Household appliance and leakage protection device therefor

Abstract

The application provides a household appliance and a leakage protection device thereof. The household appliance comprises: an electric device; a relay connected in series to a power supply circuit of the electric device; a leakage detection assembly, an output end of the leakage detection assembly being connected to a first end of the relay; and a first switch tube, a first end of the first switch tube being connected to a second end of the relay and a ground end of the leakage detection assembly respectively, and a second end of the first switch tube being grounded. In the case that a first level signal is received at a control end of the first switch tube, the first switch tube is in a conducting state, the leakage detection assembly is powered on and operates, and the relay is controlled to be turned on or turned off according to a comparison result of an algebraic sum of currents of the power supply circuit and a preset algebraic sum. In the case that the electric device does not work with power, the leakage detection assembly can not work with power, so that the power consumption of the leakage detection assembly can be reduced, and in the case that the power consumption of the leakage detection assembly is reduced, the power consumption of the household appliance can be reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of household appliance technology, and more specifically, to a household appliance and its leakage protection device. Background Technology

[0002] For household appliances like dishwashers, a leakage protection device needs to be installed on the power plug to ensure safe use.

[0003] Because the leakage current protection device is installed on the power plug, it needs to be powered on continuously, resulting in relatively high power consumption for household appliances. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention aims to at least solve the technical problem in the prior art or related art that the leakage current protection device is located on the power plug, so the leakage current protection device needs to be powered on all the time, resulting in high power consumption of household appliances.

[0005] Therefore, a first aspect of the present invention is to provide a household appliance.

[0006] A second aspect of the present invention is to provide a leakage current protection device for household appliances.

[0007] A third aspect of the invention is that it provides another leakage current protection device for household appliances.

[0008] In view of this, the present invention provides a household appliance, comprising: an electrical component; a relay connected in series with the power supply line of the electrical component; a leakage current detection component, the output terminal of which is connected to the first terminal of the relay; a first switching transistor, the first terminal of which is connected to the second terminal of the relay and the ground terminal of the leakage current detection component, and the second terminal of the first switching transistor is grounded; wherein, when the control terminal of the first switching transistor receives a first level signal, the first switching transistor is in a conducting state, the leakage current detection component is powered on and operates, and controls the relay to be turned on or off according to the comparison result of the algebraic sum of the currents in the power supply line with a preset algebraic sum.

[0009] The present invention provides a household appliance comprising an electrical component, a relay, a leakage current detection component, and a first switching transistor. The first terminal of the first switching transistor is connected to both the second terminal of the relay and the grounding terminal of the leakage current detection component. The second terminal of the first switching transistor is grounded. Therefore, the grounding terminal of the leakage current detection component is grounded through the first switching transistor. Thus, the first switching transistor can be used to control whether the grounding terminal of the leakage current detection component is grounded. When the grounding terminal of the leakage current detection component is grounded, the leakage current detection component can be powered on and provide leakage current protection.

[0010] At the same time, the first terminal of the first switching transistor is connected to the second terminal of the relay. Therefore, the relay can be grounded through the first switching transistor. Obviously, the operation of the relay can be controlled by the first switching transistor, thereby controlling whether the relay supplies power to the electrical device.

[0011] During this process, the leakage current detection component can be powered on synchronously with the electrical device and perform leakage current protection. That is, the leakage current detection component can only perform leakage current protection when the electrical device is powered on and working. When the electrical device is not powered on and working, the leakage current detection component can not be powered on and working. Therefore, the power consumption of the leakage current detection component can be reduced. By reducing the power consumption of the leakage current detection component, the power consumption of household appliances can be reduced.

[0012] In the above technical solution, the current flowing into and out of the power supply line is represented by different directions. Therefore, the algebraic sum of the currents in the power supply line can be understood as the sum of the currents in different directions.

[0013] For example, the inflow current is represented by + and the outflow current is represented by -. If the inflow current is 10 amps and the outflow current is 5 amps, then the algebraic sum of the currents in the power supply line is represented as +10 amps + (-5) amps, which is +5 amps.

[0014] For example, if the inflow current is 10 amps and the outflow current is 3 amps, then the algebraic sum of the currents in the power supply line is expressed as +10 amps + (-3) amps, which is +7 amps.

[0015] In the above technical solution, the preset algebraic sum is zero. If the algebraic sum of the currents in the power supply line is equal to the preset algebraic sum, it is considered that the inflow current value and the outflow current value are equal. At this time, there is no leakage. Conversely, if the inflow current value and the outflow current value are not equal, that is, the algebraic sum of the currents in the power supply line is not equal to the preset algebraic sum, it is considered that there is leakage.

[0016] For leakage current detection components, in the event of leakage current, the power supply to electrical devices can be stopped by controlling the relay to cut off, thereby providing leakage current protection for household appliances.

[0017] In addition, the household appliance proposed in this invention also has the following additional technical features.

[0018] In some technical solutions, optionally, the leakage current detection component includes: a leakage current detection device located on the power supply line of the electrical device, used to detect the algebraic sum of the current in the power supply line, the power supply terminal of the leakage current detection device being connected to a first power source, and the grounding terminal of the leakage current detection device being connected to the first terminal of a first switching transistor; a second switching transistor, the first terminal of the second switching transistor being connected to the first power source, the second terminal of the second switching transistor being connected to the first terminal of a relay, and the control terminal of the second switching transistor being connected to the signal output terminal of the leakage current detection device; wherein, the leakage current detection device controls the second switching transistor to be turned on or off based on the comparison result of the algebraic sum of the current in the power supply line with a preset algebraic sum, so as to control the relay to be turned on or off.

[0019] In this technical solution, the leakage current detection component includes a leakage current detection device and a second switching transistor. The leakage current detection device can use the second switching transistor to control the relay to turn on and off, thereby realizing the power supply control of the electrical device.

[0020] Since the first end of the second switching transistor is connected to the first power supply, and the second end of the second switching transistor is connected to the first end of the relay, the leakage current detection device can use the second switching transistor to control whether to supply power to the relay, thereby realizing the power supply control of the electrical device.

[0021] Specifically, when the leakage current detection device determines that there is no leakage current based on the comparison between the algebraic sum of the current in the power supply line and the preset algebraic sum, the leakage current detection device can control the second switch to conduct. At this time, the first power supply can supply power to the relay, and when the first switch is in the conducting state, the relay is energized and conducts. At this time, the relay can supply power to the electrical device.

[0022] When the leakage current detection device determines that there is leakage based on the comparison between the algebraic sum of the current in the power supply line and the preset algebraic sum, the leakage current detection device can control the second switch to be cut off. At this time, the first power supply cannot supply power to the relay. Even if the first switch is in the conducting state, the relay will be disconnected due to loss of power supply. At this time, the relay cannot supply power to the electrical device.

[0023] During this process, the relay can be promptly disconnected upon detection of leakage, reducing the electrical risks caused by leakage from electrical components.

[0024] In some technical solutions, optionally, the leakage current detection device includes: a current transformer located on the power supply line of the electrical device, used to detect the algebraic sum of the currents in the power supply line; a leakage current detection chip connected to the current transformer, the power supply terminal of the leakage current detection chip being connected to a first power source, the ground terminal of the leakage current detection chip being connected to a first terminal of a first switching transistor, and the control terminal of a second switching transistor being connected to the signal output terminal of the leakage current detection chip; wherein, the leakage current detection chip controls the second switching transistor to be turned on or off based on the comparison result of the algebraic sum of the currents in the power supply line with a preset algebraic sum, so as to control the relay to be turned on or off.

[0025] In this technical solution, the current transformer can be directly installed on the power supply line of the electrical appliance, rather than being directly connected to the power supply line of the electrical appliance. Therefore, the probability of leakage current detection device leakage can be reduced, thereby improving the reliability of household appliances.

[0026] In some technical solutions, optionally, when the algebraic sum of the currents in the power supply line is equal to a preset algebraic sum, the signal output terminal of the leakage current detection chip outputs a second-level signal, the second switching transistor responds to the second-level signal, the first terminal of the second switching transistor is connected to the second terminal of the second switching transistor, and the relay is turned on; when the algebraic sum of the currents in the power supply line is not equal to the preset algebraic sum, the signal output terminal of the leakage current detection chip outputs a third-level signal, the second switching transistor responds to the third-level signal, the first terminal of the second switching transistor is disconnected from the second terminal of the second switching transistor, and the relay is turned off.

[0027] In this technical solution, the leakage current detection chip can output a corresponding level signal to the second switching transistor based on the comparison result of the algebraic sum of the current in the power supply line and the preset algebraic sum, so that the second switching transistor can be turned on or off when it receives the corresponding level signal.

[0028] During this process, the leakage current detection chip can autonomously execute the leakage current protection control strategy, thereby improving the reliability of household appliances.

