A washing machine drain hose and control method thereof, and a washing machine

Abstract

The application relates to a washing machine inlet and drain pipe and a control method thereof and a washing machine, the inlet and drain pipe comprising a water inlet pipe, a heat storage layer, a drain pipe and a heat insulation pipe; the heat insulation pipe is attached to the drain pipe and can realize heat exchange with the drain pipe; the heat storage layer is attached to the heat insulation pipe and can realize heat exchange with the heat insulation pipe; the water inlet pipe is attached to the heat storage layer and can realize heat exchange with the heat storage layer; the heat insulation pipe can be filled with heat exchange liquid or air; when the heat insulation pipe is filled with heat exchange liquid, the heat insulation pipe can realize heat exchange with the drain pipe; when the heat insulation pipe is filled with air, no heat exchange or reduced heat exchange efficiency is realized between the heat insulation pipe and the drain pipe; the scheme can effectively reduce energy consumption caused by heating during washing, reduce heating time of heated washing or heated rinsing, reduce detergent residues on clothes during cold water rinsing, and improve washing and rinsing efficiency.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of washing machine inlet and outlet water pipes, in particular to a washing machine inlet and outlet water pipe, a control method thereof and a washing machine. BACKGROUND

[0002] The existing washing machine can accelerate the dissolution of detergent and the dissolution of residual detergent by increasing the water temperature during the washing and rinsing processes, thereby accelerating the washing and rinsing processes. However, heating during the washing and rinsing processes also brings two problems: one is that the heating energy consumption is large; and the other is that the heating time is long, especially during the rinsing process, although the water temperature increases the rinsing efficiency, it also increases the rinsing time.

[0003] In the prior art, to solve the problem that the water inlet and water outlet of the washing machine cannot be performed simultaneously, thereby the heat cannot be recycled, a conventional technical means is to store the wastewater with high temperature by setting a water storage device. However, due to the large amount of washing water, the volume of the water tank of the water storage device is also large, which increases the design cost. SUMMARY

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present application is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a washing machine inlet and outlet water pipe, a control method thereof and a washing machine.

[0005] The present application aims to design a washing machine inlet and outlet water pipe, which comprises a water inlet pipe, a heat storage layer, a water outlet pipe and a heat insulation pipe. The heat insulation pipe is attached to the water outlet pipe and can exchange heat with the water outlet pipe. The heat storage layer is attached to the heat insulation pipe and can exchange heat with the heat insulation pipe. The water inlet pipe is attached to the heat storage layer and can exchange heat with the heat storage layer. The heat insulation pipe can be filled with heat exchange liquid or air. When the heat insulation pipe is filled with heat exchange liquid, the heat insulation pipe can exchange heat with the water outlet pipe. When the heat insulation pipe is filled with air, the heat insulation pipe and the water outlet pipe do not exchange heat or reduce the heat exchange efficiency.

[0006] In some embodiments, the heat insulation pipe comprises a first heat insulation pipe and a second heat insulation pipe. The first heat insulation pipe is sleeved outside the water outlet pipe and can exchange heat with the water outlet pipe. The heat storage layer is sleeved outside the first heat insulation pipe and can exchange heat with the first heat insulation pipe. The second heat insulation pipe is sleeved between the water inlet pipe and the heat storage layer. When the second heat insulation pipe is filled with heat exchange liquid, the second heat insulation pipe can exchange heat with the water inlet pipe and the heat storage layer. When the second heat insulation pipe is filled with air, the second heat insulation pipe and the water inlet pipe and the heat storage layer do not exchange heat or reduce the heat exchange efficiency.

[0007] In some embodiments, the water inlet pipe and the heat insulation pipe are respectively communicated with the water inlet of the water inlet pipe; the heat exchange liquid is water; the water inlet of the water inlet pipe is provided with a first control valve for controlling water in the water inlet of the water inlet pipe to flow into the water inlet pipe; the water inlet of the heat insulation pipe is provided with a second control valve for controlling water in the water inlet of the water inlet pipe to flow into the heat insulation pipe; and the water inlet of the heat insulation pipe is further communicated with the air branch pipe and can be filled with air through the air branch pipe.

