Clothes dryer with a drying judgment device and a drying judgment method thereof

Abstract

The application discloses a clothes dryer with a drying judgment device and a drying judgment method thereof. The drying judgment device comprises a water collecting part for collecting condensed water and guiding the condensed water into a water collecting box, a flow guide arranged below the water collecting part to receive the condensed water and change the flow direction of the condensed water according to the impact force change of the condensed water, wherein the flow guide comprises a water guiding part hinged with a fixed part in the water collecting box to form a lever structure, and a receiving part arranged at one end of the water guiding part close to the water collecting part. In the initial state, the receiving part is close to the bottom of the water collecting part, and the condensed water first enters the receiving part through the water collecting part. When the gravity of the condensed water in the receiving part and the impact force of the condensed water on the receiving part are insufficient to drive the water guiding part to rotate, the condensed water flows along the water guiding part and contacts the salt strip. The condensed water after dissolving salt triggers the sensor, the sensor sends a signal to the control unit, and the control unit judges the drying of clothes when the interval time between two adjacent signals is greater than the preset time threshold, thereby realizing the accurate judgment of the drying state of clothes.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of dryer technology, and specifically relates to a dryer with a dryness-determination device and a dryness-determination method thereof. Background Technology

[0002] With increasing user demand for intelligent home appliances, existing dryers use humidity sensors to determine whether clothes are dry, or rely on a metal drying sensor that contacts the clothes and determines dryness based on resistance changes or circuit continuity. However, humidity sensors are expensive, and the internal working environment of dryers varies greatly. Excessive lint can clog the detection holes, leading to inaccurate detection. The drying sensor can also misjudge based on the degree of dryness of the clothes, whether the clothes are clumped together and dried first, or whether there are too few clothes to make direct contact, thus reducing the user experience.

[0003] To address this issue, Chinese invention patent application CN201310078352.4 provides a method for determining the dryness of clothes in a heat pump dryer. This method involves installing a water level sensor in the water collection box. During the drying process, the dryer's main control unit determines the dryness of the clothes based on changes in the water level detected by the sensor. The method compares the rate of change of the water level in the collection box within a set time period with a preset threshold for the rate of change during clothes drying to determine whether the clothes are dry. While this solution avoids misjudging the dryness of the clothes, the water level in the collection box may not change significantly in the later stages of drying due to the lower moisture content of the clothes. Furthermore, vibrations during dryer operation can cause changes in the water level in the collection box, which can still easily lead to misjudgments of the water level.

[0004] In view of this, the present invention is proposed. Summary of the Invention

[0005] One of the objectives of this invention is to provide a clothes dryer with a dryness determination device to address the problems in the prior art. By installing a flow guide in the water collection box of the clothes dryer, the condensate entering the water collection box is first received by the flow guide. The flow guide changes the flow direction of the condensate according to the change in the impact force of the condensate. When the impact force is small, the condensate is directed to the sensor. After the sensor is triggered, the clothes dryer determines whether the clothes have been dried.

[0006] Another objective of this invention is to provide a method for determining the dryness of the above-mentioned dryer, which obtains the interval between two sensor triggers and then compares it with a preset time threshold. If the trigger interval of the sensor is greater than the preset time threshold, it indicates that the rate of condensate dripping is very slow, thereby determining that the clothes have been dried, thus achieving an accurate determination of the degree of drying of the clothes.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, a first aspect of the present invention provides a clothes dryer with a drying device, the drying device being at least partially disposed in the water collection box of the clothes dryer, comprising,

[0008] The water collection section, located at the top of the water collection box, is used to collect condensate and guide it into the water collection box.

[0009] A flow guide, located inside the water collection box and below the water collection section, is used to receive condensate water introduced from the water collection section and change the flow direction of the condensate water according to the impact force of the condensate water.

[0010] The sensor, at least partially located inside the water collection box, is communicatively connected to the control unit of the dryer and is used to send a signal to the control unit when triggered.

[0011] The sensor is triggered by the condensate water guided by the flow guide, and sends a signal to the control unit. The control unit receives the signal from the sensor and determines whether the clothes are dry.

[0012] Since the sensor is triggered when there is little condensate, meaning the flow guide experiences less impact, the flow guide initially forms a water path that directs the condensate to the sensor. When the flow guide is impacted by the condensate and changes its flow direction, it indicates that more condensate is generated during the drying process. At this point, the flow guide changes the flow direction of the condensate so that it does not trigger the sensor, thus enabling a more accurate determination of whether the clothes have been dried.

