Washing machine control method and washing machine

Abstract

The invention provides a control method of a washing machine and the washing machine. A drum; a box body; a steam generator; the steam generator comprises a shell, a heating body, a first temperature controller and a water inlet valve. The control method comprises the steps that the heating body is controlled to be powered on for heating, and the first temperature controller monitors the temperature of the heating body; according to the temperature of the heating body, the water inlet valve is controlled to inject water into the heating body through the water inlet, and steam generated by heating water through the heating body is sprayed out through the steam outlet; and when the steam generator completes the preset working procedure, the heating body is controlled to stop heating. The problem of water spraying in the use process of the steam generator of the washing machine is solved.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] In order to better treat clothes, the method of using steam generators in washing machines to treat clothes has become more and more common. However, due to the very small space of the steam generator, the heating body stops working during the water intake process, so when the heating body reheats the cooled water, the water and air expand due to heat and the generated steam is ejected out of the generator at once, causing water spraying. Water spraying can easily wet clothes locally, causing uneven dryness and wetness on the clothes, further resulting in a significant reduction in the effects of wrinkle removal and other care.

[0003] Therefore, how to make the steam generator used in the washing machine only spray steam during use is a problem that urgently needs to be solved. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present application aims to solve the technical problem of how to make a steam generator used in a washing machine spray only steam during operation.

[0005] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a washing machine, comprising a drum, providing a processing space for clothes to be processed; a steam generator, used to generate steam and spray steam into the drum to process clothes; a box, used to construct an outer shell for the washing machine and provide an installation space for the drum and the steam generator, and the drum and the steam generator are accommodated and assembled through the installation space; the steam generator comprises: a shell, the shell of the steam generator is provided with a water inlet and a steam outlet; a heating body, installed under the shell, connected with the shell to form a chamber, the heating body is connected to the water inlet and the steam outlet through The heating element is connected to the chamber; a water inlet valve is connected to the heating element through the water inlet; a first thermostat is installed on the outside of the heating element, and the first thermostat controls the opening and closing of the water inlet valve according to the temperature of the heating element; the control method comprises: controlling the heating element to be powered on for heating, and making the first thermostat monitor the temperature of the heating element; according to the temperature of the heating element, controlling the water inlet valve to inject water into the heating element through the water inlet, and the steam outlet to spray out the steam generated by the heating element heating the water; when the steam generator completes the preset working procedure, controlling the heating element to stop heating.

[0006] In an embodiment of the present application, when the steam generator in the washing machine is powered on and starts working, the heating body in the steam generator also starts to be powered on and heated. The first thermostat controls the switch of the water inlet valve according to the temperature of the heating body, and injects water into the heating body so that there is always enough water in the heating body to produce steam. And when the steam generator is powered on and working, the heating body is controlled to be in a heating state at all times, which prevents the water and air in the heating body from cyclically switching between the cooling contraction and heating expansion states due to the intermittent power on and off of the heating body, and prevents the steam generator from spraying water while emitting steam. On the other hand, the continuous heating of the heating body allows the heating body to always maintain a certain temperature to ensure that the steam generator continuously and sufficiently sprays steam. This allows the steam generator to generate stable and continuous steam to process the clothes in the drum.

[0007] In one embodiment of the present application, the steam generator further comprises a second thermostat installed outside the heating body, and the second thermostat is used to control the heating body to start heating and stop heating according to the temperature of the heating body.

[0008] In this embodiment, based on the overheat protection of the steam generator, a second thermostat is provided in the steam generator so that the second thermostat controls the operation of the heating body according to the temperature of the heating body. This realizes the automatic control of the operation of the heating body and also provides sufficient overheat protection for the steam generator.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present application, after controlling the heating body to be powered on for heating and enabling the first thermostat to monitor the temperature of the heating body, the method further includes: obtaining the temperature of the heating body according to monitoring by the second thermostat, and if the temperature of the heating body is greater than a preset second temperature, controlling the heating body to stop heating.

[0010] In this embodiment, the temperature of the heating body is sensed by the second thermostat to monitor whether there is a temperature abnormality in the heating body. If the temperature reaches the second temperature, it means that the temperature is abnormal, and the heating body is controlled to stop running, thereby realizing automatic protection against overheating of the heating body and preventing damage to the washing machine due to overheating of the heating body.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present application, the shell of the steam generator is also provided with a pressure relief port connected to the heating body. After the heating body is controlled to be powered on for heating and the first thermostat is used to monitor the temperature of the heating body, the method further includes: obtaining the temperature of the heating body according to monitoring by the second thermostat, and if the temperature of the heating body is greater than a preset second temperature, controlling the heating body to stop heating.