[0008] In some embodiments, the water inlet pipe and the heat insulation pipe are respectively communicated with the water outlet of the water inlet pipe; the water inlet of the water inlet pipe is arranged at the upper end of the water inlet and outlet pipe in the vertical direction, and the water outlet of the water inlet pipe is arranged at the lower end of the water inlet and outlet pipe in the vertical direction, so that water in the water inlet pipe and the heat insulation pipe can flow from the upper end to the lower end of the water inlet and outlet pipe.

[0009] In some embodiments, the water outlet of the water outlet pipe is arranged at the upper end of the water inlet and outlet pipe in the vertical direction, and the water inlet of the water outlet pipe is arranged at the lower end of the water inlet and outlet pipe in the vertical direction, so that water in the water outlet pipe can flow from the lower end to the upper end of the water inlet and outlet pipe.

[0010] In some embodiments, the water inlet of the heat insulation pipe is further provided with a liquid level sensor for detecting the liquid level in the heat insulation pipe.

[0011] In some embodiments, the water outlet of the water outlet pipe is provided with a third control valve.

[0012] In some embodiments, the water inlet of the water inlet pipe is used to connect to tap water, and the water outlet of the water inlet pipe is used to connect to the water inlet of the washing machine drum; the water inlet of the water outlet pipe is used to connect to the water outlet of the washing machine drum, and the water outlet of the water outlet pipe is used to connect to the water outlet of the washing machine.

[0013] The application further provides a control method of a washing machine water inlet and outlet pipe, which is applied to the above-mentioned washing machine water inlet and outlet pipe; the control method comprises a water inlet process and a water outlet process; the water inlet process comprises the following processes:

[0014] S1: when the washing machine detects that heating is needed, the washing machine control system controls the second control valve to be opened for a preset time period, so that the heat insulation pipe is communicated with the water inlet of the water inlet pipe, and water starts to be injected into the heat insulation pipe;

[0015] S2: when the heat insulation pipe is filled with water, the washing machine control system controls the second control valve to be closed, and controls the first control valve to be opened for a preset time period, so that the water inlet pipe is communicated with the water inlet of the water inlet pipe, and water starts to be injected into the water inlet pipe until the water inlet is finished;

[0016] S3: After the water inlet is finished, the washing machine control system controls the third control valve to open for a preset time period, so that the heat insulation pipeline drains water;

[0017] The water inlet process includes the following processes:

[0018] S10: When the washing machine detects that the water in the drum is heated, the washing machine control system controls the second control valve to open for a preset time period, so that the heat insulation pipeline is in communication with the water inlet of the water inlet pipeline, and water injection into the heat insulation pipeline begins;

[0019] S20: When the heat insulation pipeline is filled with water, the washing machine control system controls the second control valve to close, and the drain pipeline starts to drain water until the water inlet is finished;

[0020] S30: After the water inlet is finished, the washing machine control system controls the third control valve to open for a preset time period, so that the heat insulation pipeline drains water.

[0021] In some embodiments, the water inlet process further includes the following processes:

[0022] S11: When the washing machine detects that heating is not required, the washing machine control system controls the first control valve to open for a preset time period, so that the water inlet pipeline is in communication with the water inlet of the water inlet pipeline, and water injection into the water inlet pipeline begins until the water inlet is finished; During the entire water inlet process, the second control valve is closed, and the heat insulation pipeline is filled with air.

[0023] In some embodiments, the water inlet process further includes the following processes:

[0024] S21: When the washing machine detects that the water in the drum is not heated, the drain pipeline directly starts to drain water until the water inlet is finished;

[0025] S22: After the water inlet is finished, the washing machine control system controls the first control valve to open for a preset time period and then close, and during the preset time period, water injection into the water inlet pipeline begins, and the water in the water inlet pipeline reenters the drain pipeline through the drum, thereby flushing the drain pipeline;

[0026] S23: After the water inlet is finished, the washing machine control system controls the second control valve to open for a preset time period and then close, and during the preset time period, water injection into the heat insulation pipeline begins, thereby flushing the heat insulation pipeline.

[0027] In some embodiments, in the S1 step, the washing machine control system detects whether the heat insulation pipeline reaches the target water level through the liquid level sensor of the heat insulation pipeline inlet, and fills the heat insulation pipeline around the heat storage layer with water.

