A cleaning machine and a cleaning method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cleaning machine and a cleaning method, the cleaning machine comprises a box spray arm and a water pumping mechanism, the power output shaft of the water pumping mechanism passes through the box and extends into the spray arm, and also comprises a steam generator, the power output shaft is hollow inside to form an air guide channel, the steam output end of the steam generator is connected to the air guide channel; the power output shaft is connected to the spray arm through a transmission mechanism so that the spray arm rotates with the power output shaft. The present invention is provided with a steam generator, and uses the hollow power output shaft and the spray arm to transport steam into the box, and steam pre-cleans dishes, which is beneficial to improve the removal effect of stubborn dirt; the present invention adopts the above-mentioned steam delivery method without opening a steam input port on the box, which is convenient for production and assembly; because the hot steam rises, at the same time, the steam diffuses from bottom to top in the box under the stirring of the spray arm, which is beneficial to uniform diffusion, eliminating the dead corner of steam pre-cleaning, and improving the cleaning effect.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a washing machine, in particular to a washing machine and a washing method for washing dishes. Background Art

[0002] As people's living standards continue to improve, dishwashers, as a kitchen appliance, are increasingly entering households. Currently, dishwashers on the market are generally divided into three types: desktop, cabinet, and tank. Among them, desktop dishwashers are integrated independent structures and are generally placed on the table for use; cabinet dishwashers are also independent structures, but need to be embedded in kitchen cabinets for use; tank dishwashers are combined with sinks and are generally installed in kitchen cabinets for use.

[0003] The various forms of dishwashers mentioned above generally use a water pump to lift water and spray it onto the dishes in the cleaning space to achieve the cleaning effect. Generally, the maximum temperature of a dishwasher during the water washing stage will not exceed 70°, and stubborn stains may adhere to the surface of the dishes and be difficult to remove. In order to solve the above problems, the Chinese invention patent "Dishwasher" (application number: CN201520509852.3) with authorization announcement number CN205019008U discloses a structure, which includes: an inner tank; a water cup, the water cup is arranged at the bottom of the inner tank; a steam generator, the steam outlet of the steam generator is connected to the internal space of the inner tank; a water supply system, the water supply system is respectively connected to a water source, a water cup, and a steam generator.

[0004] The above solution can perform steam pre-washing, thereby removing stubborn stains and improving the cleaning effect. However, since it directly adds steam into the inner pot, it is not only necessary to open a steam input port on the side wall of the inner pot, which is not convenient for production and assembly; moreover, it is difficult to disperse the steam directly into the inner pot, resulting in a dead corner in the steam pre-washing, which affects the cleaning effect.

[0005] The applicant's prior application No. 201721042431.X etc. discloses a structure in which air is added to the spray arm so that bubbles are entrained in the water flow. Such a structure is conducive to improving the degree of dirt removal from the surface of dishes through cavitation, thereby improving the cleaning effect. However, it requires an air pump to blow air into the spray arm, the overall structure is relatively complex, and the production cost is high. Summary of the invention

[0006] The first technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a cleaning machine which is easy to produce and assemble, can disperse steam evenly and thus eliminate cleaning dead corners and improve cleaning effects in view of the current status of the prior art.

[0007] The second technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a cleaning machine which can automatically inhale gas so that bubbles are entrained in the sprayed water flow to improve the cleaning effect and has low production cost in view of the current status of the prior art.

[0008] The third technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a cleaning method using the above-mentioned cleaning machine in view of the current status of the prior art. The method is conducive to the rapid and uniform dispersion of steam in the washing chamber, thereby improving the efficiency and effect of removing stubborn dirt, and further improving the cleaning effect through cavitation.

[0009] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve at least one of the above-mentioned technical problems is: a cleaning machine, including a box body, a spray arm and a water pumping mechanism, the spray arm is arranged in the box body and close to the bottom, the water pumping mechanism is arranged on the box body and is used to pump water at the bottom of the box body into the spray arm, the power output shaft of the water pumping mechanism passes through the box body and extends into the spray arm, and is characterized in that: it also includes a steam generator, the power output shaft is hollow inside to form an air guide channel, and the steam output end of the steam generator is connected to the air guide channel; the power output shaft is connected to the spray arm through a transmission mechanism so that the spray arm rotates with the power output shaft.

