Clothes dryer

Abstract

The present invention provides a clothes dryer. The clothes dryer includes a shell and a drum arranged in the shell, and a closable clothing access opening is arranged on the peripheral wall of the drum; the clothes dryer also includes a frame and a power device, the drum is rotatably mounted on the frame, and the frame is movably mounted in the shell, so that the drum is arranged to have a retracted state retracted into the shell, and an extended state at least partially located outside the shell, and in the extended state, part or all of the clothing access opening is located outside the shell; and the power device is installed in the shell, and the power device and the drum are openably connected to allow the drum to be separated from the power device when the drum moves outside the shell, and the power device drives the drum to rotate after the drum is retracted into the shell. Because the drum is provided with an extendable or retractable arrangement, when the drum is extended, clothes can be taken and placed, and the drum is retracted to perform drying operations, which can solve the pain point that users have to bend over to take and place clothes, and it is very convenient for users to take and place clothes.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of clothing processing, and in particular to a clothes dryer. Background Art

[0002] With the advancement of technology and the improvement of living standards, clothes dryers have gradually been widely used by people. The function of a clothes dryer is to allow high-temperature air to flow through the clothes that need to be dried, take away the moisture in the clothes, and dry the clothes quickly. The clothes dryer includes a shell, a drum and a support, wherein the drum and the support are arranged in the shell, and the drum is arranged horizontally. Manufacturers continue to improve the design of its appearance and internal structure, and strive to add various functions to meet market demand. However, to this day, users must bend down and squat to take and put clothes, which is somewhat laborious and inconvenient to operate. Summary of the invention

[0003] The present invention aims to overcome at least one defect of the existing clothes dryer and provide a novel clothes dryer to at least solve the pain point of users who need to bend over to take and put clothes.

[0004] Specifically, the present invention provides a clothes dryer, comprising a housing and a drum disposed in the housing, wherein the drum is used to provide a storage space for clothes, wherein:

[0005] The peripheral wall of the drum is provided with an opening for taking and placing clothes which can be opened and closed;

[0006] The clothes dryer further comprises a frame and a power device, wherein the frame is movably mounted in the housing so that the drum is arranged to have a retracted state in which the drum is retracted in the housing and an extended state in which the drum is at least partially located outside the housing, and in the extended state, part or all of the clothing access opening is located outside the housing; and

[0007] The power device is installed in the shell, and the power device is connected to the drum in an openable and closable manner, so as to allow the drum to be separated from the power device when the drum moves out of the shell, and to enable the power device to drive the drum to rotate after the drum is retracted into the shell.

[0008] Optionally, the clothes dryer further comprises a clutch device; the clutch device comprises a first clutch part and a second clutch part which are arranged to cooperate with each other; the first clutch part is arranged at the rear end of the drum, and the second clutch part is connected to the power device.

[0009] Optionally, the power device includes a driving device and a transmission device, the driving device drives the second clutch part through the transmission device, and the transmission device is a belt transmission device.

[0010] Optionally, the drum is arranged so as to allow it to perform translational movement in a preset direction to switch between its retracted and extended states.

[0011] Optionally, the roller is caused to perform translational motion manually, or is driven to perform translational motion by a driving structure having a prime mover.

[0012] Optionally, the roller extends in the front-to-back direction and is slidably disposed in the housing in the front-to-back direction;

[0013] A drum end cover is arranged at the front end of the drum, and the drum is rotatably arranged relative to the drum end cover. A door body for opening and closing the clothing access opening is arranged at the clothing access opening.

[0014] Optionally, the frame is translationally mounted in the housing via a sliding track structure; there are multiple sliding track structures, which are arranged on both sides of the frame;

[0015] The driving structure is an automatic extension device, including a gear, a rack and a power unit, the rack extends in the front-to-back direction, the gear is connected to the power unit, the gear is meshed with the rack, and one of the power unit and the rack is installed in the shell, and the other is connected to the frame.

[0016] Optionally, the clothes dryer further comprises:

[0017] A main drying system is configured to allow a drying airflow to enter the drum from one end of the drum and to flow out from the other end of the drum, to be condensed and then heated, and then to circulate into the drum from the one end of the drum;

[0018] An auxiliary drying system is arranged in a drum end cover arranged at the other end of the drum, and the auxiliary drying system is configured to suck air flow from the other end of the drum, heat the air flow, and allow the heated air flow to enter the drum from the other end of the drum.

[0019] Optionally, the main drying system includes a hot air hood, a condensing unit, a heating unit, a main fan and an air duct system;

[0020] A plurality of ventilation holes are arranged on the end cover of the one end of the drum to convey hot air into the drum; the hot air cover is rotatably arranged outside the one end of the drum, and the hot air cover is coaxially arranged with the drum;

[0021] The air duct system is configured to guide the drying airflow so that the drying airflow flows out from the other end of the drum under the action of the main fan, then flows through the condensing part, the heating part and the hot air hood in sequence, and then circulates into the drum from the ventilation hole; and

[0022] The power device is also configured to drive the blades of the main fan to rotate.

[0023] Optionally, the main drying system further comprises an auxiliary condensing device, which is arranged on the condensing part and is used to cool the condensing part;

[0024] The auxiliary drying system includes an auxiliary fan and a heating device. An air inlet cover and an air outlet structure are provided on the end cover wall of the cylinder end cover facing the drum. The auxiliary fan is configured to cause the gas in the drum to enter the cylinder end cover through the air inlet cover, and after exchanging heat with the heating device, enter the drum again from the air outlet structure. The air outlet structure is a circular air outlet structure or an annular air outlet structure.

[0025] In the clothes dryer of the present invention, because the drum can be extended or retracted, the clothes can be taken in and out when the drum is extended, and the drying operation can be performed after the drum is retracted, which can solve the pain point that users have to bend over to take out and put out clothes, and the users can take out and put out clothes very conveniently. In particular, a power device is arranged inside the clothes dryer, and the power device and the drum can be connected and disconnected to realize the connection and disconnection of the drum power, so that the power source does not follow the extension and retraction of the drum, and the reliability of the device is improved.

