Clothes care machine control method and clothes care machine

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of clothes treatment equipment, in particular to a control method of a clothes care machine and the clothes care machine, and aims to solve the problem that clothes are hard in hand feeling after being dried by an existing clothes care machine. To this end, the clothes care machine of the present invention comprises: a care chamber having a clothes hanging device therein for hanging clothes; the heating chamber is communicated with the nursing chamber through the air supply port and the air return port to form a circulating air duct; the fan is mounted in the heating chamber and can form circulating air flow in the circulating air duct; the heating device is mounted in the heating chamber and can heat the circulating air flow; the steam generating device can spray steam to the nursing chamber; the control method comprises the steps that a drying mode, a softening mode and an air drying mode are executed in sequence; in the drying mode, the heating device and the fan are controlled to operate; in the softening mode, the steam generation device is controlled to operate; and in the air drying mode, the fan is controlled to operate.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of clothes processing equipment, and particularly provides a control method of a clothes care machine and the clothes care machine. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the development of technology and the improvement of user requirements, manufacturers are constantly enriching and perfecting the functions of clothes care machines, and also pay more and more attention to the care effect of clothes care machines.

[0003] For example, the existing clothes care machine has multiple functions such as sterilization, disinfection, wrinkle removal, odor removal, and drying, which greatly reduces the workload of users in the clothes care process, improves the care efficiency, and especially the fast drying function greatly saves the time spent on clothes drying.

[0004] However, the existing clothes care machine will cause the clothes to be hard after drying, especially the clothes made of cotton and hemp, which seriously affects the user's dressing experience.

[0005] Therefore, there is a need in the art for a new technical solution to solve the above problems. SUMMARY

[0006] The present application aims to solve the above technical problems, that is, to solve the problem that the existing clothes care machine is prone to cause the clothes to be hard after drying.

[0007] In a first aspect, the present application provides a control method of a clothes care machine, the clothes care machine comprising a care chamber, the care chamber having a clothes hanging device inside, the clothes hanging device being capable of hanging clothes; a heating chamber, the heating chamber being in communication with the care chamber through a supply air port and a return air port to form a circulating air duct; a fan, the fan being installed in the heating chamber and capable of forming a circulating air flow in the circulating air duct; a heating device, the heating device being installed in the heating chamber and capable of heating the circulating air flow; a steam generating device, the steam generating device being in communication with the care chamber and capable of spraying steam into the care chamber; the control method comprising: sequentially executing a drying mode, a softening mode and an air drying mode; wherein in the drying mode, the heating device and the fan are controlled to operate to dry the clothes by using high-temperature circulating air flow; in the softening mode, the steam generating device is controlled to operate to spray steam onto the clothes; and in the air drying mode, the fan is controlled to operate to naturally dry the clothes in an environment close to room temperature.

[0008] In the preferred technical solution of the above control method, during execution of the drying mode, the control method of the present application further comprises: obtaining a humidity value of the clothes on the clothes hanging device; and when the humidity value is less than a preset value, switching from execution of the drying mode to execution of the softening mode.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment of the above control method, the garment care machine further includes a drive device connected to the garment hanging device, the drive device being able to drive the garment hanging device to swing. During the execution of the softening mode, the control method of the present invention further includes: acquiring the weight of the garments on the garment hanging device; and selectively activating the drive device according to the weight.

[0010] In the preferred embodiment of the above control method, the step of "selectively activating the drive device according to the weight" specifically includes: comparing the weight with a preset weight; and selectively activating the drive device according to the comparison result.

[0011] In the preferred embodiment of the above control method, the step of "selectively activating the drive device according to the comparison result" specifically includes: if the weight is less than the preset weight, then the drive device is not activated; and / or if the weight is not less than the preset weight, then the drive device is activated.

[0012] In the preferred embodiment of the above control method, during the execution of the softening mode, the control method of the present invention further includes: controlling the operation of the fan.

