Dehumidification device of dishwasher, dishwasher and dehumidification control method thereof

Abstract

The present invention discloses a dehumidification device for a dishwasher, a dishwasher, and a dehumidification control method thereof, relating to the field of dishwashers. The dehumidification device of the present invention comprises a water-absorbing rotor rotatably mounted within a cavity; the dishwasher comprises a dishwasher body, an internal circulation air duct, a fan, and a dehumidification device; the dehumidification method controls the internal circulation dehumidification process of the dishwasher by collecting water generated by the dehumidification device. The present invention can dehumidify the air within the dishwasher through internal circulation and control the dehumidification process, resulting in excellent dehumidification results.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of dishwashers, and in particular to a dehumidification device of a dishwasher, a dishwasher and a dehumidification control method thereof. Background Art

[0002] Most dishwashers on the market offer a 72-hour or 168-hour storage function to dry and preserve washed dishes. During the drying or storage phase, these dishwashers control the fan to draw air from outside the dishwasher into the inner cavity, expelling the high-humidity air inside. This dehumidification effect is poor, taking a long time, and the dishwashing machine is easily affected by the high humidity of the external environment, which can easily lead to bacterial growth in the dishwasher cavity and poor storage performance. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a dehumidification device for a dishwasher, a dishwasher and a dehumidification control method thereof, so as to solve the problems of poor dehumidification effect and susceptibility to external air in the dehumidification of the prior art dishwashers.

[0004] In order to achieve the above object, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is:

[0005] A dehumidification device for a dishwasher includes a cavity for allowing moisture to pass through. A water absorption rotating part is rotatably installed in the cavity. The water absorption rotating part is elastically deformable. When the water absorption rotating part rotates circumferentially, the inner wall of the cavity can squeeze the water absorption rotating part until it is elastically deformed.

[0006] Furthermore, the water-absorbing rotating part is a cam made of water-absorbing elastic material.

[0007] Furthermore, the water-absorbing rotating part is a cam, and the part of the cam between the farthest position from its own rotating fulcrum and the rotating fulcrum is made of a water-absorbing elastic material.

[0008] A dishwasher comprises a dishwasher body, an internal circulation air duct, a fan, and the above-mentioned dehumidification device, wherein the fan causes air to flow in the internal circulation air duct, so that moisture inside the dishwasher body forms an internal circulation through the internal circulation air duct and the fan, the cavity of the dehumidification device is connected to the internal circulation air duct, and the moisture is absorbed by a water absorption rotating part in the dehumidification device, and the water is squeezed out when the water absorption rotating part is squeezed and deformed.

[0009] A dishwasher comprises a dishwasher body, an internal circulation air duct, a fan, the above-mentioned dehumidification device, a detection device, and a collection and drainage device; the fan causes air to flow in the internal circulation air duct, and the moisture inside the dishwasher body forms an internal circulation through the internal circulation air duct and the fan; the cavity of the dehumidification device is connected to the internal circulation air duct, and the moisture is absorbed by the water-absorbing rotating part of the dehumidification device, and the moisture is squeezed out when the water-absorbing rotating part is squeezed and deformed; the collection and drainage device collects the moisture squeezed out of the dehumidification device and drains it out of the dishwasher body in a controllable manner, and the detection device detects the liquid level and pressure in the collection and drainage device.

[0010] Furthermore, the collection and drainage device includes a water pump and a dehumidification pipe. The water pump inlet is connected to the cavity through the dehumidification pipe, and the water is controllably drained to the outside of the dishwasher body through the water pump.

[0011] Furthermore, the detection device includes a liquid level sensor arranged in the dehumidification pipe.

[0012] Furthermore, the detection device includes a pressure sensor arranged in the dehumidification pipe.

[0013] Furthermore, the water pump outlet discharges water to the outside of the dishwasher body through a U-shaped pipe.

[0014] Furthermore, it also includes a water recovery pipeline system, which is connected to the collection and drainage device to recover water, and the water recovery pipeline system transports the recovered water to the inside of the dishwasher body.

