Washing device with improved drain tube and method for operating a washing device
By introducing spiral expansion pleats in the drainage hose and designing the hose thread according to the direction of drum rotation, the problem of sealing instability caused by vibration of the hydraulic connection in the washing equipment is solved, achieving more efficient two-phase medium transportation and exhaust effects, and improving the performance of the drainage pump.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202510281516.6
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2024-03-13
- Filing Date
- 2025-03-11
- Publication Date
- 2025-09-26
AI Technical Summary
In existing washing equipment, the hydraulic connection of the drainage hose between the vibrating system and the stationary system has a sealing instability problem caused by vibration, resulting in low efficiency in the two-phase medium transportation. Especially when considering periodic oscillating motion, it is difficult to effectively separate water and air.
Spiral expansion pleats are introduced into the discharge hose, designed as right-hand or left-hand threads. The hose geometry is optimized to promote liquid phase transportation and gas phase separation according to the drum rotation direction and medium phase separation requirements. An acceleration sensor is used to monitor the rotation direction of the vibration system.
It achieves more efficient two-phase medium transportation and improved exhaust effect, ensures that foreign matter is not retained, and improves the pumping performance of the drainage pump and the efficiency of the drainage process.
Smart Images
Figure CN120700675A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a washing machine having an improved drainage hose and a method for operating a washing machine. In particular, the invention relates to a washing machine having a lye container and a drum for receiving laundry, which is rotatably mounted in the lye container about a rotation axis, and a water drainage system comprising a lye container flange in the lye container, a drain pump, and a drainage hose arranged between the lye container flange and the drain pump (or the drain pump's intake connection) and having expansion folds. The invention also relates to a method for operating the washing machine. Background Art
[0002] The washing machine usually has a lye container, in which a drum for receiving laundry is rotatably, in particular rotatably supported, for introducing mechanical energy into the laundry to improve the washing effect and subsequently dehydrating the laundry by centrifugal force (dehydration principle). The drum is housed (or supported by springs and shock absorbers) in a stationary housing of the washing machine. A pump for pumping water from the lye container is usually mounted on the housing. There is therefore a stationary system, ie the drain pump connected to the housing of the washing appliance, and a vibrating system, which comprises the lye container and the washing drum, also referred to herein as the washing space, and which is formed due to the vibrations caused by the imbalance.
[0003] The drain hose, serving as the hydraulic connection from the lye container to the drain pump (i.e., from the vibrating system to the stationary system), is usually made of a permanently elastic material to prevent unbalanced vibrations and has radial expansion folds in its surface geometry. This allows the vibration amplitudes of the washing chamber to be elastically compensated, resulting in a hydraulically tight connection between the stationary and vibrating systems. Summary of the Invention
[0004] Against this background, the present invention is based on the object of providing a washing machine with an improved hydraulic connection from the vibrating washing chamber to the stationary lye pump (drain pump). Preferably, the conveyance of the two-phase medium (aqueous liquid / air) from the lye container should be improved while taking into account the periodic oscillating motion of the washing chamber. The present invention is also based on the object of providing a method for operating a washing machine.
[0005] According to the invention, this object is achieved by a washing machine and a method for operating a washing machine having the features of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments of the washing machine according to the invention and of the method according to the invention are given in the dependent claims, wherein, even if not explicitly mentioned here, preferred embodiments of the method according to the invention correspond to preferred embodiments of the washing machine according to the invention.
[0006] The subject matter of the present invention is therefore a washing machine comprising a lye container and a drum for receiving laundry, which is rotatably mounted in the lye container about a rotation axis, preferably about a horizontal rotation axis, and a water drainage system comprising a lye container flange in the lye container, a drain pump, and a drain hose arranged between the lye container flange and the drain pump, wherein the drain hose is provided with spiral telescopic folds at least in the region of the telescopic folds.
[0007] Typically, a drain pump has a suction connection and a pressure connection.