[0029] In some technical solutions, the first switching transistor may optionally be a bipolar transistor; and / or the second switching transistor may be a field-effect transistor.

[0030] In some technical solutions, optionally, the relay includes a first sub-relay and a second sub-relay, the power supply line includes a neutral wire and a live wire, the first sub-relay is connected in series with the neutral wire, the second sub-relay is connected in series with the live wire, the first end of the relay includes the first end of the first coil and the first end of the second coil, the second end of the relay includes the second end of the first coil and the second end of the second coil, the first coil is the coil of the first sub-relay, and the second coil is the coil of the second sub-relay.

[0031] In this technical solution, the relay can be configured as two relays according to the number of lines contained in the power supply line. That is, the relay includes a first sub-relay and a second sub-relay. By connecting the first sub-relay and the second sub-relay in series with the neutral line and the live line of the power supply line respectively, the power supply to the electrical device can be cut off from both the neutral line and the live line.

[0032] During this process, the power supply to the electrical appliance can be completely cut off in the event of a leakage, thereby completely eliminating the potential hazards caused by leakage from household appliances.

[0033] For example, power supply lines are connected to sockets via power plugs. When the power plug is inserted into the socket in different ways, the neutral and live wires of the power supply line are swapped. If the power supply to only one path is cut off, there is still a risk of leakage in the electrical appliances. In the technical solution of the present invention, a first sub-relay and a second sub-relay are respectively installed on the neutral and live wires. In the event of leakage in the electrical appliances, the power supply to the electrical appliances can be completely cut off, thereby completely eliminating the potential dangers caused by leakage in household appliances.

[0034] In some technical solutions, optionally, when the control terminal of the first switching transistor receives a fourth level signal, the first switching transistor is in the off state, the leakage current detection component is powered down, and the relay is turned off.

[0035] In this technical solution, when the first switching transistor receives the fourth level, the first switching transistor is in the off state. The first end of the first switching transistor is connected to the second end of the relay and the grounding end of the leakage current detection component. The second end of the first switching transistor is grounded. When the first switching transistor is in the off state, the second end of the relay and the grounding end of the leakage current detection component cannot be grounded. At this time, the relay cannot conduct, so the electrical device cannot work.

[0036] Meanwhile, the grounding terminal of the leakage current detection component cannot be grounded, so the leakage current detection component is powered off. Obviously, in the technical solution proposed in this invention, the leakage current detection component can be powered off when the electrical device is not working. At this time, the power consumption of the leakage current detection component is zero, which obviously reduces the standby power consumption of the leakage current detection component.

[0037] In some technical solutions, optionally, the first level signal is high; and / or the second level signal is low; and / or the third level signal is high; and / or the fourth level signal is low.

[0038] In some technical solutions, the household appliance may optionally include: a microcontroller unit connected to the control terminal of the first switching transistor, used to output a first level signal to the control terminal of the first switching transistor when a working signal of the electrical device is received; and to output a fourth level signal to the control terminal of the first switching transistor when a stop working signal of the electrical device is received.

[0039] In this technical solution, the household appliance is also equipped with a microcontroller unit. Users can interact with the microcontroller unit to send working signals and stop working signals to drive the first switching transistor to turn on and off.

[0040] In the above technical solution, when the user sends a working signal to the microcontroller unit, the relay can be turned on to supply power to the electrical device. At the same time, the leakage current detection component can be activated to perform leakage current protection.

[0041] Meanwhile, when the user sends a stop signal to the microcontroller unit, the relay can be controlled to turn off to stop power supply to the electrical device. During this process, the power supply to the electrical device can be cut off, and the leakage current detection component can be powered down to reduce the standby power consumption of household appliances.

[0042] In some technical solutions, the household appliance may optionally include a dishwasher, which includes a water cup and a washing pump. The water cup and the washing pump are connected by a water circuit. The electrical device includes an electric heater, which is located inside the water cup, inside the washing pump, or in the water circuit between the water cup and the washing pump.

[0043] A second aspect of the present invention is to provide a leakage current protection device for a household appliance, the household appliance including an electrical component and a relay, the relay being connected in series in the power supply line of the electrical component, the leakage current protection device for the household appliance including: a leakage current detection component, the power supply terminal of the leakage current detection component being connected to a first power source, the output terminal of the leakage current detection component being connected to a first terminal of the relay; a first switching transistor, the first terminal of the first switching transistor being connected to a second terminal of the relay and a ground terminal of the leakage current detection component, the second terminal of the first switching transistor being grounded; wherein, when the control terminal of the first switching transistor receives a first level signal, the first switching transistor is in a conducting state, the leakage current detection component is powered on and operates, and controls the relay to be turned on or off according to the comparison result of the algebraic sum of the currents in the power supply line and a preset algebraic sum.

[0044] In this technical solution, the first terminal of the first switching transistor is connected to the second terminal of the relay and the grounding terminal of the leakage current detection component. The second terminal of the first switching transistor is grounded. Therefore, for the leakage current detection component, the grounding terminal of the leakage current detection component is grounded through the first switching transistor. Thus, the first switching transistor can be used to control whether the grounding terminal of the leakage current detection component is grounded. When the grounding terminal of the leakage current detection component is grounded, the leakage current detection component can be powered on and perform leakage protection.

[0045] At the same time, the first terminal of the first switching transistor is connected to the second terminal of the relay. Therefore, the relay can be grounded through the first switching transistor. Obviously, the operation of the relay can be controlled by the first switching transistor, thereby controlling whether the relay supplies power to the electrical device.

[0046] During this process, the leakage current detection component can be powered on synchronously with the electrical device and perform leakage current protection. That is, the leakage current detection component can only perform leakage current protection when the electrical device is powered on and working. When the electrical device is not powered on and working, the leakage current detection component can not be powered on and working. Therefore, the power consumption of the leakage current detection component can be reduced. By reducing the power consumption of the leakage current detection component, the power consumption of household appliances can be reduced.

[0047] In some technical solutions, optionally, the household appliance also includes a second switching transistor, the first end of which is connected to a first power supply, and the second end of which is connected to the first end of a relay; the leakage current detection component includes: a current transformer located in the power supply line of the electrical device, used to detect the algebraic sum of the current in the power supply line; a leakage current detection chip connected to the current transformer, the power supply terminal of the leakage current detection chip being connected to the first power supply, the ground terminal of the leakage current detection chip being connected to the first end of the first switching transistor, and the signal output terminal of the leakage current detection chip being connected to the control terminal of the second switching transistor; wherein, the leakage current detection chip controls the second switching transistor to be turned on or off based on the comparison result of the algebraic sum of the current in the power supply line with a preset algebraic sum, so as to control the relay to be turned on or off.

[0048] In this technical solution, the current transformer can be directly installed on the power supply line of the electrical appliance, rather than being directly connected to the power supply line of the electrical appliance. Therefore, the probability of leakage current detection device leakage can be reduced, thereby improving the reliability of household appliances.

[0049] During this process, the relay can be promptly disconnected upon detection of leakage, reducing the electrical risks caused by leakage from electrical components.

[0050] In some technical solutions, optionally, when the algebraic sum of the currents in the power supply line is equal to a preset algebraic sum, the signal output terminal of the leakage current detection chip outputs a second-level signal, the second switching transistor responds to the second-level signal, the first terminal of the second switching transistor is connected to the second terminal of the second switching transistor, and the relay is turned on; when the algebraic sum of the currents in the power supply line is not equal to the preset algebraic sum, the signal output terminal of the leakage current detection chip outputs a third-level signal, the second switching transistor responds to the third-level signal, the first terminal of the second switching transistor is disconnected from the second terminal of the second switching transistor, and the relay is turned off.

[0051] In this technical solution, the leakage current detection chip can output a corresponding level signal to the second switching transistor based on the comparison result of the algebraic sum of the current in the power supply line and the preset algebraic sum, so that the second switching transistor can be turned on or off when it receives the corresponding level signal.

[0052] During this process, the leakage current detection chip can autonomously execute the leakage current protection control strategy, thereby improving the reliability of household appliances.

[0053] In some technical solutions, optionally, when the control terminal of the first switching transistor receives a fourth level signal, the first switching transistor is in the off state, the leakage current detection component is powered down, and the relay is turned off.

[0054] In some technical solutions, optionally, the first level signal is high; and / or the second level signal is low; and / or the third level signal is high; and / or the fourth level signal is low.

[0055] In some technical solutions, the household appliance may optionally include: a microcontroller unit connected to the control terminal of the first switching transistor; wherein, the first level signal is a level signal output by the microcontroller unit to the control terminal of the first switching transistor when it receives a working signal from the electrical device; and the fourth level signal is a level signal output by the microcontroller unit to the control terminal of the first switching transistor when it receives a stop working signal from the electrical device.

