A washing machine

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application provide a washing machine, comprising: a cabinet; a door body and an electric door lock are arranged on the cabinet; the electric door lock comprises: a door hook and a lock body; a direct current motor; a control circuit is arranged in the cabinet, and the control circuit comprises: a driving module; a first limiting module, configured to generate a door closing limiting signal when the door body is attached to the cabinet and the door hook is inserted into the lock body, and generate a door opening limiting signal when the door body is away from the cabinet and the door hook is not inserted into the lock body; a controller, configured to control the driving module to drive the direct current motor to rotate when detecting that the first limiting module generates the door closing limiting signal, so as to switch the electric door lock to a door locking state or an unlocking state; and control the driving module to drive the direct current motor to rotate when detecting that the first limiting module does not generate the door closing limiting signal and the door opening limiting signal, so as to switch the electric door lock to the unlocking state. The technical scheme of the embodiments of the present application can fix the door body on the cabinet through the direct current motor, so as to reduce noise and improve safety.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of electromechanical control technology, and more specifically, to a washing machine. Background Technology

[0002] With the improvement of people's living standards, washing clothes by washing machine has become a common method. However, preventing the washing machine door from opening abnormally during the washing process, causing clothes to be thrown out, is a challenge. Related technologies have proposed washing machines with electric door locks, which generate magnetic force when the coil of the electric door lock is energized, thereby attracting the lock cylinder inside the lock to lock or unlock. However, electric door locks generate significant noise when locking due to their inherent characteristics, degrading the user experience. Furthermore, electric door locks require high-voltage AC power to operate, posing a significant safety risk if the user accidentally activates the lock. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the aforementioned technical problems, embodiments of this application provide a washing machine.

[0004] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, a washing machine is provided, comprising: a cabinet; a door and an electric door lock provided on the cabinet; wherein the door is configured to open and close on the cabinet; the electric door lock comprises: a door hook and a lock body, wherein the door hook is disposed on the door; a DC motor, which rotates when a DC voltage is detected, driving a gear inside the lock body to rotate; a control circuit is provided inside the cabinet, the control circuit comprising: a drive module electrically connected to the DC motor for driving the DC motor to rotate; and a first limiting module for limiting the door when it is attached to the cabinet. The controller is configured to generate a closing limit signal when the door hook is inserted into the lock body, and an opening limit signal when the door body moves away from the housing and the door hook is not inserted into the lock body; the controller is configured to control the drive module to drive the DC motor to rotate when the first limit module generates the closing limit signal, so that the electric door lock switches to the locked state or the unlocked state; and to control the drive module to drive the DC motor to rotate when the first limit module does not generate the closing limit signal or the opening limit signal, so that the electric door lock switches to the unlocked state.

[0005] In the above embodiments, the drive module drives the DC motor to rotate under the control of the controller, enabling the electric door lock to switch to the locked state. This secures the door's opening and closing end to the washing machine body, preventing clothes from being thrown out. Simultaneously, the first limit module ensures that the controller can only switch the electric door lock to the locked state when the washing machine door is against the body, improving door security. Furthermore, the method of locking or unlocking by the DC motor driving the lock's gears effectively reduces noise, thus improving user satisfaction. Secondly, the DC voltage supplied to the DC motor is lower than the AC voltage used by the washing machine, effectively reducing the risk of accidental contact with a leaking electric door lock and enhancing user safety when using the washing machine. In addition, considering that vibrations during the use of the washing machine may cause displacement of the door's opening and closing end, resulting in the door not fitting properly against the cabinet but also unable to move away from it, the controller controls the drive module to drive the DC motor to rotate when it detects that the first limit module has not generated a closing limit signal and an opening limit signal. This causes the electric door lock to switch to the unlocked state, making it easier to restore the door's opening and closing settings on the cabinet and further improving user satisfaction with the washing machine.

[0006] In some embodiments, the first limiting module includes a first limiting switch, which has a first moving end, a first stationary end, and a second stationary end. When the first stationary end is connected to the first moving end, a door closing limit signal is generated. When the second stationary end is connected to the first moving end, a door opening limit signal is generated. The door body drives the door hook to move so that the first stationary end or the second stationary end of the first limiting switch is connected to the first moving end.

[0007] In some embodiments, the control circuit further includes: a second limit module, configured to generate a lock limit signal when the electric door lock switches to the locked state, and to generate an unlock limit signal when the electric door lock switches to the unlocked state; the controller is further configured to receive the lock limit signal or the unlock limit signal generated by the second limit module when controlling the drive module to drive the DC motor to rotate; and to determine whether the electric door lock switches to the locked state or the unlocked state based on the received lock limit signal or the unlock limit signal.

[0008] In the above embodiments, during the process of controlling the drive module to drive the DC motor to rotate, the controller can improve the accuracy of determining whether the electric door lock has switched to the locked or unlocked state by using the lock limit signal or unlock limit signal generated by the second limit module, so as to cut off the power supply to the DC motor in a timely manner and ensure that the electric door lock is not easily damaged.

[0009] In some embodiments, the second limit module includes a second limit switch, which has a second moving end, a third stationary end, and a fourth stationary end. When the third stationary end is connected to the second moving end, a door lock limit signal is generated. When the fourth stationary end is connected to the second moving end, an unlock limit signal is generated. The gear is rotated by the DC motor so that the third stationary end or the fourth stationary end of the second limit switch is connected to the second moving end.

