EP0323343A1 - Programmer for washing machines - Google Patents

Abstract

It comprises a cam unit (41), a reversing cam (1) driven by a motor and carrying a ratchet (37) for driving the unit, and a timing cam (23). The ratchet (37) can be retracted. A lever (21) can follow the profile of the timing cam (23). A memory wheel (16) can be driven by the reversing cam (1) via a rocker (5) and via a lever (12) driven by the rocker (5), over an angular distance defined by a rotatably mounted disc segment (18) and the lever (21) and defining a timing period during which the ratchet (37) is retracted and does not drive the cam unit (41). With such a programmer it is possible to provide as many timing periods as desired. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a washing machine, laundry or tableware programmer.

In a conventional programmer, a set, or block, of program cams, intended to actuate contact carrier blades, can be driven in rotation, by means of a particular kinematics, by a so-called reversing cam. The washing programs are thus determined by the profiles of the program cams, their rotation and their stopping. The reversing cam is continuously driven continuously by a synchronous motor during the course of the washing programs.

A drive pawl is mounted on the reversing cam to cause the cam block to rotate step by step, rotation of the reversing cam one turn may cause the cam block to move one step. The drive pawl is pivotally mounted between a position for driving the cam block and a retracted position, or for delaying, in which it does not drive the cam block. The cam block includes a so-called timing cam, with a generally three-level profile, which, by means of the kinematics mentioned above, makes it possible to pivot the drive pawl in the retracted position to prevent it from '' drive the cam block for a specified number of turns of the reversing cam.

This kinematics comprises a follower lever pivotally mounted, on a fixed axis, to follow the profile of the timing cam, and which are pivotally connected two timing levers. Each of these timing levers is pierced with a light through which passes a movable lug and which is integral with a ramp for retracting the drive pawl. Each of the timing levers is associated with one of the levels of the profile of the timing cam and a memory wheel, the profile of which has a projecting part, defining a time delay, and arranged to cooperate with its associated lever. A spike wheel, integral in rotation with the reversing cam, is arranged to drive in rotation step by step in one direction the memory wheels, also recalled in the opposite direction by elastic means.

When the follower lever cooperates with the high level of the profile of the timing cam, the drive pawl is not retracted and the cam block is driven step by step.

When the follower lever comes into contact with one of the two other levels of the timing cam profile, the associated timing lever is pivoted, its light moves the lug and the retracting ramp, which stops the drive of the cam block by the drive pawl. The timing lever considered then cooperates with the low profile of the associated memory wheel to provide a non-return function and thus allow the memory wheel to be driven step by step, until the timing lever rises on the projecting part of its profile. Then, the delay lever pivots in the opposite direction, the memory wheel is recalled to the initial position, the retracting ramp and the lug are released by the light on the lever, and the camshaft drive is resumed.

Thus, with a three-level timing cam, each of the two low levels selects a non-zero delay, the duration of which is determined by the length of the low profile of the corresponding memory wheel.

The memory levers and the associated memory wheels are arranged so that only one of these levers can cooperate with its associated memory wheel at a time.

Under these conditions, we can see that, having only a very limited number of delay times, we are sometimes, except as a consequence of increasing the number of these durations and considerably increasing the kinematics with additional memory wheels, which is not desirable, to take timers of a duration greater than that strictly useful or necessary. This results in a waste of time.

The present invention aims to overcome this drawback.

To this end, the present invention relates to a washing machine programmer comprising a block of program cams, a continuously driven reversing cam, a pawl mounted pivotally between a position for driving the cam block in rotation by a pitch and a retracted timing position, the cam block comprising a timing cam provided with a profile for selecting one of a series of timers, and means arranged to determine the timing durations and rotate the pawl for driving the cam block, comprising a lever arranged to follow the profile of the timing cam, a memory wheel, a spike wheel integral in rotation with the reversing cam and arranged to rotate the memory wheel, and a timing lever arranged to cooperate with the memory wheel and the cam block drive ratchet, programmer characterized in that it comprises a portion of disc, of determined angular width , rotatably mounted on the axis of the memory wheel and of radius equal to that of the wheel, and a pawl, driven by a rocking movement and arranged to drive the memory wheel, the useful stroke of the pawl being limited by the position of the disc portion, the disc portion being arranged to, under the action of the follower lever, vary the angular distance over which the memory wheel is driven by the spike wheel during each revolution of the reversing cam .

Thus, thanks to the programmer of the invention, it is easy to predict as many delay times as desired.

