Clothes processing equipment and control method and device thereof

Abstract

The invention provides clothes processing equipment and a control method and device thereof, and the method comprises the steps: obtaining a drying accumulation parameter of the clothes processing equipment, and enabling the drying accumulation parameter to be used for representing a drying index accumulated in a preset time period; and determining that the drying accumulation parameter meets a preset cleaning condition of the evaporator, and controlling to execute a self-cleaning program of the evaporator. The cleaning opportunity of the evaporator is automatically judged, the evaporator is automatically washed, manual cleaning of a user is not needed, the use convenience of the device is improved, the situation that the system performance is reduced due to the fact that sundries are attached to the surface of the evaporator can be effectively reduced, and the device can still have the good drying effect even if the device is put into use for a long time. And moreover, the problem of peculiar smell or influence on user health caused by bacteria breeding due to impurities attached to the surface of the evaporator is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of electrical equipment technology, specifically relating to a garment processing device and its control method and apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] Heat pump dryers or washer-dryer combos, based on heat pump technology, dry clothes by recycling heat energy. Compared to traditional electric dryers, heat pump dryers are more energy-efficient. However, with repeated use, lint and dust accumulate on the evaporator fins of these dryers. If not cleaned regularly, this can clog the evaporator, affecting system performance, reducing airflow, impacting drying efficiency, and even leading to bacterial growth and unpleasant odors. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of the technical problem that the accumulation of lint and dust on the evaporator affects the system performance in related technologies, this application proposes a clothing treatment device and its control method and apparatus, which automatically determines the cleaning time of the evaporator and automatically rinses the evaporator without relying on manual cleaning by the user, thereby improving the convenience of the equipment and effectively reducing the situation where the system performance is reduced due to the adhering of debris on the evaporator surface.

[0004] The first aspect of this application provides a control method for a garment processing device, including:

[0005] Obtain the cumulative drying parameters of the clothing processing equipment, wherein the cumulative drying parameters are used to characterize the cumulative drying indicators within a preset time period;

[0006] If the cumulative drying parameters are determined to meet the preset cleaning conditions of the evaporator, the self-cleaning program for the evaporator is controlled to be executed.

[0007] A second aspect of this application provides a control device for a garment processing apparatus, the device comprising:

[0008] The acquisition module is used to acquire the cumulative drying parameters of the clothing processing equipment, wherein the cumulative drying parameters are used to characterize the cumulative drying indicators within a preset time period.

[0009] The determination module is used to determine whether the cumulative drying parameters meet the preset cleaning conditions of the evaporator;

[0010] The self-cleaning module is used to control the execution of the self-cleaning procedure for the evaporator.

[0011] An embodiment of the third aspect of this application provides a garment processing device, including a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor executes the computer program to implement the method described in the first aspect above.

[0012] An embodiment of the fourth aspect of this application provides a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, the program being executed by a processor to implement the method described in the first aspect above.

[0013] The technical solutions provided in this application embodiment have at least the following technical effects or advantages:

[0014] In this embodiment, the corresponding drying indicators of the drying program executed by the clothing processing equipment are accumulated to obtain cumulative drying parameters. Based on these parameters, it is automatically determined whether the preset cleaning conditions of the evaporator are met. If the preset cleaning conditions are met, a self-cleaning program is executed to automatically rinse away debris adhering to the evaporator surface. This method achieves automatic determination of the evaporator cleaning time, automatically rinsing the evaporator when the cleaning time is determined, eliminating the need for manual cleaning by the user. This improves the ease of use of the clothing processing equipment and effectively reduces the occurrence of system performance degradation due to debris adhering to the evaporator surface, ensuring that the equipment maintains excellent drying effects even after prolonged use. Furthermore, it reduces the occurrence of odors or health problems caused by bacterial growth due to debris adhering to the evaporator surface.

[0015] Additional aspects and advantages of this application will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings.

[0017] In the attached diagram:

[0018] Figure 1 This diagram illustrates the principle of a garment processing device provided by related technologies.

[0019] Figure 2 This application shows a schematic diagram of the principle of a garment processing device provided in some embodiments;

[0020] Figure 3 The present application provides a schematic diagram of the structure of a garment processing device according to some embodiments;

[0021] Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating a control method for a garment processing device provided in some embodiments of this application is shown;

[0022] Figure 5 Another flowchart of a control method for a garment processing device provided in some embodiments of this application is shown;

[0023] Figure 6 This application shows a schematic diagram of the structure of a control device for a garment processing apparatus according to some embodiments;

[0024] Figure 7 The present application provides a schematic diagram of the structure of a garment processing device according to some embodiments;

[0025] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of a storage medium provided in some embodiments of this application is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0026] Exemplary embodiments of this application will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While exemplary embodiments of this application are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that this application may be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to enable a more thorough understanding of this application and to fully convey the scope of this application to those skilled in the art.

[0027] It should be noted that, unless otherwise stated, the technical or scientific terms used in this application shall have the ordinary meaning as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains.

[0028] The following description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, describes a garment processing device and its control method according to embodiments of this application.

[0029] A garment drying appliance is a household appliance that uses heat pump technology to dry clothes. (See also:) Figure 1 The schematic diagram of the clothing processing equipment in the related technology shown includes a compressor 1, a condenser 2, a capillary tube 3, an evaporator 4, a processing cylinder 5, an exhaust pipe 6, a liquid pipe 7, an intake pipe 8, a motor 9, an impeller 10, and a cover plate 11.

[0030] The compressor 1 is connected to the condenser 2 via the exhaust pipe 6, and to the evaporator 4 via the suction pipe 8. The condenser 2 is connected to the evaporator 4 via the capillary tube 3. The condenser 2 and the evaporator 4 are arranged within the drying tunnel enclosed by the cover plate 11. The motor 9 is connected to the impeller 10, and the rotation of the motor 9 drives the impeller 10 to rotate.