[0010] In some embodiments, the drive module includes a DC power supply, a power supply switch, and a fuse switch; one end of the power supply switch is electrically connected to the DC power supply, and the other end is electrically connected to the positive terminal of the DC motor; one end of the fuse switch is electrically connected to the negative terminal of the DC motor, and the other end is grounded; the controller is further configured to control both the power supply switch and the fuse switch to conduct when it detects that the first limit module generates the door closing limit signal or detects that the first limit module does not generate the door closing limit signal and the door opening limit signal.

[0011] In the above embodiments, when the controller needs to switch the electric door lock to the locked or unlocked state, it can control the power supply switch and the safety switch to be turned on so that the DC power supply can supply power to the DC motor, thereby reducing the probability of the DC motor being accidentally powered on and rotating, which would damage the electric door lock.

[0012] In some embodiments, both the power supply switch and the safety switch are electrically connected to the first limit module; when the first limit module generates the door closing limit signal or when the first limit module does not generate the door closing limit signal and the door opening limit signal, the power supply switch and the safety switch are both turned on.

[0013] In the above embodiments, the power supply switch and the safety switch can only provide DC power to the DC motor and form a circuit path when the door is attached to the cabinet and the door hook is inserted into the lock body, or when the door is not attached to the cabinet but cannot move away from the cabinet. This reduces the risk of the DC motor being accidentally powered on and rotating, and ensures that the electric door lock can be switched to the unlocked state even when the door is not attached to the cabinet due to vibration during the use of the washing machine, thereby improving user satisfaction with the washing machine.

[0014] In some embodiments, the control circuit further includes: a monitoring module electrically connected to the DC motor for monitoring the operating state of the DC motor; the controller is further configured to control the DC motor to stop working when it is determined that the operating state of the DC motor monitored by the monitoring module is an abnormal operating state.

[0015] In the above embodiments, the operating status of the DC motor is monitored through the electrical connection between the monitoring module and the DC motor. This allows the controller to promptly stop the DC motor when it determines that the operating status of the DC motor monitored by the monitoring module is abnormal, thereby reducing the probability of damage to the DC motor and extending its service life.

[0016] In some embodiments, the controller is further configured to: acquire the starting voltage of the DC motor during the process of controlling the drive module to drive the DC motor to rotate; and adjust the output voltage of the drive module based on the PWM method corresponding to the starting voltage, wherein the output voltage is used to drive the DC motor to rotate.

[0017] In the above embodiments, the PWM method can reduce the output voltage of the drive module when the drive module drives the DC motor to rotate, thereby reducing the current required by the DC motor at the moment of startup, thus reducing the power demand of the DC power supply in the drive module and reducing the production cost of the washing machine; and gradually increase the output voltage of the drive module during the process of the drive module driving the DC motor to rotate, until the output voltage of the drive module reaches the starting voltage of the DC motor, thereby improving the rotation efficiency of the DC motor.

[0018] In some embodiments, the control circuit further includes a protection module, which is electrically connected to the drive module and the DC motor respectively, and is used to control the DC motor to stop rotating when the negative voltage of the DC motor exceeds the positive voltage of the DC motor.

[0019] In the above embodiments, the protection module can control the DC motor to stop rotating when the negative voltage of the DC motor exceeds the positive voltage of the DC motor, so that the DC motor can only rotate in one direction, ensuring the consistency of the rotation direction and improving reliability.

[0020] In some embodiments, the protection module includes a diode, the cathode of which is electrically connected to the DC motor, and the anode of which is electrically connected to the drive module.

[0021] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and do not limit this application. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application. It is obvious that the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of this application, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without any inventive effort. In the drawings:

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of an electric door lock, as shown in an exemplary embodiment of this application.

[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a control circuit shown in an exemplary embodiment of this application.

[0025] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first limit module in the control circuit shown in an exemplary embodiment of this application.

[0026] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first limit module in the control circuit shown in another exemplary embodiment of this application.

[0027] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first limit module in the control circuit shown in another exemplary embodiment of this application.

[0028] Figure 6 Is Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of another control circuit based on the above.

[0029] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second limit module in the control circuit shown in an exemplary embodiment of this application.

[0030] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second limit module in the control circuit shown in another exemplary embodiment of this application.

[0031] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second limit module in the control circuit shown in another exemplary embodiment of this application.

[0032] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of a driver module in an exemplary embodiment of this application.

[0033] Figure 11 Is Figure 2 This provides a schematic diagram of another control circuit based on the above.

[0034] Figure 12 Is Figure 2 This provides a schematic diagram of another control circuit based on the above.

[0035] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the protection module in the control circuit shown in an exemplary embodiment of this application.

[0036] Figure 14 This is a flowchart of an electric door lock control method for a washing machine provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0037] Exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these exemplary embodiments can be implemented in many forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided to make this application more comprehensive and complete, and to fully convey the concept of the exemplary embodiments to those skilled in the art.

[0038] Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. Numerous specific details are provided in the following description to give a thorough understanding of embodiments of this application. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the technical solutions of this application can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or other methods, components, apparatuses, steps, etc., can be employed. In other instances, well-known methods, apparatuses, implementations, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring various aspects of this application.