[0010] Preferably, a first spray hole is formed on the top wall of the spray arm, and along the fluid flow direction, the spray arm has a gas collecting chamber located upstream of the first spray hole for conveying gas toward the first spray hole, and the upper port of the power output shaft is connected to the gas collecting chamber. The gas collecting chamber not only facilitates the uniform dispersion of steam to each spray hole, but also facilitates the addition of gas to the sprayed water flow, thereby integrating the steam delivery and cavitation gas addition structures, simplifying the overall structure and reducing costs.

[0011] In the present invention, the spray arm is provided with a mounting hole for the power output shaft to pass through and extend into the air collecting chamber, the air collecting chamber is provided with a first gear connected to the power output shaft, the air collecting chamber is provided with a second gear located beside the first gear and meshing with the first gear, the second gear is provided with a third gear coaxially rotating with the second gear, the third gear is provided with a fourth gear meshing with the third gear and constrained on the spray arm, and the first gear, the second gear, the third gear and the fourth gear together constitute the transmission mechanism. The above structure can drive the spray arm to rotate in the steam pre-washing state, thereby stirring the ejected steam and improving the steam diffusion efficiency and uniformity; in the water washing state, it can drive the spray arm to rotate and well control the rotation speed of the spray arm to improve the spray uniformity of the spray water flow.

[0012] Preferably, the spray arm is provided with a mounting hole for the power output shaft to pass through and extend into the air collecting chamber, the bottom wall of the spray arm is provided with a water inlet, the spray arm has a water collecting chamber connected to the water inlet, the mounting hole is provided on the top wall of the water collecting chamber, and the water pumping mechanism also includes an impeller, at least the upper part of which is rotatably located in the water collecting chamber and connected to the power output shaft.

[0013] Preferably, the power output shaft is also connected to a one-way valve that only allows outside air to enter the air guide channel. The one-way valve is provided to prevent steam from overflowing when the steam generator inputs steam into the air guide channel. During the water washing process when the steam generator stops supplying steam to the air guide channel, air is easily added to the jet water flow through the one-way valve and the air guide channel, thereby utilizing cavitation to improve the cleaning effect.

[0014] In the present invention, the spray arm includes a main body and a top plate arranged above the main body, the main body has a flow channel extending along the length direction of the main body, the top plate and the top wall of the main body together enclose the gas collecting chamber, the top wall of the main body is provided with a second spray hole connected to the flow channel and located in the gas collecting chamber, the first spray hole is provided on the top plate and corresponds to the second spray hole, and there is a gap between the first spray hole and the second spray hole. With the above structure, according to the Venturi effect, in the process of water flowing through the second spray hole and the first spray hole being ejected, the air in the gas collecting chamber can be sucked into the water column through the gap between the two, so that bubbles are entrained in the jet, and the bubbles are broken on the surface of dishes or fruits and vegetables to improve the dirt stripping force and improve the cleaning effect; and, by adding gas to the jet in a self-aspiration manner, there is no need to set up an air pump, etc., which can greatly reduce the production cost.

[0015] Preferably, the top plate is provided with a first nozzle extending axially along the first spray hole, and correspondingly, the top wall of the body is provided with a second nozzle extending upward from the edge of the second spray hole. The first nozzle and the second nozzle are conducive to guiding the water flow, thereby forming a water column with a larger spray force.

[0016] Preferably, the gap width between the lower end of the first nozzle and the upper end of the second nozzle is 2-5 mm. This gap determines the strength of the jet cavitation ability, that is, the amount of air inhaled. It has been verified that using the above length parameters can achieve a higher jet cavitation effect.