[0031] The aforementioned components of the garment processing equipment form a heat exchange system through the connections described above. In this heat exchange system, the rotation of motor 9 drives impeller 10 to rotate, generating suction. Under the action of this suction, the air in the garment processing equipment forms a circulating airflow path, which is as follows: impeller 10 → processing cylinder 5 → evaporator 4 → condenser 2 → motor 9 → impeller 10.

[0032] A refrigerant circulation path is formed within the compressor 1, condenser 2, evaporator 4, and the connecting pipes between these components. Specifically, compressor 1 delivers gaseous refrigerant to condenser 2 via discharge pipe 6. At condenser 2, the gaseous refrigerant exchanges heat with the external air and becomes liquid refrigerant. The liquid refrigerant is then delivered to evaporator 4 via capillary tube 3 and liquid pipe 7. At evaporator 4, the liquid refrigerant exchanges heat with the external air and becomes gaseous refrigerant. The gaseous refrigerant then returns to compressor 1 via suction pipe 8. In other words, the refrigerant circulation path is: compressor 1 → discharge pipe 6 → condenser 2 → capillary tube 3 → liquid pipe 7 → evaporator 4 → suction pipe 8 → compressor 1.

[0033] By combining the circulating air path in the garment processing equipment with the circulating flow path of the refrigerant, the circulating air and the refrigerant exchange heat, thereby heating the air entering the processing cylinder 5 to obtain hot air. Then, when the hot air passes through the processing cylinder 5, it exchanges heat with the load to be dried inside the processing cylinder 5, thereby achieving the effect of drying the load.

[0034] The principle of heat exchange between the air and the refrigerant is as follows: the air exiting the processing cylinder 5 is humid and hot air after exchanging heat with the moist load. This humid and hot air reaches the evaporator 4 and exchanges heat with the liquid refrigerant there, causing the liquid refrigerant to vaporize and absorb heat, becoming gaseous refrigerant. The temperature of the humid and hot air decreases, causing the water vapor carried in the humid and hot air to condense into condensate, thus turning the humid and hot air into dry and cold air. The condensate condenses in the drying tunnel enclosed by the cover plate 11 and eventually collects in a water collection box. After the humid and hot air exiting the processing cylinder 5 becomes dry and cold air, it is blown to the condenser 2 and exchanges heat with the gaseous refrigerant there, causing the gaseous refrigerant to decrease in temperature and become liquid refrigerant. The gaseous refrigerant liquefies and releases heat, thus heating the dry and cold air, turning it into dry and hot air. Dry hot air is blown into the processing cylinder 5 by the suction of the impeller 10, exchanges heat with the load in the processing cylinder 5, absorbs the moisture in the load, heats the load, and the dry hot air becomes humid hot air.

[0035] During the drying process of the garment processing equipment, heat is exchanged in a cyclical manner according to the heat exchange principle described above, thereby achieving the effect of drying the load.

[0036] However, during the drying process described above, the hot and humid air coming out of the processing drum 5 may carry lint, dust and other debris. During the heat exchange process between the hot and humid air and the evaporator 4, these lint, dust and other debris will adhere to the surface of the fins of the evaporator 4. As the number of times the clothing processing equipment is used increases, more and more debris will accumulate on the surface of the fins of the evaporator 4, clogging the evaporator 4 and reducing the amount of air that can actually exchange heat with the evaporator 4. This affects the system performance and drying effect of the clothing processing equipment. Moreover, if the accumulated debris is not cleaned for a long time, it will become a breeding ground for bacteria and produce odors.

[0037] The relevant technologies rely on users to manually clean the evaporator regularly, which reduces the convenience of using clothing processing equipment, and users may often forget to clean it or not know how to clean it.

[0038] Based on this, embodiments of this application provide a garment processing device and its control method. In the garment processing device provided in this application embodiment, an opening is provided on the cover plate 11 at the position corresponding to the evaporator 4. The position corresponding to the evaporator 4 can be any side of the evaporator 4 mapped onto the cover plate 11. Optionally, the opening can be provided at the position where the windward side of the evaporator 4 is mapped onto the cover plate 11. The windward side refers to the side of the evaporator 4 that contacts the humid, hot air from the processing cylinder 5 when it blows onto the evaporator 4.

[0039] A self-cleaning pipe is connected between the opening on the cover plate 11 and the condensate collection box. A valve 13 is installed on this self-cleaning pipe. The garment processing equipment also includes a water pump 12. Figure 2 The schematic diagram of the clothing processing device provided in this application embodiment shows that after the valve 13 is connected to the self-cleaning pipeline, the water pump 12 can spray the condensate in the condensate collection box onto the evaporator 4 through the self-cleaning pipeline and the opening on the cover plate 11, thereby realizing automatic rinsing of the evaporator 4.

[0040] like Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the garment processing equipment provided in an embodiment of this application is shown. The diagram illustrates the processing cylinder 5, cover plate 11, bottom plate 12, and self-cleaning device 13. The space between the cover plate 11 and the bottom plate 12 is the drying tunnel. Figure 1 and 2 The condenser 2 and evaporator 4 are both located inside the drying tunnel. The self-cleaning device 13 includes the aforementioned self-cleaning piping and Figure 2 The water pump 12 and valve 13 are shown. The cover plate 11 is provided with an opening, and the end of the self-cleaning pipe in the self-cleaning device 13 extends to the opening, so that condensate can be sprayed from the opening to the evaporator 4 located in the drying tunnel.

[0041] The control method for the clothing processing equipment provided in this application embodiment can automatically acquire the cumulative drying parameters of the clothing processing equipment. These cumulative drying parameters are used to characterize the cumulative drying indicators within a preset time period. The method determines that the cumulative drying parameters meet the preset cleaning conditions of the evaporator and controls the execution of a self-cleaning program for the evaporator.