[0039] The block diagrams shown in the accompanying drawings are merely functional entities and do not necessarily correspond to physically independent entities. That is, these functional entities can be implemented in software, in one or more hardware modules or integrated circuits, or in different network and / or processor devices and / or microcontroller devices.

[0040] The flowcharts shown in the accompanying drawings are merely illustrative and do not necessarily include all content and operations / steps, nor do they necessarily have to be performed in the described order. For example, some operations / steps can be broken down, while others can be combined or partially combined; therefore, the actual execution order may change depending on the specific circumstances.

[0041] It should be noted that "multiple" in this article refers to two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0042] This application provides a washing machine, which includes a cabinet, a door, and an electric door lock. The door is designed to open and close on the cabinet, and the electric door lock is used to secure the door to the cabinet. A schematic diagram of the electric door lock 100 can be found [here]. Figure 1 As shown, the electric door lock 100 includes a door hook 110, a lock body 120, and a DC motor 130.

[0043] The door hook 110 is installed on the door so that the door hook 110 can move along with the opening and closing of the door.

[0044] Both the lock body 120 and the DC motor 130 are housed within the housing. The DC motor 130 rotates when it detects a DC voltage, thereby driving the gears inside the lock body 120 to rotate, thus switching the electric door lock 100 to either the locked or unlocked state.

[0045] The housing contains a control circuit for locking or unlocking the electric door lock 100. A schematic diagram of the control circuit can be found in [reference needed]. Figure 2 As shown, the control circuit 200 includes a drive module 210, a first limit module 220, and a controller 230. Each part will be described below.

[0046] The drive module 210 is electrically connected to the DC motor 130, and the drive module 210 is used to drive the DC motor 130 to rotate.

[0047] The first limit module 220 is used to generate a closing limit signal when the door body is attached to the box body and the door hook 110 is inserted into the lock body 120, and to generate an opening limit signal when the door body is away from the box body and the door hook 110 is not inserted into the lock body 120.

[0048] The controller 230 is electrically connected to the drive module 210 and the first limit module 220 respectively. The controller 230 is configured to control the drive module 210 to drive the DC motor 130 to rotate when the first limit module 220 generates a door closing limit signal, so that the electric door lock 100 switches to the locked state or the unlocked state. When the first limit module 220 does not generate a door closing limit signal or a door opening limit signal, the controller 230 controls the drive module 210 to drive the DC motor 130 to rotate, so that the electric door lock 100 switches to the unlocked state.

[0049] In the embodiments of this application, the configuration of the first limiting module 220 can be flexibly adjusted as needed. In one example, the specific configuration of the first limiting module 220 can be referred to Figure 3As shown. The first limit module 220 includes a first limit switch 310. The first limit switch 310 has a first moving end, a first stationary end, and a second stationary end. When the first stationary end and the first moving end are connected, a closing limit signal is generated. When the second stationary end and the first moving end are connected, an opening limit signal is generated. The control method of the first moving end of the first limit switch 310 can be set so that the door body drives the door hook 110 to move, so that the first stationary end or the second stationary end of the first limit switch 310 is connected. That is, the first moving end of the first limit switch 310 is actuated by the door hook 110 moving with the door body. When the door body approaches the cabinet to close, the door hook 110 inserts into the lock body 120 and abuts against the first moving end of the first limit switch 310. When the door body is attached to the cabinet, the first moving end of the first limit switch 310 is connected to the first stationary end under the push of the door hook 110 to generate a closing limit signal indicating that the door body is currently in the closed state. When the door moves away from the cabinet and is opened, until the opening / closing end of the door is detached from the cabinet, the door hook 110 separates from the first moving end of the first limit switch 310, causing the first moving end of the first limit switch 310 to reset and connect with the second stationary end, thereby generating an opening limit signal indicating that the door is currently in the open state. Therefore, a closing limit signal is generated when the door is against the cabinet door and the door hook 110 is inserted into the lock body 120, and an opening limit signal is generated when the door moves away from the cabinet door and the door hook 110 is not inserted into the lock body 120.

[0050] The first limit switch 310 can be configured in two ways: First, magnetic elements can be installed on both the first moving end and the door hook 110. When the door hook 110 moves away from the lock body along with the door, the magnetic elements attract the first moving end towards the second fixed end, thus resetting the first moving end and establishing contact with the second fixed end. Second, a return spring can be installed in the first limit switch 310 to establish contact between the first moving end and the second fixed end. When the door hook 110 is inserted into the lock body 120 and abuts against the first moving end of the first limit switch 310, the return spring deforms, allowing the first moving end to connect with the first fixed end. When the door hook 110 is not inserted into the lock body 120, the first moving end resets under the return force of the return spring, establishing contact with the second fixed end.

[0051] At the same time, according to Figure 3 It can be seen that the closing limit signal and the opening limit signal can be set as ground signals. That is, when the controller 230 receives a ground signal through the first limit switch 310, it can use the ground signal as the closing limit signal or the opening limit signal generated by the first limit switch 310. Alternatively, refer to... Figure 4As shown, the first limit module 220 also includes a closing limit signal generation module 410 and an opening limit signal generation module 420. The closing limit signal generation module 410 is located between the first stationary terminal and the controller 230, and the opening limit signal generation module 420 is located between the second stationary terminal and the controller 230. When the first moving terminal of the first limit switch 310 is connected to the first stationary terminal, the closing limit signal generation module 410 forms a path through grounding the first limit switch 310, and can then generate a closing limit signal output to the controller 230. When the first moving terminal of the first limit switch 310 is connected to the second stationary terminal, the opening limit signal generation module 420 forms a path through grounding the first limit switch 310, and can then generate an opening limit signal output to the controller 230, thus facilitating the controller 230's identification of the opening and closing limit signals.