[0013] In the preferred embodiment of the above control method, during the execution of the softening mode, the control method of the present invention further includes: controlling the steam generator and the fan to operate alternately.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment of the above control method, before executing the softening mode, the control method of the present invention further includes: obtaining the weight of the clothes on the clothes hanging device; and determining the operating time of the steam generator based on the weight.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment of the above control method, during the execution of the air-drying mode, the control method of the present invention further includes: controlling the operation of the drive device; and / or during the execution of the drying mode, the control method of the present invention further includes: controlling the operation of the drive device.

[0016] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a garment care machine, the garment care machine including a controller configured to perform the control method described above.

[0017] With the above technical solution adopted, the garment care machine of the present invention includes a care chamber, in which a garment hanging device is provided for hanging garments; a heating chamber, which is connected to the care chamber through an air inlet and an air outlet to form a circulating air duct; a fan, which is installed in the heating chamber and can form a circulating airflow in the circulating air duct; a heating device, which is installed in the heating chamber and can heat the circulating airflow; and a steam generator, which is connected to the care chamber and can spray steam into the care chamber. The control method of the present invention includes: sequentially executing a drying mode, a softening mode, and an air-drying mode; wherein, in the drying mode, the heating device and the fan are controlled to operate to dry the garments using a high-temperature circulating airflow; in the softening mode, the steam generator is controlled to operate to spray steam onto the garments; and in the air-drying mode, the fan is controlled to operate so that the garments are naturally air-dried in an environment close to room temperature. This setting allows for the spraying of steam onto clothes after high-temperature baking, restoring some moisture and flexibility to the clothes and softening them. Then, the air-drying mode allows the moisture on the clothes to evaporate at near-room temperature, preventing the clothes from becoming stiff due to rapid evaporation.

[0018] Furthermore, during the execution of the drying mode, the control method of the present invention also includes: acquiring the humidity value of the clothes on the hanging device; when the humidity value is less than a preset value, switching from the drying mode to the softening mode. With this setting, on the one hand, the system can automatically switch from the drying mode to the softening mode after the humidity value of the clothes reaches the preset condition, making the control process more intelligent and precise; on the other hand, by reasonably setting preset values ​​to accurately control the running time of each mode, both the drying speed and the softness of the clothes can be considered simultaneously.

[0019] Furthermore, the garment care machine of the present invention also includes a drive device connected to the garment hanging device, the drive device being able to drive the garment hanging device to swing. During the execution of the softening mode, the control method of the present invention further includes: acquiring the weight of the garments on the garment hanging device; and selectively activating the drive device according to the weight. With this setting, the quantity of garments can be determined based on their weight, and the intensity of the softening mode can be adjusted by selectively operating the drive device to match garments of different weights.

[0020] Furthermore, the control method of the present invention also includes: comparing the weight with a preset weight; and selectively activating the drive device based on the comparison result. Through this setting, the drying capacity is divided into two ranges using the preset weight, and the softening mode intensity is divided into two levels by whether the drive device is running, thereby matching different weight ranges with corresponding softening intensities and improving the control accuracy of the softening mode.

[0021] Furthermore, the control method of the present invention further includes: if the weight is less than a preset weight, the drive device is not activated; and / or if the weight is not less than the preset weight, the drive device is activated. With this configuration, when the amount of clothes to be dried is large, the steam generator and the drive device can be controlled to operate simultaneously. On the one hand, steam is used to increase the humidity and softness of the clothes; on the other hand, the swinging motion of the hanging device prevents the clothes from remaining in a fixed posture and becoming stiff, thus enhancing the softening effect on the clothes. When the amount of clothes to be dried is small, only the steam generator is operated to spray steam, which helps control energy consumption and water usage, achieving precise control.

[0022] Furthermore, during the softening mode, the control method of the present invention also includes controlling the operation of the fan. With this setup, on the one hand, the circulating airflow generated by the fan disperses the steam, increasing the steam spray area so that it can be evenly distributed onto the surface of the clothing, improving the softening effect; on the other hand, it also allows the clothing to continuously oscillate, maintaining its softness.