[0012] In this embodiment, considering that there is a risk of damaging the steam generator when the pressure in the heating body is too high, the pressure value inside the heating body is obtained in real time when the steam generator is powered on. When the pressure is too high, the steam in the heating body is discharged through the pressure relief port opened on the steam generator shell to reduce the pressure inside the steam generator and reduce the risk of damage to the steam generator.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present application, the water inlet valve is controlled to inject water into the heating body through the water inlet according to the temperature of the heating body, comprising: obtaining the temperature of the heating body according to detection by the first thermostat, and when the heating body is heated to the water inlet temperature, the water inlet valve is controlled to open to inject water into the heating body through the water inlet; when the temperature of the heating body is cooled to the water stop temperature, the water inlet valve is controlled to close to stop injecting water into the heating body.

[0014] In this embodiment, by setting a first thermostat on the heating body, the opening and closing of the water inlet valve is controlled according to the obtained heating body temperature, and water is injected into the heating body when the heating body temperature rises to the water inlet temperature, and the heating body begins to cool down. When the heating body temperature drops to the water stop temperature, the water inlet valve is closed to stop injecting water into the heating body. Automatic water injection into the heating body is achieved, ensuring that there is enough water in the heating body to generate water vapor, so that the steam generator has sufficient and continuous steam output.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present application, the water inlet valve is connected to the power supply via a first thermostat, and the water inlet valve is controlled to inject water into the heating body via the water inlet according to the temperature of the heating body, including: when the first thermostat monitors that the temperature of the heating body is greater than or equal to the water inlet temperature, the water inlet valve is connected to the power supply, the water inlet valve is powered on and opened, and water starts to flow to the heating body; when the first thermostat monitors that the temperature of the heating body is less than or equal to the water stop temperature, the connection between the water inlet valve and the power supply is disconnected, the water inlet valve is powered off and closed, and water stops flowing to the heating body.

[0016] In this embodiment, the water inlet valve is connected to the power supply via the first thermostat, so that the first thermostat can directly control the on and off of the water inlet valve according to the temperature of the heating body. The first thermostat does not need to upload the heating body temperature information to the washing machine to control the opening and closing of the water inlet valve through the washing machine, thereby reducing the occupancy of the computing resources of the washing machine.

[0017] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a washing machine, comprising a drum, providing a processing space for clothes to be processed; a steam generator, used to generate steam and spray steam into the drum to process clothes; a box, used to construct an outer shell for the washing machine and provide an installation space for the drum and the steam generator, and the drum and the steam generator are accommodated and assembled through the installation space; the steam generator comprises: a shell, the shell of the steam generator is provided with a water inlet and a steam outlet; a heating body, installed under the shell, connected to the shell to form a chamber, the heating body is connected to the water inlet and the steam outlet The heating element is connected to the heating element through the chamber; a water inlet valve is connected to the heating element through a water inlet; a first thermostat is installed on the outside of the heating element, and the first thermostat controls the opening and closing of the water inlet valve according to the temperature of the heating element; the control method comprises: controlling the heating element to be powered on for heating, and making the first thermostat monitor the temperature of the heating element; according to the temperature of the heating element, controlling the water inlet valve to inject water into the heating element through the water inlet, and the steam outlet to spray out the steam generated by the heating element heating the water; when the steam generator completes the preset working procedure, controlling the heating element to stop heating.

[0018] In an embodiment of the present application, when the steam generator in the washing machine is powered on and starts working, the heating body in the steam generator also starts to be powered on and heated. The first thermostat controls the switch of the water inlet valve according to the temperature of the heating body, and injects water into the heating body so that there is always enough water in the heating body to produce steam. And when the steam generator is powered on and working, the heating body is controlled to be in a heating state at all times, which prevents the water and air in the heating body from cyclically switching between the cooling contraction and heating expansion states due to the intermittent power on and off of the heating body, and prevents the steam generator from spraying water while emitting steam. On the other hand, the continuous heating of the heating body allows the heating body to always maintain a certain temperature to ensure that the steam generator continuously and sufficiently sprays steam. This allows the steam generator to generate stable and continuous steam to process the clothes in the drum.

[0019] In one embodiment of the present application, the steam generator is equipped with a second temperature controller outside the heating body, wherein the controller includes: a thermal control unit: used to obtain the temperature of the heating body according to monitoring by the second temperature controller, and if the temperature of the heating body is greater than a preset first temperature, control the heating body to stop heating.

[0020] In this embodiment, based on the overheating protection of the steam generator, a second thermostat is provided in the steam generator to control the operation of the heating body according to the temperature of the heating body. When the temperature of the heating body is abnormal, the heating body is controlled to stop operating. This realizes automatic protection against overheating of the steam generator and prevents damage to the washing machine due to overheating of the heating body.

[0021] In one embodiment of the present application, the shell of the steam generator is also provided with a pressure relief port connected to the heating body, and the controller includes: a pressure acquisition unit, used to obtain the pressure value inside the heating body; a pressure relief unit, used to control the pressure relief port to open if the pressure value is greater than a preset pressure threshold, so as to discharge the steam in the heating body through the opening of the pressure relief port.

