Control method of a laundry treating apparatus

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of clothes processing, and particularly provides a control method of clothes processing equipment, aiming at solving the problem that the drying time is not easy to grasp when the existing clothes processing equipment uses external air to dry the outer drum and the window pad. To this end, the clothes processing equipment of the present application comprises a cabinet, an outer drum, a fresh air system, an ambient humidity sensor and an air outlet humidity sensor, the outer drum is arranged in the cabinet and connected with the clothes feeding port of the cabinet through the window pad, the fresh air system communicates the outer drum with the outside world and can dry the outer drum and the window pad; the control method comprises: obtaining the ambient humidity and the air outlet humidity of the fresh air system when the fresh air system is running and the clothes are taken out; if the difference between the air outlet humidity and the ambient humidity is less than or equal to the set humidity value, the fresh air system is stopped. When the fresh air system is used to dehumidify the outer drum and the window pad, the present application can accurately determine the time when the fresh air system stops running, avoiding excessive energy consumption.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of clothing processing technology, and specifically provides a control method for clothing processing equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Clothing processing equipment is capable of washing, rinsing, spin-drying, and / or drying clothes. Taking a front-loading washing machine as an example, it uses an inner and outer drum structure. The inner drum holds the clothes and tumbles them by rotating, while the outer drum holds the washing water. After washing, water residue remains on the inner wall of the outer drum and the door seal of the washing machine. If not treated, this residue can lead to mold and bacteria growth, making cleaning difficult and affecting future use. Front-loading washing machines with drying functions can dry the outer drum and door seal through their drying system. However, because the outer drum and door seal are isolated from the outside environment, moisture cannot escape smoothly, requiring a significant amount of time and energy to dry the outer drum, and the drying effect on the door seal is poor.

[0003] In existing technologies, a ventilation system that connects the drum washing machine to the outside environment can be installed to solve the above problems. That is, after washing, the ventilation system can allow the outer drum and window gasket to be ventilated by the outside air, thereby using the outside air to dry the outer drum and window gasket. However, if the drying time is too long, it may continue to dry even when there is no residual water in the outer drum and window gasket, resulting in unnecessary energy consumption. If the drying time is too short, it may not be able to completely remove the residual water in the outer drum and window gasket. The drying time is difficult to control, which is not conducive to the user experience.

[0004] Therefore, there is a need in the field for a new control method for garment processing equipment to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, namely, to solve the problem that the drying time is difficult to control when using outside air to dry the outer tube and window gasket in existing clothing processing equipment.

[0006] This invention provides a control method for a clothing processing device. The clothing processing device includes: a housing, an outer cylinder, a fresh air system, an ambient humidity sensor, and an outlet humidity sensor. The outer cylinder is disposed inside the housing and connected to the clothing loading port of the housing via a window gasket. The fresh air system connects the outer cylinder to the outside environment and is capable of drying the outer cylinder and the window gasket. The ambient humidity sensor can detect the humidity of the environment in which the clothing processing device is located, and the outlet humidity sensor can detect the outlet humidity of the fresh air system.

[0007] The control method includes:

[0008] With the fresh air system in operation and the clothes removed, the ambient humidity and the humidity of the air outlet of the fresh air system are obtained.

[0009] If the difference between the outlet humidity and the ambient humidity is less than or equal to the set humidity value, the fresh air system will stop operating.

[0010] This control method allows the system to determine whether the humidity inside the outer casing and window gasket is close to the ambient humidity when using the fresh air system to dry the outer casing and window gasket, based on the humidity of the fresh air system's outlet air and the ambient humidity of the clothing processing equipment. If it is close to the ambient humidity, it means that the fresh air system can no longer further dehumidify the outer casing and window gasket. At this point, the fresh air system is turned off to avoid unnecessary energy consumption and improve the user experience.

[0011] In the preferred embodiment of the above control method, a heating device is provided in the fresh air system, and the control method further includes:

[0012] When the fresh air system is running and the clothes are removed, if the ambient humidity is greater than or equal to the preset humidity, the heating device will be turned on.

[0013] With this control method, the heating device can be turned on when the ambient humidity is high, avoiding the introduction of humid air and preventing the outer cylinder and window gasket from drying out, thus further improving the user experience.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment of the above control method, the garment processing equipment further includes an ambient temperature sensor capable of detecting the temperature of the environment in which the garment processing equipment is located, and the control method further includes:

[0015] The ambient temperature is obtained when the fresh air system is running and the clothes are removed.