[0023] Furthermore, during the execution of the softening mode, the control method of the present invention further includes: controlling the steam generator and the fan to operate alternately. This arrangement prevents the airflow from blowing steam in one direction, which would hinder steam diffusion, ensuring uniform steam distribution on the surface of the clothing and improving the softening effect.

[0024] Furthermore, before executing the softening mode, the control method of the present invention further includes: acquiring the weight of the clothes on the hanging device; and determining the operating time of the steam generator based on the weight. With this setup, the amount of clothes to be dried can be determined by the weight of the clothes, and then the steam spraying time and amount can be controlled by controlling the operating time of the steam generator.

[0025] Furthermore, during the air-drying mode, the control method of the present invention further includes: controlling the operation of the drive device; and / or during the drying mode, the control method of the present invention further includes: controlling the operation of the drive device. With this configuration, the drive device operates simultaneously in both the air-drying and drying modes to cause the clothes to oscillate, thereby accelerating moisture evaporation and improving the efficiency of both modes.

[0026] Furthermore, the garment care machine provided by the present invention, based on the above control method, possesses the technical effects of the above control method. Compared with the garment care machine before the improvement, the garment care machine of the present invention does not cause the garment to harden after high-temperature drying, so that the garment can still maintain a soft feel, thereby improving the care effect and user experience. Attached Figure Description

[0027] The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the garment care machine of the present invention. Figure 1 ;

[0029] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the garment care machine of the present invention. Figure 2 ;

[0030] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of the control method for the garment care machine of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of an embodiment of the control method for the garment care machine of the present invention.

[0032] List of reference signs:

[0033] 1. Nursing chamber; 11. Garment hanging device; 2. Heating chamber; 31. Air supply outlet; 32. Air return outlet; 33. Steam outlet; 4. Fan; 5. Heating device; 6. Steam generator. Detailed Implementation

[0034] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art should understand that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical principles of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0035] It should be noted that in the description of this invention, terms such as "inner," "lower," and "top," which indicate direction or positional relationship, are based on the direction or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. This is merely for the convenience of description and does not indicate or imply that the device or element must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, it should not be construed as a limitation of this invention.

[0036] Furthermore, it should be noted that, in the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "set" and "install" should be interpreted broadly, and those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0037] Based on the background art, existing garment care machines often result in clothes feeling stiff after drying. This invention provides a control method and the garment care machine itself. By sequentially executing a drying mode, a softening mode, and an air-drying mode, the machine utilizes a steam generator to spray steam onto the clothes in the air-drying mode, increasing the moisture content to maintain their softness. Finally, natural wind is used to air-dry the clothes at room temperature. This process results in clothes with a soft feel after drying, improving both the drying effect and the user experience.

[0038] Specifically, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the garment care machine of the present invention includes a care chamber 1, which has a garment hanging device 11 for hanging garments; a heating chamber 2, which is connected to the care chamber 1 through an air supply port 31 and an air return port 32 to form a circulating air duct; a fan 4, which is installed in the heating chamber 2 and can form a circulating airflow in the circulating air duct; a heating device 5, which is installed in the heating chamber 2 and can heat the circulating airflow; and a steam generator 6, which is connected to the care chamber 1 and can spray steam into the care chamber 1.

[0039] For example, the garment hanging device 11 can be configured as a hanging rod installed on the top of the care chamber 1, allowing garments to be hung on the hanging rod by hangers, so that the garments hang naturally; the garment care machine also includes a drive device connected to the garment hanging device 11, for example, the drive device can be configured as a drive motor plus an eccentric rotating component, which can drive the garment hanging device 11 to swing, the heating chamber 2 is located below the care chamber 1, and the two are separated by a partition, with the air supply port 31 and the air return port 32 both located on the partition; during operation, the fan 4 can draw air from the care chamber 1 into the heating chamber 2 through the air return port 32, and then send the air into the care chamber 1 through the air supply port 31 to form a circulating airflow; heating device 5 is installed on the path through which the circulating airflow passes, and can be set as a heat pump device and / or an electric heating component, etc. In this case, a heat pump device is preferred; one end of the steam generator 6 is connected to the water tank and the other end is connected to the care chamber 1, which can convert water into high-temperature steam and spray it into the care chamber 1 to wet and heat the clothes, thereby playing an auxiliary role in drying, disinfecting and softening the clothes. The steam generator can be installed at any position in the care chamber 1. In this case, it is preferred to install it in the heating chamber 2, and the steam is sprayed into the care chamber 1 through the steam outlet 33 on the partition. In addition, a pick-up and drop-off port and a door are provided on one side of the clothing care machine. The door can close the pick-up and drop-off port to make the care chamber 1 a sealed space.

