Water inlet control method of a laundry treating apparatus and laundry treating apparatus

Abstract

The present application provides a water inlet control method of a clothes treatment device, comprising the following steps: a controller receives an instruction to determine a washing program and execute an automatic water inlet control program; a water inlet valve is controlled to supply water into a washing cavity; a real-time flatness delta of a load surface during water inlet is detected, and when the detected real-time flatness delta is less than or equal to a preset value, it is considered that the water inlet meets the washing requirement, and the water inlet is controlled to stop. The present application further provides a clothes treatment device. The present application provides a water inlet control method of a clothes treatment device and a clothes treatment device, which do not need to determine the water consumption according to the weight of clothes to be washed, but compare the data detected by a distance measuring sensor with preset data to accurately control the water inlet process and reduce water and electricity consumption.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of washing equipment technology, specifically, it relates to a water inlet control method and a garment processing device. Background Technology

[0002] With urban development and the accelerated pace of life, washing machines, as a household appliance that can free up users' hands and save them time in doing housework, are being accepted and purchased by more and more users.

[0003] In existing washing machines, after the user selects a washing program, the water intake is determined based on the weight of the clothes. If the user does not adjust the water intake according to their needs, the controller will determine the water volume based on the weight of the clothes and further control the water intake through methods such as level gauges, water flow rate, and water intake time. However, this water intake control method only considers the weight of the clothes and does not take into account the material and absorbency of the clothes. This can lead to insufficient water intake when washing highly absorbent clothes, affecting the washing effect. When the water intake is insufficient, the water volume needs to be adjusted and replenished if the control system allows, which may require multiple adjustments and replenishments, which is time-consuming, laborious, and prolongs the washing cycle.

[0004] To address this issue, some high-end washing machines are equipped with cameras and image acquisition devices. Based on built-in algorithms, they determine the material of the clothes being washed during the user's loading process. Using the weight of the clothes as a base, combined with the material's absorbency, they determine the water volume and control the water intake through level gauges, water flow rate, and water intake time. However, cameras and image acquisition devices are expensive, limiting their market reach. Furthermore, even with cameras or image acquisition devices, adjustments to water volume and additional water intake are still necessary, increasing washing time and impacting user experience. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a water inlet control method and a clothing processing device. It eliminates the need to determine the water consumption based on the weight of the clothes to be washed. By comparing the data detected by the distance sensor with preset data, the water inlet process can be precisely controlled, thereby reducing water and electricity consumption.

[0006] To achieve the first objective of the invention, the present invention first provides a water inlet control method for a garment processing device, the technical solution of which is:

[0007] A method for controlling the water inlet of a garment processing device includes the following steps:

[0008] The controller receives instructions to determine the washing program;

[0009] The controller controls the water inlet valve to allow water to enter the washing chamber;

[0010] The system detects the real-time flatness Δ of the load surface during water intake. When the detected real-time flatness Δ is less than or equal to the preset value, it is considered that the water intake meets the washing requirements, and the system stops the water intake.

[0011] Furthermore, before water enters, the pulsator is controlled to rotate at a first speed or the washing tub is controlled to rotate relative to the pulsator to agitate the clothes, and water enters after a predetermined time.

[0012] Furthermore, the garment processing equipment also includes multiple distance sensors, which detect the load height at different positions inside the washing tub, or the distance sensors can simultaneously detect the height at different positions of the load. The surface flatness is the variance calculated from multiple detection data.

[0013] Furthermore, before water enters, the pulsator is controlled to rotate at a first speed or the washing tub and the pulsator are controlled to rotate relative to each other to agitate the clothes. After agitating the clothes for m seconds, the washing tub and / or the pulsator are controlled to rotate the clothes at a second speed while detecting and obtaining the initial flatness △1 of the clothes surface. Then, the controller controls the water inlet valve to start water entering.

[0014] Furthermore, when testing the initial flatness △1, the washing tub and / or pulsator should rotate the clothes at least once.

[0015] Furthermore, during the water intake process, water intake is stopped after every n seconds. The washing tub and / or pulsator rotate the clothes at a second speed, while the real-time flatness Δ of the load surface is detected. This process of water intake and stopping water intake and detecting the real-time flatness Δ is repeated until the detected real-time flatness is less than or equal to a preset value, at which point water intake and the detection of the real-time flatness Δ are stopped. Alternatively, during the water intake process, the washing tub and / or pulsator rotate the clothes at a second speed. After n seconds of water intake, water intake is stopped, and the washing tub and / or pulsator continue to rotate the clothes at the second speed, while the real-time flatness Δ of the load surface is detected. This process of water intake and detecting the real-time flatness Δ is repeated until the detected flatness is less than or equal to a preset value, at which point water intake and the detection of the real-time flatness Δ are stopped.