[0016] If the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the preset temperature, the heating device is turned on.

[0017] With this control method, the heating device can be turned on when the ambient temperature is low, avoiding the introduction of low-temperature air and preventing the drying of the outer cylinder and window gasket, thus further improving the user experience.

[0018] In the preferred embodiment of the above control method, the control method further includes:

[0019] When the laundry is finished but the clothes are not removed and the fresh air system is running, the ambient temperature is obtained;

[0020] If the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the freezing temperature, the heating device is turned on.

[0021] This control method prevents outside air from reaching freezing temperatures and causing clothes to freeze when the laundry is finished. Instead, the heating device raises the air temperature above freezing, thus preventing the washed clothes from freezing. In addition, the fresh air system can suppress odors and prevent wrinkles, further enhancing the user experience.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment of the above control method, when the laundry processing equipment has finished washing but the clothes have not been removed and the fresh air system is operating, the control method further includes:

[0023] The inner drum of the garment processing device is rotated by a set angle every first set time interval.

[0024] This control method allows clothes to be fully shaken and stretched, avoiding the problem of too many clothes affecting the drying and care of the clothes. It can more effectively remove odors and eliminate wrinkles, further improving the user experience.

[0025] In the preferred embodiment of the above control method, the fresh air system is equipped with an aromatherapy device, which is configured to be selectively turned on;

[0026] When the laundry is finished but the clothes are not removed and the fresh air system is running, the aromatherapy device is turned on by default.

[0027] This control method allows for the addition of fragrance to clothing during the air-drying process of the fresh air system, thus enhancing the user experience.

[0028] In the preferred embodiment of the above control method, the fresh air system is equipped with an aromatherapy device, which is configured to be selectively turned on;

[0029] When there are clothes in the inner drum of the clothing processing device and the clothing processing device is not in washing mode and the fresh air system is running, an input aromatherapy care command is obtained.

[0030] If an input aromatherapy instruction is received, the aromatherapy device will be turned on.

[0031] This control method allows for the addition of fragrance to clothing after it has been placed in the garment processing equipment, even if it is not washed. This is achieved by using the fresh air system to dry and care for the clothing while adding fragrance, thus making full use of the fresh air system. There is no need to set up a separate structure to bring the fragrance into the outer cylinder; the fragrance can be brought into the outer cylinder by the fresh air system, simplifying the structure of the garment processing equipment and further improving the user experience.

[0032] In a preferred embodiment of the above control method, when the fresh air system is running and the aromatherapy device is turned on, the control method further includes:

[0033] The inner drum of the garment processing device is rotated alternately in both forward and reverse directions a preset number of times every second set time period.

[0034] This control method allows the fragrance to fully penetrate the clothing. Even when there are many clothes, the alternating rotation of the inner drum can continuously change the position of different clothes, which helps the fragrance to penetrate into all the clothes and fully reach the fibers, improving the fragrance effect and further enhancing the user experience.

[0035] In the preferred embodiment of the above control method, the fresh air system is equipped with an air filtration device, which can filter the air entering the fresh air system and then allow the filtered air to enter the outer cylinder and the window gasket.

[0036] This control method allows the air filtration system to filter fresh air, preventing external impurities (such as dust) from entering the outer cylinder and contaminating clothing, the outer cylinder, and window seals, thus further enhancing the user experience.

[0037] In a preferred embodiment of the above control method, an air inlet is provided on the rear panel of the housing, and an air outlet is provided on the front panel of the housing or the door assembly of the clothing processing equipment. The fresh air system includes an air inlet duct, an air outlet duct, and a fan. The air inlet duct connects the air inlet to the window gasket, the air outlet duct connects the air outlet to the outer cylinder, and the fan is located on the air inlet duct.

[0038] The control method further includes:

[0039] During the rinsing process of the garments in the garment processing equipment, the fresh air system is activated to break the foam on the window pads.

