Drying module and washing-drying integrated machine

Abstract

The application discloses a drying module and a washing-drying integrated machine. The drying module comprises a circulation module having a first circulation passage, the first circulation passage being communicated with a drum air outlet so that wet circulating air in the drum enters the first circulation passage; a dehumidification module downstream of the circulation module, the dehumidification module having a second circulation passage, the second circulation passage being communicated with a drum air inlet; the drum air outlet, the first circulation passage, the second circulation passage and the drum air inlet are sequentially communicated to form a circulation passage; the dehumidification module comprises a rotating disc component, at least part of the rotating disc component is arranged on the second circulation passage, and the rotating disc component is used for adsorbing moisture in the wet circulating air from the drum; wherein the wet circulating air in the drum sequentially passes through the first circulation passage and the second circulation passage, becomes dry circulating air and enters the drum for next circulation. By adopting the rotating disc to adsorb moisture in the wet circulating air, the drying efficiency can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of smart home, and in particular to a drying module and a washer-dryer combo. Background Technology

[0002] Driven by factors such as people's increasing pursuit of a healthy and high-quality life and the ever-accelerating pace of urban life, washer-dryer combos have emerged and are loved by a wide range of consumers. They are especially suitable for families in the south during the rainy season, families in the north where air quality is poor and outdoor drying is not suitable, and users who want to wash and wear clothes immediately or pursue fluffier and more comfortable clothes.

[0003] Existing washer-dryer combos use an evaporator to heat and absorb moisture from the humid air inside the drum. This high-temperature air is then reintroduced into the drum, allowing the moisture in the clothes to evaporate. However, because the evaporator maintains a uniform temperature throughout, its ability to absorb moisture decreases during the evaporation process, resulting in low absorption efficiency, long drying times, and high power consumption. Summary of the Invention

[0004] (I) Purpose of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a drying module and a washer-dryer combo machine. By adsorbing moisture in the humid circulating airflow through a turntable, the humid circulating airflow can be transformed into a dry circulating airflow. The dry circulating airflow enters the drum through the drum air inlet, making full contact with the clothes, improving drying efficiency, reducing energy consumption, and avoiding the reduced moisture absorption capacity of evaporators.

[0006] (II) Technical Solution

[0007] A first aspect of the present invention provides a drying module, comprising: a circulation module having a first circulation passage connected to a drum air outlet or a drum air inlet, for allowing humid circulating airflow inside the drum to enter the first circulation passage or for allowing airflow in the first circulation passage to enter the drum; a dehumidification module located downstream or upstream of the circulation module, the dehumidification module having a second circulation passage connected to a drum air inlet or a drum air outlet; the dehumidification module including a turntable component, at least a portion of which is disposed on the second circulation passage, the turntable component being used to adsorb moisture from the humid circulating airflow inside the drum; the drum air outlet, the first circulation passage or the second circulation passage, the second circulation passage or the first circulation passage and the drum air inlet being sequentially connected to form a circulation passage; wherein, the humid circulating airflow inside the drum, via the first circulation passage and the second circulation passage, becomes dry circulating airflow and enters the drum for the next circulation.

[0008] Furthermore, the dehumidification module also includes: a lower housing of the turntable, which has a first turntable receiving area; an upper housing of the turntable, which has a second turntable receiving area, the upper housing of the turntable and the lower housing of the turntable are connected to each other so that the first turntable receiving area and the second turntable receiving area form a turntable component receiving cavity; the turntable component is installed in the turntable component receiving cavity; the turntable component includes a turntable; there is a gap between the top surface of the turntable and a part of the top wall of the upper housing of the turntable to form a first airflow channel; there is a gap between the bottom surface of the turntable and a part of the bottom wall of the lower housing of the turntable to form a second airflow channel; the second airflow channel, the turntable and the first airflow channel form a second circulation path; wherein, the second airflow channel is connected to the first circulation path, and the first airflow channel is connected to the drum air inlet so that the humid circulating airflow in the drum passes through the second airflow channel and through the turntable to reach the first airflow channel.

[0009] Further, the circulation module includes: a circulation module housing having an impeller receiving cavity, the circulation module housing having a first air inlet and a first air outlet; an impeller disposed within the impeller receiving cavity, the impeller's rotation axis being approximately parallel to the first air inlet axis and approximately perpendicular to the first air outlet axis; a circulation motor connected and fixed to the circulation module housing, the output shaft of the circulation motor being connected and fixed to the impeller; the first air inlet, the impeller receiving cavity, and the first air outlet form a first circulation passage; wherein, the first air inlet communicates with the drum air outlet, and the first air outlet communicates with the second circulation passage, so that the humid circulating airflow in the drum sequentially enters the first circulation passage and the second circulation passage.

[0010] Furthermore, the drying module also includes a pre-condenser, which is located on the circulation path and upstream of the circulation module; the pre-condenser is used to pre-dehumidify the wet circulating airflow from inside the drum.

[0011] Furthermore, the pre-condenser includes a water-cooled condenser or an air condenser; the pre-condenser is located on the air outlet channel connected to the drum air outlet.

[0012] Furthermore, the drying module also includes an auxiliary heater, which is disposed on the circulation path and located downstream of the dehumidification module; the auxiliary heater is used to heat the drying circulation airflow.

[0013] Furthermore, the first turntable receiving area is provided with a first partition to divide the first turntable receiving area into a dehumidification area and a regeneration area; a second air inlet is provided on the side wall of the lower shell of the turntable, and the second air inlet is connected to the first air outlet and the dehumidification area of ​​the second airflow channel respectively.

[0014] Furthermore, the first separator is arranged radially along the lower shell of the turntable so that both the dehumidification zone and the regeneration zone are generally fan-shaped spaces; wherein, the area of ​​the dehumidification zone can be set to 2-3 times the area of ​​the regeneration zone.

[0015] Furthermore, the first partition includes at least a first partition body and a second partition body, both of which are arranged radially along the lower housing of the turntable. One end of the first partition body and the second partition body are connected to the inner side wall of the lower housing of the turntable, and the other ends of the first partition body and the second partition body intersect at the central area of ​​the lower housing of the turntable, so that the first partition body is approximately V-shaped; the intersection of the first partition body and the second partition body is a circular arc transition connection.

[0016] Furthermore, the upper housing of the turntable is provided with a second partition to divide the upper housing of the turntable into a dehumidification area and a regeneration module installation area; the second partition is arranged opposite to the first partition, and the turntable is located between the second partition and the first partition.

[0017] Furthermore, a second air outlet is provided on the side wall of the upper shell of the turntable, and the second air outlet is connected to the dehumidification area of ​​the first airflow channel and the air inlet of the drum.

[0018] Furthermore, the second air inlet is located near one of the first and second partitions; the second air outlet is located near the other of the first and second partitions.

[0019] Furthermore, the drying module also includes: an air outlet channel located at the second air outlet, the air outlet channel protruding from the outer side wall of the upper housing of the turntable; an inlet air duct, one end of which is connected to the air outlet channel and the other end of which is connected to the air inlet of the drum; an auxiliary heater including a heating tube or heating wire; the auxiliary heater is disposed inside the inlet air duct.

[0020] A second aspect of the present invention provides a drying module, comprising: a dehumidification module having a second circulation passage, the second circulation passage being directly or indirectly connected to a drum air outlet to allow humid circulating airflow inside the drum to enter the second circulation passage; the dehumidification module including a turntable component, at least a portion of which is disposed on the second circulation passage, the turntable component being used to adsorb moisture from the humid circulating airflow inside the drum; and a circulation module located downstream or upstream of the dehumidification module, the circulation module having a first circulation passage being directly or indirectly connected to a drum air inlet to allow humid circulating airflow inside the drum to pass through the second circulation passage and the first circulation passage, becoming dry circulating airflow before entering the drum for the next circulation; and the drum air outlet, the second circulation passage or the first circulation passage, the first circulation passage or the second circulation passage, and the drum air inlet being sequentially connected to form a circulation passage.

[0021] A third aspect of the present invention provides a washer-dryer combo machine, including the aforementioned drying module.

[0022] (III) Beneficial Effects

[0023] The above-described technical solution of the present invention has the following beneficial technical effects:

[0024] 1. The technical solution of the present invention uses a turntable to adsorb moisture in the humid circulating airflow, so that the humid circulating airflow can be transformed into a dry circulating airflow. The dry circulating airflow enters the drum through the drum air inlet and comes into full contact with the clothes, thereby improving drying efficiency and reducing energy consumption. It can avoid the decrease in the moisture absorption capacity of humid air caused by using an evaporator.