[0015] Furthermore, the water recovery pipeline system includes a water pump, a water collection container, and a washing pump. The water pump inlet is connected to the collection and drainage device, the water pump outlet is connected to the water collection container, the washing pump inlet is connected to the water collection container, and the washing pump outlet is connected to the inside of the dishwasher body.

[0016] Furthermore, it also includes a spray arm, which is arranged inside the dishwasher body and has a water inlet and a spray hole. The washing pump outlet is connected to the water inlet of the spray arm, and water is sprayed into the dishwasher body through the spray hole of the spray arm.

[0017] A dehumidification control method for the dishwasher comprises the following steps:

[0018] Step 1: Start the fan to dehumidify and obtain the pressure data in the drainage device;

[0019] Step 2: Calculate the difference between the pressure data before and after a period of time, compare the difference with the set pressure difference threshold, and when the difference is greater than or equal to the pressure difference threshold, allow the fan to continue working for dehumidification; when the difference is less than the pressure difference threshold, compare the difference with the set pressure base value. If the difference is greater than or equal to the pressure base value, stop the fan and control the collection and drainage device to work for drainage. If the difference is less than the set pressure base value, allow the fan to continue working and repeat steps 1 and 2.

[0020] Furthermore, during the execution of steps 1 and 2, the liquid level data in the collection and drainage device is obtained, and the liquid level is compared with the set liquid level threshold. When the liquid level is greater than or equal to the liquid level threshold, the collection and drainage device is operated to drain water; when the liquid level is less than the liquid level threshold, the above process is repeated.

[0021] In the dehumidification device of the present invention, the water-absorbing rotating part rotates under the action of wind in the internal circulation air duct, and can also be driven by an external motor, etc. The water-absorbing rotating part absorbs moisture from the gas passing through the cavity. The water-absorbing rotating part is made entirely or partially of a water-absorbing elastic material. Through structural design, when the water-absorbing rotating part rotates, the inner wall of the cavity can squeeze the water-absorbing rotating part, thereby squeezing out the water absorbed by the water-absorbing rotating part, thereby achieving regeneration of the dehumidification capacity of the water-absorbing rotating part. Compared with existing dehumidification wheels, the dehumidification device of the present invention has a simple regeneration method, does not require the configuration of additional components, and has low energy consumption and cost. In addition, the squeezed water is easy to collect and measure, thereby facilitating the detection of dehumidification amount and dehumidification control.

[0022] In the dishwasher of the present invention, an internal circulation air duct is constructed so that the air inside the dishwasher body can form an internal circulation. The dehumidification device of the present invention is used in the internal circulation air duct to dehumidify the air. After dehumidification, the dehumidification capacity can be quickly regenerated through the squeezing of the water absorption rotating part. Therefore, compared with the filtering dehumidification method, it has a better dehumidification effect.

[0023] In addition, the dishwasher of the present invention may also be provided with a collection and drainage device and a detection device. The collection and drainage device can collect water squeezed out by the water absorption rotating part, and the detection device can detect the liquid level and pressure in the collection and drainage device. The liquid level and pressure can reflect the actual dehumidification amount. Therefore, dehumidification control based on the dehumidification amount can improve the internal circulation dehumidification effect.

[0024] The dehumidification method of the present invention controls the operation of the entire internal circulation dehumidification structure by detecting the liquid level and pressure in the collection and drainage device, thereby realizing automatic and precise control of dehumidification and further improving the internal circulation dehumidification effect.

[0025] In summary, compared with dishwashers on the market, the present invention can perform internal circulation and dehumidification of the air inside the dishwasher, and can judge the dehumidification effect and perform dehumidification control based on the feedback of liquid level and air pressure, thereby realizing automatic control to reduce the humidity inside the dishwasher and keep the tableware storage environment in the dishwasher dry.

[0026] The present invention measures the dehumidification capacity and adjusts the dehumidification duration accordingly, ensuring that the dryness inside the dishwasher remains stable at a certain level after dehumidification. This method offers the advantage of improved dehumidification effectiveness. Furthermore, the internal circulation dehumidification method shortens the drying time and prevents the ingress of high humidity from the outside. It is also more energy-efficient than external circulation, and internal circulation dehumidification maximizes the residual heat of the high-temperature air inside the dishwasher, preventing the external circulation from continuously heating the air. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of a dehumidification device of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 2 It is a side sectional view of the structure of an embodiment of a dehumidification device using a cam according to the present invention.