[0028] In some embodiments, when water is injected into the heat insulation pipeline, the first heat insulation pipeline starts to exchange heat with the drain pipeline, the heat storage layer starts to exchange heat with the first heat insulation pipeline and the second heat insulation pipeline, and the inlet pipeline starts to exchange heat with the second heat insulation pipeline.

[0029] In some embodiments, in the step S10, the washing machine control system detects whether the heat insulation pipeline reaches the target water level through the liquid level sensor of the heat insulation pipeline inlet, and fills the heat insulation pipeline around the heat storage layer with water; when water is injected into the heat insulation pipeline, the first heat insulation pipeline starts to exchange heat with the drain pipeline, and the heat storage layer starts to exchange heat with the heat insulation pipeline.

[0030] The application also provides a washing machine comprising the washing machine inlet and drain pipeline and / or a control method of the washing machine inlet and drain pipeline.

[0031] The application can effectively reduce the energy consumption caused by heating during washing, reduce the heating time of heating washing or heating rinsing, reduce the detergent residue on the clothes during cold water rinsing, and improve the washing and rinsing efficiency.

[0032] The application can realize flushing of the heat exchange pipeline without wasting energy, and ensure long-term stability and normal operation of the washing machine.

[0033] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are only exemplary and explanatory, and cannot limit the application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0034] The accompanying drawings are part of the present application, which provide a further understanding of the application, the schematic embodiments of the application and the description thereof are used to explain the application, but not to limit the application. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments, and other drawings can be obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor. In the drawings:

[0035] Figure 1 is a front view of a washing machine inlet and drain pipeline according to an exemplary embodiment of the application;

[0036] Figure 2 is a sectional view of a washing machine inlet and drain pipeline according to an exemplary embodiment of the application;

[0037] Figure 3 is a top view of a washing machine inlet and drain pipeline according to an exemplary embodiment of the application;

[0038] Figure 4It is a top view of a sectional view of a washing machine inlet and outlet pipe according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0039] Figure 5 It is a working principle diagram of a washing machine inlet and outlet pipe according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0040] Figure 6 It is a water inlet flow chart of a washing machine inlet and outlet pipe according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0041] Figure 7 It is a water outlet flow chart of a washing machine inlet and outlet pipe according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application.

[0042] In the figure: 1, water inlet pipe; 2, heat storage layer; 3, water outlet pipe; 4, first control valve; 5, second control valve; 6, air valve; 7, heat insulation pipe; 8, air branch pipe; 9, liquid level sensor; 10, third control valve; 11, water inlet of water inlet pipe; 12, water outlet of water outlet pipe; 13, water inlet of water outlet pipe; 14, water outlet of water inlet pipe.

[0043] It should be noted that the drawings and the written description are not intended to limit the scope of the concept of the present application in any way, but to illustrate the concept of the present application to those skilled in the art by referring to specific embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] In the description of the present application, it should be noted that the terms "inner", "outer" and the like indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the devices or elements referred to must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0045] In the description of the present application, it should be noted that unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "mounting", "connecting", "connecting", "contacting", "communicating" should be understood broadly, for example, it can be fixedly connected, or it can be detachably connected, or integrally connected; it can be mechanically connected, or it can be electrically connected; it can be directly connected, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the present application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0046] The present application provides a washing machine inlet and outlet pipe, which solves the problem of heating washing water in the existing washing machine, reduces the energy consumption caused by heating during the washing process, reduces the heating time of heating washing or heating rinsing, reduces the detergent residue on the clothes during cold water rinsing, and improves the washing and rinsing efficiency of the washing machine.

