Laundry treating apparatus and control method thereof

Abstract

The present application discloses a kind of clothes processing equipment and its control method, the clothes processing equipment has multiple clothes processing units, the multiple clothes processing units share same control panel, the opening and closing state of the door body of clothes processing unit is detected, if the state of door body is detected to be open state, the clothes processing program menu corresponding to the clothes processing unit is displayed on the control panel of clothes processing equipment.The present application detects the opening and closing state of the door body of clothes processing unit, only when the door body is open state, the clothes processing program menu corresponding to the clothes processing unit is displayed on the control panel, the clothes processing program menu corresponding to the clothes processing unit with the door body closed is not displayed, user does not need to select which clothes processing unit to use on the control panel when using clothes processing equipment, simplify the operation of user, facilitate user use.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application belongs to the technical field of clothes processing equipment, and particularly relates to a clothes processing equipment and a control method thereof. BACKGROUND

[0002] A conventional washing machine only has one drum, and a user can only put all different types of clothes into the same drum for washing when washing clothes. For some users, clothes need to be washed separately, such as washing underwear and coat separately. A single-unit washing machine cannot meet the separate washing needs of the user. The user needs to wash different types of clothes in batches when washing clothes, which requires the user to spend more time and is inconvenient for the user to use.

[0003] In order to meet the separate washing needs of the user, a washing machine with two drums appears, which allows the user to put different types of clothes into different drums for simultaneous washing, meeting the use needs of the user. For some washing machines with two drums, two control panels are provided, and the two control panels are used to control the two drums respectively. This way results in a high cost of the washing machine. In order to reduce the manufacturing cost of the double-drum washing machine, only one control panel is provided on the double-drum washing machine, and the user controls the two drums through the one control panel.

[0004] One existing Chinese patent discloses a multi-drum washing machine. The washing machine control panel has a plurality of input control elements and a plurality of output display elements, an IC controller and a driving circuit board, which are connected to the control panel and control the operation of the washing drum. Further, the plurality of washing drums share part or all of the input control elements and the output display elements. When working, the shared control elements and / or display elements uniquely correspond to the operation program of the selected washing drum and serve as the input / output elements thereof. When using the washing machine, the user needs to select which drum to use first, and then select the program on the control panel. The user operation is relatively cumbersome, which is inconvenient for the user to use.

[0005] Therefore, the present application is proposed. SUMMARY

[0006] The technical problem to be solved by the present application is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, and to provide a clothes processing equipment and a control method thereof, which can simplify the operation of the user and facilitate the use of the user.

[0007] To solve the above technical problems, the basic idea of the technical solution of the present application is as follows:

[0008] A control method of a laundry treating apparatus having a plurality of laundry treating units sharing a same control panel, detecting an opening and closing state of a door of a laundry treating unit, and displaying a laundry treating program menu corresponding to the laundry treating unit on the control panel of the laundry treating apparatus if the door is detected to be in an open state.

[0009] Preferably, if the doors of the plurality of laundry treating units are detected to be in the open state, laundry treating program menus corresponding to the plurality of laundry treating units are respectively displayed on the control panel of the laundry treating apparatus.

[0010] Preferably, before detecting the opening and closing state of the door of the laundry treating unit, a current state of the laundry treating unit is obtained, and if the laundry treating unit is in a standby state, a laundry treating program menu corresponding to the laundry treating unit is displayed on the control panel of the laundry treating apparatus after detecting that the door of the laundry treating unit is in the open state.

[0011] Preferably, if the laundry treating unit is in a running state, an alarm message is displayed on the control panel of the laundry treating apparatus after detecting that the door of the laundry treating unit is in the open state.

[0012] Preferably, after detecting that the opening and closing state of the door is in the open state, an opening angle of the door is detected, and if the opening angle of the door is detected to be greater than a predetermined angle, a laundry treating program menu corresponding to the laundry treating unit is displayed on the control panel of the laundry treating apparatus.

[0013] Preferably, if the opening angle of the door is detected to be less than the predetermined angle, a prompt message is displayed on the control panel of the laundry treating apparatus.

[0014] Preferably, the laundry treating apparatus has a first door and a second door, and if the opening angle of the first door is detected to be greater than the predetermined angle and the opening angle of the second door is detected to be less than the predetermined angle, a laundry treating program menu corresponding to a laundry treating unit corresponding to the first door is displayed on the control panel of the laundry treating apparatus.

