WASHING MACHINE

To provide a washing machine capable of controlling steps in a condition optimum for cloth quality by detecting the cloth quality with good accuracy.SOLUTION: Water supply is started after detecting a cloth amount of laundry 4 by cloth amount detection means 22, and a water supply flow rate is detected based on the time until reaching a second predetermined water level which is in a position lower than a lower surface of a drum 2. After measuring time T1 up to the water level lowered by the laundry 4 absorbing the water after reaching a first predetermined water level by timing means 31, water is supplied to the first predetermined water level again, and the operation for measuring the time T1 up to the water level lowered by the laundry 4 absorbing water after reaching the first predetermined water level is repeated. Cloth quality of the laundry 4 is detected based on the accumulation time of the time T1, and based on the result of the cloth quality detection, the cloth amount of the laundry 4, water supply flow rate and water supply time, the operation time for steps is set. Thus, washing can be performed in an operation condition optimum for clothing by detecting the amount of clothing and cloth quality with good accuracy without wasting time.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1 【課題】布質を精度良く検知して、布質に最適条件で行程を制御し得る洗濯機を提供すること。【解決手段】布量検知手段２２による洗濯物４の布量検知後に給水を開始して、ドラム２下面より低い位置にある第２の所定水位に到達するまでの時間に基づき給水流量を検知するとともに、第１の所定水位に到達後から洗濯物４が吸水して低下した水位までの時間Ｔ１を計時手段３１により計時した後、再度第１の所定水位まで給水し、第１の所定水位に到達後から洗濯物４が吸水して低下した水位までの時間Ｔ１を計時する動作を繰り返し、時間Ｔ１の累積時間に基づいて洗濯物４の布質を検知し、その布質検知結果、および、洗濯物４の布量、給水流量、給水時間の結果に基づき行程の運転時間を設定する構成とすることにより、時間を浪費することなく、衣類の量と布質を精度良く検知して、衣類に最適の運転条件で洗濯を行うことができる。【選択図】図１