[0013] To improve the water collection efficiency of the water collection section, the entire water collection section is funnel-shaped with a gradually narrowing opening that approaches the water collection box. The guide tube collects the condensate water introduced from the narrow opening.

[0014] Furthermore, the water collection section is equipped with,

[0015] The fixing part is connected at one end to the inner wall of the water collection part and extends outward from the connection point;

[0016] The flow guide is hinged to the other end of the fixed part, and rotates around the hinge as an axis according to the change of the impact force received to change the flow direction of the condensate.

[0017] In the above solution, the guide is hinged to the fixed part, which can more sensitively change the flow direction of the condensate according to the change of the impact force of the condensate, thereby improving the accuracy of judging whether the clothes are dry. At the same time, the structure is relatively simple and reduces the production cost.

[0018] Furthermore, the flow guide includes,

[0019] The water guiding part, which is hinged to the fixing part to form a lever structure, has an upwardly opening groove;

[0020] When the impact force on the water guide is insufficient to drive the water guide to rotate, the end near the water collection part tilts up, forming a water path that guides the condensate to the sensor.

[0021] In the above scheme, the water guide part is provided with a groove. After the condensate is received by the water guide part, it can flow in the groove, which avoids the problem of overflow from the water guide part when there is too much condensate, which would lead to a decrease in detection sensitivity.

[0022] Furthermore, the flow guide also includes,

[0023] The receiving part, located at one end of the water guiding part near the water collecting part, is used to receive condensate.

[0024] When the impact force on the receiving part is insufficient to drive the water guide part to rotate, the receiving part abuts against the constriction of the water collection part, and the condensate overflowing from the receiving part flows along the groove on the water guide part toward the sensor and triggers the sensor.

[0025] In the above scheme, since the condensate collected in the water collection section is introduced into the water collection box through the constriction, the condensate falling from the constriction of the water collection section is first received by the receiving section, which avoids the condensate triggering the sensor and reducing the detection accuracy when the water guide section fails to change the water flow direction in time.

[0026] Furthermore, the receiving part is closely attached to the constriction of the water collecting part. Under the condition that the impact force of condensate remains unchanged, as the weight of the condensate collected in the receiving part increases, the water guiding part can complete the adjustment action more quickly under relatively smaller impact force. This further avoids false triggering of the sensor, improves the user experience, and also improves the stability and reliability of the dryness detection device.

[0027] Furthermore, the sensor includes two electrodes that extend into the water collection box and are arranged in parallel.

[0028] The groove of the water guide is provided with a salt strip. When the condensed water dissolved in the salt strip comes into contact with the two electrodes, the two electrodes are connected to trigger the sensor.

[0029] In the above solution, only condensed water containing dissolved salt can successfully trigger the sensor, avoiding false triggering caused by condensed water splashing directly onto the sensor, thus further improving the user experience.

[0030] Furthermore, the water guiding part also includes,

[0031] The first flow-limiting plate extends obliquely upward from the bottom of the groove along the direction of condensate flow, partially covering the cross-section of the groove;

[0032] When the impact force on the receiving part is insufficient to drive the water guiding part to rotate, the first flow limiting plate tilts downward along the direction of the condensate flow, and the salt bar is located below the extension end of the first flow limiting plate.

[0033] In the above scheme, the condensate flowing along the groove can avoid contact with the salt strip under the guidance of the first flow limiting plate, and thus will not trigger the sensor. Only when there is very little condensate that can flow along the first flow limiting plate and drip from the end can it contact the salt strip. At this time, the condensate that dissolves the salt can trigger the sensor. That is, the sensor will only be triggered when there is very little condensate generated during the drying process and it can only flow slowly in the form of dripping. This further improves the dryness determination accuracy of the dryness determination device.

[0034] Furthermore, the water guiding part also includes,

[0035] The second flow restrictor extends outward from the end of the first flow restrictor, and its two sides are folded upward to form a drain outlet that gradually narrows along the direction of condensate flow.

[0036] The angle between the second flow limiting plate and the bottom of the groove is smaller than the angle between the first flow limiting plate and the bottom of the groove, and the end of the second flow limiting plate and the end of the salt strip away from the receiving part are located in the same vertical plane.

