Defoaming method and control device for washing machine and washing machine

Abstract

The present invention belongs to the technical field of washing machines, and in particular relates to a defoaming method, a control device, and a washing machine for a washing machine. The defoaming process of the washing machine includes multiple defoaming stages, and the defoaming method includes: in each defoaming stage, water is introduced into the washing machine while keeping the drain valve open, and the rotation of the inner drum is controlled during the water introduction process; after each defoaming stage, the dehydration process is entered, and the defoaming process ends if the dehydration is successful, and enters the next defoaming stage if the dehydration fails; different water introduction strategies and / or different inner drum rotation strategies are used in multiple defoaming stages. The present invention can eliminate a large amount of foam in the drum in a short period of time, thereby improving the rinsing effect of clothes.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of washing machines, and in particular to a defoaming method and a control device for a washing machine, and a washing machine. Background Art

[0002] When users use washing machines to wash clothes, they often add detergent manually. However, since users are not clear about the amount of detergent to be added, users often add too much detergent when manually adding detergent. If the clothes that the user needs to wash are not very dirty, the excess detergent will not only remove the dirt on the clothes, but also produce a lot of foam. Especially in some washing modes that can be heated, the higher the temperature, the more foam is produced. Excessive foam will fill the washing machine drum, causing the washing machine to be unable to dehydrate normally. At the same time, the elimination of foam is time-consuming. Simply adding water cannot eliminate the foam in the drum, but will instead lead to an increase in foam. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In order to overcome the problem in the related art that a large amount of foam generated in the inner drum due to excessive detergent addition is difficult to eliminate, the first aspect of the present invention provides a defoaming method for a washing machine. The defoaming process of the washing machine includes multiple defoaming stages, and the defoaming method includes:

[0004] In each defoaming stage, water is fed into the washing machine while the drain valve is kept open, and the inner drum is controlled to rotate during the water feeding process;

[0005] After each defoaming stage is completed, the dehydration process is started. If the dehydration is successful, the defoaming process is ended. If the dehydration fails, the next defoaming stage is started.

[0006] The multiple defoaming stages adopt different water inlet strategies and / or different inner drum rotation strategies.

[0007] In some embodiments, the multiple defoaming stages include a first defoaming stage and a second defoaming stage, and after the first defoaming stage is completed, the dehydration process is entered, and if the dehydration fails, the second defoaming stage is entered;

[0008] In the first defoaming stage, water is first sprayed for a first time and then the main wash is rinsed for a second time.

[0009] In the second defoaming stage, the spray water inlet and the main wash water inlet are alternately performed for a third time period.

[0010] In some embodiments, in the first defoaming stage, the inner drum is controlled to rotate at a first speed during the spray water inlet process, and the inner drum is controlled to rotate at a second speed during the main wash water inlet process;

[0011] In the second defoaming stage, the inner drum is controlled to rotate at a third speed during the alternating process of spray water inlet and main wash water inlet;

[0012] The first rotational speed is lower than the second rotational speed, and the first rotational speed is lower than the third rotational speed.

[0013] In some embodiments, the multiple defoaming stages include a third defoaming stage, and the dehydration process is entered after the second defoaming stage is completed, and the third defoaming stage is entered in case of dehydration failure;

[0014] In the third defoaming stage, the fourth duration of water inflow into the inner drum for the main wash is controlled.

[0015] In some embodiments, the third duration is greater than the first duration, and the third duration is greater than the second duration;

[0016] And / or, the fourth duration is less than the sum of the first duration and the second duration, and the fourth duration is less than the third duration.

[0017] In some embodiments, in the third defoaming stage, the inner drum is controlled to rotate at a fourth speed during the main wash water inlet process, and the fourth speed is greater than the first speed.

[0018] In some embodiments, after each defoaming stage, the inner drum is controlled to stand for a fifth period before entering the dehydration process, and / or, before entering the last defoaming stage, the inner drum is controlled to stand for a sixth period.

[0019] In some embodiments, after the last defoaming stage is completed, the dehydration process is started. If the dehydration fails, the last defoaming stage is repeated.