[0016] Furthermore, when the real-time flatness △ is less than or equal to a*△1 or the actual flatness △ is less than or equal to the flatness threshold △2 or the real-time flatness △ is less than or equal to a*△1 and the actual flatness △ is less than or equal to the flatness threshold △2, the water intake is stopped. a is a positive number of the control system.

[0017] Furthermore, when detecting the initial flatness △1 of the garment surface, the washing tub and / or pulsator rotate the garment at a first rate for at least one revolution.

[0018] The second objective of this invention is to provide a garment processing device, which adopts the following technical solution:

[0019] A garment processing device includes a water inlet control method as described above.

[0020] Furthermore, the clothing processing device is a pulsator washing machine, including a door cover, on which multiple distance sensors are arranged at intervals. The projections of each distance sensor on the bottom of the washing tub are on a straight line, or the projections of each distance sensor on the bottom of the washing tub form multiple parallel straight lines on the bottom of the washing tub.

[0021] In summary, the water inlet control method and garment processing equipment provided by this invention have the following advantages compared with the prior art:

[0022] 1. No changes are required to existing products; the water inlet control method described in this invention can be completed simply by adding a ranging sensor and modifying the control program in the controller.

[0023] 2. Stirring the clothes before water intake can make the top of the clothes as flat as possible and distribute the clothes as evenly as possible, avoiding localized high-rise clothes, which would affect the variance calculation results later and thus affect water intake control.

[0024] 3. The water intake is precisely controlled by varying the distance according to different loads, ensuring washing effect while avoiding waste of water and electricity;

[0025] 4. When the calculated variance is small, it means that the surface variance of the load (clothes, water surface) is small. When the water intake reaches the washing requirements, the water surface will usually cover the clothes and the water surface will be relatively stable. This method can effectively control the water intake. Attached Figure Description

[0026] The accompanying drawings, as part of this invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments and descriptions of the invention are used to explain the invention, but do not constitute an undue limitation of the invention. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely some embodiments, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without creative effort. In the drawings:

[0027] Figure 1 This invention provides a schematic diagram of the working state of a laser ranging sensor in a garment processing device.

[0028] The system includes a transmitting unit 1 and a receiving unit 2.

[0029] It should be noted that these accompanying drawings and textual descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way, but rather to illustrate the concept of the invention to those skilled in the art by referring to specific embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0030] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments are used to illustrate the present invention, but are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0031] 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.

[0032] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" 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 mechanical connection or an electrical 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 based on the specific circumstances.

[0033] This invention provides a water inlet control method for a garment processing device, comprising the following steps:

[0034] The controller receives instructions to determine the washing program;

[0035] The controller controls the water inlet valve to allow water to enter the washing chamber;

[0036] The system detects the real-time flatness Δ of the load surface during water intake. When the detected real-time flatness Δ is less than or equal to the preset value, it is considered that the water intake meets the washing requirements, and the system stops the water intake.

[0037] In this embodiment, a pulsator washing machine is used as an example to introduce the specific structure of the clothing processing equipment and the water inlet control method provided by the present invention.

[0038] A pulsator washing machine includes a washing tub and a door. During the washing process, the door seals the clothes loading port at the top of the washing tub to prevent the washing water from leaking out during the washing process and to prevent accidents from occurring during the spin-drying process.

[0039] It also includes a distance sensor 3, which is located at the top of the washing tub and above the highest permissible water level of the washing machine, to accurately detect the distance between the clothes inside the washing tub and the distance sensor. In this embodiment, the distance sensor 3 is a laser ranging module, and more specifically, a TOF laser ranging module, which has the function of emitting and receiving lasers. It includes a transmitting unit 1 and a receiving unit 2, and can emit lasers with wavelengths from 900nm to 960nm, preferably 940nm. The laser is emitted into the washing tub, and after reaching the water surface or the surface of the clothes (collectively referred to as the load surface), it is reflected. The receiving unit 2 receives the reflected laser, and the height of the load is calculated based on the propagation speed of the laser and the propagation time from emission to reception.

[0040] like Figure 1 As shown, the laser ranging module is located above the washing tub. To minimize the risk of washing water entering the ranging sensor 3 during the washing process and causing it to malfunction, the ranging sensor 3 is preferably located at the balance ring at the top of the washing tub and / or at the bottom surface (inner side, facing the washing tub) of the door. It can emit a laser into the washing tub, and the laser light falls on the water surface and clothes inside the washing tub and is reflected by the reflecting unit 2 to effectively achieve distance detection.

[0041] Taking the laser ranging module set on the bottom of the door as an example, the laser ranging module is fixed to the bottom of the door by adhesive or other arbitrary methods. In order to prevent the washing water from reaching the laser ranging module during the washing process and causing the laser ranging module to fail due to water ingress, silicone is poured at the laser ranging module. The silicone fixes the laser ranging module to the door and protects the laser ranging module from being immersed by the measured washing water.