[0008] In a preferred embodiment of the washing appliance, the telescopic fold region extends over the length of the drain hose, the ends of which are usually designed to be connected as tightly as possible to the flange of the lye container and the intake connection of the drain pump.
[0009] Due to the spiral expansion folds on (or at) the drain hose, the washing device provides an additional conveying effect for the discharge of the aqueous liquid or the corresponding water / air two-phase mixture from the lye container, in addition to the gravity force and the operation of the drain pump which promote the drainage process.
[0010] Preferably, in the washing device, the drain hose is arranged obliquely between the lye container flange and the drain pump, ie in particular obliquely relative to the mounting surface of the washing device, and can have three spatial shapes: The axis of the hose guide can therefore be tilted relative to all three spatial axes, ie, relative to the three spatial axes front-back, right-left and top-bottom, ie, three Cartesian axes which extend perpendicularly to one another in three dimensions.
[0011] During the manufacture of the washing appliance, the pitch of the spiral geometry can be adjusted to the desired degree of change in the two-phase mixture in the axial direction in the drainage hose (separation of water and air). In particular, the pitch can be varied (or adjusted) from a small pitch to a large pitch along the flow direction in the drainage hose.
[0012] According to the invention, the spiral telescopic pleats can be designed in various ways. Thus, the pitch of the spiral telescopic pleats can be constant or variable. Furthermore, the height of the pleats can vary, so that in addition to a spiral geometry, a helical geometry can also be formed.
[0013] The drain hose used according to the present invention is defined as follows: the drain hose's internal volume (the holding volume for the two-phase mixture from the lye container) is formed by combining a hose with a circular diameter as the inner region (or core) and spiral expansion folds provided on the hose as the outer region. The outer diameter d of the spiral expansion folds is then determined by the height of the expansion folds. In the washing appliance according to the present invention, it is preferred that the outer diameter d of the drain hose decreases from the lye container flange to the drain pump, thereby forming a helical geometry in addition to the spiral geometry.
[0014] By equipping the drainage hose with spiral bellows according to the invention, a better separation of the two phases to be transported is achieved. The bellows primarily transport the liquid phase, while the gas phase is separated in the core of the drainage hose and can flow back to the lye container as a degassing process.
[0015] A hose with a circular diameter as an inner region can also be referred to as a flow channel tube. According to the present invention, a washing system is preferred in which the outer diameter of the flow channel tube in the drainage hose remains constant or decreases over the length of the drainage hose. Since the gas content in the two-phase flow decreases along the flow direction in the drainage hose, the flow cross section can be reduced in the flow direction and / or the radial shape of the telescopic fold geometry can be reduced, thereby forming a spiral geometry in addition to the helical geometry, which radially decreases in diameter in the flow direction.
[0016] The additional conveying effect according to the invention is usually coordinated in the geometrical design (ie structural design) of the drainage hose with the direction of rotation of the drum during drainage, so that the direction of rotation of the drum determines whether the spiral geometry is a right-hand or left-hand thread.
[0017] The radial shape of the spiral geometry (helical geometry) preferably transitions from a large diameter to a small diameter depending on the degree of change in the two-phase mixture (separation of water and air). The gas content of the two-phase mixture decreases in the flow direction as the gas phase separates and flows back to the lye container.
[0018] When designing the radial shape of the pleat geometry, local mobility between the vibrating system and the stationary system is usually also considered ( The pleat geometry should preferably taper radially in the direction of flow to compensate for local vibration paths at the drainage hose. When designing the drainage hose, the relationship between the channel and pleat design and the phase separation of the medium should preferably be taken into account, as well as the influence of the spirally telescopic pleat design (or configuration) on the secondary conveying flow, including the influence of the cross-sectional design on the conveying flow in the core (or primarily on the flow velocity) and thus indirectly on the phase separation of the mixture. Finally, the mutual influence between the primary (hose core flow) and the secondary conveying flow (in the pleats or axial-tangential channels) caused by the ratio between the hose core diameter and the outer diameter of the pleats (or channels) should be taken into account during the design.