Advantageously, the drive pawl of the memory wheel is driven in its rocking movement by a lever pivotally mounted under the action of the rotation drive of the spike wheel.

Advantageously also, the disc portion comprises a notch receiving a lug secured to the follower lever, the angular position of the follower lever determining the angular position of the disc portion and the timing lever is pivotally mounted and can cooperate with a ratchet toothing of the memory wheel, to ensure a non-return function, and with the drive pawl to keep it in the retracted time delay position.

• - la figure 1 est une vue en perspective éclatée de la cinématique de temporisation du programmateur de l'invention, et
• - la figure 2 est une vue axiale d'une partie de la came d'inversion.

The invention will be better understood using the following description of the preferred embodiment of the programmer of the invention, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

• FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the timing kinematics of the programmer of the invention, and
• - Figure 2 is an axial view of part of the reversing cam.

The programmer, for washing machine, laundry or dishes, comprises a rear module and a cam block 41. The rear module supports a drive motor, here a synchronous motor, and includes a contact box intended to ensure the electrical connection with the other parts of the washing machine, as well as a timing and drive device for the cam block. The cam block, attached to the rear module, includes a certain number of cams joined to one another and integral in rotation with one another, with the exception of the first cam, the reversing cam 1, which is driven directly at constant speed by the motor and rotates continuously and continuously during the program. The reversing cam can cause the cam block to rotate step by step using a pawl 37 which can cause the cam block to rotate one step at each revolution of the reversing cam. The action of the pawl can be neutralized for a certain time, the reversing cam being able to make a certain number of turns before driving the block of cams again, thanks to a kinematic timing chain. The timing chain comprises the pawl 37, and means arranged to determine the timing times and rotate the pawl 37 in the drive position of the cam block, comprising a wheel 3, a rocker 5, a pawl 12, arranged for cooperate with a memory wheel 16, a timing selection lever 21, a timing cam 23, integrated in the cam block, and a timing lever 29.

The reversing cam consists of a multifunctional sleeve 1. It has a circular toothing 101, in a radial plane, for its drive by the synchronous motor, via an external peripheral toothing 102 of a small pinion 103. The drive pawl 37 is mounted on the pinion 103 , pivoting about an eccentric axis 46 on the pinion 103, between a possible driving position of the cam block 41, in which it is returned by a leaf spring 42, and a retracted position for timing. The reversing sleeve comprises, in another radial plane, a solid circular ring 104 provided with a window 2. The drive pawl 37 is of substantially parallelepiped shape. It is pierced with a hole in which is housed the axis 46 mounted perpendicularly and fixed on the pinion 103 and is thus animated with a circular movement permanent. The pawl 37 comprises two joined end pieces each of thickness substantially half the total thickness of the pawl, a rounded end piece 38 and a pointed and tapered end piece 39, the end piece 38 having a width substantially double that of the end piece 39. The spring 42 exerts its force, illustrated diagrammatically in FIG. 1 by a tension spring, on the area of the pawl comprising the end pieces 38 and 39 in order to keep the end piece 38 in abutment against the solid crown 104 of the reversing cam 1. The combination of the restoring force exerted by the spring 42 and the circular movement of the axis 46, causes the pawl 37 in an eccentric movement, here in the clockwise direction.

The wheel 3, integral in rotation with the reversing cam 1, rotates continuously and permanently, here counterclockwise, with its axis housed in a hole in the programmer housing. The wheel 3 carries a cylindrical pin, or lug, 4 projecting from one of the faces of the wheel, substantially at mid-radius.

The rocker 5 comprises, on either side of an axis 6, journalling in a hole in the programmer housing, two arms 7 and 8, here substantially equal and approximately in the extension of one another. The arm 7 comes to bear against the lug 4 under the action of a traction resort 9 fixed to the arm 8, substantially half of its length, and to the housing. The combination of the action of the lug 4 and the elastic return of the spring 9 causes the rocker, or lever, 5 in a rocking movement around its axis 6. The arm 8, at its end opposite the axis 6 , carries, perpendicular to its plane, a lug 10. A pawl 12 is pivotally mounted on the lug 10, by one of its ends in the form of a sleeve 13, its other end comprising a spout 14 intended to cooperate with the teeth ratchet 25 of a memory wheel 16. A tension spring 15, fixed to the lever 12 and to the housing of the programmer, calls it back to wheel 16 to hold spout 14 against the toothing 25 of memory wheel 16.