[0042] Transmitting unit 1 and receiving unit 2 are arranged at intervals, and transmitting holes are provided at transmitting unit 1 and receiving unit 2. Both transmitting holes are conical holes, differing in size and angle. The diameter of the top end (silicone top surface) of the transmitting hole corresponding to transmitting unit 1 is between 0.3cm and 0.5cm, preferably 0.4cm, and the angle of the conical hole is between 25° and 45°, preferably 35°. The top diameter of the transmitting hole corresponding to receiving unit 2 is between 0.15cm and 0.3cm, preferably 0.2cm, and the angle of the conical hole is between 15° and 35°, preferably 25°. The emitter aperture diameter and conical aperture of receiver unit 2 are smaller than those of emitter unit 1. This avoids receiver unit 2 receiving too many invalid laser signals from multiple diffuse reflections. These invalid laser signals include, but are not limited to, the portion of diffusely reflected laser light that is reflected again by the load, clothing, or the side wall of the washing tub, and then received by the receiver unit. This portion of invalid laser signal increases the propagation time, causing the measured distance to be greater than the actual distance, resulting in ranging failure. It also includes illumination light with the same wavelength emitted by lamp 4. By setting the emitter aperture as a conical aperture, with the silicone having a certain thickness, and the larger diameter end of the conical aperture facing the water surface, water droplets splashing during washing enter the conical aperture. The path narrows, and under the combined effects of gravity and surface tension, the water droplets cannot completely enter the conical aperture and contact emitter unit 1 or receiver unit 2, thus not affecting the laser emission and reception effect.

[0043] The distance sensor 3 is electrically or signal-connected to the washing machine's controller, which controls the operating status and mode of both components. Furthermore, the distance sensor 3 communicates with the controller via I2C. The controller sends control commands to the distance sensor 3 via I2C and receives real-time measurement data from the distance sensor 3.

[0044] Furthermore, the laser ranging module and the water inlet control module are connected via a communication protocol, such as the I2C communication protocol, which simplifies communication, enhances scalability, and allows for synchronous communication. The water inlet control module is connected to the washing machine's controller via the washing machine bus or integrated with the controller.

[0045] The laser ranging module detects the distance between the load (including but not limited to clothes before water enters, the surface of damp clothes when water has initially entered but has not yet submerged the clothes, and the water surface after the clothes have been submerged, hereinafter the same) and the laser ranging module, and sends the detected real-time data to the water inlet control module (when the water inlet control module is integrated with the controller, it can be sent directly to the controller, hereinafter referred to as the controller). The controller calculates the height of the load and further calculates the flatness of the load surface. Based on the relationship between the flatness obtained during the water inlet process and the preset value, the water inlet is controlled. Specifically, when the flatness is small, it means that the water has flooded the clothes and the water surface is detected. The water inlet is sufficient for washing, and the water inlet is controlled to stop.

[0046] The data sent by the laser ranging module includes, but is not limited to, laser emission time, reception time, and converted real-time distance data. When the laser ranging module only has emission and reception functions, the laser ranging module emits lasers at regular intervals according to the instructions of the water inlet control module or controller, and receives the reflected lasers. It sends the emission time and reception time to the water inlet control module. The water inlet control module combines the pre-stored laser propagation speed and wavelength of the laser ranging module to calculate the distance between the laser ranging module and the load to obtain the height of the load. It then sends the calculated distance value or the height of the load to the water inlet control module or controller.

[0047] To achieve precise water intake control, this invention further provides a water intake control method for a pulsator washing machine. This method eliminates the need for cameras, image acquisition devices, and pre-setting water usage based on clothing weight, while still achieving precise water intake control. The control method includes the following two embodiments:

[0048] Example 1

[0049] The water inlet control method provided in this embodiment includes the following steps:

[0050] S1, put in clothes, select a washing program and start, the controller receives the command and confirms the washing program.

[0051] According to the rated washing capacity of the pulsator washing machine, the user puts clothes weighing less than or equal to the rated washing capacity into the washing tub of the washing machine and selects a washing program. In this embodiment, the washing program includes, but is not limited to, any washing stage in the entire washing process, washing, and rinsing where water intake needs to be controlled, and starts the washing program by pre-setting a program or pressing the start button.

[0052] The controller has a pre-stored automatic water intake control program, so there is no need to select the water volume based on the weight of the clothes. Instead, it directly controls the automatic water intake. During the water intake process, the flatness of the load surface detected during the water intake process is used to control the water intake process and the final water intake volume.

[0053] S2, the controller controls the water inlet valve to introduce water into the washing chamber.