[0040] Preferably, such as Figure 3 As shown, based on the structure of the above-described garment care machine, the control method provided by this invention includes:

[0041] S100: Execute drying mode;

[0042] S200: Execute softening mode;

[0043] S300: Execute air-drying mode;

[0044] The specific steps for executing the drying mode include:

[0045] S110: Controls the operation of the heating device and fan to dry clothes using high-temperature circulating airflow;

[0046] The specific steps for implementing the softening mode include:

[0047] S210: Controls the operation of the steam generator to spray steam onto clothing;

[0048] The specific steps for implementing the air-drying mode include:

[0049] S310: Controls the operation of the fan to allow clothes to air dry naturally in an environment close to room temperature.

[0050] Clothes that have been washed and spun dry still have a relatively high moisture content. During the high-temperature drying process, the shape and posture of the clothes remain unchanged. Once the moisture is quickly evaporated, the clothes will become stiff and lose their original softness.

[0051] Based on this, in the care process of the present invention, when the user hangs the washed and spun clothes on the clothes hanging device 11 and starts the clothes care machine, the care machine will execute the drying mode, softening mode and air drying mode in sequence according to the preset program. The three modes can run for a preset duration, or they can be adjusted in real time according to the changes in parameters such as clothes and environment during operation, so as to achieve a better care effect.

[0052] By spraying steam onto clothes after they have been baked at high temperatures, the clothes can regain some moisture and flexibility, thus softening them. Then, the air-drying mode allows the remaining moisture on the clothes to evaporate at near-room temperature, preventing the clothes from losing water quickly and hardening under high-temperature baking.

[0053] Preferably, such as Figure 4 As shown, during the execution of the drying mode, the control method of the present invention further includes:

[0054] S120: Obtain the humidity value of the clothes on the clothes hanging device;

[0055] When the humidity value is lower than the preset value, the system will switch from drying mode to softening mode.

[0056] The specific steps are as follows:

[0057] S130: Compare the humidity value with the preset value;

[0058] S131: If the humidity value is less than the preset value, control the steam generator to operate;

[0059] S132: If the humidity value is not less than the preset value, the operation of the steam generator will not be controlled, and the heating device and fan will continue to operate.

[0060] For example, the garment care machine of the present invention also includes a humidity sensor. The humidity sensor can be installed at the return air vent 32, the clothes hanging rod, etc., to accurately detect the humidity of the clothes. During the operation of the drying mode, the humidity sensor will detect the humidity of the clothes in real time. When the humidity value drops to a preset value, the system will turn off the heating device 5 and the fan 4, and then start the steam generator 6.

[0061] It should be noted that the required preset value varies depending on the installation location of the humidity sensor. In this case, the humidity sensor is installed at the return air vent 32 as an example. The preset value is set to 20% to 30%, and preferably 25%. That is, when the humidity value is less than 25%, the system will switch from drying mode to softening mode.

[0062] By setting the preset values ​​appropriately, the clothes can first be dried to a state of full or near full dryness through the drying mode, and then the clothes can be restored to a certain degree of humidity and softness by spraying steam, but the humidity will not be too high, so that the clothes can be dried quickly by the circulating airflow in the air drying mode. In the air drying mode, the circulating airflow can use the residual heat after the drying mode to speed up the drying process.

