Clothes processing device

Abstract

An embodiment of the present application discloses a clothing processing device. The clothing processing device includes a heat pump system, a clothes drum, a thermoelectric generator, a power storage unit, and a controller. The heat pump system is configured to generate hot air and transfer the hot air into the clothes drum; the thermoelectric generator is configured to generate electricity using waste heat and store the electricity in the power storage unit; the controller performs the following steps: based on the air inlet temperature and the ambient temperature, calculates the air outlet temperature of the clothing processing device when the clothes to be dried meet the drying standard; calculates the target power generation of the thermoelectric generator based on the air outlet temperature and the ambient temperature; obtains the actual power generation of the thermoelectric generator recorded by the power storage unit, and controls the drying process to end if the actual power generation reaches or exceeds the target power generation. The drying process can be flexibly adjusted according to the ambient temperature to avoid the problem of insufficient or excessive drying of clothes, and realizes heat recovery of waste heat during the drying process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of smart home appliances, and specifically to a clothing processing device that can utilize waste heat from a drying process to generate electricity and automatically control the drying program. Background Art

[0002] With the development of the home appliance industry, people's requirements for quality of life are getting higher and higher. Clothing processing devices have gradually changed from being used solely for drying clothes to becoming home washing and care centers. They use intelligent recognition technology to achieve intelligent drying of clothes, and intelligent drying technology has gradually become the development trend of washing machines.

[0003] Since the materials and water absorption properties of the clothes to be dried are different, it is easy to make mistakes in judgment during the drying process, affecting the drying effect; and due to the different ambient temperatures, if a fixed temperature value is set for the air outlet of the clothes processing device in the drying program, the drying program will be ended after the air outlet of the clothes processing device reaches the fixed temperature value. It will not adjust with the changes in the actual environment, so its versatility to changes in ambient temperature is poor, and the judgment accuracy is low, which may easily lead to problems such as insufficient drying or over-drying of clothes, and the waste heat generated during the drying process cannot be recycled, resulting in waste of resources and affecting user experience. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In order to solve the above technical problems, an embodiment of the present application provides a clothing processing device.

[0005] According to the clothing treatment device provided in the first embodiment of the present application, the clothing treatment device includes: a heat pump system, a clothes drum, a thermoelectric generator, a power storage unit and a controller, wherein: the heat pump system is configured to generate hot air during a drying process and transfer the generated hot air to the clothes drum of the clothing treatment device; the thermoelectric generator is configured to generate electricity using the waste heat generated by the heat pump system and store the generated electric energy in the power storage unit; the controller is configured to perform the following steps: during the running of the drying program, based on the air inlet temperature and the ambient temperature, calculate the outlet temperature of the clothing treatment device when the clothes to be dried meet the drying standard; calculate the target power generation power of the thermoelectric generator based on the air outlet temperature and the ambient temperature, the target power generation power representing the power generation power of the thermoelectric generator when the clothes to be dried meet the drying standard; obtain the actual power generation power of the thermoelectric generator recorded in the power storage unit, and if the actual power generation power reaches or exceeds the target power generation power, control the clothing treatment device to end the drying program.

[0006] In the clothes treating device provided in the first embodiment of the present application, during the running of the drying program, the air outlet temperature of the clothes treating device is calculated based on the air inlet temperature of the clothes treating device and the ambient temperature when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard, and then the waste heat generated by the clothes treating device during the running of the drying program is calculated based on the air outlet temperature and the ambient temperature, and the target power generation power of the thermoelectric generator is calculated based on the generated waste heat. The target power generation power represents the power generation power of the thermoelectric generator when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard. Then, by obtaining the actual power generation power of the thermoelectric generator recorded in the power storage unit, if the actual power generation power reaches or exceeds the target power generation power, the clothes treating device is controlled to end the drying program. In this way, on the one hand, not only the control of the drying program of the clothes treating device by a simple algorithm is realized, but also the drying program can be flexibly adjusted according to the actual ambient temperature, thereby avoiding the problem of insufficient drying or over-drying of clothes. On the other hand, heat recovery of the waste heat during the running of the drying program is realized.

[0007] According to the clothing processing device provided in the second embodiment of the present application, the controller is further configured to perform the following steps: in the process of calculating the air outlet temperature of the clothing processing device when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard based on the air outlet temperature and the ambient temperature, calculating the temperature difference between the air outlet temperature and the ambient temperature; obtaining the performance parameters of the thermoelectric generator, and calculating the target power generation power of the thermoelectric generator based on the performance parameters of the thermoelectric generator and the temperature difference.

[0008] According to the clothing processing device provided in the second embodiment of the present application, by calculating the temperature difference between the temperature of the air outlet of the clothing processing device and the ambient temperature, as well as the performance parameters of the thermoelectric generator, the target power generated by the thermoelectric generator using the waste heat generated during the drying process when the clothes to be dried meet the drying standard can be calculated, thereby calculating the target power generated by the thermoelectric generator when the clothes to be dried meet the drying standard through a simple algorithm.

[0009] According to the clothing processing device provided in the third embodiment of the present application, the performance parameters of the thermoelectric generator include heat loss parameters, and the controller is further configured to perform the following steps: in the process of calculating the target power generation power of the thermoelectric generator based on the performance parameters and the temperature difference, the target power generation power of the thermoelectric generator is calculated based on the heat loss parameters of the thermoelectric generator and the temperature difference between the outlet temperature and the ambient temperature.

[0010] In the third embodiment of the present application, in the process of calculating the target power generation power of the thermoelectric generator based on the performance parameters of the thermoelectric generator and the temperature difference between the ambient temperature and the air outlet temperature, the target power generation power generated by the thermoelectric generator when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard is calculated according to the heat loss parameters of the thermoelectric generator and the temperature difference between the ambient temperature and the air outlet temperature. By introducing the heat loss parameters of the thermoelectric generator, the calculated target power generation power of the thermoelectric generator is made more accurate, thereby making the control of the drying program more precise.