[0020] The second aspect of the present invention proposes a control device, which includes one or more processors and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing program instructions. When the one or more processors execute the program instructions, the one or more processors are used to implement any one of the washing machine control methods proposed in the first aspect of the present invention.

[0021] A third aspect of the present invention provides a washing machine, which operates according to any one of the washing machine control methods provided in the first aspect of the present invention, or includes the control device provided in the second aspect of the present invention.

[0022] The technical solution of the present invention may include the following beneficial effects: the present invention adopts different water inlet strategies and / or different rotation speed strategies according to the foam conditions in the drum in different defoaming stages of the defoaming process, thereby eliminating a large amount of foam in the drum in a short time and improving the rinsing effect of clothes.

[0023] It is to be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

[0025] Figure 1 FIG. 4 is a defoaming flow chart of a washing machine according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0026] Figure 2 The figure is a defoaming flow chart of a washing machine according to a specific example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following description, when referring to the drawings, like numbers in different figures represent the same 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 invention. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatus and methods consistent with certain aspects of the present invention, as detailed in the appended claims.

[0028] Figure 1 is a defoaming flow chart of a washing machine according to an exemplary embodiment, referring to Figure 1 The defoaming process of the washing machine of this embodiment includes multiple defoaming stages. The defoaming method of the washing machine of this embodiment includes the following steps:

[0029] S1. In each defoaming stage, water is fed into the washing machine while keeping the drain valve open, and the inner drum is controlled to rotate during the water feeding process.

[0030] In this embodiment, since the foam generated by the washing machine generally fills the clothes in the inner drum and the space between the inner and outer drums, in order to improve the rinsing effect and reduce the irritation of the user's skin caused by the residual detergent on the clothes, a defoaming process is required. The defoaming process of this embodiment includes multiple defoaming stages. In each defoaming stage, water is added to the washing machine and the drain valve of the washing machine is kept open. As the washing machine is filled with water, the foam dissolves in the water and is discharged through the drain valve, thereby achieving the defoaming effect. However, simply adding water cannot completely remove the foam attached to the clothes and the foam remaining between the inner and outer drums. It is also necessary to control the rotation of the inner drum to remove the foam attached to the clothes and dissolve it in the water.

[0031] S2. After each defoaming stage, the dehydration process is started. If the dehydration is successful, the defoaming process is ended. If the dehydration fails, the next defoaming stage is started.

[0032] In this embodiment, after each defoaming stage, a dehydration attempt is performed to determine the extent of foam elimination. During dehydration, the inner drum gradually reaches a relatively high rotational speed. Under normal circumstances, during the speed-up phase, the motor power stabilizes within a certain range. However, when there is a lot of foam, the space between the inner and outer drums is filled with foam, and the speed of the inner drum is subject to significant resistance. Consequently, the motor power surges abnormally, preventing it from increasing to a higher speed, resulting in dehydration failure. Therefore, if dehydration is successful, this indicates that the amount of foam in the clothing and between the inner and outer drums is relatively low, and has little impact on the motor speed. The defoaming process is terminated at this point. If dehydration fails, this indicates that the amount of foam in the clothing and between the inner and outer drums is relatively high, and it is necessary to proceed to the next defoaming stage to continue defoaming.

[0033] Furthermore, the foam conditions in the washing machine vary during different defoaming stages. For example, at the beginning of defoaming, the amount of foam in the clothes and between the inner and outer drums is relatively high; as defoaming progresses, the amount of foam in the clothes and between the inner and outer drums decreases. Therefore, different water inlet strategies and / or inner drum rotation strategies can be used in different defoaming stages to achieve efficient defoaming and improve the rinsing effect of clothes.

[0034] In some embodiments, the multiple defoaming stages include a first defoaming stage and a second defoaming stage. After the first defoaming stage, the dehydration process begins. If the dehydration fails, the second defoaming stage begins. In the first defoaming stage, water is sprayed in for a first period of time and then the main wash water is introduced for a second period of time. In the second defoaming stage, water is sprayed in and water is introduced for a third period of time alternately.

