Cleaning machine, drying method of cleaning machine, storage medium

Abstract

The present application relates to a kind of cleaning machines, including machine body, is internally provided with cleaning cavity;Fan, is arranged in machine body to act on cleaning cavity;Heating module, is arranged in machine body to act on cleaning cavity;Air flow passage, it is arranged in machine body and is communicated with cleaning cavity circulation, the side wall of the air flow passage inlet section is opened with air outlet, the side wall of the air flow passage output section is opened with air inlet;Switch valve, respectively, is arranged on air inlet and air outlet;Obstacle detection module, it is close to air outlet and is arranged on machine body;Adsorption module, it is arranged in air flow passage.Cleaning machine can avoid the damage to air outlet personnel, article when carrying out drying work.The present application relates to the drying method of the aforementioned cleaning machine, on the basis of realizing drying, it is higher in use safety.The present application further relates to a kind of storage medium, which is stored with computer program / instruction, the computer program / instruction is executed when processor realizes the drying method of the aforementioned cleaning machine.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a cleaning machine, a drying method for the cleaning machine, and a storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] Washing machines typically have a drying function, which generates high-temperature steam during the drying process. Currently, most washing machines have the drying air outlet located at the bottom of the machine. If steam-sensitive appliances are placed near the drying air outlet or children linger there, it can cause injury to the appliances and people. Some high-end washing machines are designed with an open-door drying mode; similarly, placing steam-sensitive appliances on top of the washing machine will also shorten their lifespan. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The first technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a cleaning machine that can avoid damage to personnel and items at the air outlet during the drying process, in contrast to the above-mentioned prior art.

[0004] The second technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a drying method using a cleaning machine that achieves higher safety while realizing drying, in contrast to the above-mentioned prior art.

[0005] The third technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program / instruction thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the aforementioned drying method of the cleaning machine.

[0006] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the first technical problem mentioned above is: a cleaning machine, comprising...

[0007] The machine body has a cleaning chamber inside;

[0008] A blower is installed inside the machine body to act on the cleaning chamber;

[0009] A heating module is installed inside the machine body to act on the cleaning chamber;

[0010] Its features include:

[0011] An airflow channel is provided inside the machine body and is in cyclic communication with the cleaning chamber. An air outlet is provided on the side wall of the inlet section of the airflow channel, and an air inlet is provided on the side wall of the outlet section of the airflow channel.

[0012] Switch valves are installed at the air inlet and air outlet, respectively;

[0013] The obstacle detection module is located on the unit body near the air outlet;

[0014] The adsorption module is located inside the airflow channel.

[0015] In order to ensure drying when the adsorption module is saturated, and to restore the water adsorption function of the adsorption module, the adsorption module is also equipped with a variable temperature module that can be heated and cooled, and the machine body is also equipped with a condensate drain channel connected to the adsorption module.

[0016] To facilitate the smooth discharge of condensate and prevent it from entering the cleaning chamber and affecting the drying process, the condensate discharge channel is located at the bottom of the machine body. The inlet of the condensate discharge channel is located below the adsorption module and is connected to the adsorption module through the airflow channel.

[0017] To facilitate understanding of the saturation state of the adsorption module, a saturation detector is provided within the adsorption module to detect its water adsorption saturation.

[0018] To improve the adsorption effect, the adsorption module has a flow path formed in a continuous S-shape.

[0019] In order to remind users of the venting status and further avoid damage to users and objects, the device is also equipped with a reminder for the venting status.

[0020] Preferably, the fan is positioned near the air inlet within the airflow channel.

[0021] Preferably, the heating module is disposed within the airflow channel and located downstream of the fan.

[0022] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the second technical problem mentioned above is: a drying method for a cleaning machine, characterized in that: the aforementioned cleaning machine is used;

[0023] When the cleaning machine is drying, the fan and heating module start working, and the obstacle detection module detects obstacles at the air outlet.

[0024] When there are no obstructions at the air outlet, the control switch valve opens both the air inlet and outlet simultaneously, and the heated air passes through the cleaning chamber and is discharged from the air outlet.

[0025] When there is an obstruction at the air outlet, the control valve state will simultaneously close the air inlet and outlet. The heated air circulates in the cleaning chamber and airflow channel, adsorbing the moisture in the circulating airflow of the module.