[0026] Furthermore, in the clothes dryer of the present invention, the frame and the sliding track structure are provided to facilitate the pushing and pulling of the drum. The drum is supported by the frame and the slideway, and the movement of the drum is realized by the sliding track, so that the drum can be pulled out and closed as needed. After the drum is retracted into the housing, the rotation of the drum is not affected, and the drying efficiency is improved by rotation. The drum can be pulled out manually, or it can be automatically extended and retracted by a motor, which can adapt to different situations and is convenient for flexible design and use.

[0027] Based on the following detailed description of specific embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art will become more aware of the above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Hereinafter, some specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail in an exemplary and non-limiting manner with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the accompanying drawings indicate the same or similar components or parts. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the accompanying drawings:

[0029] Figure 1is a schematic structural diagram of a clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a clothes dryer in which the drum is in an extended state;

[0032] Figure 4 is a schematic front view of a clothes dryer according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 5 is a schematic partial structural diagram of a clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 6 is a schematic structural diagram of an auxiliary drying system in a clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 7 is a schematic structural diagram of a first connection structure in a clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 8 is a schematic structural diagram of a second connection structure in a clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Fig. 9 is a schematic structural diagram of a second connection structure in a clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Fig.10 is a schematic structural diagram of a condensing part and an auxiliary condensing device in a clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Fig.11 is a schematic structural diagram of a condensing part and an auxiliary condensing device in a clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Fig.12 is a schematic partial structural diagram of a clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] Fig.13 is a schematic partial structural diagram of a clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 Shown and referenced Figures 2 to 13 , an embodiment of the present invention provides a clothes dryer.

[0043] The clothes dryer includes a housing 20, a drum 21 and a support, wherein the drum 21 and the support are arranged in the housing 20. The housing 20 is the outer shell of the clothes dryer, which is used to protect and accommodate the internal components of the clothes dryer. In addition, it can also make the appearance of the clothes dryer beautiful. A display device and a control device can also be arranged on the housing 20. The display device can be a display screen, an indicator light, etc., which is used to display the working status of the clothes dryer; the control device includes but is not limited to buttons, knobs and a touch display screen, so that the user can control or set the clothes dryer. The support can be used to support the housing 20, install the drum 21 and the main drying system of the clothes dryer, etc. The drum 21 is arranged horizontally and is used to hold and dry clothes, that is, the drum 21 is used to provide storage space for clothes.

[0044] In particular, in this embodiment, a clothing access opening 22 is provided on the peripheral wall of the drum 21. In the initial position, the clothing access opening 22 is located at the uppermost side of the peripheral wall of the drum 21, that is, the opening of the clothing access opening 22 faces upward. The clothing access opening 22 can be opened and closed, for example, a access door 23 is provided at the clothing access opening 22 for opening and closing the clothing access opening 22. Further, the access door 23 is preferably arc-shaped, matching the shape of the drum 21. The drum 21 is arranged so as to have a retracted state retracted into the shell 20, and an extended state at least partially located outside the shell 20, and in the extended state, part or all of the clothing access opening 22 is located outside the shell 20, and clothing can be taken in and out after the clothing access opening 22 is opened. In the retracted state, the drum 21 is completely in the internal space defined by the shell 20.

[0045] In this embodiment, the clothes dryer has a drum 21 that can be extended or retracted. When the drum 21 is extended, clothes can be taken in and out. When the drum 21 is retracted, the clothes are dried. This can solve the pain point that users have to bend over to take out and put out clothes. It is very convenient for users to take out and put out clothes. An openable and closable clothes taking-in and putting-out opening is provided on the peripheral wall of the drum. When clothes are dried, it is located in the housing. The high temperature used when drying clothes can disinfect the clothes taking-in and putting-out opening, so as to prevent the clothes from being contaminated again when they are taken out.

[0046] The clothes dryer further comprises a frame 25 and a power device 30. The frame 25 can be movably mounted in the housing 20, and the drum 21 can be rotatably mounted on the frame 25. Specifically, the frame 25 can be mounted on a support. The power device 30 is mounted in the housing 20, and the power device and the drum 21 can be connected in an opening and closing manner, so as to allow the drum 21 to be disengaged from the power device when the drum 21 moves out of the housing 20, and to allow the power device to drive the drum 21 to rotate after the drum 21 is retracted into the housing 20. The power device is arranged inside the clothes dryer, and the power device and the drum can be connected in an opening and closing manner, so as to be connected and disconnected, so as to realize the connection and disconnection of the drum power, so as to realize the purpose that the power source does not extend and retract with the drum, and improve the reliability of the device.

[0047] In this embodiment, the drum 21 is arranged so that in the retracted state, the drum 21 is allowed to rotate around its rotation axis, so as to rotate under the drive of the power device. That is to say, the clothes dryer of the embodiment of the present invention can be a drawer-type clothes dryer, and the drum 21 can be extended and retracted as needed. The drum 21 is provided with a clothing access opening 22, so that clothes can be accessed without bending over, which solves the pain point of traditional clothes dryers that require bending over to access. After the drum 21 is retracted into the housing 20, it does not affect the rotation of the drum 21, and the drying efficiency is improved by rotation.

[0048] In some embodiments of the present invention, the drum 21 is arranged so as to allow it to perform translational movement in a preset direction to switch between its retracted state and extended state. For example, the drum 21 extends in the front-to-back direction, and the drum 21 is slidably installed in the housing 20 in the front-to-back direction, so as to pull out the housing 20 forward, so that part or all of the clothing access opening 22 is located outside the housing 20, and then the clothing can be taken from the clothing access opening 22 after the access door 23 is opened; and the housing 20 is retracted backward. The drum 21 extends in the front-to-back direction and is slidably installed in the housing 20 in the front-to-back direction, and the structure is simple, compact, and easy to install.