[0052] In another example, the specific configuration of the first limit module 220 can be found in [reference needed]. Figure 5 As shown, the first limit module 220 includes a closing limit relay 510 and an opening limit relay 520. The closing limit relay 510 generates a closing limit signal after being activated. The opening limit relay 520 generates an opening limit signal after being activated. The control method for the closing limit relay 510 and the opening limit relay 520 can be configured such that the door body drives the door hook 110 to move, thereby activating either the closing limit relay 510 or the opening limit relay 520. That is, the activation mode of both the closing limit relay 510 and the opening limit relay 520 can be configured to cooperate with the door hook 110. Thus, when the door body is against the lock body, the depth to which the door hook 110 inserts into the lock body 120 can trigger the closing limit relay 510 to generate a closing limit signal. When the door body moves away from the lock body, the door hook 110 simultaneously disengages from the lock body 120, triggering the opening limit relay 520 to generate an opening limit signal.

[0053] In addition, the conduction mode of the closing limit relay 510 and the opening limit relay 520 can be set to photosensitive conduction or trigger conduction. That is, the door hook 110 is inserted into the lock body 120 to trigger the emission of the conduction laser used to conduct the closing limit relay 510 and trigger the cessation of the conduction laser emitted by the opening limit relay 520. Alternatively, the door hook 110 is inserted into the lock body 120 to move the contact used to conduct the closing limit relay 510 or the opening limit relay 520 to the closing limit relay 510, so that the closing limit relay 510 conducts. When the door hook 110 moves away from the lock body 120, it drives the contact to move to the opening limit relay 520, so that the opening limit relay 520 conducts.

[0054] In the embodiments of this application, when the controller 230 detects that the first limit module 220 generates a closing limit signal, it indicates that the door is currently attached to the housing and the door hook 110 is inserted into the lock body 120. The controller then controls the drive module 210 to drive the DC motor 130 to rotate, thereby rotating the gears inside the lock body 120. This causes the electric door lock 100 to switch to either a locked or unlocked state, fixing the opening / closing end of the door to the housing or restoring the door's opening / closing position on the housing. Conversely, when the controller 230 detects that the first limit module 220 does not generate a closing or opening limit signal, it indicates that the door is neither attached to nor away from the housing. When it is necessary to restore the door's opening / closing position on the housing, the controller 230 can also control the drive module 210 to drive the DC motor 130 to rotate, causing the DC motor 130 to rotate the gears inside the lock body 120, thus switching the electric door lock 100 to the unlocked state.

[0055] Through the above implementation, the drive module 210 drives the DC motor 130 to rotate under the control of the controller 230, enabling the electric door lock 100 to switch to the locked state, thus fixing the opening and closing end of the door to the cabinet and preventing clothes from being thrown out of the washing machine. Simultaneously, the first limit module 220 ensures that the controller 230 can only control the electric door lock 100 to switch to the locked state when the washing machine door is against the cabinet, improving the security of the door when locked. Furthermore, by using the rotation of the DC motor 130 to drive the gears of the lock body 120 for locking or unlocking, the noise of the electric door lock 100 can be effectively reduced, thereby improving user satisfaction with the washing machine. In addition, the DC voltage supplied to the DC motor 130 is lower than the AC voltage used by the washing machine, effectively reducing the risk of accidental contact with the leaking electric door lock 100 and improving user safety when using the washing machine.

[0056] Secondly, considering that vibrations during the use of the washing machine may cause displacement of the door's opening and closing end, resulting in the door not fitting properly against the cabinet but also not being able to move away from it, the controller 230 controls the drive module 210 to drive the DC motor 130 to rotate when it detects that the first limit module 220 has not generated a closing limit signal and an opening limit signal. This causes the electric door lock 100 to switch to the unlocked state, making it easier to restore the door's opening and closing settings on the cabinet and further improving user satisfaction with the washing machine.

[0057] Figure 6 Is Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a control circuit 200 is provided based on the above. For example... Figure 6As shown, the control circuit 200 also includes a second limit module 610. The second limit module 610 is used to generate a lock limit signal when the electric door lock 100 switches to the lock state, and to generate an unlock limit signal when the electric door lock 100 switches to the unlock state.

[0058] The controller 230 is also electrically connected to the second limit module 610. The controller 230 is also configured to receive a lock limit signal or an unlock limit signal generated by the second limit module 610 when the control drive module 210 drives the DC motor 130 to rotate, and determine whether the electric door lock 100 switches to the lock state or the unlock state based on the received lock limit signal or unlock limit signal.