[0026] As a further improvement, if the adsorption module becomes saturated during the drying process when there are obstructions at the air outlet, the temperature control module will start the cooling operation. The hot and humid air output from the cleaning chamber will condense into condensate under the action of the temperature control module. The condensate will then be discharged through the condensate drain channel. The cooled and dry air will be heated by the heating module before entering the cleaning chamber. This cycle will complete the drying process.

[0027] As a further improvement, when the adsorption module is saturated and the drying process of the cleaning machine is completed, and there are no obstructions at the air outlet, the temperature control module is activated to start the heating process until the adsorption module is completely dehydrated.

[0028] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the third technical problem mentioned above is: a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program / instruction thereon, characterized in that: when the computer program / instruction is executed by a processor, it implements the aforementioned drying method of the cleaning machine.

[0029] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are as follows: The cleaning machine and its drying method in the present invention can detect the obstruction situation at the air outlet using an obstruction detection module. At the same time, based on the coordination of the airflow channel, air inlet, air outlet, and switching valve, the airflow path during the drying process is switched according to the obstruction situation at the air outlet. That is, when there is no obstruction at the air outlet, the method of directly expelling the hot and humid airflow at the air outlet can be used to achieve drying. When there is an obstruction at the air outlet, an internal circulation airflow path is adopted, and the adsorption module is used to adsorb the moisture in the hot and humid airflow to achieve drying. This effectively avoids damage to personnel and items at the air outlet caused by the hot airflow. Attached Figure Description

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the drying operation of the cleaning machine when there are no obstructions at the air outlet in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the drying operation of the cleaning machine in an embodiment of the present invention when there is an obstruction at the air outlet and the adsorption module is not saturated.

[0032] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the drying operation of the cleaning machine in an embodiment of the present invention when there is an obstruction at the air outlet and the adsorption module is saturated.

[0033] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of the drying method for the cleaning machine in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0035] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the cleaning machine in this embodiment includes a body 1, a fan 2, a heating module 3, an airflow channel 4, a switching valve 5, an obstacle detection module, and an adsorption module 6.

[0036] The machine body 1 has a cleaning chamber 11 inside, which is used for cleaning. After the cleaning is completed, the items cleaned in the cleaning chamber 11 usually need to be dried, which requires the drying of the cleaning chamber 11.

[0037] The fan 2 is installed inside the body 1 to act on the cleaning chamber 11. The location of the fan 2 depends on the specific setup. The fan 2 is mainly used to introduce outside air into the cleaning chamber 11 for drying the cleaning chamber 11.

[0038] The heating module 3 is installed inside the machine body 1 to act on the cleaning chamber 11. The selection of the heating module 3 is determined according to the specific heating requirements of the cleaning machine, and the placement of the heating module 3 is also set according to its specific functional needs. For example, the heating module 3 is used to heat the water during the cleaning process in the cleaning chamber 11, and to heat the air during the drying process in the cleaning chamber 11. In this embodiment, the heating module 3 is mainly used to heat the air passing through the cleaning chamber 11.

[0039] An airflow channel 4 is disposed within the body 1 and is in cyclic communication with the cleaning chamber 11. The airflow channel 4 and the space within the cleaning chamber 11 are interconnected to form an annular flow channel, allowing airflow to circulate within the cleaning chamber 11 and the airflow channel 4. In this embodiment, to ensure sufficient airflow through the cleaning chamber 11, the airflow channel 4 is disposed on the side of the cleaning chamber 11. The inlet end of the airflow channel 4 is connected to the upper part of the cleaning chamber 11, and the outlet section of the airflow channel 4 is connected to the lower part of the cleaning chamber 11. Furthermore, to facilitate airflow, in this embodiment, both the fan 2 and the heating module 3 are disposed within the outlet section of the airflow channel 4.

[0040] An air outlet 41 is provided on the side wall of the inlet section of the airflow channel 4, and an air inlet 42 is provided on the side wall of the outlet section of the airflow channel 4. The fan 2 and the heating module 3 are positioned near the air outlet 41. Specifically, the fan 2 is positioned near the air inlet 42 within the airflow channel 4, downstream of the air outlet 41. The heating module 3 is positioned within the airflow channel 4 and downstream of the fan 2. Under the combined action of the fan 2 and the heating module 3, hot air is drawn into the cleaning chamber 11, thereby drying the cleaning chamber 11 and the items placed within it.

