Outer drum assembly and washing and drying machine

Abstract

The present invention discloses an outer drum assembly and a washing and drying machine. The outer drum assembly comprises an outer drum and a condensing air duct. The condensing air duct has an air inlet and an air outlet. The condensing air duct is disposed on the end face of the outer drum, the air inlet communicates with the outer drum, and the lower portion of the condensing air duct forms a water storage area. By disposing the condensing air duct directly on the end face of the outer drum, the space in the thickness direction of the washing and drying machine is fully utilized for placement of the condensing air duct without affecting the outer circumference of the outer drum. This reduces the height and overall size of the washing and drying machine, achieving a miniaturized and compact design.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of household appliances, and in particular relates to an outer drum assembly and a washing and drying machine. Background Art

[0002] Washing machines are a common household appliance in people's daily lives. With the continuous development of technology, washing machines with drying functions are becoming more and more popular. Washing machines with drying functions can not only wash clothes normally, but also dry the washed and spun clothes.

[0003] Chinese patent application No. 201811058551.8 discloses an air duct filtering device and a washing and drying machine. The washing machine is provided with a drying module, which is usually provided with a fan and an electric heater. The drying module uses the fan to generate airflow to blow heated air into the inner drum of the washing machine for drying the clothes in the inner drum. During the drying process, the airflow output through the inner drum of the washing machine is treated with water in the air duct to condense and remove lint. However, the air ducts are distributed on the outer circumference of the outer drum, which causes the overall volume of the washing and drying machine to become larger. In view of this, how to design a technology with a compact structure to reduce the overall volume of the washing and drying machine is the technical problem to be solved by the present invention. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention provides an outer drum assembly and a washing and drying machine, wherein a condensing air duct is arranged on the end surface of the outer drum to reduce the overall volume of the washing and drying machine, thereby meeting the design requirements of miniaturization and compactness.

[0005] In order to achieve the above technical objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0006] In one aspect, the present invention provides an outer barrel assembly comprising:

[0007] outer cylinder;

[0008] The condensation air duct has an air inlet and an air outlet. The condensation air duct is arranged on the end surface of the outer cylinder. The air inlet is connected to the outer cylinder. The lower part of the condensation air duct forms a water storage area.

[0009] Furthermore, a switchable drain port is provided at the bottom of the condensing air duct.

[0010] Furthermore, the condensation air duct is an arc structure as a whole, the upper end of the condensation air duct forms the air outlet, and the lower end of the condensation air duct forms the air inlet.

[0011] Furthermore, the height of the water storage area is not higher than the height of the air inlet.

[0012] Furthermore, the outer cylinder and the condensation air duct are split structures, and the condensation air duct is fixedly installed on the outer cylinder; or, the condensation air duct is integrally formed on the outer cylinder.

[0013] Furthermore, it also includes:

[0014] a first baffle, the first baffle being disposed in the condensing air duct and located in the water storage area, the first baffle extending downward from an upper portion of the condensing air duct;

[0015] a second baffle, the second baffle being disposed in the condensing air duct and located in the water storage area, the second baffle extending from below to above the condensing air duct;

[0016] Among them, along the air flow direction inside the condensation duct, the lower end of the first baffle is located in front of the upper end of the second baffle, and an air inlet area is formed between the first baffle, the second baffle and the air inlet, and an air outlet area is formed between the first baffle, the second baffle and the air outlet.

[0017] Furthermore, along the horizontal projection direction, the lower end of the first baffle and the upper end of the second baffle form a projection overlapping area.

[0018] Furthermore, the lower end of the first baffle is bent toward the second baffle, and / or the upper end of the second baffle is bent toward the first baffle.

[0019] Furthermore, an air guide portion extending toward the air outlet area is further provided on the upper portion of the first baffle, and the air guide portion is located above the second baffle.

[0020] In another aspect, the present invention also provides a washing machine, comprising a drying module, the drying module having an air blowing port and an air suction port, the air blowing port being connected to the inner drum, and further comprising the above-mentioned outer drum assembly; the air blowing port being connected to the outer drum in the outer drum assembly, and the air outlet of the condensation air duct in the outer drum assembly being connected to the air suction port of the drying module.

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the advantages and positive effects of the present invention are: by directly arranging the condensing air duct on the end face of the outer drum, the space in the thickness direction of the washing and drying machine is fully utilized to place the condensing air duct, without affecting the outer circumferential size of the outer drum, thereby reducing the height size of the washing and drying machine, reducing the volume of the washing and drying machine as a whole, and realizing a miniaturized and compact design. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative labor.