[0049] The frame 25 is installed in the housing 20 in a translational manner through the sliding track structure 26. Specifically, the frame 25 is installed on the support through the sliding track structure 26. The frame and the sliding track structure are provided to facilitate the pushing and pulling of the drum 21. The drum is supported by the frame and the slideway. The movement of the drum 21 is achieved through the sliding track, and it can be pulled out and closed as needed. After the drum is retracted into the housing, it does not affect the rotation of the drum, and the drying efficiency is improved through rotation.

[0050] In some embodiments of the present invention, the drum 21 extends in the front-to-back direction and is slidably disposed in the housing 20 in the front-to-back direction. A drum end cover 24 is rotatably mounted on the front end of the drum 21. The drum end cover 24 cooperates with the opening on the front side of the housing 20 to close the housing 20. The drum end cover 24 can also improve the safety of the dryer, prevent the rotating drum 21 from being directly exposed, and ensure safety. In some alternative embodiments of the present invention, the drum end cover 24 can be fixedly connected to the drum 21 to rotate with the drum 21. The drum end cover 24 can also be called a front end cover, a front door body, etc.

[0051] In some embodiments of the present invention, the roller 21 can be manually moved in translation, or Figure 4As shown, the roller 21 is driven to perform translational motion by a driving structure 31 having a prime mover. Specifically, in some embodiments, a handle for pulling the roller 21 may be provided on the drum end cover 24, so that the translational motion of the roller 21 can be achieved by manual pushing and pulling. In some optional embodiments, the driving structure 31 is an automatic extension device to cause the roller 21 to perform translational motion, such as causing the roller 21 to extend forward.

[0052] like Figure 4 As shown, the automatic extension device includes a gear, a rack and a power unit, the gear is connected to the power unit, the gear is meshed with the rack, and one of the power unit and the rack is installed in the housing 20, and the other is connected to the roller 21. For example, the rack extends in the front-to-back direction and is installed on the frame 25, the power unit is installed on the support, and the gear is installed on the output shaft of the power unit and meshed with the rack, so that when the power unit drives the gear to rotate, the rack moves forward or backward, thereby extending or retracting the roller 21 into the housing 20. Specifically, the power unit is a motor, which is arranged at the front of the housing 20, and the rack is installed on the frame 25.

[0053] In some optional embodiments of the present invention, the rack extends in the front-to-back direction and is installed on the support, the power unit is installed on the frame 25, and the gear is installed on the output shaft of the power unit and meshes with the rack, so that when the power unit drives the gear to rotate, the gear moves forward or backward along the rack, thereby extending or retracting the drum 21 into the shell 20.

[0054] In order to improve the firmness, there are multiple sliding track structures 26, which are arranged on both sides of the frame 25 to improve the firmness. The frame 25 includes a rear frame and a peripheral frame. The rear frame is located at the rear side of the roller 21, and the peripheral frame is arranged on the radial outer side of the roller 21. The peripheral frame connects the rear frame and the front door body. The sliding track structure can be a structure such as a slide rail assembly that facilitates the relative sliding of two objects.

[0055] In other embodiments of the present invention, Figures 1 to 3As shown, the clothes dryer further includes a clutch device. The clutch device includes a first clutch part and a second clutch part that are arranged in cooperation with each other. The first clutch part is arranged at the rear end of the drum 21, and the second clutch part is connected to the power device. Specifically, the power device 30 may include a driving device 32 and a transmission device 33. The clutch device is a clutch 34. The driving device 32 may be installed on a support, the transmission device 33 is arranged between the driving device 32 and the clutch 34, and the clutch 34 is arranged behind the drum 21 and connected to the drum 21, so that the driving device 32 drives the drum 21 to rotate through the transmission device 33 and the clutch 34. Specifically, the driving device 32 may be a motor, and the transmission device 33 may be a belt transmission device. The belt transmission device includes a driving pulley, a driven pulley and a belt, the driving pulley is installed on the output shaft of the motor, the driven pulley is arranged coaxially with the drum 21, and the belt is arranged on the driving pulley and the driven pulley. The power of the drum 21 is turned on and off by connecting and disconnecting the clutch 34, so that the power source does not follow the drum 21 to move forward and backward, thereby improving the reliability of the device. In some optional embodiments, the belt transmission device includes a driving pulley, an intermediate pulley, a driven pulley and two belts, the driving pulley is installed on the output shaft of the motor, the driven pulley is coaxially arranged with the drum 21, one belt is arranged on the driving pulley and the intermediate pulley, and the other belt is arranged on the intermediate pulley and the driven pulley. In some other embodiments of the present invention, the transmission device 33 can also be other types of transmission devices, such as chains or other forms of power transmission.

[0056] In some embodiments of the present invention, the access door 23 is a translational sliding cover structure. Tracks extending in the front-to-back direction are provided at the two front and rear extending edges of the clothing access opening 22, and the left and right sides of the access door 23 are installed on the two tracks. A handle is provided at the front end of the access door 23, and the handle can be a groove provided on the outer surface of the access door 23 to manually open or close the clothing access opening 22. In some preferred embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 5 As shown, a limit lock 27 is provided in the housing 20, and the limit lock 27 is located on the upper side of the access door 23. When the drum 21 is extended, the limit lock 27 receives a signal to extend the lock tongue, and the lock tongue acts on the access door 23 to limit the outward movement of the access door 23, so that the clothing access opening 22 can be opened while the drum 21 is extended. After the drum 21 is retracted into the housing 20, or when the drum 21 is ready to rotate, the limit lock 27 receives a signal to retract the lock tongue, and the movement of the access door 23 is released, and the access door 23 rotates with the drum 21. Further, the outer surface of the access door 23 is provided with a lock tongue insertion groove 28 for the lock tongue to be inserted, and the lock tongue can limit the movement of the access door 23 after being inserted into the lock tongue insertion groove 28. In some alternative embodiments of the present invention, the opening form of the drum door can be changed, for example, the access door 23 can be rotatably installed on the drum 21 around an axis extending forward and backward, and further, the access door 23 can include two halves arranged on the left and right.