[0025] 2. The technical solution of the present invention, by setting a diverter around the bottom wall of the housing assembly, can divert the humid circulating airflow into the airflow channel. One part enters the area near the center and the other part enters the area near the outer periphery of the turntable, making the humid circulating airflow into the airflow channel more dispersed and more uniform. The airflow can contact the turntable over a larger area, which can improve the moisture absorption efficiency of the turntable.

[0026] 3. The technical solution of the present invention is to install the drying module on the top of the drum of the washer-dryer. The drying module is arranged horizontally, that is, the rotating shaft of the turntable, the rotating shaft of the circulating fan, and the rotating shaft of the regeneration fan are all roughly parallel and roughly perpendicular to the rotating shaft of the upper shell of the washer-dryer / perpendicular to the rotating shaft of the drum of the washer-dryer. In this way, the overall height of the washer-dryer depends on the diameter of the drum and the thickness of the shell assembly placed above the drum, which can minimize the overall size of the washer-dryer. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a drying module according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Explosion-decomposition diagram;

[0029] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a lower housing structure provided according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a lower housing provided according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a turntable upper housing according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a turntable upper housing according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 7This is a partially exploded structural diagram of a drying module provided according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 8 This is an exploded structural diagram of the circulation module provided in an embodiment of the present invention (the lower housing of the circulation module is not shown);

[0035] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the circulation module provided in an embodiment of the present invention (the lower housing of the circulation module is not shown);

[0036] Figure 10 This is a top view of the circulating module provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the circulation process of the wet circulating airflow provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure label:

[0039] 10-Circulation module; 20-Dehumidification module; 30-Regeneration module; 50-Corrugated hose; 51-Overlapping part; 52-Inlet air duct; 100-Lower housing; 200-Turntable; 210-Turntable upper housing; 211-Second separator; 220-Turntable lower housing; 221-First separator; 2211-First separator body; 2212-Second separator body; 222-Flow divider; 2221-First flow divider; 2222-Second flow divider; 223-Air inlet; 224-Fixed shaft; 320-Regeneration fan mounting part; 410-Condensing module upper housing; 420-Condensing module lower housing; 401-Condenser;

[0040] 120 - Circulation motor; 102 - First air inlet; 103 - First air outlet; 110 - Impeller; 111 - Upper housing of circulation module; 112 - Lower housing of circulation module; 113 - Sealing gasket; 130 - Transition component;

[0041] 1101 - Impeller body; 1102 - Blade; 1103 - Retaining ring;

[0042] 1111-Second sidewall; 1112-First top plate; 1113-Upper shell connector; 1114-Mounting hole; 1115-Fixing clip;

[0043] 1121 - First sidewall; 1122 - First base plate; 1123 - Lower shell connector. Detailed Implementation

[0044] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that these descriptions are merely exemplary and not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Furthermore, descriptions of well-known structures and techniques are omitted in the following description to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the concept of the invention.

[0045] A first aspect of the present invention provides a drying module, such as Figures 1-7 As shown, it includes: a circulation module 10 and a dehumidification module 20. The circulation module 10 has a first circulation passage that is connected to the drum air outlet so that the humid circulating airflow inside the drum enters the first circulation passage; the dehumidification module 20 is located downstream of the circulation module 10 and has a second circulation passage that is connected to the drum air inlet; the drum air outlet, the first circulation passage, the second circulation passage, and the drum air inlet are sequentially connected to form a circulation passage; the dehumidification module 20 includes a turntable component, at least a portion of which is disposed on the second circulation passage, and the turntable component is used to adsorb moisture from the humid circulating airflow inside the drum; wherein, the humid circulating airflow inside the drum sequentially passes through the first circulation passage and the second circulation passage to become a dry circulating airflow. The circulation module 10 may include a circulation fan, which provides power for the humid circulating airflow and facilitates airflow circulation. The air inlet of the circulation fan is connected to the air outlet of the drum, and the air outlet of the circulation fan is connected to the second circulation passage. The turntable component is set on the second circulation passage. The turntable component can first absorb the moisture in the humid circulating airflow from inside the drum, so that the humid circulating airflow becomes a relatively dry circulating airflow. The dry circulating airflow enters the drum through the drum air inlet, making full contact with the clothes, improving drying efficiency and reducing energy consumption.

[0046] In some embodiments, the dehumidification module 20 further includes: a lower housing 220 of the turntable, which has a first turntable receiving area; an upper housing 210 of the turntable, which has a second turntable receiving area, the upper housing 210 and the lower housing 220 of the turntable are connected to each other so that the first turntable receiving area and the second turntable receiving area form a turntable component receiving cavity; the turntable component is installed in the turntable component receiving cavity; the turntable component includes a turntable 200; there is a gap between the top surface of the turntable 200 and a part of the top wall of the upper housing 210 of the turntable to form a first airflow channel; there is a gap between the bottom surface of the turntable 200 and a part of the bottom wall of the lower housing 220 of the turntable to form a second airflow channel; the second airflow channel, the turntable 200 and the first airflow channel form a second circulation path; wherein, the second airflow channel is connected to the first circulation path, and the first airflow channel is connected to the drum air inlet so that the wet circulating airflow in the drum passes through the second airflow channel and through the turntable 200 to reach the first airflow channel. Specifically, the turntable 200 constitutes part of the turntable component, which may also include a drive assembly, including a motor that drives the turntable 200 to rotate. The turntable 200 can be made of a material with good moisture absorption and desorption properties, such as zeolite, lithium chloride, silica gel, modified silica gel, or 13X (sodium X type) molecular sieve. The humid circulating airflow discharged from the drum enters the bottom of the turntable's receiving cavity and diffuses within the second airflow channel. The humid circulating airflow passes through the turntable 200 from bottom to top, absorbing moisture from the humid circulating airflow, transforming it into a dry circulating airflow. This dry circulating airflow enters the drum through the drum's air inlet, ensuring full contact with the clothes, improving drying efficiency and reducing energy consumption. This embodiment of the invention, by using the turntable 200 to absorb moisture from the humid circulating airflow, avoids the reduced moisture absorption capacity of an evaporator.

[0047] In some embodiments, the circulation module 10 includes: a circulation module housing having an impeller receiving cavity, the circulation module housing having a first air inlet 102 and a first air outlet 103; an impeller 110 disposed in the impeller receiving cavity, the impeller rotation axis being approximately parallel to the first air inlet axis and approximately perpendicular to the first air outlet axis; a circulation motor 120 connected and fixed to the circulation module housing, the output shaft of the circulation motor 120 being connected and fixed to the impeller 110; the first air inlet 102, the impeller receiving cavity, and the first air outlet 103 form a first circulation passage; wherein, the first air inlet 102 communicates with the drum air outlet, and the first air outlet 103 communicates with the second circulation passage, so that the wet circulating airflow in the drum sequentially enters the first circulation passage and the second circulation passage. The rotation axis of the impeller 110 corresponds to the first air inlet, meaning the rotation axis of the impeller 110 can pass through the first air inlet 102. This allows the impeller 110 to drive the airflow at the first air inlet 102 directly, enabling the airflow to enter the circulation module housing quickly without increasing the impeller 110's rotational speed. When the impeller 110 is driven to rotate by the circulation motor 120, centrifugal force is generated around the outer circumference of the impeller 110. The airflow inside the impeller 110 flows in the direction of the centrifugal force, causing the airflow to disperse around the impeller 110, thus changing the airflow direction. Furthermore, a negative pressure is created on and near the rotation axis of the impeller 110, increasing the airflow drawn into the first air inlet 102. Therefore, by designing the circulation power as a method where the circulation motor 120 controls the rotation of the impeller 110 to create negative pressure for air delivery, the losses caused by direct collisions between strong winds and other components are effectively avoided. Traditional fans typically experience high losses when changing the direction of airflow. However, the circulation module provided in this invention provides the power to change the direction of airflow, allowing for greater flexibility in its layout. In this invention, the circulation fan may include a circulation motor 120 and an impeller 110 driven to rotate by the circulation motor 120.

[0048] In some embodiments, the drying module further includes a pre-condenser disposed on the circulation path, located upstream of the circulation module 10; the pre-condenser is used to pre-dehumidify the humid circulating airflow from inside the drum. To improve the moisture absorption effect of the turntable 200, a pre-condenser is disposed upstream of the circulation module 10 to reduce the humidity of the humid circulating airflow from inside the drum.

