Control method for a laundry washing machine, a drying assembly

Abstract

The application provides a control method of a laundry dryer and a drying assembly, and relates to the technical field of household appliances. The laundry dryer comprises a cabinet, an opening, a washing tub arranged in the cabinet, a door seal, a door body, an air inlet, an annular air duct, and a drying assembly. The door seal is arranged around the opening. The door body is rotationally connected with the cabinet to close or open the opening. The air inlet is arranged on the door body and communicates with the washing tub. The annular air duct is arranged on the door body and has an air outlet communicating with the door seal. The drying assembly is arranged in the door body and communicates with the air inlet and the annular air duct. When air enters the annular air duct, a negative pressure is generated on the inner surface of the annular air duct, so that the air is forced to enter the door seal and the air volume is increased. When the washing and draining of the laundry dryer are completed, the function of defoaming is realized. When the rinsing and draining of the laundry dryer are completed, the residual water on the door seal can be quickly dried, so that the growth of mold and the generation of mold spots and odor are avoided, the residual water on the door seal is reduced, and the experience of a user is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of household appliance technology, and in particular to a control method for a washing machine and a drying assembly. 。 Background Technology

[0002] Washing machines are an indispensable household appliance in people's daily lives. There are various types of washing machines, such as top-loading washing machines, front-loading washing machines, and agitator washing machines. Because front-loading washing machines save water and prevent clothes from tangling, causing less damage, they are becoming an increasingly popular choice for families.

[0003] Traditional washing machines produce a lot of foam during operation, which is difficult to rinse off completely. After washing, moisture remains at the door seal. Even after the user removes the clothes and closes the door, this moisture lingers, causing mold and mildew to grow. This dirt is difficult to clean and negatively impacts the user experience.

[0004] Therefore, the moisture at the door seal needs to be further cleaned to prevent mold growth. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, this application provides a control method for a washing machine and a drying component to improve the problem of mold growth caused by moisture residue at the door seal.

[0006] The technical solution adopted in this application to solve the above-mentioned technical problems is as follows:

[0007] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a washing machine, comprising:

[0008] The box has an opening, and a washing tub is installed inside the box.

[0009] Door seal, with the door seal surrounding the opening;

[0010] The door is rotatably connected to the housing to close or open the opening. The door has an air inlet connected to the washing tub, and also an annular air duct with an air outlet connected to the door seal.

[0011] The air drying component is installed inside the door and is connected to both the air inlet and the annular air duct.

[0012] Optionally, in some embodiments of this application, the door body includes:

[0013] The door panel has an installation opening.

[0014] A glass cover, located at the mounting opening, has a receiving cavity; and

[0015] The air duct housing defines an annular air duct, and the air drying assembly and the air duct housing are located within the receiving cavity.

[0016] Optionally, in some embodiments of this application, the glass cover includes a first cover and a second cover. The first cover is connected to the door panel and has a through hole. The second cover is disposed on the side of the first cover away from the door panel and covers the through hole. When the door closes the opening, the side wall of the first cover faces the door seal, the side wall of the second cover faces the opening, and the air inlet is located on the side wall of the first cover.

[0017] Optionally, in some embodiments of this application, the glass cover includes a first cover and a second cover. The first cover is connected to the door panel and has a through hole. The second cover is disposed on the side of the first cover away from the door panel and covers the through hole. The air drying assembly and the air duct housing are disposed on the first cover and the air duct housing is disposed around the through hole.

[0018] Optionally, in some embodiments of this application, one end of the duct housing is connected to the first cover, and the other end extends in a direction away from the second cover and is inclined relative to the axis of the through hole.

[0019] Optionally, in some embodiments of this application, the air-drying assembly includes a fan and a fan housing covering the fan, one end of the fan housing being fixedly connected to the air duct housing, and the other end extending along the axial direction near the through hole.

[0020] Optionally, in some embodiments of this application, the fan housing is further provided with a circular hole, which is connected to the air inlet and the annular air duct respectively.

