EP2957670A1 - Process for washing laundry in a humid condition - Google Patents

Abstract

When wet washing with a moisture level below the saturation moisture, a limited quantity of laundry ensuring the free fall of the items of laundry (10) is introduced into the washing drum (3) in a washing machine without circulatory system. In the tub (1), starting from a height h2 lying at the level of the washing drum lower edge, a quantity of water M3 is introduced, which is the product of the measured loading amount and the moisture content of the items to be dampened. In a reversing operation carried out after refueling of the tub, the amount of water M3 present above the level h2 is absorbed by the laundry and evenly distributed in the laundry together with a supplied detergent. Moist washing can thus also be carried out in a washing machine that is cost-effective without a circulatory system.

Description

Method for damp washing

The invention relates to a method for wet washing with a lying below the saturation moisture of the laundry in a washing drum and a tub and a washing drum arranged below the heater comprehensive washing machine without circulating system.

In a washing process called wet washing, the humidity of the laundry is below the saturation moisture. The liquid in the washing process is bound in the laundry and the washing drum is not contacted by the liquor in the tub. The washing machines used for damp washing are equipped with a purge system to spray the leached out in a circulating centrifugal drive from the wash liquor back into the laundry, thereby achieving a uniform moisture content of the laundry and a uniform distribution of the detergent in the laundry. Compared with the washing process carried out in conventional washing machines, wet washing carried out with a circulating process is characterized by an improved washing effect with the same program running time and the same energy input. Compared to conventional washing machines, the costs associated with damp washing by the complex circulating system are disadvantageous.

The invention has for its object to provide a method for moist washing, which can be carried out in a cost-effective washing machine without circulating system.

According to the invention, the object is achieved with a moist washing method according to the features of patent claim 1. Advantageous developments and expedient embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

For wet washing in a trained without circulating system washing machine in the reversing the free fall of the laundry garments ensuring amount of laundry is introduced into the washing drum. Before the washing operation, the dry weight of the laundry introduced into the washing drum, that is to say the loading amount, is determined and, on the basis of the loading amount and the moisture content of the laundry items provided for the damp washing, a water quantity M3 corresponding to the desired moisture is calculated. Starting from a residual amount of water M1 remaining in the washing machine up to a filling level h1, the liquor container is filled up to a filling level h2 corresponding to the lower edge of the washing drum with an amount of water M2 and the amount of water M3 provided for the dampening washing process up to a filling level h3. Subsequently, the washing drum is rotated in Reversierbetrieb. The dry laundry absorbs the amount of water M3 present above the level h2, which is required for wet washing, and the water is distributed evenly in the laundry together with a detergent supplied.

In this way, it is possible to perform the wet washing with a desired humidity in a low-cost, not equipped with a purge system conventional washing machine, while ensuring a uniform distribution of water and detergent in the laundry.

The amount of water M3 is the product of the load placed in the washing drum and the wetness of the laundry. The laundry moisture in the wet washing process is preferably 140% of the dry weight of the introduced into the washing drum laundry.

The dry weight of the laundry introduced into the washing drum should not exceed five kilograms. With a larger loading amount, the laundry may be washed according to a conventional washing method.

The heating of the laundry is carried out in the wet washing with generated by a radiator from the remaining water to the lower edge of the washing drum in the tub water.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the dry weight (load) of the introduced into the washing drum laundry is determined by the inertia method by the driving device associated with the drive device of the washing drum measuring and evaluation before refueling the drive power during an acceleration phase of the filled with dry laundry washing drum and then at a constant speed of the washing drum is measured and from the difference of the respective performances, the load is calculated. For gentle treatment, the laundry contained in the washing drum can be moistened when determining the loading quantity.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the supply of water quantities M2 and M3 is controlled by a volume flow meter and the filling levels h1 to h3 are detected with an analog pressure sensor.

An embodiment of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawing, the single figure shows a schematic sectional view of a trained without flooding system conventional washing machine.

