A transmission system and a clothes dryer

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of clothes dryer, and discloses a transmission system and clothes dryer.The transmission system comprises a driving module, a transition module and a driven module, the driving module comprises a motor shaft, a driving pulley and a driving friction wheel; the transition module comprises a swing arm, a rotating shaft, a transition shaft, a transition pulley and a driven friction wheel, the swing arm can rotate around the rotating shaft, and the driven friction wheel is lapped on the driving friction wheel; the driven module comprises a fan shaft, a driven wheel and a one-way structure arranged between the fan shaft and the driven wheel, and the one-way structure is configured to be able to transmit power only when the driven wheel rotates relative to the fan shaft in a first direction.The present application can ensure that the fan shaft always rotates in one direction no matter which direction the motor shaft rotates, so that the clothes dryer adopting the transmission system can rotate the drum in the forward and reverse directions to prevent winding, and the fan can keep rotating in one direction to continuously blow air, without the need for additionally setting an extra motor, thereby saving cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of clothes dryer technology, and more particularly to a transmission system and a clothes dryer. Background Technology

[0002] Due to cost and space constraints, dryers typically only have one motor (10') that drives both the drum (30') and the fan (40'). Figure 1 As shown, the roller 30' is disposed inside the housing 60', and the housing 60' has an opening that connects to the roller 30'. The door 70' can open and close the opening. The roller 30' is used to hold clothes. The first output shaft 11' of the motor 10' is driven and connected to the roller 30' through the roller belt 21'. The motor 10' can drive the roller 30' to rotate, causing the clothes to tumble. During this process, different parts of the clothes are randomly exposed to the air. The heat generated by the condenser (heat pump type) or the electric heating module (condenser type) accelerates the evaporation of moisture in the clothes. The second output shaft 12' of the motor 10' is driven and connected to the fan shaft 41' through the fan belt 22'. The motor 10' can drive the fan shaft 41' to rotate, thereby causing the fan 40' to rotate. The hot air blown out by the fan 40' is blown into the roller 30' through the air duct 50', causing the water vapor evaporated in the roller 30' to quickly flow out of the roller 30' for condensation and drainage. If the 30' drum continues to rotate in one direction, clothes will become severely tangled, preventing the center of the bundled clothes from drying. This also makes it inconvenient for users to handle the clothes after taking them out, resulting in a poor user experience.

[0003] To address these issues, current dryers typically rotate clockwise for a certain period followed by counter-clockwise for a certain period. Since most dryers use the same motor to drive the drum and fan, if the fan-driven airflow during clockwise rotation follows the designed airflow path, effectively delivering warm, humid air and condensing moisture, then the airflow path reverses during counter-clockwise rotation. This not only results in extremely low airflow efficiency but, more importantly, renders drying impossible. While this solves the problem of clothes tangling, it reduces drying efficiency by over 50%. This is because, although moisture cannot be condensed during counter-clockwise rotation, the compressor or heating module is still working, significantly increasing drying time and energy consumption.

[0004] The current compromise is as follows: although forward and reverse rotation is used, the forward rotation time is longer than the reverse rotation time, which improves efficiency, but the entanglement problem is not completely solved, and the efficiency loss is still more than 30%!

[0005] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a transmission system and a clothes dryer to solve the above-mentioned technical problems. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a transmission system and a clothes dryer that can ensure that the fan shaft always rotates in one direction, regardless of which direction the motor shaft rotates.

[0007] To achieve this objective, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0008] A transmission system, comprising:

[0009] The drive module includes a motor shaft and a drive pulley and a drive friction wheel fixedly connected to the motor shaft;

[0010] The transition module includes a swing arm, a rotating shaft disposed at one end of the swing arm, a transition shaft disposed at the other end of the swing arm, a transition pulley fixedly connected to the transition shaft, and a driven friction wheel. The swing arm is capable of rotating around the rotating shaft, and the driven friction wheel is attached to the driving friction wheel.

[0011] The driven module includes a fan shaft, a driven wheel disposed on the fan shaft, and a one-way structure disposed between the fan shaft and the driven wheel. The driven wheel includes a first driven wheel and a second driven wheel. A first transmission belt is sleeved on the drive pulley and the first driven wheel, and a second transmission belt is sleeved on the transition pulley and the second driven wheel. The one-way structure is configured to transmit power only when the driven wheel rotates relative to the fan shaft in a first direction.

[0012] As a preferred technical solution for the transmission system, the unidirectional structure includes a receiving groove, an elastic element, and a ball bearing. Two sets of receiving grooves are provided on the fan shaft, and the two sets of receiving grooves correspond one-to-one with the first driven wheel and the second driven wheel. Multiple receiving grooves in each set are spaced apart along the circumference of the fan shaft. One end of the elastic element is connected to the bottom of the receiving groove, and the other end of the elastic element is connected to the ball bearing.