[0049] In some embodiments, the pre-condenser includes a water-cooled condenser or an air condenser; the pre-condenser is disposed on an air outlet channel communicating with the drum's air outlet. The air outlet channel communicating with the drum's air outlet can be disposed to the left rear or right rear of the drum. For example, when the pre-condenser is a water-cooled condenser, it can be disposed upstream of the airflow direction of the filter assembly. This reduces the humidity of the airflow entering the dehumidification module 20 and allows some lint in the airflow to be directly carried away by the condensate, thereby reducing the cleaning frequency of the filter assembly. The water-cooled condenser disposed on the drum's air outlet channel can specifically be a nozzle disposed at the water inlet to slowly spray cooling water onto the outer wall of the pipe, maintaining a continuous low temperature on the pipe wall, thereby achieving condensation and dehydration of the wet circulating airflow flowing through the pipe. The drum's air outlet channel can be configured as a double-layer pipe wall, which can include an inner ring pipe and an outer ring pipe coaxially spaced apart. The inner ring pipe carries the wet circulating airflow, and a water flow space is formed between the inner ring pipe and the outer ring pipe to guide the cooling water into the drum's outer drum or the washing machine's water outlet pipe. When the current condenser is an air condenser, the wet circulating airflow from inside the drum exchanges heat with the air condenser and cools down. The water vapor in the wet circulating airflow is cooled and forms condensate, which is discharged from the drain port of the air condenser.

[0050] In some embodiments, the drying module further includes an auxiliary heater disposed on the circulation path, located downstream of the dehumidification module 20; the auxiliary heater is used to heat the drying circulating airflow. The humid circulating airflow from inside the drum is converted into dry circulating airflow by the turntable 200 adsorbing moisture. The auxiliary heater heats the dry circulating airflow, increasing the temperature of the dry circulating airflow entering the drum to accelerate the drying of clothes inside the drum.

[0051] In some embodiments, a first separator 221 is provided within the first turntable receiving area to divide the first turntable receiving area into a dehumidification area and a regeneration area; a second air inlet 223 is provided on the side wall of the lower housing 220 of the turntable, and the second air inlet 223 is connected to the first air outlet 103 and the dehumidification area of ​​the second airflow channel. Specifically, there is a gap between the bottom surface of the turntable 200 and the bottom wall of the dehumidification area of ​​the lower housing of the turntable, which can form a second airflow channel; when the turntable 200 is working, the part located in the dehumidification area can adsorb moisture in the humidified circulating airflow entering the second airflow channel; during the rotation of the turntable 200, when the part that has adsorbed moisture in the dehumidification area rotates to the regeneration area, it undergoes dehydration and regeneration.

[0052] In some embodiments, the first separator 221 is arranged radially along the lower housing 220 of the turntable, and forms a wheel mounting area at the center of the first turntable accommodating area. The roughly radially arranged first separator 221 makes both the dehumidification zone and the regeneration zone roughly fan-shaped; wherein, the area of ​​the dehumidification zone can be set to 2-3 times the area of ​​the regeneration zone. The area of ​​the dehumidification zone can be set to be larger than the area of ​​the regeneration zone, so that most of the turntable 200 is in the dehumidification zone, thereby further improving the moisture absorption efficiency and effect of the turntable 200. In order to prevent the wet circulating airflow discharged from the drum from communicating with the regeneration airflow, a certain dynamic sealing effect can be formed between the first separator 221 and the turntable 200. When the turntable 200 rotates to the regeneration zone, the regeneration airflow heats this part of the turntable 200, causing the moisture in this part to evaporate and be carried away by the regeneration airflow into the condenser; thus, the turntable 200 always has good water absorption capacity, thereby improving the moisture absorption efficiency and effect.

[0053] In an exemplary embodiment, the lower turntable housing 220 may be provided with a first turntable receiving area. The lower turntable housing 220 may include a bottom plate and a circumferential sidewall protruding from the bottom plate, forming a recessed portion that is the first turntable receiving area. Similarly, the upper turntable housing 210 may be provided with a second turntable receiving area. The second turntable receiving area is formed by the top wall of the upper turntable housing 210, the circumferential sidewall, and the second partition 211, which is composed of the top wall of the upper turntable housing 210, the circumferential sidewall, and the radial sidewall of the upper housing corresponding to the position of the first partition 221. The upper turntable housing 210 and the recessed portion of the lower turntable housing 220 are arranged opposite to each other. When the upper turntable housing 210 and the lower turntable housing 220 are connected, the first turntable receiving area and the second turntable receiving area can form a turntable receiving cavity. Since airflow passes through the turntable receiving cavity, the upper turntable housing 210 and the lower turntable housing 220 can be provided with a sealed connection. For example, the upper housing 210 or the lower housing 220 of the turntable is provided with a groove or a flange, and a sealing strip is provided in the groove. When the upper housing 210 and the lower housing 220 of the turntable are fastened together, the flange presses against the sealing strip in the groove to achieve a seal. The lower housing 112 of the circulation module and the upper housing 111 of the circulation module can be connected to form a circulation fan housing cavity, and the lower housing 420 of the condensing module and the upper housing 410 of the condensing module can be connected to form a condenser housing cavity.

[0054] In some embodiments, the first partition 221 includes at least a first partition body 2211 and a second partition body 2212. Both the first partition body 2211 and the second partition body 2212 are radially arranged along the lower housing 220 of the turntable. One end of each of the first partition body 2211 and the second partition body 2212 is connected to the inner side wall of the lower housing 220. The other ends of the first partition body 2211 and the second partition body 2212 intersect at the center of the lower housing 220 to form the rotation axis region of the turntable 200, so that the first partition 221 is generally V-shaped. The intersection of the first partition body 2211 and the second partition body 2212 is a rounded transition connection. The first partition body 221 may be configured to protrude from the bottom plate of the lower housing 220 of the turntable, so that there is a gap between the bottom surface of the turntable 200 and the bottom plate of the lower housing 220 of the turntable, thereby forming a second airflow channel and a fourth airflow channel. By setting the first separator 221 to a V-shape, the first turntable can be divided into a dehumidification zone and a regeneration zone, and the dehumidification zone and the regeneration zone can be divided into a fan shape. Therefore, it is beneficial for the turntable 200 to circulate through the dehumidification zone and the regeneration zone during rotation, continuously adsorbing and desorbing moisture, so that the turntable 200 always has good water absorption capacity, thereby improving the efficiency and effect of moisture absorption.

[0055] In some embodiments, the upper housing 210 of the turntable is provided with a second partition 211 to divide the upper housing 210 of the turntable into a dehumidification zone and a regeneration module installation zone; the second partition 211 and the first partition 221 are respectively disposed opposite to each other on the upper housing 210 and the lower housing 220 of the turntable, and the turntable 200 is located between the second partition 211 and the first partition 221. In order to prevent the wet circulating airflow discharged from the drum from communicating with the regeneration airflow, the first partition 221 and the second partition 211 can form a dynamic seal with the turntable 200. Therefore, it is beneficial for the turntable 200 to continuously adsorb moisture and dehydrate and dry during the rotation process, so that the turntable 200 always has good water absorption capacity, thereby improving the efficiency and effect of moisture absorption.

[0056] In some embodiments, a third first separator can be provided on the lower housing 220 of the turntable, and a third second separator can be provided at a corresponding position on the upper housing 210 of the turntable. Viewed along the rotation direction of the turntable 200, the third and first separators can be located downstream of the regeneration zone or upstream of the dehumidification zone, thus dividing the entire turntable housing space into three spaces, capable of respectively realizing water absorption and dehumidification, regeneration and desorption, and cooling functions. In this embodiment, the approximate fan-shaped area between the third and first separators and the regeneration zone is the cooling zone for realizing the cooling function of the turntable 200. The advantage of this arrangement is that after the turntable passes through the regeneration zone where water is heated and desorbed, there will be residual heat on the turntable 200. This residual heat will affect the ability of the turntable 200 to absorb water after entering the dehumidification zone. Therefore, a cooling zone is provided between the regeneration zone and the dehumidification zone to provide a buffer cooling effect for the turntable 200, thereby improving water absorption efficiency.

[0057] In some embodiments, a second air outlet is provided on the side wall of the upper housing 210 of the turntable. The second air outlet is connected to the dehumidification zone of the first airflow channel and the drum air inlet, respectively. The second air inlet 223 is located near one of the first and second partitions. The second air outlet is located near the other of the first and second partitions. The second air inlet 223 and the second air outlet are respectively located on both sides of the first and second partitions. The humid circulating airflow from inside the drum enters the second airflow channel through the second air inlet 223. After being guided by the dehumidification zone, it diffuses in the second airflow channel. The humid circulating airflow passes through the turntable 200 from bottom to top and reaches the first airflow channel, and converges at the second air outlet on the other side of the dehumidification zone. This relatively extends the flow path of the circulating airflow, so that the contact area between the circulating airflow and the bottom and top surfaces of the turntable 200 is larger, improving the utilization rate of the turntable 200.