[0042] This method accumulates the corresponding drying indicators of the drying program executed by the clothing processing equipment to obtain cumulative drying parameters. Based on these parameters, it automatically determines whether the preset cleaning conditions of the evaporator are met. If the preset cleaning conditions are met, a self-cleaning program is executed to automatically rinse away debris adhering to the evaporator surface. This method achieves automatic determination of when to clean the evaporator, automatically rinsing it when the cleaning time is determined, eliminating the need for manual cleaning by the user. This improves the ease of use of the clothing processing equipment and effectively reduces the occurrence of system performance degradation due to debris adhering to the evaporator surface. This ensures that the equipment maintains excellent drying results even after prolonged use. Furthermore, it reduces the occurrence of odors or health problems caused by bacterial growth due to debris adhering to the evaporator surface.

[0043] The garment processing equipment and control method provided in this application are applicable to any equipment that uses heat pump technology for drying, such as heat pump dryers and heat pump washer-dryers. The following detailed description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, describes a garment processing equipment and control method provided in this application.

[0044] See Figure 4 The flowchart shows a control method for a garment processing device, which specifically includes the following steps 101-102.

[0045] Step 101: Obtain the cumulative drying parameters of the clothing processing equipment. The cumulative drying parameters are used to characterize the cumulative drying indicators within a preset time period.

[0046] Step 102: Determine that the cumulative drying parameters meet the preset cleaning conditions of the evaporator, and control the execution of the self-cleaning program for the evaporator.

[0047] The executing entity of this application embodiment can be a clothing processing device. The cumulative drying parameters of the clothing processing device are obtained after the clothing processing device is turned on, or during the execution of the drying program by the clothing processing device. The cumulative drying parameters can be obtained by the clothing processing device when it is powered on. This application embodiment does not limit the specific timing of obtaining the cumulative drying parameters.

[0048] The cumulative drying parameter is used to statistically analyze the cumulative drying indicators within a preset time period. These indicators reflect the drying processes performed by the garment processing equipment within that time period. In some embodiments, the preset time period can be the time from the end of the last evaporator cleaning cycle to the current time.

[0049] Since the surface of the evaporator was cleaned at the end of the last evaporator cleaning, the cumulative drying parameter can be counted from the end of the last evaporator cleaning to characterize the situation where debris adheres to the surface of the evaporator after the last cleaning.

[0050] In other embodiments, the preset time period can be the time interval from the end of the last evaporator cleaning to the current time. This fixed time period can be a short duration, including but not limited to 30 minutes, 50 minutes, 1 hour, etc.

[0051] Since the evaporator surface was cleaned at the end of the last evaporator cleaning, it may not need to be cleaned again in a short period of time. Therefore, after a certain period of time after the last evaporator cleaning, the cumulative drying parameters are calculated. This saves the equipment's computing resources, and the cumulative drying parameters obtained in this way can also characterize the amount of debris adhering to the evaporator surface.

[0052] The garment processing equipment is pre-configured with preset cleaning conditions for the evaporator, which are used to determine when it is time to clean the evaporator. The garment processing equipment is also pre-configured with a self-cleaning program, which includes program code for automatically rinsing the evaporator.

[0053] When the clothing processing equipment determines that the cumulative drying parameters meet the preset cleaning conditions, it executes a self-cleaning program for the evaporator. This automatically determines when to clean the evaporator and automatically rinses it when the cleaning time is reached, eliminating the need for manual cleaning by the user. This improves the ease of use of the clothing processing equipment and effectively reduces the occurrence of system performance degradation due to debris adhering to the evaporator surface. This ensures that the equipment maintains excellent drying results even after prolonged use. Furthermore, it reduces the risk of unpleasant odors or health problems caused by bacterial growth from debris on the evaporator surface.

[0054] In some embodiments of this application, the aforementioned cumulative drying parameters include cumulative drying time and / or cumulative drying times. The garment processing equipment obtains the cumulative drying time and / or cumulative drying times of the drying program executed within the aforementioned preset time period.

[0055] Taking a preset time period from the end of the last evaporator cleaning to the current time as an example, the clothing handling equipment increments the cumulative drying count by 1 each time it executes a drying program, starting from the end of the last evaporator cleaning. The current cumulative drying count represents the total number of drying operations performed by the clothing handling equipment during the time period from the end of the last evaporator cleaning to the current time. And / or,

[0056] The garment processing equipment starts from the end time of the last evaporator cleaning and adds up the duration of each drying program to obtain the cumulative drying time of the drying program executed from the end time of the last evaporator cleaning to the current time.

[0057] The cumulative drying time and / or cumulative drying times obtained in the above manner will be used as the cumulative drying parameters of the garment processing equipment.

[0058] As the number of drying cycles performed by the garment processing equipment increases, more and more debris may accumulate on the evaporator. There is a positive correlation between the cumulative number of drying cycles and the amount of debris accumulated on the evaporator. By using the cumulative number of drying cycles within the aforementioned preset time period as a cumulative drying parameter, the system can subsequently determine whether the preset cleaning conditions of the evaporator have been met, thus automatically and accurately identifying the appropriate time for cleaning.

[0059] Similarly, as the cumulative drying time of the garment processing equipment increases, more and more debris accumulates on the evaporator, and there is a positive correlation between the cumulative drying time and the amount of debris accumulated on the evaporator. Using the cumulative drying time to determine whether the preset cleaning conditions of the evaporator have been met can automatically and accurately determine the appropriate time for cleaning. Furthermore, the cumulative drying time more accurately reflects the heat exchange time of the evaporator from the processing drum and the amount of debris accumulated on the evaporator; therefore, using the cumulative drying time to determine whether cleaning is appropriate is more accurate.

[0060] In some other embodiments of this application, a water level sensor is provided in the condensate collection box to detect the water level in the collection box. The garment processing equipment is pre-configured with a preset water level, which indicates the highest water level at which the collection box needs to be drained. The garment processing equipment acquires the cumulative number of times the water level in the condensate collection box reaches the preset water level within a preset time period, and uses the cumulative number of drainages as a cumulative drying parameter.