[0029] Figure 3 It is a top sectional view of the structure of an embodiment of a dehumidification device using a cam according to the present invention.

[0030] Figure 4 It is a structural diagram of a dishwasher embodiment to which the dehumidification device of the present invention is applied.

[0031] Figure 5 It is a flowchart of an embodiment of the dehumidification method based on pressure feedback of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 6 It is a flowchart of an embodiment of the dehumidification method based on liquid level feedback of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples.

[0034] Example 1

[0035] like Figure 1-Figure 3 As shown, this embodiment discloses a dehumidifier 5 for a dishwasher. The dehumidifier comprises a housing with a cavity 5-1 within it. An air inlet duct 5-3 is connected to the front of the housing, and an air outlet duct is connected to the back of the housing at the position corresponding to the air inlet duct 5-3. Bearings 5-5 are mounted on the front and rear walls of the housing, respectively. A water-absorbing rotor is mounted within the cavity 5-1 of the housing, rotatably mounted between the bearings 5-5 on the front and rear walls of the housing via a rotating shaft 5-4.

[0036] In this embodiment, the water absorption rotating body is a cam 5-2, and the position of the rotating shaft 5-4 is used as the rotation fulcrum of the cam 5-2. The cam 5-2 is at the farthest position from the rotation fulcrum (i.e. Figure 2 The portion between the right end of the middle cam 5-2 and the rotation fulcrum is made of elastic water-absorbing material, or the entire wheel body of the cam 5-2 is made of elastic water-absorbing material, thereby enabling the cam 5-2 to have water absorption capacity and elastic deformation.

[0037] In this embodiment, the rotation fulcrum of the cam 5-2 is not on the center line of the cavity 5-1, so the distances between the rotation fulcrum and the side walls of the cavity 5-1 in different directions are different, and there is a minimum distance between the rotation fulcrum and the side walls of the cavity 5-1, that is, Figure 2 The distance between the pivot point and the left sidewall of cavity 5-1 is shown as the minimum distance. The distance between the cam 5-2 at its furthest point from the pivot point and the pivot point is greater than or equal to the minimum distance between the pivot point and the sidewall of cavity 5-1. Therefore, when the cam 5-2 is turned toward the left sidewall of cavity 5-1 from its furthest point from the pivot point, the left sidewall of cavity 5-1 can squeeze the cam 5-2, causing it to elastically deform.

[0038] In this embodiment, the distance between the cam's farthest position from the rotation fulcrum and the rotation fulcrum is L1, the distance between the cam's closest position from the rotation fulcrum and the rotation fulcrum is L2, and the ratio of L1 to L2, i.e., L1 / L2, is in the range of 1-2.5.

[0039] In this embodiment, the portion between the rotating fulcrum and the farthest position of the cam 5-2 is used as the dehumidification working portion, and the air to be dehumidified enters the cavity 5-1 through the air inlet pipe 5-3. When the dehumidification working portion of the cam 5-2 rotates to the area between the air inlet pipe 5-3 and the air outlet pipe, the moisture in the air to be dehumidified is absorbed by the dehumidification working portion. When the cam 5-2 rotates to the point where the dehumidification working portion contacts the left inner wall of the cavity 5-1, the left inner wall of the cavity 5-1 squeezes the dehumidification working portion of the cam 5-2, causing the dehumidification working portion of the cam 5-2 to elastically deform, thereby squeezing out the moisture absorbed by the dehumidification working portion.

[0040] In this embodiment, a dehumidification pipe 7 is connected to the bottom of the housing, and the squeezed water eventually falls into the dehumidification pipe 7 and is discharged outside the dishwasher through the dehumidification pipe 7. Of course, in this embodiment, a water valve can also be installed on the housing to replace the dehumidification pipe 7 for drainage.