[0011] According to the clothing processing device provided in the fourth embodiment of the present application, the controller is further configured to perform the following steps: during the running of the drying program, based on the air inlet temperature and the ambient temperature, the air outlet temperature of the clothing processing device is calculated when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard, and the material information of the clothes to be dried is obtained; based on the material information, the target humidity when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard is determined; based on the air inlet temperature, the ambient temperature and the target humidity, the air outlet temperature of the clothing processing device is calculated when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard.

[0012] In the fourth embodiment of the present application, during the running of the drying program, based on the air inlet temperature and the ambient temperature, the air outlet temperature of the clothing processing device is calculated when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard. By obtaining the material information of the clothes to be dried, the target humidity when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard is determined based on the material information, thereby realizing different target humidity according to different material information of the clothes to be dried, and fully ensuring the drying effect of the clothes. Afterwards, based on the air inlet temperature, the ambient temperature and the target humidity, the air outlet temperature of the clothing processing device is calculated when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard, thereby not only ensuring the drying effect of the clothes to be dried, but also avoiding the problems of over-drying or insufficient drying.

[0013] According to the fifth embodiment of the clothing processing device provided in the present application, the controller is further configured to perform the following steps: in the process of calculating the air outlet temperature of the clothing processing device when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard based on the air inlet temperature, the ambient temperature and the target humidity, obtaining the initial humidity of the clothes to be dried, and calculating the humidity difference between the initial humidity and the target humidity; calculating the air outlet temperature of the clothing processing device when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard based on the humidity difference, the ambient temperature and the air inlet temperature.

[0014] In the fifth embodiment of the present application, in the process of calculating the air outlet temperature of the clothing processing device when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard based on the air inlet temperature, the ambient temperature and the target humidity, the initial humidity of the clothes to be dried is obtained, and the humidity difference between the initial humidity and the target humidity is calculated. Thereafter, the air outlet temperature of the clothing processing device when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard is calculated based on the humidity difference, the ambient temperature and the air inlet temperature, so that the calculated air outlet temperature is more accurate, thereby ensuring the drying effect of the clothes to be dried.

[0015] According to the sixth embodiment of the present application, the laundry processing device further includes:

[0016] The clothing identification device is configured to identify the clothing to be dried and obtain information about the clothing to be dried; the controller is further configured to perform the following steps: in the process of obtaining the material information of the clothing to be dried, extract characteristic information of the clothing to be dried from the information about the clothing to be dried, and determine the material information of the clothing to be dried based on the characteristic information of the clothing to be dried; and based on the material information, search from a database for a target humidity when the clothing to be dried reaches a drying standard.

[0017] In the sixth embodiment of the present application, a clothing identification device is further provided inside the clothing processing device, which is configured to identify the clothing to be dried and obtain information about the clothing to be dried, so as to extract characteristic information of the clothing to be dried from the information about the clothing to be dried in the process of obtaining material information of the clothing to be dried, and determine the material information of the clothing to be dried based on the characteristic information of the clothing to be dried, and then find out the target humidity when the clothing to be dried reaches the drying standard from the database based on the material information, thereby ensuring that different target humidity is determined according to different material information of the clothing to be dried, thereby avoiding the problem of overdrying or insufficient drying of the clothing to be dried.

[0018] According to the clothing processing device provided in the seventh embodiment of the present application, the controller is further configured to perform the following steps: in the process of determining the material information of the clothes to be dried based on the characteristic information of the clothes to be dried, the characteristic information of the clothes to be dried is input into a material recognition model to extract the texture features of the clothes to be dried through the material recognition model; and the material information of the clothes to be dried is determined based on the extracted texture features.

[0019] In the seventh embodiment of the present application, in the process of determining the material information of the clothes to be dried based on the characteristic information of the clothes to be dried, the characteristic information of the clothes to be dried is input into a material recognition model, wherein the material recognition model is a material recognition model that is pre-trained and can recognize a variety of material information based on the characteristic information of the clothes, so that the texture features of the clothes to be dried are extracted according to the material recognition model, and then the material information of the clothes to be dried is determined based on the extracted texture information, so that the determined material information of the clothes to be dried is more accurate, and the material information of the clothes to be dried can be quickly determined, thereby improving the intelligence of the clothes processing device's control of the drying program and ensuring the drying effect of the clothes to be dried.

[0020] According to the clothing processing device provided in the eighth embodiment of the present application, the controller is further configured to perform the following steps: in the process of determining the target humidity when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard based on the material information, determining the water absorption characteristics of the clothes to be dried based on the material information of the clothes to be dried; determining the target humidity when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard based on the water absorption characteristics of the clothes to be dried.

[0021] In the eighth embodiment of the present application, in the process of determining the target humidity when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard based on the material information, the water absorption characteristics of the clothes to be dried are determined based on the material information of the clothes to be dried, and the target humidity of the clothes to be dried when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard is determined according to the water absorption characteristics of the clothes to be dried, thereby ensuring that the clothes to be dried will not be over-dried or insufficiently dried during the drying process, thereby improving the drying effect.

[0022] According to the clothing processing device provided in the ninth embodiment of the present application, the controller is further configured to perform the following steps: obtaining the air inlet temperature of the clothing processing device; detecting whether the air inlet temperature is in a stable state, and if the air inlet temperature is in a stable state, obtaining the ambient temperature of the clothing processing device.

[0023] In the ninth embodiment of the present application, the controller of the clothing processing device is configured to: obtain the air inlet temperature of the clothing processing device, detect whether the air inlet temperature is in a stable state, and if the air inlet temperature is in a stable state, obtain the ambient temperature of the clothing processing device, thereby ensuring that the ambient temperature is obtained after the air inlet temperature reaches stability, fully considering the influence of the ambient temperature on the drying effect of the clothes to be dried, flexibly adjusting the drying program based on the ambient temperature, and improving the intelligence of the clothing processing device.

[0024] According to the clothes treating apparatus provided in the tenth embodiment of the present application, the temperature difference generator is disposed at an air outlet position of the clothes treating apparatus.