[0021] Optionally, in some embodiments of this application, the duct housing includes a first housing and a second housing, which together form an annular duct. One end of the first housing is fixedly connected to a first cover, and an extension is provided at the connection point in the direction close to the second cover. The other end of the first housing is fixedly connected to one end of the second housing, and the other end of the second housing covers the extension. An air passage gap is defined between the extension and the second housing, and the air passage gap forms an air outlet, which faces the door seal.

[0022] Optionally, in some embodiments of this application, the washing machine further includes an electronic control device disposed inside the cabinet; the door is hinged to the cabinet via a door hinge, the door hinge having a cable tray connecting the inside of the door and the cabinet; the drying assembly includes an electrical connection wire, the electrical connection wire passing through the cable tray and being electrically connected to the electronic control device.

[0023] Secondly, this application also provides a control method for a drying assembly, applied to the aforementioned washing machine. The washing machine includes a control unit and an electronic control device electrically connected to the drying assembly. The control unit and the electronic control device are signal-connected. The control method includes:

[0024] Preset time parameters T1 and T2 in the control unit;

[0025] Once the control unit detects that the washing and draining program of the washing machine has ended, it transmits information to the electronic control device, which then controls the drying assembly to turn on. After the drying assembly has been on for a period of time T1, the electronic control device controls the drying assembly to turn off.

[0026] Once the control unit detects that the washing and spin-drying program of the washing machine has ended, it transmits information to the electronic control device, which then controls the drying assembly to turn on. After the drying assembly has been on for a period of time T2, the electronic control device controls the drying assembly to turn off.

[0027] In summary, due to the adoption of the above technical solution, this application includes at least the following beneficial effects:

[0028] The washing machine provided in this application has a ring-shaped air duct on the door. The air inlet, drying component, ring-shaped air duct, and air outlet are connected. The drying component can pressurize the air drawn in from the air inlet, and then the air flows out from the air outlet of the ring-shaped air duct, blowing into the door seal to dry it. When air enters the ring-shaped air duct, a negative pressure is generated on the inner surface of the ring-shaped air duct, forcing the air in the ring-shaped air duct to be injected into the door seal to dry it. The ring-shaped air duct also increases the air volume. When the washing machine finishes washing and draining, the drying component is activated, causing the foam generated during washing to break down under the negative pressure, which can play a defoaming role. When the washing machine finishes rinsing and spin-drying, the drying component is activated again to quickly dry the water remaining at the door seal, preventing mold growth and the formation of mold spots, avoiding odors, reducing moisture residue at the door seal, and improving the user experience. Attached Figure Description

[0029] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings of the embodiments will be briefly described below. Obviously, the drawings described below only relate to some embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit this application, wherein:

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a washing machine in a closed opening state provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 2 This is a structural schematic diagram of a washing machine with the door open, provided as an embodiment of this application.

[0032] Figure 3 for Figure 1 Exploded view of a washing machine in China;

[0033] Figure 4 for Figure 1 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of a washing machine;

[0034] Figure 5 This is a side view of the glass cover provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0035] Figure 6 for Figure 5 Exploded view of the glass dome;

[0036] Figure 7 This is a front view of the glass cover provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0037] Figure 8 for Figure 7 A cross-sectional view along the AA direction;

[0038] Figure 9 for Figure 8 Enlarged diagram of B in the diagram;

[0039] Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating the control method for the air-drying component provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0040] 1-Washing machine;

[0041] 10-Box body; 11-Opening; 12-Washing tub;

[0042] 20-Door seal;

[0043] 30-Door body; 31-Door panel; 311-Mounting port; 32-Glass cover; 321-Receiving cavity; 322-First cover; 3221-Air inlet; 3222-Through hole; 323-Second cover; 33-Air duct housing; 331-Annular air duct; 332-Air outlet; 333-First housing; 3331-Extension; 334-Second housing;

[0044] 40 - Drying assembly; 41 - Fan housing; 42 - Round hole;

[0045] 50-Door hinge. Detailed Implementation

[0046] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0047] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more features. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0048] In this application, the term "exemplary" is used to mean "serving as an example, illustration, or description." Any embodiment described as "exemplary" in this application is not necessarily to be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments. The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use this application. Details are set forth in the following description for purposes of explanation. It should be understood that those skilled in the art will recognize that this application can be made without using these specific details. In other instances, known structures and processes are not described in detail to avoid obscuring the description of this application with unnecessary detail. Therefore, this application is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is consistent with the broadest scope of the principles disclosed in this application.