[0023] Figure 1 One of the structural diagrams of an embodiment of the outer cylinder assembly of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a second structural diagram of an embodiment of an outer cylinder assembly of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 3 A partial cross-sectional view of an embodiment of an outer cylinder assembly of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A partial enlarged schematic diagram of area A in the middle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention more clear, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0028] It should be noted that in the description of the present invention, terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer" indicating directions or positional relationships are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. These are merely for ease of description and do not indicate or imply that the device or component described must have a specific orientation, be constructed, or operate in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0029] Example 1, as Figure 1-Figure 4 As shown, this embodiment provides an outer drum assembly, comprising: an outer drum 100, wherein the outer drum 100 is used to mount the inner drum for washing and drying clothes. The outer drum assembly also includes a condensation duct 1, which has an air inlet 11 and an air outlet 12. The condensation duct 1 is provided on the end surface of the outer drum 100, and the air inlet 11 is connected to the outer drum 100. The lower portion of the condensation duct 1 forms a water storage area 1000.

[0030] Specifically, the outer drum assembly of this embodiment is installed in a washing and drying machine during actual use. The inner drum is installed within the outer drum 100, and the drying module in the washing and drying machine is connected to the outer drum 100 and the condensing air duct 1. The drying module is typically equipped with an electric heater and a fan. The drying module is used to deliver dry air into the outer drum 100 and absorb the moist air in the outer drum 100 to achieve air circulation.

[0031] Condensation duct 1 connects between outer drum 100 and the clothes drying module. Moist air in outer drum 100 enters condensation duct 1 through air inlet 11. After lint removal, it is output to the clothes drying module through air outlet 12 for air drying and heating. The hot, dry air is then delivered to outer drum 100 to dry the clothes. The specific embodiment of the clothes drying module can adopt the clothes drying structure of conventional washer-dryers, and will not be limited or elaborated on here.

[0032] Because the condensation duct 1 is located on the end face of the outer drum 100, it utilizes the space in the thickness direction of the outer drum 100 without increasing its height. Conventional washer-dryers of the same model and specifications have the same height dimension, while the thickness dimension can be adjusted to suit the washing volume of the washer-dryer. Furthermore, because the outer drum 100 remains stationary during the washing process, the condensation duct 1 can fully utilize the space between the end face of the outer drum 100 and the outer casing of the washer-dryer to meet the design requirements of a compact washer-dryer.

[0033] In some embodiments, after the clothes are dried, a certain amount of water still exists in the water storage area 1000, and the water is mixed with lint from the clothes. In order to drain the water in the water storage area 1000, a drain port 13 that can be switched is further provided at the bottom of the condensing air duct 1. The drain port 13 can discharge the water in the condensing air duct 1 to replace it with new water. In addition, in this embodiment, a water inlet (not shown) is further provided on the condensing air duct 1 of the outer drum assembly. Water can be injected into the condensing air duct 1 through the water inlet, and the water inlet can be completed by the water inlet mechanism of the washing and drying machine. The drain port 13 can be switched on and off by configuring a valve. There is no restriction on the water inlet method of the water inlet and the switching method of the drain port 13.

[0034] In another embodiment, the condensing air duct 1 is an arc-shaped structure, with the upper end of the condensing air duct 1 forming an air outlet 12, and the lower end of the condensing air duct 1 forming an air inlet 11. Specifically, the condensing air duct 1 is distributed along the edge of the end surface of the outer cylinder 100 to effectively extend the overall length of the condensing air duct 1 and obtain a better condensation effect.

[0035] For the water storage area 1000 , when the fan in the drying module is not started, the water level in the water storage area 1000 should be lower than the height of the air inlet 11 to prevent the water in the water storage area 1000 from entering the outer drum 100 through the air inlet 11 .

[0036] In addition, the outer cylinder 100 and the condensing air duct 1 can be assembled in a split or integrated manner. That is, the outer cylinder 100 and the condensing air duct 1 are split structures, and the condensing air duct 1 can be mounted on the outer cylinder 100 by screw fastening or snap-fitting. Alternatively, the condensing air duct 1 can be integrally formed on the outer cylinder 100, for example, by 3D printing or other methods to form the integral condensing air duct 1 on the outer cylinder 100.

[0037] In a preferred embodiment, to improve the efficiency of lint removal, a first baffle 2 and a second baffle 3 are further configured within the condensation duct 1. The first baffle 2 is located within the water storage area 1000 and extends downward from the top of the condensation duct 1. The second baffle 3 is located within the water storage area 1000 and extends upward from the bottom of the condensation duct 1. Furthermore, along the direction of airflow within the condensation duct 1, the lower end of the first baffle 2 is located forward of the upper end of the second baffle 3. An air inlet area 101 is formed between the first and second baffles 2, 3, and the air inlet 11, while an air outlet area 102 is formed between the first and second baffles 2, 3, and the air outlet 12.

