Method for operating an automatic washing machine, and automatic washing machine

Abstract

A washing machine and a method for operating the washing machine having a suds container for receiving water, a rib-free drum, which is rotatably mounted in the suds container, for receiving laundry, a motor for driving the drum, and an open-loop or closed-loop control device, wherein the method has a pre-ironing phase (Vb) for pre-ironing of the laundry located in the drum, during which phase steam is conducted into the drum and the drum is moved by means of the motor into a right-left pendulum motion, the pendulum rhythm of which is controlled using open-loop or closed-loop control by means of the open-loop or closed-loop control device in such a way that the drum is at least intermittently untouched by the laundry.

Claims

1. A method for operating a washing machine having a suds container for receiving water, a rib-free drum, which is rotatably mounted in the suds container, for receiving laundry, a motor for driving the drum, and an open-loop or closed-loop control device, wherein the method has a pre-ironing phase (Vb) for pre-ironing of the laundry located in the drum, during which phase steam is conducted into the drum and the drum is moved by means of the motor into a right-left pendulum motion, the pendulum rhythm of which is controlled using open-loop or closed-loop control by means of the open-loop or closed-loop control device in such a way that the drum is at least intermittently untouched by the laundry.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the open-loop or closed-loop control device controls the pendulum rhythm depending on the type of laundry.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the open-loop or closed-loop control device controls the pendulum rhythm using open-loop or closed-loop control in such a way that the pendulum rhythm varies depending on a time period.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the open-loop or closed-loop control device controls the pendulum rhythm depending on a residual moisture in the laundry.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the open-loop or closed-loop control device controls the pendulum rhythm using open-loop or closed-loop control in such a way that a pendulum deflection of the pendulum rhythm is greater the heavier the type of laundry and/or the longer a time period and/or the greater a residual moisture content.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the open-loop or closed-loop control device determines the residual moisture as a function of time.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the steam is conducted into the drum from below, based on an operational installation position of the washing machine.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the open-loop or closed-loop control device controls a maximum pendulum deflection of the pendulum rhythm depending on a maximum rotational speed of the drum at which the drum is rotated at the maximum during the pre-ironing phase (Vb).

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein a temperature of the steam is <50 C.

10. A washing machine having a suds container for receiving water, a rib-free drum, which is rotatably mounted in the suds container, for receiving laundry, a motor for driving the drum and an open-loop or closed-loop control device which is designed and configured to control a method using open-loop or closed-loop control according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) An embodiment of the disclosure is shown purely schematically in the drawings and is described in more detail below. In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a partial cross-sectional view of a washing machine according to the disclosure; and

(3) FIG. 2 shows a wash programme stored in the washing machine shown in FIG. 1 as a diagram in time sequence.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(4) FIG. 1 shows a partial cross-sectional view of a washing machine according to the disclosure. The washing machine has a suds container 1 for receiving water (not shown), a rib-free drum 2, which is rotatably mounted in the suds container 1, for receiving laundry 8, and a motor 3 for driving the drum 2. The washing machine further comprises a dispensing compartment 6, which may optionally contain a treatment agent such as washing powder and which is connected to the suds container 1 such that water can be introduced into the suds container 1 and into the drum 2 via the suds container. The drum 2 has a plurality of drum openings (not shown) for magnetomotive force. Furthermore, the washing machine has a drainage device 5 in order to be able to remove the water 7 from the suds container 1. The drainage device 5 has a drainage pipe 5a which connects the suds container 1 to a drainage pump 5b, which in turn is connected to a drainage line 5c, which generally opens into a wastewater channel. The washing machine further comprises an open-loop or closed-loop control device 4 which is designed to control the motor 3, a water inlet, a water outlet, and carrying out a wash programme and the like using open-loop or closed-loop control.

(5) During operation of the washing machine, a wash programme shown in FIG. 2 is carried out for example for washing and de-creasing laundry 8 located in the drum 2. Alternatively, the laundry 8 for de-creasing can also be treated using a wash programme in which the dry laundry 8 placed in the drum 2 by the user is steamed by conducting steam into the drum and in which the drum 2 is moved by means of the motor 3 into a right-left pendulum motion, the pendulum rhythm of which is controlled using open-loop or closed-loop control by means of the open-loop or closed-loop control device 4 in such a way that the drum 2 is at least intermittently untouched by the laundry 8.

(6) FIG. 2 shows a wash programme stored in the washing machine shown in FIG. 1 as a diagram in time sequence. The individual phases within the wash programme Wp are shown on the time axis t. The program sequence Wp shown here comprises a detection phase Er, a washing phase Wa, a rinsing phase Sp, a spinning phase Sc and a pre-ironing phase Vb. At the beginning of the wash programme Wp, the laundry batch is detected in the detection phase Er, in which a loading quantity of laundry in the drum is detected. Thereafter, water is admitted via the dispensing compartment, whereby a treatment agent optionally stored therein, such as washing powder, is admitted into the suds container. This is followed, in the washing phase Wa, by a heating portion Hz, in which the water is heated by means of an activated heating element of the washing machine to a temperature which is specified by the open-loop or closed-loop control device from the selected wash programme Wp. After reaching the specified temperature, the heating element is switched off and a so-called post-wash portion Na follows. In this post-wash portion Na, the laundry is moved by means of rotating drum, and the water cools down.

(7) The washing phase Wa is ended with the pumping out, in which the drainage device, in particular the drainage pump, is activated. During pumping out, it is also possible to perform a spin cycle so that the water admixed with the treatment agent is removed from the laundry. This is then followed by the rinsing phase Sp, in which water is again admitted into the suds container and the laundry is moved therein in order to rinse the laundry. At the end of the rinsing phase Sp, the rinsing water is pumped out, followed by the final spin Sc for draining the laundry. During the final spin Sc, the drum is rotated with an increased rotational speed compared with the washing process, in which the laundry rests on the drum casing and the water is spun out from the laundry through the drum openings due to the centrifugal force. The drainage device is activated in this case, so that the water is removed from the suds container. In the pre-ironing phase Vb, steam is conducted into the drum and the drum is moved by means of the motor into a right-left pendulum motion, the pendulum rhythm of which is controlled using open-loop or closed-loop control by means of the open-loop or closed-loop control device in such a way that the drum is at least intermittently untouched by the laundry. This causes the laundry to de-crease.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(8) Er Detection phase Hz Heating phase Na Post-wash phase Sc Spinning phase Sp Rinsing phase Vb Pre-ironing phase Wa Washing phase Wp Wash programme 1 Suds container 2 Drum 3 Motor 4 Control device for open-loop or closed-loop control 5 Drainage system 5a Drainage pipe 5b Drainage pump 5c Drainage line 6 Dispensing compartment 8 Laundry