[0041] In this embodiment, cam 5-2 can rotate under the force of the air flowing through the dehumidified air. Alternatively, cam 5-2 can be driven by an external motor. Cam 5-2 continuously rotates, repeating the water absorption and drainage process. Thus, cam 5-2 absorbs moisture from the dehumidified air along its path, squeezes out the water after absorption, and quickly restores its moisture absorption capacity. The entire water absorption and drainage process requires no additional equipment, resulting in a simple structure.

[0042] Example 2

[0043] like Figure 4 As shown, this embodiment discloses a dishwasher using the dehumidification device 5 described in Example 1, comprising a dishwasher body 3, a dehumidification structure 5, a collection and drainage device, a detection device, a water recovery piping system, a fan 1, and a dehumidification duct 2. A dehumidification air outlet 17 is provided on the left side of the dishwasher body 3, and a return air outlet 16 is provided on the right side of the dishwasher body 3. One end of the dehumidification duct 2 is connected to the dehumidification air outlet 17 and the other end is connected to the return air outlet 16. The fan 1 is disposed in the dehumidification duct 2. The cavity 5-1 in the dehumidification device 5 is connected to the dehumidification duct 2 via an air inlet pipe 5-3 and an air outlet pipe.

[0044] Air to be dehumidified inside the dishwasher body 3 enters the dehumidification duct 2 through the dehumidification outlet 17. Driven by the fan 1, it flows along the dehumidification duct 2 into the dehumidification unit 5. After absorbing moisture through the water absorption cam 5-2 within the dehumidification unit 5, the air returns to the dehumidification duct 2 and ultimately returns to the dishwasher body 3 through the return air vent 16. As the fan 1 continuously blows air, the cam 5-2 in the dehumidification unit 5 continuously rotates, or the cam 5-2 is driven by a motor to continuously rotate, thereby continuously dehumidifying and squeezing out moisture. The squeezed-out water flows into the dehumidification pipe 7 at the bottom of the dehumidification unit 5 housing and is discharged through the dehumidification pipe 7.

[0045] The collection and drainage device in this embodiment includes a dehumidification pipe 7, a water pump 9, and a U-shaped pipe 10. The water inlet of the water pump 9 communicates with the cavity 5-1 of the dehumidification device 5 through the dehumidification pipe 7, while the water outlet of the water pump 9 drains water out of the dishwasher through the U-shaped pipe 10. When the water pump 9 is not running, the water squeezed out of the dehumidification device 5 falls into the dehumidification pipe 7 and is collected. When the water pump 9 is running, the accumulated water in the dehumidification pipe 7 is drained through the U-shaped pipe 10. This collects the water squeezed out by the dehumidification device 5 after dehumidification and enables controlled drainage.

[0046] The detection device in this embodiment includes a liquid level sensor 6 and a pressure sensor 8, each disposed within the dehumidification tube 7. The liquid level sensor 6 is used to detect the liquid level within the dehumidification tube 7, while the pressure sensor 8 is used to detect the pressure within the dehumidification tube 7. The liquid level and pressure data can be used to determine the amount of water collected within the dehumidification tube 7, and thus the dehumidification capacity of the dehumidification device 5. Of course, in this embodiment, only one of the liquid level sensor 6 or the pressure sensor 8 can be used as the detection device. The data collected by a single sensor can be calculated using the liquid level-pressure calculation formula to obtain liquid level and pressure data.

[0047] The water recovery piping system of this embodiment includes a water delivery pump 12, a water collection container 14, a washing pump 15, and a spray arm 13. The water inlet of the water delivery pump 12 is connected to the dehumidification pipe 7 via a connecting pipe 11, while the water outlet of the delivery pump 12 is connected to the interior of the water collection container 14 via a pipe. The water inlet of the washing pump 15 is also connected to the interior of the water collection container 14 via a pipe. The spray arm 13 is located within the dishwasher body 3 and has a main and branch flow channel. The main flow channel ends at the surface of the spray arm 13, forming a water inlet, and the branch flow channel ends at the side of the spray arm 13 facing the bowl basket 4 inside the dishwasher body 3, forming a spray hole. The water outlet of the washing pump 15 is connected to the water inlet of the spray arm 13 via a pipe. When the delivery pump 12 is operating, the water in the dehumidification pipe 7 is delivered to the water collection container 14 for recycling and storage. When needed, the washing pump 15 is activated to deliver the water in the water collection container 14 to the spray arm 13. The water is finally sprayed from the spray hole of the spray arm 13 to the bowl basket 4. This allows for the recycling of water.