[0017] Preferably, the second nozzle has a conical section and a first straight section connected in sequence along the direction of water flow, and the inner diameter of the conical section gradually decreases along the direction of water flow. The inner diameter of the first nozzle remains consistent in the axial direction and is larger than the inner diameter of the first straight section of the second nozzle. The above-mentioned conical section is conducive to reducing the energy loss of the fluid entering the second nozzle from the flow channel; according to the Venturi effect, when the restricted fluid passes through the reduced flow cross-section, the fluid will increase in flow velocity, and according to Bernoulli's principle, the increase in flow velocity is accompanied by a decrease in fluid pressure, so that low pressure will be generated near the high-speed flowing fluid, and then adsorption will be generated. The first straight section of the present invention is intended to achieve the effect of increasing the flow velocity as the cross-section becomes smaller, so that the gas in the gas collecting chamber is sucked into the water flow through the gap.

[0018] Preferably, the axial length of the first nozzle is 5 to 7 mm. The first nozzle of the present invention is mainly used for gas-liquid mixing. The size of the first nozzle determines the stability of the state after the gas-liquid mixing. If the length of the first nozzle is too long, it will cause the loss of jet energy, and if it is too small, it will cause the gas-liquid mixing state to be unstable. It has been verified that the above length parameters can be used to obtain a high-speed fluid with a stable state after the gas-liquid mixing.

[0019] In the above schemes, a water input port is opened on the box body, and a water inlet valve connected to a water source is arranged outside the box body. The first output port of the water inlet valve is connected to the water input port, and the second output port of the water inlet valve is connected to the input end of the steam generator. The steam output end of the steam generator is connected to the lower port of the power output shaft through a conduit.

[0020] Preferably, the steam generator is provided with a flow limiting mechanism capable of controlling the flow rate of water used to generate steam. This structure is provided to facilitate the control of the amount of steam.

[0021] Preferably, a vent is provided on the side wall of the box, and a ventilation mechanism connected to the vent is provided on the outside of the box for inputting dry gas into the box and / or discharging moisture in the box. This structure facilitates the disinfection and drying of dishes with steam after washing.

[0022] In the present invention, a concave drain area is provided at the bottom of the box body, the top of the drain area is covered with a drain plate, a guide seat is provided in the drain area and is arranged through the drain plate, the spray arm is rotatably supported on the guide seat, and the water pumping mechanism is used to pump the water in the drain area through the guide seat to the spray arm above the drain plate.

[0023] A cleaning method for the cleaning machine is characterized by comprising the following steps:

[0024] (1) Turn on the steam generator, and the steam generated by the steam generator is transmitted to the spray arm through the air guide channel of the power output shaft on the water pump mechanism. The steam further diffuses from bottom to top in the box through the spray arm to perform steam pre-cleaning on the dishes;

[0025] (2) After the steam pre-cleaning is completed, the steam generator is turned off and water is introduced into the box. After the water is introduced, the power output shaft of the water pumping mechanism rotates to pump water into the spray arm to wash the dishes. During the washing process, gas is input into the spray arm through the air guide channel of the power output shaft, so that bubbles are entrained in the spray water flow, thereby utilizing cavitation to improve the degree of removal of dirt from the surface of the dishes.

[0026] A cleaning method for the cleaning machine is characterized by comprising the following steps:

[0027] (1) Turn on the steam generator, and the steam generated by the steam generator is transmitted to the spray arm through the air guide channel of the power output shaft on the water pump mechanism. At the same time, the power output shaft of the water pump mechanism rotates, driving the spray arm to rotate through the transmission mechanism. The steam is stirred by the spray arm and quickly diffuses from bottom to top in the box, so that the dishes are pre-washed with steam;

[0028] (2) After the steam pre-cleaning is completed, the steam generator is turned off, and the power output shaft of the water pumping mechanism rotates to pump water into the spray arm and drive the spray arm to rotate, so as to wash the dishes. During the washing process, gas is input into the jet water flow through the air guide channel and the air collecting cavity of the power output shaft, so that bubbles are entrained in the jet water flow, thereby utilizing cavitation to improve the degree of removal of dirt from the surface of the dishes.