[0035] In this embodiment, during the first defoaming phase, the inner drum is controlled to rotate to allow the clothes to adhere to the wall. At this point, the center of the drum is filled with foam. Spraying water for a first duration effectively eliminates the foam in this area, and the foam is discharged from the washing machine with the drain valve open. Then, during the second duration of the main wash, water flows directly between the inner and outer drums. As the inner drum rotates, the foam in the space between the two drums is effectively eliminated, and the foam is discharged from the washing machine with the drain valve open. In the second defoaming phase, since the foam has already been eliminated in the first defoaming phase, there is no significant amount of foam between the surface of the clothes and the space between the inner and outer drums. Alternating spraying and main wash water in the second defoaming phase further eliminates the foam in the drum and the space between the inner and outer drums. The first, second, and third durations can be set as needed. In one example, the third duration is greater than the first duration, and the third duration is greater than the second duration. Setting the third duration greater than the first and second durations ensures effective defoaming in the second defoaming phase. Exemplarily, the first duration is 30s-60s, the second duration is 30s-60s, and the third duration is 30s-60s.

[0036] In some embodiments, during the first defoaming stage, the inner drum is controlled to rotate at a first speed during the spray water inlet process and at a second speed during the main wash water inlet process; during the second defoaming stage, the inner drum is controlled to rotate at a third speed during the alternating spray water inlet and main wash water inlet process. The first speed is less than the second speed, and the first speed is less than the third speed.

[0037] In this embodiment, since foam removal has just begun in the first defoaming stage, the amount of foam is relatively high and untreated. If the rotation speed is too high, it could cause the foam to overflow from the drum. Therefore, a low speed is used for spraying water inlet to eliminate the bulk of the foam. After the bulk of the foam has been eliminated, a higher rotation speed can be used to force the clothes to adhere to the wall, allowing the water from the main wash to flow through the clothes and out of the drum. If the foam in the first defoaming stage is not completely eliminated, the second defoaming stage begins. At this point, after the foam has been eliminated in the first defoaming stage, there is essentially no significant amount of foam. Therefore, the rotation speeds for both the spraying water inlet and the main wash water inlet are relatively high, allowing the clothes to adhere to the wall, allowing the water to flow through the clothes and out of the drum, eliminating the foam between the inner and outer drums. For example, the first rotation speed is 80 rpm, the second rotation speed is 150 rpm, and the third rotation speed is 150 rpm.

[0038] In some embodiments, the multiple defoaming stages include a third defoaming stage. After the second defoaming stage, the dehydration process begins. If the dehydration fails, the third defoaming stage begins. In the third defoaming stage, the water inlet to the inner drum for the main wash is controlled for the fourth time.

[0039] In this embodiment, since the amount of foam in the drum and between the inner and outer drums is small after the first and second defoaming stages, the foam can be directly dissolved and eliminated by the main wash water inlet. In one example, the fourth time length is less than the sum of the first and second time lengths, and the fourth time length is less than the third time length. In this embodiment, the time consumed by the defoaming process is shortened by setting the fourth time length to be less than the sum of the first and second time lengths, and the fourth time length is less than the third time length. Exemplarily, the third time length is 30s-60s. In one example, in the third defoaming stage, the inner drum is controlled to rotate at a fourth speed during the main wash water inlet process, and the fourth speed is greater than the first speed. At this time, after the foam is eliminated in the first and second defoaming stages, there will be basically no large amount of foam. Therefore, the speed of the main wash water inlet in the third stage adopts a higher speed to make the water flow through the clothes and out of the drum to eliminate the foam between the inner and outer drums.