[0057] In some embodiments of the present invention, Figure 1 As shown, the main drying system of the clothes dryer is configured to allow the drying airflow to enter the drum 21 from one end of the drum 21, preferably, to allow the drying airflow to enter the drum 21 from the rear end of the drum 21. Further, the main drying system is a heat circulation system, which is configured to allow the drying airflow to flow out from the front end of the drum 21, then be condensed and heated, and then circulate into the drum 21 from the rear end of the drum 21. Preferably, the heat circulation system may include a hot air hood 41, a condensing part 42, a heating part 43, a main fan 44 and an air duct system. The hot air hood 41 is rotatably arranged at the rear end of the drum 21, and a plurality of ventilation holes are arranged on the rear end cover of the drum 21 to convey hot air into the drum 21. The hot air hood 41 is coaxially arranged with the drum 21. In some optional embodiments of the present invention, the rear end of the drum 21 is not provided with an end cover, and the hot air hood 41 is directly used for blocking to prevent the clothes from coming out of the rear end of the drum 21.

[0058] The air duct system is configured to guide the drying airflow so that the drying airflow flows out from the front end of the drum 21 under the action of the main fan 44, flows through the condensing part 42, the heating part 43 and enters the hot air hood 41 in sequence, and then circulates into the drum 21 from the rear end of the drum 21. The heat circulation system is used to dry the clothes in the drum 21. The air inlet of the air duct system can be connected to the lower side or the peripheral side of the front end of the drum 21. Preferably, the air inlet of the air duct system can be connected to the peripheral side of the front end of the drum 21, which is an annular air outlet structure of the drum. The annular air outlet structure is coaxial with the drum 21 and is arranged at the front end of the drum 21, so that the drying airflow flows out of the drum 21 from the front end of the drum 21 through the annular air outlet structure. For example, the annular air outlet structure includes a plurality of air outlets, and the plurality of air outlets are evenly distributed along the circumferential direction of the drum 21. An annular structure 241 coaxial with the drum 21 is provided on the drum end cover 24, and a plurality of air outlets are provided on the inner peripheral wall or the rear end surface of the annular structure 241, and each air outlet includes an air outlet hole 242 or a plurality of air outlet holes 242 sequentially arranged along the front-to-back direction or a plurality of air outlet holes 242 sequentially arranged along the circumferential direction of the drum 21, and each air outlet hole 242 may extend along the circumferential direction of the drum 21 and communicate with the internal space of the drum 21. In some optional embodiments, the annular air outlet structure is an air outlet ring coaxial with the drum 21, that is, a plurality of air outlets of the annular air outlet structure are sequentially connected together. An observation window may be provided on the drum end cover 24, and the annular air outlet structure may be located at the periphery of the observation window. Optionally, as Figure 6 As shown, only the lower part of the inner peripheral wall or the lower part of the rear end surface of the annular structure 241 is provided with an air outlet hole 242 to allow the drying air flow to flow out from the lower part of the front end of the drum 21 .

[0059] Furthermore, an annular air duct is provided in the annular structure 241, and the outlet of the annular air duct is connected to the air inlet of the air duct system. Preferably, a plurality of air outlet holes 242 are provided on the inner peripheral wall of the annular structure 241, and a guide ring 243 is provided on the rear end face of the annular structure 241, and the guide ring 243 and the inner peripheral wall of the annular structure 241 are on the same cylindrical surface. The main fan 44 may include blades. The blades may be mounted on the above-mentioned drive device 32, or the blades may be connected to the above-mentioned drive device 32 via a transmission device 33, that is, the rotation of the blades and the rotation of the drum 21 may use a drive device 32, and the drive device 32 may be a motor.

[0060] The annular air outlet structure can change the airflow field of the drying airflow in the drum, make the drying temperature in the drum as reasonably distributed as possible, achieve uniform and rapid heating as much as possible, improve the drying efficiency, and have strong practicality. Furthermore, the axis of the air outlet hole 242 is perpendicular to the axis of the drum 21, which can reasonably arrange the airflow field of the drying airflow in the drum. The axis of the air outlet hole 242 and the axis of the drum 21 can also be arranged at other angles. In other words, the axis of each area of ​​the annular air outlet structure for air outlet is arranged to intersect with the axis of the drum.

[0061] like Figure 6 As shown, the clothes dryer further includes an auxiliary drying system, which can be arranged outside the other end of the drum 21, for example, arranged at the front side of the drum 21, such as in the drum end cover 24. The drum end cover 24 is a structure for blocking the front opening of the drum 21, that is, the structure or structure combination at the front end of the drum 21 constitutes the drum end cover 24, and the rear side of the rear wall of the drum end cover 24 is the internal space of the drum 21. The auxiliary drying system may include an auxiliary fan 51 and a heating device 52. An air inlet structure and an air outlet structure are arranged on the rear wall of the drum end cover 24. The auxiliary fan 51 is configured to cause the gas in the drum 21 to enter the drum end cover 24 through the air inlet structure, and after heat exchange with the heating device 52, enter the drum 21 again from the air outlet structure. The hot air flow blown out from the air outlet structure by the auxiliary fan 51 and the drying air flow blown from the rear by the main fan 44 work together to form turbulence at the front of the drum 21, thereby increasing the temperature of the clothes at the front of the drum 21, and forming a uniform drying temperature at the front and rear of the drum 21, so as to improve the drying efficiency. An auxiliary heating device 52 is provided to accelerate the evaporation of water in the clothes.

