liquid lying above the predetermined initial fill level, and allows a sliding of at least one textile to be pre-treated inside the drum. For this purpose, the method 400 comprises a step 410 of supplying a motion signal to an interface of a drive of the cleaning appliance, which causes a rocking rhythm of the drum for pre-treating the textiles to be pre-treated.
According to one embodiment, the rocking rhythm defines successive rotational motions of the drum at increasing rotational speeds without a complete revolution of the drum. The rotations having opposite directions of rotation are repeated alternately until a final rotational speed of the rocking rhythm is reached. According to this embodiment, the motion signal causes the rocking rhythm with a frequency between 0.1 Hz and 0.3 Hz and successive rotational motions with a rotational speed increase of between 4 rpm and 6 rpm. The final rotational speed is between 50 rpm and 70 rpm, for example.
In a step 412 of unlocking, a drum door is unlocked after the pre-treatment in order to allow additional textiles to be added for a main treatment, both of the at least one pre-treated textile and of the optionally added textiles. It is also possible to check the effect of the pre-treatment and, if necessary, to start it again before the main treatment is executed.
According to one embodiment, the step 404 of executing the saturation action comprises a step of supplying a further motion signal to the interface of the drive of the cleaning appliance, the further motion signal causing rotational motions of the drum in a rocking rhythm in order to saturate the textiles to be pre-treated with the cleaning liquid. Alternatively or additionally, the step 404 of executing the saturation action comprises a step of supplying a circulation signal at an interface of the circulation device. According to this embodiment, the circulation signal causes the cleaning liquid to be circulated in order to saturate the textiles to be pre-treated with the cleaning liquid.
The method 400 optionally comprises a step 414 of outputting a heating signal to an interface of a heating device of the cleaning appliance. According to this embodiment, the heating signal causes the cleaning liquid to be heated up.
According to this embodiment, the method 400 further optionally comprises a step 416 of supplying a stop signal for ending the rotational motions of the drum when the final rotational speed is reached.
The method 400 further comprises a step 418 of reading in a locking signal after the step 412 of unlocking, and further a step 420 of supplying a subsequent motion signal to the interface of the drive of the cleaning appliance if the locking signal indicates a locked state of the drum door, wherein the subsequent motion signal causes rotational motions of the drum in a main treatment rhythm for causing the main treatment of the textiles. According to this embodiment, the main treatment rhythm comprises the rocking rhythm of the drum.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2020 108 682.2 | Mar 2020 | DE | national |
The present disclosure claims priority to and the benefit of PCT Application PCT/EP2021/057231, filed on Mar. 22, 2021, which claims priority to and the benefit of German Application 10 2020 108 682.2, filed on Mar. 30, 2020, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2021/057231 | 3/22/2021 | WO |