[0048] Example 3

[0049] This embodiment discloses a dehumidification control method for the dishwasher described in Example 2, which includes two control processes, wherein the first control process is dehumidification control based on pressure data in the dehumidification pipe 7, and the second control process is drainage control based on liquid level data in the dehumidification pipe 7, and the second control process is always executed during the entire process of dehumidification control based on the first control process.

[0050] like Figure 5 As shown, the first part of the control process includes the following steps:

[0051] Step 1: Start the fan 1 to dehumidify and obtain the pressure data in the dehumidification pipe 7 during the current time period T0.

[0052] Step 2: Calculate the difference ΔP between the pressure data P1 and P2 at the time points before and after the current time period T0, that is, ΔP = P2 - P1. Compare the difference ΔP with the set pressure difference threshold ΔP0. If ΔP is greater than or equal to the pressure difference threshold ΔP0, it indicates that the dehumidification effect is normal, and the fan 1 is allowed to continue to operate for dehumidification. If ΔP is less than ΔP0, the pressure difference threshold ΔP is compared with the pressure base value. In this embodiment, the pressure base value is 0. When ΔP ≥ 0, it indicates that the air humidity inside the dishwasher body has reached a low level and the dehumidification effect has reached the target. The fan 1 is then turned off to stop dehumidification, and the water pump 9 is started to drain the dehumidified water in the dehumidification pipe 7. At the same time, the first part of the control process is stopped, and the dehumidification ends. If ΔP < 0, it indicates that the water pump 9 has been started to drain the dehumidified water in the time period between the two pressure detections. The fan 1 is allowed to continue to operate for dehumidification, and steps 1 and 2 are repeated to cyclically calculate ΔP and perform the above-mentioned dehumidification control based on ΔP.

[0053] like Figure 6 As shown, the second part of the control process is as follows:

[0054] When dehumidification starts in step 1 of the first part of the control process, the liquid level H in the dehumidification pipe 7 is obtained and compared with the preset liquid level threshold H0. If the liquid level H is greater than or equal to the liquid level threshold H0, the water pump 9 is started to drain the water in the dehumidification pipe 7; if the liquid level H is less than the liquid level threshold H0, after a period of time T, the liquid level H in the dehumidification pipe 7 is obtained again and compared, and drainage control is performed based on the comparison result.

[0055] In this embodiment, the second part of the control process runs from the start of dehumidification to the end of dehumidification in the first part of the control process to avoid excessive accumulation of water in the dehumidification pipe 7 causing a decrease in the dehumidification effect.

[0056] Example 4

[0057] This embodiment discloses an electronic device for implementing the dehumidification control method of embodiment 3, comprising a processor and a memory. The memory stores program instructions that can be read and executed by the processor. When the program instructions are read and executed, steps 1 and 2 of the first part of the control process of embodiment 3 are executed, and the second part of the control process of embodiment 3 is also executed simultaneously.

[0058] Example 5

[0059] This embodiment discloses a storage medium storing readable and executable program instructions. The program instructions include a data processing module and a control instruction module. The data processing module is used to acquire data and perform subtraction and comparison operations. The control instruction module generates control instructions based on the processing results of the data processing module and transmits them to the fan and water pump. When the program instructions are read and executed, steps 1 and 2 of the first part of the control process in Example 3 are executed, while the second part of the control process in Example 3 is also executed.

[0060] The embodiments described in the present invention are merely descriptions of the preferred implementation methods of the present invention and are not intended to limit the concept and scope of the present invention. Without departing from the design concept of the present invention, various modifications and improvements made to the technical solutions of the present invention by engineers and technicians in this field should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. The technical contents for which protection is sought in the present invention have all been recorded in the claims.