[0058] In some embodiments, the drying module further includes: an air outlet channel 203 located at the second air outlet, the air outlet channel 203 protruding from the outer side wall of the upper housing 210 of the turntable; an inlet air duct 52, one end of which communicates with the air outlet channel and the other end of which communicates with the drum air inlet; and an auxiliary heater including a heating tube or heating wire; the auxiliary heater is disposed inside the inlet air duct. A sealing ring may be provided between the inlet air duct 52 and the air outlet channel 203, and a pair of matching connecting flanges are provided at the ends of the inlet air duct 52 and the air outlet channel 203, which are connected and fixed by bolts, and the sealing ring in the middle is compressed and deformed to achieve a sealing effect. The auxiliary heater may include a heating tube or heating wire, which is arranged along the inner wall of the inlet air duct 52, and a heat insulation material may be provided between the heating tube or heating wire and the inner wall of the inlet air duct 52.

[0059] The circulation process of the wet circulating airflow from inside the drum will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0060] See Figure 11 The circulation module 10 and the dehumidification module 20 together form a circulation path, and the flow direction of the humid circulating airflow from inside the drum is as follows: Figure 11 As indicated by the middle arrow: The humid circulating airflow enters the drum through the drum outlet and the outlet channel. The outlet channel is equipped with a filter and a pre-condenser. After pre-dehumidification, the humid circulating airflow enters the corrugated hose 50 (arrow 1), passes through the first air inlet 102, and is powered by the circulating fan to reach the lower side of the turntable 200 (arrow 2), that is, diffuses in the second airflow channel, passes through the lower side of the turntable 200 and reaches its upper side (arrow 3). The humid circulating airflow absorbs the moisture in the turntable 200 and becomes dry circulating airflow, which then flows in the space above the turntable 200 (arrow 4), that is, reaches the inlet air duct 52 through the first airflow channel (arrow 5). An auxiliary heater is provided in the inlet air duct to heat the dry circulating airflow. The heated dry circulating airflow then passes through the inlet air duct 52 and circulates into the drum (arrow 6).

[0061] A second aspect of the present invention provides a drying module, comprising: a dehumidification module having a second circulation passage connected to a drum air outlet to allow humid circulating airflow within the drum to enter the second circulation passage; the dehumidification module including a turntable component, at least a portion of which is disposed on the second circulation passage, the turntable component being used to adsorb moisture from the humid circulating airflow within the drum; and a circulation module located downstream of the dehumidification module, the circulation module having a first circulation passage connected to a drum air inlet to allow humid circulating airflow within the drum to sequentially pass through the second circulation passage and the first circulation passage, becoming dry circulating airflow before entering the drum for the next circulation; the drum air outlet, the second circulation passage, the first circulation passage, and the drum air inlet being sequentially connected to form a circulation passage.

[0062] It is understood that the positions of the circulation module 10 and the dehumidification module 20 in the above embodiments can be interchanged. That is, the humidified circulating airflow in the drum first enters the dehumidification module 20 through the drum outlet channel, and then enters the drum through the drum inlet channel via the circulation module 10. Thus, the connection relationship between the air inlets and outlets of each component can be adaptively adjusted.

[0063] A third aspect of the present invention provides a washer-dryer combo machine, including the aforementioned drying module.

[0064] The washer-dryer combo also includes a drum with an air inlet and an air outlet. The air inlet and outlet can be located at opposite ends of the drum's rotating shaft to ensure sufficient heat exchange between the hot, dry airflow entering the drum and the clothes inside. The air inlet can be located at the front or rear, and the air outlet at the rear or front. The air inlet and outlet connect to the space between the outer and inner drums. For example, if the air inlet and outlet are located at opposite ends of the drum's rotating shaft, the airflow can fully contact the clothes inside the drum, improving drying efficiency.

[0065] Of course, the specific locations of the air inlet and outlet of the drum are not specifically limited in this disclosure. They can also be located at the same end of the drum at the same time, or staggered on the drum.

[0066] In some embodiments, the drying module, such as Figures 1-7 As shown, specifically, it may include: a lower housing 100, which has a first turntable receiving area; a turntable upper housing 210, which has a second turntable receiving area, the turntable upper housing 210 and the lower housing 100 are connected to each other so that the first turntable receiving area and the second turntable receiving area form a turntable receiving cavity; a turntable component, which is installed in the turntable receiving cavity; the turntable component includes a turntable 200, a part of which is used to adsorb moisture in the humid circulating airflow; wherein, at least a portion of the top surface of the turntable 200 has a gap with at least a portion of the inner wall of the turntable upper housing to form a first airflow channel; at least a portion of the bottom surface of the turntable 200 has a gap with at least a portion of the inner wall of the lower housing to form a second airflow channel; the second airflow channel is connected to the drum air outlet, and the first airflow channel is connected to the drum air inlet; the humid circulating airflow in the drum passes through the moisture absorption area of ​​the turntable 200 from bottom to top through the second airflow channel to reach the first airflow channel, and the moisture in the humid circulating airflow is adsorbed to form a dry circulating airflow. In some embodiments, the turntable 200 is part of a turntable component, which may also include a drive assembly, including a motor that drives the turntable 200 to rotate. The turntable 200 can be made of a material with good moisture absorption and desorption properties, such as zeolite, lithium chloride, silica gel, modified silica gel, or 13X (sodium X type) molecular sieve. The humid circulating airflow discharged from the drum enters the bottom of the turntable's receiving cavity and diffuses within the second airflow channel. The humid circulating airflow passes through the turntable 200 from bottom to top, and the turntable 200 adsorbs moisture from the humid circulating airflow, transforming it into a dry circulating airflow. The dry circulating airflow enters the drum through the drum's air inlet, making full contact with the clothes, improving drying efficiency and reducing energy consumption. By using the turntable 200 to adsorb moisture from the humid circulating airflow, this embodiment of the invention avoids the reduced moisture absorption capacity of an evaporator.

[0067] In some embodiments, the lower housing 100 includes a circulation module lower housing 112, which has a circulation fan receiving area that communicates with the first turntable receiving area. The circulation fan is installed within the circulation fan receiving area, with its inlet communicating with the drum outlet and its outlet communicating with the second airflow channel. The humid circulating airflow discharged from the drum is drawn by the circulation fan and sent to the bottom of the turntable receiving cavity, accelerating the diffusion of the humid circulating airflow within the second airflow channel and promoting airflow circulation.

[0068] In some embodiments, the lower housing 100 further includes a turntable lower housing 220, which has a first turntable receiving area. A first separator 221 is provided within the first turntable receiving area to divide it into a dehumidification area and a regeneration area. The outlet of the circulating fan is connected to the dehumidification area. A gap exists between the bottom surface of the turntable 200 and the bottom wall of the dehumidification area of ​​the turntable lower housing, forming a second airflow channel. When the turntable 200 is in operation, the portion located in the dehumidification area can adsorb moisture from the humidified circulating airflow entering the second airflow channel. During rotation, the portion of the turntable 200 that has adsorbed moisture in the dehumidification area rotates to the regeneration area for dehydration and regeneration.

[0069] In some embodiments, the drying module further includes a regeneration module 30, which is connected to the upper housing 210 of the turntable. The upper housing 210 of the turntable has a generally fan-shaped regeneration module receiving portion. The regeneration module 30 is installed in the regeneration module receiving portion and is located above the turntable 200. The regeneration module is used, for example, to heat the regeneration airflow to desorb the moisture adsorbed by the turntable 200. The inner side of the regeneration module has an airflow space to form a third airflow channel. A gap exists between the bottom surface of a portion of the turntable 200 and the inner wall of the regeneration zone of the lower housing 220 of the turntable to form a fourth airflow channel. The regeneration module may include a heater for heating the regeneration airflow. The heated regeneration airflow passes through the third airflow channel from top to bottom through the turntable 200 to the fourth airflow channel, dehydrating a portion of the turntable 200 within the regeneration zone. During rotation, the turntable 200 continuously circulates between the dehumidification zone and the regeneration zone, performing a cycle of moisture adsorption and desorption.