As the drawing shows, a washing drum 3 connected to a drive device 2 is rotatably mounted in a cylindrical tub 1 of a washing machine not equipped with a circulating system and therefore designed to be inexpensive. In the bottom region of the tub 1, from which a drain line 4 emanates with a drain pump 5 integrated into the latter, a heating element 6 is arranged at a distance from the lower edge of the washing drum 3. With the drain pump 5, the existing after washing or rinsing in the tub 1 water is pumped and discharged to the outside. However, a small residual amount of water M1 in a filling level h1 remains even after pumping in the tub 1. A level h2 indicates the reaching approximately to the lower edge of the washing drum 3 water level in the tub 1 during the dampening process and defines one of the filling height h1 to reach the Level h2 introduced into the tub 1 amount of water M2, which depends on the particular geometry of the tub and in the present embodiment is two liters. A third filling level h3 results from a washing water quantity M3 supplied from the filling level h2 until reaching the filling level h3 to the tub 1 and required for the dampening washing process. The washing machine is a volumetric flow meter 7 for measuring the amounts of water supplied to the tub 1 M2 and M3, an analog pressure sensor 8 for detecting the liquid level h1, h2, h3 in the tub 1 and one with the drive device 2 of Washing drum 3 associated measuring and evaluation unit 9 for detecting the performance of the drum drive and ultimately for determining the laundry drum located in the washing (load).

Moist washing in the washing machine, which is not equipped with an expensive circulating system, first requires the determination of the amount of load introduced into the washing drum 3. The loading amount is determined in the present embodiment by the inertia method by using the Measuring and evaluation unit 9, the power of the drive device 2 on the one hand during an acceleration phase of the loaded washing drum 3 up to a certain speed, for example 600 revolutions per minute, and on the other hand during a subsequent constant speed of 450 revolutions per minute, for example, and from Difference of the two power values on the basis of the inertia of the load quantity is calculated.

Before starting the loaded washing drum in the acceleration phase, the laundry items are moistened with a small portion of the amount of wash water M3 to avoid damage to the laundry during the rapid rotation of the washing drum 3 when detecting the loading amount.

After the loading amount has been determined, the tub 1 is refueled to the filling level h3 with an amount of water M2 plus M3 (minus the amount of water supplied in the acceleration phase), wherein the amount of water M2 from the residual water level h1 to reach the filling height h2, that is the lower edge of the washing drum 3, results in a substantially fixed capacity. The amount of water M2 in the present exemplary embodiment of a washing machine is two liters. The reaching of the filling level h2 is signaled by the pressure sensor 8, while the flow meter 7 displays the amount of water M2 supplied so far.

eine von der von der Füllhöhe h2 bis zur Füllhöhe h3 zuzuführende Wassermenge M3 von 5,6 l errechnet. Insgesamt müssen gemäß diesem Ausführungsbeispiel - gesteuert durch den Volumenstromzähler - 5,6 l + 2,0 l = 7,6 l Wasser für den Feuchtwaschprozess getankt werden. Der von dem Drucksensor 8 angezeigte Druck von 50 mmWS entspricht der Füllhöhe h3. Die exakte Einhaltung der zugeführten Wassermenge bzw. des Füllstandes h3 ist wichtig, weil nur dann der Feuchtwaschprozess mit der erforderlichen Feuchte der Wäsche durchgeführt werden kann. Die über der Waschtrommelunterkante 3, das heißt der Füllhöhe h2, liegende Wassermenge M3 von 5,6 Litern wird von der in der in der Waschtrommel 3 befindlichen Wäsche während der Reversierbewegung der Waschtrommel allmählich aufgesaugt, so dass der vom Drucksensor 8 entsprechend der Füllhöhe h3 gemessene Druck von 50 mmWS bis auf den der Füllhöhe h2 entsprechenden Wert von 26 mmWS gesunken ist.. Das aufgesaugte Wasser wird zusammen mit dem Waschmittel gleichmäßig in der Wäsche verteilt, so dass auch ohne ein aufwändiges Umflutsystem ein optimaler Feuchtwaschprozess gewährleistet ist. Voraussetzung für das vollständige Aufsaugen und die gleichmäßige Verteilung von Wasser und Waschmittel ist jedoch, dass die Beladungsmenge derart begrenzt ist, dass sich die Wäschestücke beim Reversieren im freien Fall in der Waschtrommel bewegen können. Bei den herkömmlichen Waschautomaten liegt die zur Gewährleistung des Feuchtwaschprozesses maximal zulässige Beladungsmenge etwa bei 5 kg Trockenwäsche. Wenn die Beladungsmenge die für den Feuchtwaschprozess zulässige Beladungsmenge übersteigt, wird die Wäsche in einem herkömmlichen Waschprozess bei einem hohen Wasserstand im Laugenbehälter bzw. in der Waschtrommel gewaschen.The water additionally supplied to the filling level h3 and metered by means of the volume flow meter 7 corresponds to the amount of water M3 required for the damp washing process, which is the product of the determined loading amount and the moisture required for the dampening process (approximately 140% of the dry weight of the washing drum introduced dry laundry) results. In the present embodiment, a load of 4 kg was determined by means of the inertia method mentioned above, from which at a desired humidity of 140% with $$4\mathrm{kg\; dry\; laundry\; x}1.4l/\mathrm{kg}=5.6l$$