[0041] A switching valve 5 is installed on the air inlet 42 and the air outlet 41 respectively. By controlling the switching valve 5, the opening and closing of the air inlet 42 and the air outlet 41 can be controlled accordingly. By controlling the opening and closing of the air inlet 42 and the air outlet 41, the flow path of the hot air can be switched.

[0042] When the switching valves 5 on the air inlet 42 and air outlet 41 are opened simultaneously, the cleaning chamber 11 is connected to the outside through the air inlet 42 and air outlet 41. When the fan 2 and heating module 3 work simultaneously, under the action of the fan 2, outside air enters through the air inlet 42 and forms a hot airflow under the action of the heating module 3. The hot airflow flows through the cleaning chamber 11, drying the cleaning chamber 11 and forming humid air, which is then discharged to the outside of the cleaning machine through the air outlet 41. This cycle continues until the cleaning chamber 11 is completely dried. This external circulation path of airflow achieves the drying work of the cleaning machine. However, during this process, the temperature of the humid air is relatively high. When it is discharged from the air outlet 41, if the user passes through the air outlet 41 or if other electrical appliances or other items are placed at the air outlet 41, it may easily cause injury to people or items.

[0043] When the switching valves 5 on the air inlet 42 and the air outlet 41 are closed simultaneously, the airflow channel 4 and the cleaning chamber 11 form a closed airflow circulation path. When the fan 2 and the heating module 3 work simultaneously, the resulting hot airflow circulates within the cleaning chamber 11 and the airflow channel 4, thus achieving the drying operation of the cleaning machine based on the internal airflow circulation path. Using an internal circulation path for drying avoids the risk of humid and hot air escaping from the air outlet 41 and causing damage to personnel or goods. To address the issue of moisture during the internal airflow circulation process, in this embodiment, an adsorption module 6 is installed within the airflow channel 4. This adsorption module 6 can be any device capable of adsorbing moisture. The adsorption module 6 adsorbs the humid and hot water vapor generated during the internal airflow circulation drying process. Furthermore, to enhance the adsorption capacity of the water flow, in this embodiment, the adsorption module 6 is formed with a continuous S-shaped flow path. This not only increases the length of the adsorption path but also increases its area, thereby improving the adsorption capacity for moisture.

[0044] In addition, an obstacle detection module is installed on the body 1 near the air outlet 41. This module detects whether people have passed by or objects have been placed at the air outlet 41. The obstacle detection module can use various devices capable of identifying obstacles at the air outlet 41, such as infrared detectors or image acquisition devices. By detecting obstacles at the air outlet 41, the module switches between external and internal circulation paths to control the drying operation of the washing machine. Specifically, when there are no obstacles at the air outlet 41, the external circulation path is used to dry the washing machine, improving drying efficiency and extending the lifespan of the adsorption module 6. When there are obstacles at the air outlet 41, the internal circulation path is used to dry the washing machine to avoid damage to the obstacles.

[0045] To alert users to the exhaust status and further prevent damage to users and items, the machine body 1 is equipped with an alarm to indicate the exhaust status. When an obstruction detection module is present at the air outlet 41, the alarm will prompt the user to move away from the air outlet 41. If an obstruction is still detected after the alarm, the machine will switch to the internal circulation path to dry the washing machine.

[0046] When using an internal circulation path for drying, the adsorption module 6 has a limited capacity for adsorbing water vapor and will inevitably reach saturation. Replacing the adsorption module 6 is not only cumbersome but also costly. To address this issue and ensure drying even when the adsorption module 6 is saturated, restoring its water adsorption function, this embodiment includes a temperature-controlled module 7 that can be heated and cooled within the adsorption module 6. Typically, the temperature-controlled module 7 uses semiconductor devices. The body 1 also includes a condensate drain channel 8 connected to the adsorption module 6. When the temperature-controlled module 7 is cooling, it condenses the water vapor adsorbed in the adsorption module 6, forming condensate. The condensate drips into the condensate drain channel and is discharged, preventing condensate from entering the cleaning chamber 11 and affecting the drying process.