[0049] Please see Figures 1 to 9 This application provides a washing machine 1. The washing machine 1 can be a front-loading washing machine. The washing machine 1 includes:

[0050] The box body 10 has an opening 11 and a washing tub 12 is installed inside the box body 10;

[0051] Door seal, with the door seal surrounding the opening 11;

[0052] The door 30 is rotatably connected to the housing 10 to close or open the opening 11. The door 30 has an air inlet 3221 communicating with the washing tub 12, and also has an annular air duct 331 with an air outlet 332 communicating with the door seal.

[0053] The air drying component 40 is installed inside the door 30 and is connected to the air inlet 3221 and the annular air duct 331 respectively.

[0054] The washing machine 1 provided in this application has an annular air duct 331 on the door body 30. The air inlet 3221, the air drying component 40, the annular air duct 331 and the air outlet 332 are connected. The air drying component 40 can pressurize the air drawn in from the air inlet 3221, and then flow out from the air outlet 332 opened in the annular air duct 331 through the annular air duct 331, and blow it into the door seal to dry the door seal. When air enters the annular air duct 331, a negative pressure is generated on the inner surface of the annular air duct 331, forcing the air in the annular air duct 331 to be injected into the door seal to dry the door seal. The setting of the annular air duct 331 can increase the air volume. When the washing machine 1 finishes washing and draining, the drying component 40 is activated, causing the foam generated during washing to break under the negative pressure, which can play a defoaming role. When the washing machine 1 finishes rinsing and spin-drying, the drying component 40 is activated to quickly dry the water remaining at the door seal, preventing mold growth and the formation of mold spots and avoiding the generation of odors, reducing the moisture residue at the door seal, and improving the user experience.

[0055] It is understood that the washing tub 12 is used to hold clothes during the operation of the washing machine 1. The washing tub 12 has a loading port, which corresponds to the opening 11 of the housing 10. In other words, the loading port is connected to the opening 11 of the housing 10, and is used to load clothes to be washed into the washing tub 12 or to remove clothes after washing. The washing tub 12 is also connected to the air inlet 3221 through the loading port, so that the drying assembly 40 can draw in the air of the washing tub 12, process it, and blow it toward the door seal.

[0056] To facilitate understanding, a more detailed explanation follows: The door 30 is equipped with an air inlet 3221 that communicates with the washing tub 12. When the drying assembly 40 operates, it draws air from inside the washing tub 12, through the air inlet 3221, into the drying assembly 40, and then blows it onto the door seal, achieving internal circulation. Of course, in other embodiments, the air inlet 3221 can also be externally connected, allowing the drying assembly 40 to draw in external air and blow it onto the door seal, quickly drying the moisture and reducing moisture residue.

[0057] In some embodiments, the door seal can be made of a flexible material, such as rubber or silicone, so that when the end of the door seal away from the washing tub 12 comes into contact with the door body 30, the door seal can undergo flexible deformation, so that the door body 30 and the door seal can make full contact and ensure the sealing of the contact between the door body 30 and the door seal.

[0058] It is understandable that, since the casing 10 is sealed by a door seal, water from the washing tub 12 will splash onto the door seal during the washing process. After washing, moisture residue is likely to remain on the door seal. Furthermore, users usually close the washing machine door 30 after washing. In this enclosed environment, the moisture at the door seal remains for a long time and does not dry easily, leading to mold growth and mildew, as well as unpleasant odors, affecting the user experience. Therefore, it is necessary to remove the moisture residue from the door seal and ensure it is dry.