[0061] Taking the preset time period as the period from the end of the last evaporator cleaning to the current time as an example, starting from the end of the last evaporator cleaning, the clothing processing equipment can detect the water level in the water collection box through the water level sensor mentioned above, and compare the detected water level with the preset water level mentioned above. When the detected water level reaches the preset water level, the cumulative number of drainages is incremented by 1, and the cumulative number of drainages is used as the cumulative drying parameter mentioned above.

[0062] Before the cumulative drainage count meets the preset cleaning conditions, the garment processing device will activate the water pump whenever the water level reaches the preset level, draining the condensate from the collection box. In some implementations, the water in the collection box can be directly drained to the outside of the garment processing device. In other implementations, in addition to the condensate collection box, the garment processing device is equipped with a water tank, the capacity of which can be larger than that of the condensate collection box. Water from the condensate collection box can be drained into this water tank first, and then subsequently drained from the tank to the outside of the garment processing device.

[0063] The condensate collected in the water collection box is produced by the condensation of water vapor in the humid air caused by heat exchange between the evaporator and the hot, humid air from the processing cylinder. Therefore, the cumulative number of times the water level in the collection box reaches the preset level can accurately reflect the heat exchange between the evaporator and the hot, humid air. The cumulative number of drainages is also positively correlated with the amount of debris accumulated on the evaporator. Using the cumulative number of drainages to determine whether the preset cleaning conditions of the evaporator have been met can also automatically and accurately determine the appropriate time for cleaning.

[0064] In some implementations, the water level sensor in the water collection box can collect water level data at a certain sampling frequency, and the laundry processing equipment uses the collected water level data to determine whether the preset water level has been reached. This certain sampling frequency could be once every 1 second, once every 3 seconds, once every 5 seconds, etc.

[0065] In other implementations, considering that evaporator only exchanges heat with the humid air from the drying drum and produces condensate during the drying process, the garment processing equipment can collect water level data in the collection box at a certain sampling frequency only during the drying process and determine whether the preset water level has been reached based on the collected water level data.

[0066] In some embodiments of this application, the cumulative drying parameters may include any one or more combinations of cumulative drying time, cumulative drying times, and cumulative drainage times. Each time the garment handling equipment updates the cumulative drying parameters, it determines whether the current cumulative drying parameters meet the preset cleaning conditions based on the cumulative drying parameters and pre-configured preset cleaning conditions.

[0067] In some embodiments, the preset cleaning conditions pre-configured in the garment processing device include a first preset duration. The first preset duration characterizes the maximum cumulative drying time corresponding to the condition that debris adhering to the evaporator surface can be removed by a pre-configured self-cleaning program. The cumulative drying parameters obtained by the garment processing device include the cumulative drying time of the drying program executed within the aforementioned preset time period. This cumulative drying time is compared with the first preset duration included in the preset cleaning conditions. If the cumulative drying parameters only include the cumulative drying time, then if the cumulative drying time is greater than or equal to the first preset duration, it is determined that the preset cleaning conditions of the evaporator are met.

[0068] The aforementioned first preset duration may include, but is not limited to, 200 min, 240 min, 250 min, etc.

[0069] In other embodiments, the preset cleaning conditions include a first preset number of times. The first preset number of times represents the maximum cumulative number of drying cycles corresponding to the condition that debris adhering to the evaporator surface can be removed by a pre-configured self-cleaning program. The cumulative drying parameters obtained by the garment handling equipment include the cumulative number of drying cycles executed within the aforementioned preset time period. This cumulative number of drying cycles is compared with the first preset number of times included in the preset cleaning conditions. If the cumulative drying parameters only include the cumulative number of drying cycles, then if the cumulative number of drying cycles is greater than or equal to the first preset number of times, it is determined that the preset cleaning conditions for the evaporator are met.

[0070] The first preset number of times mentioned above can be, but is not limited to, 4 times, 5 times, 8 times, etc.

[0071] In other embodiments, the cumulative drying parameters may include cumulative drying time and cumulative drying times. If the cumulative drying time is greater than or equal to the first preset time and the cumulative drying times are greater than or equal to the first preset number of times, it can be determined that the preset cleaning conditions of the evaporator are met.

[0072] By using the cumulative drying time and / or cumulative drying times and preset cleaning conditions, the system automatically determines whether the evaporator's self-cleaning program needs to be executed. This enables automatic determination of when to clean the evaporator, and the cumulative drying time and / or cumulative drying times can accurately reflect the condition of the debris attached to the evaporator. Therefore, the determination of whether self-cleaning is needed is highly accurate.

[0073] In other embodiments of this application, the cumulative drying parameters include the cumulative number of times the condensate collection box drains, and the preset cleaning conditions include a second preset number of times. The second preset number of times is used to characterize the maximum value of the cumulative number of times drainage occurs when the debris attached to the evaporator surface can be removed by the pre-configured self-cleaning program. The cumulative drying parameters obtained by the clothing processing equipment include the cumulative number of times the condensate collection box drains within the aforementioned preset time period. This cumulative number of times drainage is compared with the second preset number of times included in the preset cleaning conditions. If the cumulative drying parameters only include the cumulative number of times drainage, then if the cumulative number of times drainage is greater than or equal to the second preset number of times, it is determined that the preset cleaning conditions of the evaporator are met. The aforementioned second preset number of times includes, but is not limited to, 4 times, 5 times, 8 times, etc.

[0074] By using the cumulative number of drainages in the condensate collection box and preset cleaning conditions, the system automatically determines whether the evaporator's self-cleaning program needs to be executed. This achieves automatic determination of when to clean the evaporator, and the cumulative number of drainages accurately reflects the amount of debris attached to the evaporator. Therefore, the determination of whether self-cleaning is needed is highly accurate.

[0075] In other embodiments, the cumulative drying parameters may include any two or three combinations of cumulative drying time, cumulative drying times, and cumulative drainage times. In embodiments with multiple parameter combinations, the logical relationship between the parameters is either an OR relationship or an AND relationship. For example, the satisfaction of a preset cleaning condition can be determined based on either the cumulative drying time or the cumulative drainage times; that is, if either the cumulative drying time or the cumulative drainage times meets the condition, it is determined that the preset cleaning condition is met. Alternatively, the satisfaction of a preset cleaning condition can be determined based on both the cumulative drying time and the cumulative number of dryers and their cycles; that is, both the cumulative drying time and the cumulative drainage times must meet the condition for the preset cleaning condition to be satisfied.