Claims

1. A dishwasher, comprising a dishwasher body, characterized in that: It also includes internal circulation air duct, fan, dehumidification device, detection device, collection and drainage device; The dehumidification device includes a cavity for allowing moisture to pass through, and a water absorbing rotating part is rotatably installed in the cavity. The water absorbing rotating part is characterized in that the water absorbing rotating part is elastically deformable, and when the water absorbing rotating part rotates circumferentially, the inner wall of the cavity can squeeze the water absorbing rotating part until it is elastically deformed; The water-absorbing rotating part is a cam made of water-absorbing elastic material; The water-absorbing rotating part is a cam, and the part between the cam's most distant position from its own rotating fulcrum and the rotating fulcrum is made of a water-absorbing elastic material; The fan causes air to flow in the internal circulation duct, and the moisture inside the dishwasher body forms an internal circulation through the internal circulation duct and the fan. The cavity of the dehumidifier is connected to the internal circulation duct, and the moisture is absorbed by the water absorption rotating part of the dehumidifier, and the moisture is squeezed out when the water absorption rotating part is squeezed and deformed. The fan causes air to flow in the internal circulation duct, and the moisture inside the dishwasher body forms an internal circulation through the internal circulation duct and the fan; the cavity of the dehumidifier is connected to the internal circulation duct, and the moisture is absorbed by the water-absorbing rotating part of the dehumidifier, and the moisture is squeezed out when the water-absorbing rotating part is squeezed and deformed; the collection and drainage device collects the moisture squeezed out of the dehumidifier and drains it out of the dishwasher body in a controllable manner, and the detection device detects the liquid level and pressure in the collection and drainage device; The dehumidification process includes the following steps: Step 1: Start the fan to dehumidify and obtain the pressure data in the drainage device; Step 2: Calculate the difference between the pressure data before and after a period of time, compare the difference with the set pressure difference threshold, and when the difference is greater than or equal to the pressure difference threshold, allow the fan to continue working for dehumidification; when the difference is less than the pressure difference threshold, compare the difference with the set pressure base value. If the difference is greater than or equal to the pressure base value, stop the fan and control the collection and drainage device to work for drainage. If the difference is less than the set pressure base value, allow the fan to continue working and repeat steps 1 and 2.

2. The dishwasher according to claim 1, characterized in that The collection and drainage device includes a water pump and a dehumidification pipe. The water pump inlet is connected to the cavity through the dehumidification pipe, and the water is controllably drained out of the dishwasher body through the water pump.

3. The dishwasher according to claim 2, characterized in that The detection device includes a liquid level sensor arranged in the dehumidification pipe.

4. The dishwasher according to claim 2, characterized in that The detection device includes a pressure sensor arranged in the dehumidification pipe.

5. The dishwasher according to claim 2, characterized in that The water pump outlet drains water out of the dishwasher body through a U-shaped pipe.

6. The dishwasher according to claim 1, characterized in that It also includes a water recovery pipeline system, which is connected to the collection and drainage device to recover water, and the water recovery pipeline system transports the recovered water to the inside of the dishwasher body.

7. The dishwasher according to claim 6, characterized in that The water recovery pipeline system includes a water pump, a water collection container, and a washing pump. The water pump inlet is connected to the collection and drainage device, the water pump outlet is connected to the water collection container, the washing pump inlet is connected to the water collection container, and the washing pump outlet is connected to the inside of the dishwasher body.

8. The dishwasher according to claim 7, characterized in that The washing machine also includes a spray arm, which is arranged inside the dishwasher body and has a water inlet and a spray hole. The washing pump outlet is connected to the water inlet of the spray arm, and water is sprayed into the dishwasher body through the spray hole of the spray arm.

9. The dishwasher according to claim 1, wherein: During the execution of steps 1 and 2, the liquid level data in the collection and drainage device is obtained, and the liquid level is compared with the set liquid level threshold. When the liquid level is greater than or equal to the liquid level threshold, the collection and drainage device is activated to drain water; when the liquid level is less than the liquid level threshold, the above process is repeated.

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