[0054] In this embodiment, this step includes:

[0055] S21, Obtain the initial flatness △1 of the load surface:

[0056] After a washing program is selected and started, the controller controls the pulsator and the washing tub to move relative to each other. The pulsator and the washing tub may both rotate at a first speed, or the pulsator may rotate at the first speed while the washing tub rotates at a speed less than the first speed; or only the pulsator may be controlled to rotate at the first speed. This rotation of the pulsator and the washing tub agitates the clothes inside the washing tub, causing them to tumble slightly.

[0057] During the process of the pulsator agitating and tumbling the clothes, the rotation speed of the pulsator is controlled at a first speed, which is less than the rotation speed of the pulsator or washing tub during the spin-drying process.

[0058] Furthermore, the principle for determining the first speed is: during the rotation of the clothes, there should be virtually no centrifugal force or the centrifugal force generated should be relatively small, so that the clothes will not move towards the washing tub wall under the action of centrifugal force and stick to the washing tub wall, resulting in a situation where the height of clothes in the center is low or even empty, while the clothes stick to or pile up on the washing tub wall and the clothes at the edges are high; at the first speed, the impeller can agitate the clothes and make small tumbling movements, spreading them out as much as possible at the bottom of the washing tub, and the top surface of the piled clothes should be relatively flat, avoiding the situation where clothes are randomly thrown in and piled up on each other, supporting each other, or with thicker and harder clothes, causing some parts to be high up, which would affect the determination of the initial distance between the clothes and the laser ranging module before water enters, thus affecting the subsequent accurate control of water entering.

[0059] After the pulsator rotates or rotates relative to the washing tub, causing the clothes to tumble for a predetermined time, it is considered that the problem of excessively high piles of clothes has been eliminated, and the top surface of the clothes has reached a basically flat state. The pulsator is then controlled to continue rotating at a second rate, causing the clothes to rotate synchronously. At this time, the laser ranging module detects the height of the clothes at the bottom of the washing tub.

[0060] The principle for determining the second speed is: during the rotation process, there is basically no centrifugal force or the centrifugal force generated will not cause the clothes to be washed to rotate centripetally and stick to the inner wall of the washing tub, and the second speed is less than or equal to the first speed; furthermore, at the second speed, the impeller drives the clothes to rotate, but will not agitate the clothes to continue to tumble, so as to avoid changes in the flatness of the top surface of the clothes during the measurement process, which would affect the measurement results.

[0061] During the testing process, the pulsator rotates the clothes at least once. During this rotation, the ranging sensor operates multiple times, obtaining detection data from multiple different locations (detection points). To obtain data representative of the flatness of the top surface of the clothes inside the washing tub, it is recommended that the laser ranging module be installed on the bottom surface of the door. Preferably, the laser beam emitted by the laser ranging module is projected at any point between 1 / 3 and 2 / 3 of the radius at the bottom of the washing tub. Ideally, this corresponds to the point where water falls inside the washing tub when the water inlet device fills the tub. This allows for direct detection of the wetted clothing surface during subsequent real-time flatness testing, resulting in more realistic and accurate test results.

[0062] The impeller drives the clothes to rotate at least once. The distance sensor 3 operates according to the preset program and timed action, forming a circle with the detection points on the washing tub. The detection points are evenly distributed on the circumference.

[0063] The system may employ multiple laser ranging modules, or a laser ranging module may include multiple transmitting units 1 and receiving units 2, evenly distributed on the bottom surface of the door. The laser beam emitted by each transmitting unit 1 is projected onto the bottom of the washing tub, thereby detecting the height of the load at multiple points. The pulsator drives the clothes to rotate at least one revolution, and multiple detection points form multiple circles, thus providing a more comprehensive detection of the overall height of the load.

[0064] Because the clothing will slightly flip during the rotation process, the height of the clothing at the same detection point may change after one rotation. Preferably, in this embodiment, the impeller drives the clothing to rotate three times during the detection process to obtain sufficient measurement data. In practical applications, the number of rotations of the impeller driving the clothing can be set as needed, with at least one rotation.

[0065] By controlling the second speed and the action interval of the ranging sensor 3, the detection points in each weekly detection do not overlap when the impeller drives the clothes to rotate multiple times, thereby increasing the detection data and avoiding duplicate detection.

[0066] In this invention, the flatness of the load surface is represented by the variance calculated from all the detection data. The height of the load is calculated using all the obtained detection data, and the variance of the load height at each detection point is calculated to obtain the flatness of the load surface as described in this invention, which is recorded as the initial flatness Δ1. The calculation of the variance is a conventional method and is not required or limited, nor will it be described in detail in this embodiment.

[0067] Furthermore, the initial flatness △1 can be calculated once every time the impeller rotates the clothes. After the impeller rotates the clothes three times, the weighted average of the three initial flatness △1 values ​​can be used as the final initial flatness △1 for this calculation.