[0015] Another object of the present application is to provide a laundry treating apparatus using the above-mentioned control method, the laundry treating apparatus having a plurality of laundry treating units, a laundry treating unit having a door which can be opened or closed, and a detection device for detecting an opening and closing state of the door, the detection device being connected to a control panel of the laundry treating apparatus.

[0016] Preferably, the laundry treating apparatus has an angle sensor for detecting an opening angle of the door, the angle sensor being connected to the control panel of the laundry treating apparatus.

[0017] Preferably, the control panel of the clothes treatment device is provided with an identification icon corresponding to the clothes treatment unit.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the present application has the following beneficial effects:

[0019] 1. The present application detects the opening and closing state of the door body of the clothes treatment unit. Only when the door body is in the opening state, the clothes treatment program menu corresponding to the clothes treatment unit is displayed on the control panel. The clothes treatment program menu corresponding to the clothes treatment unit in the closing state is not displayed. When using the clothes treatment device, the user does not need to select which clothes treatment unit to use on the control panel, simplifying the user's operation and facilitating the user's use.

[0020] 2. When the door bodies of multiple clothes treatment units are detected to be in the opening state, the clothes treatment program menu corresponding to the multiple clothes treatment units is displayed on the control panel. The user can set the clothes treatment program for each clothes treatment unit, and different clothes treatment units can run simultaneously to process different types of clothes, facilitating the user's use.

[0021] 3. The present application detects the opening angle of the door body. According to the opening angle of the door body, it is judged whether the door body is in the opening state or the closing state. Only when the opening angle of the door body is greater than the preset angle, the corresponding clothes treatment program is displayed on the control panel of the clothes treatment device, avoiding multiple refreshing of the control panel and improving the service life of the control panel.

[0022] The specific embodiments of the present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0023] The accompanying drawings are part of the present application and serve to provide a further understanding of the present application. The schematic embodiments of the present application and their descriptions serve to explain the present application but do not constitute an improper limitation on the present application. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments, and other drawings can be obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor. In the drawings:

[0024] Figure 1 is a flow chart of a control method of a clothes treatment device.

[0025] It should be noted that these drawings and written descriptions 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

[0026] In order to make the objects, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present application clearer, the following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. The following embodiments are used to explain the present application, but are not used to limit the scope of the present application.

[0027] In the description of the present application, it should be noted that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "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.

[0028] In the description of the present application, it should be noted that unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "mounting", "connecting", "connecting" 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 meanings of the above terms in the present application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0029] As shown in Figure 1 The embodiments of the present application introduce a control method of a clothes treatment apparatus, the clothes treatment apparatus has a plurality of clothes treatment units, the plurality of clothes treatment units share the same control panel, the opening and closing state of a door body of the clothes treatment apparatus is detected, if it is detected that the state of the door body is an open state, a clothes treatment program menu corresponding to the door body is displayed on the control panel of the clothes treatment apparatus.

[0030] For a laundry treating apparatus with multiple laundry treating units, such as a double tub washing machine, the double tub washing machine has an upper washing unit and a lower washing unit, the upper washing unit and the lower washing unit have different washing programs, and different types of laundry can be washed separately. Only one control panel is provided on the double tub washing machine, and the user can control the upper washing unit and the lower washing unit separately through the one control panel. The upper washing unit includes an upper door body, and the user can put laundry into the upper washing unit after opening the upper door body; the lower washing unit includes a lower door body, and the user can put laundry into the lower washing unit after opening the lower door body. When the user washes laundry, the laundry to be washed is of the same type, and can be put into the same washing unit for cleaning. The user first opens the lower door body, at this time the washing machine detects that the lower door body is opened, and the washing program menu corresponding to the lower washing unit is displayed on the control panel of the washing machine, and the washing program menu corresponding to the upper washing unit is not displayed, and after the user selects the required washing program, the lower washing unit is controlled to execute. Or the user first opens the upper door body, at this time the washing machine detects that the upper door body is opened, and the washing program menu corresponding to the upper washing unit is displayed on the control panel of the washing machine, and the washing program menu corresponding to the lower washing unit is not displayed, and after the user selects the required washing program, the upper washing unit is controlled to execute. The washing machine detects the opening and closing states of the upper door body and the lower door body, and directly displays the program menu corresponding to the washing unit to be used by the user on the control panel of the washing machine, and the user does not need to select the upper washing unit or the lower washing unit first, which reduces the number of operations of the user and facilitates the use of the user.

