Pump assembly and laundry treating apparatus comprising the same

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of clothes treatment, and specifically provides a pump assembly and clothes treatment equipment comprising the same, wherein the pump assembly comprises: a pump comprising a pump body, the pump body comprising a water inlet and a water outlet and being formed with a pump inner cavity; a filter comprising a filter body, the filter body comprising a filter part, the filter part being capable of being freely accommodated in the pump inner cavity; and a noise reduction part arranged at a position of the pump inner cavity close to the water outlet. Through such a configuration, noise generated due to air mixing with water can be reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of garment processing technology, specifically providing a pump assembly and garment processing equipment including the same. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, clothing processing equipment with washing functions on the market includes washing machines and washer-dryer combos. Their structure can include only one clothing processing unit or multiple units (such as a mother-daughter unit or a twin-drum washing machine). Taking a traditional washing machine with a single unit as an example, washing machines mainly include top-loading washing machines and front-loading washing machines. Top-loading washing machines primarily process clothes through the rotation of the pulsator (such as during washing and rinsing stages) and the linkage between the pulsator and the inner drum (such as during spin-drying stages). Front-loading washing machines primarily process clothes by using a motor to drive the inner drum to rotate.

[0003] Taking washing machines as an example, washing machines are also equipped with water pumps (such as a circulating water pump for reusing washing water (pumping it back into the inner drum), and a drain pump for draining washing water from the washing machine). Taking the drain pump as an example, when drainage is required, there will usually be air in the inner cavity of the drain pump. Therefore, the mixing of washing water and air will produce a large drainage noise, which will affect the user experience. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention aims to at least partially solve the above-mentioned technical problems and / or solve at least some of the above-mentioned technical problems. Specifically, it provides a pump assembly that can be used in clothing processing equipment to reduce drainage noise and improve user experience.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a pump assembly comprising: a pump including a pump body having an inlet and an outlet and forming a pump cavity; a filter including a filter body having a filter portion that can be freely accommodated within the pump cavity; and a noise reduction portion disposed in the pump cavity near the outlet.

[0006] This configuration allows for the reduction of noise generated by the mixing of air and water.

[0007] It is understood that those skilled in the art can determine the structural form, number, and specific location of the noise reduction unit according to actual needs. For example, multiple noise reduction components can be distributed along the water outlet direction. The noise reduction components can be porous structures, corrugated structures, etc.

[0008] In one possible implementation of the pump assembly described above, the noise reduction section includes a baffle plate having a water outlet orifice and a noise reduction orifice, wherein the noise reduction orifice is located above the water outlet orifice.

[0009] In one possible implementation of the above-mentioned pump assembly, the noise reduction orifice includes a plurality of orifices, at least a portion of which are located radially outside the outlet orifice and have a smaller size than the noise reduction orifice located radially inside the outlet orifice; and / or, when viewed along the pump's outlet direction, the noise reduction orifice is a trumpet-shaped structure with a gradually increasing cross-section.

[0010] This configuration allows for a better noise reduction effect.

[0011] To avoid clogging the relevant pipes, a filter is installed inside the pump to filter the discharged washing water. However, the filter and drain pump are typically secured by a threaded connection. This can lead to problems such as leaks during drainage or when the user needs to unscrew the filter for cleaning after washing, negatively impacting the user experience. Therefore, this invention addresses this issue by incorporating a rotating mechanism.

[0012] In one possible implementation of the pump assembly described above, the pump assembly includes a rotating part, the pump includes a drive part, the filter includes a filter body and a rotating end, the rotating part includes a rotating component, the rotating component is disposed on the rotating end on one side, and the rotating component can be selectively connected to the drive part on the other side.

[0013] With this configuration, the tightening can be ensured to meet the standard by switching the connection between the rotating parts and the drive unit.

[0014] It is understood that those skilled in the art can determine the specific method of connection between the rotating component and the drive unit, the timing of establishing / disconnecting the connection, and the mechanism used, based on actual needs. For example, the drive unit drives the motor and the blade assembly, and the rotating component can be connected to the shaft of the drive motor and / or the blade assembly. In this way, when the connection between the rotating component and the drive unit is established, the rotation of the rotating end is assisted by the drive unit to ensure that the tightening between the rotating end and the pump body is achieved.