[0068] S22, after obtaining the initial flatness △1, the controller controls the water inlet valve to open, preparing to fill the washing tub with water.

[0069] S3 detects the real-time flatness △ of the load surface during the water intake process. When the detected real-time flatness △ is less than or equal to the preset value, it is considered that the water intake meets the washing requirements, and the water intake is stopped.

[0070] The controller and / or water inlet control module (hereinafter referred to as the controller) is equipped with a flatness threshold △2, i.e., a preset value. During the water inlet process, the distance sensor 3 detects the distance between the load surface and the distance sensor to obtain the load height. As mentioned above, the variance of the load height at all detection points is obtained, i.e., the surface flatness described in this invention. The obtained real-time flatness △ is compared with the preset value to control the water inlet. Specifically, it includes the following steps:

[0071] S31, the controller controls the water inlet valve to allow water to enter.

[0072] When the initial flatness △1 is obtained in step S2, the controller controls the impeller to drive the clothes to rotate at the second speed. After obtaining the initial flatness △1, the controller controls the water inlet valve to open and start water intake. At the same time, the controller controls the speed of the impeller to the third speed. During the water intake process, the controller controls the impeller to continue to drive the clothes to rotate at the third speed, so that the clothes in the washing tub are relatively evenly wetted.

[0073] The principle for determining the third speed is as follows: During rotation, there should be virtually no centrifugal force, or the generated centrifugal force should not cause the clothes to rotate centripetally and adhere tightly to the inner wall of the washing tub. Furthermore, at the third speed, the impeller rotates the clothes but does not agitate them further, avoiding changes in the flatness of the top surface of the clothes and affecting the measurement results. The third speed should be ≤ the first speed, or the third speed should be ≤ the second speed. To simplify the procedure, the first, second, and third speeds can also be equal, or the second and third speeds can be equal but less than or equal to the first speed.

[0074] The impeller drives the clothes to rotate. As the water intake time continues, the clothes in the washing tub will undergo a process of height decrease and then rise in different areas (before and after water intake). In order to avoid excessive flatness of the load surface due to the difference in water intake time, i.e. excessive variance, in this embodiment, the impeller only drives the clothes to rotate within n seconds of water intake, so that different parts of the clothes to be washed are wetted separately, but the distance sensor 3 does not work.

[0075] During the n seconds of water intake, the pulsator rotates the clothes at least once, ensuring that the water droplets form a circle inside the washing tub, resulting in uniform water distribution and even wetting of the clothes. Theoretically, without considering differences in the water absorption rate of the fabrics being washed, the height change of the load surface inside the washing tub should be consistent.

[0076] S32, obtain real-time flatness △:

[0077] In this embodiment, after n seconds of water intake, the controller stops the water intake, and the impeller drives the clothes to rotate continuously at the third speed. At the same time, the distance sensor 3 operates according to a predetermined program to detect and obtain the load height, and then calculates the variance of the load height, that is, to obtain the real-time flatness Δ. The specific detection and calculation methods are the same as those for obtaining the initial flatness Δ1, the difference being that the impeller speed is different.

[0078] When detecting real-time flatness △, the controller stops the water inlet valve, but controls the impeller to continue rotating the clothes at the third speed to obtain detection data of multiple load heights, and calculates the obtained data to obtain the real-time flatness △.

[0079] When calculating the real-time flatness Δ, the control impeller rotates the garment at least once. In this embodiment, the impeller rotates the garment three times. During the rotation, the distance sensor 3 periodically detects the load height according to a predetermined program. After three rotations, the variance of all obtained data is calculated to obtain the real-time flatness Δ. Alternatively, the real-time flatness Δ can be calculated once after the impeller rotates the garment once. After the impeller rotates the garment three times, the weighted average of the three real-time flatness Δ values ​​is taken as the final real-time flatness Δ for this calculation.

[0080] S33. The obtained real-time flatness △ is compared with the preset value, that is, the flatness threshold △2 stored in the controller. When the real-time flatness △ is less than or equal to the preset value, that is, when the real-time flatness is less than or equal to the flatness threshold △2, it is determined that the water intake meets the washing needs and the water intake is stopped. If the real-time flatness △ is greater than the preset value, it is determined that the water intake does not meet the washing needs and water intake needs to continue. Steps S311 and S312 are repeated until the real-time flatness meets the requirements.