[0031] For a washing and drying integrated machine, the washing and drying integrated machine has a washing unit and a drying unit, and the user controls the washing unit and the drying unit separately through the control panel provided on the washing and drying integrated machine. The washing unit includes a washing door body, and the drying unit includes a drying door body. When the user uses the washing and drying integrated machine, if the user only needs to wash laundry and does not need to dry laundry, then after the user opens the washing door body, the washing and drying integrated machine detects that the washing door body is opened, and only the washing program is displayed on the control panel of the washing and drying integrated machine, and the drying program is not displayed, for the user to select the required washing program. If the user only needs to dry laundry and does not need to wash laundry, then after the user opens the drying door body, the washing and drying integrated machine detects that the drying door body is opened, and only the drying program is displayed on the control panel of the washing and drying integrated machine, and the washing program is not displayed, for the user to select the required drying program. The washing and drying integrated machine detects the opening and closing states of the washing door body and the drying door body, and automatically displays the washing program or the drying program on the control panel of the washing and drying integrated machine according to the opening and closing states of the washing door body and the drying door body, so that the user does not need to select the washing unit or the drying unit first when using the washing and drying integrated machine, and can directly select the washing program or the drying program on the control panel, which reduces the operation of the user and facilitates the use of the user.

[0032] In the embodiment of the present application, if it is detected that the doors of multiple laundry processing units are all in the open state, the laundry processing program menus corresponding to the multiple laundry processing units are displayed on the control panel of the laundry processing apparatus.

[0033] For example, for a double-barrel washing machine, a user needs to wash different types of laundry, such as cotton and linen material and real silk material. In order to avoid damage to the laundry, different washing programs need to be used to wash different types of laundry. When the user uses the washing machine, the upper door and the lower door of the washing machine are both opened. The washing machine detects that the upper door and the lower door are both in the open state, and displays the laundry processing program of the upper washing unit and the laundry processing program of the lower washing unit on the control panel of the washing machine, so that the user can display the washing program to be executed by the upper washing unit and the washing program to be executed by the lower washing unit.

[0034] In the embodiment of the present application, before detecting the opening and closing state of the door of the laundry processing unit, the current state of the laundry processing unit is obtained. If the laundry processing unit is in standby state, after detecting that the door state of the laundry processing unit is in the open state, the laundry processing program menu corresponding to the laundry processing unit is displayed on the control panel of the laundry processing apparatus. If the laundry processing unit is in running state, after detecting that the door state of the laundry processing unit is in the open state, an alarm information is displayed on the control panel of the laundry processing apparatus.

[0035] For a double-barrel washing machine, before the user opens the upper door, if the upper washing unit is in standby state, it indicates that the upper washing unit can normally wash the laundry after the user puts the laundry into the upper washing unit. At this time, the washing program menu corresponding to the upper washing unit is displayed on the control panel, and after the user selects the required washing program, the upper washing unit runs the washing program selected by the user. If the upper washing unit is in running state, there is a safety hazard after the user opens the upper door. At this time, an alarm information is displayed on the control panel.

[0036] In the embodiment of the present application, after detecting that the opening and closing state of the door is in the open state, the opening angle of the door is detected. If it is detected that the opening angle of the door is greater than a preset angle, the laundry processing program menu corresponding to the laundry processing unit is displayed on the control panel of the laundry processing apparatus. If it is detected that the opening angle of the door is less than the preset angle, a prompt information is displayed on the control panel of the laundry processing apparatus.

[0037] In the initial state, the door body of the clothes treatment unit is in the closed state, and the opening angle of the door body gradually increases during the process that the user opens the door body. When the opening angle of the door body is less than a preset angle, the opening amplitude of the door body is low, and the user cannot put clothes into the clothes treatment unit. The control panel of the clothes treatment device displays prompt information. After the opening angle of the door body is greater than the preset angle, the user can put clothes into the clothes treatment unit. The control panel of the clothes treatment device displays the corresponding clothes treatment program, so that the user can select the required clothes treatment program after putting in the clothes.

[0038] The application detects the opening angle of the door body, judges whether the door body is in the open state or the closed state according to the opening angle of the door body, and displays the corresponding clothes treatment program on the control panel of the clothes treatment device only when the opening angle of the door body is greater than the preset angle, thereby avoiding refreshing the control panel multiple times and improving the service life of the control panel.