[0062] Because ordinary clothes dryers are generally equipped with a heater and a fan at the rear of the clothes dryer, hot air flows from the rear to the front in the drum 21, causing the temperature at the rear of the drum 21 to be significantly higher than the temperature at the front, and the temperature difference is large, so the clothes at the front of the drum 21 are dried very slowly and the drying efficiency is very low. The present invention can increase the drying temperature at the front of the drum 21 by arranging an auxiliary drying device at the drum end cover 24, thereby significantly improving the drying efficiency.

[0063] Since there is a heat circulation system in the clothes dryer, ordinary technicians in this field need to reliably set the circulation air duct on a fixed component to ensure the stability of air supply and facilitate the control of air supply temperature, condensation temperature, etc., so as to achieve a good drying effect. Therefore, before the present invention, ordinary technicians in this field could not obviously obtain the technical solution of the present invention without creative labor and breaking through the ideological shackles and technical prejudices of the prior art, and set the drying structure on the movable component, that is, set the drying structure on the drum end cover 24.

[0064] In some embodiments of the present invention, the auxiliary drying system preferably allows the airflow to flow from one end of the drum 21 to the other end and out of the drum 21, and after being heated by the auxiliary drying system, the airflow flows from the other end of the drum to one end of the drum and into the drum 21. For example, the auxiliary drying system allows the airflow in the drum 21 to move forward out of the drum 21, and after being heated by the auxiliary drying system, the airflow moves backward into the drum 21. The auxiliary drying system may be located inside the annular air outlet structure.

[0065] In some embodiments of the present invention, Figure 6 As shown, the air inlet structure may include a plurality of air inlet holes. Further, the plurality of air inlet holes may be arranged on a cover plate, which is an air inlet cover 53, and the air inlet cover 53 may be installed on the air inlet through hole opened on the rear wall of the cylinder end cover 24. The air outlet structure is a first air outlet structure, and the first air outlet structure includes a plurality of air outlet holes. Further, the plurality of air outlet holes may also be arranged on a cover plate, which is an air outlet cover 54, and the air outlet cover 24 may be installed on the air outlet through hole opened on the rear wall of the cylinder end cover 24. The air inlet structure may be arranged at the central position of the rear wall of the cylinder end cover 24, and the air outlet structure may be arranged above the air inlet structure, so that the temperature drying airflow distribution in the drum 21 may be more uniform, thereby improving the drying effect.

[0066] In other embodiments of the present invention, the air outlet structure is arranged at the periphery of the air inlet structure to provide airflow into the drum from multiple positions at the periphery of the air inlet structure. For example, the air outlet structure is a second air outlet structure, and the second air outlet structure includes a plurality of air outlets, each of which may be an arc-shaped outlet, and the plurality of air outlets are evenly distributed on the rear wall of the drum end cover 24 along the circumferential direction of the drum 21. The heating device 52 may be an annular structure, and is coaxially arranged with the drum 21 to improve the heating effect. In some embodiments of the present invention, the air outlet structure includes a first air outlet structure and a second air outlet structure at the same time. The first air outlet structure may be a circular air outlet structure, and the second air outlet structure may be an annular air outlet structure, that is, the air outlet structure is a circular air outlet structure or an annular air outlet structure.

[0067] In some embodiments of the present invention, the heating device 52 is an infrared heater that can radiate heat into the drum 21. The heating device 52 is disposed on the air flow path between the air inlet structure and the air outlet structure. The infrared heater has a high emissivity and can directly radiate heat onto the clothes in the drum 21. The auxiliary fan 51 blows the remaining heat of the auxiliary heating device 52 into the drum 21 to dry the clothes.

[0068] In some embodiments of the present invention, a wire dust filter 45 is provided on the air duct system for filtering wire dust. Part of the air duct system is provided on the cylinder end cover 24, and the part of the air duct system provided on the cylinder end cover 24 can be referred to as the first part, and the part of the air duct system provided in the housing 20 can be referred to as the second part. The wire dust filter 45 is provided on the first part of the air duct system, that is, the wire dust filter 45 is also provided on the cylinder end cover 24. The wire dust filter 45 is provided on the cylinder end cover 24 to facilitate the cleaning of impurities in the wire dust filter 45.

[0069] In order to allow the drum 21 to be pulled forward out of the housing 20, and to allow the air duct system to work normally after the drum 21 is retracted into the housing 20, a first connection structure may be provided between the airflow outlet of the first part and the airflow inlet of the second part, and a second connection structure may be provided between the hot air hood 41 and the airflow outlet of the second part, so as to realize that the drying air duct is automatically disconnected when the drum 21 is extended and automatically connected when the drum 21 is retracted. In other words, both the first connection structure and the second connection structure are configured to allow the drum 21 to move forward so that the drum 21 is in an extended state, and to connect the drying air duct when the drum 21 is in a retracted state.

[0070] In some embodiments of the present invention, the first connection structure and the second connection structure may be the same, for example, Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the first connection structure includes a plug tube 47 and a plug tube 48, and the plug tube 47 is inserted into the plug tube 48. Further, a sealing gasket is provided on the inner wall of the plug tube 48 and / or the outer wall of the plug tube 47. The inner wall surface of the plug tube 48 may be inwardly tapered, that is, gradually expanded toward the plug connector, such as a truncated cone, and a Morse taper may be used. The outer wall surface of the plug tube 47 is in a tapered shape that matches the inner wall surface of the plug tube 48 and gradually shrinks toward the plug tube 48. In the process of the drum 21 being pulled outward, the plug tube 47 and the plug tube 48 are separated, and in the process of the drum 21 being retracted, the plug tube 47 is directly inserted into the plug tube 48. Further, a blocking surface is provided in the plug tube 48 to prevent the plug tube 47 from continuing to be inserted inward.

