Method for monitoring water consumption of washing machine, washing machine, and washing machine system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10738403-B2
Application number	US-201716075049-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 23, 2017
Priority date	Feb 3, 2016
Publication date	Aug 11, 2020
Grant date	Aug 11, 2020

Abstract

A method for monitoring water consumption of a washing machine, comprising: the washing machine executing a clothes washing procedure and receiving a water level setting instruction; the washing machine executing the clothes washing procedure and acquiring opening time t of a water intake valve from start to end; the washing machine calculating the water intake flow of the water intake valve Q=Q0+ΔQ, and calculating the water consumption W=Qt; wherein with a normal water pressure and no load, when the water intake of the washing machine reaches the level, the theoretical flow value is Q0, the theoretical water intake time is t0, ΔQ is a flow correction value, ΔQ is calculated from a time difference (t−t0) and a correction coefficient k, and the correction coefficient k is a preset fixed value.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for monitoring water consumption of a washing machine, comprising:
the washing machine executing a clothes washing procedure and receiving a setting instruction of a water level;
the washing machine executing the clothes washing procedure and acquiring an opening time t of a water intake valve from start to end;
the washing machine calculating a water intake flow of the water intake valve Q=Q 0 +ΔQ, and calculating a water consumption W=Qt;
wherein with a normal water pressure and no load, when a water intake of the washing machine reaches the water level, a theoretical flow value is Q 0 , a theoretical water intake time is t 0 , ΔQ is a flow correction value, ΔQ is calculated from a time difference (t−t 0 ) and a correction coefficient k, and the correction coefficient k is a preset fixed value.

2. The method for monitoring water consumption of the washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the flow correction value ΔQ satisfies

Δ
⁢

⁢
Q

=

±

k



t
-

t
0



,

when t>t 0 , ΔQ is positive; when t=t 0 , ΔQ=0; and when t<t 0 , ΔQ is negative;
wherein the correction coefficient k is a fixed constant, depending on a water intake pressure and an area of a water inlet.

3. The method for monitoring water consumption of the washing machine according to claim 2 , wherein the correction coefficient k=k 1 *k 2 ;
wherein

k
1

=

2
*
μ
*
A

ρ

,

μ is a flow coefficient, related to a shape of a valve or a pipe, A is a cross-sectional area of the water inlet, and ρ is a density of fluid;
k 2 is calculated by testing with the water intake time t corresponding to different water pressures in a no-load state at a set water level.

4. The method for monitoring water consumption of the washing machine according to claim 2 , wherein the water intake of the washing machine involves multiple set water levels x, each set water level corresponds to multiple water intake stages y, and the water consumption after turning off of the washing machine or after an end of washing clothes is a sum of the water consumption of all stages, and
the water consumption for washing clothes is calculated according to a formula W=Qx 1 *Tx 1 +Qx 2 *Tx 2 +Qx 3 *Tx 3 + . . . +Qxy*Txy, Qxy represents a flow of a water intake stage y corresponding to a set water level x, and Txy represents all the opening time of the water intake valve in the water intake stage y at the set water level x.

5. A washing machine using the method for monitoring water consumption of the washing machine according to claim 2 , wherein the washing machine comprises a water intake valve and a timing module, the timing module records a working time of the water intake valve, and the washing machine acquires a time recorded by the timing module and calculates the water intake flow of the water intake valve according to the formula Q=Q 0 +ΔQ, and calculates the water consumption W=Qt;
wherein with the normal water pressure and no load, when the water intake of the washing machine reaches the water level, the theoretical flow value is Q 0 , the theoretical water intake time is t 0 , ΔQ is a flow correction value, ΔQ is calculated from a time difference (t−t 0 ) and a correction coefficient k, and the correction coefficient k is a preset fixed value.

6. The method for monitoring water consumption of the washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the correction coefficient k=k 1 *k 2 ;
wherein

k
1

=

2
*
μ
*
A

ρ

,

μ is a flow coefficient, related to a shape of a valve or a pipe, A is a cross-sectional area of the water inlet, and ρ is a density of fluid;
k 2 is calculated by testing with the water intake time t corresponding to different water pressures in a no-load state at a set water level.

7. The method for monitoring water consumption of the washing machine according to claim 6 , wherein the water intake of the washing machine involves multiple set water levels x, each set water level corresponds to multiple water intake stages y, and the water consumption after turning off of the washing machine or after an end of washing clothes is a sum of the water consumption of all stages, and
the water consumption for washing clothes is calculated according to a formula W=Qx 1 *Tx 1 +Qx 2 *Tx 2 +Qx 3 *Tx 3 + . . . +Qxy*Txy, Qxy represents a flow of a water intake stage y corresponding to a set water level x, and Txy represents all the opening time of the water intake valve in the water intake stage y at the set water level x.

8. A washing machine using the method for monitoring water consumption of the washing machine according to claim 6 , wherein the washing machine comprises a water intake valve and a timing module, the timing module records a working time of the water intake valve, and the washing machine acquires a time recorded by the timing module and calculates the water intake flow of the water intake valve according to the formula Q=Q 0 +ΔQ, and calculates the water consumption W=Qt;
wherein with the normal water pressure and no load, when the water intake of the washing machine reaches the water level, the theoretical flow value is Q 0 , the theoretical water intake time is t 0 , ΔQ is a flow correction value, ΔQ is calculated from a time difference (t−t 0 ) and a correction coefficient k, and the correction coefficient k is a preset fixed value.

9. The method for monitoring water consumption of the washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the water intake of the washing machine involves multiple set water levels x, each set water level corresponds to multiple water intake stages y, and the water consumption after turning off of the washing machine or after an end of washing clothes is a sum of the water consumption of all stages, and
the water consumption for washing clothes is calculated according to a formula W=Qx 1 *Tx 1 +Qx 2 *Tx 2 +Qx 3 *Tx 3 + . . . +Qxy*Txy, Qxy represents a flow of a water intake stage y corresponding to a set water level x, and Txy represents all the opening time of the water intake valve in the water intake stage y at the set water level x.

Assignees

• Qingdao Haier Washing Mach Co

Inventors

• Shu Hai
• Yin Junming
• Huang Zhenxing
• Xu Sheng

Classifications

• D06F33/46 Primary

  Control of the energy or water consumption · CPC title

• D06F2105/08

  Draining of washing liquids · CPC title

• D06F34/32

  characterised by graphical features, e.g. touchscreens · CPC title

• Y02B40/00

  Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers · CPC title

• D06F2105/06

  Recirculation of washing liquids, e.g. by pumps or diverting valves · CPC title