[0040] In some embodiments, after each defoaming stage, the inner drum is controlled to stand for a fifth time and then enter the dehydration process. The uneliminated foam in the drum is broken by standing, thereby reducing the impact on the motor speed. Exemplarily, the fifth time is 180s-240s. And / or, before entering the last defoaming stage, the inner drum is controlled to stand for a sixth time. For example, the third stage is the last defoaming stage. Before entering the third stage, the amount of foam will be relatively reduced due to the defoaming of the first and second defoaming stages. At this time, it can be allowed to stand for the sixth time and then water can be added and the third defoaming stage can be executed, so that the remaining foam can be removed more quickly and calmly. Exemplarily, the sixth time is 180s-240s.

[0041] In some embodiments, after the last defoaming stage, the dehydration process begins. If dehydration fails, the last defoaming stage is continued. In this embodiment, if the foam is not completely eliminated after the last defoaming stage, and there is no next defoaming stage to be performed, the last defoaming stage is repeated until dehydration is successful.

[0042] Figure 2 is a control flow chart of a specific example of the control method according to this embodiment, combined with Figure 2 During the defoaming process, the washing machine first executes the first defoaming stage. During this stage, the inner drum is controlled to rotate at a first speed for a first duration while the spray water is kept flowing in. Then, the inner drum is controlled to rotate at a second speed for a second duration while the main wash water is kept flowing in. The drain valve is kept open throughout the first defoaming stage.

[0043] After the first defoaming stage is over, let it stand for the fifth time, and then try to dehydrate. If the dehydration is successful, it means that the foam in the barrel has been completely eliminated, and the defoaming process is ended. If the dehydration is unsuccessful, it means that the foam in the barrel has not been completely eliminated, and enter the second defoaming stage.

[0044] In the second defoaming stage, the inner drum is controlled to rotate at a third speed and maintained for a third time. During this period, spray water inlet and main wash water inlet are carried out alternately, and the drain valve is kept open throughout the second defoaming stage.

[0045] After the second defoaming stage is over, let it stand for the fifth time, and then try to dehydrate. If the dehydration is successful, it means that the foam in the barrel has been completely eliminated, and the defoaming process is ended. If the dehydration is unsuccessful, it means that the foam in the barrel has not been completely eliminated, and enter the third defoaming stage.

[0046] During the third defoaming stage, let it stand for the sixth time, control the inner drum to rotate at the fourth speed and maintain it for the fourth time, while keeping the main wash water inlet, and keep the drain valve open throughout the third defoaming stage.

[0047] After the third defoaming stage is completed, let it stand for the sixth time, and then try to dehydrate. If the dehydration is successful, it means that the foam in the barrel has been completely eliminated, and the defoaming process is ended. If the dehydration is unsuccessful, it means that the foam in the barrel has not been completely eliminated, and the third defoaming stage is repeated until the foam is completely eliminated.

[0048] According to an exemplary embodiment, this embodiment proposes a control device, which includes one or more processors and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing program instructions. When the one or more processors execute the program instructions, the one or more processors are used to implement the control method of the washing machine of any of the above embodiments.

[0049] According to an exemplary embodiment, this embodiment provides a washing machine, which operates according to the control method of the washing machine of any of the above embodiments, or includes the control device provided in the above embodiments.

[0050] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described can be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art can combine and combine different embodiments or examples described in this specification and features of different embodiments or examples without contradiction.

[0051] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of the technical features being referred to. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of such features. Throughout the description of this application, "plurality" means at least two, for example, two, three, etc., unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0052] Any process or method description in a flowchart or otherwise described herein may be understood to represent a module, segment or portion of code comprising one or more executable instructions for implementing the steps of a custom logical function or process, and the scope of the preferred embodiments of the present application includes alternative implementations in which functions may be performed out of the order shown or discussed, including performing functions in a substantially simultaneous manner or in the reverse order depending on the functions involved, which should be understood by those skilled in the art to which the embodiments of the present application belong.