[0071] In some embodiments of the present invention, Fig. 9As shown, the second connection structure may include a telescopic tube 49 and an suction assembly. The suction assembly includes a first suction member 57 and a second suction member 58 that attract each other, the first suction member 57 is arranged at one end of the telescopic tube 49, the other end of the telescopic tube 49 is arranged on the hot air hood 41, and the second suction member 58 is arranged at the air flow outlet of the second part, or the other end of the telescopic tube 49 is arranged at the air flow outlet of the second part, and the second suction member 58 is arranged on the hot air hood 41. The telescopic tube 49 can be a flexible tube or a rigid tube. The flexible tube can also be called a hose, for example, the flexible tube can be a pipe with a pleated structure. By arranging the telescopic tube 49 and the suction assembly, the hot air hood 41 and the air flow outlet of the second part will not cause air leakage and other undesirable phenomena due to small deviations when connected. Further, an elastic seal can be arranged on one of the two opposite surfaces of the first suction member 57 and the second suction member 58, or elastic seals can be arranged on both surfaces to ensure sealing performance. Both the first suction member 57 and the second suction member 58 can be magnetic suction members such as magnets. Furthermore, the first connection structure may also adopt the structure of the second connection structure.

[0072] In some embodiments of the present invention, Figure 1 , Fig.10 and Fig.11 As shown, the condensation unit 42 may be arranged in the housing 20 and below the drum 21, and the condensation unit 42 is used to reduce the temperature of the drying airflow to condense at least part of the moisture in the drying airflow. For example, the condensation unit 42 may include a drying airflow channel 423 and an air channel, and the air channel and the drying airflow channel 423 can perform heat exchange so that the air with a lower temperature cools the drying airflow with a higher temperature. Specifically, the condensation unit 42 includes a plurality of air duct pipes 421 arranged in parallel and a plurality of fins mounted on the air duct pipes 421. The air duct pipes 421 extend in a horizontal direction, and the air duct pipes 421 contain the drying airflow channel 423. The intervals between the air duct pipes 421 may be air channels. The heat circulation system of the clothes dryer also includes a condensation fan 422, which is used to cause air to enter from one end of the air channel and flow out from the other end of the air channel, and cool the drying airflow in the drying airflow channel 423 of the air duct pipe 421. The drying air flow channel 423 of the air duct 421 may extend in the front-to-back direction, and the air channel may extend in the left-to-right direction.

[0073] Furthermore, the first part of the air duct system is a door body pipeline, which is connected between the outlet of the annular air duct and the plug pipe 47 of the first connecting structure. The second part of the air duct system includes an air inlet pipe section, a first air supply pipe section and a second air supply pipe section. The air inlet pipe section is connected to the plug pipe 48 of the first connecting structure and the inlet of the drying air flow channel 423 of the condensing part 42. The first air supply pipe section is connected to the outlet of the drying air flow channel 423 and the air inlet of the main fan 44. The second air supply pipe section is connected to the air outlet of the main fan 44 and the second connecting structure. The heating part 43 can be arranged in the first air supply pipe section or in the second air supply pipe section.

[0074] The condensing fan 422 may include blades, and the blades of the condensing fan 422 may be connected to the driving device 32 via a transmission device 33, that is, the rotation of the blades of the main fan 44, the rotation of the blades of the condensing fan 422, and the rotation of the drum 21 may use one driving device 32. The blades of the condensing fan 422 may be directly mounted on the output shaft of the driving device 32, and the output shaft of the driving device 32 drives the blades of the main fan 44 and the drum 21 to rotate via the transmission device 33. The blades of the main fan 44 may be mounted on the intermediate pulley of the transmission device.

[0075] In order to further improve the condensation efficiency, the heat circulation system of the clothes dryer also includes an auxiliary condensation device 46, which can be arranged on the condensation part 42, and is used to cool the condensation part 42, that is, to dissipate heat from the condensation part 42. For example, the auxiliary condensation device 46 includes a liquid cooling pipeline 461, a liquid cooling box 462, a liquid cooling fan 463, a liquid cooling pump 464, and a liquid cooling fin 465. The liquid cooling pipeline 461 is arranged on the condensation part 42, for example, it can be arranged on the upper surface of the condensation part 42, specifically, it can be arranged on the upper surface of the uppermost air duct 421. The liquid cooling fin 465 is arranged integrally with the liquid cooling pipeline 461, and the condensation fan 422 dissipates heat from the liquid cooling pipeline 461 while dissipating heat from the condensation part 42. A liquid cooling air duct is provided in the liquid cooling box 462, and a liquid cooling fan 463 is provided at one end of the liquid cooling box 462. The liquid cooling box 462 is used to store condensed liquid, and the liquid cooling fan 463 and the liquid cooling air duct are used to cool the condensed liquid in the liquid cooling box 462. The outlet of the liquid cooling pipeline 461 is connected to the liquid cooling box 462 through the outlet pipe 466, and the inlet of the liquid cooling pipeline 461 is connected to the liquid cooling box 462 through the inlet pipe 467. The liquid cooling pump 464 can be provided on the inlet pipe 467 or the outlet pipe 466. In some optional embodiments of the present invention, a liquid cooling box can be used instead of the liquid cooling pipeline 461, and both the liquid cooling box and the liquid cooling pipeline can be referred to as a liquid cooling unit. The liquid cooling box can be a flat box, that is, the ratio of the thickness of the box to the length is small, and further, the ratio can be 1 / 6 to 1 / 25.

[0076] Further, at least part of the inlet pipe 467 and / or at least part of the outlet pipe 466 is in contact with the condensation section 42. For example, the inlet pipe or the outlet pipe is in contact with both ends of the left side surface or both ends of the right side surface of the condensation section 42. For another example, the inlet pipe or the outlet pipe includes a plurality of heat exchange pipe sections, each of which is arranged on the leeward side or the windward side of an air duct pipe 421, preferably on the leeward side of the air duct pipe 421. The number of heat exchange pipe sections is less than or equal to the number of air duct pipes 421. For example, no heat exchange pipe section is arranged on the windward side or the leeward side of the air duct pipe 421 installed in the liquid cooling section.