[0040] This control method allows the fresh air system to dry the window gasket first, and then the outer casing. This means drying the relatively small space first, and then the relatively large space, preventing any residual water from remaining in the window gasket. At the same time, during the rinsing stage, the fresh air system can break up the foam on the window gasket, preventing excessive foam accumulation and overflow, and saving on the use of defoaming agent, further improving the user experience. Attached Figure Description

[0041] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings and a drum washing machine.

[0042] In the picture:

[0043] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the drum washing machine of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of an embodiment of the control method for a drum washing machine according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0045] Those skilled in the art should understand that these embodiments are merely for explaining the technical principles of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make adjustments as needed to adapt to specific applications. For example, although the present invention is described in conjunction with a drum washing machine, the technical principles of the present invention are obviously also applicable to drum washer-dryer combos or double-dryer equipment, etc. Such adjustments and changes to the application do not constitute a limitation of the present invention and should all be limited within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0046] It should be noted that in the description of this invention, terms such as "middle," "upper," "lower," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," indicating directional or positional relationships, are based on the directional or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. These are merely for ease of description and do not indicate or imply that the device or element must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation; therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0047] Furthermore, it should be noted that, in the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "set up," "connect," and "connection" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0048] In addition, it should be noted that although the steps of the control method of the present invention are described in a specific order in the description of the present invention, these orders are not restrictive. Without departing from the basic principles of the present invention, those skilled in the art can perform the steps in different orders.

[0049] In light of the problem mentioned in the background art that the drying time of existing drum washing machines is difficult to control when using outside air to dry the outer drum and window gasket, this invention provides a control method for drum washing machines. The aim is to accurately determine the time when the fresh air system stops operating when using the fresh air system to dehumidify the outer drum and window gasket, thereby avoiding unnecessary energy consumption and improving the user experience.

[0050] Specifically, such as Figure 1 As shown, the drum washing machine of the present invention includes: a cabinet 1, an inner drum 2, an outer drum 3, a fresh air system, an ambient humidity sensor 4, and an outlet humidity sensor 5. The outer drum 3 is disposed inside the cabinet 1 and connected to the clothes loading port of the cabinet 1 through a window gasket 6. The inner drum 2 is rotatably disposed inside the outer drum 3. The fresh air system connects the outer drum 3 to the outside environment and can dry the outer drum 3 and the window gasket 6. The ambient humidity sensor 4 can detect the humidity of the environment in which the drum washing machine is located, and the outlet humidity sensor 5 can detect the outlet humidity of the fresh air system. Both the ambient humidity sensor 4 and the outlet humidity sensor 5 communicate with the controller 7 of the drum washing machine, specifically via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and / or 5G, 4G networks, or via a wire connection. The ambient humidity sensor 4 can be placed at any location that can accurately detect ambient humidity, such as on a wall, and should be kept as far away as possible from refrigeration, dehumidification, or humidification equipment to avoid affecting the accuracy of ambient humidity detection. The outlet humidity sensor 5 is disposed on the outlet structure of the fresh air system.

[0051] In one specific embodiment, an air inlet is provided on the rear panel of the casing 1, and an air outlet is provided on the front panel of the casing 1 or on the door assembly of the drum washing machine (the door assembly may include a door frame and door glass, with the air outlet located on the door frame; alternatively, the door assembly may include a decorative ring, with the air outlet located on the decorative ring). The fresh air system includes an air inlet duct 8, an air outlet duct 9, and a fan 10. The air inlet duct 8 connects the air inlet to the window gasket 6, and the air outlet duct 9 connects the air outlet to the outer drum 3. The fan 10 is located on the air inlet duct 8. More preferably, at least a portion of the air inlet duct 8 and at least a portion of the air outlet duct 9 are integrated into the distributor box of the drum washing machine, thereby saving layout space. Specifically, a partial structure of the air inlet duct 8 and a partial structure of the air outlet duct 9 can be integrated and located on the bottom side of the distributor box. The air outlet humidity sensor 5 can be located on the air outlet duct 9 or at the air outlet.

[0052] Preferably, a heating device 11 can also be provided in the fresh air system. The heating device 11 can be an electric heating device, such as an electric heating tube, an electric heating wire, or a PTC heating element. The heating device 11 can also be a water heating device, that is, using the heating of water to achieve heat exchange between water and air, thereby heating the fresh air. Of course, in other examples, the heating device 11 can also adopt other heating structures. The heating device 11 is set in the air intake structure of the fresh air system, thereby ensuring that the air entering the fresh air system but not yet entering the outer cylinder 3 and the window gasket 6 can be heated by the heating device 11. For example, taking the fresh air system of the aforementioned example as an example, the heating device 11 can be set on the air intake duct 8. Alternatively, the heating device 11 can also be set at the air inlet.