[0059] In the embodiments of this application, the configuration of the second limiting module 610 can be flexibly adjusted as needed. In one example, the specific configuration of the second limiting module 610 can be referred to Figure 7 As shown, the second limit module 610 includes a second limit switch 710. The second limit switch 710 has a second moving end, a third stationary end, and a fourth stationary end. When the third stationary end is connected to the second moving end, a lock limit signal is generated; when the fourth stationary end is connected to the second moving end, an unlock limit signal is generated. The control method for the second moving end of the second limit switch 710 can be set such that a DC motor 130 drives a gear to rotate, causing either the third or fourth stationary end of the second limit switch 710 to connect with the second moving end. That is, the second moving end of the second limit switch 710 moves with the rotation of the gear. When the gear rotates to a position where the lock body 120 can fix the opening / closing end of the door to the housing, the second moving end of the second limit switch 710 connects with the third stationary end; when the gear rotates to a position where the lock body 120 can move the opening / closing end of the door away from the housing, the second moving end of the second limit switch 710 connects with the fourth stationary end. This achieves the purpose of generating a locking limit signal when the electric door lock 100 switches to the locking state and generating an unlocking limit signal when the electric door lock 100 switches to the unlocking state.

[0060] At the same time, according to Figure 7 It can be seen that the lock limit signal and unlock limit signal can also be set as ground signals. That is, when the controller 230 receives a ground signal through the second limit switch 710, it can use the ground signal as the lock limit signal or unlock limit signal generated by the second limit switch 710. Secondly, it can also refer to Figure 8As shown, the second limit module 610 also includes a lock limit signal generation module 410 and an unlock limit signal generation module 420. The lock limit signal generation module 410 is located between the third stationary terminal and the controller 230, and the unlock limit signal generation module 420 is located between the fourth stationary terminal and the controller 230. Therefore, when the second moving terminal of the second limit switch 710 is connected to the third stationary terminal, the lock limit signal generation module 410 forms a path through grounding the second limit switch 710, and can then generate a lock limit signal output to the controller 230. When the second moving terminal of the second limit switch 710 is connected to the fourth stationary terminal, the unlock limit signal generation module 420 forms a path through grounding the second limit switch 710, and can then generate an unlock limit signal output to the controller 230, thus facilitating the controller 230's identification of the lock and unlock limit signals.

[0061] In addition, the second limit switch 710 can also be configured by sharing the same grounding terminal with the second moving end of the second limit switch 710 and the first moving end of the first limit switch 310, thereby reducing the required circuit connection points and saving production costs.

[0062] In another example, the specific configuration of the second limit module 610 can be found in [reference needed]. Figure 9 As shown, the second limit module 610 includes a door lock limit relay 910 and an unlock limit relay 920. The door lock limit relay 910 generates a door lock limit signal after being turned on. The unlock limit relay 920 generates an unlock limit signal after being turned on. The control method for the door lock limit relay 910 and the unlock limit relay 920 can be set such that the gear is rotated by the DC motor 130, causing either the door lock limit relay 910 or the unlock limit relay 920 to turn on. That is, the turning mode of both the door lock limit relay 910 and the unlock limit relay 920 can be configured to cooperate with the gear. Thus, when the gear rotates to a position where the lock body 120 can fix the opening / closing end of the door on the housing, the door lock limit relay 910 can be turned on to trigger the generation of the door lock limit signal; when the gear rotates to a position where the lock body 120 can move the opening / closing end of the door away from the housing, the unlock limit relay 920 can be turned on to trigger the generation of the door lock limit signal.

[0063] In addition, the conduction method of the lock limit relay 910 and the unlock limit relay 920 can also be set to photosensitive conduction or trigger conduction, that is, the laser used to conduct the lock limit relay 910 or the unlock limit relay 920 is emitted by the gear trigger, or the contacts used to conduct the lock limit relay 910 or the unlock limit relay 920 are moved to the lock limit relay 910 or the unlock limit relay 920 by the gear.

[0064] Through the above implementation method, during the process of the controller 230 controlling the drive module 210 to drive the DC motor 130 to rotate, the accuracy of determining whether the electric door lock 100 has switched to the locked state or the unlocked state can be improved based on the lock limit signal or unlock limit signal generated by the second limit module 610, so as to achieve the purpose of timely cutting off the power supply of the DC motor 130 and ensuring that the electric door lock 100 is not easily damaged.

[0065] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the drive module 210 in the control circuit 200 of this application embodiment. (See attached diagram.) Figure 10 As shown, the drive module 210 includes a DC power supply V1, a power supply switch S1, and a fuse switch S2.

[0066] DC power supply V1 is used to supply power to DC motor 130. The DC voltage value of DC power supply V1 can be set according to the rated voltage of DC motor 130.

[0067] One end of the power supply switch S1 is electrically connected to the DC power supply V1, and the other end of the power supply switch S1 is electrically connected to the positive terminal of the DC motor 130.

[0068] One end of the safety switch S2 is electrically connected to the negative terminal of the DC motor 130, and the other end of the safety switch S2 is grounded.

[0069] The power supply switch S1 and the fuse switch S2 can be configured as a switching relay, a thyristor, a transistor, or a MOSFET as needed to control the start and stop states of the DC motor 130. The specific configuration can be adjusted according to actual needs and is not restricted here.

[0070] The controller 230 is also electrically connected to the power supply switch S1 and the safety switch S2 respectively. The controller 230 is also configured to turn on both the power supply switch S1 and the safety switch S2 when it detects that the first limit module 220 generates a door closing limit signal or when it detects that the first limit module 220 does not generate a door closing limit signal or a door opening limit signal.