[0022] In this embodiment, considering that there is a risk of damaging the steam generator when the pressure in the heating body is too high, the pressure value inside the heating body is obtained in real time when the steam generator is powered on. When the pressure is too high, the steam in the heating body is discharged through the pressure relief port opened on the steam generator shell to reduce the pressure inside the steam generator and reduce the risk of damage to the steam generator.

[0023] In one embodiment of the present application, the controller includes: a water inlet unit, which is used to obtain the temperature of the heating body according to the detection of the second thermostat, and when the heating body is heated to the second temperature, the water inlet valve is controlled to open, and water is injected into the heating body through the water inlet; and a water stop unit, which is used to control the water inlet valve to close and stop injecting water into the heating body when the temperature of the heating body is lower than the second temperature.

[0024] In the above embodiment, in this embodiment, by setting a first thermostat on the heating body, the opening and closing of the water inlet valve is controlled according to the obtained heating body temperature, and water is injected into the heating body when the heating body temperature rises to the water inlet temperature, and the heating body begins to cool down. When the heating body temperature drops to the water stop temperature, the water inlet valve is closed to stop injecting water into the heating body. Automatic water injection into the heating body is achieved, ensuring that there is enough water in the heating body to generate water vapor, so that the steam generator has sufficient and continuous steam output.

[0025] The above technical solution controls the heating body to be in a heating state at all times when the steam generator is powered on, thereby preventing the water and air in the heating body from cyclically switching between the cooling contraction state and the heating expansion state due to the intermittent power on and off of the heating body, thereby preventing the steam generator from spraying water while emitting steam. On the other hand, the continuous heating of the heating body allows the heating body to always maintain a certain temperature, thereby ensuring that the steam generator continuously and sufficiently sprays steam. This allows the steam generator to generate stable and continuous steam to treat the clothes in the drum.

[0026] Other features and advantages of the present application will become apparent from the following detailed description, or may be learned in part by the practice of the present application.

[0027] It should be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary only and are not restrictive of the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present application will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings.

[0029] Figure 1 A structural schematic diagram of a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0030] Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of a steam generator according to an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0031] Figure 3 A flow chart of a method for controlling a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0032] Figure 4 A flow chart of depressurizing a heating body according to an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0033] Figure 5 A flow chart is shown of controlling a water inlet valve to inject water into a heating body through a water inlet according to the temperature of the heating body according to one embodiment of the present application.

[0034] Figure 6 A flow chart is shown in which a water inlet valve is connected to a power source via a first thermostat according to an embodiment of the present application, and the water inlet valve is controlled to inject water into the heating body via a water inlet according to the temperature of the heating body.

[0035] Figure 7 A schematic diagram showing the electrical connection between a water inlet valve and a first thermostat according to an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0036] Figure 8 A schematic diagram showing electrical connection between a heating body and a second thermostat according to an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0037] The following are the descriptions of the reference numerals:

[0038] 100. Steam generator;

[0039] Shell: 101; water inlet: 1011; steam outlet: 1012; heating body: 102; first thermostat: 103; water inlet valve: 104. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, example embodiments can be implemented in a variety of forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein; rather, these example embodiments are provided so that the description of the present application will be more comprehensive and complete and the concepts of the example embodiments will be fully conveyed to those skilled in the art. The accompanying drawings are only schematic illustrations of the present application and are not necessarily drawn to scale. The same reference numerals in the figures represent the same or similar parts, and thus their repeated description will be omitted.

[0041] In addition, the described features, structures or characteristics may be combined in one or more example embodiments in any suitable manner. In the following description, many specific details are provided to provide a full understanding of the example embodiments of the present application. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the technical solution of the present application may be practiced while omitting one or more of the specific details, or other methods, components, steps, etc. may be adopted. In other cases, known structures, methods, implementations or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring the present application and making the various aspects of the present application obscure.

[0042] Some of the blocks shown in the accompanying drawings are functional entities that do not necessarily correspond to physically or logically independent entities. These functional entities can be implemented in software form, or in one or more hardware modules or integrated circuits, or in different networks and / or processor devices and / or microcontroller devices.

[0043] The present application provides a washing machine, including a housing, an outer tub, a drum, a steam generator, and a rack. Figure 1 , Figure 1 A structural schematic diagram of a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0044] The box body is usually a rectangular hollow structure, and is constructed as the outer shell of the washing machine. The appearance of the box body can also be other shapes, and can be designed according to needs, which is not limited here. The internal space of the box body provides installation space for components such as the outer drum and the drum.

[0045] The outer cylinder is arranged in the installation space in the box body, and the outer cylinder is relatively fixed inside the box body.

[0046] The drum is rotatably arranged in the accommodating space of the outer drum.

[0047] The steam generator is fixed to the inner wall of the box.