[0056] In this technical solution, the household appliance is also equipped with a microcontroller unit. Users can interact with the microcontroller unit to send working signals and stop working signals to drive the first switching transistor to turn on and off.

[0057] In the above technical solution, when the user sends a working signal to the microcontroller unit, the relay can be turned on to supply power to the electrical device. At the same time, the leakage current detection component can be activated to perform leakage current protection.

[0058] Meanwhile, when the user sends a stop signal to the microcontroller unit, the relay can be controlled to turn off to stop power supply to the electrical device. During this process, the power supply to the electrical device can be cut off, and the leakage current detection component can be powered down to reduce the standby power consumption of household appliances.

[0059] In some technical solutions, the household appliance may optionally include: a drive circuit board and a third switching transistor, the third switching transistor being located in the power supply circuit of the drive circuit board, and the microcontroller unit being connected to the signal output terminal of the leakage current detection chip; wherein, when the signal output terminal of the leakage current detection chip outputs a signal for driving the second switching transistor to turn off, the microcontroller unit drives the third switching transistor to turn off.

[0060] In this technical solution, when the leakage current detection chip controls the second switch to be turned off, the microcontroller unit can also respond to the signal output by the signal output terminal of the leakage current detection chip, thereby controlling the third switch to be turned off. When the third switch is turned off, the power supply to the drive circuit board can be cut off, thereby powering down the drive circuit board.

[0061] Obviously, when the electrical components are not working, the drive circuit board will also be powered down, further reducing the power consumption of household appliances.

[0062] In some technical solutions, the electrical device may optionally be a heating element; wherein, when the first switch is in the on state, the heating element is powered on and operates, and when the first switch is in the off state, the heating element is de-powered and stops operating.

[0063] In this technical solution, it can be understood that the first switching tube is a switch used to control the heating tube to be turned on and off.

[0064] A third aspect of the present invention is to provide a leakage current protection device for a household appliance, the household appliance including an electrical component, a relay and a first switching transistor, the relay being connected in series with the power supply line of the electrical component, the second terminal of the first switching transistor being grounded, the leakage current protection device for the household appliance including: a leakage current detection component, the power supply terminal of the leakage current detection component being connected to a first power source, and the output terminal of the leakage current detection component being connected to the first terminal of the relay; wherein, the first terminal of the first switching transistor is connected to the second terminal of the relay and the ground terminal of the leakage current detection component respectively, and when the control terminal of the first switching transistor receives a first level signal, the first switching transistor is in a conducting state, the leakage current detection component is powered on and operates, and controls the relay to be turned on or off according to the comparison result of the algebraic sum of the current in the power supply line and a preset algebraic sum.

[0065] In this technical solution, the first terminal of the first switching transistor is connected to the second terminal of the relay and the grounding terminal of the leakage current detection component. The second terminal of the first switching transistor is grounded. Therefore, for the leakage current detection component, the grounding terminal of the leakage current detection component is grounded through the first switching transistor. Thus, the first switching transistor can be used to control whether the grounding terminal of the leakage current detection component is grounded. When the grounding terminal of the leakage current detection component is grounded, the leakage current detection component can be powered on and perform leakage protection.

[0066] At the same time, the first terminal of the first switching transistor is connected to the second terminal of the relay. Therefore, the relay can be grounded through the first switching transistor. Obviously, the operation of the relay can be controlled by the first switching transistor, thereby controlling whether the relay supplies power to the electrical device.

[0067] During this process, the leakage current detection component can be powered on synchronously with the electrical device and perform leakage current protection. That is, the leakage current detection component can only perform leakage current protection when the electrical device is powered on and working. When the electrical device is not powered on and working, the leakage current detection component can not be powered on and working. Therefore, the power consumption of the leakage current detection component can be reduced. By reducing the power consumption of the leakage current detection component, the power consumption of household appliances can be reduced.

[0068] In some technical solutions, optionally, the household appliance also includes a second switching transistor, the first end of which is connected to a first power supply, and the second end of which is connected to the first end of a relay; the leakage current detection component includes: a current transformer located in the power supply line of the electrical device, used to detect the algebraic sum of the current in the power supply line; a leakage current detection chip connected to the current transformer, the power supply terminal of the leakage current detection chip being connected to the first power supply, the ground terminal of the leakage current detection chip being connected to the first end of the first switching transistor, and the signal output terminal of the leakage current detection chip being connected to the control terminal of the second switching transistor; wherein, the leakage current detection chip controls the second switching transistor to be turned on or off based on the comparison result of the algebraic sum of the current in the power supply line with a preset algebraic sum, so as to control the relay to be turned on or off.

[0069] In this technical solution, the current transformer can be directly installed on the power supply line of the electrical appliance, rather than being directly connected to the power supply line of the electrical appliance. Therefore, the probability of leakage current detection device leakage can be reduced, thereby improving the reliability of household appliances.

[0070] During this process, the relay can be promptly disconnected upon detection of leakage, reducing the electrical risks caused by leakage from electrical components.

[0071] In some technical solutions, optionally, when the algebraic sum of the currents in the power supply line is equal to a preset algebraic sum, the signal output terminal of the leakage current detection chip outputs a second-level signal, the second switching transistor responds to the second-level signal, the first terminal of the second switching transistor is connected to the second terminal of the second switching transistor, and the relay is turned on; when the algebraic sum of the currents in the power supply line is not equal to the preset algebraic sum, the signal output terminal of the leakage current detection chip outputs a third-level signal, the second switching transistor responds to the third-level signal, the first terminal of the second switching transistor is disconnected from the second terminal of the second switching transistor, and the relay is turned off.

[0072] In this technical solution, the leakage current detection chip can output a corresponding level signal to the second switching transistor based on the comparison result of the algebraic sum of the current in the power supply line and the preset algebraic sum, so that the second switching transistor can be turned on or off when it receives the corresponding level signal.

[0073] During this process, the leakage current detection chip can autonomously execute the leakage current protection control strategy, thereby improving the reliability of household appliances.

[0074] In some technical solutions, optionally, when the control terminal of the first switching transistor receives a fourth level signal, the first switching transistor is in the off state, the leakage current detection component is powered down, and the relay is turned off.

[0075] In some technical solutions, optionally, the first level signal is high; and / or the second level signal is low; and / or the third level signal is high; and / or the fourth level signal is low.

[0076] In some technical solutions, the household appliance may optionally include: a microcontroller unit connected to the control terminal of the first switching transistor; wherein, the first level signal is a level signal output by the microcontroller unit to the control terminal of the first switching transistor when it receives a working signal from the electrical device; and the fourth level signal is a level signal output by the microcontroller unit to the control terminal of the first switching transistor when it receives a stop working signal from the electrical device.

[0077] In this technical solution, the household appliance is also equipped with a microcontroller unit. Users can interact with the microcontroller unit to send working signals and stop working signals to drive the first switching transistor to turn on and off.

[0078] In the above technical solution, when the user sends a working signal to the microcontroller unit, the relay can be turned on to supply power to the electrical device. At the same time, the leakage current detection component can be activated to perform leakage current protection.

[0079] Meanwhile, when the user sends a stop signal to the microcontroller unit, the relay can be controlled to turn off to stop power supply to the electrical device. During this process, the power supply to the electrical device can be cut off, and the leakage current detection component can be powered down to reduce the standby power consumption of household appliances.

[0080] In some technical solutions, optionally, when the first switching transistor is in the on state, the leakage current protection device for the household appliance supplies power to the household appliance, and when the first switching transistor is in the off state, the leakage current protection device for the household appliance stops supplying power to the household appliance.

[0081] In this technical solution, the first switching transistor can be understood as a switch used to control the power-on and power-off of household appliances.