[0038] During the clothes drying process, a certain amount of water must first be injected into the condensing duct 1. This water is then stored in the water storage area 1000, which is then used to clean the lint. When the clothes drying module is not activated, the water level in the condensing duct 1 must submerge the lower end of the first baffle 2. This allows the first baffle 2 and the water in the water storage area 1000 to isolate the air inlet area 101 from the air outlet area 102.

[0039] After the clothes drying module is started, the airflow carrying lint is output from the outer drum 100 through the air inlet 11 and enters the air inlet area 101 in the condensing air duct 1. Since the air inlet area 101 and the air outlet area 102 are separated by the first baffle 2 inserted in the water, under the action of air pressure, the water in the air inlet area 101 is pressed into the air outlet area 102, and finally, the airflow enters between the first baffle 2 and the second baffle 3 through the bottom of the first baffle 2. When the airflow flows over the surface of the first baffle 2, the airflow fully contacts the water layer on the surface of the first baffle 2 to achieve the effect of adsorbing lint. At the same time, under the action of the airflow, the water will impact the surface of the second baffle 3, thereby forming a large range of water splashes on the upper part of the second baffle 3. The airflow between the first baffle 2 and the second baffle 3 will be further cleaned by the water splashes, thereby achieving the purpose of efficiently removing lint in the airflow.

[0040] Preferably, along the horizontal projection direction, the lower end of the first baffle 2 and the upper end of the second baffle 3 form a projection overlap area. Specifically, the lower end of the first baffle 2 is lower than the upper end of the second baffle 3 in height, so that the lower end of the first baffle 2 and the upper end of the second baffle 3 have a projection overlap area in the horizontal projection direction, so that after the airflow bypasses the bottom of the first baffle 2, it can be further guided by the second baffle 3. In this way, it can be ensured that the airflow can flow between the first baffle 2 and the second baffle 3 and enter the air outlet area 102. The airflow flowing between the first baffle 2 and the second baffle 3, on the one hand, can make the airflow fully contact with the water layer on the surface of the first baffle 2 and the second baffle 3 to remove the lint, and on the other hand, it can also ensure that the airflow can fully contact with the water splashes generated by the second baffle 3 during the rising process, so as to effectively improve the efficiency of lint removal.

[0041] When an overflow port (not shown) is provided on the condensing air duct 1, the lower edge of the first baffle 2 should be lower than the height of the overflow port to ensure that the lower end of the first baffle 2 is submerged below the water surface. Furthermore, the height of the overflow port should also be lower than the height of the air inlet 11.

[0042] To better optimize the lint removal effect, in this embodiment, the lower end of the first baffle 2 is preferably bent toward the second baffle 3. Specifically, after being guided by the lower end of the first baffle 2, the airflow flows toward the second baffle 3. On the one hand, the airflow can be further guided through the second baffle 3 to remove lint. On the other hand, while flowing upward along the second baffle 3, the airflow can further impact the water layer above, forming a larger range of water splashes.

[0043] Similarly, the upper end of the second baffle 3 is bent toward the first baffle 2. Specifically, the airflow guided by the second baffle 3 is guided by its upper end and then flows toward the first baffle 2. In this way, the airflow can be directed back to the first baffle 2 to fully utilize the water layer on the surface of the first baffle 2 to remove lint.

[0044] A more preferred solution is that the lower end of the first baffle 2 and the upper end of the second baffle 3 are both bent.

[0045] In some embodiments, an air guide portion 21 extending toward the air outlet area 102 may be further provided on the upper portion of the first baffle 2. The air guide portion 21 is located above the second baffle 3 and further away from the air inlet area 101 relative to the second baffle 3. Specifically, in the process of the airflow passing over the lower end portion of the first baffle 2 and continuing to flow upward along the first baffle 2, the airflow will be shielded and guided by the upper air guide portion 21 to extend the residence time of the airflow in the condensation duct 1, thereby achieving full contact between the airflow and the water for the lint removal operation, thereby effectively improving the efficiency of the lint removal. The air guide portion 21 is preferably designed to extend obliquely downward, so that the airflow can be guided by the air guide portion 21 to flow toward the water surface at the bottom again, so that the airflow hits the water surface behind the second baffle 3 again for lint removal.