[0019] An additional conveying effect can be achieved by means of one or more threads of helical geometry, in particular when the axial pitch of the channel guide is to be particularly pronounced.
[0020] In order to monitor the rotational vibrations of the vibration system in all three rotational directions (or shapes) during the design phase (whether to design a right-hand or left-hand thread in the discharge hose) and also during operation of the washing machine, acceleration sensors can be helpful, which are usually integrated into the washing machine for imbalance monitoring.
[0021] In the design or construction according to the invention of the outflow hose of the lye container, the pump inflow is preferably also taken into account. ), i.e., the pump suction chamber, in which the pump impeller of a radial centrifugal pump rotates (co-rotating or counter-rotating), and the downstream pump pressure chamber. The vortex generated in the discharge hose should preferably be designed with the same direction of rotation as for the pump inlet flow. This assumes that no significant or extensive flow deflection or flow rectification takes place in the pump suction chamber via bends or corresponding filter inserts or fleece screens (as flow rectifiers). This optimally supports pump venting, wherein co-rotation with the pump inlet flow has been shown to have a positive effect on pump venting.
[0022] According to the present invention, there are no restrictions on the type of drainage pump that can be used in a washing machine. Thus, a flow pump, a centrifugal pump, or a squeeze pump can be used in the washing machine, the latter also being referred to as a positive displacement squeeze pump. A squeeze pump is a mechanical device that transports liquid by moving a pump chamber from point A to point B. These pumps ensure a constant and uniform flow rate because they are designed to move a fixed volume of liquid per pump cycle. According to the present invention, a radial centrifugal pump, i.e., a flow pump, is preferably used.
[0023] According to the invention, the arrangement of lye container flange - discharge hose - drain pump can also be designed as a circulation pump system.
[0024] The two-phase content of the medium and the oscillatory excitation by the vibration system (including the caustic soda container of the drum) directly influence the thread pitch and number of threads of the helical geometry of the telescopic pleats of the drainage hose. The higher the liquid phase fraction, the greater the thread pitch or the greater the number of threads (in principle), as the liquid phase predominates over the gas phase. However, excessively high thread pitches are undesirable, so according to the present invention, a thread pitch or inclination of only 45° is preferred. Since the gas fraction increases with increasing drum speed, the design of the drainage hose is generally a compromise that covers a wide range of the two-phase nature of the mixture. The low speed range between >50 and 400 rpm is particularly important, as this is where the highest amount of dewatered caustic soda or rinse water is typically produced. Therefore, during the drainage process, the dewatering configuration can be designed with stringent requirements regarding the speed gradient and the corresponding holding plateau. On the other hand, the high gas content of the two-phase flow over the entire dewatering phase means that the telescopic pleats can and should be designed to be more gradual. Therefore, it is necessary to find a reasonable design compromise so that the drainage performance reaches the maximum value on average over time, thereby achieving the corresponding optimal state.
[0025] The washing machine is usually a washing machine or a washer-dryer. The washing machine usually has a drum for accommodating the laundry, which is rotatably supported in a lye container, and a water supply. The latter can be, for example, a valve-controlled fresh water connection, wherein the valve is preferably controllable by a control unit.
[0026] The subject matter of the present invention also relates to a method for operating a washing machine, comprising a lye container and a drum for receiving laundry, which is rotatably mounted in the lye container about a rotation axis, and a water drainage system, the water drainage system comprising a lye container flange on the lye container, a drain pump having a suction connection and a pressure connection, and a drain hose arranged between the lye container flange and the drain pump, wherein the drain hose is provided with spiral-shaped telescopic folds at least in the region of the telescopic folds, and wherein the method comprises the step of rotating the drum in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, depending on whether the geometry of the telescopic folds is a left-hand thread or a right-hand thread.