[0037] In the above scheme, the second flow-limiting plate forms a gradually narrowing drain outlet along the direction of condensate flow. Less condensate can be accelerated again when passing through the drain outlet and will not drip onto the salt bar. Only when the flow rate of condensate is sufficiently small, it can come into contact with the salt bar when it accumulates and drips through the drain outlet, which further improves the dryness judgment accuracy of the dryness judgment device. At the same time, the end of the salt bar away from the receiving part and the end of the second flow-limiting plate are located in the same vertical plane, which can reduce the consumption of salt bar by condensate and avoid users frequently replacing salt bars, thus reducing the user experience.

[0038] Furthermore, the water guiding part includes;

[0039] A blocking part, fixedly connected to the water guiding part, is located at the rear of the salt bar along the direction of condensate flow;

[0040] The blocking part has a mesh structure and is set in close contact with the salt strip.

[0041] In the above solution, the blocking part is set to prevent the salt strip from sliding in the groove, which would reduce the accuracy of the judgment. Since the blocking part has a mesh structure, the condensed water that drips to the end of the salt strip can pass through the blocking part smoothly after dissolving the salt, without affecting the triggering of the sensor. Since the blocking part is close to the salt strip, the user can also set the salt strip in place more smoothly when replenishing or replacing the salt strip.

[0042] Furthermore, the sensor also includes,

[0043] The hydrophobic portion is wrapped around the outside of the electrode;

[0044] The electrodes are set at an angle to the horizontal plane, with the ends of the electrodes extending outwards to expose the outside of the hydrophobic part. The condensed water from the salt strip is brought into contact with the parts of the two electrodes that are not covered by the hydrophobic part to trigger the sensor.

[0045] Because the electrodes are set at an angle to the horizontal plane, the condensate water can quickly detach from the sensor along the tilt direction of the electrodes after contacting them, thus reducing the sensor's trigger time.

[0046] Furthermore, the sensors also include,

[0047] The base, located outside the water collection box, is connected in communication with the control unit of the dryer;

[0048] The electrodes pass through the water collection box and are connected to the base.

[0049] A second aspect of the present invention provides a method for determining the dryness of a clothes dryer having the dryness determination device described in the above-described scheme.

[0050] Specifically, when the condensate water triggers the sensor, the sensor sends a signal to the control unit. The control unit obtains the time interval between two consecutive received signals and compares it with a preset time threshold. If the time interval is greater than the preset time threshold, the drying is considered complete.

[0051] Since the generation of condensate during the drying process is related to the drying time and the degree of dryness of the clothes, the above solution can more accurately determine whether the clothes are dry by triggering the sensor time interval through condensate.

[0052] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:

[0053] 1. The guide includes a water guide section hinged to the fixed part. The water guide section receives the condensate flowing out from the constriction of the water collection part. It changes the flow direction of the condensate according to the change of the impact force of the condensate, avoiding complicated dryness judgment procedures and methods. Based on the change of condensate flow rate during the drying process, it achieves accurate judgment of whether the clothes are dried at a lower cost.

[0054] 2. The receiving part can receive condensate, allowing the water guiding part to adjust more quickly under the gravity of the condensate, avoiding misjudgment, and also realizing the control of the rotation range of the water guiding part, avoiding collision between the water guiding part and the sensor, which could damage the sensor.

[0055] 3. The sensor can only be triggered by the condensate after the salt is dissolved. The condensate in the water guide section is controlled by the first and second flow limiting plates, which reduces the consumption of salt strips and improves the accuracy of dryness judgment.

[0056] 4. Since the flow rate of condensate water is directly related to the dryness of clothes, the time interval between two consecutive triggers of the sensor can intuitively reflect the dryness of the clothes. Judging whether the clothes are dry based on the time interval can match the actual drying situation of the clothes and improve the accuracy of the judgment. Attached Figure Description

[0057] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a clothes dryer with a drying device according to the present invention.

[0058] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Enlarged view of the structure at point A in the middle.

[0059] Figure 3 This is a top view of the air guide in a clothes dryer with a drying device according to the present invention.

[0060] Figure 4 for Figure 3 The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of the guide along the AA direction.

[0061] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the sensor structure in the clothes dryer with a dryness detection device according to the present invention.

[0062] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of the dryer's dryer ...