[0077] When the liquid cooling part is a liquid cooling pipeline 461, the liquid cooling pipeline 461 can extend in a serpentine shape, including multiple straight pipe sections and multiple connecting pipe sections, each straight pipe section extends along the length direction of the air duct tube 421, and each connecting pipe section connects the same side ends of two adjacent straight pipe sections. When the liquid cooling part is a liquid cooling box, a partition is provided in the liquid cooling box to form a curved and extended channel in the liquid cooling box to improve the cooling efficiency. Furthermore, there can be three partitions to form a curved and extended serpentine channel in the liquid cooling box, and the serpentine channel can also be called an S-shaped channel.

[0078] The forced auxiliary condensation method can ensure high condensation efficiency in a small volume, and has a better condensation effect than enlarging the condensation section 42. The condensate can be water or a coolant of the type such as glycerol or ethylene glycol. On the basis of the main condensation section 42, the main fan is used for cooling, and an auxiliary condensation device 46 is provided to assist in cooling, improve the steam condensation efficiency, and thus improve the drying efficiency of the clothes. Compared with simply enlarging the main condensation section and increasing the power of the main heat dissipation fan, the present invention has significant technical effects.

[0079] In some embodiments of the present invention, a flow guide device is provided on the outside of the inlet end of the air channel, and the flow guide device has a flow guide channel and a sub-flow guide channel provided in the flow guide channel for guiding air to the air channel, and the sub-flow guide channel is provided between the condensation section 42 and the outlet of the condensation fan 422. The flow guide channel includes an inlet section and an outlet section, and the sub-flow guide channel is provided in the outlet section, and the inlet section is perpendicular to the air channel, that is, the inlet section extends in the front-to-back direction, and the condensation fan 422 is a centrifugal fan. Furthermore, the liquid cooling box 462 is provided on the outside or above the outside of the outlet end of the air channel, and the length direction of the liquid cooling box 462 is perpendicular to the air channel, and the liquid cooling air channel is perpendicular to the air channel. The special arrangement position and relative relationship of the auxiliary condensation device and the condensation section can significantly improve the condensation efficiency and have a good energy-saving effect.

[0080] In some preferred embodiments of the present invention, Fig.12As shown, the condensing part 42 can be the cold end of the semiconductor refrigeration module, and the cold end surface is provided with a cold end fin 61, and the cold end fin 61 of the semiconductor refrigeration module is used to condense the water vapor in the hot and humid air. In order to improve the drying efficiency, the cold end of the semiconductor refrigeration module can be perpendicular to the flow direction of the drying airflow, so that the drying airflow is subjected to greater resistance and heat exchange with the fins, and then flows away from the surrounding side of the cold end of the semiconductor refrigeration module, such as the upper side. In some embodiments of the present invention, the heating part 43 is used to heat the drying airflow condensed by the condensing part 42. The heating part 43 can be arranged in the air duct system and is on the air outlet side of the main fan 44, that is, on the downstream side of the main fan 44. The heating part 43 can be an electric heating device 52. Optionally, the semiconductor refrigeration module also includes a hot end, and the hot end surface is provided with a hot end fin 62, and the hot end fin 62 of the semiconductor refrigeration module is used to preheat the drying airflow. The air duct system may have a bypass air duct section arranged on the upper side of the semiconductor refrigeration module, so that the drying airflow flows upward after exchanging heat with the cold end fins 61 of the semiconductor refrigeration module, and then flows downward to exchange heat with the hot end fins 62 for preheating.

[0081] In some embodiments of the present invention, the main drying system further includes a cold end of a semiconductor refrigeration module, and a cold end fin 61 is provided on the surface of the cold end, and the cold end fin 61 of the semiconductor refrigeration module is used to assist in condensing water vapor in the hot and humid air. That is, the condensation unit 42 is used to mainly condense water vapor in the hot and humid air, and then the cold end fin 61 of the semiconductor refrigeration module is used to assist in condensation to improve the condensation effect. The hot end fin 62 of the semiconductor refrigeration module is used to preheat the drying airflow.

[0082] In some preferred embodiments of the present invention, Fig.13As shown, the condensing part 42 and the heating part 43 are respectively the evaporator 71 and the condenser 72 of the heat pump system. By using the evaporator 71 of the heat pump system to condense the water vapor in the hot and humid air, the heat pump system can provide a higher condensation efficiency, thereby improving the drying efficiency. By using the condenser 72 of the heat pump system to heat the drying airflow, the energy utilization rate is high, the waste of heat is reduced as much as possible, and the energy efficiency of the dryer can be significantly improved. The compressor of the heat pump system is connected to the condenser 72, the condenser 72 is connected to the throttling device, the throttling device is connected to the evaporator 71, and the evaporator 71 is connected to the compressor. That is to say, the compressor, the condenser 72, the throttling device and the evaporator 71 are connected in sequence to form a refrigerant circulation system. The refrigerant medium is constantly converted between gas and liquid in the refrigerant circulation system, and the heat is released to heat the drying airflow, and the drying airflow enters the drum 21 to dry the clothes in the drum 21. In some alternative embodiments of the present invention, other types of condensation forms can also be used for condensation. Furthermore, a semiconductor refrigeration module may be provided between the evaporator 71 and the condenser 72, so as to utilize the cold end fins 61 of the semiconductor refrigeration module to assist in condensing water vapor in the hot and humid air, and utilize the hot end fins 62 of the semiconductor refrigeration module to preheat the dry airflow.