[0047] To facilitate the smooth discharge of condensate and prevent it from entering the cleaning chamber 11 and affecting the drying process, a condensate discharge channel 8 is located at the bottom of the machine body 1. The inlet of the condensate discharge channel 8 is located below the adsorption module 6 and is connected to the adsorption module 6 via the airflow channel 4. In this embodiment, a section of the adsorption module 6 is vertically arranged in the airflow channel 4, while the inlet of the condensate discharge channel 8 is vertically located on the side wall of the airflow channel 4 below the adsorption module 6. Condensate dripping from the adsorption module 6 drips into the inlet of the condensate discharge channel 8 and then enters the condensate discharge channel 8, where it is discharged. When the temperature-changing module 7 is in a cooling state, the water vapor in the adsorption module 6 condenses to form condensate, and the airflow changes to cold, dry air. Under the action of the fan 2 and the heating module 3, the cold, dry air becomes hot air again and enters the cleaning chamber 11 for drying. The airflow passes through the internal circulation path and circulates based on the form of humid hot air, cold dry air, condensate, and hot air, achieving the drying of the cleaning chamber 11 when the adsorption module 6 is saturated.

[0048] In addition, to promptly understand the saturation state of the adsorption module 6, a saturation detector is installed within the adsorption module 6 to detect its water adsorption saturation. The specific device selected for the saturation detector is determined according to needs; for example, a weight sensor, a water content detector, or other devices can be selected.

[0049] like Figures 1 to 4 As shown, based on the aforementioned structure of the cleaning machine, the drying method of the cleaning machine in this embodiment is as follows.

[0050] When the cleaning machine is drying, the fan 2 and the heating module 3 start working, and the obstacle detection module detects obstacles at the air outlet 41. When there are no obstacles at the air outlet 41, the switch valve 5 is controlled to open the air inlet 42 and the air outlet 41 at the same time, and the heated air passes through the cleaning chamber 11 and is discharged from the air outlet 41. When there are obstacles at the air outlet 41, the switch valve 5 is controlled to close the air inlet 42 and the air outlet 41 at the same time, and the heated air circulates in the cleaning chamber 11 and the airflow channel 4. The adsorption module 6 absorbs the moisture in the circulating airflow.

[0051] When the cleaning machine is drying due to obstructions at the air outlet 41, a saturation detector can be used to detect in real time whether the moisture in the adsorption module 6 is saturated. If the adsorption module 6 is saturated, the temperature control module 7 is activated to start the cooling operation. The hot and humid air output from the cleaning chamber 11 is condensed into condensate under the action of the temperature control module 7. The condensate is discharged from the machine body 1 through the condensate discharge channel 8. The cooled dry air is heated by the heating module 3 and then enters the cleaning chamber 11. This cycle is repeated to complete the drying operation.

[0052] In addition, in order to completely restore the adsorption module 6 to its saturated state and put it into an adsorption working state, when the adsorption module 6 is saturated, after the washing machine has finished drying, and when there are no obstructions at the air outlet 41, the temperature control module 7 is started to heat up until the adsorption module 6 is completely dehydrated, thus restoring the adsorption capacity for moisture.

[0053] The present invention also relates to a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program / instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the aforementioned drying method of the cleaning machine.

[0054] The cleaning machine and its drying method in this invention can detect obstacles at the air outlet using an obstacle detection module. Simultaneously, based on the coordination of the airflow channel 4, air inlet 42, air outlet 41, and switching valve 5, the airflow path during drying is switched according to the obstacle situation at the air outlet. Specifically, when there are no obstacles at the air outlet 41, drying can be achieved by directly expelling the hot and humid airflow from the outlet. When there are obstacles at the air outlet 41, an internal circulation airflow path is used, and the adsorption module 6 is used to adsorb moisture from the hot and humid airflow, thereby achieving drying. This effectively avoids damage to personnel and items at the air outlet caused by the high-heat airflow.

[0055] The specification and claims of this invention use terms indicating direction, such as "front," "rear," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "side," "top," and "bottom," to describe various exemplary structural parts and elements of the invention. However, these terms are used herein merely for ease of explanation and are determined based on the exemplary orientations shown in the accompanying drawings. Since the embodiments disclosed in this invention can be arranged in different orientations, these terms indicating direction are for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered as limitations. For example, "upper" and "lower" are not necessarily limited to directions opposite to or consistent with the direction of gravity.

[0056] The term "connection" as used in this invention refers to the spatial relationship between two components or parts (hereinafter referred to as the first part and the second part, respectively), that is, a fluid (gas, liquid, or a mixture of both) can flow from the first part along a flow path and / or be transported to the second part. This can be a direct connection between the first part and the second part, or an indirect connection between the first part and the second part through at least one third party. The third party can be a fluid channel such as a pipe, channel, conduit, flow guide, hole, groove, or a chamber that allows fluid to flow through, or a combination of the above.