[0063] In the diagram: 1. Air duct; 11. Condensation device; 2. Water collection box; 21. Fixing part; 3. Water collection part; 4. Flow guide; 41. Water guiding part; 42. Receiving part; 43. First flow limiting plate; 44. Second flow limiting plate; 45. Salt bar; 46. Blocking part; 5. Sensor; 51. Electrode; 52. Drainage part; 53. Base; 6. Drain pump; 7. Water storage box. Detailed Implementation

[0064] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art will understand that the following embodiments are only used to explain the technical principles of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0065] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "set" and "connection" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0066] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting this invention.

[0067] This invention provides a clothes dryer with a drying device, such as... Figures 1 to 5 As shown, the drying device is at least partially disposed in the water collection box 2 of the dryer, including,

[0068] The water collection section 3 is located on the upper part of the water collection box 2 and is used to collect condensate and guide the condensate into the water collection box 2;

[0069] The flow guide 4 is located inside the water collection box 2, below the water collection part 3, and is used to receive the condensate water introduced from the water collection part and change the flow direction of the condensate water according to the impact force of the condensate water.

[0070] Sensor 5, at least partially located inside the water collection box 2, is communicatively connected to the control unit of the dryer and is used to send a signal to the control unit when triggered.

[0071] Sensor 5 is triggered by the condensate water guided by the flow guide 4 and sends a signal to the control unit. The control unit receives the signal from the sensor and determines whether the clothes have been dried.

[0072] The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to specific embodiments.

[0073] Example 1

[0074] As an embodiment of the present invention, this embodiment provides a clothes dryer with a drying device, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the water collection box 2 is located below the condenser device 11 of the dryer, and has an upward-facing opening for collecting condensate. The water collection part 3 covers the opening of the water collection box 2, and the flow guide 4 and the sensor 5 are both located in the water collection box 2.

[0075] In this embodiment, the condensation device 11 is located in the air duct 1. The air duct 1 has a water outlet that is opposite to the opening of the water collection box 2. The water outlet extends towards the water collection box 2 to form a funnel-shaped water collection part 3 with a gradually narrowing opening.

[0076] Furthermore, such as Figure 2As shown, the bottom of the water collection box 2 has a fixing part 21 extending vertically from the bottom. The extended end of the fixing part 21 is hinged to the flow guide 4 to form a lever structure. The flow guide 4 is powered by the impact force of the condensate on the flow guide 4. The flow guide 4 rotates around the hinge as an axis according to the change of the impact force it receives, thereby changing the flow direction of the condensate.

[0077] Specifically, the fixed part 21 and the water collection part 3 are misaligned. The guide 4 includes a water guide part 41, which is hinged to the fixed part 21 and has an upwardly opening groove. In the initial state, the end of the water guide part 41 near the closing part of the water collection part 3 is raised to form a water path that guides the condensate to the sensor 5. When the clothes are finished drying, there is less condensate flowing out of the condensing device 11, and the impact force on the water guide part 41 is insufficient to make the water guide part 41 rotate. The condensate flowing out of the closing part of the water collection part 3 falls into the groove of the water guide part 41. Under the guidance of the groove, the condensate flows towards the sensor 5 and triggers the sensor 5. At this time, the dryer receives a signal from the sensor 5 to determine whether the drying is complete. When the clothes are not yet dried, there is more condensate flowing out of the condensing device 11. The end of the water guide part 41 near the sensor 5 is raised by the impact of the condensate. Under the guidance of the groove, the condensate flows directly into the water collection box 2 without passing through the sensor 5. At this time, the sensor 5 will not send a signal to the dryer control unit.

[0078] Furthermore, the condensate initially received by the water guide 41 may not cause the water guide 41 to rotate immediately. It may flow along the groove and trigger the sensor 5 because the water guide 41 cannot rotate into position immediately. To avoid this problem, a receiving part 42 is provided at the end of the water guide 41 near the constriction of the water collection part 3. In the initial state, the receiving part 42 is close to the constriction of the water collection part 3. The condensate flowing out from the constriction first enters the receiving part 42. Due to the increase of condensate in the receiving part 42, the water guide 41 can rotate into position more quickly under the impact of the condensate, avoiding false triggering of the sensor 5 and improving the accuracy of the dryness detection device.