[0029] (3) Turn on the steam generator again, the power output shaft of the water pump mechanism rotates, and the spray arm rotates while allowing the steam to spread rapidly from bottom to top in the box, thereby performing high-temperature disinfection on the dishes;

[0030] (4) After disinfection is completed, the moisture in the box is discharged through the ventilation mechanism, and dry gas is input into the box to dry the dishes.

[0031] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are: the present invention is provided with a steam generator, and uses a hollow power output shaft and a spray arm to transport steam into the box body, so as to perform steam pre-cleaning on the dishes, which is beneficial to improving the removal effect of stubborn dirt; the present invention adopts the above-mentioned steam delivery method without opening a steam input port on the box body, which is convenient for production and assembly; because the hot steam rises, at the same time, the steam diffuses from bottom to top in the box body under the stirring of the spray arm, which is beneficial to uniform diffusion, eliminating dead corners of steam pre-cleaning, and improving the cleaning effect. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure from another angle;

[0034] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A partial enlarged view of

[0036] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the spray arm in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of

[0038] Figure 7 for Figure 6 A magnified view of part A;

[0039] Figure 8 for Figure 5 Exploded diagram of

[0040] Fig. 9 It is an exploded view of the water pump mechanism and the spray arm in the embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] The present invention is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0042] like Figures 1 to 8 As shown, the cleaning machine of this embodiment includes a box body 1, a spray arm 2 and a water pumping mechanism 3. The spray arm 2 is arranged in the box body 1 and close to the bottom. The water pumping mechanism 3 is arranged at the bottom of the box body 1 and is used to pump water from the bottom of the box body 1 into the spray arm 2.

[0043] like Figure 3 As shown, a concave drain area 11 is provided at the bottom of the box body 1, and the top of the drain area 11 is covered with a drain plate 12. A guide seat 13 is arranged through the drain plate 11 in the drain area 11, and the spray arm 2 is rotatably supported on the top of the guide seat 13. The water pumping mechanism 3 is used to pump the water in the drain area 11 through the guide seat 13 to the spray arm 2 above the drain plate 12.

[0044] like Figure 5 , 6 As shown in Figure 8, the spray arm 2 has a flow channel 21 extending along the length direction, and the central part of the spray arm 2 has a roughly disc-shaped water collecting chamber 22 connected to the flow channel 21. The bottom wall of the spray arm 2 is provided with a water inlet 23 connected to the water collecting chamber 22, and the top wall is provided with a water spray hole.

[0045] The water pump mechanism 3 includes a motor 31 and an impeller 32. The upper part of the impeller 32 is rotatably arranged in the water collecting chamber 22. The lower part of the impeller 32 is located below the water inlet 23. The upper part of the impeller 32 is a centrifugal impeller for dispersing the water in the water collecting chamber 22 into the flow channel 21. The lower part of the impeller 32 is an axial flow impeller for drawing water upward from the drainage area 11. The motor 31 is arranged on the outer bottom wall of the box body 1. The power output shaft 311 of the motor 31 passes through the bottom wall of the box body 1 upward and then passes through the water inlet 23 to extend into the spray arm 2. The impeller 32 is sleeved on the outer periphery of the power output shaft 311 and rotates therewith.

[0046] like Figure 1 , 3As shown, this embodiment is provided with a steam generator 4 that enables the cleaning machine to have a steam pre-washing function and to sterilize dishes at high temperature after washing. The power output shaft 311 is hollow inside to form an air guide channel 310, and the steam output end of the steam generator 4 is connected to the air guide channel 310.

[0047] A water flow input port 14 is provided on the side wall of the upper part of the box body 1, and a water inlet valve 5 connected to a water source is provided at the corner of the bottom of the box body 1. The first output port 51 of the water inlet valve 5 is connected to the water flow input port 14 through a pipeline, and the second output port 52 of the water inlet valve 5 is connected to the input end of the steam generator 4 through a pipeline, and the steam output end of the steam generator 4 is connected to the lower end of the power output shaft 311 through a conduit 41. A flow limiting mechanism capable of controlling the water flow rate used to generate steam is provided in the steam generator 4, so as to control the amount of steam.