[0083] In some embodiments of the present invention, a water box tank is provided in the housing 20, and the water box tank is located above the drum 21. Generally, the water box tank is provided on the front panel of the housing 20 and is close to the top panel of the housing 20. A water box is provided in the water box tank, and the clearance between the water box tank and the water box is matched, and the water box can be drawn out of the water box tank or inserted into the water box tank. An opening is provided at the top of the water box to receive the water discharged from the drain pipe on the lower side of the condensation part 42; when the water entering the water box fills the water box, the water will overflow from the top opening of the water box and flow into the water box tank. The water box tank is provided with an overflow hole, which is generally provided at the bottom of the water box tank to prevent water from accumulating in the water box tank. The overflow hole is connected to the diversion channel through an overflow pipe. As a result, when the water in the water box overflows into the water box tank, the water in the water box tank can enter the diversion channel through the overflow hole and the overflow pipe, and the water flowing out of the diversion channel can be used to clean the condensation part 42 or the lint filter 45 and other structures to prevent water from accumulating in the water box tank. A water pump is provided on the drain pipe, and a water storage tank is provided at the lower side of the condensation portion 42. The water in the water storage tank is transported to the water box through the water pump.

[0084] At this point, those skilled in the art should recognize that, although multiple exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in detail herein, many other variations or modifications that conform to the principles of the present invention can still be directly determined or derived based on the content disclosed in the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should be understood and recognized as covering all these other variations or modifications.

Claims

1. A clothes dryer, comprising a housing and a drum disposed in the housing, wherein the drum is used to provide a storage space for clothes, characterized in that: The peripheral wall of the drum is provided with an opening for taking and placing clothes which can be opened and closed; The clothes dryer further comprises a frame and a power device, the drum is rotatably mounted on the frame, and the frame is movably mounted in the shell, so that the drum is arranged to have a retracted state retracted in the shell, and an extended state at least partially located outside the shell, and in the extended state, part or all of the clothing access opening is located outside the shell; and The power device is installed in the shell, and the power device is connected to the drum in an openable and closable manner, so that the drum is allowed to be separated from the power device when the drum moves out of the shell, and the power device drives the drum to rotate after the drum is retracted into the shell; The clothing access opening is provided with a door for opening and closing the clothing access opening, the door being slidably mounted on the drum along the axial direction of the drum, and a locking tongue insertion groove being provided on the outer surface of the door; and A limit lock is arranged in the shell, and the limit lock has a lock tongue for being inserted into the lock tongue insertion groove, so that the access door body is kept in the current position of the access door body after the lock tongue is inserted into the lock tongue insertion groove; the limit lock is configured as follows: when the roller is extended, the limit lock receives a signal to extend the lock tongue so that the lock tongue is inserted into the lock tongue insertion groove; and when the roller is retracted into the shell or when the roller is ready to rotate, the limit lock receives a signal to retract the lock tongue.

2. The clothes dryer according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes a clutch device; The clutch device comprises a first clutch part and a second clutch part which are arranged in cooperation with each other; the first clutch part is arranged at the rear end of the drum, and the second clutch part is connected to the power device.

3. The clothes dryer according to claim 2, characterized in that: The power device comprises a driving device and a transmission device, the driving device drives the second clutch part through the transmission device, and the transmission device is a belt transmission device.

4. The clothes dryer according to claim 2, characterized in that: The drum is arranged so as to allow it to perform a translational movement in a preset direction to switch between its retracted state and its extended state.

5. The clothes dryer according to claim 4, characterized in that: The roller is driven to perform translational motion manually or by a driving structure having a prime mover.

6. The clothes dryer according to claim 4, characterized in that: The roller extends in the front-to-back direction and is slidably disposed in the housing in the front-to-back direction; A drum end cover is arranged at the front end of the drum, and the drum is rotatably arranged relative to the drum end cover. A door body for opening and closing the clothing access opening is arranged at the clothing access opening.

7. The clothes dryer according to claim 5, characterized in that: The frame is installed in the housing in a translational manner through a sliding track structure; the sliding track structure is multiple and is arranged on both sides of the frame; The driving structure is an automatic extension device, including a gear, a rack and a power unit, the rack extends in the front-to-back direction, the gear is connected to the power unit, the gear is meshed with the rack, and one of the power unit and the rack is installed in the shell, and the other is connected to the frame.

8. The clothes dryer according to claim 3, characterized in that: Also includes: A main drying system is configured to allow a drying airflow to enter the drum from one end of the drum and to flow out from the other end of the drum, to be condensed and then heated, and then to circulate into the drum from the one end of the drum; An auxiliary drying system is arranged in a drum end cover arranged at the other end of the drum, and the auxiliary drying system is configured to suck air flow from the other end of the drum, heat the air flow, and allow the heated air flow to enter the drum from the other end of the drum.

9. The clothes dryer according to claim 8, characterized in that: The main drying system includes a hot air hood, a condensing unit, a heating unit, a main fan and an air duct system; A plurality of ventilation holes are arranged on the end cover of the one end of the drum to convey hot air into the drum; the hot air hood is rotatably arranged on the outer side of the one end of the drum, and the hot air hood is coaxially arranged with the drum; the air duct system is configured to guide the drying airflow so that the drying airflow flows out from the other end of the drum under the action of the main fan, and then flows through the condensation part, the heating part and the hot air hood in sequence, and finally circulates into the drum from the ventilation holes; and the power device is also configured to drive the fan blades of the main fan to rotate.

10. The clothes dryer according to claim 9, characterized in that: The main drying system further comprises an auxiliary condensing device, which is arranged on the condensing part and is used to cool the condensing part; The auxiliary drying system includes an auxiliary fan and a heating device. An air inlet cover and an air outlet structure are provided on the end cover wall of the cylinder end cover facing the drum. The auxiliary fan is configured to cause the gas in the drum to enter the cylinder end cover through the air inlet cover, and after exchanging heat with the heating device, enter the drum again from the air outlet structure. The air outlet structure is a circular air outlet structure or an annular air outlet structure.

Images