The memory wheel 16 is movable in rotation about its axis 17 housed in a hole in the programmer housing, and the spout 14 of the pawl 12 can thus make it rotate in rotation step by step, here in the clockwise direction , against the action of a return spring 27, the wheel 15 being after each step locked in position by a non-return stop 31 of the timing lever 29 discussed below.

A disc portion 18, of determined angular width, here having an opening angle of the order of 30 °, and of the same external diameter as that of the memory wheel 16, is mounted to rotate freely coaxially with the wheel 16 and attached to one of its faces. A notch 19 is provided on the side of this portion of disc to cooperate with a lug 20 secured to the lever for selecting the timers 21.

The memory wheel 16 comprises, on its face opposite the disc portion 18 and on the peripheral zone thereof, a stop 24 of substantially truncated pyramid shape, with a substantially square base, the base of which faces towards the axis 17 and the apex located radially at the same distance as the apex of the toothing 25. The face 45 of the stop 24, parallel to the axis of the wheel 16 and facing the disc portion 18 is inclined to form a ramp, the opposite face 28 extending substantially in a radial plane of the wheel 16. A stop 26 is rigidly mounted on the programmer housing near the periphery of the wheel 16, with a finger extending to cooperate, under the action of the spring 27, with the face 28 of the stop 24.

The timer selection lever 21, of generally flat shape, is pivotally mounted around an axis 43, parallel to the axis of the wheel 16, and located at one of its ends and housed in a hole in the programmer housing, under the action of a spring 22 fixed to the lever and to the housing. The other end of the lever 21 is bent in the shape of a spout 44 to come to bear, under the action of the spring 22, against the profile of the timing cam 23 and follow its profile.

The timing selection lever 21 includes a lug 20, extending parallel to the axis of the wheel 16, and housed in the notch 19 of the disc portion 18 to vary the angular position of this disc portion 18 as a function of the angular position of the follower lever 21.

The timing lever 29, in the form of a flat fork facing the memory wheel 16, is pivotally mounted about an axis 30 parallel to all the other axes of rotation and pivoting mentioned above and housed in a hole in the housing of the programmer.

One of the arms of the lever 29 ends in the form of a tooth 33 intended to come to cooperate with the face 45 of the stop 24 of the wheel 16. This same arm comprises a stop 31 extending perpendicular to its face and of substantially section triangular to cooperate with the ratchet teeth 25 of the memory wheel 16, and thus serve as a non-return for this memory wheel 16.

A tension spring 32, fixed on the other arm of the lever 29 and on the programmer housing, tends to make the lever 29 pivot, here in a clockwise direction, to thus keep the stop 31 in contact with ratchet teeth 25.

The arm of the lever 29 to which the spring 32 is fixed ends in a ramp 34 cooperating by pressing with a lug 36 integral with the drive pawl 37. The ramp 34 end is adjacent to the lateral surface 35 of the arm in question, extending substantially perpendicularly, and also forming a ramp.

The pawl 37 comprises an appendage, extending perpendicular to its plane of rotation, and the end of which carries the lug 36 extending perpendicular to its plane and which can bear against the ramp 34 of the timing lever 29.

Having described the structure of the programmer's timing chain, its operation can now be discussed.

The wheel 3, which can be called the driving wheel, integral in rotation with the reversing cam 1, rotates continuously and continuously. Its lug, or pin, 4 cooperates by sliding with the arm 7 of the lever 5. Under the effect of the spring 9, the lever 5 is driven in a rocking movement around its axis 6. In this movement, the spout 14 of the pawl 12, returned by the spring 15 against the ratchet teeth 25 of the memory wheel 16, can cause it to rotate over an angular distance equal to the maximum stroke of the lever 5.

The angular position of the selection lever 21 is fixed by the level of the timing cam 23 on which the spout 44 of the lever 21 is supported.

The lug 20 of the lever 21, housed in the notch 19 of the disc portion 18, angularly positions this sector 18 relative to the stroke of the spout 14. Thus, depending on the angular position of the selection lever 21, the sector 18 conceals, with regard to the spout 14, a number of teeth of the memory wheel 16, the active stroke of the pawl 12 corresponding to the number of teeth not obscured. The memory wheel 16 thus rotates step by step at a speed determined by the angular position of the selection lever 21, therefore by the considered timing level which determines the distance angular, variable, on which the memory wheel 16 is driven at each revolution of the drive wheel 3.

