Clothes washing or drying machine with improved controls

Abstract

Clothes washing or drying machine comprising: means for setting and controlling the operating cycle of the machine, response and user information means, means for processing the commands received from said control and setting means. The control and setting means comprise: selection devices associated to specific control variables that can be selected independently from a plurality of different states, and said response means comprise a plurality of user-information display devices, each one of which is adapted to take a respective multiplicity of states, to each one of which there corresponds a particular combination of the states taken by said control variables. Each combination of said plurality of distinct states of said control variables is associated to a pre-determined set of instructions and programmes residing in said data storage means and adapted to act on respective operating devices of the machine.

1 . Clothes washing or drying machine, preferably of the type intended for use in households, comprising: 
 means for setting and controlling the operating cycle of the machine,    response means adapted to generate user data and information generating means,    means for processing the signals and commands received from said control and setting means, and data storage means,    characterized is that said control and setting means comprise:    selection devices, each one of which:    is associated to a specific control variable (H),    which can be selected independently from a plurality of different states (K h ) that each such variable is capable of taking independently,    and said response means comprise a plurality of user information display devices,    each one of which is adapted to take a respective multiplicity of states, and    to each one of which there corresponds, even in a not-biunique relationship, a particular combination of the states taken by said control variables (H).    
   
   
       2 . Clothes washing or drying machine according to  claim 1 , characterized in that each combination of said plurality of distinct states (Kh) of said control variables is associated to a pre-determined set of instructions and programmes residing in said data storage means and adapted to act on respective operating devices of the machine.  
   
   
       3 . Clothes washing or drying machine according to  claim 2 , characterized in that if any of said selection devices associated to respective control variables (H) fail to be set by the user to select any state whatsoever, then the respective control variables are set automatically on a pre-determined default state.  
   
   
       4 . Clothes washing or drying machine according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the processing function of the states of said control variables (H), as set through said selection devices, is started by the actuation of an appropriate control (INPUT) actuated by the user.  
   
   
       5 . Clothes washing or drying machine according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the processing function of the states of said control variables (H), as set through said selection devices, is started automatically each time that any one of said states of respective control variables is selected.  
   
   
       6 . Clothes washing or drying machine according to  claim 1 , characterized in that there is provided a sub-set of pre-determined “impossible” combinations of the states of a multiplicity of said control variables (H), and that all such “impossible” combinations in said sub-set are associated to a single instruction to which there corresponds a command to stop the machine or interdict the machine from starting any washing cycle whatsoever.  
   
   
       7 . Clothes washing or drying machine according to  claim 6 , characterized in that when any one of said “impossible” combinations is selected, the machine automatically transmits an appropriate information and/or alarm signal outside.  
   
   
       8 . Clothes washing or drying machine according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said control variables (H) comprise two or more of following variables: 
 type of fabrics in the washload    kind of washing action    spin-extraction speed    temperature of the washing liquor    amount of water to be used.    
   
   
       9 . Clothes washing or drying machine according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said user data (U d ) and said information generating means provide information relating two or more of following programmed performance conditions: 
 type of washing process    energy usage    duration of washing cycle    rinsing performance    water usage.