[0081] It should be noted that as water continues to enter, the clothes become soaked, and the mixture of clothes and water tends to become smoother. As the water level rises, the variance gradually decreases until the water completely submerges the clothes. Without considering the special case where the clothes are too light to float, the water surface is flat, and the distance of light reflected from each point hitting the surface is equal. This means the height of each detected point is essentially the same, and the variance (smoothness) calculated from the detection data reaches its minimum, approaching zero. However, because the incoming water impacts the water surface in the washing tub during the process, the variance will not be zero. Therefore, based on extensive experimental results, data on the smoothness of the load surface after meeting washing requirements is selected, and a smoothness threshold Δ2 is set. The real-time smoothness Δ is compared with the smoothness threshold Δ2 to determine whether the water intake meets the washing requirements.

[0082] In this embodiment, the flatness threshold △2 = a * △1, where a is a control coefficient, a positive number. The control coefficient a can be preset and is a fixed value, which can be taken in the range of 0.1 to 0.3. For example, a = 0.2, that is, a = 1 / 5. When the real-time flatness △2 obtained in step S32 is ≤ 1 / 5 * △1, it is determined that the water intake can meet the washing needs, and the water intake is stopped.

[0083] The control coefficient 'a' can also be adjusted according to the weight of the clothes to be washed. The heavier the clothes, the larger the control coefficient 'a'. A table of correspondence between the weight range of the clothes to be washed and the control coefficient 'a' is pre-stored in the controller. After the clothes are put into the washing tub, the washing tub obtains the weight of the clothes in a conventional manner, thereby determining the control coefficient 'a' required for this wash.

[0084] When the detected real-time flatness Δ is less than or equal to the preset flatness threshold Δ2, the system stops water intake and starts the washing program.

[0085] Example 2:

[0086] The water inlet control method provided in this embodiment is basically the same as that in Embodiment 1, except that the initial flatness Δ is not obtained in step S. Specifically:

[0087] S1, the controller receives instructions to determine the washing program.

[0088] According to the rated washing capacity of the pulsator washing machine, the user puts clothes weighing less than or equal to the rated washing capacity into the washing tub of the washing machine and selects a washing program. In this embodiment, the washing program includes, but is not limited to, any washing stage in the entire washing process, washing, and rinsing where water intake needs to be controlled, and starts the washing program by pre-setting a program or pressing the start button.

[0089] The controller has a pre-stored automatic water intake control program, so there is no need to select the water volume based on the weight of the clothes. Instead, it directly controls the automatic water intake. During the water intake process, the flatness of the load surface detected during the water intake process is used to control the water intake process and the final water intake volume.

[0090] S2, the controller controls the water inlet valve to introduce water into the washing chamber.

[0091] In this embodiment, this step includes:

[0092] S21, Adjust the smoothness of the surface of the clothes to be cleaned:

[0093] After a washing program is selected and started, the controller controls the pulsator and the washing tub to move relative to each other. The pulsator and the washing tub may both rotate at a first speed, or the pulsator may rotate at the first speed while the washing tub rotates at a speed less than the first speed; or only the pulsator may rotate at the first speed while the washing tub remains stationary. This rotation method agitates the clothes inside the washing tub, causing them to tumble slightly.

[0094] During the tumbling and agitation of the clothes by the pulsator, the rotational speed of the pulsator is controlled at a first speed, which is lower than the rotational speed of the pulsator or the washing tub during the spin-drying process. Furthermore, the principle for determining the first speed is: to generate minimal or relatively small centrifugal force during the rotation of the clothes, preventing the clothes from moving towards the tub wall under centrifugal force and sticking to it, resulting in low or even no clothes in the center, or clothes sticking to or piling up against the tub wall. However, at the first speed, the pulsator can agitate the clothes for small tumbling movements, spreading them out as much as possible at the bottom of the tub, ensuring a relatively flat top surface for any piled-up clothes. This prevents clothes from being randomly thrown in, causing them to pile up and support each other, or creating raised areas in thicker or stiffer fabrics, which could affect the initial distance measurement between the clothes and the laser ranging module before water enters, thus impacting subsequent precise water intake control.

[0095] After the impeller rotates or the impeller rotates relative to the washing tub for a predetermined time, it is considered that the situation of excessively high piled-up clothes has been eliminated, and the top surface of the clothes has reached a basically flat level.

[0096] S22, after the top surface of the clothes is basically flat, the controller opens the water inlet valve to prepare for water to enter the washing tub.

[0097] S3 detects the real-time flatness △ of the load surface during the water intake process. When the detected real-time flatness △ is less than or equal to the preset value, it is considered that the water intake meets the washing requirements, and the water intake is stopped.

[0098] The laser ranging module is located on the bottom surface of the door. Preferably, the laser beam emitted by the laser ranging module is projected at any point between 1 / 3 and 2 / 3 of the radius of the bottom of the washing tub, corresponding to the point where water falls into the tub when the water inlet device fills it. This allows for direct detection of the wetted clothing surface during subsequent real-time flatness checks, resulting in more accurate and reliable detection. Alternatively, the laser ranging module includes multiple transmitting units 1 and receiving units 2, evenly distributed on the bottom surface of the door. The laser beam emitted by each transmitting unit 1 is projected onto the bottom of the washing tub to detect the height of the load.