[0070] In some embodiments, the lower housing 100 further includes a condenser module lower housing 420 and a regeneration fan mounting section 320. The regeneration fan is mounted in the regeneration fan mounting section 320. The condenser module lower housing 420 is provided with a condenser receiving area, which is connected to the fourth airflow channel and the air inlet of the regeneration fan. The air outlet of the regeneration fan is connected to the third airflow channel. The regeneration airflow is drawn by the regeneration fan and sent into the third airflow channel, passes through the regeneration module, and passes from top to bottom through the turntable 200 to reach the fourth airflow channel, becoming a humid and hot regeneration airflow. The humid and hot regeneration airflow sequentially enters the condenser 401 and the regeneration fan to form a closed-loop regeneration airflow. The humid and hot regeneration airflow enters the condenser 401 for heat exchange and cooling. The water vapor in the regeneration airflow is cooled to form condensate and discharged from the drain outlet of the condenser 401. The dry, low-temperature regeneration airflow enters the regeneration fan for the next cycle.

[0071] In some embodiments, the lower housing 100 is integrated. In an exemplary embodiment, the circulation module lower housing 112, the turntable lower housing 220, the condenser module lower housing 420, and the regeneration fan mounting portion 320 are integrally formed. Overlapping portions 51 can be provided around the periphery of the lower housing 100, and these overlapping portions 51 can be arranged at intervals along the circumference of the lower housing 100. The entire drying module can be mounted onto the frame through the overlapping portions 51. This allows the entire drying module to be organically integrated into a single unit, simplifying the assembly process in the washer-dryer combo and facilitating further optimization of the overall dimensions of the washer-dryer combo. To minimize the overall size of the washer-dryer combo, the drying module can be installed on top of the drum. The drying module is arranged horizontally, meaning that the rotating shafts of the 200° turntable, the circulating fan, and the regenerating fan are roughly parallel and perpendicular to the rotating shafts of the upper shell / drum of the washer-dryer combo. In this way, the overall height of the washer-dryer combo depends on the diameter of the drum and the thickness of the shell assembly placed above the drum. The circulating fan, regenerating fan, condenser, etc., can all be arranged above the drum. Since the drum is approximately a horizontal cylinder, there will be more vertical space above it and on both sides of the drum's maximum diameter for the installation of components such as the circulating fan, regenerating fan, and condenser.

[0072] In some embodiments, in order to make the entire drying module more securely installed, overlapping portions 51 may be provided at the upper housing 210 of the turntable, the upper housing 111 of the circulation module and / or the upper housing 410 of the condensation module, etc., which will not be listed here.

[0073] In some embodiments, the air inlet of the circulating fan is flexibly connected to the drum air outlet; the upper housing 210 of the turntable is flexibly connected to the drum air inlet, so that the first airflow channel communicates with the drum air inlet. The flexible connection can be, for example, using a corrugated hose 50. This flexible connection with the drum air inlet and outlet prevents the vibration of the drum from being transmitted to the entire drying module, especially preventing the vibration from affecting the turntable components. The upper housing 210 of the turntable may be provided with an air outlet channel 203, which is transitionally connected to the drum air inlet duct 52. The drum air inlet duct 52 and the drum air inlet can also be flexibly connected, for example, using a corrugated hose 50.

[0074] In some embodiments, the drying module may include a housing assembly having a turntable receiving cavity, a circulating fan receiving cavity, a condenser receiving cavity, a regeneration module receiving part, and a regeneration fan mounting part. The drum outlet, the circulating fan, the turntable receiving cavity, and the drum inlet are connected in sequence. This allows the humid circulating airflow discharged from the drum to be drawn into the bottom of the turntable receiving cavity by the circulating fan. The humid circulating airflow passes through the turntable 200 from bottom to top, and the turntable 200 absorbs the moisture in the humid circulating airflow, which can be transformed into dry circulating airflow. The dry circulating airflow enters the drum through the drum inlet and comes into full contact with the clothes, improving drying efficiency. The regeneration module 30, condenser 401 and regeneration fan form a closed loop connection. The regeneration airflow is drawn into the regeneration module by the regeneration fan. The regeneration airflow is heated by the regeneration module 30 and passes through the turntable 200 from top to bottom. The heated regeneration airflow desorbs the water adsorbed in the turntable 200 and carries away the water vapor. It enters the condenser for heat exchange. The water vapor in the regeneration airflow is cooled to form condensate and discharged from the condenser. The dry, low-temperature regeneration airflow enters the regeneration fan for the next cycle.

[0075] The housing assembly may be provided with overlapping portions 51, which can be arranged at intervals along the circumference of the housing assembly. The entire drying module can be installed onto the frame through the overlapping portions. The housing assembly includes a lower housing 100, a turntable upper housing 210, a circulation module upper housing 111, and a condenser module upper housing 410, etc. In order to minimize the overall size of the washer-dryer combo, the drying module can be installed on top of the washer-dryer drum. The drying module adopts a horizontal arrangement, that is, the rotation axis of the turntable 200, the rotation axis of the circulation fan, and the rotation axis of the regeneration fan are all roughly parallel and roughly perpendicular to the rotation axis of the upper housing / the rotation axis of the washer-dryer drum. In this way, the overall height of the washer-dryer combo depends on the drum diameter and the thickness of the housing assembly placed above the drum. The circulation fan, regeneration fan, condenser, etc. can all be arranged above the drum. Since the drum is approximately horizontally cylindrical, there will be more vertical space above it for the installation of components such as the circulation fan, regeneration fan, and condenser. The circulating fan in this embodiment of the invention may include a circulating motor and an impeller. The circulating motor drives the impeller to rotate in order to change the direction of airflow and provide power for the humid circulating airflow.

[0076] In some embodiments, the lower housing can be integrated, which facilitates the overall installation of the drying module. Installing the drying module on top of the washer-dryer drum avoids the impact of drum vibration on the entire drying module. The lower housing 100 may include a circulation module lower housing 112, a turntable lower housing 220, a condenser module lower housing 420, and a regeneration fan mounting section 320. The lower housing can be integrally formed. In this embodiment, the regeneration fan is purchased as a complete unit, so only the regeneration fan mounting section 320 is provided. The turntable lower housing 220 may have a first turntable receiving area. In an exemplary embodiment, the turntable lower housing 220 may include a base plate and a circumferential sidewall protruding from the base plate, forming a recessed portion that serves as the first turntable receiving area. Similarly, the upper housing 210 of the turntable can be provided with a second turntable receiving area. The recessed structures of the upper housing 210 and the lower housing 220 of the turntable can be symmetrically arranged. When the upper housing 210 and the lower housing 220 of the turntable are connected, the first and second turntable receiving areas can form a turntable receiving cavity. Since airflow passes through the turntable receiving cavity, the upper housing 210 and the lower housing 220 of the turntable can be sealed. For example, the upper housing 210 or the lower housing 220 of the turntable is provided with a groove, and a sealing strip is provided in the groove. When the upper housing 210 and the lower housing 220 of the turntable are fastened together, a seal is achieved. The lower housing 112 of the circulation module and the upper housing 111 of the circulation module can be connected to form a circulating fan receiving cavity, and the lower housing 420 of the condensing module and the upper housing 410 of the condensing module can be connected to form a condenser receiving cavity.

[0077] In some embodiments, the drying module may specifically include: a housing assembly having a turntable component receiving cavity; a turntable component installed within the turntable component receiving cavity; the turntable component including a turntable 200, at least a portion of which is used to adsorb moisture in the humidified circulating airflow; gaps being formed between the two sides of the turntable 200 and the first and second inner walls of the housing assembly, respectively, to form airflow channels; wherein the first and second inner walls are disposed opposite to each other, and the first or second inner wall and the two sides of the turntable 200 are substantially parallel; at least one diverter 222 is at least arranged around one of the first or second inner walls, the diverter 222 being used to divert the airflow flowing into the airflow channel. In some embodiments, the turntable component may include the turntable 200 and a drive assembly, the drive assembly including a motor that can drive the turntable 200 to rotate. The turntable 200 may be made of a material with good moisture absorption properties, such as zeolite, lithium chloride, silica gel, modified silica gel, or 13X (sodium X type) molecular sieve, etc. The humid circulating airflow flowing into the airflow channel on one side of the turntable 200 passes through the turntable 200 and reaches the airflow channel on the other side. The turntable 200 absorbs the moisture in the humid circulating airflow, turning the humid circulating airflow into a dry circulating airflow. Since the connection between the outlet of the circulating fan and the cavity of the turntable component is roughly along the tangential direction of the turntable, and the circulating airflow has a certain velocity, and the humid circulating airflow has a high moisture content, it will escape away from the rotation center of the turntable under the action of centrifugal force. The airflow is usually formed at the larger diameter of the turntable 200, and the airflow is small in the area near the rotation center of the turntable. As a result, the main moisture absorption part of the turntable 200 is at the larger diameter, which affects the moisture absorption efficiency and the moisture absorption utilization rate of the turntable. To address this, a diverter 222 is provided around the bottom wall of the housing assembly to divert the humidified circulating airflow into the airflow channel. One part enters the area near the center, while the other part enters the area near the outer periphery of the turntable 200. This makes the humidified circulating airflow into the airflow channel more dispersed and uniform, allowing the airflow to contact the turntable 200 over a larger area, thereby improving the moisture absorption efficiency of the turntable 200.