[0063] With this setting, on the one hand, the drying mode can be automatically switched to the softening mode after the humidity value of the clothes reaches the preset condition, making the care process more intelligent and precise; on the other hand, by reasonably setting the preset value to accurately control the running time of each mode, the drying speed and softness of the clothes can be taken into account at the same time.

[0064] Preferably, such as Figure 4 As shown, since the garment care machine of the present invention also includes a drive device that is drivenly connected to the garment hanging device 11 and can drive the garment hanging device 11 to swing, the control method of the present invention further includes the following during the execution of the softening mode:

[0065] S220: Obtain the weight of the clothes on the hanging device;

[0066] S230: Selectively activate the drive unit based on weight.

[0067] For example, a pressure sensor is also provided on the clothes hanging device 11, which can detect the weight of the clothes on the clothes hanging rod. When the clothes are very thick or there are too many clothes, it is more difficult to soften the clothes. Relying solely on spraying steam may not achieve a good softening effect.

[0068] Therefore, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in softening mode, the system can also selectively activate the drive device according to the weight of the clothes to drive the clothes rack and the clothes to swing, that is, to operate the steam generator 6 alone or to operate the steam generator 6 and the drive device simultaneously.

[0069] With this setup, the amount of laundry to dry can be determined based on weight. The operation of the drive unit causes the laundry to swing, thereby adjusting the intensity of the softening mode to suit laundry of different weights.

[0070] In practical applications, those skilled in the art can also install a vision system inside the garment care machine to identify the quantity of garments and selectively activate the drive device based on the identification results.

[0071] It should be noted that in some other preferred embodiments of this solution, during the execution of the drying mode and / or air-drying mode, the system will also simultaneously operate the drive device to make the clothes swing, thereby accelerating the evaporation of moisture inside the clothes and further improving the efficiency of the air-drying mode and the drying mode.

[0072] Preferably, such as Figure 4 As shown, the step of "selectively activating the drive unit according to weight" specifically includes:

[0073] S240: Compare the weight with the preset weight;

[0074] S250: Based on the comparison results, selectively activate the drive unit.

[0075] By using preset weights, the number of clothes to be dried can be divided into two ranges, and the intensity of the softening mode can be divided into two levels by whether the drive device is running or not. This allows the weight range to be matched with the softening intensity, thus improving the control accuracy of the softening mode.

[0076] Taking the garment care machine of the present invention with a capacity of 8KG as an example, the preset weight is preferably set to 5KG.

[0077] Preferably, such as Figure 4 As shown, the step of "selectively activating the drive unit based on the comparison results" specifically includes:

[0078] S251: If the weight is less than the preset weight, the drive unit will not be started; and / or

[0079] S252: If the weight is not less than the preset weight, start the drive unit.

[0080] Therefore, when there are many clothes to dry, the steam generator 6 and the drive device operate simultaneously. On the one hand, the sprayed steam increases the humidity and softness of the clothes, and on the other hand, the swinging of the hanging device prevents the clothes from becoming stiff by maintaining a fixed posture, thus enhancing the softening effect on the clothes. When there are few clothes to dry, only the steam generator 6 operates to spray steam, which helps to save energy and water consumption and achieve precise control.

[0081] Preferably, such asFigure 4 As shown, during the execution of the softening mode, the control method of the present invention further includes:

[0082] S260: Controls the operation of the fan.

[0083] In another preferred embodiment of the invention, during the execution of the softening mode, the system controls both the steam generator 6 and the blower 4 to operate.

[0084] On the one hand, the circulating airflow generated by the fan 4 disperses the steam, increasing the spray area of ​​the steam, so that it can be evenly attached to the surface of the clothes and improve the softening effect; on the other hand, it can also make the clothes swing continuously, preventing the clothes from becoming stiff by keeping them in a fixed position, and maintaining the softness of the clothes.

[0085] Preferably, such as Figure 4 As shown, during the execution of the softening mode, the control method of the present invention further includes:

[0086] Control the alternating operation of the steam generator and the blower.

[0087] For example, the running time of the two can be the same or different each time. In this case, it is preferred that the running time of the steam generator 6 is set to 2 minutes each time and the running time of the blower 4 is set to 1 minute each time.