[0025] In the tenth embodiment of the present application, a thermoelectric generator is disposed at the air outlet of the laundry processing device. Thus, during the drying process, the thermoelectric generator recovers the waste heat discharged from the air outlet and converts it into electrical energy, which is stored in a power storage unit. The electrical energy recovered from the heat is then returned to the power supply system of the laundry processing device via the power storage unit. This not only achieves intelligent control of the drying process of the laundry processing device, but also achieves heat recovery of the waste heat, thereby achieving energy conservation and emission reduction. It should be understood that the above general description and the detailed description below are merely exemplary and explanatory and do not limit the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] The accompanying drawings are incorporated into and constitute a part of the specification, illustrating embodiments consistent with the present application and, together with the specification, serving to explain the principles of the present application. It is obvious that the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of the present application, and a person of ordinary skill in the art can derive other drawings based on these drawings without inventive effort. In the drawings:

[0027] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a clothes treating device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0028] Figure 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a heat pump system of a clothes processing device shown in another exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0029] Figure 3 This is a flow chart of a clothes processing device controlling a drying process in an exemplary application scenario of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] Exemplary embodiments will be described in detail herein, with examples illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description refers to the drawings, identical numerals in different figures represent identical or similar elements unless otherwise indicated. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments are not intended to represent all embodiments consistent with the present application. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatus and methods consistent with certain aspects of the present application, as detailed in the appended claims.

[0031] The block diagrams shown in the accompanying drawings are merely functional entities and do not necessarily correspond to physically separate entities. That is, these functional entities may be implemented in software, in one or more hardware modules or integrated circuits, or in different networks and / or processor devices and / or microcontroller devices.

[0032] The flowcharts shown in the accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and do not necessarily include all contents and operations / steps, nor must they be executed in the order described. For example, some operations / steps may be decomposed, while others may be combined or partially combined. Therefore, the actual execution order may vary depending on the actual situation.

[0033] In this application, "plurality" refers to two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three possible relationships exist. For example, "A and / or B" can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. The character " / " generally indicates that the related objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0034] With the rise in consumer spending and the rapid development of consumer electronics, electronic products have seen significant improvements in both appearance and performance. Home appliances are also moving towards smarter, more advanced features, and users are increasingly demanding clothing drying capabilities. Common clothing treatment devices or devices with drying functions on the market typically use humidity sensors to determine the dryness of the clothes being dried, shutting down the machine when the clothes reach the desired dryness level. This approach not only requires high sensor accuracy but also requires complex algorithms. Alternatively, the weight change before and after drying is used to determine whether the clothes are fully dried. However, this control method can easily lead to misjudgments due to varying water absorption properties of different clothing materials, thus affecting the drying effect. Alternatively, a fixed temperature value is set for the air outlet of the clothing treatment device during the drying process, terminating the drying process when the air outlet reaches the fixed temperature. This method does not adapt to changes in the actual environment, resulting in poor adaptability to ambient temperature changes and low judgment accuracy, which can easily lead to insufficient or over-drying of clothes, impacting the user experience.

[0035] To address the aforementioned technical issues, embodiments of the present application provide a clothing processing device capable of utilizing waste heat from the drying process to generate electricity and automatically control the drying process. This allows the drying process of the clothing processing device to be controlled using a simple algorithm, and the drying process can be flexibly controlled based on the material of the clothes being dried and the ambient temperature, resulting in better drying results, a more intelligent drying process, and an enhanced user experience. Furthermore, the clothing processing device can be a dedicated drying device or a common product form such as a pulsator washing machine or front-loading washing machine with integrated drying function. This application does not impose any restrictions on the product form of the clothing processing device.

[0036] See also Figure 1 , Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a structural diagram of a clothes processing device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application. Figure 1As shown, the laundry treatment apparatus includes a drum 110, a heat pump system 120, a temperature detection device 130, a humidity detection device 140, a thermoelectric generator 150, a power storage unit 160, and a controller 170. The drum 110 is used to carry laundry to be dried; the heat pump system 120 is used to generate hot air and transfer the generated hot air into the drum 110; the temperature detection device 130 is used to detect the temperature of the air in the air inlet of the laundry treatment apparatus and the current ambient temperature; the humidity detection device 140 is used to collect humidity information of the laundry to be dried in the drum 110; the thermoelectric generator 150 is used to convert waste heat generated by the laundry treatment apparatus during the drying process into electrical energy; and the power storage unit 160 is used to store the electrical energy generated by the thermoelectric generator 150. The controller 170 is connected to the air inlet temperature detection device 120, the ambient temperature detection device 130, the humidity detection device 140, and the power storage unit 160 to control the drying process of the laundry treatment apparatus.

[0037] Specifically, if Figure 2 As shown, the heat pump system 120 includes: a fan 121, an auxiliary heater 122, etc., wherein the heat pump system is used to generate hot air, and specifically may include an evaporator 123, a compressor 124, and a condenser 125 connected in sequence, wherein the evaporator 123 and the condenser 125 are heat exchange structures in the heat pump system, the fan 121 is arranged on the side of the condenser 125, and the auxiliary heater 122 is arranged near the clothes drum 122, as shown in FIG. Figure 1 As shown, the refrigerant flows through the evaporator 123 to absorb the residual heat of the airflow after drying clothes. It is compressed by the compressor 124 to increase the temperature and pressure. After passing through the condenser 125, it exchanges heat with the airflow in the drying duct, raising the temperature of the airflow passing through the condenser 125. The airflow (hot air) is then blown into the clothes drum 122 by the fan 121. The auxiliary heater 122 is added in the middle to supplement the temperature.

[0038] Specifically, a power storage unit 160 is provided corresponding to the thermoelectric generator 150 . The power storage unit 160 is configured to store the electric energy generated by the thermoelectric generator 150 and transmit the electric energy to the clothes treating apparatus through the power supply system.

[0039] in, Figure 1 and Figure 2 It only shows some components of the heat pump system and the locations of these components. The specific composition of the heat pump system and how to generate hot air are existing technologies and will not be described in detail in this application.