[0047] As Figures 1 to 4As shown, this invention provides a washing machine inlet and outlet pipe, which is installed on the washing machine and communicates with the drum inside the washing machine to realize water inlet and outlet. Specifically, the inlet and outlet pipe includes an inlet pipe 1, a heat storage layer 2, an outlet pipe 3, and a heat insulation pipe 7. The heat insulation pipe 7 is attached to the outlet pipe 3 and can exchange heat with it. Further, the heat storage layer 2 is attached to the heat insulation pipe 7 and can exchange heat with it. Specifically, the heat storage layer 2 is composed of heat storage material, and the inner and outer surfaces of the heat storage layer 2 are attached to the heat insulation pipe 7. The pipe wall of the heat insulation pipe 7 is made of a material with a high heat transfer coefficient. Further, the inlet pipe 1 is attached to the heat storage layer 2. Furthermore, the heat-insulating pipe 7 can be filled with heat-exchange liquid or air, preferably water. Specifically, when the heat-insulating pipe 7 is filled with heat-exchange liquid, it can exchange heat with the drain pipe 3 and store the heat in the heat storage layer 2. When the heat-insulating pipe 7 is filled with air, there is no heat exchange between the heat-insulating pipe 7 and the drain pipe 3, or the heat exchange efficiency is reduced, thereby blocking the heat exchange between the heat storage layer 2 and the drain pipe 3. The washing machine inlet and outlet pipes provided by the present invention have a reasonable structural design, which can make full use of the heat of the water drained after washing for reheating, solve the problem of heating the water inlet of the washing machine, and improve washing efficiency.

[0048] Preferably, in combination with the above schemes, such as Figures 1 to 2As shown, the heat-insulating pipe 7 includes a first heat-insulating pipe and a second heat-insulating pipe; specifically, the first heat-insulating pipe is sleeved outside the drain pipe 3 and can exchange heat with the drain pipe 3; further, the heat storage layer 2 is sleeved outside the first heat-insulating pipe and can exchange heat with the first heat-insulating pipe; further, the second heat-insulating pipe is sleeved between the water inlet pipe 1 and the heat storage layer 2, thereby being able to exchange heat with the water inlet pipe 1 and the heat storage layer 2 respectively; specifically, when the second heat-insulating pipe is filled with heat-exchange liquid, the second heat-insulating pipe can exchange heat with the water inlet pipe 1 and the heat storage layer 2; and when the second heat-insulating pipe is filled with air, the second heat-insulating pipe can not exchange heat with the water inlet pipe 1 and the heat storage layer 2 or reduce the heat exchange efficiency; The above scheme, by designing two insulated pipes, makes it easier to control whether the inlet pipe 1 is heated or not. With the above design, when there is no water in the insulated pipe 7, outside air enters the insulated pipe 7 through the air valve 6 of the air branch pipe 8. At this time, the insulated pipe 7 is filled with air. Since the heat transfer coefficient of air is very low, it plays a role in heat insulation. Furthermore, when the insulated pipe 7 is filled with water, since the heat transfer coefficient of water is high, the inlet and outlet water exchange heat with the heat storage layer 2 through the water in the insulated pipe 7. The heat storage layer 2 is located outside the first outlet pipe and can fully absorb the heat of the discharged hot water through the heat insulation layer 2. The inlet pipe 1 is outside the second outlet pipe, which facilitates the heat storage layer 2 to release heat to the inlet water through the second outlet pipe.

[0049] Preferably, in combination with the above schemes, such as Figures 1 to 2 As shown, the water inlet pipe 1 and the heat insulation pipe 7 are respectively connected to the water inlet 11 of the water inlet pipe; in this embodiment, the heat exchange liquid is water, which can be conveniently connected to the water inlet 11 of the water inlet pipe to provide it; further, the water inlet of the water inlet pipe 1 is provided with a first control valve 4, which is used to control the water inlet 11 of the water inlet pipe 1 to enter the water inlet pipe 1; the water inlet of the heat insulation pipe 7 is provided with a second control valve 5, which is used to control the water inlet 11 of the water inlet pipe 11 to enter the heat insulation pipe 7; further, the water inlet of the heat insulation pipe 7 is also connected to an air branch pipe 8, and air can be filled into the heat insulation pipe 7 through the air branch pipe 8; further, the air branch pipe 8 is provided with an air valve 6, which is used to control the air entering the air branch pipe 8.