[0048] A vent 15 is provided on the side wall of the box 1, and a ventilation mechanism 6 connected to the vent 15 and used to input dry gas into the box 1 and / or discharge moisture in the box 1 is provided on the outside of the box 1. The ventilation mechanism 6 may be provided with a heating element for heating the air input into the box 1. This structure facilitates the disinfection and drying of dishes with steam after washing.

[0049] In this embodiment, if Figure 6 As shown, a first spray hole 24 is formed on the top wall of the spray arm 2. Along the fluid flow direction, the spray arm 2 has a gas collecting chamber 25 located upstream of the first spray hole 24 for conveying gas toward the first spray hole 24. The upper end of the power output shaft 311 is connected to the gas collecting chamber 25. The gas collecting chamber 25 is not only convenient for uniformly dispersing steam to each spray hole, but also convenient for adding gas to the spray water flow, thereby integrating steam conveying and cavitation gas adding structures, simplifying the overall structure and reducing costs.

[0050] Specifically, the spray arm 2 includes a body 2a and a top plate 2b disposed above the body 2a. The flow channel 21 is located in the body 2a and extends along the length direction of the body 2a. The top plate 2b and the top wall of the body 2a together enclose a gas collecting cavity 25. A second spray hole 26 connected to the flow channel 21 and located in the gas collecting cavity 25 is opened on the top wall of the body 2a. The first spray hole 24 is opened on the top plate 2b and corresponds to the second spray hole 26. Figure 7As shown, there is a gap 200 between the first spray hole 24 and the second spray hole 26. According to the Venturi effect, when the water flows through the second spray hole 26 and the first spray hole 24, the air in the gas collecting cavity 25 can be sucked into the water column through the gap 200 between the two, so that bubbles are entrained in the jet, and the bubbles are broken on the surface of the dishes or fruits and vegetables to improve the dirt stripping force and improve the cleaning effect; and, by adding gas to the jet in a self-absorption manner, there is no need to set up an air pump, etc., which can greatly reduce the production cost.

[0051] like Figure 1 , 4 As shown, the power output shaft 311 of this embodiment is also connected with a one-way valve 7 that only allows external air to enter the air guide channel 310. The one-way valve 7 is set to prevent steam from overflowing when the steam generator 4 inputs steam into the air guide channel 310. During the water washing process when the steam generator 4 stops supplying steam to the air guide channel 310, it is convenient to add air to the jet water flow through the one-way valve 7 and the air guide channel 310, thereby utilizing cavitation to improve the cleaning effect.

[0052] In this embodiment, if Figure 4 , 9 As shown, the power output shaft 311 is connected to the spray arm 2 via a transmission mechanism 8 so that the spray arm 2 rotates along with the power output shaft 311 . Specifically, the spray arm 2 is provided with a mounting hole 27 for the power output shaft 311 to pass through and extend into the air collecting chamber 25. The spray arm 2 is provided with a mounting hole 27 for the power output shaft 311 to pass through and extend into the air collecting chamber 25. A first gear 81 connected to the power output shaft 311 is provided in the air collecting chamber 25. A second gear 82 located beside the first gear 81 and meshing with the first gear 81 is provided in the air collecting chamber 25. The diameter of the second gear 82 is larger than the diameter of the first gear 81. A third gear 83 is provided above the second gear 82, which is integrally formed with the second gear 82 and rotates coaxially with the second gear 82. The diameter of the third gear 83 is smaller than the diameter of the second gear 82. A fourth gear 84 meshing with the third gear 83 and constrained on the top wall of the air collecting chamber 25 is provided above the third gear 83. The above-mentioned first gear 81, second gear 82, third gear 83, and fourth gear 84 together constitute the above-mentioned transmission mechanism 8.

[0053] In this embodiment, if Figure 7 As shown, the top plate 2b is provided with a first nozzle 241 extending axially along the first spray hole 24, and correspondingly, the top wall of the body 2a is provided with a second nozzle 261 extending upward from the edge of the second spray hole 26. The first nozzle 241 and the second nozzle 261 are conducive to guiding the water flow, thereby forming a water column with a larger spray force.