[0027] In the method according to the invention, the rotation of the washing machine drum during the drainage process (i.e., during the laundry dewatering and pumping process steps) is typically performed in a single, consistently defined direction of rotation. This direction of rotation is typically predetermined by the lye container geometry, so that counterproductive effects in the flow of the drain hose are avoided. This is because the direction of rotation of the vibration system (lye container with washing drum and drive system) caused by imbalance is dependent on the selected direction of rotation of the washing drum in the lye container, and thus determines whether the hose should be equipped with a right-hand or left-hand thread. Therefore, if the drum rotates clockwise (CW) and the drain hose is oriented toward the front of the washing machine operator, a drain hose with a left-hand thread should be provided for the telescopic pleat geometry; conversely, if the drum is driven counterclockwise (CCW) during the drainage process, a drain hose with a right-hand thread should be provided.
[0028] The present invention offers numerous advantages. Due to the novel hose geometry, it allows the operation of the washing machine to generate an additional hydraulic conveying effect in the discharge hose. Furthermore, an improved degassing effect (or phase separation process) is achieved through a better phase separation of the medium to be conveyed (externally in liquid form in the telescopic folds / internal in gaseous form in the core). The two-phase fluid from the lye container (or in the discharge hose) can be separated on the way to the drain pump, so that only the liquid phase remains in the pump as much as possible, thus achieving good pumping performance (or a good or maximized delivery flow). This is particularly advantageous when the drain pump is a flow machine, as these pumps have a significantly lower capacity for conveying two-phase fluids than, for example, positive displacement pumps.
[0029] Finally, the invention also allows for improved transport of foreign matter from the lye container to the drain pump, since foreign matter cannot become lodged in the originally radially shaped (or designed) telescopic folds. Instead, the foreign matter is continuously transported (or guided) via the telescopic folds in the drain hose via the threaded outlet to the accessible drain pump. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0030] The invention is described below with reference to a non-limiting embodiment directed to a water discharge system that can be used in a washing device according to the invention. Figures 1 to 4 .
[0031] Figure 1 A side sectional view of a drain hose for use not according to the invention in a known washing machine is shown, which drain hose is illustrated together with a lye container flange and therefore has purely radially shaped telescopic folds.
[0032] Figure 2A side sectional view of a washing device according to the present invention is shown, wherein only the parts relevant to the invention are shown.
[0033] Figure 3 Shown is a perspective front view of a drain hose used according to the invention in a water drainage system which can be used according to the invention and which has spiral telescopic folds in the region of the telescopic folds, and a lye container flange.
[0034] Figure 4 A further perspective front view of a drainage hose used according to the invention in a water drainage system which can be used according to the invention is shown, which has spiral telescopic folds in the region of the telescopic folds. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0035] Figure 1 A side sectional view shows a drain hose 9 and a lye container flange 4, not used according to the invention, in a known washing machine (not shown). Five radial folds 11 are provided in the fold area 10 to compensate for the vibration path of the lye container. The core diameter (or flow cross section) decreases in the flow direction of the washing machine (here from right to left, from the lye container (not shown) to the drain pump (not shown), because the gas content of the two-phase flow medium (air-water or air-lye mixture) generally decreases towards the lye pump.
[0036] Figure 2 A side sectional view of a washing machine 1 according to the invention is shown, with only the parts relevant to the invention being shown. A drum 3 for accommodating laundry (not shown here) is rotatably mounted in a lye container 2 about a horizontal axis of rotation 7. The large curved arrows indicate possible directions of rotation. Aqueous liquid (typically a two-phase mixture of air and aqueous liquid) flows from the lye container 2 through a lateral opening in the lower part of the lye container 2, through the lye container flange 4 (long straight arrow), into a drain hose 5, which is provided with spiral expansion folds 8. This creates a circular spiral flow, indicated by the small curved arrow, toward the drain pump 6 or the inlet (suction connection).