[0071] In the embodiments of this application, based on the electrical connection between the controller 230, the power supply switch S1, and the safety switch S2, when the controller 230 needs to switch the electric door lock 100 to a locked or unlocked state, it can control the power supply switch S1 and the safety switch S2 to be turned on, so that the DC power supply V1 supplies power to the DC motor 130, thereby reducing the probability of the DC motor 130 being accidentally energized and rotating, causing damage to the electric door lock 100. After the DC motor 130 rotates based on the power supply voltage provided by the DC power supply V1, the DC motor 130 drives the gears inside the lock body 120 to rotate to the position corresponding to the locked or unlocked state, so that the electric door lock 100 completes the process of switching to the locked or unlocked state.

[0072] When the controller 230 does not need to control the electric door lock 100, it controls the power supply switch S1 and the safety switch S2 to disconnect, thereby completely disconnecting the power supply to the DC motor 130. This prevents the DC power supply V1 from continuously supplying power to the DC motor 130, which could cause the DC motor 130 to operate abnormally and damage the electric door lock 100, thus improving the safety of the electric door lock 100.

[0073] Secondly, in the embodiments of this application, both the power supply switch S1 and the safety switch S2 can be connected to the first limit module 220. Based on the above connection relationship, when the first limit module 220 generates a door closing limit signal or when the first limit module 220 does not generate a door opening limit signal or a door closing limit signal, both the power supply switch S1 and the safety switch S2 are turned on. That is to say, only when the door is attached to the cabinet and the door hook 110 is inserted into the lock body 120, or when the door is not attached to the cabinet but cannot move away from the cabinet, can the DC motor 130 obtain the power supply of DC power V1 through the power supply switch S1 and the safety switch S2 and form a circuit path. This reduces the risk of the DC motor 130 being accidentally turned on and rotated, and ensures that even when the door is not attached to the cabinet due to vibration during the use of the washing machine, the electric door lock 100 can still be switched to the unlocked state, improving the user's satisfaction with the washing machine.

[0074] Figure 11 Is Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a control circuit 200 is provided based on the above. For example... Figure 11 As shown, the control circuit 200 also includes a monitoring module 1100. The monitoring module 1100 is electrically connected to the DC motor 130 and is used to monitor the operating status of the DC motor 130.

[0075] The controller 230 is also electrically connected to the monitoring module 1100, and the controller 230 is also configured to control the DC motor 130 to stop working when it is determined that the working state of the DC motor 130 monitored by the monitoring module 1100 is an abnormal working state.

[0076] In the embodiments of this application, the operating status of the DC motor 130 can be monitored by a monitoring module 1100 electrically connected to the DC motor 130, and the controller 230 electrically connected to the monitoring module 1100 can control the DC motor 130 to stop working when it is determined that the operating status of the DC motor 130 monitored by the monitoring module 1100 is an abnormal operating state, thereby reducing the probability of damage to the DC motor 130 and extending the service life of the DC motor 130.

[0077] The monitoring module 1100 can monitor the working status of the DC motor 130 in a flexible manner as needed. For example, it can monitor the working current value or the working voltage value of the DC motor 130. There are no restrictions on this.

[0078] Taking the monitoring module 1100 monitoring the operating current value of the DC motor 130 as an example, when the controller 230 receives the monitoring current value output by the monitoring module 1100 based on the DC voltage value, it can compare the monitoring current value with the preset current threshold. If it is determined that the monitoring current value is greater than the preset current threshold, it indicates that the current operating current value of the DC motor 130 is above the maximum operating current of the DC motor 130, which makes the DC motor 130 very prone to failure. Therefore, it can be determined that the operating state of the DC motor 130 is in an abnormal operating state, thereby controlling the DC motor 130 to stop working and ensuring that the DC motor 130 is not easily damaged.

[0079] Secondly, during the monitoring of the operating current value of the DC motor 130, the monitoring module 1100 can also be configured to output an abnormal signal indicating that the operating state of the DC motor 130 is abnormal if the operating current value of the DC motor 130 is greater than a preset current threshold. That is, when the DC motor 130 is powered on and rotating, the monitoring module 1100 acquires the operating current value of the DC motor 130 and compares it with the preset current threshold. When the operating current value of the DC motor 130 is greater than the preset current threshold, the monitoring module 1100 outputs an abnormal signal indicating that the operating state of the DC motor 130 is abnormal and sends the abnormal signal to the controller 230. This allows the controller 230 to directly determine that the current operating state of the DC motor 130 is abnormal based on the abnormal signal, thus eliminating the need for the controller 230 to determine whether the operating current value of the DC motor 130 is greater than the preset current threshold, thereby reducing the resource utilization rate of the controller 230.

[0080] In addition, the monitoring module 1100 can be further configured to output a preset fixed current value when the operating current value of the DC motor 130 is too low, that is, when the DC motor 130 is not rotating, so that the controller 230 can determine that the DC motor 130 is not rotating based on the received preset fixed current value.

[0081] In another exemplary embodiment, the controller 230 is also configured to perform the following steps:

[0082] During the process of the control drive module 210 driving the DC motor 130 to rotate, the starting voltage corresponding to the DC motor 130 is obtained;

[0083] The output voltage of the drive module 210 is adjusted based on the PWM method corresponding to the start-up voltage, wherein the output voltage is used to drive the DC motor 130 to rotate.

[0084] It should be noted that the basic principle of the PWM method is to control the output voltage or output current by changing the duty cycle of the electrical signal.