[0013] As a preferred technical solution for the transmission system, the elastic element is a spring.

[0014] As a preferred technical solution for the transmission system, each group of receiving slots includes at least two receiving slots.

[0015] As a preferred technical solution for the transmission system, the rotating shaft is mounted on a fixed platform via a shaft seat.

[0016] As a preferred technical solution for the transmission system, a limiting protrusion is also provided on the fixed platform. The limiting protrusion is used to limit the stroke of the swing arm as it swings downward in the direction of pressing down on the driving friction wheel.

[0017] As a preferred technical solution for the transmission system, the fixed platform is disposed on the casing of the dryer.

[0018] As a preferred technical solution for the transmission system, the fixed platform and the casing of the dryer are integrally formed.

[0019] As a preferred technical solution for the transmission system, the first direction is clockwise.

[0020] A clothes dryer includes a drive system as described in any of the above embodiments.

[0021] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0022] The transmission system provided by this invention can ensure that the fan shaft always rotates in one direction, regardless of which direction the motor shaft rotates. Therefore, a dryer using this transmission system can use only one motor to prevent the drum from turning forward and backward to prevent tangling, and to keep the fan in one direction for continuous air delivery. There is no need to set up an additional motor, which saves costs and reduces space occupation, ensuring that the size of the dryer does not increase. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a top sectional view of a clothes dryer in the prior art;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the transmission system provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along the AA direction;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the unidirectional structure involved in the embodiments of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 A cross-sectional view along the BB direction;

[0028] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the movement direction of each wheel in the transmission system provided in this embodiment of the invention when the motor shaft rotates clockwise. Figure 1 ;

[0029] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the movement direction of each wheel in the transmission system provided in this embodiment of the invention when the motor shaft rotates clockwise. Figure 2 ;

[0030] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the motion direction of each wheel in the transmission system provided in this embodiment of the invention when the motor shaft rotates counterclockwise. Figure 1 ;

[0031] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the motion direction of each wheel in the transmission system provided in this embodiment of the invention when the motor shaft rotates counterclockwise. Figure 2 .

[0032] In the picture:

[0033] 10' Motor; 11' First output shaft; 12' Second output shaft; 21' Drum belt; 22' Fan belt; 30' Drum; 40' Fan; 41' Fan shaft; 50' Air duct; 60' Housing; 70' Door;

[0034] 11. Motor shaft; 12. Drive pulley; 13. Drive friction wheel; 21. Swing arm; 22. Rotating shaft; 23. Transition shaft; 24. Transition pulley; 25. Driven friction wheel; 26. Fixed platform; 27. Shaft seat; 28. Limiting protrusion; 31. Fan shaft; 311. Receiving groove; 32. First driven wheel; 33. Second driven wheel; 34. Elastic element; 35. Ball bearing; 41. First transmission belt; 42. Second transmission belt. Detailed Implementation

[0035] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and not intended to limit it. Furthermore, it should be noted that, for ease of description, only the parts relevant to the present invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, not all of them.

[0036] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connected," "linked," and "fixed" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0037] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0038] In the description of this embodiment, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," etc., refer to the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for ease of description and simplification of operation, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used only for distinction in description and have no special meaning.

[0039] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, this embodiment of the invention provides a transmission system, including a drive module, a transition module, and a driven module. The drive module includes a motor shaft 11, a drive pulley 12 and a drive friction wheel 13 fixedly connected to the motor shaft 11. The transition module includes a swing arm 21, a rotating shaft 22 disposed at one end of the swing arm 21, a transition shaft 23 disposed at the other end of the swing arm 21, a transition pulley 24 fixedly connected to the transition shaft 23, and a driven friction wheel 25. The swing arm 21 is rotatable around the rotating shaft 22, and the driven friction wheel 25 engages with the drive friction wheel 13 (i.e., the driven friction wheel 25). The distance between the projection of the axis of the drive friction wheel 25 onto the horizontal plane is less than the sum of their radii; the driven module includes a fan shaft 31, a driven wheel disposed on the fan shaft 31, and a one-way structure disposed between the fan shaft 31 and the driven wheel. The driven wheel includes a first driven wheel 32 and a second driven wheel 33. A first transmission belt 41 is sleeved on the drive pulley 12 and the first driven wheel 32, and a second transmission belt 42 is sleeved on the transition pulley 24 and the second driven wheel 33. The one-way structure is configured to transmit power only when the driven wheel rotates relative to the fan shaft 31 in a first direction.

