Patent ID: 6060851
Filing Date: 2000-05-09
Classification: H02K

Abstract:
A washing machine comprising:an outer tub;a rotatable tub rotatably mounted in the outer tub;an agitator rotatably mounted in the rotatable tub;a brushless motor for direct driving at least one of the rotatable tub and the agitator, the brushless motor including windings of a plurality of phases and a rotor;a plurality of rotor position detecting elements to detect a rotational position of the rotor by at least one of the plurality of rotor position detecting elements, the number rotor position detecting elements being less than the number of phases;an energizing signal forming element to generate a sinusoidal energizing signal for each of the plurality of phases based on the detected rotational position of the rotor; anda driving element to energize the windings of the plurality of phases based on the generated energizing signals.