[0048] See also Figure 2 , Figure 2 The schematic diagram of the structure of a steam generator according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. The steam generator 100 comprises: a housing: 101; a heating body: 102; a first temperature controller: 103; and a water inlet valve: 104.

[0049] The shell 101 is provided with a water inlet 1011 and a steam outlet 1012 for water inlet and steam outlet. The first thermostat 103 controls the opening and closing of the water inlet valve 104 according to the temperature of the heating body 102; the heating body 102 is installed below the shell 101, and is connected with the shell 101 to form a chamber, and the heating body 102 is connected with the water inlet 102 and the steam outlet 1012 via the chamber; the water inlet valve 104 is connected with the heating body 102 through the water inlet 1011; the first thermostat 103 is installed outside the heating body 102, and the first thermostat 103 controls the opening and closing of the water inlet valve according to the temperature of the heating body 102.

[0050] In order to make the steam generator 100 spray only steam without spraying water in the heating body when it is working, the following control method is used to control the steam generator, which is as follows.

[0051] Based on the above steam generator 100, as Figure 3 As shown, Figure 3 A flow chart of a method for controlling a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. The present application provides a method for controlling a washing machine, including:

[0052] Step S210, controlling the heating body to be powered on for heating, and enabling the first temperature controller to monitor the temperature of the heating body;

[0053] Step S220, according to the temperature of the heating body, controlling the water inlet valve to inject water into the heating body through the water inlet, and the steam generated by the heating body heating the water is ejected through the steam outlet;

[0054] Step S230, when the steam generator completes the preset working procedure, the heating body is controlled to stop heating.

[0055] The above three steps are described in detail below.

[0056] In step S210 , the washing machine controls the steam generator to be powered on to start working. When the steam generator is powered on, it controls the heating body 102 disposed therein to be powered on and heated. At the same time, the temperature of the heating body 102 is monitored and obtained through the first thermostat 103 disposed on the outer surface of the heating body 102 .

[0057] See also Figure 4 , Figure 4 A flow chart of depressurizing a heating body according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. After step S210 of controlling the heating body to be powered on for heating and enabling the thermostat to monitor the temperature of the heating body, the present application provides a step of depressurizing the heating body, including:

[0058] Step S310, obtaining the pressure value inside the heating body;

[0059] Step S320: If the pressure value is greater than the preset pressure threshold, the pressure relief port is controlled to open, and the steam in the heating body is discharged through the opening of the pressure relief port.

[0060] The above two steps are described in detail below.

[0061] In one embodiment of the present application, considering that when the pressure in the heating body 102 is too high, there is a risk of damaging the steam generator 100, a pressure relief port 1013 is further provided on the shell 101, and the pressure relief port 1013 is connected to the chamber formed between the shell 101 and the heating body 102. When the pressure inside the heating body 102 is too high, the pressure relief port 1013 is controlled to open to reduce the pressure inside the heating body 102, thereby preventing the steam generator 100 from being damaged due to the excessive pressure inside the heating body 102.

[0062] When the steam generator 100 is powered on, the pressure information inside the heating body 102 is obtained in real time. When the pressure information indicates that the pressure is too high, the steam in the heating body 102 is discharged through the pressure relief port 1013 of the steam generator 100 to reduce the pressure inside the heating body 102 and reduce the risk of damage to the steam generator 100.

[0063] In step S310 , when the heating body 102 in the steam generator 100 starts to heat, the pressure value inside the heating body 102 is obtained. Specifically, a pressure sensor may be provided inside the heating body 102 to sense the pressure value inside the heating body 102 .

[0064] In step S320, after sensing the pressure value inside the heating body 102, it is determined whether the pressure value is greater than a preset pressure threshold, and the pressure threshold is less than the maximum pressure value that the heating body 102 can withstand. If the pressure value inside the heating body 102 is greater than the preset pressure threshold, it means that the pressure inside the heating body 102 is too high and it is necessary to reduce the pressure inside the heating body 102. At this time, the pressure relief port 1013 is controlled to open to discharge the steam inside the heating body 102 to reduce the pressure inside the heating body 102.

[0065] In another embodiment of the present application, the opening and closing mode of the pressure relief port 1013 can also be set to the form of a pressure valve. When the pressure in the chamber formed by the heating body 102 and the shell 101 reaches a certain level, the pressure relief port is "pushed" open due to the pressure inside the chamber, thereby discharging the steam in the chamber formed by the heating body 102 and the shell 101 to reduce the pressure in the chamber and reduce the risk of damage to the steam generator 100.

[0066] In step S220, the first thermostat 103 controls the opening and closing of the water inlet valve 104 according to the acquired temperature of the heating body 102, so as to inject water into the heating body 104. This ensures that there is always water in the heating body 103 to continuously generate water vapor.