Claims

1. A cleaning machine, comprising The machine body (1) has a cleaning chamber (11) inside; A blower (2) is installed inside the body (1) to act on the cleaning chamber (11); Heating module (3) is installed inside the body (1) to act on the cleaning chamber (11); Its features are: Also includes An airflow channel (4) is provided inside the body (1) and is in cyclic communication with the cleaning chamber (11). An air outlet (41) is provided on the side wall of the inlet section of the airflow channel (4), and an air inlet (42) is provided on the side wall of the outlet section of the airflow channel (4). Switch valves (5) are respectively installed on the air inlet (42) and the air outlet (41). By controlling the switch valves (5), the opening and closing of the air inlet (42) and the opening and closing of the air outlet (41) are controlled accordingly. When the switch valves (5) on the air inlet (42) and the air outlet (41) are closed at the same time, the airflow channel (4) and the cleaning chamber (11) form a closed internal circulation path. When the switch valves (5) on the air inlet (42) and the air outlet (41) are opened at the same time, an external circulation path is formed that connects the cleaning chamber (11) with the outside. The obstacle detection module is located on the body (1) near the air outlet (41). The obstacle detection module detects the obstacle situation at the air outlet (41). When there is no obstacle at the air outlet (41), the external circulation path is used to dry the cleaning machine; when there is an obstacle at the air outlet (41), the internal circulation path is used to dry the cleaning machine. The adsorption module (6) is located inside the airflow channel (4).

2. The cleaning machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The adsorption module (6) is also equipped with a temperature-changing module (7) that can be heated and cooled, and the body (1) is also equipped with a condensate drain channel (8) that is connected to the adsorption module (6).

3. The cleaning machine according to claim 2, characterized in that: The condensate drain channel (8) is located at the bottom of the body (1), and the inlet of the condensate drain channel (8) is located below the adsorption module (6) and is connected to the adsorption module (6) through the airflow channel (4).

4. The cleaning machine according to claim 2, characterized in that: The adsorption module (6) is equipped with a saturation detector to detect the water adsorption saturation.

5. The cleaning machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The adsorption module (6) has a flow path formed in a continuous S-shape.

6. The cleaning machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The body (1) is also equipped with a reminder device for indicating the exhaust status.

7. The cleaning machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The fan (2) is located near the air inlet (42) and is placed in the airflow channel (4).

8. The cleaning machine according to claim 7, characterized in that: The heating module (3) is located in the airflow channel (4) and downstream of the fan (2).

9. A drying method for a washing machine, characterized in that: The cleaning machine according to any one of claims 1 to 8 is used; When the cleaning machine is drying, the fan (2) and heating module (3) start working, and the obstacle detection module detects obstacles at the air outlet (41); When there is no obstruction at the air outlet (41), the state of the control switch valve (5) is controlled to open the air inlet (42) and the air outlet (41) at the same time, and the heated air passes through the cleaning chamber (11) and is discharged from the air outlet (41). When there is an obstruction at the air outlet (41), the control switch valve (5) is activated to simultaneously close the air inlet (42) and the air outlet (41). The heated air circulates in the cleaning chamber (11) and the airflow channel (4), and the adsorption module (6) absorbs the moisture in the circulating airflow.

10. The drying method of the cleaning machine according to claim 9, characterized in that: The adsorption module (6) is also equipped with a temperature-changing module (7) that can be heated and cooled, and the body (1) is also equipped with a condensate drain channel (8) connected to the adsorption module (6). During the drying process when there is an obstruction at the air outlet (41) of the cleaning machine, if the adsorption module (6) is saturated, the temperature control module (7) will start the cooling operation. The hot and humid air output from the cleaning chamber (11) will condense into condensate under the action of the temperature control module (7). The condensate will be discharged through the condensate discharge channel (8). The cooled dry air will be heated by the heating module (3) and then enter the cleaning chamber (11). The drying process is completed in this cycle.

11. The drying method of the cleaning machine according to claim 10, characterized in that: When the adsorption module (6) is saturated, after the cleaning machine has finished drying, and there are no obstructions at the air outlet (41), the temperature control module (7) starts heating until the adsorption module (6) is completely dehydrated.

12. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program / instructions stored thereon, characterized in that: When the computer program / instructions are executed by the processor, they implement the drying method of the cleaning machine according to any one of claims 9 to 11.

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