[0039] In the embodiment of the application, the clothes treatment device has a first door body and a second door body. If it is detected that the opening angle of the first door body is greater than the preset angle and the opening angle of the second door body is less than the preset angle, the control panel of the clothes treatment device displays the clothes treatment program menu corresponding to the clothes treatment unit corresponding to the first door body.

[0040] For example, for a double-cylinder washing machine, there are an upper door body and a lower door body. When the user uses the washing machine, the clothes to be washed are clothes of the same type, and only one washing unit needs to be used. The user opens both door bodies, the opening angle of the upper door body is greater than the preset angle, and the opening angle of the lower door body is less than the preset angle. At this time, it is judged that the user wants to use the upper washing unit, and the washing program menu corresponding to the upper washing unit is displayed on the control panel, and the washing program menu corresponding to the lower washing unit is not displayed.

[0041] The embodiment of the application introduces a clothes treatment device using the control method described in any of the above embodiments. The clothes treatment device has a plurality of clothes treatment units, the clothes treatment unit has a door body that can be opened or closed, and a detection device for detecting the opening and closing state of the door body is further provided. The detection device is connected with the control panel of the clothes treatment device.

[0042] For example, the clothes treatment apparatus has a first clothes treatment unit having a first door body and a second clothes treatment unit having a second door body. During use of the clothes treatment apparatus by a user, the detection device detects that the user has opened the first door body, and the detection device sends opening information of the first door body to the control panel, and the control panel displays a clothes treatment program menu corresponding to the first clothes treatment unit. The user can select a clothes treatment program while the first door body is in an open state, and after the user closes the first door body, the first clothes treatment unit can directly run the clothes treatment program selected by the user, without the user needing to press a start button again.

[0043] The clothes treatment apparatus in the present application can be a washing machine having multiple drums, and all of the clothes treatment units are washing units; or the clothes treatment apparatus can be a washer-dryer having a washing drum and a drying drum, one clothes treatment unit is a washing unit, and the other clothes treatment unit is a drying unit. The number of clothes treatment units of the clothes treatment apparatus is not limited to two, and can be three or more. The detection device detects the opening and closing states of the door bodies of each of the clothes treatment units, and the control panel displays corresponding clothes treatment programs according to the detection results of the opening and closing states of the door bodies.

[0044] The present application displays the clothes treatment program menu corresponding to the clothes treatment unit on the control panel only when the door body is in an open state, and does not display the clothes treatment program menu corresponding to the clothes treatment unit whose door body is in a closed state, so that the user does not need to select which clothes treatment unit to use on the control panel during use of the clothes treatment apparatus, simplifying the operation of the user and facilitating use of the user.

[0045] In the embodiment of the present application, the clothes treatment apparatus has an angle sensor for detecting an opening angle of the door body, and the angle sensor is connected to the control panel of the clothes treatment apparatus. One angle sensor is provided for each door body to detect the opening angle of the door body, and all of the angle sensors are connected to the control panel.

[0046] After the detection device detects that the door body is opened, the opening angle of the door body of the clothes treatment unit is detected by the angle sensor, and if the opening angle of the door body is greater than a preset angle, the clothes treatment program menu corresponding to the clothes treatment unit is displayed on the control panel of the clothes treatment apparatus. If the opening angle of the door body is less than the preset angle, a prompt information is displayed on the control panel of the clothes treatment apparatus.

[0047] The application detects the opening angle of the door body, judges whether the door body is in an opening state or a closing state according to the opening angle of the door body, and only when the opening angle of the door body is greater than a preset angle, the corresponding clothes processing program is displayed on the control panel of the clothes processing device, avoiding refreshing the control panel multiple times and improving the service life of the control panel.

[0048] In the clothes processing device, a maximum angle is preset for the opening angle of the door body, and the maximum angle is related to the specific installation structure of the door body. If the angle sensor detects that the opening angle of the door body is greater than the maximum angle, it means that the angle sensor detects an error, and at this time, the angle sensor is calibrated to improve the detection accuracy of the angle sensor.

[0049] In the embodiment of the application, an identification icon corresponding to the clothes processing unit is arranged on the control panel of the clothes processing device.

[0050] For example, the clothes processing device has a first clothes processing unit and a second clothes processing unit, the first clothes processing unit has a first door body, and the second clothes processing unit has a second door body. A first identification icon corresponding to the first clothes processing unit and a second identification icon corresponding to the second clothes processing unit are arranged on the control panel. After the first door body is opened, the clothes processing program menu corresponding to the first clothes processing unit is displayed on the control panel, and the first identification icon is displayed, indicating that the clothes processing program to be selected by the user is for the first clothes processing unit. During the operation of the clothes processing unit, the identification icon corresponding to the clothes processing unit is displayed on the control panel.