[0078] In some embodiments, the housing assembly includes: a lower housing 220 of the turntable, which has a first turntable receiving area; an upper housing 210 of the turntable, which has a second turntable receiving area, the upper housing and the lower housing of the turntable being connected to each other so that the first turntable receiving area and the second turntable receiving area form the turntable component receiving cavity; a gap is formed between the top surface of the turntable 200 and a portion of the inner top wall of the upper housing 210 to form a first airflow channel; a gap is formed between the bottom surface of the turntable 200 and a portion of the bottom wall of the lower housing of the turntable to form a second airflow channel; the second airflow channel communicates with the drum air outlet, and the first airflow channel communicates with the drum air inlet, so that the wet circulating airflow in the drum passes through the second airflow channel and through the turntable 200 to reach the first airflow channel; exemplaryly, the diverter 222 is arranged around the bottom wall of the lower housing 220 of the turntable to divert the airflow flowing into the second airflow channel. For example, the humid circulating airflow discharged from the drum enters the bottom of the turntable component receiving cavity, that is, diffuses in the second airflow channel. When the diverter 222 surrounds the inner bottom wall of the lower shell of the turntable, it can first divert the incoming humid circulating airflow. One part enters the area near the center, and the other part enters the area near the outer periphery of the turntable 200, making the humid circulating airflow in the airflow channel more dispersed and more uniform. The humid circulating airflow then passes through the turntable 200 from bottom to top. The turntable 200 absorbs the moisture in the humid circulating airflow, turning the humid circulating airflow into dry circulating airflow, which can improve the moisture absorption efficiency of the turntable 200. The dry circulating airflow flows from the first airflow channel to the drum air inlet and enters the drum, making full contact with the clothes, improving drying efficiency and reducing energy consumption.

[0079] In some embodiments, the at least one diverter 222 is disposed within the dehumidification zone of the first turntable receiving area to divide the dehumidification zone into at least a first diverter zone and a second diverter zone; a second air inlet 223 is provided on the side wall of the lower housing 220 of the turntable, and one end of the diverter 222 abuts against the second air inlet 223 to divide the second air inlet 223 into at least a first sub-inlet and a second sub-inlet, the first sub-inlet being connected to the first diverter zone, the second sub-inlet being connected to the second diverter zone, and so on. The diverter 222 divides the second air inlet 223 into the first sub-inlet and the second sub-inlet, thereby diverting the humidified circulating airflow through the diverter 222 at the second air inlet 223 and directing it into two diverter zones near the center and the outer periphery, namely the first diverter zone and the second diverter zone. This reasonable diversion of the humidified circulating airflow makes the humidified circulating airflow flowing into the first airflow channel more dispersed and more uniform, and allows the airflow to contact the turntable 200 over a larger area, thereby improving the moisture absorption efficiency of the turntable 200. Understandably, for the dehumidification zone of the first turntable, more than two diversion components 222 can be set, which can be arranged in parallel to divide the dehumidification zone into multiple diversion zones.

[0080] In some embodiments, during the rotation of the turntable 200, to prevent the diverter 222 from interfering with the turntable 200, a preferred solution is that the diverter 222 protrudes from the bottom wall of the lower housing 220 of the turntable. The height of the diverter 222 is limited to not contacting the turntable 200. This avoids interference and creates an airflow seal between at least two diverting zones. The diverter 222 protruding from the bottom wall of the lower housing 220 of the turntable allows a gap to be formed between the bottom surface of the turntable 200 and the bottom wall of the lower housing 220 of the turntable, that is, the second airflow channel is divided into a first diverting zone and a second diverting zone.

[0081] In some embodiments, the first separator 221 is arranged radially along the lower housing 220 of the turntable, so that both the dehumidification zone and the regeneration zone are generally fan-shaped; wherein, the area of ​​the dehumidification zone can be set to 1.5-4 times the area of ​​the regeneration zone. The area of ​​the dehumidification zone can be set to be larger than the area of ​​the regeneration zone, so that most of the turntable 200 is in the dehumidification zone, thereby further improving the moisture absorption efficiency and effect of the turntable 200. In order to prevent the humidified circulating airflow discharged from the drum from communicating with the regeneration airflow, a dynamic seal can be formed between the first separator 221 and the turntable 200. Of course, a sealing element, such as a flexible sealing element, can also be provided between the first separator 221 and / or the second separator 211 and the turntable, and the sealing element is fixedly set on the first separator 221 and / or the second separator 211. When the turntable 200 rotates to the regeneration zone, the regeneration airflow heats that part of the turntable 200, causing the moisture in that part to desorb quickly and be carried away by the regeneration airflow into the condenser; thus, the turntable 200 always has good water absorption capacity, thereby improving the efficiency and effect of moisture absorption.

[0082] In some embodiments, the first partition 221 includes at least a first partition body 2211 and a second partition body 2212. Both the first partition body 2211 and the second partition body 2212 are radially arranged along the lower housing 220 of the turntable. One end of each of the first partition body 2211 and the second partition body 2212 is connected to the inner side wall of the lower housing 220 of the turntable. The other ends of the first partition body 2211 and the second partition body 2212 intersect at the central region of the lower housing 220 of the turntable, so that the first partition 221 is approximately V-shaped. The intersection of the first partition body 2211 and the second partition body 2212 is a rounded transition connection. The first partition body 221 may be configured to protrude from the bottom plate of the lower housing 220 of the turntable, so that there is a gap between the bottom surface of the turntable 200 and the bottom plate of the lower housing 220 of the turntable, thereby forming a second airflow channel. By setting the first separator 221 to a V-shape, the first turntable can be divided into a dehumidification zone and a regeneration zone, and the dehumidification zone and regeneration zone can be divided into a fan shape. Therefore, it is beneficial for the turntable 200 to circulate through the dehumidification zone and regeneration zone during rotation, continuously adsorbing and desorbing moisture, so that the turntable 200 always has good water absorption capacity, thereby improving the efficiency and effect of moisture absorption. The intersection of the first separator 2211 and the second separator 2212 is a rounded transition connection, which can better guide the humidified circulating airflow after diversion. At the intersection of the first separator 2211 and the second separator 2212, that is, in the central area of ​​the lower housing 220 of the turntable, an upwardly protruding fixed shaft 224 can be provided. The center of the turntable 200 is fitted on the fixed shaft 224, and the turntable 200 can rotate around the fixed shaft 224.

[0083] In some embodiments, the first diversion zone is formed by the inner arc sidewall of the diversion member 222 and the first separator 221; the second diversion zone is formed by the outer arc sidewall of the diversion member 222 and the inner sidewall of the lower housing 220 of the turntable. The diversion member 222 is located between the first separator 221 and the inner sidewall of the lower housing 220 of the turntable, and is arranged around the bottom wall of the lower housing 220 of the turntable. Therefore, the humidified circulating airflow entering the second airflow channel is more in line with the flow direction of the fluid. After the airflow flows rapidly into the second airflow channel from the outlet of the circulating fan, under the action of centrifugal force, it diffuses along the sidewall of the diversion member 222 and the inner sidewall of the lower housing 220 to the other end opposite to the air inlet 223, so that the airflow can have more time to contact the turntable 200, which is more conducive to adsorbing the moisture of the humidified circulating airflow, rather than passing through the turntable 200 from bottom to top at the air inlet 223 and directly entering the first airflow channel, which further improves the moisture absorption efficiency and effect of the turntable 200.

[0084] In some embodiments, the second air inlet 223 is located near the first partition 2211; the diverter 222 includes a first diverter 2221 and a second diverter 2222 smoothly connected to one end of the first diverter 2221. The first diverter is approximately parallel to the first partition 2211 and is spaced apart from the first partition 2211; the other end of the second diverter 2222, away from the first diverter 2221, is connected to the second partition, and the second diverter 2222 is arc-shaped and can be configured to be parallel to the inner wall of the lower housing. After the humidified circulating airflow enters through the second air inlet 223, it is guided by the first diverter 2221 and the second diverter 2222, and under the action of centrifugal force, not only is the humidified circulating airflow effectively diverted, but it is also more conducive to the diffusion of the humidified circulating airflow in the second airflow channel. Of course, the diverter 222 can also be an integral part parallel to the inner wall of the lower housing.