[0037] Figure 3 A perspective front view of a drain hose 5 used according to the invention in a water drainage system usable according to the invention, together with a lye container flange 4, is shown. The drain hose 5 has spiral bellows 8 in the bellows region 10. Reference numeral 12 denotes the inner region of the drain hose. The outer diameter of the drain hose 5 decreases in the direction of flow (here from upper left to lower right). The spiral and helical geometry of the drain hose bellows is a right-hand thread, here for a CCW rotation of the washing drum.
[0038] Figure 4 Another perspective front view of the drain hose 5 used according to the invention in a water drainage system that can be used according to the invention, and the lye container flange 4, is shown. The drain hose 5 has spiral bellows 8 in the bellows region 10. Reference numeral 12 denotes the inner region of the drain hose. The outer diameter of the drain hose 5 decreases in the direction of flow (here from the upper right to the lower left). Figure 3 ) The outer diameter of the drain hose 5 decreases in the direction of flow (here from upper left to lower right). The spiral and helical geometry of the drain hose telescopic folds is a right-hand thread here for a CCW rotation direction of the washing drum.
[0039] List of reference numerals:
[0040] 1. Washing equipment; washing machines, washer-dryers
[0041] 2 lye containers
[0042] 3 rollers
[0043] 4. Alkali solution container flange
[0044] 5 Drain hose
[0045] 6. Emptying pump (lye pump, drainage pump)
[0046] 7 Rotation axis
[0047] 8 spiral telescopic pleats
[0048] 9. Drain hose with radial expansion pleats
[0049] 10 Stretch pleat area
[0050] 11 Radial expansion pleats
[0051] 12 flow channel part, core
Claims
1. A washing device (1), comprising: a lye container (2), and a drum (3) for receiving laundry, said drum being rotatably supported about a rotation axis (7) in said lye container, and A water discharge system (4, 5, 6), comprising: The alkali liquid container flange (4) in the alkali liquid container (2) a drain pump (6), and The drainage hose (5, 7) arranged between the alkali liquid container flange (4) and the drainage pump (6) is characterized in that: The drainage hose (5) is provided with spiral telescopic folds (8) at least in the telescopic fold region (10).
2. The washing device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that The telescopic fold region (10) extends in the drainage hose (5) from the drainage pump (6) to the lye container flange (4).
3. The washing device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The drainage hose (5) is arranged obliquely between the alkali solution container flange (4) and the drainage pump (6).
4. The washing device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that The pitch of the spiral telescopic pleats (8) is constant.
5. The washing device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The outer diameter d of the drain hose (5) decreases from the lye container flange (4) to the drain pump (6).
6. The washing device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that The outer diameter of the flow channel portion (12) in the drainage hose (5) is the same or decreases over the length of the drainage hose (5).
7. The washing device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that The drainage pump (6) is a radial flow pump (centrifugal pump).
8. A method for operating a washing apparatus (1), the washing apparatus comprising: a lye container (2), and a drum (3) for receiving laundry, said drum being rotatably supported about a rotation axis (7) in said lye container, and A water discharge system (4, 5, 6), comprising: The alkali liquid container flange (4) in the alkali liquid container (2) a drain pump (6) having a suction connection and a pressure connection, and A drainage hose (5, 7) is arranged between a lye container flange (4) and a drainage pump (6), wherein the drainage hose (5) is provided with spiral expansion folds (8) at least in the expansion fold region (10), and The method comprises, in the drainage phase, the step of rotating the drum in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction depending on whether the telescopic pleat geometry is a left-hand thread or a right-hand thread.
9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that The geometry of the telescopic folds of the drainage hose (5) is a left-hand thread, and the drum (3) rotates in a clockwise direction during the drainage phase.
10. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that The geometry of the telescopic folds of the drainage hose (5) is a right-hand thread, and the drum (3) rotates in a counterclockwise direction during the drainage phase.