A Laundry Treating Machine with an Electric Motor and an Inverter Control Device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a laundry treating machine ( 10 ) comprising at least one electric motor ( 22 ) and at least one inverter control device ( 24 ) for controlling the rotational speed of said electric motor ( 22 ), wherein the electric motor ( 22 ) is provided for driving a laundry drum ( 40 ), an air stream fan ( 20 ), a cooling air fan ( 34 ) and/or a heat pump compressor ( 18 ), and wherein the inverter control device ( 24 ) is controlled again by a control unit ( 52 ) of the laundry treating machine ( 10 ). The control unit ( 52 ) comprises or corresponds with a detection device for detecting the frequency of a main power supply connected to the laundry treating machine ( 10 ), wherein the control unit ( 52 ) and/or the inverter control device ( 24 ) control the electric motor ( 22 ) on the basis of one or more operating parameters depending on the detected frequency of the main power supply.

1 . A laundry treating machine ( 10 ) comprising at least one electric motor ( 22 ) and at least one inverter control device ( 24 ) for controlling the rotational speed of said electric motor ( 22 ), wherein the electric motor ( 22 ) is provided for driving a laundry drum ( 40 ), an air stream fan ( 20 ), a cooling air fan ( 34 ) and/or a heat pump compressor ( 18 ), and wherein the inverter control device ( 24 ) is controlled again by a control unit ( 52 ) of the laundry treating machine ( 10 ),
 characterized in that   the control unit ( 52 ) comprises or corresponds with a detection device for detecting the frequency of a main power supply connected to the laundry treating machine ( 10 ), wherein the control unit ( 52 ) and/or the inverter control device ( 24 ) control the electric motor ( 22 ) on the basis of one or more operating parameters depending on the detected frequency of the main power supply.   
     
     
         2 . The laundry treating machine according to  claim 1 ,
 characterized in that   the control unit ( 52 ) controls further electric and/or electronic components on the basis of one or more operating parameters depending on the detected frequency of the main power supply.   
     
     
         3 . The laundry treating machine according to  claim 2 ,
 characterized in that   the further electric and/or electronic components are provided for controlling, activating and/or deactivating functions of the laundry treating process.   
     
     
         4 . The laundry treating machine according to  claim 2  or  3 ,
 characterized in that 
 the further electric and/or electronic components are provided for controlling, activating and/or deactivating one or more detection devices and/or electronic diagnostic devices of the laundry treating machine ( 10 ). 
 
     
     
         5 . The laundry treating machine according to any one of the preceding claims,
 characterized in that   the control unit ( 52 ) comprises at least one memory device, in which at least one program and/or data base are stored or storable, wherein said program and/or data base represent one or more correlations between the operating parameters and the frequency of the main power supply.   
     
     
         6 . The laundry treating machine according to  claim 5 ,
 characterized in that   the memory device is programmable by a manufacturer and/or installer of the laundry treating machine ( 10 ).   
     
     
         7 . The laundry treating machine according to any one of the preceding claims,
 characterized in that   the laundry treating machine ( 10 ) is activated by the control unit ( 52 ) only, if the operating parameters are suitable for the detected frequency of the main power supply.   
     
     
         8 . The laundry treating machine according to any one of the preceding claims,
 characterized in that   the control unit ( 52 ) is programmed or programmable for recognizing the actually detected frequency of the main power supply and for adjusting the operational parameters according to the detected frequency of the main power supply.   
     
     
         9 . The laundry treating machine according to any one of the preceding claims,
 characterized in that   the control unit ( 52 ) is provided for adjusting the operational parameters according to a range between 50 Hz and 60 Hz for the detected frequency of the main power supply.   
     
     
         10 . The laundry treating machine according to any one of the preceding claims,
 characterized in that   the control unit ( 52 ) is an integrated part of an electronic power board being in signal communication with a user interface ( 48 ) of the laundry treating machine ( 10 ).   
     
     
         11 . The laundry treating machine according to any one of the preceding claims,
 characterized in that   the control unit ( 52 ) is provided for communicating a reference rotational speed signal to the inverter control device ( 24 ).   
     
     
         12 . The laundry treating machine according to any one of the preceding claims,
 characterized in that   the laundry treating machine ( 10 ) includes at least one optical device for indicating the detected frequency of the main power supply and/or the adjusted parameters.   
     
     
         13 . The laundry treating machine according to any one of the preceding claims,
 characterized in that   the electric motor ( 22 ) is provided for simultaneous driving the laundry drum ( 40 ) and at least one fan ( 20 ,  34 ).   
     
     
         14 . The laundry treating machine according to any one of the preceding claims,
 characterized in that   the laundry treating machine ( 10 ) is a laundry dryer including a heat pump system.   
     
     
         15 . The laundry treating machine according to any one of the  claims 1  to  13 ,
 characterized in that 
 the laundry treating machine ( 10 ) is a condense-type laundry dryer.