[0054] Specifically, the width d2 of the gap 200 between the lower end of the first nozzle 241 and the upper end of the second nozzle 261 is 2-5 mm. This gap 200 determines the strength of the jet cavitation ability, that is, the amount of air inhaled. It has been verified that the above length parameters can achieve a higher jet cavitation effect.

[0055] like Figure 7 As shown, the second nozzle 261 has a tapered section 2611 and a first straight section 2612 connected in sequence along the water flow direction, and the inner diameter of the tapered section 2611 gradually decreases along the water flow direction. The inner diameter of the first nozzle 241 remains consistent in the axial direction and is larger than the inner diameter of the first straight section 2612 of the second nozzle 261. The tapered section 2611 is conducive to reducing the energy loss of the fluid entering the second nozzle 261 from the flow channel 21; according to the Venturi effect, when the restricted fluid passes through the reduced flow cross section, the fluid will have an increased flow velocity, and according to Bernoulli's law, the increase in flow velocity is accompanied by a decrease in fluid pressure, so that low pressure will be generated near the high-speed flowing fluid, and then an adsorption effect will be generated. The first straight section 2612 of this embodiment is intended to achieve the effect of increasing the flow velocity as the cross section becomes smaller, so that the gas in the gas collecting cavity 25 is sucked into the water flow through the gap 200.

[0056] The axial length d1 of the first nozzle 241 is 5 to 7 mm. The first nozzle 241 of this embodiment is mainly used for gas-liquid mixing. The size of the first nozzle 241 determines the stability of the state after the gas-liquid mixing. If the length of the first nozzle 241 is too long, it will cause the loss of jet energy, and if it is too small, it will cause the gas-liquid mixing state to be unstable. It has been verified that the above length parameters can be used to obtain a high-speed fluid with a stable state after the gas-liquid mixing.

[0057] The cleaning method of the above-mentioned cleaning machine comprises the following steps:

[0058] (1) Turn on the steam generator 4. The steam generated by the steam generator 4 is transported to the spray arm 2 through the air guide channel 310 of the power output shaft 311 on the water pump mechanism 3. The steam further diffuses from bottom to top in the box 1 through the spray arm 2 to perform steam pre-cleaning on the dishes.

[0059] (2) After the steam pre-cleaning is completed, the steam generator 4 is turned off and water is introduced into the housing 1. After the water is introduced, the power output shaft 311 of the water pumping mechanism 3 rotates to pump water into the spray arm 2 to wash the dishes. During the washing process, gas is input into the spray arm 2 through the air guide channel 310 of the power output shaft 311, so that bubbles are entrained in the spray water flow, thereby utilizing the cavitation effect to improve the degree of removal of dirt from the surface of the dishes.

[0060] In order to further improve the cleaning effect and efficiency, the cleaning method of the cleaning machine of this embodiment can also be:

[0061] (1) Water is introduced into the housing 1. After the water is introduced, the steam generator 4 is turned on. The steam generated by the steam generator 4 is transmitted to the spray arm 2 through the air guide channel 310 of the power output shaft 311 on the water pumping mechanism 3. At the same time, the power output shaft 311 of the water pumping mechanism 2 is reversed, and the spray arm 2 is driven to rotate through the transmission mechanism 8. The steam is stirred by the spray arm 2 and quickly diffuses from bottom to top in the housing 1, so that the dishes are pre-cleaned with steam;

[0062] (2) After the steam pre-cleaning is completed, the steam generator 4 is turned off, and the power output shaft 311 of the water pumping mechanism 3 rotates forward to pump water into the spray arm 2 and drive the spray arm 2 to rotate, so as to wash the dishes. During the washing process, due to the negative pressure generated at the gap 200, gas is input into the jet water flow through the one-way valve 7, the air guide channel 310 of the power output shaft 311 and the gas collecting chamber 25, so that bubbles are entrained in the jet water flow, thereby utilizing the cavitation effect to improve the degree of removal of dirt on the surface of the dishes.