[0051] In the specification provided herein, a large number of specific details are described. However, it can be understood that the embodiments of the application can be practiced without these specific details. In some examples, well-known methods, structures and techniques are not shown in detail in order not to obscure the understanding of the present specification.

[0052] All features disclosed in this specification, including the claims, abstract, and drawings, can be combined in any combination, except such features and / or processes excluded in that the combination is mutually exclusive. Each feature disclosed in this specification (including the claims, abstract, and drawings) can be replaced by alternative features providing the same, equivalent, or similar functionality unless expressly stated otherwise.

[0053] In addition, those skilled in the art can understand that although some embodiments described herein include certain features and not others included in other embodiments, the combination of features of different embodiments means within the scope of the application and forms different embodiments.

[0054] The above merely describes preferred embodiments of the present application, and is not intended to limit the present application in any form. Although the present application has been disclosed with preferred embodiments as above, it is not intended to limit the present application, and any person skilled in the art can make some minor changes or modifications to the above-mentioned technical content with equivalent embodiments without departing from the technical solution of the present application. The embodiments in the above-mentioned embodiments can be further combined or replaced, as long as they do not depart from the technical solution of the present application. Any simple modification, equivalent change and modification made to the above-mentioned embodiments according to the technical essence of the present application still belong to the scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A control method of a laundry treating apparatus having a plurality of laundry treating units sharing a same control panel, the control method comprising: determining whether a user input is received through a control panel of a first laundry treating unit; and controlling the first laundry treating unit and a second laundry treating unit based on the user input, when the user input is received through the control panel of the first laundry treating unit. Detecting the opening and closing state of the door of the laundry treatment unit, and displaying a laundry treatment program menu corresponding to the laundry treatment unit on the control panel of the laundry treatment apparatus if the door is detected to be in an open state. The laundry treatment apparatus has a first door and a second door, and displays a laundry treatment program menu corresponding to the laundry treatment unit corresponding to the first door on the control panel of the laundry treatment apparatus if the opening angle of the first door is detected to be greater than a preset angle and the opening angle of the second door is detected to be less than the preset angle. 2.The control method of a laundry treating apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, Before detecting the opening and closing state of the door of the laundry treatment unit, the current state of the laundry treatment unit is obtained, and a laundry treatment program menu corresponding to the laundry treatment unit is displayed on the control panel of the laundry treatment apparatus if the laundry treatment unit is detected to be in a standby state and the door of the laundry treatment unit is detected to be in an open state. 3.The control method of a laundry treating apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, If the laundry treatment unit is detected to be in a running state, an alarm message is displayed on the control panel of the laundry treatment apparatus if the door of the laundry treatment unit is detected to be in an open state.

4. The control method of a laundry treating apparatus according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized by, After detecting the opening and closing state of the door to be in an open state, the opening angle of the door is detected, and a laundry treatment program menu corresponding to the laundry treatment unit is displayed on the control panel of the laundry treatment apparatus if the opening angle of the door is detected to be greater than a preset angle. 5.The control method of a laundry treating apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that, If the opening angle of the door is detected to be less than the preset angle, a prompt message is displayed on the control panel of the laundry treatment apparatus.

6. A laundry treating apparatus using the control method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by The laundry treatment apparatus has a plurality of laundry treatment units, each of which has a door that can be opened or closed, and a detection device for detecting the opening and closing state of the door, which is connected to the control panel of the laundry treatment apparatus.

7. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that, The laundry treatment apparatus has an angle sensor for detecting the opening angle of the door, which is connected to the control panel of the laundry treatment apparatus. 8.The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 6, wherein, The control panel of the laundry treatment apparatus has an identification icon corresponding to the laundry treatment unit.

9. A laundry treatment apparatus according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that, The laundry treatment apparatus has a first laundry treatment unit and a second laundry treatment unit, the first laundry treatment unit has a first door, and the second laundry treatment unit has a second door; the control panel has a first identification icon corresponding to the first laundry treatment unit and a second identification icon corresponding to the second laundry treatment unit. 10.The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 9, wherein, An angle sensor is provided for each door to detect the opening angle of the door, and all the angle sensors are connected to the control panel.

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