[0085] In the above process, considering that the current required by the DC motor 130 at the moment of startup varies with the voltage, that is, the higher the voltage obtained at the moment of startup of the DC motor 130, the higher the current required to start the DC motor 130; conversely, the lower the voltage, the lower the current required to start the DC motor 130. Therefore, in the embodiment of this application, when the controller 230 controls the drive module 210 to drive the DC motor 130 to rotate, it can first obtain the startup voltage corresponding to the DC motor 130, and then adjust the output voltage of the drive module 210 based on the PWM method corresponding to the startup voltage. This allows the controller 230 to lower the output voltage of the drive module 210 through the PWM method at the first moment when controlling the drive module 210 to drive the DC motor 130 to rotate, thereby reducing the current required by the DC motor 130 at the moment of startup, thereby reducing the power demand of the DC power supply in the drive module 210 and reducing the production cost of the washing machine.

[0086] Since the DC motor 130 rotates at a low speed when the voltage is below the starting voltage, the controller 230 can also gradually increase the output voltage of the drive module 210 after the DC motor 130 starts rotating using the PWM method, until the output voltage of the drive module 210 reaches the starting voltage of the DC motor 130. This improves the rotation efficiency of the DC motor 130 while reducing the power demand on the DC power supply 130 in the drive module 210.

[0087] The PWM method for adjusting the output voltage of the drive module 210 can be achieved by setting different output duty cycles in the PWM method, so that the controller 230 can control the drive module 210 based on different output duty cycles, thereby making the output voltage of the drive module 210 different voltage values.

[0088] Figure 12 Is Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a control circuit 200 is provided based on the above. For example... Figure 12 As shown, the control circuit 200 also includes a protection module 1200. The protection module 1200 is electrically connected to the drive module 210 and the DC motor 130 respectively. The protection module 1200 is used to control the DC motor 130 to stop rotating when the negative voltage of the DC motor 130 exceeds the positive voltage of the DC motor 130.

[0089] In the embodiments of this application, during the process of the controller 230 controlling the drive module 210 to drive the DC motor 130 to rotate, the protection module 1200 can control the DC motor 130 to stop rotating when the negative voltage of the DC motor 130 exceeds the positive voltage of the DC motor 130, so that the DC motor 130 can only rotate in one direction, ensuring the consistency of the rotation direction and higher reliability.

[0090] The configuration of protection module 1200 can be flexibly adjusted as needed. In one example, the specific configuration of protection module 1200 can be found by referring to... Figure 13 As shown. The protection module 1200 includes a diode D1. The cathode of the diode D1 is electrically connected to the DC motor 130, and the anode of the diode D1 is electrically connected to the drive module 210, thereby ensuring that the DC motor 130 can only rotate in one direction by means of the unidirectional conductivity of the diode D1.

[0091] In another example, the protection module 1200 can be configured as a comparator circuit. The first input terminal of the comparator circuit is electrically connected to the negative terminal of the DC motor 130, the second input terminal is electrically connected to the drive module 210, and the output terminal is electrically connected to the positive terminal of the DC motor 130. The comparator circuit is configured such that if the voltage value received at the second input terminal is greater than the voltage value received at the first input terminal, the voltage value received at the second input terminal is used as the voltage value to be output at the output terminal, thereby controlling the DC motor 130 to stop rotating when the negative terminal voltage of the DC motor 130 exceeds the positive terminal voltage of the DC motor 130.

[0092] Figure 14 This application provides an embodiment of an electric door lock control method for a washing machine, combined with... Figures 1-13 The schematic diagram of the electric door lock and control circuit in the washing machine shows that the electric door lock control method includes the following steps S1401-S1411:

[0093] Step S1401: Obtain the door closing limit signal or door opening limit signal generated by the first limit module.

[0094] The door closing limit signal indicates that the washing machine door is attached to the cabinet door and the door hook is inserted into the lock body, while the door opening limit signal indicates that the washing machine door is away from the cabinet door and the door hook is not inserted into the lock body.

[0095] Step S1401 includes step S1402. In step S1402, if the first limit module generates a door closing limit signal, it is determined that the washing machine door is currently attached to the cabinet door and the door hook is inserted into the lock body and is in the closed state. Then step S1403 can be executed, that is, the control program controls the drive module to drive the DC motor to rotate, so that the DC motor can drive the gear inside the lock body to rotate.

[0096] After executing step S1403, step S1404 can also be executed to determine whether the DC motor operating status monitored by the monitoring module is an abnormal operating status.

[0097] The method for determining whether the DC motor operating status monitored by the monitoring module is abnormal can refer to the above implementation method, and will not be repeated here.

[0098] In step S1404, if the determination is yes, it indicates that the current DC motor is operating abnormally, and step S1405 is executed to control the DC motor to stop working, thereby reducing the probability of damage to the DC motor. If the determination is no, it indicates that the current DC motor is operating normally, and step S1406 is executed to receive the lock limit signal or unlock limit signal generated by the second limit module, and in response to the lock limit signal or unlock limit signal, control the DC motor to stop working, determine that the control signal initiated by the control program has been executed, generate an execution end mark, and determine that the electric door lock has switched to the lock state or unlock state according to the lock limit signal or unlock limit signal generated by the second limit module.