[0050] Preferably, in combination with the above schemes, such as Figures 1 to 2As shown, the inlet pipe 1 and the insulation pipe 7 are respectively connected to the outlet 14 of the inlet pipe. Specifically, in the overall structure of the inlet and outlet pipes, the inlet pipe inlet 11 is vertically positioned at the upper end of the inlet and outlet pipes, and the outlet 14 is vertically positioned at the lower end of the inlet and outlet pipes. This design allows water in the inlet pipe 1 and the insulation pipe 7 to flow from the upper end to the lower end of the inlet and outlet pipes. Furthermore, the outlet 12 of the outlet pipe 3 is vertically positioned at the upper end of the inlet and outlet pipes, and the inlet 13 of the outlet pipe 3 is vertically positioned at the lower end of the inlet and outlet pipes, thereby facilitating drainage. Water in pipe 3 flows from the lower end to the upper end of the inlet and outlet pipes. In the above scheme, since the water temperature at the inlet 13 of the outlet pipe is higher than that at the outlet 12 of the outlet pipe, the corresponding heat storage layer 2 also has a higher temperature at the bottom and a lower temperature at the top. There is a temperature gradient from high to low from the bottom to the top of the heat storage layer 2. The water in the inlet pipe 1 flows from top to bottom, and the temperature of the heat storage layer 2 it contacts is distributed from low to high, which improves the efficiency of energy recovery and utilization. The upper and lower ends of the inlet pipe 1 are narrowed to facilitate connection to the washing machine. The inlet 13 of the outlet pipe is led out from the pipe side of the drum, and the pipe side is sealed to prevent leakage and mixing of inlet and outlet water.

[0051] Preferably, in combination with the above schemes, such as Figures 3 to 4 As shown, in this embodiment, the inlet pipe 1, the first heat insulation pipe, the heat storage layer 2, the second heat insulation pipe, and the drain pipe 3 are assembled together in a sleeve-like manner from the outside to the inside, which can achieve better contact heat exchange; the control valves provided in this application are all two-way valves, which can be implemented by solenoid valves.

[0052] Preferably, in combination with the above schemes, such as Figures 1 to 2 As shown, the inlet of the heat insulation pipe 7 is also equipped with a liquid level sensor 9, which is used to detect the liquid level in the heat insulation pipe 7; furthermore, the outlet of the drain pipe 3 is equipped with a third control valve 10, and is connected to the outlet of the inlet pipe 14 through the third control valve 10; the third control valve 10 is used to control the water inlet of the drain pipe 3 to enter the drum through the outlet of the inlet pipe 14.

[0053] Preferably, in combination with the above schemes, such as Figures 1 to 2 As shown, the inlet 11 of the water inlet pipe 1 is used to connect to tap water, and the outlet 14 of the water inlet pipe 1 is used to connect to the inlet of the washing machine drum; furthermore, the inlet 11 of the drain pipe 3 is used to connect to the drain outlet of the washing machine drum, and the outlet 12 of the drain pipe 3 is used to connect to the drain outlet of the washing machine.

[0054] Accordingly, in conjunction with the above schemes, such as Figure 1 , Figure 2 as well as Figure 6 , Figure 7As shown, the present invention also provides a control method for the inlet and outlet pipes of a washing machine, applied to the aforementioned inlet and outlet pipes of the washing machine; specifically, the control method includes an inlet water flow and a outlet water flow; wherein,

[0055] The water intake process includes the following steps:

[0056] S1: When the washing machine detects that the water needs to be heated, the washing machine control system controls the second control valve 5 to open for a preset time period, so that the heat insulation pipe 7 is connected to the water inlet 11 of the water inlet pipe, and water is injected into the heat insulation pipe 7, thereby realizing heat exchange between the heat insulation pipe 7 and the drain pipe 3.

[0057] S2: When the heat insulation pipe 7 is filled with water, the washing machine control system controls the second control valve 5 to close and controls the first control valve 4 to open for a preset time period, so that the water inlet pipe 1 is connected to the water inlet 11 and water is injected into the water inlet pipe 1 until the water injection ends.

[0058] S3: After the water inlet is finished, the washing machine control system controls the third control valve 10 to open for a preset time period, so that the heat insulation pipe 7 can drain water.

[0059] Specifically, the drainage process includes the following steps:

[0060] S10: When the washing machine detects that the water inside the drum is heated, the washing machine control system controls the second control valve 5 to open for a preset time period, so that the heat insulation pipe 7 is connected to the water inlet 11 of the water inlet pipe, and water is injected into the heat insulation pipe 7, thereby realizing heat exchange between the heat insulation pipe 7 and the drain pipe 3.