a calculated from the filling level h2 to the filling level h3 amount of water M3 of 5.6 l. Overall, according to this embodiment - controlled by the volumetric flow meter - 5.6 l + 2.0 l = 7.6 l of water for the dampening process be fueled. The displayed by the pressure sensor 8 Pressure of 50 mmWS corresponds to the filling level h3. The exact compliance with the amount of water supplied or the level h3 is important because only then the wet washing process can be performed with the required moisture content of the laundry. The amount of water M3 of 5.6 liters lying above the washing drum lower edge 3, that is to say the filling level h2, is gradually absorbed by the laundry in the washing drum 3 during the reversing movement of the washing drum, so that the pressure measured by the pressure sensor 8 corresponds to the filling level h3 Pressure of 50 mmWS down to the level of h2 corresponding value of 26 mmWS has fallen .. The absorbed water is distributed together with the detergent evenly in the laundry, so that even without a complex Umflutsystem an optimal wet washing process is guaranteed. However, a prerequisite for the complete absorption and uniform distribution of water and detergent is that the loading quantity is limited so that the items of laundry can move in free fall in the washing drum when reversing. In the conventional washing machines, the maximum permissible load for ensuring the moisturizing process is about 5 kg of dry laundry. When the loading amount exceeds the allowable amount for the wet washing process, the laundry is washed in a conventional washing process at a high water level in the tub or in the washing drum.

If, in the damp-washing process, the pressure level indicated by the pressure sensor 8 indicates a value corresponding to the filling level h2, ie the items of laundry 10 have completely absorbed the wash liquor available above the filling level h2, the heater 6 can be put into operation with a heating power adapted to the desired washing temperature and the damp-washing process will continue.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

tub

2

Drive device of 3

3

washing drum

4

drain line

5

drain pump

6

radiator

7

Flow meter

8th

analogue pressure sensor

9

Measuring and evaluation unit for detecting the loading quantity

10

laundry

M1

Residual water

h1

Filling height of M1

M2

Amount of water from h1 to h2

h2

Fill level lower edge of washing drum

M3

Moist washing water quantity, amount of water from h2 to h3

h3

Filling height for wet washing process

Claims (8)

A method for wet washing with a lying below the saturation moisture of the laundry in a washing drum and a tub and arranged below the washing drum radiator comprehensive washing machine without Umflutsystem, characterized in that in Reversierbetrieb the free fall of the laundry items (10) ensuring laundry in the Washing drum (3) is introduced and the actual load is determined and on the basis of the load and the moisture required for damp washing the laundry items (10) a desired moisture corresponding amount of water M3 is calculated, and the tub (1) starting from a residual water level h1 is filled up to one of the lower edge of the washing drum (3) corresponding filling height h2 with a water amount M2 and the amount of water M3 to a filling level h3, and then the washing drum (3) is rotated in the reversing mode and the Wäs che absorbs the amount of water M3 present above the level h2 and evenly distributed in the laundry together with a supplied detergent. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the amount of water M3 is the product of the loading amount and provided for the wet washing laundry moisture. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the laundry moisture in the dampening process is 140% of the dry weight of the introduced into the washing drum (3) laundry. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the dry weight of the introduced into the washing drum laundry does not exceed five kilograms. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the heating of the laundry in the wet washing operation with the radiator (6) from the up to the lower edge of the washing drum (3) in the tub (1) remaining water vapor is generated. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the dry weight (loading amount) of the introduced into the washing drum laundry is determined by the inertia method by one with the drive device of the washing drum (3) associated measuring and evaluation unit (9) before the Fueling the drive power during an acceleration phase and then at a constant speed of the washing drum (3) is measured and from the difference of the respective performances, the load is calculated. A method according to claim 6, characterized in that the laundry is moistened for gentle treatment in determining the loading amount. Method according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the supply of the quantities of water M2 and M3 are controlled by a volume flow meter (7) and the filling levels h1 to h3 are detected by an analog pressure sensor.

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