[0040] Specifically, the humidity detection device can be a humidity sensor, which can be installed in the air outlet duct of the clothes drum. The humidity sensor detects the humidity value of the air in the air outlet duct through the humidity sensor, and the humidity value in the air outlet duct is used as the humidity data of the clothes to be dried. In some feasible solutions, the humidity sensor can be installed in the inner cavity of the clothes drum 110, and the humidity sensor detects the humidity value of the air in the clothes drum 110, and the humidity of the air in the clothes drum 110 is used as the humidity data of the clothes to be dried.

[0041] In some feasible embodiments, the humidity detection device can be a plurality of humidity sensors, one of which is arranged in the air outlet duct of the clothes drum 110, and the air humidity data in the air outlet duct of the clothes drum 110 is detected by this humidity sensor; the remaining humidity sensors are arranged in the inner cavity of the clothes drum 110, and the humidity data in the inner cavity of the clothes drum is collected by the remaining sensors, and then the humidity data of the air in the air duct and the humidity data in the inner cavity of the clothes drum are calculated to obtain the humidity data of the clothes to be dried.

[0042] The following is a further detailed description of the implementation of the present application with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of this specification.

[0043] Controller 170 is specifically mounted on a circuit board within the housing of the laundry processing device or device with an integrated drying function. It is configured with a drying program control circuit composed of electronic components such as memory. Controller 170 controls the laundry processing device or device with an integrated drying function to implement the corresponding drying function by executing the control method stored in the memory. Specifically, controller 170 is configured to perform the following steps S210 to S230, which are described in detail below:

[0044] Step S210 , during the drying process, the air outlet temperature of the clothes processing device is calculated based on the air inlet temperature and the ambient temperature when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard.

[0045] First, during the process of starting the clothes processing device or the device with integrated drying function to dry the clothes to be dried in the clothes drum, based on the temperature of the air in the air inlet of the clothes drum and the current ambient temperature, the temperature value of the air outlet of the clothes drum is calculated when the clothes to be dried in the clothes drum reaches the drying standard.

[0046] It is understood that an ambient temperature detection device is provided within the clothing processing device or within a device with an integrated drying function, and during the drying process, the controller obtains the ambient temperature detected by the ambient temperature detection device. Exemplarily, the ambient temperature detection device may be an ambient temperature sensor, and the controller obtains current ambient temperature data collected by the ambient temperature sensor, or the ambient temperature sensor automatically reports current ambient temperature data to the controller during the drying process.

[0047] In some feasible embodiments, the ambient temperature detection device can be set in the external environment of the clothing processing device or the device with integrated drying function. When the drying program of the clothing processing device or the device with integrated drying function is running, the clothing processing device or the device with integrated drying function establishes a communication connection with the external ambient temperature detection device to obtain the current ambient temperature data detected by the external ambient temperature detection device.

[0048] Step S220 , calculating the target power generation of the thermoelectric generator based on the air outlet temperature and the ambient temperature. The target power generation represents the power generation of the thermoelectric generator when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard.

[0049] Specifically, following the above step S210, after determining the outlet temperature of the clothes drum of the clothing processing device when the clothes to be dried in the inner cavity of the clothes drum reach the red standard, the temperature difference between the outlet temperature and the current ambient temperature is calculated. This temperature difference is the source of waste heat generated by the clothes processing device or the equipment with integrated drying function during the drying program. Then, the target power generation of the thermoelectric generator can be calculated based on the temperature difference between the outlet temperature and the ambient temperature. The target power generation refers to the power generation of the thermoelectric generator when the clothes to be dried in the clothes drum reach the drying standard under ideal conditions.

[0050] In step S230 , the actual power generation of the thermoelectric generator recorded in the power storage unit is obtained. If the actual power generation reaches or exceeds the target power generation, the clothes processing device is controlled to end the drying process.

[0051] It is understood that the waste heat generated during the drying process is generated by the thermoelectric generator, and the electricity generated by the thermoelectric generator is stored in the power storage unit. By obtaining the actual power generated during the drying process recorded in the power storage unit, and comparing the actual power generated by the thermoelectric generator during operation recorded in the power storage unit with the power generated by the thermoelectric generator when the clothes to be dried in the laundry drum meet the drying standard under ideal conditions in the above embodiment, if the actual power generated in the power storage unit exceeds the target power generated when the clothes to be dried in the laundry drum meet the drying standard, it indicates that the clothes to be dried in the laundry drum have met the drying standard. The clothes processing device or the device with an integrated drying function can be controlled to end the drying process, thereby avoiding over-drying and waste of resources.

[0052] In this embodiment, during the running of the drying program, the air outlet temperature of the clothing processing device is calculated based on the air inlet temperature of the clothing processing device and the ambient temperature when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard. Then, the waste heat generated by the clothing processing device during the running of the drying program is calculated based on the air outlet temperature and the ambient temperature. The target power generation power of the thermoelectric generator is calculated based on the generated waste heat. The target power generation power represents the power generation power of the thermoelectric generator when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard. Then, by obtaining the actual power generation power of the thermoelectric generator recorded in the power storage unit, if the actual power generation power reaches or exceeds the target power generation power, the clothing processing device is controlled to end the drying program. In this way, on the one hand, not only is the algorithm for controlling the drying program of the clothing processing device simple, but the drying program can also be flexibly adjusted according to the actual ambient temperature, thereby avoiding the problem of insufficient drying or over-drying of clothes. On the other hand, heat recovery of the waste heat during the running of the drying program is realized.

[0053] Furthermore, based on the above embodiment, in one of the exemplary embodiments provided in this application, the controller 170 is further configured to perform the following steps, which are described in detail as follows:

[0054] In the process of calculating the air outlet temperature of the clothes processing device when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard according to the air outlet temperature and the ambient temperature, the controller is further configured to perform the following steps S310 and S320:

[0055] Step S310, calculating the temperature difference between the air outlet temperature and the ambient temperature;

[0056] Step S320 , obtaining performance parameters of the thermoelectric generator, and calculating the target power generation of the thermoelectric generator based on the performance parameters of the thermoelectric generator and the temperature difference.