[0040] In this embodiment, the first direction is clockwise. Combined with... Figure 6 and Figure 7As shown, when the motor shaft 11 rotates clockwise, the drive pulley 12 drives the first driven pulley 32 to rotate clockwise via the first transmission belt 41. At this time, under the action of the unidirectional structure, power transmission can be realized between the first driven pulley 32 and the fan shaft 31, and the fan shaft 31 rotates clockwise together with the first driven pulley 32. At the same time, the drive friction wheel 13, which is fixedly connected to the motor shaft 11, will drive the driven friction wheel 25 to rotate counterclockwise. At this time, the axis of the driven friction wheel 25 will have an upward rotational force, which causes the center distance between the transition shaft 23 and the fan shaft 31 to become shorter. The second transmission belt 42 is in a slack state, and therefore the second transmission belt 42 can hardly transmit power. Even if there is a slight power transmission, because the second driven pulley 33 rotates counterclockwise, under the action of the unidirectional structure, power transmission cannot be realized between the second driven pulley 33 and the fan shaft 31. Although the fan shaft 31 has been driven to rotate clockwise by the first driven wheel 32, when the fan shaft 31 is the active one relative to the second driven wheel 33, the clockwise rotation of the fan shaft 31 cannot drive the second driven wheel 33 to move. Therefore, the fan shaft 31 still rotates clockwise.

[0041] Combination Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, when the motor shaft 11 rotates counterclockwise, the drive pulley 12 drives the first driven wheel 32 to rotate counterclockwise via the first transmission belt 41. At this time, under the action of the one-way structure, the power of the first driven wheel 32 cannot be transmitted to the fan shaft 31. At the same time, the drive friction wheel 13, which is fixedly connected to the motor shaft 11, drives the driven friction wheel 25 to rotate clockwise. At this time, the axis of the driven friction wheel 25 will have a downward rotational force, which makes the force of the driven friction wheel 25 against the drive friction wheel 13 increase. Moreover, the distance between the axis of the transition shaft 23 and the fan shaft 31 becomes longer, and the second transmission belt 42 is in a taut state. Thus, the transition pulley 24, which is fixedly connected to the transition shaft 23 at the same time as the driven friction wheel 25, drives the second driven wheel 33 to rotate clockwise via the second transmission belt 42. At this time, under the action of the one-way structure, power can be transmitted between the second driven wheel 33 and the fan shaft 31, and the fan shaft 31 rotates clockwise together with the second driven wheel 33.

[0042] In this embodiment, regardless of whether the motor shaft 11 rotates clockwise or counterclockwise, the fan shaft 31 will always rotate clockwise. Of course, in other embodiments, the first direction can also be counterclockwise; similarly, regardless of whether the motor shaft 11 rotates clockwise or counterclockwise, the fan shaft 31 will always rotate counterclockwise. In summary, this transmission system ensures that the fan shaft 31 rotates in one direction regardless of which direction the motor shaft 11 rotates. Therefore, a dryer using this transmission system only needs one motor to prevent the drum from tangling in both forward and reverse rotation, and to maintain a single direction for continuous airflow from the fan, eliminating the need for an additional motor. This saves costs, reduces space requirements, and ensures the dryer's size remains consistent, making it suitable for a wider range of applications.

[0043] In this embodiment, as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the unidirectional structure includes a receiving groove 311, an elastic element 34, and a ball bearing 35. Two sets of receiving grooves 311 are provided on the fan shaft 31. The two sets of receiving grooves 311 correspond one-to-one with the first driven wheel 32 and the second driven wheel 33. Multiple receiving grooves 311 in each set are spaced apart along the circumference of the fan shaft 31. One end of the elastic element 34 is connected to the bottom of the receiving groove 311, and the other end of the elastic element 34 is connected to the ball bearing 35. The above structure, together with the inner wall of the driven wheel, forms a complete friction ratchet structure. When the driven wheel rotates clockwise, the ball bearing 35 presses against the inner wall of the driven shaft, thereby driving the fan shaft 31 to rotate clockwise. When the driven wheel rotates counterclockwise, the ball bearing 35 presses against the elastic element 34, thus preventing the fan shaft 31 from rotating. Similarly, when the fan shaft 31 is the driving force relative to the driven wheel, counterclockwise rotation of the fan shaft 31 can drive the driven wheel, while clockwise rotation cannot. In this embodiment, each set of receiving slots 311 includes at least two receiving slots 311, preferably an odd number, but is not limited to this. Preferably, the elastic element 34 is a spring.

[0044] In this embodiment, the rotating shaft 22 is mounted on the fixed platform 26 via the bearing seat 27. The fixed platform 26 can be part of the dryer's casing or can be separately mounted on the internal frame of the casing. Preferably, the fixed platform 26 is also provided with a limiting protrusion 28, which is used to limit the stroke of the swing arm 21 in the direction of downward pressing the driving friction wheel 13. By providing the limiting protrusion, the maximum downward sinking of the driven friction wheel 25 can be limited, preventing the driven friction wheel 25 from seizing with the driving friction wheel 13.