[0046] In addition, the specific structures of the first baffle 2 and the second baffle 3 can be designed in various forms. For example, the first baffle 2, the second baffle 3, and the air guide 21 can all be designed as circular arc structures, or all designed as curved arc structures. In this way, the airflow flowing between the lower end of the first baffle 2 and the upper end of the second baffle 3 can form a vortex, which fully contacts the water and improves the lint removal effect. At the same time, the air guide 21 located above the second baffle 3 can guide the airflow to form a vortex airflow, further optimizing the lint removal effect. Similarly, the first baffle 2 and the second baffle 3 can also be configured as a folded edge structure to achieve both airflow blocking and guidance.

[0047] Embodiment 2: This embodiment provides a washing machine, comprising a clothes drying module and the outer tub assembly described in Embodiment 1. The clothes drying module has an air blowing port and an air suction port, wherein the air blowing port is connected to the outer tub 100, the air inlet 11 of the outer tub 100 assembly is connected to the outer tub 100, and the air outlet 12 of the outer tub 100 assembly is connected to the air suction port of the clothes drying module.

[0048] When the washing machine is in the drying operation, the drying module draws humid air from the outer drum 100, and first enters the condensing air duct 1 through the air inlet 11 to remove lint in the air flow; then, the humid air flow with the lint removed enters the air intake of the drying module through the air outlet 12 of the condensing air duct 1, and then flows into the drying module to form a high-temperature dry air flow, and then flows into the outer drum 100 through the air blowing port of the drying module to dry the clothes in the outer drum 100, thereby completing one cycle of the air flow.

[0049] The air flow is controlled to circulate repeatedly between the outer drum 100, the condensing air duct 1 and the clothes drying module until the clothes in the outer drum 100 are dried. In this way, the washing machine of this embodiment can simultaneously achieve the function of removing lint during the clothes drying process.

[0050] In this embodiment, the specific structural form of the washing and drying machine is not limited here.

[0051] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit the same. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, it is still possible for a person skilled in the art to modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or to replace some of the technical features therein with equivalents. However, these modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions claimed to be protected by the present invention.

Claims

1. An outer cylinder assembly, characterized in that: include: outer cylinder; A condensing air duct, the condensing air duct having an air inlet and an air outlet, the condensing air duct being arranged on the end surface of the outer cylinder, the air inlet being communicated with the outer cylinder, and the lower portion of the condensing air duct forming a water storage area; The outer cylinder assembly further comprises: a first baffle, the first baffle being disposed in the condensing air duct and located in the water storage area, the first baffle extending downward from an upper portion of the condensing air duct; the condensing air duct being configured such that a water level in the condensing air duct submerges a lower end portion of the first baffle; a second baffle, the second baffle being disposed in the condensing air duct and located in the water storage area, the second baffle extending from below to above the condensing air duct; Wherein, along the airflow direction inside the condensing air duct, the lower end of the first baffle is located in front of the upper end of the second baffle, and an air inlet area is formed between the first baffle, the second baffle and the air inlet, and an air outlet area is formed between the first baffle, the second baffle and the air outlet; The upper part of the first baffle is also provided with an air guide portion extending toward the air outlet area, and the air guide portion is located above the second baffle; the first baffle, the second baffle and the air guide portion are all designed to be arc-shaped structures so that the airflow flowing between the lower end of the first baffle and the upper end of the second baffle can form a vortex; the lower end of the first baffle is bent toward the direction of the second baffle, and the upper end of the second baffle is bent toward the direction of the first baffle.

2. The outer cylinder assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that A switchable drain port is also provided at the bottom of the condensing air duct.

3. The outer cylinder assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that The condensation air duct is in an arc structure as a whole, the upper end of the condensation air duct forms the air outlet, and the lower end of the condensation air duct forms the air inlet.

4. The outer cylinder assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that The height of the water storage area is not higher than the height of the air inlet.

5. The outer cylinder assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that The outer cylinder and the condensing air duct are of a split structure, and the condensing air duct is fixedly mounted on the outer cylinder; or, the condensing air duct is integrally formed on the outer cylinder.

6. The outer cylinder assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that Along the horizontal projection direction, the lower end of the first baffle and the upper end of the second baffle form a projection overlapping area.

7. A washing machine comprising a clothes drying module, wherein the clothes drying module has an air blowing port and an air suction port, wherein the air blowing port is connected to an inner drum, wherein: It also includes the outer cylinder assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6; the air blowing port is connected to the outer cylinder in the outer cylinder assembly, and the air outlet of the condensation air duct in the outer cylinder assembly is connected to the air intake port of the drying module.

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