[0057] Specifically, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the process of calculating the temperature of the air outlet of the laundry treatment device when the laundry to be dried reaches the drying standard based on the air outlet temperature and the ambient temperature can be performed by calculating the temperature difference between the temperature of the air in the air outlet passage of the laundry drum of the laundry treatment device and the current ambient temperature. The performance parameters of a thermoelectric generator installed in the laundry treatment device or a device with an integrated drying function are then obtained. The main performance parameters of a thermoelectric generator include: open-circuit voltage, output power, efficiency, power attenuation rate, weight, volume, weight-to-power ratio, and reliability. Subsequently, based on the performance parameters of the thermoelectric generator in the laundry treatment device or device with an integrated drying function, combined with the temperature difference between the air outlet temperature of the laundry treatment device and the ambient temperature, the target power generated by the thermoelectric generator when the laundry to be dried reaches the drying standard is calculated.

[0058] It should be noted that due to the large thermoelectric electromotive force of semiconductors, they are mostly used to make thermoelectric generators, which are a new type of electronic device with the characteristics of no noise, no pollution, and efficient energy conversion.

[0059] In this embodiment, by calculating the temperature difference between the temperature of the air outlet of the clothing processing device and the ambient temperature, as well as the performance parameters of the thermoelectric generator, the target power generated by the thermoelectric generator using the waste heat generated during the drying process when the clothes to be dried meet the drying standard can be calculated. Thus, the target power generated by the thermoelectric generator when the clothes to be dried meet the drying standard can be calculated through a simple algorithm.

[0060] Furthermore, based on the above embodiment, in one of the exemplary embodiments provided in this application, the performance parameters of the thermoelectric generator include heat loss parameters, and the controller 170 is further configured to perform the following steps:

[0061] In the process of calculating the target power generation of the thermoelectric generator based on the performance parameter and the temperature difference, the target power generation of the thermoelectric generator is calculated according to the heat loss parameter of the thermoelectric generator and the temperature difference between the outlet temperature and the ambient temperature.

[0062] Specifically, the performance parameters of a thermoelectric generator also include a heat loss parameter, which includes a calculation of the thermoelectric generator's heat loss. Heat loss provides a reference value for the operation of the thermoelectric generator within the power system. For example, the target power generation capacity of the thermoelectric generator within the laundry treatment device can be calculated based on the heat loss parameter and the temperature difference between the air temperature at the laundry treatment device's outlet when the laundry reaches a drying standard and the current ambient temperature.

[0063] In this embodiment, the target power generation power of the thermoelectric generator in the clothing processing device is calculated by introducing the heat loss parameter in the performance parameters of the thermoelectric generator and calculating the temperature difference between the temperature of the air in the air outlet of the clothing processing device when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard and the current ambient temperature. In this way, not only the accuracy of the calculated target power generation power is improved, but also the drying effect of the clothes to be dried can be guaranteed.

[0064] Furthermore, based on the above embodiment, in one exemplary implementation provided in the present application, the controller 170 is further configured to, during the drying process, calculate the air outlet temperature of the laundry processing device when the laundry to be dried reaches the drying standard based on the air inlet temperature and the ambient temperature, execute the following steps S410 to S430, which are described in detail as follows:

[0065] Step S410: obtaining material information of the clothes to be dried.

[0066] It should be noted that clothing material information includes various properties of clothing fabrics, such as craftsmanship, material, etc.

[0067] Specifically, the material information of the clothes to be dried in the clothes drum can be obtained during the running of the drying program or after the drying program is started, so as to further control the drying program according to the material information of the clothes to be dried.

[0068] Step S420: determining a target humidity when the clothes to be dried reach a drying standard based on the material information.

[0069] Specifically, due to different material information of the clothes to be dried, and different material properties such as water absorption and heat resistance of the clothes to be dried, the target humidity when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard will also be different. For example, if the material information of the clothes to be dried is mainly composed of cotton, the target humidity when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard can be determined based on the material properties such as water absorption and heat resistance of the cotton component information.

[0070] Step S430 , calculating the air outlet temperature of the clothes processing device when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard based on the air inlet temperature, the ambient temperature and the target humidity.

[0071] Specifically, the air temperature within the air inlet duct of the laundry processing device or the laundry drum of a device with an integrated drying function, as measured by the air inlet temperature detection device, can be used as the air inlet temperature. Furthermore, the air outlet temperature of the laundry processing device when the laundry reaches the drying standard can be calculated based on the ambient temperature measured by the ambient temperature sensor and the target humidity when the laundry reaches the drying standard. For example, the temperature difference between the air inlet temperature of the laundry processing device and the ambient temperature can be used as the heat source for the laundry in the laundry drum. The air outlet temperature of the laundry processing device when the laundry reaches the drying standard can be calculated based on the target humidity when the laundry reaches the drying standard.

[0072] In this embodiment, during the running of the drying program, the outlet temperature of the clothing processing device is calculated when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard based on the air inlet temperature and the ambient temperature. By obtaining the material information of the clothes to be dried, the target humidity when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard is determined based on the material information. This realizes the determination of different target humidity according to the different material information of the clothes to be dried, and fully ensures the drying effect of the clothes. Thereafter, the outlet temperature of the clothing processing device is calculated when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard based on the air inlet temperature, the ambient temperature and the target humidity, thereby not only ensuring the drying effect of the clothes to be dried, but also avoiding the problems of over-drying or under-drying.

[0073] Furthermore, based on the above embodiment, in one exemplary embodiment provided in the present application, the process of calculating the air outlet temperature of the clothing processing device when the clothes to be dried meet the drying standard based on the air inlet temperature, the ambient temperature, and the target humidity may further include steps S510 and S520, which are described in detail as follows:

[0074] Step S510: obtaining the initial humidity of the clothes to be dried, and calculating the humidity difference between the initial humidity and the target humidity.