[0045] This invention also provides a clothes dryer, which includes at least a motor, a drum, a fan, and a transmission system as described above. The motor has a first output shaft and a second output shaft. The first output shaft of the motor is driven and connected to the drum. The second output shaft of the motor is the motor shaft 11 involved in the transmission system. The fan shaft 31 in the transmission system is connected to the fan. The motor can drive the drum and the fan simultaneously through the transmission system. By using the above transmission system, the fan shaft 31 can always rotate clockwise, regardless of whether the motor rotates clockwise or counterclockwise. Thus, only one motor is needed to prevent the drum from tangling in both directions and to keep the fan in one direction for continuous air delivery, eliminating the need for an additional motor and saving costs.

[0046] Obviously, the above embodiments of the present invention are merely examples for clearly illustrating the present invention, and are not intended to limit the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make other variations or modifications based on the above description. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively describe all embodiments here. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A transmission system, characterized in that, include: The drive module includes a motor shaft (11) and a drive pulley (12) and a drive friction wheel (13) fixedly connected to the motor shaft (11); The transition module includes a swing arm (21), a rotating shaft (22) disposed at one end of the swing arm (21), a transition shaft (23) disposed at the other end of the swing arm (21), a transition pulley (24) fixedly connected to the transition shaft (23), and a driven friction wheel (25). The swing arm (21) is capable of rotating around the rotating shaft (22). The driven friction wheel (25) is attached to the driving friction wheel (13). The distance between the projections of the axes of the driven friction wheel (25) and the driving friction wheel (13) on the horizontal plane is less than the sum of their radii. The driven module includes a fan shaft (31), a driven wheel disposed on the fan shaft (31), and a one-way structure disposed between the fan shaft (31) and the driven wheel. The driven wheel includes a first driven wheel (32) and a second driven wheel (33). A first transmission belt (41) is sleeved on the drive pulley (12) and the first driven wheel (32). A second transmission belt (42) is sleeved on the transition pulley (24) and the second driven wheel (33). The one-way structure is configured to transmit power only when the driven wheel rotates relative to the fan shaft (31) in a first direction. When the motor shaft (11) rotates in the opposite direction of the first direction, the drive pulley (12) drives the first driven wheel (32) to rotate in the opposite direction of the first direction via the first transmission belt (41). At this time, under the action of the unidirectional structure, the power of the first driven wheel (32) cannot be transmitted to the fan shaft (31). At the same time, the drive friction wheel (13) fixedly connected to the motor shaft (11) will drive the driven friction wheel (25) to rotate in the first direction. At this time, the axis of the driven friction wheel (25) will have a downward rotational force, causing the driven friction wheel (25) to press against the drive friction wheel. The force of the friction wheel (13) increases, and the center distance between the transition shaft (23) and the fan shaft (31) increases. The second transmission belt (42) is in a taut state, so the transition pulley (24), which is fixedly connected to the transition shaft (23) at the same time as the driven friction wheel (25), drives the second driven wheel (33) to rotate in the first direction through the second transmission belt (42). At this time, under the action of the unidirectional structure, the second driven wheel (33) and the fan shaft (31) can realize power transmission, and the fan shaft (31) rotates together with the second driven wheel (33) in the first direction.

2. The transmission system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The unidirectional structure includes a receiving groove (311), an elastic element (34), and a ball (35). Two sets of receiving grooves (311) are provided on the fan shaft (31). The two sets of receiving grooves (311) correspond one-to-one with the first driven wheel (32) and the second driven wheel (33). Multiple receiving grooves (311) in each set are spaced apart along the circumference of the fan shaft (31). One end of the elastic element (34) is connected to the bottom of the receiving groove (311), and the other end of the elastic element (34) is connected to the ball (35).

3. The transmission system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The elastic element (34) is a spring.

4. The transmission system according to claim 2, characterized in that, Each group of the receiving slots (311) includes at least two receiving slots (311).

5. The transmission system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rotating shaft (22) is mounted on the fixed platform (26) via a bearing seat (27).

6. The transmission system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The fixed platform (26) is also provided with a limiting protrusion (28), which is used to limit the stroke of the swing arm (21) in the direction of pressing down on the driving friction wheel (13).

7. The transmission system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The fixed platform (26) is set on the casing of the dryer.

8. The transmission system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The fixed platform (26) is integrally formed with the casing of the dryer.

9. The transmission system according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The first direction is clockwise.

10. A clothes dryer, characterized in that, Includes the transmission system as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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