[0053] Preferably, the drum washing machine of the present invention further includes an ambient temperature sensor 12, which can detect the temperature of the environment in which the drum washing machine is located. The ambient temperature sensor 12 communicates with the controller 7 of the drum washing machine, specifically via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and / or 5G, 4G networks, etc., or via a wire connection. The ambient temperature sensor 12 can be placed at any location where the ambient temperature can be accurately detected, such as on a wall, and should be placed as far away as possible from cooling, heating or heat-generating equipment to avoid affecting the accuracy of the ambient temperature detection.

[0054] Preferably, the fresh air system of the present invention is equipped with an air filter device 13. The air filter device 13 can filter the air entering the fresh air system before the filtered air enters the outer cylinder 3 and the window gasket 6. The air filter device 13 is installed on the air inlet duct 8, and more preferably on the upstream side of the fan 10. That is, after the fan 10 introduces air into the air inlet duct 8, the air first passes through the air filter device 13 before entering the fan 10, thus avoiding dust and other impurities from contaminating the fan 10. The air filter device 13 can adopt a multi-layer equivalent filter structure, or a structure combining coarse, medium and high efficiency filters, or other filtration structures. Those skilled in the art can flexibly set it in practical applications.

[0055] Preferably, the fresh air system of the present invention includes an aromatherapy device 14, which is selectively openable. Specifically, the aromatherapy device 14 may include a box and a lid. The box forms a space for containing aromatherapy liquid or aromatherapy blocks. The lid is pivotally connected to the opening edge of the box. The lid can be directly driven to open by a drive motor, or the drive motor can be indirectly connected to the lid through a transmission mechanism such as a gear pair. The drive motor is communicatively connected to the controller 7 of the drum washing machine. In other examples, the aromatherapy device 14 may also adopt other structures. For example, the box described above may be replaced by a groove formed on the inner wall of the air inlet duct 8, that is, the aromatherapy liquid or aromatherapy blocks are contained through the groove. The aromatherapy device 14 is set in the air inlet structure of the fresh air system, thereby ensuring that the air entering the fresh air system but not yet entering the outer cylinder 3 and the window gasket 6 can carry the aromatherapy, facilitating the delivery of the aromatherapy into the outer cylinder 3 along with the air. In one optional configuration, the aromatherapy device 14 employs a structure combining a box and a lid, with the box and air inlet pipe 8 integrally integrated. The panel of the box 1 has an aromatherapy dispensing port, which connects to the box via an aromatherapy pipe. The user can insert aromatherapy liquid or aromatherapy blocks into the dispensing port, which then flows into the box via the aromatherapy pipe. In another optional configuration, the aromatherapy device 14 employs a structure combining a box and a lid, with the box and air inlet pipe 8 detachably connected, for example, by screws, snap-fit ​​connections, or magnetic adsorption. When the user needs to replenish the aromatherapy liquid or aromatherapy blocks, they simply need to detach the box from the air inlet pipe 8. In another possible scenario, the panel of the housing 1 is provided with an air inlet, and the air inlet pipe 8 is connected to the air inlet. The aromatherapy device 14 is detachably fastened to the air inlet, and the aromatherapy device 14 has a grille or opening to allow air to enter the air inlet pipe 8. In this case, the user can manually add the aromatherapy liquid or aromatherapy block to the aromatherapy device 14 when needed, and remove the aromatherapy liquid or aromatherapy block from the aromatherapy device 14 when not in use. The aromatherapy device 14 can adopt the aforementioned structure of a combination of a cover and a box, or it can adopt a structure of two shells that are interlocked. In the above, an electric heating element can also be provided in the aromatherapy device 14 to improve the aroma release capacity. In addition, when there is both an air filter device 13 and an aromatherapy device 14 in the fresh air system, the aromatherapy device 14 is preferably located downstream of the air filter device 13 to prevent dust and other impurities mixed in with the fresh air from entering the aromatherapy device 14.