[0082] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention 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 the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0083] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0084] Figure 1 This illustration shows one of the topological diagrams of a household appliance according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0085] Figure 2 This is a second topological schematic diagram of a household appliance according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0086] Figure 3 This shows one of the structural schematic diagrams of a household appliance according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0087] Figure 4 This is a second schematic diagram of the structure of a household appliance according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0088] Figure 5 The third topological schematic diagram of a household appliance in an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0089] Figure 6 The fourth topological schematic diagram of a household appliance in an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0090] Figure 7 The fifth topological schematic diagram of a household appliance in an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0091] Figure 8 The sixth topological schematic diagram of a household appliance according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0092] in, Figures 1 to 8The correspondence between the reference numerals and component names in the attached drawings is as follows:

[0093] 100 Household appliances, 102 Electrical components, 104 Relays, 1042 First sub-relay, 1044 Second sub-relay, 106 Leakage detection assembly, 1062 Leakage detection device, 1064 Current transformer, 1066 Leakage detection chip, Q1 First switching transistor, Q2 Second switching transistor, Q3 Third switching transistor, VCC First power supply, 108 Microcontroller unit, Vcc power supply terminal, OS signal output terminal, GND ground terminal, ACN neutral wire, ACL live wire, 200 Dishwasher, 202 Water cup, 204 Washing pump, 206 Electric heater, 208 Inner tank, 210 Spray arm, 500 Leakage protection device, 110 Driver circuit board. Detailed Implementation

[0094] To better understand the above aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in these embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0095] Many specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of the invention. However, the invention may also be practiced in other ways different from those described herein, and therefore the scope of protection of the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0096] In one embodiment of this application, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, a household appliance 100 is provided, including: an electrical device 102; a relay 104 connected in series with the power supply line of the electrical device 102; a leakage current detection component 106, the output terminal of the leakage current detection component 106 being connected to the first terminal of the relay 104; a first switch Q1, the first terminal of the first switch Q1 being connected to the second terminal of the relay 104 and the ground terminal GND of the leakage current detection component 106 respectively, and the second terminal of the first switch Q1 being grounded; wherein, when the control terminal of the first switch Q1 receives a first level signal, the first switch Q1 is in a conducting state, the leakage current detection component 106 is powered on and operates, and controls the relay 104 to be turned on or off according to the comparison result of the algebraic sum of the current in the power supply line and the preset algebraic sum.

[0097] An embodiment of the present invention provides a household appliance 100, which includes an electrical component 102, a relay 104, a leakage current detection component 106, and a first switching transistor Q1. The first terminal of the first switching transistor Q1 is connected to the second terminal of the relay 104 and the ground terminal GND of the leakage current detection component 106. The second terminal of the first switching transistor Q1 is grounded. Therefore, the ground terminal GND of the leakage current detection component 106 is grounded through the first switching transistor Q1. Thus, the first switching transistor Q1 can be used to control whether the ground terminal GND of the leakage current detection component 106 is grounded. When the ground terminal GND of the leakage current detection component 106 is grounded, the leakage current detection component 106 can be powered on and provide leakage current protection.

[0098] At the same time, the first terminal of the first switch Q1 is connected to the second terminal of the relay 104. Therefore, the relay 104 can be grounded through the first switch Q1. Obviously, the operation of the relay 104 can be controlled by the first switch Q1, thereby controlling whether the relay 104 supplies power to the electrical device 102.

[0099] During this process, the leakage current detection component 106 can be powered on synchronously with the electrical device 102 and perform leakage current protection. That is, the leakage current detection component 106 can only perform leakage current protection when the electrical device 102 is powered on and working. When the electrical device 102 is not powered on and working, the leakage current detection component 106 can not be powered on and working. Therefore, the power consumption of the leakage current detection component 106 can be reduced. By reducing the power consumption of the leakage current detection component 106, the power consumption of the household appliance 100 can be reduced.

[0100] In the above embodiments, the current flowing into and out of the power supply line is represented by different directions. Therefore, the algebraic sum of the currents in the power supply line can be understood as the sum of the currents in different directions.

[0101] For example, the inflow current is represented by + and the outflow current is represented by -. If the inflow current is 10 amps and the outflow current is 5 amps, then the algebraic sum of the currents in the power supply line is represented as +10 amps + (-5) amps, which is +5 amps.

[0102] For example, if the inflow current is 10 amps and the outflow current is 3 amps, then the algebraic sum of the currents in the power supply line is expressed as +10 amps + (-3) amps, which is +7 amps.

[0103] In the above embodiments, the preset algebraic sum is zero. If the algebraic sum of the currents in the power supply line is equal to the preset algebraic sum, it is considered that the inflow current value and the outflow current value are equal. At this time, there is no leakage. Conversely, if the inflow current value and the outflow current value are not equal, that is, the algebraic sum of the currents in the power supply line is not equal to the preset algebraic sum, it is considered that there is leakage.

[0104] For the leakage current detection component 106, in the event of leakage current, the relay 104 can be controlled to cut off, thereby stopping the power supply to the electrical device 102, thus providing leakage current protection for the household appliance 100.

[0105] In some embodiments, the leakage current detection component 106 optionally includes: a leakage current detection device 1062 located on the power supply line of the electrical device 102, used to detect the algebraic sum of the current in the power supply line, the power supply terminal Vcc of the leakage current detection device 1062 being connected to a first power supply VCC, and the ground terminal GND of the leakage current detection device 1062 being connected to the first terminal of a first switching transistor Q1; a second switching transistor Q2, the first terminal of the second switching transistor Q2 being connected to the first power supply VCC, the second terminal of the second switching transistor Q2 being connected to the first terminal of a relay 104, and the control terminal of the second switching transistor Q2 being connected to the signal output terminal OS of the leakage current detection device 1062; wherein, the leakage current detection device 1062 controls the second switching transistor Q2 to be turned on or off according to the comparison result of the algebraic sum of the current in the power supply line with a preset algebraic sum, so as to control the relay 104 to be turned on or off.

[0106] In this embodiment, the leakage current detection component 106 includes a leakage current detection device 1062 and a second switch Q2. The leakage current detection device 1062 can use the second switch Q2 to control the relay 104 to turn on and off, thereby realizing the power supply control of the electrical device 102.

[0107] Since the first terminal of the second switch Q2 is connected to the first power supply VCC, and the second terminal of the second switch Q2 is connected to the first terminal of the relay 104, the leakage current detection device 1062 can use the second switch Q2 to control whether to supply power to the relay 104, thereby realizing the power supply control of the electrical device 102.

[0108] Specifically, when the leakage current detection device 1062 determines that there is no leakage current based on the comparison result of the algebraic sum of the current in the power supply line and the preset algebraic sum, the leakage current detection device 1062 can control the second switch Q2 to turn on. At this time, the first power supply VCC can supply power to the relay 104, and when the first switch Q1 is in the on state, the relay 104 is energized and turned on. At this time, the relay 104 can supply power to the electrical device 102.

[0109] When the leakage current detection device 1062 determines that there is leakage current based on the comparison between the algebraic sum of the current in the power supply line and the preset algebraic sum, the leakage current detection device 1062 can control the second switch Q2 to be turned off. At this time, the first power supply VCC cannot supply power to the relay 104. Even if the first switch Q1 is in the conducting state, the relay 104 will be disconnected due to loss of power supply. At this time, the relay 104 cannot supply power to the electrical device 102.

[0110] During this process, if leakage is detected, the relay 104 can be disconnected in time to reduce the electrical risk caused by leakage of electrical device 102.

[0111] In some embodiments, optionally, the leakage current detection device 1062 includes: a current transformer 1064 located in the power supply line of the electrical device 102, used to detect the algebraic sum of the currents in the power supply line; a leakage current detection chip 1066 connected to the current transformer 1064, the power supply terminal Vcc of the leakage current detection chip 1066 being connected to a first power supply VCC, the ground terminal GND of the leakage current detection chip 1066 being connected to a first terminal of a first switching transistor Q1, and the control terminal of a second switching transistor Q2 being connected to the signal output terminal OS of the leakage current detection chip 1066; wherein, the leakage current detection chip 1066 controls the second switching transistor Q2 to be turned on or off according to the comparison result of the algebraic sum of the currents in the power supply line with a preset algebraic sum, so as to control the relay 104 to be turned on or off.

[0112] In this embodiment, the current transformer 1064 can be directly mounted on the power supply line of the electrical device 102, rather than being directly connected to the power supply line of the electrical device 102. Therefore, the probability of leakage current detection device 1062 leaking current can be reduced, thereby improving the reliability of household appliance 100.

[0113] In some embodiments, the current transformer 1064 is optionally a zero-sequence current transformer.

[0114] In this embodiment, a zero-sequence current transformer is used, which can improve the anti-interference capability of the leakage signal sampling circuit and improve the accuracy of leakage current acquisition.

[0115] Optionally, in some embodiments, when the algebraic sum of the currents in the power supply line is equal to a preset algebraic sum, the signal output terminal OS of the leakage current detection chip 1066 outputs a second-level signal, the second switch Q2 responds to the second-level signal, the first terminal of the second switch Q2 is connected to the second terminal of the second switch Q2, and the relay 104 is turned on; when the algebraic sum of the currents in the power supply line is not equal to the preset algebraic sum, the signal output terminal OS of the leakage current detection chip 1066 outputs a third-level signal, the second switch Q2 responds to the third-level signal, the first terminal of the second switch Q2 is disconnected from the second terminal of the second switch Q2, and the relay 104 is turned off.

[0116] In this embodiment, the leakage current detection chip 1066 can output a corresponding level signal to the second switch Q2 based on the comparison result of the algebraic sum of the current in the power supply line and the preset algebraic sum, so that the second switch Q2 is turned on or off when it receives the corresponding level signal.