[0063] (3) After washing, the steam generator 4 is turned on again, the power output shaft 311 of the water pump mechanism 3 is reversed, and the spray arm 2 rotates while allowing the steam to diffuse rapidly from bottom to top in the box 1, thereby performing high-temperature disinfection on the dishes;

[0064] (4) After disinfection is completed, the moisture in the box 1 is discharged through the ventilation mechanism 6, and dry gas is input into the box 1 to dry the dishes. In the specification and claims of the present invention, terms indicating directions, such as "front", "back", "up", "down", "left", "right", "side", "top", "bottom", etc., are used to describe various example structural parts and elements of the present invention, but these terms are used here only for the purpose of convenience of explanation and are determined based on the example orientations shown in the accompanying drawings. Since the embodiments disclosed in the present invention can be arranged in different directions, these terms indicating directions are only for illustration and should not be regarded as limitations. For example, "up" and "down" are not necessarily limited to directions opposite to or consistent with the direction of gravity.

Claims

1. A cleaning machine, comprising a housing (1), a spray arm (2) and a water pumping mechanism (3), wherein the spray arm (2) is arranged in the housing (1) and close to the bottom, the water pumping mechanism (3) is arranged on the housing (1) and is used to pump water at the bottom of the housing (1) into the spray arm (2), and a power output shaft (311) of the water pumping mechanism (3) passes through the housing (1) and extends into the spray arm (2), characterized in that: It also comprises a steam generator (4), the power output shaft (311) is hollow inside to form an air guide channel (310), and the steam output end of the steam generator (4) is connected to the air guide channel (310); the power output shaft (311) is connected to the spray arm (2) via a transmission mechanism (8), so that the spray arm (2) rotates with the power output shaft (311); The top wall of the spray arm (2) is provided with a first spray hole (24); along the fluid flow direction, the spray arm (2) has a gas collecting chamber (25) located upstream of the first spray hole (24) and used for conveying gas in the direction of the first spray hole (24); the upper end of the power output shaft (311) is connected to the gas collecting chamber (25); the spray arm (2) is provided with a mounting hole (27) for the power output shaft (311) to pass through and extend into the gas collecting chamber (25); the gas collecting chamber (25) is provided with a transmission mechanism (8) connected to the power output shaft (311); The air collecting chamber (25) is provided with a first gear (81) connected to the power output shaft (311); the air collecting chamber (25) is provided with a second gear (82) located beside the first gear (81) and meshing with the first gear (81); the second gear (82) is provided with a third gear (83) coaxially rotating with the second gear (82); the third gear (84) meshing with the third gear (83) and constrained on the spray arm (2) is provided beside the third gear (83); the first gear (81), the second gear (82), the third gear (83) and the fourth gear (84) together constitute the transmission mechanism (8); The spray arm (2) comprises a body (2a) and a top plate (2b) arranged above the body (2a); the body (2a) has a flow channel (21) extending along the length direction of the body (2a); the top plate (2b) and the top wall of the body (2a) together enclose the gas collecting cavity (25); the top wall of the body (2a) is provided with a second spray hole (26) connected to the flow channel (21) and located in the gas collecting cavity (25); the first spray hole (24) is opened on the top plate (2b) The top plate (2b) is provided with a first nozzle (241) extending axially along the first nozzle (24), and correspondingly, the top wall of the body (2a) is provided with a second nozzle (261) extending upward from the edge of the second nozzle (26); the width of the gap (200) between the lower end of the first nozzle (241) and the upper end of the second nozzle (261) is 2 to 5 mm; the inner diameter of the first nozzle (241) remains consistent in the axial direction and is larger than the inner diameter of the first straight section (2612) of the second nozzle (261).

2. The cleaning machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The spray arm (2) is provided with a mounting hole (27) for the power output shaft (311) to pass through and extend into the air collecting chamber (25); the bottom wall of the spray arm (2) is provided with a water inlet (23); the spray arm (2) has a water collecting chamber (22) connected to the water inlet (23); the mounting hole (27) is provided on the top wall of the water collecting chamber (22); the water pump mechanism (3) further comprises an impeller (32); at least the upper portion of the impeller (32) is rotatably located in the water collecting chamber (22) and is connected to the power output shaft (311).

