Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02409070 2002-10-21
APPARATUS FOR DETECTING DETERGENT REMNANTS
AND METHOD OF SAME
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to detection of detergent remnants
and particularly an apparatus for detecting detergent remnants
through testing electric conductivity of water and a method of same
to enable users to know detergent remnants on the clothes to
enhance health care and save electricity, water and time.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Nowadays most households use washing machines or washers to
replace human labor to do laundry. With continuous technology
innovations, a wide variety of electronic or mechanical washers
have been developed and introduced that equip with thorough
cleaning power, such as ozone washers, supersonic washers, rolling
drum washers, etc. While those washers provide cleaning functions
for clothes and other laundries, they still have shortcomings
pending to be overcome, notably:
1. The general washers cannot determine whether detergent
remnants remain on the laundries. Consumers have to guess or
determine by viewing or smelling. These approaches are not
effective and not efficient.
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2. As users are not sure whether the laundries have been
thoroughly cleaned, they have to resort multiple washing and
rinsing to ensure the cleaning is thoroughly accomplished. It
results in waste of water resource, electric power and time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for
detecting detergent remnants and a method of same. It includes a
detection device to test the electric conductivity of water and based
on the electric conductivity value to determine the detergent
remnants in the water so that users can clearly know whether the
clothes and laundries have detergent remnants thereby to prevent
human body from being harmed.
The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and
advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the
following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
2o FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the outside appearance of an
embodiment of the detection apparatus of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the internal construction of an
embodiment of the detection apparatus of the invention.
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FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of the detection apparatus of the
invention.
FIG. 4 is a process block diagram of the detection apparatus of
the invention.
FIG. 5A is a process flow chart of the invention in operation.
FIG. 5B is another process flow chart of the invention in
operation.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
to Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the invention is an apparatus for
detecting detergent remnants. It mainly functions by dropping a
detection device into a washer among the laundries and through
detecting the electric conductivity of the water to determine the
amount of detergent remnants. The detection device 10 consists of
a spherical element including an upper semispherical dome 11
and a lower semispherical dome 12 that have respectively a screw
thread 110 and 120 to couple tightly with each other on a coupling
groove 13. There is a water detection probe 14 located on the
surface of the detection device 10 to test the electric conductivity of
2o water. A display device 15 is provided to indicate the detergent
remnant amount.
Refer to FIGS. 3 and 4 for the circuit diagram and process flow of
the invention.
The detection device 10 of the invention has a plurality of circuits
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to perform measurement and detection of the detergent remnant.
The circuits include:
a power supply circuit 20 which generates power supply through
a battery (not shown in the drawings) to provide electric power
required for the operation of the detection device 10;
a water quality detection circuit 30 which repeatedly detects the
electric conductivity of the water at a desired interval through
regular signals generated by a microprocessor circuit 50;
a microprocessor starting circuit 40 to output a start signal T
1 o when the water detection probe 14 detects water to activate the
microprocessor circuit 50 to operate; and
a microprocessor circuit 50 which enters in a normal operating
condition after having received the start signal T from the
microprocessor starting circuit 40, and reads water electric
conductivity data detected by the water quality detection circuit 30,
and performs comparison of the detergent remnant through a
percentage process equation P, then displays the results on a display
device 15 to enable users to see.
Refer to FIGS. 5A and SB for the process flows of the invention.
2o First, a container 16 is provided to hold clean laundry water 17
for laundry use; place the detection device 10 into the container 16,
the detection device 10 floats on the water surface with the water
detection probe 14 submerged below the water surface due to
selected balance weights disposed inside the detection device 10;
the water detection probe 14 detects the clean laundry water 17; the
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microprocessor starting circuit 40 outputs a start signal T to the
microprocessor circuit 50; the microprocessor circuit 50 determines
that water is presented and switches from a water saving condition
to a normal operating condition ON; meanwhile the water quality
detection circuit 30 starts reading the data of electric conductivity of
the water and records the data of electric conductivity as the first
clean water electric conductivity data (a), and the first clean water
electric conductivity data (a) is stored in the memory Ymin of the
microprocessor circuit 50, and set Ymax = Ymin in the memory.
1o Next, the detection device 10 and the clean laundry water 17 in
the container 16 are poured into a washer to proceed laundry
operations.
Meanwhile, the water quality detection circuit 30 repeatedly
detects the electric conductivity of the water at a desired interval
through regular signals generated by the microprocessor circuit 50,
and stores the detected electric conductivity data into memory
(Ynow) of the microprocessor circuit 50; and performs comparison
through a percentage process equation P resided in the memory,
then displays the results in a percentage bar chart picture on the
2o display device 15 to enable users to see.
In the event that the washer remains no water for a selected
period of time, the microprocessor circuit 50 determines that the
laundry operations have been finished. Or when the washer does
not discharge water for a period of time, the microprocessor circuit
50 determines that no laundry operation is performed. These two
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types of conditions will lead the microprocessor circuit 50 to
automatically enter a power saving condition.
The percentage process method of the invention to determine the
detergent remnant is elaborated as follows (based on the principle
that greater electric conductivity indicating more detergent remnant,
and smaller electric conductivity indicating less detergent remnant):
A. When the detection device 10 is disposed into the clean water
of the container 16, the microprocessor circuit 50 stores the
detected first clean water electric conductivity data (a) in the
l0 memory Ymin, and in the mean time sets memory Ymax =
Ymin;
B. The water quality detection circuit 30 periodically detects the
electric conductivity of the water and stores the tested electric
conductivity data into the memory Ynow. When memory
Ynow > memory Ymax , the memory Ymax = memory Ynow,
and x = (Ymax - Ymin)/ 100, and y = Ynow - Ymin;
where x is 1 % of the difference of the maximum electric
conductivity value (maximum detergent remnant) and the
minimum electric conductivity value (minimum detergent
remnant);
y is the difference of the currently detected electric
conductivity value and the minimum electric conductivity
value (minimum detergent remnant); and
y/x = z (detergent remnant percentage).
In other words, when the water quality detection circuit 30
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detects the water existing condition, the microprocessor circuit 50
compares the detergent remnant through the percentage process
equation P.
On the other hand, when no water is detected, the microprocessor
circuit SO starts a timer to count for 30 minutes. If water is detected
within 30 minutes, the detection process is started. If no water is
detected after 30 minutes, enter the power saving condition (OFF).
In summary, the invention can achieve the following effects:
1. By placing the detection device 10 of the invention into the
1 o washer to couple with the display device 15 which displays
pictures or data, users may conveniently see detergent
remnants in the washer, and can be sure whether the laundries
still have detergent remnants. It helps to achieve better health
care, and also saves time, electric power and water.
1 s 2. In the event that the electric power in the detection device 10
is exhausted, the upper and lower domes 11 and 12 may be
separated to replace and replenish the battery in the power
supply circuit 20 to provide electric power needed for the
detection device 10.
20 3. The detection device 10 of the invention is designed in a
spherical form which has a smooth surface to facilitate smooth
rolling in the washer. It also has selected balance weights in
the interior to keep the water detection probe 14 always
submerged below the water surface to detect clean laundry
25 water 17.