[0059] In some embodiments, the door body 30 includes:

[0060] Door panel 31, door panel 31 is provided with mounting opening 311;

[0061] Glass cover 32, the glass cover 32 is disposed at the mounting port 311, the glass cover 32 has a receiving cavity 321; and

[0062] The air duct housing 33 defines an annular air duct 331, and the air drying assembly 40 and the air duct housing 33 are located within the receiving cavity 321.

[0063] It is understandable that the configuration of the air duct housing 33 can generate greater pressure on the air entering the annular air duct 331. This pressure is conducive to the air quickly reaching the door seal to defoam or dry residual moisture.

[0064] In some embodiments, the glass cover 32 includes a first cover body 322 and a second cover body 323. The first cover body 322 is connected to the door panel 31 and has a through hole 3222. The second cover body 323 is disposed on the side of the first cover body 322 away from the door panel 31 and covers the through hole 3222.

[0065] Furthermore, the first cover 322 and the second cover 323 can be connected using conventional methods in the art, such as pin connection, snap-fit ​​connection, etc. In at least one embodiment, the first cover 322 is provided with a snap-fit, and the second cover 323 is provided with a slot. When the first cover 322 and the second cover 323 are assembled, the snap-fit ​​and the slot engage accordingly to achieve the connection between the first cover 322 and the second cover 323.

[0066] In some embodiments, the air drying assembly 40 and the air duct housing 33 are disposed on the first cover 322, and the air duct housing 33 is disposed around the through hole 3222.

[0067] It is understood that the first cover 322 and the second cover 323 are detachably connected. The air drying component 40 can be installed on the first cover 322 through the through hole 3222. When the user needs to clean or repair the air drying component 40, only the second cover 323 needs to be removed, without disassembling the entire glass cover 32, which makes it convenient for the user to clean or maintain the air drying component 40.

[0068] In some embodiments, when the door 30 closes the opening 11, the sidewall of the first cover 322 faces the door seal, the sidewall of the second cover 323 faces the opening 11, and the air inlet 3221 is located on the sidewall of the first cover 322. It can be understood that the air inlet 3221 being located on the sidewall of the first cover 322 prevents water from entering the inside of the door 30 when the washing machine 1 is performing its spray function or when the water level in the washing tub 12 is too high.

[0069] In some embodiments, one end of the duct housing 33 is connected to the first cover 322, and the other end extends in a direction away from the second cover 323 and is inclined relative to the axis of the through hole 3222. In other words, the interior of the annular duct 331 is similar to the shape of an air wing, with a certain inclination and guidance. Based on the principle of air wing generating lift, within a certain angle range, the larger the inclination angle, the greater the negative pressure generated near the rear end of the annular duct 331. After the air passes through the drying assembly 40, the airflow velocity will increase and the pressure will decrease. After entering the annular duct 331, a negative pressure will also be generated on the inner surface of the duct housing 33. Under the superposition of the dual forces, the air in the annular duct 331 will have a significant pressure difference, increasing the airflow of the annular duct 331. At the end of the washing and draining process, the foam will break under the negative pressure, playing a defoaming role. At the end of the entire washing process, the air processed by the drying assembly 40 can quickly dry the door seal.

[0070] In some embodiments, the air-drying assembly 40 includes a fan and a fan housing 41 covering the fan. One end of the fan housing 41 is fixedly connected to the air duct housing 33, and the other end extends along the axial direction near the through hole 3222. It is understood that the fan is located inside the fan housing 41. On the one hand, this protects the fan from the influence of other components; on the other hand, the fan draws air into the fan housing 41 in a concentrated manner, and the pressure forces the dried air into the annular air duct 331, increasing the airflow and accelerating the drying efficiency of the door seal.

[0071] In some embodiments, the fan is made of waterproof material. In other embodiments, the fan surface is treated with waterproof powder coating. It is understood that waterproofing the fan improves its safety and prevents electrical leakage when water comes into contact with it.

[0072] It should be noted that the fan speed, air volume, and running time are all adjustable, and users can select and adjust them according to their actual needs.