[0061] S20: When the heat insulation pipe 7 is filled with water, the washing machine control system controls the second control valve 5 to close, and the drain pipe 3 starts to drain until the drainage is finished.

[0062] S30: After the drainage is completed, the washing machine control system controls the third control valve 10 to open for a preset time period, so that the heat insulation pipe 7 can drain.

[0063] Preferably, in combination with the above schemes, such as Figures 1 to 2 As shown, the water intake process also includes the following steps:

[0064] S11: When the washing machine detects that heating is not required, the washing machine control system controls the first control valve 4 to open for a preset time period, so that the water inlet pipe 1 is connected to the water inlet 11 of the water inlet pipe, and water is injected into the water inlet pipe 1 until the water injection ends; during the entire water injection process, the second control valve 5 is closed, and the heat insulation pipe 7 is filled with air to prevent the heat insulation pipe 7 from exchanging heat with the drain pipe 3.

[0065] Preferably, in combination with the above schemes, such as Figures 1 to 2As shown, the drainage process also includes the following steps:

[0066] S21: When the washing machine detects that the water in the drum is not heated, the drain pipe 3 starts draining directly until the draining is finished;

[0067] S22: After the drain pipe 3 finishes draining, the washing machine control system controls the first control valve 4 to open for a preset time period and then close. During the preset time period, water begins to be injected into the water inlet pipe 1, and the water in the water inlet pipe 1 enters the drain pipe 3 through the drum, thereby rinsing the drain pipe 3.

[0068] S23: After the drain pipe finishes draining, the washing machine control system controls the second control valve 5 to open for a preset time period and then close. During the preset time period, water begins to be injected into the heat insulation pipe 7 to flush the heat insulation pipe 7.

[0069] The two processes described above are used to flush drainage pipes and insulation pipes, avoiding the risk of corrosion of heat exchange pipes and drainage pipes caused by prolonged use of wastewater, or the risk of dirt and grime in the wastewater affecting the heat exchange effect of the pipes.

[0070] Preferably, in combination with the above schemes, such as Figures 1 to 2 As shown, in step S1, the washing machine control system detects whether the heat insulation pipe 7 has reached the target water level by using the liquid level sensor 9 at the water inlet of the heat insulation pipe 7, and fills the heat insulation pipe 7 around the heat storage layer 2 with water.

[0071] When water is injected into the insulation pipe 7, the first insulation pipe begins to exchange heat with the drainage pipe 3, the heat storage layer 2 begins to exchange heat with the first insulation pipe and the second insulation pipe, and at the same time, the water inlet pipe 1 begins to exchange heat with the second insulation pipe.

[0072] Preferably, in combination with the above schemes, such as Figures 1 to 2 As shown, in step S10, the washing machine control system detects whether the heat insulation pipe 7 has reached the target water level by using the liquid level sensor 9 at the water inlet of the heat insulation pipe 7, and fills the heat insulation pipe 7 around the heat storage layer 2 with water. Specifically, when water is injected into the heat insulation pipe 7, the first heat insulation pipe begins to exchange heat with the drain pipe 3, and the heat storage layer 2 begins to exchange heat with the heat insulation pipe.

[0073] Accordingly, the present invention also provides a washing machine, including the washing machine inlet and outlet pipes described above; and / or a control method including the washing machine inlet and outlet pipes described above.

[0074] The solution provided by this invention can effectively reduce energy consumption caused by heating during the washing process, reduce heating time for heated washing or heated rinsing, reduce detergent residue on clothes during cold water rinsing, and improve washing and rinsing efficiency.

[0075] The solution provided by this invention eliminates the need for a water storage device and additional inlet and outlet pipes, saving space. The heat exchange pipeline is washable without wasting energy, ensuring the long-term stability and normal operation of the washing machine.

[0076] It can be further understood that in this disclosure, "multiple" refers to two or more, and other quantifiers are similar. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist; for example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, and B alone. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship. The singular forms "a," "the," and "the" are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0077] It is further understood that the terms "first," "second," etc., are used to describe various types of information, but this information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish information of the same type from one another, and do not indicate a specific order or degree of importance. In fact, the expressions "first," "second," etc., are completely interchangeable. For example, without departing from the scope of this disclosure, first information can also be referred to as second information, and similarly, second information can also be referred to as first information.

