Drum-type washing machine

Abstract

A tub containing a rotating drum is supported by a housing by using an upper support mechanism and a lower support mechanism. The upper support mechanism is configured to suspend the tub while the tub is accommodated in the housing and the upper support mechanism includes a hanging spring. The lower support mechanism supports the tub while the tub is accommodated in the housing with a damper therebetween. A load detector detects a load acting on both the upper support mechanism and the lower support mechanism. A processor obtains the load of the tub based on the detection result of the load detector.

1 . A drum-type washing machine comprising:
 a housing;   a tub to be accommodated in the housing and to store water;   a drum rotatable while accommodated in the tub;   an upper support mechanism comprising one or more hanging springs configured to suspend the tub while the tub is accommodated in the housing;   a lower support mechanism comprising one or more dampers configured to support the tub while the tub is accommodated in the housing;   a load detector configured to detect a load acting on the upper support mechanism and a load acting on the lower support mechanism; and   a processor configured to obtain a load of the tub based on a load detection result of the load detector.   
     
     
         2 . The drum-type washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the upper support mechanism and the lower support mechanism comprises one or more brackets to connect the one or more hanging springs or the one or more dampers to the housing and the tub, and
 the load detector comprises a load cell installed on at least one bracket among the one or more brackets.   
     
     
         3 . The drum-type washing machine of  claim 2 , wherein the load cell comprises:
 a strain-producing body arranged between the housing or the tub and a holder to which a hanging spring among the one or more hanging springs or a damper among the one or more dampers is connected; and   a strain gauge installed on the strain-producing body to measure a strain of the strain-producing body, and   the processor obtains the load of the tub based on a measurement value of the strain gauge.   
     
     
         4 . The drum-type washing machine of  claim 3 , wherein the load detector comprises:
 a first Wheatstone bridge circuit comprising a respective strain gauge of a respective load cell installed in the upper support mechanism; and   a second Wheatstone bridge circuit comprising a respective strain gauge of a respective load cell installed in the lower support mechanism,   wherein the processor obtains the load of the tub by adding first and second signals output from the first Wheatstone bridge circuit and the second Wheatstone bridge circuit.   
     
     
         5 . The drum-type washing machine of  claim 4 , wherein the processor performs a correction process of multiplying at least one of the first and second signals by a real number. 
     
     
         6 . The drum-type washing machine of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the upper support mechanism and the lower support mechanism comprises a multi-point support mechanism comprising two or more hanging springs or two or more dampers, and
 the load cell is installed in all of two or more brackets on a side of the multi-point support mechanism among the upper support mechanism and the lower support mechanism.   
     
     
         7 . The drum-type washing machine of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the upper support mechanism and the lower support mechanism comprises a multi-point support mechanism comprising two or more hanging springs or two or more dampers, and
 the load cell is installed in some of two or more brackets on a side of the multi-point support mechanism among the upper support mechanism and the lower support mechanism.   
     
     
         8 . The drum-type washing machine of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the upper support mechanism and the lower support mechanism comprises a multi-point support mechanism comprising four hanging springs or four dampers, and
 one load cell comprising one strain gauge is installed in each of four brackets on a side of the multi-point support mechanism among the upper support mechanism and the lower support mechanism.   
     
     
         9 . The drum-type washing machine of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the upper support mechanism and the lower support mechanism comprises a multi-point support mechanism comprising three or more hanging springs or three or more dampers,
 three or more brackets on a side of the multi-point support mechanism among the upper support mechanism and the lower support mechanism comprise a front-side bracket and a rear-side bracket that are located apart from each other in a front/rear direction, and   one load cell is installed in each of the front-side bracket and the rear-side bracket.   
     
     
         10 . The drum-type washing machine of  claim 1 , further comprising a water level sensor configured to measure a water level of the tub,
 wherein the processor executes a clothing amount measurement process for measuring weight of laundry accommodated in the drum and a cloth estimation process for estimating cloth of the laundry, based on a detection result of the load detector and the water level sensor.   
     
     
         11 . The drum-type washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the load detector comprises a plurality of strain gauges, and
 the plurality of strain gauges comprise four or more strain gauges configured to detect the load acting on the upper support mechanism and four or more strain gauges configured to detect the load acting on the lower support mechanism.   
     
     
         12 . The drum-type washing machine of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the upper support mechanism is among two upper support mechanisms configured to suspend both sides along a left/right direction, which is also a central portion of the tub along a front/rear direction, from the housing; and   the lower support mechanism is among four lower support mechanisms configured to support both sides along the left/right direction, which is also a front side of the tub, and both sides along the left/right direction, which is also a rear side of the tub, with respect to the housing, and   the load detector comprises:
 two first load cells respectively installed on the two upper support mechanisms and each comprising two first strain gauges; and 
 four second load cells respectively installed on the four lower support mechanisms and each comprising one second strain gauge. 
   
     
     
         13 . The drum-type washing machine of  claim 12 , wherein each of the two first load cells comprises a first strain-producing body that is bent by a load acting on a respective hanging spring,
 the two strain gauges of each of the two first load cells are arranged on both sides of the first strain-producing body so as to measure a strain of a contraction side and an expansion side of the first strain-producing body,   each of the four second load cells comprises a second strain-producing body that is bent by a load acting on a respective damper, and   the one strain gauge of each of the four second load cells is arranged on one surface of the second strain-producing body so as to measure a strain of any one of a contraction side and an expansion side of the second strain-producing body.   
     
     
         14 . The drum-type washing machine of  claim 12 , wherein the load detector comprises:
 a first Wheatstone bridge circuit comprising four first strain gauges; and   a second Wheatstone bridge circuit comprising four second strain gauges, and   the processor obtains the load of the tub by adding first and second signals output from the first Wheatstone bridge circuit and the second Wheatstone bridge circuit.   
     
     
         15 . The drum-type washing machine of  claim 14 , wherein the processor performs a correction process of multiplying at least one of the first and second signals by a real number.