[0099] Furthermore, the laser ranging module may include multiple sets of transmitting units 1 and receiving units 2. Each set of transmitting units 1 and receiving units 2 is evenly arranged on the door. The laser beams emitted by each set of transmitting units 1 can be connected to form a radius of the washing tub at the bottom of the tub, or they can be connected to form multiple parallel straight lines, with each detection point having a different distance from the center point of the washing tub. Alternatively, they can be connected to form multiple non-overlapping radii, with each detection point having a different distance from the center point of the washing tub.

[0100] The controller and / or water inlet control module are equipped with a flatness threshold Δ2, i.e., a preset value. During the water inlet process, the distance sensor 3 detects the distance between the load surface and the distance sensor to obtain the load height. As mentioned above, the variance of the load height at all detection points is obtained, i.e., the surface flatness as described in this invention. Specifically, the process includes the following steps:

[0101] S31, the controller controls the water inlet valve to allow water to enter.

[0102] The specific control method is the same as in Implementation Example 1, and will not be repeated here.

[0103] S32, obtain real-time flatness △:

[0104] The specific control method is the same as in Implementation Example 1, and will not be repeated here.

[0105] S33. The obtained real-time flatness △ is compared with the preset value, that is, the flatness threshold △2 stored in the controller. When the real-time flatness △ is less than or equal to the preset value, that is, when the real-time flatness is less than or equal to the flatness threshold △2, it is determined that the water intake meets the washing needs and the water intake is stopped. If the real-time flatness △ is greater than the preset value, it is determined that the water intake does not meet the washing needs and water intake needs to continue. Steps S311 and S312 are repeated until the real-time flatness meets the requirements.

[0106] It should be noted that as water continues to enter, the clothes become soaked, and the mixture of clothes and water tends to become smoother. As the water level rises, the variance gradually decreases until the water completely submerges the clothes. Without considering the special case where the clothes are too light to float, the water surface is flat, and the distance of light reflected from each point hitting the surface is equal. This means the height of each detected point is essentially the same, and the variance (smoothness) calculated from the detection data reaches its minimum, approaching zero. However, because the incoming water impacts the water surface in the washing tub during the process, the variance will not be zero. Therefore, based on extensive experimental results, data on the smoothness of the load surface after meeting washing requirements is selected, and a smoothness threshold Δ2 is set. The real-time smoothness Δ is compared with the smoothness threshold Δ2 to determine whether the water intake meets the washing requirements.

[0107] In this embodiment, the flatness threshold △2 is a fixed value, and this fixed value is related to the weight of the clothes. The flatness threshold △2 varies depending on the weight of the clothes. A table mapping the weight range of clothes to the flatness threshold △2 is preset in the controller. After the clothes to be washed are put into the washing tub, the washing tub obtains the weight of the clothes in a conventional manner, thereby determining the flatness threshold △2 required for this wash.

[0108] When the detected real-time flatness Δ is less than or equal to the preset flatness threshold Δ2, the system stops water intake and starts the washing program.

[0109] Example 3

[0110] The control method of Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2 is adopted, the difference being that a sprayer is provided at the end of the water inlet valve to evenly spray washing water into the washing tub. In step S31, when water is introduced into the washing tub, it is not necessary to control the impeller to drive the clothes to rotate at the third speed to achieve even watering and full immersion of the clothes. This method can reduce power consumption and improve the life of the motor.

[0111] After n seconds of water intake, the water intake is stopped. As described in Example 1 or Example 2, the process proceeds to step S32, where the impeller is controlled to rotate the clothes at a third speed, and the load height and real-time flatness △ are calculated. Finally, the process proceeds to step S33 to achieve precise control of water intake.

[0112] In this invention, a pulsator washing machine is used as an example to introduce the water inlet control method provided by this invention. It should be noted that the water inlet control method provided by this invention is also applicable to other types of clothing processing equipment. Depending on the type of clothing processing equipment and the difference from the pulsator washing machine, the setting position of the distance sensor 3 can be changed so that the distance sensor 3 can detect the load height inside the washing tub as described above. The above description should not be regarded as a limitation of this invention.

[0113] The present invention further provides a clothing processing device, including but not limited to the pulsator washing machine described above, employing the water inlet control method of the clothing processing device described above, including a distance sensor 3. As described above, the detection point of the distance sensor 3 on the washing tub is located at 1 / 3 to 2 / 3 of any radius of the bottom of the washing tub, or the distance sensor 3 forms multiple detection points on the bottom of the washing tub, and the multiple detection points are on the same straight line, such as on a radius of the washing tub, or the lines connecting the multiple detection points form multiple parallel straight lines.