[0056] like Figure 2 As shown, the control method of the present invention includes:

[0057] Under conditions where the fresh air system is running and clothes have been removed, the ambient humidity and the humidity of the fresh air system's outlet air are obtained;

[0058] If the difference between the outlet humidity and the ambient humidity is less than or equal to the set humidity value, the fresh air system will stop operating.

[0059] In other words, after the washing machine finishes washing, while the fresh air system is drying the outer drum and window seal, the humidity of the environment surrounding the washing machine and the humidity of the fresh air system's outlet air are monitored. If the difference between the outlet air humidity (which reflects the humidity inside the outer drum and window seal) and the ambient humidity is less than or equal to the set humidity value, it indicates that the outlet air humidity is close to the ambient humidity. At this point, the fresh air system can no longer further dehumidify the outer drum and window seal, and thus stops operating. The difference between the outlet air humidity and the ambient humidity is the absolute value of the difference. The set humidity value can be 3% relative humidity; that is, when the difference between the outlet air humidity and the ambient humidity is less than or equal to 3% relative humidity, the outlet air humidity can be considered close to the ambient humidity. Of course, the set humidity value can also be 5%, or even the most stringent condition can be set to zero, meaning the fresh air system stops operating only when the difference between the outlet air humidity and the ambient humidity is zero (it cannot be less than this). Those skilled in the art can flexibly set the specific value of the set humidity value in practical applications.

[0060] Furthermore, if the difference between the outlet humidity and the ambient humidity is greater than the set humidity value, the fresh air system will continue to operate.

[0061] Preferably, when the fresh air system includes a heating device, the control method of the present invention further includes:

[0062] When the fresh air system is running and clothes have been removed, the heating device will turn on if the ambient humidity is greater than or equal to the preset humidity.

[0063] That is, it can first determine whether the clothes have been removed. If not, it continues to determine whether the clothes have been removed. If so, it obtains the ambient humidity. If the ambient humidity is greater than or equal to the preset humidity, it indicates that the ambient humidity is too high, and the heating device needs to be turned on. If the ambient humidity is too high, the heating device can be used to dry the humid air, thereby preventing humid air from entering the outer cylinder and the window gasket. Those skilled in the art can flexibly set the preset humidity in practical applications, for example, setting the preset humidity to a relative humidity of less than or equal to 30% (preferably 15%). Of course, the specific range or value of the above-mentioned preset humidity is merely exemplary and does not constitute a limitation of the present invention.

[0064] Preferably, when the fresh air system has a heating device and the drum washing machine has an ambient temperature sensor, the control method of the present invention further includes:

[0065] The ambient temperature is obtained when the fresh air system is running and the clothes have been removed.

[0066] If the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the preset temperature, the heating device will be turned on.

[0067] That is, it can first determine whether the clothes have been removed. If not, it continues to determine whether the clothes have been removed. If so, it acquires the ambient temperature. If the ambient temperature is less than or equal to a preset temperature, the heating device needs to be turned on. If the ambient temperature is too low, the heating device can be used to raise the temperature of the air entering the outer drum and window gasket, thereby facilitating the drying of the outer drum and window gasket. Those skilled in the art can flexibly set the preset temperature in practical applications, for example, setting the preset temperature to 5 to 15°C (preferably 10°C). Of course, the specific range or value of the above-mentioned preset temperature is merely exemplary and does not constitute a limitation of the present invention.

[0068] As a further improvement to the above method, both ambient temperature and ambient humidity can be obtained, that is, ambient temperature and ambient humidity can be obtained when the fresh air system is running and the clothes are taken out.

[0069] If the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the preset temperature or the ambient humidity is greater than or equal to the preset humidity, the heating device will be turned on.

[0070] That is, it can first determine whether the clothes have been taken out. If not, it continues to determine whether the clothes have been taken out. If so, it obtains the ambient temperature and humidity. If the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the preset temperature or the ambient humidity is greater than or equal to the preset humidity, it means that the ambient temperature is too low or the ambient humidity is too high. If either of these conditions is met, the heating device needs to be turned on. If the ambient temperature is too low, the heating device can be used to raise the temperature of the air entering the outer cylinder and window gasket, thereby facilitating the drying of the outer cylinder and window gasket. If the ambient humidity is too high, the heating device can be used to dry the humid air, thereby preventing humid air from entering the outer cylinder and window gasket.