[0085] In some embodiments, the second flow divider 2222 is coaxially arranged with the side wall of the lower housing 220 of the turntable. The second flow divider 2222 is arc-shaped, and the center of the arc of the second flow divider 2222 is concentric with the center of the arc of the side wall of the lower housing 220 of the turntable, that is, concentric with the rotation center of the turntable 200. This is more in line with the design of fluid dynamics and provides better guidance for the humid circulating airflow after it enters from the second air inlet 223. Preferably, the second flow divider 2222 can be located at 1 / 2 of the radius of the side wall of the lower housing 220 of the turntable to achieve effective and uniform diversion of the inflowing humid circulating airflow.

[0086] In some embodiments, there can be two or more flow dividers 222, which can uniformly or non-uniformly divide the second airflow channel into multiple flow divider zones, further reducing the influence of centrifugal force on the adsorption of moisture in the airflow. The specific configuration can be the same as or similar to the foregoing embodiments.

[0087] This invention provides a loop module 10, such as... Figures 8-10As shown, the system may specifically include: a circulation module housing, an impeller 110, and a circulation motor 120. The circulation module housing is provided with a first air inlet 102 and a first air outlet 103; the impeller 110 is disposed inside the circulation module housing, with its rotation axis parallel to the axis of the first air inlet 102 and approximately perpendicular to the axis of the first air outlet 103; the circulation motor 120 is connected and fixed to the circulation module housing, and its output shaft is connected and fixed to the impeller 110. The rotation axis of the impeller 110 corresponds to the first air inlet, meaning the rotation axis of the impeller 110 can pass through the first air inlet 102. This allows the impeller 110 to drive the airflow at the first air inlet 102 directly, enabling the airflow to enter the circulation module housing quickly without increasing the impeller 110's rotational speed. When the impeller 110 is driven to rotate by the circulation motor 120, centrifugal force is generated around the outer circumference of the impeller 110. The airflow inside the impeller 110 flows in the direction of the centrifugal force, causing the airflow to disperse around the impeller 110, thus changing the airflow direction. Furthermore, a negative pressure is created on and near the rotation axis of the impeller 110, increasing the airflow drawn into the first air inlet 102. Therefore, by designing the circulation power as a method where the circulation motor 120 controls the rotation of the impeller 110 to create negative pressure for air delivery, the losses caused by direct collisions between strong winds and other components are effectively avoided. Traditional fans typically suffer high losses when the airflow direction changes, while the circulation module provided in this embodiment of the invention provides the power to change the airflow direction, making the layout of the circulation module more flexible.

[0088] In an optional embodiment, the circulation module housing includes: a lower circulation module housing 112, which has a recessed first impeller receiving area; and an upper circulation module housing 111, which has a recessed second impeller receiving area. The lower circulation module housing 112 and the upper circulation module housing 111 are connected to each other so that the first impeller receiving area and the second impeller receiving area form an impeller receiving cavity. The impeller 110 is located inside the impeller receiving cavity, which can be a circle larger than the outer diameter of the impeller 110. The axis of the impeller receiving cavity is parallel to the rotation axis of the impeller 110, so that the airflow output by the rotation of the impeller 110 can be guided out through the inner walls of the lower circulation module housing 112 and the upper circulation module housing 111.

[0089] In an optional embodiment, the lower housing 112 of the circulation module includes: a first base plate 1122 and a first side wall 1121. The first side wall protrudes from the first base plate and is arranged circumferentially along the first base plate 1122 to form the first impeller receiving area. A first groove is provided on the top of the first side wall 1121, and a sealing gasket 113 is provided in the first groove. The upper housing 111 of the circulation module includes: a first top plate 1112 and a second side wall 1111. The second side wall protrudes from the first top plate and is arranged circumferentially along the first top plate 1112 to form the second impeller receiving area. A first protrusion is provided on the top of the second side wall 1111, and the first protrusion cooperates with the first groove. When the lower housing 112 of the circulation module and the upper housing 111 of the circulation module are connected, the first protrusion abuts against the sealing gasket 113. The lower housing 112 of the circulation module can be prepared by bending the bottom plate upwards. Similarly, the upper housing 111 of the circulation module can be prepared by bending the top plate downwards. When the lower housing 112 and the upper housing 111 of the circulation module are assembled, the first protrusion squeezes the sealing gasket 113 in the first groove, causing the sealing gasket 113 to deform, so as to achieve an excellent sealing effect between the lower housing 112 and the upper housing 111 of the circulation module.

[0090] In an optional embodiment, the impeller 110 includes: an impeller body 1101 and a fixing ring 1103 disposed axially opposite to the impeller body 1101; the impeller body 1101 extends toward the fixing ring 1103 and is provided with a receiving cavity for accommodating a circulating motor, one end of the circulating motor 120 is disposed in the receiving cavity, and the output shaft of the circulating motor 120 is connected and fixedly connected to the bottom of the impeller body 1101; and blades 1102, the two ends of the blades 1102 being fixedly connected to the impeller body 1101 and the fixing ring 1103 respectively, the blades 1102 being spaced around the impeller body 1101, and the blades 1102 being inclined forward along the rotation direction of the impeller. The impeller body 1101 may include a top cover plate. One end of the blade 1102 along its length is fixedly connected to the cover plate, allowing airflow drawn in from the bottom of the impeller to be blocked by the cover plate and output radially by the impeller. The impeller body 1101 extends towards the blade 1102, and a recessed receiving cavity is provided inside the impeller body 1101. One end of the circulating motor 120 is embedded in the receiving cavity, which reduces the overall axial length of the circulating fan and lowers the overall length of the circulating fan. The blade 1102 is inclined forward along the rotation direction of the impeller, which can improve the air outlet efficiency of the impeller, which is beneficial to improving the noise reduction effect of the fan and improving the energy efficiency of the fan.

[0091] In an optional embodiment, the top of the first top plate 1112 is provided with a through mounting hole 1114 and a positioning protrusion. The mounting hole 1114 is adapted to the circulating motor. The positioning protrusion is spaced circumferentially along the mounting hole 1114. The positioning protrusion is inserted into the mounting lug of the circulating motor to fix the circulating motor on the first top plate 1112. The mounting lug can be provided on the housing of the circulating motor, and the mounting lug is located at the end of the housing of the circulating motor away from the output shaft. The mounting lug can be provided with a positioning hole adapted to the positioning protrusion. The positioning hole can be non-through. The mounting lug is provided with a bolt hole that communicates with the positioning hole. The positioning protrusion can be provided with a threaded hole that is coaxially arranged and adapted to the bolt hole. The positioning protrusion is inserted into the positioning hole, and the bolt passes through the bolt hole and is screwed into the threaded hole to fix the circulating motor on the first top plate 1112. The circulating motor is embedded in the mounting hole 1114 and extends downward. In this way, the mounting part of the circulating motor is located outside the upper housing 111 of the circulating module, which facilitates the installation and removal of the circulating motor.

[0092] In an optional embodiment, the circulation module housing is volute-shaped; the circulation module housing has a constriction section that extends in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the impeller 110; the first air outlet communicates with the impeller receiving cavity through the constriction section. The volute-shaped circulation module housing, with its unique design, allows the airflow to change direction after passing through the impeller 110 and be output through the constriction section, preventing the airflow from continuously circulating within the impeller receiving cavity. This meets fluid design requirements and provides maximum airflow volume and velocity for airflow.

[0093] In an exemplary embodiment, the first air inlet 102 is located on the first base plate 1122, and the first air inlet 102 is coaxially arranged with the mounting hole 1114; the contraction section has an air outlet cavity, and the first air inlet 102, the impeller receiving cavity, the air outlet cavity, and the first air outlet are sequentially connected, and the impeller receiving cavity, the air outlet cavity, and the first air outlet are located on the same horizontal plane. The contraction section has an air outlet cavity, and the airflow changes its flow direction after passing through the impeller 110, flowing through the air outlet cavity to the first air outlet. The air outlet cavity is approximately perpendicular to the rotation axis of the impeller 110, and the impeller receiving cavity, the air outlet cavity, and the first air outlet are approximately located on the same horizontal plane, thereby reducing the height dimension of the circulation module housing, reducing the overall space occupied by the circulation module, and also reducing the overall height and volume of the washer-dryer combo using the circulation module.