[0076] Determining the evaporator cleaning timing by using different combinations of the aforementioned drying indicators provides multiple solutions for determining cleaning needs, contributing to the diversification of garment processing equipment. Furthermore, each combination accurately identifies the cleaning timing, and subsequent rinsing of the evaporator at that determined time effectively reduces the likelihood of evaporator clogging.

[0077] If it is determined that the preset cleaning conditions of the evaporator are met, the self-cleaning program can be executed in the following ways: controlling the compressor and / or motor to stop running; controlling the self-cleaning device to work for a second preset time to flush the evaporator with condensate from the condensate collection box.

[0078] Since the evaporator cleaning process in this embodiment uses condensate generated during the drying process, the evaporator's self-cleaning process can be executed during the drying process. After determining that the preset cleaning conditions are met, the compressor and / or motor currently running in the drying process are first controlled to stop.

[0079] In one embodiment, both the compressor and motor are stopped, with the compressor stopped first, followed by the motor. Once both the compressor and motor stop, the current drying program is interrupted, preventing the formation of a circulating airflow path within the garment handling equipment. This reduces the likelihood of the water sprayed onto the evaporator being deflected by the circulating airflow, ensuring that condensate is effectively sprayed onto the evaporator surface, thereby improving the rinsing efficiency. Furthermore, the motor's operation drives the processing drum to rotate, creating a circulating airflow. Both the condenser and evaporator in the heat pump system exchange heat with this circulating airflow. Stopping the compressor before the motor ensures that the heat pump system operates with a continuous flow of circulating air for heat exchange with the condenser and evaporator, preventing performance degradation due to insufficient air for heat exchange with the condenser and evaporator.

[0080] In another embodiment, the compressor and motor can be turned off simultaneously. Alternatively, the motor can be turned off first, followed by the compressor in a very short time, such as 3 seconds, 5 seconds, or 10 seconds. Turning off the compressor very quickly after shutting down the electrolysis unit will not affect the performance of the heat pump system.

[0081] In other embodiments, only one of the compressor and the motor may be turned off. In embodiments where only the compressor is turned off, since the motor is still running, there is still circulating air in the device, but this circulating air cannot exchange heat with the heat pump system to generate hot air. In embodiments where only the motor is turned off, there is no circulating air in the device, but the heat pump system is still running. To reduce the impact on the performance of the heat pump system, a shorter cleaning time can be set in this embodiment, thereby reducing the time the heat pump system is unable to exchange heat with the flowing air. To compensate for the impact of shortening the cleaning time on the evaporator cleaning effect, the water flow rate or the water impact force of the self-cleaning device can be increased in this embodiment.

[0082] The garment handling equipment pauses the drying process by controlling the compressor and / or electrolysis, and then controls the self-cleaning device to operate for a second preset time. The self-cleaning device includes a self-cleaning pipeline, a valve installed on the self-cleaning pipeline, and a water pump. Specifically, the garment handling equipment controls the valve to connect to the self-cleaning pipeline and controls the water pump to operate for the second preset time, so as to use the condensate in the condensate collection box to flush the evaporator.

[0083] The water pump draws condensate from the condensate collection box into the self-cleaning pipeline. This pipeline then flows to an opening on the cover plate, where it sprays onto the evaporator, washing away any debris adhering to it. The debris is then carried by the water flow through the drying tunnel formed by the cover plate and collects back into the condensate collection box, achieving automatic evaporator cleaning. The second preset time can be, but is not limited to, 15 seconds, 20 seconds, 25 seconds, etc.

[0084] In some embodiments of this application, before the compressor and motor are stopped as described above, it is first determined that the water level in the condensate collection box has reached a preset water level, which is used to indicate the highest water level at which the collection box needs to be drained.

[0085] If the current preset cleaning conditions are met, but the water level in the condensate collection box has not yet reached the preset level, the current drying program can continue to be executed, and the water level in the condensate collection box will be detected. When the water level reaches the preset level, the self-cleaning program will be executed.

[0086] Once the water level reaches the preset level, the self-cleaning program will be executed. This ensures that there is enough water in the condensate collection box for the self-cleaning program to use, reducing the occurrence of poor self-cleaning effect due to insufficient water in the condensate collection box.

[0087] In some embodiments of this application, when performing the self-cleaning procedure, the self-cleaning device is controlled to operate for a second preset duration. The specific control process of this step may include: controlling the valve to connect the self-cleaning pipeline, determining that the time between the moment the self-cleaning pipeline is connected and the current moment reaches a third preset duration, controlling the water pump to start for a second preset duration; determining that the second preset duration has been reached, turning off the water pump; determining that the time between the moment the water pump is turned off and the current moment reaches a fourth preset duration, controlling the valve to cut off the self-cleaning pipeline.

[0088] The third preset duration can be, but is not limited to, 2s or 3s, and the fourth preset duration can be, but is not limited to, 1s, 2s or 3s.

[0089] After the control valve is connected, wait for a third preset time before starting the water pump. This allows time for the valve to open to its maximum opening, reducing the risk of water flow impacting and damaging the valve before it reaches its full opening. After the water pump has run for a second preset time to flush the evaporator, wait for a fourth preset time before controlling the valve to shut off the self-cleaning pipeline. This is also to ensure that all water in the self-cleaning pipeline has drained, reducing the risk of residual water impacting and damaging the valve.

[0090] In some implementations, the condensate collection box can be connected to a self-cleaning pipe and a drain pipe. A valve is installed on the self-cleaning pipe, and a valve is installed on the drain pipe. The valve on the self-cleaning pipe is used to connect or disconnect the self-cleaning pipe, and the valve on the drain pipe is used to connect or disconnect the drain pipe.