[0079] In order to avoid the receiving part 42 affecting the normal operation of the judging device, the size of the receiving part 42 and the distance from the receiving part 42 to the hinge point of the water guiding part 41 and the fixing part 21 are fully adjusted so that when the receiving part 42 is full of water, the end of the water guiding part 41 near the water collecting part 3 can still be raised, and the water collecting part 3 can only rotate when the gravity and impact force of the condensate water act simultaneously.

[0080] Specifically, the cross-section of the groove can be U-shaped, V-shaped, or other shapes, but V-shaped is preferred. The groove has a V-shaped cross-section, which can guide the condensate while collecting it, thus improving the accuracy of the drying device.

[0081] Example 2

[0082] As another embodiment of the present invention, this embodiment is further improved based on embodiment one, as detailed below.

[0083] In this embodiment, as Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, the sensor 5 includes two parallel electrodes 51 that extend into the water collection box 2. A salt bar 45 is provided in the groove of the water guiding part 41. Since there are no conductive ions in ordinary condensed water, the sensor 5 cannot be triggered. Only condensed water that dissolves salt after contacting the salt bar 45 can trigger the sensor 5, thus avoiding false triggering of the sensor 5 caused by condensed water splashing from the water guiding part 41 falling on the sensor 5.

[0084] Furthermore, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, in order to improve the accuracy of the drying device, a first flow-limiting plate 43 is provided in the water guiding section 41. The first flow-limiting plate 43 extends obliquely from the bottom of the groove in a direction away from the constriction of the water collecting section 3. When the water guiding section 41 is in the initial state, the first flow-limiting plate 43 is inclined downward along the flow direction of the condensate, and the salt strip 45 is located below the extension end of the first flow-limiting plate 43. In the later stage of drying, the condensate decreases. At this time, the condensate flows along the groove in the water guiding section 41 and is lifted up under the guidance of the first flow-limiting plate 43, and will not fall on the salt strip 45. Only when the condensate decreases further and can flow slowly along the first flow-limiting plate 43 and drip from the end can it come into contact with the salt strip 45. At this time, the condensate after dissolving the salt can trigger the sensor 5. Since the degree of drying of the clothes is directly related to the amount of condensate, the above scheme can more accurately determine whether the clothes have been dried.

[0085] Furthermore, to further improve the accuracy of the flow-limiting device, a second flow-limiting plate 44 is provided at the end of the first flow-limiting plate 43. The second flow-limiting plate 44 extends outward from the end of the first flow-limiting plate 43. The two sides of the second flow-limiting plate 44 are folded upward to form a drain outlet that gradually narrows away from the first flow-limiting plate 43. The angle between the second flow-limiting plate 44 and the bottom of the groove is smaller than the angle between the first flow-limiting plate 43 and the bottom of the groove, so that the condensate can get a greater acceleration when passing through the second flow-limiting plate 44, further preventing the sensor 5 from being triggered due to contact with the salt bar 45 when there is a lot of condensate. The end of the salt bar 45 away from the receiving part 42 is connected to the second flow-limiting plate 44. The ends of 4 are located in the same vertical plane. Only when there is very little condensate, it flows slowly along the second flow limiting plate 44 and gradually forms water droplets, and drips from the end of the second flow limiting plate 44 can it come into contact with the salt strip 45. At this time, the condensate after dissolving salt can trigger the sensor 5, which further improves the accuracy of the dryness judgment device. At the same time, since the condensate only comes into contact with the end of the salt strip 45 when it drips, the consumption of the salt strip 45 can be significantly reduced, the service life of the salt strip 45 can be greatly increased, and the salt content of the condensate inside the water collection box 2 can also be reduced, so that the condensate can be used as water for green plants or as regular domestic water, realizing the secondary use of condensate.

[0086] In the above scheme, in order to improve the water collection effect at the drain outlet of the second flow limiting plate 44, the second flow limiting plate 44 is set to gradually approach the bottom of the groove along the extension direction, so that the condensate can be collected when there is very little condensate, and the condensate is prevented from staying on the first flow limiting plate 43 or the second flow limiting plate 44, which would affect the accuracy of the dryness judgment device.