[0075] Specifically, the humidity of the air in the current drum cavity can be obtained using a humidity sensor provided in the laundry processing device or equipment with an integrated drying function. The initial humidity of the laundry to be dried in the current drum cavity can be further determined based on the humidity of the air in the current drum. The humidity difference between the initial humidity of the laundry to be dried and the target humidity when the drying standard is reached can then be calculated.

[0076] Step S520 , calculating the air outlet temperature of the clothes processing device when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard based on the humidity difference, the ambient temperature, and the air inlet temperature.

[0077] Specifically, following the above embodiment, the temperature difference between the air inlet temperature of the clothes processing device and the ambient temperature is used as the heat source for the clothes to be dried in the drying drum. The temperature of the air outlet of the clothes processing device when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard is calculated based on the humidity difference between the calculated initial humidity of the clothes to be dried and the target humidity when the drying standard is reached, and the temperature difference between the air inlet temperature of the clothes processing device and the ambient temperature.

[0078] In this embodiment, in the process of calculating the air outlet temperature of the clothing processing device when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard based on the air inlet temperature, the ambient temperature and the target humidity, the initial humidity of the clothes to be dried is obtained, and the humidity difference between the initial humidity and the target humidity is calculated. Thereafter, the air outlet temperature of the clothing processing device when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard is calculated based on the humidity difference, the ambient temperature and the air inlet temperature, so that the calculated air outlet temperature is more accurate, thereby ensuring the drying effect of the clothes to be dried.

[0079] Furthermore, based on the above embodiment, in one exemplary embodiment provided in the present application, the above-mentioned clothes processing device or the device with an integrated drying function further includes a clothes identification device configured to identify clothes to be dried and obtain information about the clothes to be dried; thus, in the process of obtaining the material information of the clothes to be dried, the above-mentioned controller 170 is further configured to execute steps S610 and S620, which are described in detail as follows:

[0080] Step S610: extracting characteristic information of the clothes to be dried from the information of the clothes to be dried, and determining material information of the clothes to be dried according to the characteristic information of the clothes to be dried.

[0081] In some feasible embodiments, the above-mentioned clothing recognition device can obtain an image of the clothes to be dried taken in the clothes drum, extract characteristic information of the clothes to be dried from the image to be recognized, and determine the material information of the clothes to be dried based on the characteristic information of the clothes to be dried. In this process, by extracting texture features of the clothes to be dried from the image to be recognized and determining the material information of the clothes to be dried based on the texture features of the clothes to be dried, on the one hand, the material information of the clothes to be washed is determined based on the texture features of the clothes to be dried, so that the determined material information of the clothes is more accurate; on the other hand, by determining the material information of the clothes to be dried based on the texture features, a variety of material information of the clothes in the clothes to be washed can be identified, so that the determined material information of the clothes is more comprehensive and reliable.

[0082] Step S620: Find out the target humidity when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard from the database based on the material information.

[0083] Specifically, after the material information of the clothes to be dried is determined, the target humidity when the clothes to be dried with the material information reaches the drying standard is searched from a preset database.

[0084] In some feasible embodiments, since there is a variety of material information for the clothes to be dried in actual situations, in this case, the target humidity corresponding to the clothes to be dried with the multiple material information when they reach the drying standard can be found in a preset database, and the target humidity when the clothes to be dried in the clothes drum of the clothing processing device reach the drying standard can be calculated based on the multiple target humidities.

[0085] In this embodiment, a clothing identification device is further provided inside the clothing processing device, which is configured to identify the clothing to be dried and obtain information about the clothing to be dried, so as to extract characteristic information of the clothing to be dried from the information about the clothing to be dried in the process of obtaining material information of the clothing to be dried, and determine the material information of the clothing to be dried based on the characteristic information of the clothing to be dried, and then find out the target humidity when the clothing to be dried reaches the drying standard from the database based on the material information, thereby ensuring that different target humidity is determined according to different material information of the clothing to be dried, thereby avoiding the problem of overdrying or insufficient drying of the clothing to be dried.

[0086] Furthermore, based on the above embodiment, in one exemplary embodiment provided in the present application, in the process of determining the material information of the clothes to be dried based on the characteristic information of the clothes to be dried, the controller 170 is further configured to execute steps S710 and S720, which are described in detail as follows:

[0087] Step S710: inputting feature information of the clothes to be dried into a material recognition model to extract texture features of the clothes to be dried through the material recognition model;

[0088] Step S720: determining the material information of the clothes to be dried based on the extracted texture features.

[0089] First, it's important to note that in practical applications, multiple fabric attribute images are acquired, and both macroscopic and microscopic information from these images is collected to generate a training set. A fine fabric image acquisition box can be used to obtain this training set of fabric attribute images. This can be used both for acquiring training images and in various recognition scenarios after model training. For example, in practical applications, the images collected by this acquisition box are automatically transmitted to a server, where the recognition system then performs macroscopic and microscopic pattern recognition. The macroscopic pattern primarily identifies similar patterns within the system to correlate similar products. The microscopic images are then used to identify their microscopic properties, invoking a set of material recognition models in the subsequent system. After recognition, various applications are applied based on the identified properties.

[0090] Continuing with the above embodiment, a clothing recognition device provided in a clothing processing device or a device with an integrated drying function obtains an image of the clothing to be dried and inputs the image into a material recognition model to extract texture features of the clothing to be dried. Material information of the clothing to be dried can then be determined based on the texture features of the clothing to be dried.

[0091] In some feasible embodiments, an image of the laundry to be dried can be obtained through an external terminal. Specifically, before starting the drying process, the image of the laundry to be dried is captured through a specific external terminal. A communication connection is then established between the external terminal and a laundry processing device or a device with an integrated drying function to receive the image of the laundry to be dried from the external terminal. The image is then input into a material recognition model, which extracts texture features of the laundry to be dried. Material information of the laundry to be dried can then be determined based on the texture features of the laundry to be dried.