[0114] Specifically, the ranging sensor 3 can be a laser ranging module. The laser ranging module can include multiple sets of transmitting units 1 and receiving units 2. Each set of transmitting units 1 and receiving units 2 is evenly arranged on the door. The laser beams emitted by each set of transmitting units 1 can be connected at the bottom of the washing tub to form a radius of the washing tub, or they can be connected to form multiple parallel straight lines. The distance between each detection point and the center point of the washing tub is different, or they can be connected to form multiple non-overlapping radii. The distance between each detection point and the center point of the washing tub is different.

[0115] In summary, the water inlet control method and garment processing equipment provided by this invention have the following advantages compared with the prior art:

[0116] 1. No changes are required to existing products; the water inlet control method described in this invention can be completed simply by adding a ranging sensor and modifying the control program in the controller.

[0117] 2. Stirring the clothes before water intake can make the top of the clothes as flat as possible and distribute the clothes as evenly as possible, avoiding localized high-rise clothes, which would affect the variance calculation results later and thus affect water intake control.

[0118] 3. The water intake is precisely controlled by varying the distance according to different loads, ensuring washing effect while avoiding waste of water and electricity;

[0119] 4. When the calculated variance is small, it means that the surface variance of the load (clothes, water surface) is small. When the water intake reaches the washing requirements, the water surface will usually cover the clothes and the water surface will be relatively stable. This method can effectively control the water intake.

[0120] 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 method for controlling the water inlet of a garment processing device, characterized in that: Includes the following steps, The controller receives instructions to determine the washing program; Before water enters, the impeller is controlled to rotate at a first speed or the washing tub and the impeller are controlled to rotate relative to each other to agitate the clothes in the washing tub and make a small tumbling motion; after agitating the clothes for a predetermined time, the washing tub and / or the impeller are controlled to rotate the clothes at a second speed while the initial flatness Δ1 of the clothes surface is detected and obtained, wherein the second speed is ≤ the first speed. After the predetermined time, it is considered that the situation of excessively high pile of clothes has been eliminated and the top surface of the clothes has been basically flat. Control the water inlet valve to introduce water into the washing chamber, and at the same time control the impeller to continuously drive the clothes to rotate at a third speed that will not cause the agitated clothes to turn over, so that the clothes in the washing tub are relatively evenly wetted, wherein the third speed is less than or equal to the first speed. The system detects the real-time flatness Δ of the load surface during water intake. When the detected real-time flatness Δ is less than or equal to the preset value, it is considered that the water intake meets the washing requirements, and the system stops the water intake.

2. The water inlet control method for a garment processing device as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The garment processing equipment also includes multiple distance sensors, which detect the load height at different positions inside the washing tub, or the distance sensors can simultaneously detect the height of different positions of the load. The surface flatness is the variance calculated from multiple detection data.

3. The water inlet control method for a garment processing device as described in claim 1, characterized in that: When testing the initial flatness △1, the washing tub and / or pulsator should rotate the clothes at least once.

4. The water inlet control method for a garment processing device as described in claim 1, characterized in that: During the water intake process, water intake stops after every n seconds. The washing tub and / or pulsator rotates the clothes at a third speed, while the real-time flatness Δ of the load surface is detected. This process of water intake and stopping water intake and detecting the real-time flatness Δ is repeated until the detected real-time flatness is less than or equal to a preset value, at which point water intake and the detection of real-time flatness Δ are stopped. Alternatively, during the water intake process, the washing tub and / or pulsator rotates the clothes at a third speed. After n seconds of water intake, water intake stops, and the washing tub and / or pulsator continues to rotate the clothes at the third speed, while the real-time flatness Δ of the load surface is detected. This process of water intake and detecting the real-time flatness Δ is repeated until the detected flatness is less than or equal to a preset value, at which point water intake and the detection of real-time flatness Δ are stopped.

5. The water inlet control method for a garment processing device as described in claim 4, characterized in that: When the real-time flatness Δ is less than or equal to a*Δ1, or the actual flatness Δ is less than or equal to the flatness threshold Δ2, or when the real-time flatness Δ is less than or equal to a*Δ1 and the actual flatness Δ is less than or equal to the flatness threshold Δ2, the water intake is stopped. a is the control coefficient, which is a positive number.

6. The water inlet control method for a garment processing device as described in claim 1, characterized in that: When testing the initial flatness △1 of the garment surface, the washing tub and / or pulsator rotate the garment at a first rate for at least one revolution.

7. A garment processing device, characterized in that: The method includes a water inlet control method for a garment processing device as described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The garment processing device as described in claim 7, characterized in that: It includes a distance sensor, which forms multiple detection points at the bottom of the washing tub. These detection points are connected in a straight line, or they are connected in multiple parallel straight lines.

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