METHOD AND WASHING MACHINE

Abstract

A washing machine and method for operating a washing machine having a suds container for holding water, a non-ribbed drum rotatably mounted in the suds container for holding laundry, a motor for driving the drum, and an open or closed loop control device. The method allows the execution of a washing program (Wp) having a washing phase (Wa) and/or at least one rinsing phase (Sp), and includes feeding water into the suds container in a first region of the drum in at least one of these phases (Wa, Sp) up to a predetermined water level (h) that is selected such that the laundry floats in the water, and rotating the drum at a predetermined rotational speed such that water is released from a second region of the drum and falls onto the laundry.

Claims

1. A method for operating a washing machine having a suds container for holding water, a non-ribbed drum rotatably mounted in the suds container for holding laundry, a motor for driving the drum, and an open or closed loop control device, the method allowing the execution of a washing program (Wp) having a washing phase (Wa) and/or at least one rinsing phase (Sp), the method comprising the following steps: a) feeding water into the suds container and a first region of the drum in at least one of the washing and rinsing phases (Wa, Sp) up to a predetermined water level (h) that is selected such that the laundry floats in the water; and b) rotating the drum at a predetermined rotational speed such that water is released from a second region of the drum and falls onto the laundry.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first region is a lower region and the second region is an upper region, based on an operational set-up position of the washing machine.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the drum is circular in cross section, the first region is a region of the drum between a 5 and a 7 o'clock position and the second region is a region of the drum between a 12 and 2 o'clock position and/or between a 10 and 12 o'clock position when viewed in the circular cross section.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein steps a) and b) are executed in at least one of the at least one rinsing phase (Sp).

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein, before the execution of the washing phase and/or at least one rinsing phase (Wa, Sp), a detection phase (Er) is executed in which a load amount of laundry in the drum is detected, and wherein step b) is carried out as a function of the detected load amount.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein step b) is executed if the load amount is below a predetermined limit value.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the predetermined limit value depends on a type of laundry which is determined by selecting the washing program (Wp).

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined rotational speed is in the range of 70 and 180 rpm or 90 to 110 rpm.

9. A washing machine having a suds container for holding water, a non-ribbed drum rotatably mounted in the suds container for holding laundry, a motor for driving the drum, and an open or closed loop control device that is designed to carry out the method according to claim 1.

10. The washing machine according to claim 9, wherein it the washing machine is free of a circulation system.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] An embodiment of the disclosure is shown in the drawings in a purely schematic manner and will be described in more detail below. In the drawings, schematically and not to scale:

[0026] FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a washing machine according to the disclosure; and

[0027] FIG. 2 shows a washing program stored in the washing machine shown in FIG. 1 as a diagram over time.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a washing machine according to the disclosure. The washing machine has a suds container 1 for holding water 7, a non-ribbed drum 2 rotatably mounted in the suds container 1 for holding laundry 8, and a motor 3 for driving the drum 2. The washing machine also has a dispensing compartment 6 that can optionally contain a treatment agent such as washing powder and that is connected to the suds container 1 so that water 7 can be filled into the suds container 1 and into the drum 2 via said dispensing compartment. The drum 2 has a large number of drum openings (not shown) for circulation. The washing machine also has a drain device 5 in order to be able to remove the water 7 from the suds container 1. The drain device 5 has a drain pipe 5a that connects the suds container 1 to a drain pump 5b that in turn is connected to a drain line 5c that usually opens into a sewer. The washing machine also has an open or closed loop control device 4 that is designed to control the motor 3, a water inlet and outlet, the execution of a washing program and the like in an open or closed loop.

[0029] When the washing machine is in operation, a washing program shown in FIG. 2 is executed, for example. For example, in a rinsing step of the washing program, water 7 is supplied to the suds container 1 and to a first region of the drum 2, which corresponds to a position approximately between 5 and 7 o'clock, up to a predetermined water level h that is selected such that the laundry 8 floats in the water 7, and then the drum 2 is rotated at a predetermined rotational speed such that water 7 is released from a second region of the drum 2 and falls onto the laundry 8. In the rinsing step, in the case of the non-ribbed drum, at the predetermined water level h, the predetermined rotational speed is adjusted in particular in such a way that the water 7 is entrained in a gap between the suds container 1 and the drum 2 by the rotation of the drum 2 to an extent such that the water 7 is released drop-wise at about the 1 o'clock position (when the cross-sectional view of the drum 2 is viewed analogously to a clock) and falls onto the laundry 8. This is possible because there are no ribs in the drum 2, which, if present, cause the laundry 8 to execute a rotational motion. In addition, the water level h is selected such that the laundry 8 can float. As a result, friction between the drum casing and the laundry 8 is eliminated and the laundry 8 is not caused to execute a rotational motion by the rotation of the drum 2 but remains substantially in the same position.

[0030] FIG. 2 shows a washing program stored in the washing machine shown in FIG. 1 as a diagram over time. The individual phases within the washing program Wp are shown on the time axis t. The program sequence Wp shown herein comprises a detection phase Er, a washing phase Wa, a rinsing phase Sp, and a spin phase Sc. At the beginning of the washing program Wp, the batch of laundry is recorded in the detection phase Er in which a load amount of laundry in the drum is detected. Thereafter, water is let in via the dispensing compartment, as a result of which a treatment agent stored therein, such as washing powder, is filled into the suds container. In the washing phase Wa, a heating portion Hz then follows, in which the water is heated by means of a switched-on heating member of the washing machine to a temperature that is specified by the open or closed loop control device based on the selected washing program Wp. After the specified temperature has been reached, the heating member 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 a rotating drum, with the water cooling down. The washing phase Wa ends with the pumping out, with the drain device, in particular the drain pump, being activated. When draining, it is also possible to spin the laundry so that the water mixed with the treatment agent is removed from the laundry. This is followed by the rinsing phase Sp, in which water is again filled 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 cycle Sc for draining water from the laundry. During the final spin cycle Sc, the drum is rotated at a higher speed than in the washing process, at which rotational speed the laundry lies in contact with the drum casing and the water is thrown out of the laundry through the drum openings due to the centrifugal force. The drain device is activated in this case, so that the water is removed from the suds container.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0031] Er Detection phase [0032] h Water level [0033] Hz Heating phase [0034] Na Post-wash phase [0035] Sc Spin phase [0036] Sp Rinsing phase [0037] Wa Washing phase [0038] Wp Washing program [0039] 1 Suds container [0040] 2 Drum [0041] 3 Motor [0042] 4 Open or closed loop control device [0043] 5 Drainage system [0044] 5a Drain pipe [0045] 5b Drain pump [0046] 5c Drain line [0047] 6 Dispensing compartment [0048] 7 Water [0049] 8 Laundry