[0092] In this embodiment, in the process of determining the material information of the clothes to be dried based on the characteristic information of the clothes to be dried, the characteristic information of the clothes to be dried is input into a material recognition model, wherein the material recognition model is a material recognition model obtained in advance through training and can recognize a variety of material information based on the characteristic information of the clothes. In this way, the texture features of the clothes to be dried are extracted according to the material recognition model, and then the material information of the clothes to be dried is determined based on the extracted texture information, so that the determined material information of the clothes to be dried is more accurate and the material information of the clothes to be dried can be quickly determined, thereby improving the intelligence of the clothes processing device in controlling the drying program and ensuring the drying effect of the clothes to be dried.

[0093] Furthermore, based on the above embodiment, in one exemplary embodiment provided in the present application, in the process of determining the target humidity when the clothes to be dried meet the drying standard based on the material information, the controller 170 is further configured to execute steps S810 and S820, which are described in detail as follows:

[0094] Step S810, determining the water absorption characteristics of the clothes to be dried based on the material information of the clothes to be dried;

[0095] Step S820: determining a target humidity when the clothes to be dried reach a drying standard based on the water absorption characteristics of the clothes to be dried.

[0096] Specifically, due to the different materials used in drying, the corresponding water absorption rates vary. For example, the standard moisture regains for common clothing materials are: cotton: 8.5%, linen: 12%, ramie: 13%, nylon: 4.5%, silk: 11%, wool: 15%, nylon: 4.5%, vinylon: 5%, acrylic: 2%, viscose: 13%, polypropylene: 0%, acetate: 7%, polyester: 0.4%, chloroprene: 0%. The corresponding water absorption ranking is as follows: wool, viscose, ramie, linen, silk, cotton, acetate, vinylon, nylon, acrylic, polyester, polypropylene, chloroprene.

[0097] Therefore, the water absorption characteristics of the clothes to be dried can be determined based on the material information of the clothes to be dried. Based on the water absorption characteristics of the clothes to be dried, for example, the moisture regain corresponding to the material information of the clothes to be dried, the target humidity when the clothes to be dried meet the drying standard can be determined to avoid insufficient drying of the clothes to be dried, resulting in moisture regain of the clothes, etc., which affects the drying effect of the clothes.

[0098] In this embodiment, in the process of determining the target humidity when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard based on the material information, the water absorption characteristics of the clothes to be dried are determined based on the material information of the clothes to be dried. The target humidity of the clothes to be dried when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard is determined based on the water absorption characteristics of the clothes to be dried, thereby ensuring that the clothes to be dried will not be over-dried or insufficiently dried during the drying process, thereby improving the drying effect.

[0099] Furthermore, based on the above embodiment, in one of the exemplary embodiments provided in this application, the controller 170 is further configured to perform the following steps S910 and S920, which are described in detail as follows:

[0100] Step S910, obtaining the air inlet temperature of the clothes processing device;

[0101] Step S920: detecting whether the air inlet temperature is in a stable state; if the air inlet temperature is in a stable state, obtaining the ambient temperature of the clothes processing device.

[0102] Specifically, during the drying process of the clothes processing device or the appliance with an integrated drying function, the temperature of the air in the air inlet of the clothes drum is detected by an air outlet temperature detection device disposed within the clothes processing device or the appliance with an integrated drying function, and the temperature of the air in the air inlet is used as the air inlet temperature. The obtained air inlet temperature is then detected to determine whether it is stable. The principle for determining whether the air inlet temperature is stable can be to determine whether the air inlet temperature is stable according to a predetermined frequency or for a period of time. If the air inlet temperature of the clothes processing device is stable, the temperature of the current environment of the clothes processing device or the appliance with an integrated drying function is further obtained.

[0103] In some feasible embodiments, the ambient temperature of the clothing processing device can be obtained by an external ambient temperature detection device. When the temperature of the air inlet of the clothing processing device is in a stable state, a communication connection with the external ambient temperature detection device is established to obtain the current ambient temperature of the clothing processing device through the external ambient temperature detection device.

[0104] In this embodiment, the air inlet temperature of the device to be dried is obtained, and it is detected whether the air inlet temperature is in a stable state. If the air inlet temperature is in a stable state, the ambient temperature of the clothing processing device is obtained, thereby ensuring that the ambient temperature is obtained after the air inlet temperature reaches stability. This fully considers the influence of the ambient temperature on the drying effect of the clothes to be dried, and flexibly adjusts the drying program based on the ambient temperature, thereby improving the intelligence of the clothing processing device.

[0105] Further, based on the above embodiments, in one of the exemplary embodiments provided in the present application, in the clothing processing device, the temperature difference generator is arranged at the air outlet position of the clothing processing device.

[0106] Specifically, a thermoelectric generator is provided at the air outlet of the clothing processing device, which can convert the temperature difference between the air outlet temperature of the clothing processing device and the ambient temperature during the drying process into corresponding electrical energy, and store the electrical energy in a power storage unit, so as to return the electrical energy generated by the thermoelectric generator to the power supply system of the clothing processing device through the power storage unit.

[0107] In this embodiment, a thermoelectric generator is arranged at the air outlet of the clothing processing device. During the drying process, the thermoelectric generator recovers the waste heat discharged from the air outlet and converts it into electrical energy and stores it in the power storage unit. The power storage unit then returns the recovered electrical energy to the power supply system of the clothing processing device. This not only realizes intelligent control of the drying process of the clothing processing device, but also realizes heat recovery of the waste heat, thereby achieving energy conservation and emission reduction.