Under the action of the spring 32, the stop 31 of the timing lever 29 cooperates with the ratchet teeth 25 of the memory wheel 16 to ensure its non-return function. As long as this stop 31 is in contact with the toothing 25, the lug 36 of the pawl 37 is in contact with the end 34 of the timing lever 29. When the stop 24 comes into contact with the timing lever 29, the ramp 45 of this stop 24 bears on the tooth 33 of the lever 29 and makes the lever 29 pivot around its axis 30. The stop 31 is then released from the toothing 25, the tooth 33 hooks against the rear face 28 of the stop 24, and the end 34 of the lever 29, releases the lug 36 of the pawl 37. Under the action of the spring 42, the rounded end 38 of the pawl 37 comes to bear against the profile of the solid crown 104 of the reversing cam 1 in rotation, before coming to lodge in its lumen 2 at the moment when it presents itself.

By its eccentric movement, in this position of the pawl, its pointed end 39 cooperates with a tooth 40 of the cam block 41 and causes it to rotate one step, the lug 36 by sliding support against the ramp 35 of the lever 29 causing it to pivot slightly before the tooth 33 emerges from the stop 24 of the memory wheel 16. Under the action of the spring 27, the memory wheel 16 rotates about its axis 17, until the face 28 of the stop 24 comes to bear against the fixed stop 26. This is the reset of the memory wheel.

The reversing cam 1 continuing its rotational movement, the end 38 of the pawl 37 emerges from the notch 2 and pivots in the retracted timing position against the action of the spring 42, the lug 36 releases the timing lever 29 which, under the action of the spring 32, pivots about its axis 30. The lug 36 of the pawl 37 abuts against the end ramp 34 of the lever time delay 29 and the stop 31 returns to cooperate with the teeth 25 of the memory wheel 16.

A new timer increment then begins.

Thanks to the timing chain described above, the number of timers can be large. It only depends on the number of levels of the profile of the timing cam 23.

The programmer of the invention is particularly well suited to modern washing machines, allowing optimization of washing cycles and therefore a multiplication of time delays.

Claims (8)

1.- Washing machine programmer comprising a block of program cams (41), a reversing cam (1) driven continuously, a pawl (37) pivotally mounted between a driving position of the rotating cam block of a step and a retracted timing position, the cam block comprising a timing cam (23) provided with a profile for selecting one of a series of timings, and means arranged for determining the durations of the timers and rotate the pawl to the drive position of the cam block, comprising a follower lever (21) arranged to follow the profile of the timing cam, a memory wheel (16), a spike wheel (3) integral with rotation of the reversing cam and arranged to rotate the memory wheel and a timing lever (29) arranged to cooperate with the memory wheel (16) and the drive pawl (37) of the cam block, programmer characterized by the fact that it comprises a portion of disc (18), d he angular width determined, rotatably mounted on the axis of the memory wheel (16) and of radius equal to that of the wheel (16), and a pawl (12), animated by a rocking movement and arranged to drive the memory wheel (16), the useful stroke of the pawl (12) being limited by the angular position of the disc portion (18), the disc portion (18) being arranged for, under the action of the follower lever (21) , varying the angular distance over which the memory wheel (16) is driven by the spike wheel (3) during each revolution of the reversing cam (1). 2.- Programmer according to claim 1, wherein the disc portion (18) comprises a notch (19) receiving a lug (20) secured to the follower lever (21), the angular position of the follower lever (21) determining the position angular of the disc portion (18). 3.- Programmer according to one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the timing lever (29) is pivotally mounted and can cooperate with a ratchet toothing (25) of the memory wheel (16), to provide a function d 'non-return, and with the drive pawl (37) to maintain it in the retracted position of delay. 4.- Programmer according to claim 3, wherein the memory wheel (16) comprises means (24) for pivoting the timing lever (29) and releasing it from its non-return function, and releasing the drive pawl (37) and let it pivot in the driving position of the cam block (41). 5.- Programmer according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the pawl (37) for driving the cam block (41) is driven by an eccentric movement. 6.- Programmer according to claim 5, wherein the reversing cam (1) comprises a solid circular crown (104) in which is formed a window (2) for receiving the drive pawl (37) in the position of training. 7.- Programmer according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the drive pawl (37) is arranged to cooperate with the timing lever (29) for, in the drive position of the cam block (41) , rotate the timing lever (29) and release the memory wheel (16), elastic return means (27) ensuring the reset of the memory wheel (16). 8.- Programmer according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the pawl (12) for driving the memory wheel (16) is driven in its rocking movement by a lever (5) pivotally mounted under the action of the spindle wheel rotation drive (3).

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