[0071] Furthermore, if the ambient temperature is higher than the preset temperature and the ambient humidity is lower than the preset humidity, the heating device will be turned off.

[0072] In other words, if the ambient temperature is relatively high and the ambient humidity is relatively low, it means that the outer cylinder and window gasket can be dried without turning on the heating device, which helps to save energy.

[0073] Alternatively, if the ambient temperature is less than or equal to a preset temperature or the ambient humidity is greater than or equal to a preset humidity, the heating device is turned on for a fixed period of time, such as 8 hours, to allow the outer cylinder and window gasket to dry.

[0074] Preferably, the control method of the present invention further includes:

[0075] The ambient temperature is obtained when the washing machine has finished washing but the clothes have not been removed and the fresh air system is running;

[0076] If the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the freezing temperature, turn on the heating device.

[0077] In other words, the freezing temperature is the point at which water freezes. Under standard atmospheric pressure, the freezing temperature of water is 0°C. Under other atmospheric pressures, the freezing temperature of water will vary. Those skilled in the art can flexibly set the freezing temperature according to the atmospheric pressure of the drum washing machine's geographical location. When the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the freezing temperature, the heating device should be turned on immediately to prevent cold air from entering the outer drum and causing unremoved clothes to freeze, affecting normal use by the user. It should be noted that when the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the freezing temperature, the heating device can be adjusted according to the specific ambient temperature value. The heating temperature of the heating device must at least ensure that the temperature of the air entering the outer drum and the window gasket is higher than the freezing temperature.

[0078] More preferably, when the drum washing machine has finished washing but the clothes have not been removed and the fresh air system is running, the control method of the present invention further includes:

[0079] The inner cylinder rotates by a set angle every first set time interval.

[0080] The first set time can be 5 minutes, 10 minutes, or other time values, and the set angle can be 360° or 270°, for example, in one possible scenario, the inner cylinder rotates once every 5 minutes. Those skilled in the art can flexibly set the first set time and set angle in practical applications.

[0081] Preferably, when the fresh air system of the drum washing machine has an aromatherapy device, the aromatherapy device can be turned on by default when the drum washing machine finishes washing but the clothes are not taken out and the fresh air system is running. That is, if the user does not take the clothes out of the drum washing machine, the fresh air system can be run to suppress the generation of odors and the growth of bacteria on the clothes, and the aromatherapy device can continuously enhance the fragrance of the clothes to ensure that the clothes have a fragrance.

[0082] Preferably, when the fresh air system of the drum washing machine has an aromatherapy device, an input aromatherapy care command is received when there are clothes in the inner drum, the drum washing machine is not in washing mode, and the fresh air system is running; if an input aromatherapy care command is received, the aromatherapy device is turned on. That is, when the drum washing machine is using the fresh air system to dry and care for clothes, the user can actively input an aromatherapy care command to the drum washing machine to add fragrance to the clothes. Through this control method, even if the clothes are not freshly washed, the user can put clothes that need fragrance or hand-washed clothes into the drum washing machine to use the fresh air system and aromatherapy device to dry and fragrance the clothes, thereby further enriching the functions of the drum washing machine. The user can input the command by operating the control panel of the drum washing machine, or by communicating with the communication module of the drum washing machine through a mobile terminal (such as a mobile phone, tablet, etc.) to transmit and input the command.

[0083] In the above process, during the drying and fragrance treatment of clothes using a fresh air system and aromatherapy device, the inner drum rotates forward and backward alternately a preset number of times every second set time period.

[0084] The second preset time can be set to 1 minute, 2 minutes, or other time values, and the preset number of rotations can be 10 rotations, 15 rotations, or other numbers. For example, in one possible scenario, the inner cylinder rotates 10 times in both forward and reverse directions every minute. Those skilled in the art can flexibly set the first preset time and angle in practical applications. In the above, the preset number of rotations for the inner cylinder during the second preset time period can be either a preset number of forward rotations followed by a preset number of reverse rotations, or a preset number of forward and reverse rotations until both rotations reach the preset number. Alternatively, it can be reverse rotation followed by forward rotation.

[0085] In this invention, the presence of clothing inside the inner drum can be detected by a weight sensor, or by image recognition or RFID identification.