3. The cleaning machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The power output shaft (311) is also connected to a one-way valve (7) that only allows external air to enter the air guide channel (310).

4. The cleaning machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second nozzle (261) comprises a conical section (2611) and a first straight section (2612) which are connected in sequence along the water flow direction, and the inner diameter of the conical section (2611) gradually decreases along the water flow direction.

5. The cleaning machine according to claim 4, characterized in that: The axial length of the first nozzle (241) is 5 to 7 mm.

6. The cleaning machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The box body (1) is provided with a water flow input port (14); a water inlet valve (5) connected to a water source is arranged outside the box body (1); a first output port (51) of the water inlet valve (5) is connected to the water flow input port (14); a second output port (52) of the water inlet valve (5) is connected to an input end of the steam generator (4); and a steam output end of the steam generator (4) is connected to a lower end of a power output shaft (311) via a conduit (41).

7. The cleaning machine according to claim 6, characterized in that: The steam generator (4) is provided with a flow limiting mechanism capable of controlling the flow rate of water used to generate steam.

8. The cleaning machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The side wall of the box body (1) is provided with an air vent (15), and the outer side of the box body (1) is provided with a ventilation mechanism (6) connected to the air vent (15) and used for inputting dry gas into the box body (1) and / or discharging moisture in the box body (1).

9. The cleaning machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The bottom of the box body (1) is provided with a concave drain area (11), the top of the drain area (11) is covered with a drain plate (12), the drain area (11) is provided with a guide seat (13) arranged through the drain plate (12), the spray arm (2) is rotatably supported on the guide seat (13), and the water pumping mechanism (3) is used to pump water in the drain area (11) through the guide seat (13) to the spray arm (2) above the drain plate (12).

10. A cleaning method for a cleaning machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that The following steps are involved: (1) Turning on the steam generator (4), the steam generated by the steam generator (4) is transmitted to the spray arm (2) through the air guide channel (310) of the power output shaft (311) on the water pump mechanism (3), and the steam is further diffused from bottom to top in the box (1) through the spray arm (2), so as to perform steam pre-cleaning on the dishes; (2) After the steam pre-cleaning is completed, the steam generator (4) is turned off, and the power output shaft (311) of the water pumping mechanism (3) rotates to pump water into the spray arm (2) to wash the dishes. During the washing process, gas is input into the spray arm (2) through the air guide channel (310) of the power output shaft (311), so that bubbles are entrained in the spray water flow, thereby utilizing cavitation to improve the degree of removal of dirt from the surface of the dishes.

11. A cleaning method for a cleaning machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that The following steps are involved: (1) The steam generator (4) is turned on. The steam generated by the steam generator (4) is transmitted to the spray arm (2) through the air guide channel (310) of the power output shaft (311) on the water pump mechanism (3). At the same time, the power output shaft (311) of the water pump mechanism (3) rotates, driving the spray arm (2) to rotate through the gear set (8). The steam is stirred by the spray arm (2) and diffuses rapidly from bottom to top in the box (1), thereby performing steam pre-cleaning on the dishes. (2) After the steam pre-cleaning is completed, the steam generator (4) is turned off, and the power output shaft (311) of the water pumping mechanism (3) rotates to pump water into the spray arm (2) and drive the spray arm (2) to rotate, thereby washing the dishes; During the washing process, gas is input into the jet water flow through the air guide channel (310) of the power output shaft (311) and the air collecting chamber (25), so that bubbles are entrained in the jet water flow, thereby utilizing cavitation to improve the degree of stripping of dirt from the surface of dishes.

12. The cleaning method according to claim 11, characterized in that: After step (2) is completed, the steam generator (4) is turned on again, the power output shaft (311) of the water pump mechanism (3) rotates, and the spray arm (2) rotates while allowing the steam to spread rapidly from bottom to top in the box (1), thereby performing high-temperature disinfection on the dishes.

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