[0073] In some embodiments, the fan housing 41 is also provided with a circular hole 42, which is connected to the air inlet 3221 and the annular air duct 331 respectively. During the rotation of the fan, a negative pressure is generated inside the door 30, which draws the air from the washing tub 12 into the door 30 through the air inlet 3221, and then into the fan housing 41 through the circular hole 42. Under the action of the centrifugal force of the fan, the air is blown out from the air outlet 332 and blown towards the door seal to achieve the air drying treatment of the door seal.

[0074] In some embodiments, the duct housing 33 includes a first housing 333 and a second housing 334. The first housing 333 and the second housing 334 enclose to form an annular duct 331. One end of the first housing 333 is fixedly connected to a first cover 322, and an extension 3331 is provided at the connection point in a direction close to the second cover 323. The other end of the first housing 333 is fixedly connected to one end of the second housing 334. The other end of the second housing 334 covers the extension 3331. An air passage gap is defined between the extension 3331 and the second housing 334. The air passage gap forms an air outlet 332. The air outlet 332 faces the door seal.

[0075] In some embodiments, the door 30 is rotatably connected to the housing 10 via a door hinge 50.

[0076] In some embodiments, the washing machine 1 further includes an electronic control device. The electronic control device is located inside the housing 10. The door hinge 50 has a cable tray connecting the interior of the door 30 and the housing 10. The drying assembly 40 also includes an electrical connection wire. The electrical connection wire passes through the cable tray and is electrically connected to the electronic control device. The electronic control device enables intelligent control of the drying assembly 40, improving the user experience.

[0077] Secondly, please refer to Figure 10 This application also provides a control method for the air-drying assembly 40, applied to the washing machine 1 described above. The washing machine 1 includes a control unit and an electronic control device electrically connected to the air-drying assembly 40. The control unit and the electronic control device are signal-connected. The control method includes:

[0078] S11. Preset time parameters T1 and T2 in the control unit.

[0079] It is understandable that T1 and T2 can be the default parameters of washing machine 1 when it leaves the factory, and users can also adjust them according to the actual usage of washing machine 1.

[0080] S12. After the control unit detects that the washing and draining program of the washing machine 1 has ended, it transmits information to the electronic control device. The electronic control device controls the drying component 40 to turn on. After the drying component 40 has been turned on for a time T1, the electronic control device controls the drying component 40 to turn off.

[0081] S13. After the control unit detects that the rinsing and spin-drying program of the washing machine 1 has ended, it transmits information to the electronic control device. The electronic control device controls the drying component 40 to turn on. After the drying component 40 has been turned on for a period of time T2, the electronic control device controls the drying component 40 to turn off, and the drying program ends.

[0082] It should be noted that users can choose whether to activate the drying unit 40 when setting the washing program. If no is selected, the drying unit 40 will not be activated. Users can also choose whether to activate the drying unit 40 after the washing and draining program or the combined rinsing and spin-drying program. For example, they can choose not to activate the drying unit 40 after the washing and draining program ends, and activate it after the rinsing and spin-drying program ends. Correspondingly, the operating parameters of the drying unit 40 can also be selected, including air volume, speed, and operating time (i.e., T1 and T2). In this way, selection and adjustment according to user needs can save energy on the one hand, and improve defoaming efficiency and drying efficiency of the door seal on the other.

[0083] The basic concepts have been described above. Obviously, for those skilled in the art, the detailed disclosure above is merely illustrative and does not constitute a limitation of this application. Although not explicitly stated herein, those skilled in the art may make various modifications, improvements, and corrections to this application. Such modifications, improvements, and corrections are suggested in this application, and therefore remain within the spirit and scope of the exemplary embodiments of this application.

[0084] Furthermore, this application uses specific terms to describe embodiments of the application. For example, "an embodiment," "one embodiment," and / or "some embodiments" refer to a particular feature, structure, or characteristic associated with at least one embodiment of the application. Therefore, it should be emphasized and noted that "an embodiment," "one embodiment," or "an alternative embodiment" mentioned twice or more in different locations in this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, certain features, structures, or characteristics in one or more embodiments of the application can be appropriately combined.