[0099] Step S1401 also includes step S1407. In step S1407, if the first limit module does not generate a door closing limit signal and a door opening limit signal, it is determined that the washing machine door is neither attached to the cabinet nor far from the cabinet. Considering that the door in this state may be caused by the vibration of the washing machine during use, resulting in displacement of the door's opening and closing end, step S1408 can be executed to allow the electric door lock in the locked state to switch to the unlocked state. That is, the control program controls the drive module to drive the DC motor to rotate, so that the DC motor can drive the gear inside the lock body to rotate.

[0100] After executing step S1408, it can also be determined whether the DC motor operating status monitored by the monitoring module is an abnormal operating status, that is, to execute step S1409.

[0101] Furthermore, during the execution of step S1409, if the determination is yes, it indicates that the current DC motor is operating abnormally, and step S1410 is executed to control the DC motor to stop working, thereby reducing the probability of damage to the DC motor. If the determination is no, it indicates that the current DC motor is operating normally, and step S1411 is executed to receive the unlock limit signal generated by the second limit module, and in response to the unlock limit signal, control the DC motor to stop working, determine that the control signal initiated by the control program has been executed, generate an execution end marker, and determine that the electric door lock has switched to the unlock state based on the unlock limit signal generated by the second limit module.

[0102] Other embodiments of this application will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the embodiments disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this application that follow the general principles of this application and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein.

[0103] It should be understood that this application is not limited to the precise structure described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of this application is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A washing machine, characterized in that, include: Box; The enclosure is equipped with a door and an electric door lock; wherein, the door is designed to open and close on the enclosure. The electric door lock includes: A door hook and a lock body, wherein the door hook is disposed on the door body; A DC motor rotates when a DC voltage is detected, driving the gears inside the lock body to rotate; The enclosure is equipped with a control circuit, which includes: A drive module, electrically connected to the DC motor, is used to drive the DC motor to rotate; The first limiting module is used to generate a closing limiting signal when the door body is attached to the box body and the door hook is inserted into the lock body, and to generate an opening limiting signal when the door body is away from the box body and the door hook is not inserted into the lock body; The controller is configured to control the drive module to drive the DC motor to rotate when the first limit module generates the door closing limit signal, so that the electric door lock switches to the locked state or the unlocked state. When the first limit module detects that it has not generated the closing limit signal and the opening limit signal, it controls the drive module to drive the DC motor to rotate so that the electric door lock switches to the unlocked state.

2. The washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first limit module includes a first limit switch, which has a first moving end, a first stationary end, and a second stationary end. When the first stationary end is connected to the first moving end, a door closing limit signal is generated. When the second stationary end is connected to the first moving end, a door opening limit signal is generated. The door body drives the door hook to move, so that the first stationary end or the second stationary end of the first limit switch is connected to the first moving end.

3. The washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control circuit also includes: The second limit module is used to generate a lock limit signal when the electric door lock switches to the lock state, and to generate an unlock limit signal when the electric door lock switches to the unlock state. The controller is further configured to receive the door lock limit signal or the unlock limit signal generated by the second limit module when controlling the drive module to drive the DC motor to rotate; The electric door lock is switched to the locked state or the unlocked state based on the received lock limit signal or unlock limit signal.

4. The washing machine according to claim 3, characterized in that, The second limit module includes a second limit switch, which has a second moving end, a third stationary end, and a fourth stationary end. When the third stationary end is connected to the second moving end, a door lock limit signal is generated. When the fourth stationary end is connected to the second moving end, an unlock limit signal is generated. The gear is driven to rotate by the DC motor so that the third or fourth stationary end of the second limit switch is connected to the second moving end.

5. The washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive module includes a DC power supply, a power supply switch, and a fuse switch; One end of the power supply switch is electrically connected to the DC power supply, and the other end is electrically connected to the positive terminal of the DC motor. One end of the safety switch is electrically connected to the negative terminal of the DC motor, and the other end is grounded. The controller is further configured to turn on both the power supply switch and the safety switch when it detects that the first limit module generates the door closing limit signal or when it detects that the first limit module does not generate the door closing limit signal and the door opening limit signal.

6. The washing machine according to claim 5, characterized in that, Both the power supply switch and the safety switch are electrically connected to the first limit module; When the first limit module generates the door closing limit signal or when the first limit module does not generate the door closing limit signal and the door opening limit signal, it controls both the power supply switch and the safety switch to be turned on.

7. The washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control circuit also includes: A monitoring module, electrically connected to the DC motor, is used to monitor the operating status of the DC motor; The controller is also configured to control the DC motor to stop working when it is determined that the DC motor operating state detected by the monitoring module is an abnormal operating state.

8. The washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller is also configured to: During the process of controlling the drive module to drive the DC motor to rotate, the starting voltage corresponding to the DC motor is obtained; The output voltage of the drive module is adjusted based on the PWM method corresponding to the starting voltage, wherein the output voltage is used to drive the DC motor to rotate.

9. The washing machine according to claim 8, characterized in that, The control circuit also includes: A protection module, electrically connected to both the drive module and the DC motor, is used to control the DC motor to stop rotating when the negative voltage of the DC motor exceeds the positive voltage of the DC motor.

10. The washing machine according to claim 9, characterized in that, The protection module includes a diode, the cathode of which is electrically connected to the DC motor, and the anode of which is electrically connected to the drive module.

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