[0091] In other implementations, the self-cleaning pipeline and the drainage pipeline may share a common section of pipeline. At the connection point between this common pipeline and the pipelines unique to the self-cleaning pipeline and the drainage pipeline, a reversing valve may be installed. During the self-cleaning process, the reversing valve can be controlled to switch the connection to the self-cleaning pipeline; when draining water to the outside of the equipment, the reversing valve can be controlled to switch the connection to the drainage pipeline.

[0092] In some embodiments of this application, after controlling the execution of the self-cleaning procedure for the evaporator, the process may further include: draining water from the condensate collection box and controlling the current drying procedure to continue until it ends.

[0093] In some embodiments, the water in the condensate collection box can be drained directly to the outside of the garment processing equipment. In other embodiments, it can be drained into an additional water tank within the garment processing equipment.

[0094] The self-cleaning program washes away debris adhering to the evaporator, which is then collected in the condensate collection box with the water flow. After the self-cleaning program ends, the current drying program continues to run until it is completed. The condensate collection box is then drained to remove the washed-off debris.

[0095] After the current drying program ends, the clothing processing equipment resets the cumulative drying parameters to zero; then, it restarts a new drying program and repeats the process of obtaining the cumulative drying parameters of the clothing processing equipment from step 101.

[0096] The cumulative drying parameters are reset to zero, and after a new drying program is started, the cumulative drying parameters are recalculated, thereby realizing the cyclic execution of the evaporator cleaning method provided in this application embodiment.

[0097] In some embodiments of this application, if it is determined that the current drying program has not ended, a judgment can be made as to whether the cumulative drying parameters meet the preset cleaning conditions. This ensures that the evaporator's self-cleaning program is executed during the drying program, allowing the drying program to provide condensate water for the self-cleaning program to rinse the evaporator.

[0098] If the preset cleaning conditions are not met by the end of the current drying cycle, the compressor and motor will be stopped, and the water in the condensate collection box will be drained to the outside of the equipment. Specifically, the drainage process may include controlling the water pump to run for a first duration to drain the water, and then turning the pump off. This is because as the pump runs for a longer period, the negative pressure in the condensate collection box increases, potentially preventing water from draining even with the pump running. Therefore, turning off the pump after the first duration effectively regulates the internal and external air pressure, helping to empty the water from the condensate collection box.

[0099] After shutting off the water pump, the motor is started in forward rotation. The motor's rotation drives the processing drum in forward rotation, generating airflow within the drum. Since the load is hot after drying, the airflow generated by the motor cools the air inside the drum and the load, reducing the risk of burns when the user opens the equipment door after the drying process. After the second forward rotation, the motor is shut off, and the water pump is restarted for a third time to drain the water. After the third time, the motor is started in reverse rotation. This reverse rotation drives the processing drum in reverse rotation, again generating airflow to cool the air inside the drum and the load. Additionally, the reverse rotation helps to untangle any load that may have become tangled during the forward rotation, making it easier for the user to remove the load and reducing wrinkles on the load.

[0100] After the motor reverses for four hours, the motor is turned off, and the water pump is restarted for the fifth hour of drainage. When the fifth hour is reached, the water pump is turned off, thus completing the operation of draining the water in the condensate collection box to the outside of the equipment.

[0101] The first duration can be, but is not limited to, 15s or 20s, the second duration can be, but is not limited to, 8s or 10s, the third duration can be, but is not limited to, 15s or 20s, the fourth duration can be, but is not limited to, 8s or 10s, and the fifth duration can be, but is not limited to, 25s or 30s.

[0102] Finally, drain the water from the condensate collection box to the outside of the equipment and turn off the water pump to end the drying process. The next time the drying process is executed, the evaporator cleaning control procedure can be repeated following steps 101 and 102 above.

[0103] To facilitate understanding of the control method provided in the embodiments of this application, the following description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Figure 5 A flowchart illustrating the control method for the garment processing equipment shown.

[0104] S1: In response to the execution command of the drying program, control the start of the drying program.

[0105] S2: Detect the water level in the condensate collection box, accumulate the number of times the water level reaches the preset level, and calculate the cumulative drying time.

[0106] S3: Determine whether the current drying program has ended. If yes, proceed to step S9; otherwise, proceed to step S4.

[0107] S4: Determine whether the cumulative drying time has reached 240 minutes or the cumulative number of drainages has reached 4 times. If yes, proceed to step S5; otherwise, return to step S2.

[0108] S5: Determine whether the current water level has reached the preset water level. If yes, proceed to step S6; otherwise, continue with step S5.

[0109] S6: First turn off the compressor, then turn off the motor, control the reversing valve to switch and connect the self-cleaning pipeline, wait 3 seconds and then start the water pump, the water pump runs for 20 seconds and then turns off the water pump, wait 1 second and then control the reversing valve to cut off the self-cleaning pipeline and connect the drain pipeline.

[0110] S7: Wait 3 seconds before starting the water pump, motor, and compressor to continue the current drying program.

[0111] S8: When the current drying program ends, turn on the water pump to drain for 30 seconds, turn off the water pump for 10 seconds, turn on the water pump again to drain for 30 seconds, turn off the water pump, clear the cumulative number of drainages and the cumulative drying time to zero, and return to step S1.

[0112] S9: Turn off the compressor and motor, turn on the water pump to drain for 20 seconds, then turn off the water pump, turn on the motor to drive forward, turn off the motor after 10 seconds, turn on the water pump, turn off the water pump after 20 seconds, control the motor to reverse, turn off the motor after 10 seconds, turn on the water pump, and turn off the water pump after 30 seconds.

[0113] The above S1-S9 are merely examples. In practical applications, the evaporator cleaning control process can be implemented according to any combination of the aforementioned embodiments.