[0078] It is further understood that although operations are described in a specific order in the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of this disclosure, this should not be construed as requiring these operations to be performed in the specific order or serial order shown, or requiring all of the shown operations to be performed to obtain the desired result. In certain environments, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous.

[0079] Other embodiments of this disclosure will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this disclosure that follow the general principles of this disclosure and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of this disclosure are indicated by the following claims.

[0080] It should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the precise structures described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of this disclosure is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A washing machine inlet and outlet pipe, characterized in that, The inlet and outlet pipes include an inlet pipe (1), a heat storage layer (2), an outlet pipe (3), and an insulation pipe (7); The heat-insulating pipe (7) is attached to the drainage pipe (3) and can exchange heat with the drainage pipe (3); The heat storage layer (2) is attached to the heat insulation pipe (7) and can exchange heat with the heat insulation pipe (7); The water inlet pipe (1) is attached to the heat storage layer (2) and can exchange heat with the heat storage layer (2); The heat-insulating pipe (7) can be filled with heat exchange liquid or air; When the heat-insulating pipe (7) is filled with heat-exchange liquid, the heat-insulating pipe (7) can exchange heat with the drainage pipe (3); When the heat insulation pipe (7) is filled with air, there is no heat exchange between the heat insulation pipe (7) and the drainage pipe (3) or the heat exchange efficiency is reduced.

2. The washing machine inlet and outlet pipe according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat-insulating pipe (7) includes a first heat-insulating pipe and a second heat-insulating pipe; The first heat-insulating pipe is sleeved outside the drainage pipe (3) and can exchange heat with the drainage pipe (3); The heat storage layer (2) is sleeved outside the first heat insulation pipe and can exchange heat with the first heat insulation pipe; The second heat insulation pipe is sleeved between the water inlet pipe (1) and the heat storage layer (2); When the second heat-insulating pipe is filled with heat-exchange liquid, the second heat-insulating pipe can exchange heat with the water inlet pipe (1) and the heat storage layer (2); When the second heat insulation pipe is filled with air, the second heat insulation pipe can avoid heat exchange or reduce heat exchange efficiency with the water inlet pipe (1) and the heat storage layer (2).

3. The washing machine inlet and outlet pipe according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water inlet pipe (1) and the heat insulation pipe (7) are respectively connected to the water inlet (11) of the water inlet pipe; the heat exchange liquid is water; The inlet of the water inlet pipe (1) is provided with a first control valve (4), which is used to control the water in the inlet (11) of the water inlet pipe to enter the water inlet pipe (1); The inlet of the heat insulation pipe (7) is provided with a second control valve (5), which is used to control the water in the inlet (11) of the water inlet pipe to enter the heat insulation pipe (7); The inlet of the heat insulation pipe (7) is also connected to the air branch pipe (8), and air can be filled into the heat insulation pipe (7) through the air branch pipe (8).

4. The washing machine inlet and outlet pipe according to claim 3, characterized in that, The water inlet pipe (1) and the heat insulation pipe (7) are respectively connected to the water outlet (14) of the water inlet pipe; The water inlet (11) of the water inlet pipe is vertically positioned at the upper end of the water inlet and outlet pipes, and the water outlet (14) of the water inlet pipe is vertically positioned at the lower end of the water inlet and outlet pipes, thereby allowing water in the water inlet pipe (1) and the heat insulation pipe (7) to flow from the upper end to the lower end of the water inlet and outlet pipes; and / or, The drain outlet (12) of the drain pipe (3) is vertically located at the upper end of the inlet and outlet pipe, and the inlet (13) of the drain pipe (3) is vertically located at the lower end of the inlet and outlet pipe, so that the water in the drain pipe (3) flows from the lower end to the upper end of the inlet and outlet pipe.

5. The washing machine inlet and outlet pipe according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inlet (11) of the water inlet pipe (1) is used to connect to tap water, and the outlet (14) of the water inlet pipe (1) is used to connect to the inlet of the washing machine drum; the inlet (11) of the drain pipe (3) is used to connect to the drain outlet of the washing machine drum, and the outlet (12) of the drain pipe (3) is used to connect to the drain outlet of the washing machine.