[0085] Similarly, it should be noted that, in order to simplify the description of the present application and thus aid in the understanding of one or more embodiments, the foregoing description of the embodiments of the present application sometimes combines multiple features into a single embodiment, drawing, or description thereof. However, this disclosure method does not imply that the subject matter of the present application requires more features than those mentioned in the claims. In fact, the embodiments contain fewer features than all the features of the single embodiments disclosed above.

[0086] For each patent, patent application, patent application publication, and other material such as articles, books, specifications, publications, and documents referenced in this application, the entire contents of that patent application are incorporated herein by reference, except for historical application documents that are inconsistent with or conflict with the content of this application, and documents that limit the broadest scope of the claims of this application (currently or subsequently appended to this application). It should be noted that if there are any inconsistencies or conflicts between the descriptions, definitions, and / or terminology used in the supplementary materials of this application and the content of this application, the descriptions, definitions, and / or terminology used in this application shall prevail.

Claims

1. A washing machine, characterized in that, include: A box body having an opening, and a washing tub being installed inside the box body; A door seal, the door seal being disposed around the opening; A door body, rotatably connected to the housing to close or open the opening, the door body having an air inlet communicating with the washing tub, and an annular air duct with an air outlet communicating with the door seal; and A drying assembly is disposed inside the door body and is connected to the air inlet and the annular air duct respectively. The door body includes: a door panel with an installation opening; a glass cover with a receiving cavity, located at the installation opening; and a duct housing defining an annular duct, wherein the air drying assembly and the duct housing are located within the receiving cavity. The glass cover includes a first cover and a second cover. The first cover is connected to the door panel and has a through hole. The second cover is disposed on the side of the first cover away from the door panel and covers the through hole. One end of the air duct housing is connected to the first cover, and the other end extends in a direction away from the second cover and is inclined relative to the axis of the through hole.

2. The washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The glass cover includes a first cover and a second cover. The first cover is connected to the door panel and has a through hole. The second cover is located on the side of the first cover away from the door panel and covers the through hole. When the door closes the opening, the side wall of the first cover faces the door seal and the side wall of the second cover faces the opening. The air inlet is located on the side wall of the first cover.

3. The washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air-drying component and the air duct housing are disposed on the first cover, and the air duct housing is disposed around the through hole.

4. The washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air-drying assembly includes a fan and a fan housing covering the fan. One end of the fan housing is fixedly connected to the air duct housing, and the other end extends along the axial direction near the through hole.

5. The washing machine according to claim 4, characterized in that, The fan casing is also provided with a circular hole, which is connected to the air inlet and the annular air duct respectively.

6. The washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air duct housing includes a first housing and a second housing, which together form the annular air duct. One end of the first housing is fixedly connected to the first cover, and an extension is provided at the connection point in the direction close to the second cover. The other end of the first housing is fixedly connected to one end of the second housing, and the other end of the second housing covers the extension. An air passage gap is defined between the extension and the second housing, and the air passage gap forms the air outlet, which faces the door seal.

7. The washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The washing machine also includes an electronic control device, which is located inside the cabinet; the door is hinged to the cabinet via a door hinge, the door hinge having a cable groove connecting the inside of the door and the cabinet; the drying assembly includes an electrical connection wire, which passes through the cable groove and is electrically connected to the electronic control device.

8. A control method for a drying assembly, the control method being applied to a washing machine as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, the washing machine comprising a control unit and an electronic control device electrically connected to the drying assembly, the control unit being signal-connected to the electronic control device, characterized in that... The control method includes: The control unit presets time parameters T1 and T2; The control unit detects that the washing and draining program of the washing machine has ended, and transmits information to the electronic control device. The electronic control device controls the drying assembly to turn on, and after the drying assembly has been turned on for a time T1, the electronic control device controls the drying assembly to turn off. The control unit detects that the washing and spin-drying program of the washing machine has ended, and transmits information to the electronic control device. The electronic control device controls the drying assembly to turn on, and after the drying assembly has been on for a period of time T2, the electronic control device controls the drying assembly to turn off.

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