[0053] The logic and / or steps represented in the flowcharts or otherwise described herein, for example, can be considered as a sequenced list of executable instructions for implementing the logical functions, and can be embodied in any computer-readable medium for use by, or in conjunction with, an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device (e.g., a computer-based system, a system including a processor, or other system that can fetch and execute instructions from an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device). For purposes of this specification, a "computer-readable medium" can be any device that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport a program for use by, or in conjunction with, an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of computer-readable media include the following: an electrical connection with one or more wires (electronic devices), a portable computer disk cartridge (magnetic device), random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable and programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), fiber optic devices, and a portable compact disc read-only memory (CDROM). Furthermore, the computer-readable medium may even be paper or other suitable medium on which the program is printed, since the program may be obtained electronically, for example, by optically scanning the paper or other medium and then editing, interpreting or processing it in another suitable manner if necessary, and then storing it in a computer memory.

[0054] It should be understood that various parts of the present application can be implemented using hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof. In the above embodiments, multiple steps or methods can be implemented using software or firmware stored in a memory and executed by a suitable instruction execution system. For example, if implemented using hardware, as in another embodiment, any one of the following technologies known in the art or a combination thereof can be used to implement: a discrete logic circuit having a logic gate circuit for implementing a logic function on a data signal, an application-specific integrated circuit having a suitable combination of logic gate circuits, a programmable gate array (PGA), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), etc.

[0055] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the steps in the method of the above embodiment can be completed by instructing related hardware through a program, and the program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. When the program is executed, it includes one or a combination of the steps of the method embodiment.

[0056] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of the present application may be integrated into a processing module, or each unit may exist physically separately, or two or more units may be integrated into a module. The above-mentioned integrated module may be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of a software functional module. If the integrated module is implemented in the form of a software functional module and sold or used as an independent product, it may also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium.

[0057] The storage medium mentioned above may be a read-only memory, a magnetic disk, or an optical disk, etc. Although the embodiments of the present application have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present application. Persons skilled in the art may make changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A defoaming method for a washing machine, characterized in that: The defoaming process of the washing machine includes multiple defoaming stages, and the defoaming method includes: In each defoaming stage, water is fed into the washing machine while the drain valve is kept open, and the inner drum is controlled to rotate during the water feeding process; After each defoaming stage is completed, the dehydration process is started. If the dehydration is successful, the defoaming process is ended. If the dehydration fails, the next defoaming stage is started. The multiple defoaming stages adopt different water inlet strategies and / or different inner drum rotation strategies; The multiple defoaming stages include a first defoaming stage, a second defoaming stage, and a third defoaming stage. After the first defoaming stage, the dehydration process is entered. If the dehydration fails, the second defoaming stage is entered. After the second defoaming stage, the dehydration process is entered. If the dehydration fails, the third defoaming stage is entered. After each of the defoaming stages, the inner drum is controlled to stand for a fifth time period before entering the dehydration process, and / or, before entering the last defoaming stage, the inner drum is controlled to stand for a sixth time period. In the first defoaming stage, the spray water is first fed in for a first time and then the main wash water is fed in for a second time, and the inner drum is controlled to rotate at a first speed during the spray water feeding process and at a second speed during the main wash water feeding process; In the second defoaming stage, spray water inlet and main wash water inlet are alternately performed for a third time period, and the inner drum is controlled to rotate at a third speed during the alternating process of spray water inlet and main wash water inlet; In the third defoaming stage, the inner drum is controlled to be fed with water for the main wash for a fourth time, and the inner drum is controlled to rotate at a fourth speed during the main wash water feeding process. The first speed is less than the second speed, the first speed is less than the third speed, and the fourth speed is greater than the first speed; The third duration is greater than the first duration, and the third duration is greater than the second duration; and / or the fourth duration is less than the sum of the first duration and the second duration, and the fourth duration is less than the third duration.

2. The defoaming method for a washing machine according to claim 1, wherein: After the last defoaming stage is finished, the dehydration process is started. If the dehydration fails, the last defoaming stage is repeated.

3. A control device, characterized in that: It includes one or more processors and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing program instructions. When the one or more processors execute the program instructions, the one or more processors are used to implement the defoaming method of the washing machine according to claim 1 or 2.

4. A washing machine, characterized in that: The washing machine operates according to the defoaming method of a washing machine according to claim 1 or 2, or includes the control device according to claim 3.

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