[0086] In one specific scenario, once it is detected that the user has removed the clothes from the inner drum, it can be further determined whether the door assembly is closed (a distance sensor or pressure sensor can be set to detect whether the door assembly is closed). If the door assembly is closed, the fresh air system will automatically start.

[0087] Preferably, when the fresh air system uses the aforementioned air inlet duct to connect the air inlet to the window gasket, and the air outlet duct to connect the air outlet to the outer cylinder, with the fan installed on the air inlet duct, the control method of the present invention further includes:

[0088] During the rinsing process of the drum washing machine, the fresh air system is activated to break the foam on the window seal.

[0089] During the rinsing process, a lot of foam will be generated in the outer cylinder and the window gasket. By running the fresh air system, air can be introduced into the window gasket, which helps to break up the foam, prevents the foam from accumulating in large quantities, and also prevents the foam from accumulating in the window gasket, especially in the folds of the window gasket.

[0090] The technical solution of the present invention has been described above with reference to the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the scope of protection of the present invention is obviously not limited to these specific embodiments. Without departing from the principles of the present invention, those skilled in the art can make equivalent changes or substitutions to the relevant technical features, and the technical solutions after such changes or substitutions will all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A control method for a garment processing device, characterized in that, The garment processing equipment includes: a housing, an outer cylinder, a fresh air system, an ambient humidity sensor, and an outlet humidity sensor. The outer cylinder is installed inside the housing and connected to the garment loading port of the housing via a window gasket. The fresh air system connects the outer cylinder to the outside environment and can dry the outer cylinder and the window gasket. The ambient humidity sensor can detect the humidity of the environment in which the garment processing equipment is located, and the outlet humidity sensor can detect the outlet humidity of the fresh air system. The control method includes: With the fresh air system in operation and the clothes removed, the ambient humidity and the humidity of the air outlet of the fresh air system are obtained. If the difference between the outlet air humidity and the ambient humidity is less than or equal to the set humidity value, the fresh air system will stop operating. The garment processing equipment also includes an ambient temperature sensor capable of detecting the temperature of the environment in which the garment processing equipment is located. The fresh air system is equipped with a heating device. The control method further includes: The ambient temperature is obtained when the fresh air system is running and the clothes are removed. If the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the preset temperature, the heating device is turned on; The control method further includes: When the laundry is finished but the clothes are not removed and the fresh air system is running, the ambient temperature is obtained; If the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the freezing temperature, the heating device is turned on.

2. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control method further includes: When the fresh air system is running and the clothes are removed, if the ambient humidity is greater than or equal to the preset humidity, the heating device will be turned on.

3. The control method according to claim 2, characterized in that, In the case where the laundry processing equipment has completed washing but the clothes have not been removed and the fresh air system is operating, the control method further includes: The inner drum of the garment processing device is rotated by a set angle every first set time interval.

4. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fresh air system is equipped with an aromatherapy device, which is configured to be selectively turned on. When the laundry is finished but the clothes are not removed and the fresh air system is running, the aromatherapy device is turned on by default.

5. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fresh air system is equipped with an aromatherapy device, which is configured to be selectively turned on. When there are clothes in the inner drum of the clothing processing device and the clothing processing device is not in washing mode and the fresh air system is running, an input aromatherapy care command is obtained. If an input aromatherapy instruction is received, the aromatherapy device will be turned on.

6. The control method according to claim 5, characterized in that, When the fresh air system is operating and the aromatherapy device is turned on, the control method further includes: The inner drum of the garment processing device is rotated alternately in both forward and reverse directions a preset number of times every second set time period.

7. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fresh air system is equipped with an air filtration device, which can filter the air entering the fresh air system before allowing the filtered air to enter the outer cylinder and the window gasket.

8. The control method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, An air inlet is provided on the rear panel of the housing, and an air outlet is provided on the front panel of the housing or on the door assembly of the clothing processing equipment. The fresh air system includes an air inlet duct, an air outlet duct, and a fan. The air inlet duct connects the air inlet to the window gasket, and the air outlet duct connects the air outlet to the outer cylinder. The fan is located on the air inlet duct. The control method further includes: During the rinsing process of the garments in the garment processing equipment, the fresh air system is activated to break the foam on the window pads.

Images