[0117] During this process, the leakage current detection chip 1066 can autonomously execute the leakage current protection control strategy, thereby improving the reliability of the household appliance 100.

[0118] In some embodiments, the second level signal is a low level signal and the third level signal is a high level signal.

[0119] In some embodiments, the first switching transistor Q1 may be a transistor; and / or the second switching transistor Q2 may be a field-effect transistor.

[0120] In this embodiment, the full name of the transistor should be semiconductor transistor, also known as bipolar junction transistor or crystal transistor, which is a semiconductor device for controlling current. Field-effect transistors are generally metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors, or metal-insulator-semiconductor transistors.

[0121] In some embodiments, the second switch Q2 may be an N-type metal-oxide-semiconductor (NMOS).

[0122] In some embodiments, the second switch Q2 may be an n-type substrate, a p-channel MOS transistor (positive channel metal oxide semiconductor, PMOS) that carries current by the flow of holes.

[0123] In this embodiment, by selecting a field-effect transistor as the second switching transistor, a stable power supply can be provided to the coil of relay 104, thereby improving the stability of the operation of household appliances.

[0124] In some embodiments, the relay 104 may optionally include a first sub-relay 1042 and a second sub-relay 1044. The power supply line includes a neutral wire ACN and a live wire ACL. The first sub-relay 1042 is connected in series with the neutral wire ACN, and the second sub-relay 1044 is connected in series with the live wire ACL. The first end of the relay 104 includes the first end of a first coil and the first end of a second coil. The second end of the relay 104 includes the second end of a first coil and the second end of a second coil. The first coil is the coil of the first sub-relay 1042, and the second coil is the coil of the second sub-relay 1044.

[0125] In this embodiment, the relay 104 can be configured as two relays according to the number of lines included in the power supply line. That is, the relay 104 includes a first sub-relay 1042 and a second sub-relay 1044. By connecting the first sub-relay 1042 and the second sub-relay 1044 in series on the neutral line ACN and the live line ACL of the power supply line respectively, the power supply to the electrical device 102 can be cut off from both the neutral line ACN and the live line ACL.

[0126] During this process, if the electrical appliance 102 leaks current, the power supply to the electrical appliance 102 can be completely cut off, thereby completely eliminating the potential hazards caused by the leakage of the household appliance 100.

[0127] For example, the power supply line is connected to the socket by a power plug. When the power plug is inserted into the socket in different ways, the neutral wire ACN and the live wire ACL of the power supply line will be swapped. If the power supply of only one path is cut off, the electrical device 102 will still have the risk of leakage. In the embodiment of the present invention, a first sub-relay 1042 and a second sub-relay 1044 are respectively installed on the neutral wire ACN and the live wire ACL. In the event of leakage in the electrical device 102, the power supply of the electrical device 102 can be completely cut off, thereby completely eliminating the potential danger of leakage in the household appliance 100.

[0128] It is worth noting that in the relevant embodiments, the leakage protection device is installed on the power plug. Therefore, when implementing leakage protection, a separate relay needs to be installed on the power plug to control whether the power supply line is connected. The installation of the relay will make the power plug larger, which will take up space and result in a poor user experience.

[0129] In an embodiment of the present invention, since the household appliance 100 integrates leakage protection, it can use a conventional power plug to draw power, thus reducing the space occupied by the power plug and improving the user experience.

[0130] In some embodiments, optionally, when the control terminal of the first switch Q1 receives a fourth level signal, the first switch Q1 is in the off state, the leakage current detection component 106 is powered down, and the relay 104 is turned off.

[0131] In this embodiment, when the first switch Q1 receives the fourth level, the first switch Q1 is in the off state. The first terminal of the first switch Q1 is connected to the second terminal of the relay 104 and the ground terminal GND of the leakage current detection component 106. The second terminal of the first switch Q1 is grounded. When the first switch Q1 is in the off state, the second terminal of the relay 104 and the ground terminal GND of the leakage current detection component 106 cannot be grounded. At this time, the relay 104 cannot conduct, so the electrical device 102 cannot work.

[0132] Meanwhile, the grounding terminal GND of the leakage current detection component 106 cannot be grounded, so the leakage current detection component 106 is powered off. Obviously, in the embodiment proposed by the present invention, the leakage current detection component 106 can be powered off when the power device 102 is not working. At this time, the power consumption of the leakage current detection component 106 is zero, which obviously reduces the standby power consumption of the leakage current detection component 106.

[0133] As can be seen from the above, the leakage current detection chip 1066 in the household appliance 100 proposed in this invention can be powered on and run when the electrical device 102 is working and perform leakage current protection, and powered off after the electrical device 102 finishes working. It can be understood that in the working mode, the leakage current detection chip 1066 is kept powered on, while in the standby mode, it is kept powered off. In this process, the power consumption of the household appliance 100 in the standby mode can be reduced, and the power consumption of the household appliance 100 in the working mode can also be reduced.

[0134] In some embodiments, optionally, the first level signal is high; and / or the second level signal is low; and / or the third level signal is high; and / or the fourth level signal is low.

[0135] In some embodiments, the household appliance 100 may optionally include: a microcontroller unit 108 connected to the control terminal of the first switching transistor Q1, configured to output a first level signal to the control terminal of the first switching transistor Q1 when a working signal of the electrical device 102 is received; and to output a fourth level signal to the control terminal of the first switching transistor Q1 when a stop working signal of the electrical device 102 is received.

[0136] In this embodiment, the household appliance 100 is also provided with a microcontroller unit 108. The user can interact with the microcontroller unit 108 to send working signals and stop working signals to the microcontroller unit 108 to drive the first switching transistor Q1 to turn on and off.

[0137] In the above embodiment, when the user sends a working signal to the microcontroller unit 108, the relay 104 can be turned on to supply power to the electrical device 102. At the same time, the leakage current detection component 106 can be activated to perform leakage current protection.

[0138] Meanwhile, when the user sends a stop working signal to the microcontroller unit 108, the relay 104 can be controlled to turn off to stop the power supply to the electrical device 102. During this process, the power supply to the electrical device can be cut off, and the leakage current detection component 106 can be powered down to reduce the standby power consumption of the household appliance 100.

[0139] In some embodiments, the working signal may be a signal for the user to operate the household appliance to perform a task, and based on this, the stop working signal is also a signal for the user to stop operating the household appliance to perform a task.

[0140] For example, if the household appliance 100 is a dishwasher, if the dishwasher receives a signal to start the drying function, it determines that a working signal has been received. At the same time, if the drying function ends, it determines that a stop working signal has been received.

[0141] For example, if the household appliance 100 is an electric water heater, if the electric water heater detects water output, it determines that a working signal has been received; at the same time, if the water output stops, it determines that a stop working signal has been received.

[0142] In some embodiments, the microcontroller unit 108 may optionally be the controller of the home appliance 100.

[0143] In this embodiment, the controller of the household appliance 100 is used as the microcontroller unit 108, eliminating the need to set up a separate chip for the leakage current detection chip 1066 to perform control. Obviously, in this process, the number of components used in the household appliance 100 can be reduced. Therefore, while improving the integration of the household appliance 100, the manufacturing cost of the household appliance 100 is reduced.

[0144] In some embodiments, optionally, the electrical device 102 is a heater. The first level signal is high, the second level signal is low, the third level signal is high, and the fourth level signal is low. The first power supply is 12 volts. When the heater needs to work, the control terminal of the first switch Q1 is high, and the first switch Q1 is turned on. At this time, the leakage current detection chip 1066 is powered on and monitors the algebraic sum of the current flowing through the current transformer 1064 to identify whether there is leakage. At the same time, the signal output terminal OS of the leakage current detection chip 1066 outputs a low level, the second switch Q2 is turned on, the first sub-relay 1042 and the second sub-relay 1044 are closed, and the heater is powered on for heating.

[0145] If the algebraic sum of the currents flowing through the current transformer 1064 is zero, the signal output terminal OS of the leakage current detection chip 1066 continuously outputs a low level, and the heater continues to work normally; if the algebraic sum of the currents flowing through the current transformer 1064 is not zero, the signal output terminal OS of the leakage current detection chip 1066 outputs a high level, the second switch Q2 is turned off, the first sub-relay 1042 and the second sub-relay 1044 are disconnected, the heater is isolated from the power supply line, and leakage protection is achieved.

[0146] When the heater is not needed, the control terminal of the first switch Q1 is at a low level, the first switch Q1 is turned off, the leakage current detection chip 1066 is disconnected from the 12-volt power supply circuit and does not consume power. The first sub-relay 1042 and the second sub-relay 1044 are disconnected, the heater is isolated from the power supply line, and leakage current protection is achieved.