[0087] In the above solution, the vibration of the dryer during operation can cause the salt strip 45 to loosen, leading to it falling off the water guide 41 and affecting subsequent monitoring. To solve this problem, such as... Figure 4 As shown, a blocking part 46 is provided at the end of the salt bar 45 away from the receiving part 42. The blocking part 46 is fixedly connected to the water guiding part 41 and has a mesh structure. It can block the movement of the salt bar 45 while allowing condensate to pass through smoothly without affecting the normal operation of the drying device. Since the blocking part 46 is set close to the salt bar 45, it is easier for the user to set the salt bar 45 in place when replenishing or replacing it, avoiding failure of the drying device due to improper setting of the salt bar 45. At the same time, the vibration during the operation of the dryer can keep the salt bar 45 in contact with the blocking part 46, allowing it to function reliably before it is completely consumed.

[0088] Example 3

[0089] As another embodiment of the present invention, this embodiment is further improved based on embodiment two, as detailed below.

[0090] In this embodiment, as Figure 2 As shown, the electrode 51 of the sensor 5 is set at an angle to the horizontal plane, so that the condensate dripping on the electrode 51 can slide off the electrode 51 relatively quickly, avoiding the condensate from adhering to the electrode 51 and causing the sensor 5 to remain in the triggered state. This avoids misjudgment by the dryness detection device and improves the reliability of the dryness detection structure.

[0091] Furthermore, such as Figure 5 As shown, electrode 51 is enclosed within hydrophobic portion 52, with only its end exposed outside the hydrophobic portion 52. Sensor 5 can only be triggered when the condensed water after salt dissolution comes into contact with the end of electrode 51, further reducing the trigger time of sensor 5 and making the dryness determination device less prone to misjudgment. Sensor 5 also includes a base 53 located outside water collection box 2 and communicating with the dryer control unit. Electrode 51 passes through the box body of water collection box 2 and is connected to base 53. By placing base 53 outside water collection box 2, it is possible to prevent condensed water from splashing onto base 53, which could damage or cause sensor 5 to malfunction, thus improving the stability of the dryness determination device.

[0092] Furthermore, in the initial state, the receiving part 42 abuts against the closing part of the water collecting part 3, and the other end of the water guiding part 41 is located above the end of the sensor 5, or abuts against the end of the sensor 5, so that the condensed water after dissolving the salt can fall more accurately onto the electrode 51 of the sensor 5, thereby improving the accuracy of the dryness detection device.

[0093] To prevent the water level in the water collection box 2 from being too high and triggering the sensor 5, the dryer control unit presets a set water level in the water collection box 2. The set water level is lower than the installation position of the sensor 5. The water collection box 2 is also equipped with a water level sensor 5 for obtaining the water level in the water collection box 2. The water level sensor 5 is connected to the dryer control unit. When the water level in the water collection box 2 reaches the set water level, the dryer control unit controls the drainage device to drain the water in the water collection box 2.

[0094] Specifically, such as Figure 1 As shown, the drainage device includes a drainage pump 6. The inlet of the drainage pump 6 is connected to the inside of the water collection box 2 through a pipe, and the outlet is connected to the water storage box 7 through a pipe. The drainage pump 6 is connected to the dryer control unit. When the water level in the water collection box 2 reaches the preset set water level, the control unit controls the drainage pump 6 to start and pump the condensate in the water collection box 2 to the water storage box 7.

[0095] Preferably, the water storage box 7 is located on the top of the dryer and is detachably connected to the dryer, allowing users to more easily remove the water storage box 7 for the secondary use of condensate.

[0096] The present invention also provides a method for determining the dryness of a clothes dryer with a dryness determination device as described in the above embodiments, as follows.

[0097] Example 4

[0098] As another embodiment of the present invention, this embodiment provides a method for determining the dryness of a clothes dryer having a dryness determination device as described in Embodiment 3.

[0099] In this embodiment, the dryer control unit receives the signal emitted by the sensor after it is triggered, and obtains the time interval between two adjacent received signals. Then, it compares the time interval with a preset time threshold. When the time interval is greater than the preset time threshold, it is determined that the clothes have been dried.

[0100] Specifically, the dryer is equipped with a timing device. During the same drying process, the timing device starts timing after the dryer control unit receives the signal from the sensor for the first time. When the dryer control unit receives the signal from the sensor again, the control unit stops the timing device, obtains the time of the timing device at this time, defines it as X, and then resets the timing device to zero and starts timing again. Then, X is compared with a preset time threshold A. If X is less than A, it is determined that the clothes are not yet dry. When the control unit receives the signal from the sensor again, the above process is repeated until X is greater than or equal to A. At this time, it is determined that the clothes are dry. At this time, the control unit can stop the drying process according to the settings, or issue an alarm, or send corresponding information to the mobile terminal connected to the dryer to notify the user that the clothes are dry.