[0108] Please refer to Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a simplified flow chart of the drying process control of a clothes processing device in an exemplary application scenario. Figure 3In the illustrated application scenario, during the drying process of a clothes processing device or a device with an integrated drying function, the temperature of the air in the air inlet duct of the clothes processing device is obtained and used as the clothes processing device inlet temperature. A determination is further made as to whether the clothes processing device inlet temperature is stable. If so, the current ambient temperature is obtained. The ambient temperature can be collected by an ambient temperature detection device integrated into the clothes processing device or by an external ambient temperature detection device. The clothes processing device outlet temperature is calculated based on the obtained outlet temperature and the ambient temperature when the clothes to be dried meet the drying standard. The target power generation of the thermoelectric generator is further calculated based on the outlet temperature and the ambient temperature when the clothes to be dried meet the drying standard. The actual power generation of the thermoelectric generator, recorded in the power storage unit, is then obtained. If the actual power generation of the thermoelectric generator exceeds the target power generation, the clothes processing device is controlled to terminate the drying process. This not only achieves heat recovery of waste heat during the drying process, but also enables the drying program to be flexibly adjusted according to the actual ambient temperature, avoiding the problem of insufficient drying or over-drying of clothes.

[0109] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the possible implementation architecture, functions and operations of the systems, methods and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present application. Among them, each box in the flowchart or block diagram can represent a module, program segment, or part of the code, and the above-mentioned module, program segment, or part of the code contains one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions marked in the box can also occur in an order different from that marked in the accompanying drawings. For example, two boxes represented in succession can actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they can sometimes be executed in the opposite order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each box in the block diagram or flowchart, and the combination of boxes in the block diagram or flowchart, can be implemented with a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or operation, or can be implemented with a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0110] The units involved in the embodiments described in this application may be implemented by software or hardware, and the units described may also be set in a processor. In some cases, the names of these units do not constitute limitations on the units themselves.

[0111] The above content is only a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present application and is not intended to limit the implementation scheme of the present application. Ordinary technicians in this field can easily make corresponding changes or modifications based on the main ideas and spirit of the present application. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present application shall be based on the scope of protection required by the claims.

Claims

1. A clothes treating device, comprising a heat pump system, a clothes drum, a thermoelectric generator, a power storage unit, and a controller, wherein: The heat pump system is configured to generate hot air during a drying process and transfer the generated hot air to a clothes drum of the clothes treating device; The thermoelectric generator is configured to generate electricity from the waste heat generated by the heat pump system and store the generated electric energy in the power storage unit; and is characterized in that, The controller is configured to perform the following steps: During the drying process, the air outlet temperature of the clothes processing device is calculated based on the air inlet temperature and the ambient temperature when the clothes to be dried meet the drying standard; calculating a target power generation power of the thermoelectric generator based on the air outlet temperature and the ambient temperature, wherein the target power generation power represents the power generation power of the thermoelectric generator when the clothes to be dried meet the drying standard; The actual power generation of the thermoelectric generator recorded in the power storage unit is obtained, and if the actual power generation reaches or exceeds the target power generation, the clothes processing device is controlled to end a drying process.

2. The clothes processing device according to claim 1, wherein The controller is further configured to perform the following steps: In the process of calculating the air outlet temperature of the clothes treating device when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard according to the air outlet temperature and the ambient temperature, calculating the temperature difference between the air outlet temperature and the ambient temperature; The performance parameters of the thermoelectric generator are acquired, and the target power generation of the thermoelectric generator is calculated based on the performance parameters of the thermoelectric generator and the temperature difference.

3. The clothes treating device according to claim 2, wherein: The performance parameters of the thermoelectric generator include heat loss parameters, and the controller is further configured to perform the following steps: In calculating the target power generation of the thermoelectric generator based on the performance parameter and the temperature difference, the target power generation of the thermoelectric generator is calculated according to the heat loss parameter of the thermoelectric generator and the temperature difference between the outlet temperature and the ambient temperature.

4. The clothes treating device according to claim 1, wherein: The controller is further configured to perform the following steps: During the drying process, the air outlet temperature of the clothes processing device is calculated based on the air inlet temperature and the ambient temperature when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard. Obtaining material information of the clothes to be dried; determining a target humidity when the clothes to be dried reach a drying standard based on the material information; Based on the air inlet temperature, the ambient temperature, and the target humidity, the air outlet temperature of the clothes treating device is calculated when the clothes to be dried meet the drying standard.

5. The clothes treating device according to claim 4, wherein: The controller is further configured to perform the following steps: In the process of calculating the air outlet temperature of the clothes processing device when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard based on the air inlet temperature, the ambient temperature and the target humidity, obtaining an initial humidity of the clothes to be dried, and calculating a humidity difference between the initial humidity and the target humidity; The air outlet temperature of the clothes treating device when the clothes to be dried meet the drying standard is calculated based on the humidity difference, the ambient temperature and the air inlet temperature.

6. The clothes treating device according to claim 4, wherein: The laundry processing device further includes: a clothes identification device configured to identify the clothes to be dried and obtain information about the clothes to be dried; The controller is further configured to perform the following steps: In the process of obtaining the material information of the clothes to be dried, extracting characteristic information of the clothes to be dried from the information of the clothes to be dried, and determining material information of the clothes to be dried according to the characteristic information of the clothes to be dried; The target humidity when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard is found from a database based on the material information.

7. The clothes treating device according to claim 6, wherein: The controller is further configured to perform the following steps: In the process of determining the material information of the clothes to be dried according to the characteristic information of the clothes to be dried, Inputting the characteristic information of the clothes to be dried into a material recognition model, so as to extract the texture characteristics of the clothes to be dried through the material recognition model; The material information of the clothes to be dried is determined according to the extracted texture features.

8. The clothes treating device according to claim 4, wherein: The controller is further configured to perform the following steps: In the process of determining the target humidity when the clothes to be dried reach the drying standard based on the material information, determining the water absorption characteristics of the clothes to be dried based on the material information of the clothes to be dried; A target humidity when the laundry to be dried reaches a drying standard is determined based on the water absorption characteristics of the laundry to be dried.

9. The clothes treating device according to claim 1, wherein: The controller is further configured to perform the following steps: obtaining an air inlet temperature of the clothes processing device; Detect whether the air inlet temperature is in a stable state, and if the air inlet temperature is in a stable state, obtain the ambient temperature of the clothing processing device.

10. The clothes treating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The temperature difference generator is arranged at the air outlet of the clothes treating device.

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