[0147] In some embodiments, the household appliance 100 may optionally include one of the following: an electric water heater, a dishwasher, an electric oven, a food processor, or a water purifier.

[0148] In this embodiment, the electric water heater can be a water heater installed in the bathroom or a kitchen water heater installed in the kitchen.

[0149] In this embodiment, the food processor can be a food waste processor or a device for processing and cooking food.

[0150] For example, the equipment used to process and cook food can be a high-speed blender or a food processor.

[0151] In some embodiments, optionally, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the household appliance includes a dishwasher 200, which includes a water cup 202 and a washing pump 204. The water cup 202 and the washing pump 204 are connected by a water circuit. The electrical component includes an electric heater 206, which is located inside the water cup 202, inside the washing pump 204, or in the water circuit between the water cup 202 and the washing pump 204.

[0152] In some embodiments, the dishwasher 200 further includes an inner tub 208 and a spray arm 210, wherein the spray arm 210 is disposed inside the inner tub 208, and when the dishes to be cleaned are placed in the inner tub 208, the spray arm 210 sprays cleaning liquid to clean the dishes to be cleaned.

[0153] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5 and Figure 6As shown, a leakage current protection device 500 for household appliances is provided. The household appliance 100 includes an electrical component 102 and a relay 104. The relay 104 is connected in series to the power supply line of the electrical component 102. The leakage current protection device for household appliances includes: a leakage current detection component 106, the power supply terminal Vcc of the leakage current detection component 106 is connected to a first power supply VCC, and the output terminal of the leakage current detection component 106 is connected to the first terminal of the relay 104; a first switching transistor Q1, the first terminal of the first switching transistor Q1 is connected to the second terminal of the relay 104 and the ground terminal GND of the leakage current detection component 106, and the second terminal of the first switching transistor Q1 is grounded; wherein, when the control terminal of the first switching transistor Q1 receives a first level signal, the first switching transistor Q1 is in the on state, the leakage current detection component 106 is powered on and operates, and controls the relay 104 to be turned on or off according to the comparison result of the algebraic sum of the current in the power supply line and the preset algebraic sum.

[0154] In this embodiment, the first terminal of the first switch Q1 is connected to the second terminal of the relay 104 and the ground terminal GND of the leakage current detection component 106. The second terminal of the first switch Q1 is grounded. Therefore, for the leakage current detection component 106, the ground terminal GND of the leakage current detection component 106 is grounded through the first switch Q1. Thus, the first switch Q1 can be used to control whether the ground terminal GND of the leakage current detection component 106 is grounded. When the ground terminal GND of the leakage current detection component 106 is grounded, the leakage current detection component 106 can be powered on and perform leakage protection.

[0155] At the same time, the first terminal of the first switch Q1 is connected to the second terminal of the relay 104. Therefore, the relay 104 can be grounded through the first switch Q1. Obviously, the operation of the relay 104 can be controlled by the first switch Q1, thereby controlling whether the relay 104 supplies power to the electrical device 102.

[0156] During this process, the leakage current detection component 106 can be powered on synchronously with the electrical device 102 and perform leakage current protection. That is, the leakage current detection component 106 can only perform leakage current protection when the electrical device 102 is powered on and working. When the electrical device 102 is not powered on and working, the leakage current detection component 106 can not be powered on and working. Therefore, the power consumption of the leakage current detection component 106 can be reduced. By reducing the power consumption of the leakage current detection component 106, the power consumption of household appliances can be reduced.

[0157] In some embodiments, optionally, the household appliance further includes a second switching transistor Q2, the first end of which is connected to a first power supply VCC, and the second end of which is connected to a first end of a relay 104; the leakage current detection component 106 includes: a current transformer 1064 located in the power supply line of the electrical device 102, used to detect the algebraic sum of the current in the power supply line; a leakage current detection chip 1066 connected to the current transformer 1064, the power supply terminal of the leakage current detection chip 1066 being connected to the first power supply VCC, the ground terminal GND of the leakage current detection chip 1066 being connected to the first end of the first switching transistor Q1, and the signal output terminal OS of the leakage current detection chip 1066 being connected to the control terminal of the second switching transistor Q2; wherein, the leakage current detection chip 1066 controls the second switching transistor Q2 to be turned on or off according to the comparison result of the algebraic sum of the current in the power supply line with a preset algebraic sum, so as to control the relay 104 to be turned on or off.

[0158] In this embodiment, the current transformer 1064 can be directly mounted on the power supply line of the electrical device 102, rather than being directly connected to the power supply line of the electrical device 102. Therefore, the probability of leakage current detection device leakage current can be reduced, thereby improving the reliability of household appliances.

[0159] During this process, if leakage is detected, the relay 104 can be disconnected in time to reduce the electrical risk caused by leakage of electrical device 102.

[0160] In some embodiments, the relay 104 may optionally include a first sub-relay 1042 and a second sub-relay 1044. The power supply line includes a neutral wire ACN and a live wire ACL. The first sub-relay 1042 is connected in series with the neutral wire ACN, and the second sub-relay 1044 is connected in series with the live wire ACL. The first end of the relay 104 includes the first end of a first coil and the first end of a second coil. The second end of the relay 104 includes the second end of a first coil and the second end of a second coil. The first coil is the coil of the first sub-relay 1042, and the second coil is the coil of the second sub-relay 1044.

[0161] Optionally, in some embodiments, when the algebraic sum of the currents in the power supply line is equal to a preset algebraic sum, the signal output terminal OS of the leakage current detection chip 1066 outputs a second-level signal, the second switch Q2 responds to the second-level signal, the first terminal of the second switch Q2 is connected to the second terminal of the second switch Q2, and the relay 104 is turned on; when the algebraic sum of the currents in the power supply line is not equal to the preset algebraic sum, the signal output terminal OS of the leakage current detection chip 1066 outputs a third-level signal, the second switch Q2 responds to the third-level signal, the first terminal of the second switch Q2 is disconnected from the second terminal of the second switch Q2, and the relay 104 is turned off.

[0162] In this embodiment, the leakage current detection chip 1066 can output a corresponding level signal to the second switch Q2 based on the comparison result of the algebraic sum of the current in the power supply line and the preset algebraic sum, so that the second switch Q2 is turned on or off when it receives the corresponding level signal.

[0163] During this process, the leakage current detection chip 1066 can autonomously execute the leakage current protection control strategy, thereby improving the reliability of household appliances.

[0164] In some embodiments, optionally, when the control terminal of the first switch Q1 receives a fourth level signal, the first switch Q1 is in the off state, the leakage current detection component 106 is powered down, and the relay 104 is turned off.

[0165] In some embodiments, optionally, the first level signal is high; and / or the second level signal is low; and / or the third level signal is high; and / or the fourth level signal is low.

[0166] In some embodiments, the household appliance may optionally include: a microcontroller unit 108 connected to the control terminal of the first switching transistor Q1; wherein, the first level signal is a level signal output by the microcontroller unit 108 to the control terminal of the first switching transistor Q1 when it receives the working signal of the power device 102; and the fourth level signal is a level signal output by the microcontroller unit 108 to the control terminal of the first switching transistor Q1 when it receives the stop working signal of the power device 102.

[0167] In this embodiment, the household appliance is also equipped with a microcontroller unit 108. The user can interact with the microcontroller unit 108 to send working signals and stop working signals to the microcontroller unit 108 to drive the first switching transistor Q1 to turn on and off.

[0168] In the above embodiment, when the user sends a working signal to the microcontroller unit 108, the relay 104 can be turned on to supply power to the electrical device 102. At the same time, the leakage current detection component 106 can be activated to perform leakage current protection.

[0169] Meanwhile, when the user sends a stop signal to the microcontroller unit 108, the relay 104 can be controlled to turn off to stop power supply to the electrical device 102. During this process, the power supply to the electrical device can be cut off, and the leakage current detection component 106 can be powered down to reduce the standby power consumption of the household appliance.

[0170] In some embodiments, the household appliance 100 may optionally include a drive circuit board 110 and a third switch Q3, wherein the third switch Q3 is located in the power supply circuit of the drive circuit board 110, and the microcontroller unit 108 is also connected to the signal output terminal OS of the leakage current detection chip 1066; wherein, when the signal output terminal OS of the leakage current detection chip 1066 outputs a signal for driving the second switch Q2 to turn off, the microcontroller unit 108 drives the third switch Q3 to turn off.

[0171] In this embodiment, when the leakage current detection chip 1066 controls the second switch Q2 to be turned off, the microcontroller unit 108 can also respond to the signal output by the signal output terminal OS of the leakage current detection chip 1066, thereby controlling the third switch Q3 to be turned off. When the third switch Q3 is turned off, the power supply to the drive circuit board 110 can be cut off, thereby causing the drive circuit board 110 to be powered down.