[0088] By alternating the operation of the two, it is possible to prevent the airflow from blowing steam in one direction, which would hinder the diffusion of steam, thus ensuring that the steam is evenly distributed on the surface of the clothing and improving the softening effect.

[0089] Preferably, before executing the softening mode, the control method of the present invention further includes:

[0090] Get the weight of the clothes on the clothes hanging device;

[0091] The operating time of the steam generator is determined based on its weight.

[0092] With this setup, the amount of clothes to be dried can be determined based on their weight. Then, the steam spraying time and amount can be controlled by adjusting the operating time of the steam generator 6. When there are many clothes, the amount of steam spraying needs to be increased, and when there are few clothes, the amount of steam spraying needs to be reduced. This helps to save energy and water while ensuring the softening effect.

[0093] Furthermore, the garment care machine provided by the present invention, based on the above control method, possesses the technical effects of the above control method. Compared with the garment care machine before the improvement, the garment care machine of the present invention does not cause the garment to harden after high-temperature drying, so that the garment can still maintain a soft feel, thereby improving the care effect and user experience.

[0094] The technical solution of the present invention has been described above with reference to the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the scope of protection of the present invention is obviously not limited to these specific embodiments. Without departing from the principles of the present invention, those skilled in the art can make equivalent changes or substitutions to the relevant technical features, and the technical solutions after such changes or substitutions will all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A control method for a garment care machine, characterized in that, The garment care machine includes: A nursing chamber, wherein the nursing chamber is equipped with a garment hanging device, which is capable of hanging clothing; A heating chamber, which is connected to the nursing chamber through an air supply outlet and an air return outlet to form a circulating air duct; A fan, installed in the heating chamber, is capable of generating a circulating airflow within the circulating air duct; A heating device, installed in the heating chamber, is capable of heating the circulating airflow; A steam generator, which is connected to the nursing chamber and is capable of spraying steam into the nursing chamber; The control method includes: The drying mode, softening mode, and air-drying mode are executed sequentially. In the drying mode, the heating device and the fan are controlled to operate so as to dry clothes using high-temperature circulating airflow; In the softening mode, the steam generator is controlled to operate to spray steam onto the clothing; In the air-drying mode, the fan is controlled to operate so that the clothes are naturally air-dried in an environment close to room temperature.

2. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, During the execution of the drying mode, the control method of the present invention further includes: Obtain the humidity value of the clothes on the clothes hanging device; When the humidity value is less than the preset value, the process switches from executing the drying mode to executing the softening mode.

3. The control method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The garment care machine further includes a drive device connected to the garment hanging device, the drive device being able to drive the garment hanging device to swing. During the execution of the softening mode, the control method of the present invention further includes: Obtain the weight of the clothes on the hanging device; The drive unit is selectively activated based on the weight.

4. The control method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The step of "selectively activating the drive device according to the weight" specifically includes: Compare the weight with the preset weight; Based on the comparison results, the drive device is selectively activated.

5. The control method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The step of "selectively activating the drive device based on the comparison results" specifically includes: If the weight is less than the preset weight, the drive device will not be activated; and / or If the weight is not less than the preset weight, then the drive device is activated.

6. The control method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, During the execution of the softening mode, the control method of the present invention further includes: Control the operation of the fan.

7. The control method according to claim 6, characterized in that, During the execution of the softening mode, the control method of the present invention further includes: The steam generator and the blower are controlled to operate alternately.

8. The control method according to claim 2, characterized in that, Before executing the softening mode, the control method of the present invention further includes: Obtain the weight of the clothes on the hanging device; The operating time of the steam generator is determined based on the weight.

9. The control method according to claim 3, characterized in that, During the execution of the air-drying mode, the control method of the present invention further includes: Control the operation of the drive device; and / or During the execution of the drying mode, the control method of the present invention further includes: Control the operation of the drive device.

10. A garment care machine, characterized in that, The garment care machine includes a controller configured to perform the control method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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