[0067] See also Figure 5 , Figure 5 A flow chart of controlling a water inlet valve to inject water into a heating body through a water inlet according to the temperature of the heating body in one embodiment of the present application is shown. The present application embodiment provides a step S220 of controlling a water inlet valve to inject water into a heating body through a water inlet according to the temperature of the heating body, including:

[0068] Step S221a, obtaining the temperature of the heating body according to the detection of the first thermostat, and when the temperature of the heating body rises to the water inlet temperature, controlling the water inlet valve to open, and injecting water into the heating body through the water inlet;

[0069] Step S222a, when the temperature of the heating body drops to the water-stopping temperature, the water inlet valve is controlled to close and water injection into the heating body is stopped.

[0070] The above two steps are described in detail below.

[0071] If the working temperature of the heating body 102 is too high, the steam generator will be damaged faster, or the steam generator will generate too much steam, which is not conducive to the treatment of clothes. Therefore, a first thermostat 103 is arranged on the outer surface of the heating body to monitor the temperature of the heating body 102, and control the water inlet valve 104 to inject water into the heating body 102 when the temperature of the heating body 102 is too high, so as to reduce the temperature of the heating body 102 while supplying water to the heating body 102.

[0072] Specifically, in step S221a, as the heating body 102 starts to be powered on and heated, the temperature of the heating body 102 continues to rise with the passage of time. In this process, the first thermostat 103 arranged on the outer surface of the heating body 102 monitors the temperature of the heating body 102. After obtaining the temperature of the heating body 102, the first thermostat 103 compares the temperature of the heating body 102 with the preset water inlet temperature. When the temperature of the heating body 102 rises to the water inlet temperature, the first thermostat 103 controls the water inlet valve 104 to open, and the water inlet valve 104 connects the water source and the water inlet 1011. Then, water flows into the heating body 102 through the water inlet 1011, and cools down the heating body 102 while heating it to generate steam.

[0073] In step S222a, when the water inlet valve 104 is opened and the water continues to flow into the heating body 102 through the water inlet 1011, the water temperature in the heating body 102 decreases, causing the temperature of the heating body 102 to decrease accordingly. In order to avoid water spraying when the steam generator 100 sprays steam due to excessive water in the heating body, and to keep the heating body 102 and the water and air therein at a certain temperature so that sufficient steam can be sprayed, when the heating body 102 is cooled to the water stop temperature, the first thermostat 103 controls the water inlet valve 104 to close, stop water from entering the heating body 102, and stop cooling the heating body 102.

[0074] See also Figure 6 , Figure 6 The flow chart of a water inlet valve connected to a power source via a first thermostat and controlling the water inlet valve to inject water into the heating body via a water inlet according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. The present application embodiment provides a step S220 of connecting the water inlet valve to a power source via a first thermostat and controlling the water inlet valve to inject water into the heating body via a water inlet according to the temperature of the heating body, including:

[0075] Step S221b, when the first thermostat detects that the temperature of the heating body is greater than or equal to the water inlet temperature, the water inlet valve is connected to the power supply, the water inlet valve is powered on and opened, and water starts to flow to the heating body;

[0076] Step S222b, when the first thermostat detects that the temperature of the heating body is less than or equal to the water cut-off temperature, the connection between the water inlet valve and the power supply is disconnected, the water inlet valve is powered off and closed, and the water stops flowing to the heating body.

[0077] The above two steps are described in detail below.

[0078] In the embodiments of this application, please refer to Figure 7 , Figure 7A schematic diagram of the electrical connection between the water inlet valve and the first thermostat according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. In order to facilitate the control of the water inlet valve 104, water is added to the heating body 102 and stopped in time. The first thermostat 103 is electrically connected to the water inlet valve 104, that is, the water inlet valve 104 is connected to the power supply via the first thermostat 103 to realize the opening and closing control of the water inlet valve 104. Specifically, the current flows from the live wire of the power supply to the neutral wire of the power supply. In the process of flowing to the neutral wire, the current passes through the first thermostat 103 and the water inlet valve 104 in sequence, and then reaches the neutral wire to form a current loop. When the first thermostat 103 cuts off the current flowing to the neutral wire, the water inlet valve 104 has no current passing through it. The water inlet valve 104 will automatically close without current passing through it, cutting off the water flow to the water inlet 1011 to stop injecting water into the heating body 102. When the first thermostat 103 allows the current to flow toward the neutral line, the water inlet valve 104 will have current flowing through it, and when the water inlet valve 104 has current flowing through it, it will be driven to open by electricity, thereby allowing the water to flow into the heating body 102 through the water inlet 1011 .

[0079] In step S221b, after the water inlet valve 104 is powered off and closed, the first thermostat 103 continues to monitor and obtain the temperature of the heating body. When the temperature of the heating body rises to the water inlet temperature, the first thermostat connects the water inlet valve 104 to the power supply, and the water inlet valve 104 is powered on and opened, so that the water source is connected to the water inlet 1011, and water is added to the heating body 102.