6. The washing machine inlet and outlet pipe according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The inlet of the heat insulation pipe (7) is also equipped with a liquid level sensor (9), which is used to detect the liquid level in the heat insulation pipe (7); and / or, the outlet of the drainage pipe (3) is equipped with a third control valve (10).

7. A method for controlling the inlet and outlet pipes of a washing machine, applied to the inlet and outlet pipes of the washing machine as described in claim 6; characterized in that, The control method includes an inlet water process and an outlet water process; the inlet water process includes the following steps: S1: When the washing machine detects that heating is required, the washing machine control system controls the second control valve (5) to open for a preset time period, so that the heat insulation pipe (7) is connected to the water inlet (11) of the water inlet pipe, and water is injected into the heat insulation pipe (7). S2: When the heat insulation pipe (7) is filled with water, the washing machine control system controls the second control valve (5) to close and controls the first control valve (4) to open for a preset time period, so that the water inlet pipe (1) is connected to the water inlet (11) of the water inlet pipe, and starts to inject water into the water inlet pipe (1) until the water inlet ends; S3: After the water inlet is finished, the washing machine control system controls the third control valve (10) to open for a preset time period, so that the heat insulation pipe (7) drains water; The drainage process include The following process: S10: When the washing machine detects that the water inside the drum is heated, the washing machine control system controls the second control valve (5) to open for a preset time period, so that the heat insulation pipe (7) is connected to the water inlet (11) of the water inlet pipe, and water is injected into the heat insulation pipe (7). S20: When the heat insulation pipe (7) is filled with water, the washing machine control system controls the second control valve (5) to close, and the drain pipe (3) starts to drain water until the drainage is finished; S30: After the drainage is completed, the washing machine control system controls the third control valve (10) to open for a preset time period, so that the heat insulation pipe (7) drains.

8. The method for controlling the inlet and outlet pipes of a washing machine according to claim 7, characterized in that, The water intake process also includes the following steps: S11: When the washing machine detects that heating is not required, the washing machine control system controls the first control valve (4) to open for a preset time period, so that the water inlet pipe (1) is connected to the water inlet port (11) of the water inlet pipe, and begins to inject water into the water inlet pipe (1) until the water injection ends; during the entire water injection process, the second control valve (5) is closed, and the heat insulation pipe (7) is filled with air; and / or, The drainage process also includes the following steps: S21: When the washing machine detects that the water in the drum is not heated, the drain pipe (3) starts draining water directly until the draining is finished; S22: After the drainage pipe (3) finishes draining, the washing machine control system controls the first control valve (4) to open for a preset time period and then close. During the preset time period, water begins to be injected into the water inlet pipe (1), and the water in the water inlet pipe (1) enters the drainage pipe (3) through the drum, thereby rinsing the drainage pipe (3); and / or, S23: After the drainage pipe (3) finishes draining, the washing machine control system controls the second control valve (5) to open for a preset time period and then close. During the preset time period, water begins to be injected into the heat insulation pipe (7) to flush the heat insulation pipe (7).

9. The control method for the inlet and outlet pipes of a washing machine according to claim 7, characterized in that, In step S1, the washing machine control system detects whether the heat insulation pipe (7) has reached the target water level by using the liquid level sensor (9) at the water inlet of the heat insulation pipe (7), and fills the heat insulation pipe (7) around the heat storage layer (2) with water. When water is injected into the insulation pipe (7), the first insulation pipe begins to exchange heat with the drainage pipe (3), the heat storage layer (2) begins to exchange heat with the first insulation pipe and the second insulation pipe, and at the same time, the water inlet pipe (1) begins to exchange heat with the second insulation pipe; and / or, In step S10, the washing machine control system detects whether the heat insulation pipe (7) has reached the target water level by using the liquid level sensor (9) at the water inlet of the heat insulation pipe (7), and fills the heat insulation pipe (7) around the heat storage layer (2) with water. When water is injected into the heat insulation pipe (7), the first heat insulation pipe begins to exchange heat with the drainage pipe (3), and the heat storage layer (2) begins to exchange heat with the heat insulation pipe.

10. A washing machine, characterized in that, The washing machine inlet and outlet pipe includes any one of claims 1 to 6; and / or, the washing machine inlet and outlet pipe control method includes any one of claims 7 to 9.

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