(19)
(11) EP 1 561 851 A8

(12) CORRECTED EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION
published in accordance with Art. 158(3) EPC

(15) Correction information:
Corrected version no 1 (W1 A1)

(48) Corrigendum issued on:
09.11.2005 Bulletin 2005/45

(43) Date of publication:
10.08.2005 Bulletin 2005/32

(21) Application number: 03738535.8

(22) Date of filing: 26.06.2003
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: D06F 33/02
(86) International application number:
PCT/JP2003/008162
(87) International publication number:
WO 2004/029350 (08.04.2004 Gazette 2004/15)
(84) Designated Contracting States:
DE FR GB IT

(30) Priority: 24.09.2002 JP 2002277325

(71) Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
Tokyo 105-8001 (JP)

(72) Inventors:
  • HOSOITO, Tsuyoshi, IPD Toshiba Corporation
    Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8001 (JP)
  • OKAZAKI, Yoji, IPD Toshiba Corporation
    Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8001 (JP)

(74) Representative: O'Connell, David Christopher 
HASELTINE LAKE, Redcliff Quay 120 Redcliff Street
Bristol BS1 6HU
Bristol BS1 6HU (GB)

   


(54) WASHING MACHINE


(57) A washing machine includes an electric motor generating a driving force for wash, rinse and dehydration operations (S1), a current detector detecting electric current flowing into the motor (S4), a torque control unit performing a vector control for the motor on the basis of the current detected by the current detector so that torque developed by the motor is rendered optimum for at least the wash and dehydration operations, a speed control unit controlling a rotational speed of the motor (S5), based on the current detected by the current detector, and a laundry amount determining unit determining an amount of laundry in a rotating tub, based on a magnitude of torque current in a period when a rotational speed of the motor varies (S6-S10).