[0080] In step S222b, the temperature of the heating body is monitored and obtained by the first thermostat 103 and compared with the preset water-stop temperature. If the temperature of the heating body is less than or equal to the water-stop temperature, the first thermostat 102 disconnects the water inlet valve 104 from the power supply, and the water inlet valve 104 is powered off and closed, so that the water source and the water inlet 1011 are no longer connected, and water is stopped from being added to the heating body 102.

[0081] In this embodiment, the water inlet valve 104 is connected to the power supply via the first thermostat 103, so that the first thermostat can directly control the on and off of the water inlet valve 104 according to the temperature of the heating body 102. The first thermostat 103 does not need to upload the temperature information of the heating body 102 to the washing machine to control the opening and closing of the water inlet valve through the washing machine. This greatly reduces the occupancy of the computing resources of the washing machine, and also realizes the automatic control of the opening and closing of the water inlet valve 104.

[0082] In another embodiment of the present application, the water inlet valve 104 that controls the water flow into the heating body 102 through the water inlet 1011 can be replaced with a water pump.

[0083] In step S230, when the steam generator 100 completes a preset working program, such as the steam generator 100 works for a set time, or the washing program in the washing machine is terminated, it is determined that the steam generator 100 has completed the preset working program. After it is determined that the steam generator 100 has completed the preset working program, the heating body 102 is controlled to stop heating.

[0084] When the steam generator 100 in the washing machine is powered on and starts working, the heating body 102 in the steam generator 100 also starts to be powered on and heated. The first thermostat 100 controls the switch of the water inlet valve 104 according to the temperature of the heating body 102, and injects water into the heating body 102, so that there is always enough water in the heating body 102 to generate steam. And when the steam generator 100 is powered on and working, the heating body 102 is controlled to be in a heating state at all times, which avoids the water and air in the heating body 102 from cyclically changing between the two states of cooling contraction and heating expansion due to the intermittent power on and off of the heating body 102, and prevents the steam generator 100 from spraying water while emitting steam. On the other hand, the continuous heating of the heating body 102 keeps the heating body 102 at a certain temperature at all times to ensure that the steam generator 100 continuously and sufficiently sprays steam. This allows the steam generator 100 to generate stable and continuous steam to process the clothes in the drum.

[0085] On the other hand, when the heating body 102 is heated to the water inlet temperature, if the steam generator 100 fails and cannot inject water into the heating body 102 to reduce the temperature of the heating body 102, this will cause the hot water body to continue to heat up, and finally cause a safety accident. Therefore, in one embodiment of the present application, a second thermostat 105 is also provided on the outer surface of the steam generator 100 to monitor the temperature of the heating body 102 in real time. When the temperature of the heating body continues to rise and reaches the second set temperature, the second thermostat controls the heating body 102 to stop heating and sends an alarm signal to the steam generator 100 and / or the washing machine. The washing machine or the steam generator 100 sends a warning sound and / or a warning light source according to the alarm signal. When the washing machine supports remote control, it can also send an alarm signal to the control terminal to warn the user that the steam generator has a fault. It should be clear that the second temperature is higher than the first temperature and lower than the minimum temperature that damages the steam generator.

[0086] In another embodiment of the present application, please refer to Figure 8 , Figure 8A schematic diagram of the electrical connection between the heating body and the second thermostat according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. As shown in the figure, the second thermostat 105 is electrically connected to the heating body 102, that is, the heating body 102 is connected to the power supply via the second thermostat 105. To realize the on-off control of the heating body 102. Specifically, the current flows from the live wire of the power supply to the neutral wire of the power supply. The current passes through the second thermostat 105 and the heating body 102 in sequence during the process of flowing to the neutral wire, and then reaches the neutral wire to form a current loop. When the second thermostat 105 cuts off the current flowing to the neutral wire, the heating body 102 has no current passing through it, and the heating body 102 has no current passing through it, so it cannot be heated. Then the control of the heating body 102 by the second thermostat 105 is realized. When the second thermostat 105 senses that the temperature of the heating body 102 reaches the second temperature, the power connection between the heating body 102 and the second thermostat 105 is disconnected, even if the heating body 102 stops working.

[0087] In this embodiment, the heating body 102 is connected to the power supply via the second thermostat 105, so that the second thermostat can directly control the power on and off of the heating body 102 according to the temperature of the heating body 102. The second thermostat 105 does not need to upload the temperature information of the heating body 102 to the washing machine to control whether the heating body is working through the washing machine. This greatly reduces the occupancy of the computing resources of the washing machine, and also realizes automatic overheating protection of the steam generator.