[0114] In this embodiment, the corresponding drying indicators of the drying program executed by the clothing processing equipment are accumulated to obtain cumulative drying parameters. Based on these parameters, it is automatically determined whether the preset cleaning conditions of the evaporator are met. If the preset cleaning conditions are met, a self-cleaning program is executed to automatically rinse away debris adhering to the evaporator surface. This method achieves automatic determination of the evaporator cleaning time, automatically rinsing the evaporator when the cleaning time is determined, eliminating the need for manual cleaning by the user. This improves the ease of use of the clothing processing equipment and effectively reduces the occurrence of system performance degradation due to debris adhering to the evaporator surface, ensuring that the equipment maintains excellent drying effects even after prolonged use. Furthermore, it reduces the occurrence of odors or health problems caused by bacterial growth due to debris adhering to the evaporator surface.

[0115] Some embodiments of this application also provide a control device for a garment processing apparatus, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 6 The device includes:

[0116] The acquisition module 100 is used to acquire the cumulative drying parameters of the clothing processing equipment. The cumulative drying parameters are used to characterize the cumulative drying indicators within a preset time period.

[0117] Module 200 is used to determine whether the cumulative drying parameters meet the preset cleaning conditions of the evaporator.

[0118] The self-cleaning module 300 is used to control the execution of the self-cleaning program for the evaporator.

[0119] The acquisition module 100 is used to acquire the cumulative drying time and / or cumulative drying times of the drying program executed within a preset time period, and to use the cumulative drying time and / or cumulative drying times as the cumulative drying parameters.

[0120] The acquisition module 100 is used to acquire the cumulative number of times the water level in the condensate collection box of the clothing processing equipment reaches the preset water level within a preset time period, and uses the cumulative number of drainages as the cumulative drying parameter; the preset water level is used to indicate the highest water level at which the collection box needs to be drained.

[0121] The determining module 200 is used to determine whether the preset cleaning conditions of the evaporator are met based on the cumulative drying time being greater than or equal to a first preset time, and / or the cumulative drying number being greater than or equal to a first preset number.

[0122] The determination module 200 is used to determine whether the preset cleaning conditions of the evaporator are met based on the cumulative number of times the condensate collection box is drained, which is greater than or equal to the second preset number of times, including the cumulative drying parameters.

[0123] The self-cleaning module 300 is used to control the compressor and / or motor to stop running; and to control the self-cleaning device to operate for a second preset time to flush the evaporator with condensate from the condensate collection box.

[0124] The self-cleaning module 300 is also used to determine that the water level in the condensate collection box has reached a preset water level before controlling the compressor and / or motor to stop running, and to perform the operation of controlling the compressor and / or motor to stop running; the preset water level is used to indicate the highest water level at which the collection box needs to be drained.

[0125] The aforementioned self-cleaning device includes a self-cleaning pipeline, a valve installed on the self-cleaning pipeline, and a water pump; the self-cleaning module 300 is used to control the valve to connect to the self-cleaning pipeline, determine that the time between the moment the self-cleaning pipeline is connected and the current moment reaches a third preset time, control the water pump to start for a second preset time; determine that the second preset time has been reached, and turn off the water pump; determine that the time between the moment the water pump is turned off and the current moment reaches a fourth preset time, and control the valve to cut off the self-cleaning pipeline.

[0126] The self-cleaning module 300 is also used to control the discharge of water from the condensate collection box after the self-cleaning program of the evaporator is executed, and to control the current drying program to continue until it ends.

[0127] The self-cleaning module 300 is also used to determine when the current drying program ends and to clear the cumulative drying parameters to zero; and to determine when a new drying program starts, cyclically executing the steps of obtaining the cumulative drying parameters of the garment processing equipment.

[0128] The determination module 200 is also used to determine that the currently executing drying program has not ended before the cumulative drying parameters meet the preset cleaning conditions of the evaporator.

[0129] The control device for the clothing processing equipment provided in the above embodiments of this application and the control method for the clothing processing equipment provided in the embodiments of this application are based on the same inventive concept and have the same beneficial effects as the methods adopted, run or implemented by the application stored therein.

[0130] This application also provides a garment processing device to execute the control method described above. This garment processing device may include, but is not limited to, a portable heat pump dryer, a heat pump washer-dryer combo, etc.

[0131] Please refer to Figure 7 This illustrates a schematic diagram of a garment processing device provided by some embodiments of this application. For example... Figure 7 As shown, the garment processing device 50 includes: a processor 504, a memory 501, a bus 502, and a communication interface 503. The processor 504, the communication interface 503, and the memory 501 are connected via the bus 502. The memory 501 stores a computer program that can run on the processor 504. When the processor 504 runs the computer program, it executes the control method of the garment processing device provided in any of the foregoing embodiments of this application.

[0132] The memory 501 may include high-speed random access memory (RAM) or non-volatile memory, such as at least one disk storage device. Communication between this device network element and at least one other network element is achieved through at least one communication interface 503 (which can be wired or wireless), such as the Internet, wide area network, local area network, metropolitan area network, etc.

[0133] Bus 502 can be an ISA bus, PCI bus, or EISA bus, etc. The bus can be divided into an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, etc. The memory 501 is used to store programs. After receiving an execution instruction, the processor 504 executes the program. The control method of the clothing processing device disclosed in any of the foregoing embodiments of this application can be applied to the processor 504, or implemented by the processor 504.

[0134] Processor 504 may be an integrated circuit chip with signal processing capabilities. In implementation, each step of the above method can be completed by the integrated logic circuitry in the hardware of processor 504 or by instructions in software form. Processor 504 can be a general-purpose processor, including a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a Network Processor (NP), etc.; it can also be a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), an Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), an Off-the-shelf Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, or discrete hardware components. It can implement or execute the methods, steps, and logic block diagrams disclosed in the embodiments of this application. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor. The steps of the methods disclosed in the embodiments of this application can be directly embodied in the execution of a hardware decoding processor, or executed by a combination of hardware and software modules in the decoding processor. The software modules can reside in random access memory, flash memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, electrically erasable programmable memory, registers, or other mature storage media in the art. The storage medium is located in memory 501. Processor 504 reads the information in memory 501 and, in conjunction with its hardware, completes the steps of the above method.