[0172] Obviously, when the electrical device 102 is not working, the drive circuit board 110 will also be powered down, further reducing the power consumption of the household appliance.

[0173] In some technical solutions, the electrical device 102 can optionally be a heating tube; wherein, when the first switch Q1 is in the on state, the heating tube is powered on and operates, and when the first switch Q1 is in the off state, the heating tube is powered off and stops operating.

[0174] In this technical solution, it can be understood that the first switching transistor Q1 is a switch used to control the activation and deactivation of the heating element.

[0175] In some embodiments, such as Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, a leakage current protection device for household appliances is provided. The household appliance includes an electrical component 102, a relay 104, and a first switching transistor Q1. The relay 104 is connected in series with the power supply line of the electrical component 102. The second terminal of the first switching transistor Q1 is grounded. The leakage current protection device for household appliances includes a leakage current detection component 106. The power supply terminal Vcc of the leakage current detection component 106 is connected to a first power supply VCC. The output terminal of the leakage current detection component 106 is connected to the first terminal of the relay 104. The first terminal of the first switching transistor Q1 is connected to the second terminal of the relay 104 and the ground terminal GND of the leakage current detection component 106. When the control terminal of the first switching transistor Q1 receives a first level signal, the first switching transistor Q1 is in the on state. The leakage current detection component 106 is powered on and operates, and controls the relay 104 to be turned on or off according to the comparison result of the algebraic sum of the current in the power supply line and the preset algebraic sum.

[0176] In this embodiment, the first terminal of the first switch Q1 is connected to the second terminal of the relay 104 and the ground terminal GND of the leakage current detection component 106. The second terminal of the first switch Q1 is grounded. Therefore, for the leakage current detection component 106, the ground terminal GND of the leakage current detection component 106 is grounded through the first switch Q1. Thus, the first switch Q1 can be used to control whether the ground terminal GND of the leakage current detection component 106 is grounded. When the ground terminal GND of the leakage current detection component 106 is grounded, the leakage current detection component 106 can be powered on and perform leakage protection.

[0177] At the same time, the first terminal of the first switch Q1 is connected to the second terminal of the relay 104. Therefore, the relay 104 can be grounded through the first switch Q1. Obviously, the operation of the relay 104 can be controlled by the first switch Q1, thereby controlling whether the relay 104 supplies power to the electrical device 102.

[0178] During this process, the leakage current detection component 106 can be powered on synchronously with the electrical device 102 and perform leakage current protection. That is, the leakage current detection component 106 can only perform leakage current protection when the electrical device 102 is powered on and working. When the electrical device 102 is not powered on and working, the leakage current detection component 106 can not be powered on and working. Therefore, the power consumption of the leakage current detection component 106 can be reduced. By reducing the power consumption of the leakage current detection component 106, the power consumption of household appliances can be reduced.

[0179] In some embodiments, optionally, the household appliance further includes a second switching transistor Q2, the first end of which is connected to a first power supply VCC, and the second end of which is connected to a first end of a relay 104; the leakage current detection component 106 includes: a current transformer 1064 located in the power supply line of the electrical device 102, used to detect the algebraic sum of the current in the power supply line; a leakage current detection chip 1066 connected to the current transformer 1064, the power supply terminal Vcc of the leakage current detection chip 1066 being connected to the first power supply VCC, the ground terminal GND of the leakage current detection chip 1066 being connected to the first end of the first switching transistor Q1, and the signal output terminal OS of the leakage current detection chip 1066 being connected to the control terminal of the second switching transistor Q2; wherein, the leakage current detection chip 1066 controls the second switching transistor Q2 to be turned on or off according to the comparison result of the algebraic sum of the current in the power supply line with a preset algebraic sum, so as to control the relay 104 to be turned on or off.

[0180] In this embodiment, the current transformer 1064 can be directly mounted on the power supply line of the electrical device 102, rather than being directly connected to the power supply line of the electrical device 102. Therefore, the probability of leakage current detection device leakage current can be reduced, thereby improving the reliability of household appliances.

[0181] During this process, if leakage is detected, the relay 104 can be disconnected in time to reduce the electrical risk caused by leakage of electrical device 102.

[0182] In some embodiments, the relay 104 may optionally include a first sub-relay 1042 and a second sub-relay 1044. The power supply line includes a neutral wire ACN and a live wire ACL. The first sub-relay 1042 is connected in series with the neutral wire ACN, and the second sub-relay 1044 is connected in series with the live wire ACL. The first end of the relay 104 includes the first end of a first coil and the first end of a second coil. The second end of the relay 104 includes the second end of a first coil and the second end of a second coil. The first coil is the coil of the first sub-relay 1042, and the second coil is the coil of the second sub-relay 1044.

[0183] Optionally, in some embodiments, when the algebraic sum of the currents in the power supply line is equal to a preset algebraic sum, the signal output terminal OS of the leakage current detection chip 1066 outputs a second-level signal, the second switch Q2 responds to the second-level signal, the first terminal of the second switch Q2 is connected to the second terminal of the second switch Q2, and the relay 104 is turned on; when the algebraic sum of the currents in the power supply line is not equal to the preset algebraic sum, the signal output terminal OS of the leakage current detection chip 1066 outputs a third-level signal, the second switch Q2 responds to the third-level signal, the first terminal of the second switch Q2 is disconnected from the second terminal of the second switch Q2, and the relay 104 is turned off.

[0184] In this embodiment, the leakage current detection chip 1066 can output a corresponding level signal to the second switch Q2 based on the comparison result of the algebraic sum of the current in the power supply line and the preset algebraic sum, so that the second switch Q2 is turned on or off when it receives the corresponding level signal.

[0185] During this process, the leakage current detection chip 1066 can autonomously execute the leakage current protection control strategy, thereby improving the reliability of household appliances.

[0186] In some embodiments, optionally, the first level signal is high; and / or the second level signal is low; and / or the third level signal is high.

[0187] In some embodiments, optionally, when the control terminal of the first switch Q1 receives a fourth level signal, the first switch Q1 is in the off state, the leakage current detection component 106 is powered down, and the relay 104 is turned off.

[0188] In some embodiments, optionally, the first level signal is high; and / or the second level signal is low; and / or the third level signal is high; and / or the fourth level signal is low.

[0189] In some embodiments, the household appliance may optionally include: a microcontroller unit 108 connected to the control terminal of the first switching transistor Q1; wherein, the first level signal is a level signal output by the microcontroller unit 108 to the control terminal of the first switching transistor Q1 when it receives the working signal of the power device 102; and the fourth level signal is a level signal output by the microcontroller unit 108 to the control terminal of the first switching transistor Q1 when it receives the stop working signal of the power device 102.

[0190] In this embodiment, the household appliance is also equipped with a microcontroller unit 108. The user can interact with the microcontroller unit 108 to send working signals and stop working signals to the microcontroller unit 108 to drive the first switching transistor Q1 to turn on and off.

[0191] In the above embodiment, when the user sends a working signal to the microcontroller unit 108, the relay 104 can be turned on to supply power to the electrical device 102. At the same time, the leakage current detection component 106 can be activated to perform leakage current protection.

[0192] Meanwhile, when the user sends a stop signal to the microcontroller unit 108, the relay 104 can be controlled to turn off to stop power supply to the electrical device 102. During this process, the power supply to the electrical device can be cut off, and the leakage current detection component 106 can be powered down to reduce the standby power consumption of the household appliance.

[0193] In some embodiments, optionally, when the first switch Q1 is in the on state, the leakage current protection device for the household appliance supplies power to the household appliance, and when the first switch Q1 is in the off state, the leakage current protection device for the household appliance stops supplying power to the household appliance.

[0194] In this embodiment, the first switch Q1 can be understood as a switch used to control the power-on and power-off of household appliances.

[0195] The terms "first" and "second" in the specification and claims of this application may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the textual description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more. Furthermore, in the specification and claims, "and / or" indicates at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0196] In the textual description of this invention, it is understood that, unless explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0197] In the claims, description, and accompanying drawings of this invention, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "specific embodiment," etc., refer to a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example, which is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In the claims, description, and accompanying drawings of this invention, illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0198] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A household appliance, characterized in that, include: Electrical components; A relay is connected in series in the power supply line of the electrical device; A leakage current detection component, wherein the output terminal of the leakage current detection component is connected to the first terminal of the relay; The first switching transistor has its first terminal connected to the second terminal of the relay and the ground terminal of the leakage current detection component, and its second terminal is grounded. When the control terminal of the first switch receives a first level signal, the first switch is in the conducting state, the leakage current detection component is powered on and operates, and controls the relay to be turned on or off according to the comparison result of the algebraic sum of the current of the power supply line and the preset algebraic sum.