[0088] In one embodiment of the present application, the present application further discloses a washing machine, comprising: a drum, a housing, an outer barrel, a drum, and a steam generator 100. The drum provides a processing space for the clothes to be processed; the steam generator 100 is used to generate steam and spray steam to the drum to process the clothes; the housing is used to construct an outer shell for the washing machine, and to provide an installation space for the drum and the steam generator 100, and the drum and the steam generator 100 are accommodated and assembled through the installation space; the steam generator includes: a housing 101, a heating body 102, a water inlet valve 104, a first thermostat 103, and a controller. A water inlet 1011, a pressure relief port 1013 and a steam outlet 1012 are provided on the shell of the steam generator; a heating body 102 is installed below the shell 101 and is connected with the shell 101 to form a chamber, and the heating body 102 is connected with the water inlet 1011 via the chamber; a water inlet valve 104 is installed between the water inlet 1011 and a water source, and the water inlet valve 104 controls the water flow into the heating body 102 via the water inlet 1011; a first thermostat 103 is installed outside the heating body 102, and the first thermostat 103 controls the opening and closing of the water inlet valve 104 according to the temperature of the heating body 102; and a controller is used to control the operation of the washing machine.

[0089] The controller can be configured as a heating unit, which is used to control the heating body 102 to be powered on for heating, and enable the first thermostat 103 to monitor the temperature of the heating body 102; a water injection unit, which is used to control the water inlet valve 104 to inject water into the heating body 102 through the water inlet 1011 according to the temperature of the heating body 102, and the steam generated by the heating body 102 heating the water is ejected through the steam outlet 1012; and a termination unit, which controls the heating body 102 to stop heating when the steam generator 100 completes the preset working program.

[0090] In another embodiment of the present application, the steam generator is equipped with a second temperature controller 105 outside the heating body 102, wherein the controller can also be configured as a thermal control unit: for monitoring and obtaining the temperature of the heating body 102 according to the second temperature controller 105, if the temperature of the heating body 102 is greater than a preset second temperature, controlling the heating body 102 to stop heating.

[0091] In one embodiment of the present application, the controller is configured as: a pressure acquisition unit, used to obtain the pressure value inside the heating body 102; a pressure relief unit, used to control the pressure relief port 1013 to open if the pressure value is greater than a preset pressure threshold, and discharge the steam in the heating body 102 through the opening of the pressure relief port 1013.

[0092] In one embodiment of the present application, the controller is configured as: a water inlet unit, which is used to obtain the temperature of the heating body 102 according to the detection of the second thermostat 105. When the heating body 102 is heated to the second temperature, the water inlet valve 104 is controlled to open, and water is injected into the heating body 102 through the water inlet 1011; a water stop unit, which is used to control the water inlet valve 104 to close and stop injecting water into the heating body 102 when the temperature of the heating body 102 is lower than the second temperature.

[0093] The washing machine and the control method of the washing machine provided in the above embodiment, by controlling the heating body 102 to be always in the heating state when the steam generator 100 is powered on, avoids the water and air in the heating body 102 from cyclically changing between the cooling contraction state and the heating expansion state due to the intermittent power on and off of the heating body 102, and prevents the steam generator 100 from spraying water while emitting steam. On the other hand, the continuous heating of the heating body 102 keeps the heating body 102 at a certain temperature at all times, so as to ensure that the steam generator 100 continuously and sufficiently sprays steam. This enables the steam generator 100 to generate stable and continuous steam to process the clothes in the drum.

[0094] Through the description of the above implementation, it is easy for those skilled in the art to understand that the example implementation described here can be implemented by software, or by combining software with necessary hardware. Therefore, the technical solution according to the implementation of the present application can be embodied in the form of a software product, which can be stored in a non-volatile storage medium (which can be a CD-ROM, a USB flash drive, a mobile hard disk, etc.) or on a network, and includes several instructions to enable a washing machine to execute the method according to the implementation of the present application.

[0095] It should be noted that, although several modules or units of the equipment for action execution are mentioned in the above detailed description, this division is not mandatory. In fact, according to the embodiments of the present application, the features and functions of two or more modules or units described above can be embodied in one module or unit. On the contrary, the features and functions of one module or unit described above can be further divided into being embodied by multiple modules or units.

[0096] In addition, although the steps of the method in the present application are described in a specific order in the drawings, this does not require or imply that the steps must be performed in this specific order, or that all the steps shown must be performed to achieve the desired results. Additionally or alternatively, some steps may be omitted, multiple steps may be combined into one step, and / or one step may be decomposed into multiple steps, etc.