[0135] The clothing processing device and the control method of the clothing processing device provided in this application are based on the same inventive concept and have the same beneficial effects as the methods used, operated or implemented.

[0136] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium corresponding to the control method for the clothing processing equipment provided in the foregoing embodiments. Please refer to... Figure 8 The computer-readable storage medium shown is an optical disc 30, on which a computer program (i.e., a program product) is stored. When the computer program is run by a processor, it executes the control method of the clothing processing device provided in any of the foregoing embodiments.

[0137] It should be noted that examples of the computer-readable storage medium may also include, but are not limited to, phase-change memory (PRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), other types of random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other optical and magnetic storage media, which will not be elaborated here.

[0138] The computer-readable storage medium provided in the above embodiments of this application and the control method of the clothing processing device provided in the embodiments of this application are based on the same inventive concept and have the same beneficial effects as the methods adopted, run or implemented by the application stored therein.

[0139] It should be noted that:

[0140] Numerous specific details are set forth in the specification provided herein. However, it will be understood that embodiments of this application may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known structures and techniques have not been shown in detail so as not to obscure the understanding of this specification.

[0141] Similarly, it should be understood that, for the sake of brevity and to aid in understanding one or more of the various inventive aspects, in the above description of exemplary embodiments of this application, various features of this application are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof. However, this disclosure should not be construed as reflecting a schematic diagram in which the claimed application requires more features than expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as reflected in the following claims, inventive aspects lie in fewer than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Therefore, the claims following the detailed description are hereby expressly incorporated into that detailed description, wherein each claim itself is a separate embodiment of this application.

[0142] Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that although some embodiments described herein include certain features but not others included in other embodiments, combinations of features from different embodiments are intended to be within the scope of this application and form different embodiments. For example, in the following claims, any of the claimed embodiments can be used in any combination.

[0143] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A control method of a laundry treating apparatus, characterized by, The method comprises: obtaining a drying cumulative parameter of the clothes processing device, the drying cumulative parameter being used to represent a drying index accumulated in a preset time period; determining that the drying cumulative parameter meets a preset cleaning condition of the evaporator, and controlling to execute a self-cleaning program on the evaporator.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The obtaining of the drying cumulative parameter of the clothes processing device comprises: obtaining a cumulative drying time length and / or a cumulative drying number of times of executing a drying program in the preset time period, and taking the cumulative drying time length and / or the cumulative drying number of times as the drying cumulative parameter.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The obtaining of the drying cumulative parameter of the clothes processing device comprises: obtaining a cumulative drainage number of times of the clothes processing device in the preset time period, in which a water level in a condensate water collecting box reaches a preset water level, and taking the cumulative drainage number of times as the drying cumulative parameter; the preset water level is used to represent a highest water level at which the collecting box needs to be drained.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, The determining that the drying cumulative parameter meets the preset cleaning condition of the evaporator comprises: determining that the preset cleaning condition of the evaporator is met according to that a cumulative drying time length included in the drying cumulative parameter is greater than or equal to a first preset time length, and / or a cumulative drying number of times included in the drying cumulative parameter is greater than or equal to a first preset number of times.

5. The method according to claim 1 or 4, characterized in that, The determining that the drying cumulative parameter meets the preset cleaning condition of the evaporator comprises: determining that the preset cleaning condition of the evaporator is met according to that a cumulative drainage number of times of a condensate water collecting box included in the drying cumulative parameter is greater than or equal to a second preset number of times.

6. The method according to any of claims 1, 2, 4, characterized in that, The controlling to execute the self-cleaning program on the evaporator comprises: controlling a compressor and / or a motor to stop running; controlling a self-cleaning device to work for a second preset time length, so as to flush the evaporator by using condensate water in a condensate water collecting box.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein, The controlling of the compressor and / or the motor to stop running comprises: determining that a water level in the condensate water collecting box reaches a preset water level, and executing the operation of controlling the compressor and / or the motor to stop running; the preset water level is used to represent a highest water level at which the collecting box needs to be drained.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein, The self-cleaning device comprises a self-cleaning pipeline, a valve and a water pump arranged on the self-cleaning pipeline; the controlling of the self-cleaning device to work for the second preset time length comprises: controlling the valve to communicate the self-cleaning pipeline, determining that a time length from a time of communicating the self-cleaning pipeline to a current time reaches a third preset time length, and controlling the water pump to be opened for the second preset time length; determining that the second preset time length is reached, and closing the water pump; determining that a time length from a time of closing the water pump to the current time reaches a fourth preset time length, and controlling the valve to cut off the self-cleaning pipeline.

9. The method according to any of claims 1, 2, 4, characterized by, After the controlling to execute the self-cleaning program on the evaporator, the method further comprises: draining water in the condensate water collecting box, and controlling a current drying program to continue to be executed until ending.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein, The method further comprises: determining that the current drying program ends, and clearing the drying cumulative parameter; determining that a new drying program is started, and executing the step of obtaining the drying cumulative parameter of the clothes processing device cyclically.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1, 2, 4, characterized in that, The determining that the drying cumulative parameter meets the preset cleaning condition of the evaporator comprises: It is determined that a current executed drying program is not ended, and the operation of determining that the drying cumulative parameter meets the preset cleaning condition of the evaporator is executed. 12.A control apparatus of a laundry treating apparatus, characterized by, The device comprises: An acquisition module is configured to acquire a drying cumulative parameter of a clothes treatment apparatus, the drying cumulative parameter being used to represent a drying index accumulated in a preset time period; A determination module is configured to determine that the drying cumulative parameter meets a preset cleaning condition of the evaporator; A self-cleaning module is configured to control execution of a self-cleaning program for the evaporator. 13.A laundry treating apparatus, characterized by, A computer program product comprising a memory, a processor and a computer program stored on the memory and loadable on the processor, wherein the processor is configured to execute the computer program to implement the method according to any one of claims 1-11.

14. A computer readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program, characterized in that, The program is executed by the processor to implement the method according to any one of claims 1-11.

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