Device for the controlled actuation of the basket of a washing machine

Claim 1

A device for the controlled actuation of the basket of a washing machine, including a DC motor, a control circuit therefor, a transformer having primary windings receiving AC and a secondary winding feeding constant current to the DC motor and control circuit, a rectifier circuit including rectifying elements, a regulating unit for controlling the opening of the rectifying elementS, said unit being adapted to deliver opening pulses synchronized with the zero-crossings of the AC feeding voltage until the motor speed is below a predetermined value and to discontinue said delivery as said predetermined value is exceeded, said regulating unit comprising a pulse generator for delivering a pulse at each zero of its input signal, with said input signal being defined by the sum of a pulsatory signal having twice the frequency of, and in phase with, the feeding AC voltage, and a signal whose amplitude is other than zero only when the motor speed exceeds said predetermined value, the signal whose amplitude is other than zero only when the motor speed exceeds said predetermined value being composed by the discharge current of a Zener diode at whose ends a voltage is present which is a function of the difference between a signal which is a function of the motor speed and a fixed reference signal.

Claim 2

A device for the controlled actuation of the basket of a washing machine, including a DC motor, a control circuit therefor, a transformer having primary windings receiving AC and a secondary winding feeding constant current to the DC motor and control circuit, a rectifier circuit including rectifying elements, a regulating unit for controlling the opening of the rectifying elementS, said unit being adapted to deliver opening pulses synchronized with the zero-crossings of the AC feeding voltage until the motor speed is below a predetermined value and to discontinue said delivery as said predetermined value is exceeded, said regulating unit comprising a pulse generator for delivering a pulse at each zero of its input signal, with said input signal being defined by the sum of a pulsatory signal having twice the frequency of, and in phase with, the feeding AC voltage, and a signal whose amplitude is other than zero only when the motor speed exceeds said predetermined value, the signal whose amplitude is other than zero only when the motor speed exceeds said predetermined value being composed by the discharge current of a Zener diode at whose ends a voltage is present which is a function of the difference between a signal which is a function of the motor speed and a fixed reference signal.