[0097] Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate other embodiments of the present application after considering the specification and practicing the invention disclosed herein. The present application is intended to cover any modification, use or adaptation of the present application, which follows the general principles of the present application and includes common knowledge or customary techniques in the art that are not disclosed in the present application. The specification and examples are intended to be exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of the present application are indicated by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a washing machine, characterized in that: The washing machine comprises: The drum provides a processing space for the clothes to be processed; a steam generator, for generating steam and spraying the steam into the drum to treat the clothes; A box body, used to construct an outer shell for the washing machine and provide an installation space for the drum and the steam generator, and the drum and the steam generator are accommodated and assembled through the installation space; The steam generator comprises: The shell of the steam generator is provided with a water inlet and a steam outlet; A heating body is installed below the shell and communicated with the shell to form a chamber, and the heating body is communicated with the water inlet and the steam outlet via the chamber; A water inlet valve, the water inlet valve is connected to the heating body through a water inlet; A first thermostat, installed outside the heating body, the first thermostat controls the opening and closing of the water inlet valve according to the temperature of the heating body; The control method comprises: Controlling the heating body to be powered on for heating, and enabling the first thermostat to monitor the temperature of the heating body; According to the temperature of the heating body, the water inlet valve is controlled to inject water into the heating body through the water inlet, and the steam outlet sprays out the steam generated by the heating body heating the water; When the steam generator completes the preset working procedure, the heating body is controlled to stop heating.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The steam generator further comprises a second thermostat installed outside the heating body, wherein the second thermostat is used for controlling the heating body to start heating and stop heating according to the temperature of the heating body.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that After controlling the heating body to be powered on for heating and enabling the first thermostat to monitor the temperature of the heating body, the method further includes: The temperature of the heating body is monitored and acquired by the second temperature controller. If the temperature of the heating body is greater than a preset second temperature, the heating body is controlled to stop heating.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The shell of the steam generator is also provided with a pressure relief port connected to the heating body. After the heating body is controlled to be powered on for heating and the temperature controller is used to monitor the temperature of the heating body, the method further includes: Obtaining a pressure value inside the heating body; If the pressure value is greater than a preset pressure threshold, the pressure relief port is controlled to open, and the steam in the heating body is discharged through the opening of the pressure relief port.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The step of controlling the water inlet valve to inject water into the heating body through the water inlet according to the temperature of the heating body comprises: The temperature of the heating body is obtained by detecting the first thermostat, and when the temperature of the heating body rises to the water inlet temperature, the water inlet valve is controlled to open, and water is injected into the heating body through the water inlet; When the temperature of the heating body drops to the water-stopping temperature, the water inlet valve is controlled to close, and water injection into the heating body is stopped.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The water inlet valve is connected to a power source via a first thermostat, and the water inlet valve is controlled to inject water into the heating body via the water inlet according to the temperature of the heating body, including: When the first thermostat detects that the temperature of the heating body is greater than or equal to the water inlet temperature, the water inlet valve is connected to the power supply, the water inlet valve is powered on and opened, and water starts to flow to the heating body; When the first thermostat detects that the temperature of the heating body is less than or equal to the water cut-off temperature, the connection between the water inlet valve and the power supply is disconnected, the water inlet valve is powered off and closed, and the water stops flowing to the heating body.

7. A washing machine, characterized in that: include: The drum provides a processing space for the clothes to be processed; a steam generator, for generating steam and spraying the steam into the drum to treat the clothes; A box body, used to construct an outer shell for the washing machine and provide an installation space for the drum and the steam generator, and the drum and the steam generator are accommodated and assembled through the installation space; The steam generator comprises: The shell of the steam generator is provided with a water inlet and a steam outlet; A heating body is installed below the shell and communicated with the shell to form a chamber, and the heating body is communicated with the water inlet and the steam outlet via the chamber; A water inlet valve, the water inlet valve is connected to the heating body through a water inlet; A first thermostat, installed outside the heating body, the first thermostat controls the opening and closing of the water inlet valve according to the temperature of the heating body; and A controller, the controller comprising: A heating unit, used to control the heating body to be electrically heated and to enable the thermostat to monitor the temperature of the heating body; A water injection unit, used to control the water inlet valve to inject water into the heating body through the water inlet according to the temperature of the heating body, and the steam outlet to spray steam generated by the heating body heating the water; The termination unit controls the heating body to stop heating when the steam generator completes a preset working procedure.

8. The washing machine according to claim 7, characterized in that: The steam generator is equipped with a second temperature controller outside the heating body, and the controller includes: Thermal control unit: used to monitor and obtain the temperature of the heating body according to the second thermostat, and if the temperature of the heating body is greater than a preset second temperature, control the heating body to stop heating.

9. The washing machine according to claim 7, characterized in that: The shell of the steam generator is also provided with a pressure relief port connected to the heating body, and the controller includes: A pressure acquisition unit, used to acquire the pressure value inside the heating body; The pressure relief unit is used to control the pressure relief port to open if the pressure value is greater than a preset pressure threshold, so as to discharge the steam in the heating body through the opening of the pressure relief port.

10. The washing machine according to claim 7, characterized in that: The controller comprises: a water inlet unit, configured to obtain the temperature of the heating body according to the detection of the first thermostat, and when the temperature of the heating body rises to the water inlet temperature, control the water inlet valve to open, and inject water into the heating body through the water inlet; The water stop unit is used to control the water inlet valve to close and stop injecting water into the heating body when the temperature of the heating body drops to the water stop temperature.

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