2. The household appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that, The leakage current detection component includes: A leakage current detection device is located on the power supply line of the electrical device and is used to detect the algebraic sum of the currents in the power supply line. The power supply terminal of the leakage current detection device is used to connect to a first power source, and the grounding terminal of the leakage current detection device is connected to the first terminal of the first switching transistor. The second switching transistor has a first end connected to the first power supply, a second end connected to the first end of the relay, and a control end connected to the signal output end of the leakage current detection device. The leakage current detection device controls the second switch to be turned on or off based on the comparison result between the algebraic sum of the current in the power supply line and the preset algebraic sum, thereby controlling the relay to be turned on or off.

3. The household appliance according to claim 2, characterized in that, The leakage current detection device includes: A current transformer, located on the power supply line of the electrical device, is used to detect the algebraic sum of the currents in the power supply line; A leakage current detection chip is provided, wherein the leakage current detection chip is connected to the current transformer, the power supply terminal of the leakage current detection chip is used to connect to a first power supply, the ground terminal of the leakage current detection chip is connected to the first terminal of the first switching transistor, and the control terminal of the second switching transistor is connected to the signal output terminal of the leakage current detection chip. The leakage current detection chip controls the second switch to be turned on or off based on the comparison result between the algebraic sum of the current in the power supply line and the preset algebraic sum, thereby controlling the relay to be turned on or off.

4. The household appliance according to claim 3, characterized in that, When the algebraic sum of the currents in the power supply line is equal to the preset algebraic sum, the signal output terminal of the leakage current detection chip outputs a second level signal, the second switching transistor responds to the second level signal, the first terminal of the second switching transistor is connected to the second terminal of the second switching transistor, and the relay is turned on; When the algebraic sum of the currents in the power supply line is not equal to the preset algebraic sum, the signal output terminal of the leakage current detection chip outputs a third level signal. In response to the third level signal, the first terminal of the second switch is disconnected from the second terminal, and the relay is turned off.

5. The household appliance according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first switching transistor is a bipolar transistor; and / or The second switching transistor is a field-effect transistor.

6. The household appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that, The relay includes a first sub-relay and a second sub-relay. The power supply line includes a neutral wire and a live wire. The first sub-relay is connected in series with the neutral wire, and the second sub-relay is connected in series with the live wire. The first end of the relay includes the first end of a first coil and the first end of a second coil. The second end of the relay includes the second end of the first coil and the second end of the second coil. The first coil is the coil of the first sub-relay, and the second coil is the coil of the second sub-relay.

7. The household appliance according to claim 4, characterized in that, When the control terminal of the first switching transistor receives a fourth level signal, the first switching transistor is in the off state, the leakage current detection component is powered down, and the relay is turned off.

8. The household appliance according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first level signal is high; and / or The second level signal is low; and / or The third level signal is high; and or The fourth level signal is low level.

9. The household appliance according to claim 7, characterized in that, The household appliances also include: A microcontroller unit, connected to the control terminal of the first switching transistor, is configured to output the first level signal to the control terminal of the first switching transistor upon receiving an operating signal from the electrical device; and Upon receiving a stop signal from the electrical device, the fourth level signal is output to the control terminal of the first switching transistor.

10. The household appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, The household appliance includes a dishwasher, which includes a water cup and a washing pump. The water cup is connected to the water circuit of the washing pump. The electrical device includes an electric heater, which is disposed inside the water cup, inside the washing pump, or in the water circuit between the water cup and the washing pump.

11. A leakage current protection device for household appliances, characterized in that, The household appliance includes an electrical component and a relay, the relay being connected in series in the power supply line of the electrical component, and the leakage current protection device for the household appliance includes: A leakage current detection component, wherein the power supply terminal of the leakage current detection component is used to connect to a first power source, and the output terminal of the leakage current detection component is connected to the first terminal of the relay; The first switching transistor has its first terminal connected to the second terminal of the relay and the ground terminal of the leakage current detection component, and its second terminal is grounded. When the control terminal of the first switch receives a first level signal, the first switch is in the conducting state, the leakage current detection component is powered on and operates, and controls the relay to be turned on or off according to the comparison result of the algebraic sum of the current of the power supply line and the preset algebraic sum.

12. The leakage current protection device for household appliances according to claim 11, characterized in that, The household appliance also includes a second switching transistor, the first end of which is connected to the first power supply, and the second end of which is connected to the first end of the relay. The leakage current detection component includes: A current transformer, located on the power supply line of the electrical device, is used to detect the algebraic sum of the currents in the power supply line; A leakage current detection chip is provided, wherein the leakage current detection chip is connected to the current transformer, the power supply terminal of the leakage current detection chip is used to connect to a first power supply, the ground terminal of the leakage current detection chip is connected to the first terminal of the first switching transistor, and the signal output terminal of the leakage current detection chip is connected to the control terminal of the second switching transistor. The leakage current detection chip controls the second switch to be turned on or off based on the comparison result between the algebraic sum of the current in the power supply line and the preset algebraic sum, thereby controlling the relay to be turned on or off.

13. The leakage current protection device for household appliances according to claim 12, characterized in that, When the algebraic sum of the currents in the power supply line is equal to the preset algebraic sum, the signal output terminal of the leakage current detection chip outputs a second level signal, the second switching transistor responds to the second level signal, the first terminal of the second switching transistor is connected to the second terminal of the second switching transistor, and the relay is turned on; When the algebraic sum of the currents in the power supply line is not equal to the preset algebraic sum, the signal output terminal of the leakage current detection chip outputs a third level signal. In response to the third level signal, the first terminal of the second switch is disconnected from the second terminal, and the relay is turned off.

14. The leakage current protection device for household appliances according to claim 12, characterized in that, The household appliances also include: The drive circuit board and the third switch are located in the power supply circuit of the drive circuit board, and the microcontroller unit is connected to the signal output terminal of the leakage current detection chip. Specifically, when the leakage current detection chip outputs a signal to drive the second switch to turn off, the microcontroller unit drives the third switch to turn off.

15. The leakage current protection device for household appliances according to any one of claims 11 to 14, characterized in that, The electrical component is a heating element; Specifically, when the first switch is in the ON state, the heating tube is powered on and operates; when the first switch is in the OFF state, the heating tube is powered off and stops operating.

16. A leakage current protection device for household appliances, characterized in that, The household appliance includes an electrical component, a relay, and a first switching transistor. The relay is connected in series with the power supply line of the electrical component, and the second terminal of the first switching transistor is grounded. The leakage current protection device for the household appliance includes: A leakage current detection component, wherein the power supply terminal of the leakage current detection component is used to connect to a first power source, and the output terminal of the leakage current detection component is connected to the first terminal of the relay; The first terminal of the first switching transistor is connected to the second terminal of the relay and the ground terminal of the leakage current detection component. When the control terminal of the first switching transistor receives a first level signal, the first switching transistor is in the conducting state. The leakage current detection component is powered on and operates, and controls the relay to be turned on or off according to the comparison result between the algebraic sum of the current of the power supply line and the preset algebraic sum.

17. The leakage current protection device for household appliances according to claim 16, characterized in that, The household appliance also includes a second switching transistor, the first end of which is connected to the first power supply, and the second end of which is connected to the first end of the relay. The leakage current detection component includes: A current transformer, located on the power supply line of the electrical device, is used to detect the algebraic sum of the currents in the power supply line; A leakage current detection chip is provided, wherein the leakage current detection chip is connected to the current transformer, the power supply terminal of the leakage current detection chip is used to connect to a first power supply, the ground terminal of the leakage current detection chip is connected to the first terminal of the first switching transistor, and the signal output terminal of the leakage current detection chip is connected to the control terminal of the second switching transistor. The leakage current detection chip controls the second switch to be turned on or off based on the comparison result between the algebraic sum of the current in the power supply line and the preset algebraic sum, thereby controlling the relay to be turned on or off.

18. The leakage current protection device for household appliances according to claim 17, characterized in that, When the algebraic sum of the currents in the power supply line is equal to the preset algebraic sum, the signal output terminal of the leakage current detection chip outputs a second level signal, the second switching transistor responds to the second level signal, the first terminal of the second switching transistor is connected to the second terminal of the second switching transistor, and the relay is turned on; When the algebraic sum of the currents in the power supply line is not equal to the preset algebraic sum, the signal output terminal of the leakage current detection chip outputs a third level signal. In response to the third level signal, the first terminal of the second switch is disconnected from the second terminal, and the relay is turned off.

19. The leakage current protection device for household appliances according to any one of claims 16 to 18, characterized in that, When the first switch is in the ON state, the leakage current protection device for household appliances supplies power to the household appliance; when the first switch is in the OFF state, the leakage current protection device for household appliances stops supplying power to the household appliance.

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