[0101] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention in any way. Although the present invention has been disclosed above with reference to preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art can make some modifications or alterations to the above-described technical content to create equivalent embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. The implementation schemes in the above embodiments can also be further combined or replaced. Any simple modifications, equivalent changes and alterations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention without departing from the scope of the present invention shall still fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A clothes dryer with a drying device, characterized in that, The drying device is at least partially located in the water collection box of the dryer, including: A water collection section is located at the top of the water collection box and is used to collect condensate and guide it into the water collection box. The water collection section is equipped with a fixing part, one end of which is connected to the inner wall of the water collection section and extends outward from the connection point. A flow guide, located inside the water collection box and below the water collection part, is used to receive condensate water introduced from the water collection part. The flow guide includes a water guiding part with an upwardly opening groove and is hinged to the other end of the fixed part to form a lever structure. The flow guide rotates about the hinge point as an axis according to the change of the impact force of the condensate water to change the flow direction of the condensate water. The sensor, at least partially located inside the water collection box, is communicatively connected to the control unit of the dryer and is used to send a signal to the control unit when triggered. The sensor is triggered by the condensate water guided by the water guide of the flow guide, and sends a signal to the control unit. The control unit receives the signal sent by the sensor and determines whether the clothes are dry. When the impact force on the water guide is insufficient to drive the water guide to rotate, the end near the water collection part tilts up, forming a water path that guides the condensate to the sensor.

2. The clothes dryer with a drying device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flow guide also includes: The receiving part, located at the end of the water guiding part near the water collecting part, is used to receive condensate. When the impact force on the receiving part is insufficient to drive the water guiding part to rotate, the receiving part abuts against the water collecting part, and the condensate overflowing from the receiving part flows along the groove on the water guiding part towards the sensor and triggers the sensor.

3. The clothes dryer with a drying device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The sensor includes two electrodes that extend into the water collection box and are arranged in parallel. The groove of the water guide is provided with a salt strip. When the condensed water dissolved in the salt strip comes into contact with the two electrodes, the two electrodes are connected to trigger the sensor.

4. The clothes dryer with a drying device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The water guiding section also includes: The first flow-limiting plate extends obliquely upward from the bottom of the groove in a direction away from the water collection part, and partially covers the cross-section of the groove; When the impact force on the receiving part is insufficient to drive the water guiding part to rotate, the first flow limiting plate tilts downward along the direction of the condensate flow, and the salt bar is located below the extension end of the first flow limiting plate.

5. The clothes dryer with a drying device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The water guiding section also includes: The second flow restrictor extends outward from the end of the first flow restrictor, and its two sides are folded upward to form a drain outlet that gradually narrows in the direction away from the first flow restrictor. The angle between the second flow limiting plate and the bottom of the groove is smaller than the angle between the first flow limiting plate and the bottom of the groove, and the end of the second flow limiting plate and the end of the salt strip away from the receiving part are located in the same vertical plane.

6. The clothes dryer with a drying device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The water guiding part includes: A blocking part, fixedly connected to the water guiding part, is used to prevent the salt strip from detaching from the water guiding part; The blocking part has a mesh structure and is disposed close to the end of the salt strip away from the receiving part.

7. The clothes dryer with a drying device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The sensor also includes: The hydrophobic portion is wrapped around the outside of the electrode; The electrodes are set at an angle to the horizontal plane, with the ends of the electrodes extending outwards to expose the outside of the hydrophobic part. The condensed water from the salt strip is brought into contact with the parts of the two electrodes that are not covered by the hydrophobic part to trigger the sensor.

8. The clothes dryer with a drying device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom of the water collection box has a fixing part that extends vertically from the bottom, and the extended end of the fixing part is hinged to the flow guide to form a lever structure.

9. A method for determining the dryness of a clothes dryer with a dryness-determining device as described in any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, When condensation triggers the sensor, the sensor sends a signal to the control unit. The control unit obtains the time interval between two consecutive received signals and compares it with a preset time threshold. If the time interval is greater than the preset time threshold, the drying process is considered complete.

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