[0094] In an optional embodiment, the circulation module 10 further includes: a circulation air inlet component connected to the contraction section; or, the circulation air inlet component is integral with the circulation module housing; the side of the circulation air inlet component away from the contraction section is arc-shaped, and the circulation air inlet component gradually expands towards the side away from the contraction section, and the circulation air inlet component has an expansion air duct, the two ends of the expansion air duct being connected to the air outlet cavity and the first air outlet, respectively. The circulation air inlet component can be configured as two separate upper and lower housings, respectively connected to the upper housing 111 and the lower housing 112 of the circulation module; the cross-sectional area of ​​the expansion air duct gradually increases towards the side away from the contraction section, and when the airflow passes through the impeller 110 and enters the air outlet cavity and the expansion air duct, the dynamic pressure energy of the airflow is further converted into static pressure energy, thereby improving the conversion capability of dynamic pressure energy and improving the working performance of the fan.

[0095] In an optional embodiment, a lower housing connector 1123 is provided on the first sidewall 1121. The lower housing connector 1123 is spaced along the outer periphery of the first sidewall 1121 and protrudes from the first sidewall 1121. An upper housing connector 1113 is provided on the second sidewall 1111. The positions of the upper housing connector 1113 and the lower housing connector 1123 correspond one-to-one. The upper housing connector 1113 is connected to the lower housing connector 1123 to fix the relative positions of the lower housing 112 and the upper housing 111 of the circulation module. Both the upper housing connector 1113 and the lower housing connector 1123 can be provided with matching bolt through holes. Bolts are inserted into the bolt through holes to achieve a detachable connection between the lower housing 112 and the upper housing 111 of the circulation module.

[0096] In an optional embodiment, a fixing clip 1115 is provided on the housing of the circulation module. The fixing clip 1115 is used to fix the lines or pipes, so that the wires of the circulation motor, or the water and gas pipes and other lines and pipes on the whole machine can be arranged better.

[0097] In an optional embodiment, the circulation module further includes a transition member 130, which is disposed on the lower housing 112 of the circulation module and is adapted to the first impeller receiving area; the transition member is connected and fixed to the first base plate 1122; the transition member is provided with a through hole that communicates with the first impeller receiving area; the side of the transition member away from the first impeller receiving area is connected to the corrugated hose 50, and the corrugated hose 50 is connected to the air inlet of the lower housing through the transition member 130. The transition member may be provided with a first transition hole and a second transition hole, both of which are evenly distributed circumferentially along the through hole. The diameter of the first air inlet 102 is smaller than the distribution diameter of the first transition hole. The end of the corrugated hose 50 may be provided with a corresponding threaded hole. A bolt passes through the first transition hole and is screwed into the threaded hole to fix the corrugated hose 50 to the transition member 130. The distribution diameter of the second transition hole is larger than the diameter of the first air inlet 102. The first base plate 1122 is provided with a threaded hole corresponding to the second transition hole. A bolt passes through the second transition hole and is screwed into the threaded hole to fix the transition member 130 to the first base plate 1122. A positioning sleeve may be provided on one side of the transition member, which can be inserted into the corrugated hose 50. When installing the corrugated hose 50, the corrugated hose 50 can be fixed to the transition member 130 first, and then the transition member 130 can be fixed to the first base plate 1122, which facilitates the installation and removal of the corrugated hose 50.

[0098] It should be understood that the specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative or explanatory of the principles of the invention and do not constitute a limitation thereof. Therefore, any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention should be included within the protection scope of the invention. Furthermore, the appended claims are intended to cover all variations and modifications falling within the scope and boundaries of the appended claims, or equivalent forms of such scope and boundaries.

Claims

1. A drying module, characterized in that, include: A circulation module has a first circulation passage, which is connected to the drum air outlet or the drum air inlet, so that the wet circulating airflow in the drum enters the first circulation passage or the airflow in the first circulation passage enters the drum. A dehumidification module is located downstream or upstream of the circulation module. The dehumidification module has a second circulation passage, which is connected to the air inlet of the drum or the air outlet of the drum. The dehumidification module includes a turntable component, at least a portion of which is disposed on the second circulation passage. The turntable component is used to adsorb moisture from the humidified circulating airflow inside the drum. A housing assembly, wherein the turntable component is disposed within the housing assembly, the turntable component includes a turntable, and two sides of the turntable respectively form airflow channels between the first inner wall or the second inner wall of the housing assembly; At least one diverter is provided at least around the first inner wall or the second inner wall of the housing assembly to divert the airflow flowing into the airflow channel; The drum air outlet, the first circulation path or the second circulation path, the second circulation path or the first circulation path and the drum air inlet are sequentially connected to form a circulation path; wherein, The wet circulating airflow inside the drum is transformed into dry circulating airflow through the first circulation passage and the second circulation passage and then enters the drum for the next cycle.

2. The drying module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The dehumidification module also includes a turntable lower housing, which has a first turntable receiving area; The upper housing of the turntable has a second turntable receiving area. The upper housing of the turntable is connected to the lower housing of the turntable so that the first turntable receiving area and the second turntable receiving area form the turntable component receiving cavity. The turntable component is installed in the turntable component receiving cavity. A gap exists between the top surface of the turntable and a portion of the top wall of the upper housing of the turntable to form a first airflow channel; a gap exists between the bottom surface of the turntable and a portion of the bottom wall of the lower housing of the turntable to form a second airflow channel. The second airflow channel, the turntable, and the first airflow channel form the second circulation path; wherein, The second airflow channel is connected to the first circulation channel, and the first airflow channel is connected to the drum air inlet, so that the wet circulating airflow in the drum passes through the second airflow channel and through the turntable to reach the first airflow channel.

3. The drying module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The loop module includes: The circulation module housing has an impeller receiving cavity, and the circulation module housing is provided with a first air inlet and a first air outlet; An impeller is disposed within an impeller housing cavity, with its rotation axis approximately parallel to the first air inlet axis and approximately perpendicular to the first air outlet axis. A circulating motor is fixedly connected to the housing of the circulating module, and the output shaft of the circulating motor is fixedly connected to the impeller. The first air inlet, the impeller housing, and the first air outlet form the first circulation path; wherein... The first air inlet is connected to the air outlet of the drum, and the first air outlet is connected to the second circulation passage, so that the wet circulating airflow in the drum enters the first circulation passage and the second circulation passage in sequence.

4. The drying module according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: A pre-condenser is disposed on the circulation path, and the pre-condenser is located upstream of the circulation module; The pre-condenser is used to pre-dehumidify the wet circulating airflow from the drum.

5. The drying module according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: An auxiliary heater is disposed on the circulation path, and the auxiliary heater is located downstream of the dehumidification module; The auxiliary heater is used to heat the drying circulating airflow.

6. The drying module according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first turntable receiving area is provided with a first partition to divide the first turntable receiving area into a dehumidification area and a regeneration area; The lower housing of the turntable is provided with a second air inlet on its side wall. The circulation module includes: a circulation module housing, on which a first air outlet is provided; the second air inlet is connected to the first air outlet and the dehumidification area of ​​the second airflow channel respectively.

7. The drying module according to claim 6, characterized in that, The first separator is arranged radially along the lower housing of the turntable, so that both the dehumidification zone and the regeneration zone are generally fan-shaped spaces; wherein, The area of ​​the dehumidification zone can be set to 2-3 times the area of ​​the regeneration zone.

8. The drying module according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first partition includes at least a first partition body and a second partition body. Both the first partition body and the second partition body are arranged radially along the lower housing of the turntable. One end of both the first partition body and the second partition body is connected to the inner side wall of the lower housing of the turntable. The other ends of the first partition body and the second partition body intersect at the central region of the lower housing of the turntable, so that the first partition body is V-shaped. The intersection of the first separator and the second separator is a circular arc transition connection.

9. The drying module according to claim 8, characterized in that, The upper housing of the turntable is provided with a second partition to divide the upper housing of the turntable into a dehumidification area and a regeneration module installation area; The second separator is disposed opposite to the first separator, and the turntable is located between the second separator and the first separator.

10. The drying module according to claim 9, characterized in that, The turntable housing has a second air outlet on its side wall, and the second air outlet is connected to the dehumidification zone of the first airflow channel and the drum air inlet, respectively. The second air inlet is located near one of the first partition and the second partition; The second air outlet is located near the other of the first and second partitions.

11. The drying module according to claim 10, characterized in that, Also includes: An air outlet duct is located at the second air outlet, and the air outlet duct protrudes from the outer side wall of the upper housing of the turntable; The air inlet duct is connected at one end to the air outlet duct and at the other end to the air inlet of the drum. Auxiliary heaters include heating tubes or heating wires; The auxiliary heater is located inside the inlet air duct.

12. A washer-dryer combo, characterized in that, Includes the drying module as described in any one of claims 1-11.

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