[0015] In one possible implementation of the pump assembly described above, the rotating component can be connected to the pump via magnetic adsorption.

[0016] With this configuration, it is possible to establish / disconnect the connection between the rotating parts and the pump by applying / removing magnetic attraction.

[0017] Since the drain pump is usually located at the bottom of the unit, installation can be inconvenient when the user needs to install the filter inside the pump. Therefore, this invention solves this problem by incorporating a guide section.

[0018] In one possible implementation of the pump assembly described above, the pump assembly further includes a guide portion, the guide portion comprising: a first guide component comprising a first sliding structure and a second sliding structure slidably connected to the walls of the filter and the pump cavity respectively; and / or a second guide component comprising: a first guide surface and a second guide surface mating and abutting to the walls of the filter and the pump cavity respectively.

[0019] With this configuration, the filter can be installed into the pump cavity by means of the guide section. Specifically, the ease of installation is ensured by the assistance of the sliding connection / guide surface.

[0020] In one possible implementation, the first sliding structure is disposed at the bottom of the filter. This configuration allows the filter to be positioned in an ideal installation posture by means of the gravity of the first sliding structure. Preferably, the first sliding structure comprises a plurality of sliders distributed along the axial direction of the pump body. This configuration ensures the stability of the sliding guide.

[0021] Taking a drain pump as an example, since wash water usually contains debris such as lint, the drainage efficiency may decrease, the service life of the drain pump may be affected, and even safety issues may arise due to the debris adhering to the blade assembly of the drain pump. Therefore, this invention solves this problem by incorporating a filter section.

[0022] In one possible implementation of the pump assembly described above, the filtration section includes multiple filtration zones, including a first filtration zone and a second filtration zone. The second filtration zone is closer to the outlet than the first filtration zone, wherein at least a portion of the pores in the connecting structure of the second filtration zone are smaller than the pores in the connecting structure of the first filtration zone.

[0023] This design provides a differentiated pore size configuration to ensure the filter's effectiveness.

[0024] In one possible implementation of the pump assembly described above, the filter body is a cylindrical structure, and an annular cavity is formed between the pump body and the cylindrical structure, wherein at least a portion of the first filter area is located at the position of the filter section corresponding to the annular cavity.

[0025] With this configuration, the washing water entering the pump cavity can be filtered as it passes through the first filtration zone and reaches the annular cavity.

[0026] In one possible implementation of the pump assembly described above, in at least a portion of the first filtration zone, the pore size of the connecting structure near the outlet is smaller than the pore size of the connecting structure away from the outlet; and / or in at least a portion of the connecting structure of the first filtration zone, the pore size of the connecting structure near the outlet is smaller than the pore size away from the outlet; and / or a chip-blocking structure is provided on at least a portion of the connecting structure of the second filtration zone.

[0027] This design allows for a better filter capacity through the combination of large and small pores.

[0028] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a garment processing apparatus comprising the pump assembly described in any of the preceding claims.

[0029] It is understood that the garment processing equipment has all the technical effects of the pump assembly described in any of the foregoing items, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0030] The preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below using a drainage pump as an example in the pump assembly, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0031] Figure 1 This diagram shows a schematic structural diagram of a pump assembly in a garment processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 2 This diagram illustrates the structure of the pump body in the pump assembly of a garment processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 The figure shows the noise reduction unit, etc.

[0033] Figure 3 This diagram illustrates the structure of the pump body in the pump assembly of a garment processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 The figure shows guide parts, etc.

[0034] Figure 4 An exploded view of a filter in the pump assembly of a garment processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0035] Figure 5 This diagram illustrates the structure of the filter body in the pump assembly of a garment processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 The figure shows the filter section;

[0036] Figure 6 This diagram illustrates the structure of the filter body in the pump assembly of a garment processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 The figure shows the first filtering area; and

[0037] Figure 7 This diagram illustrates the structure of the filter body in the pump assembly of a garment processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 The figure shows the second filtering zone.

[0038] List of reference numerals in the attached diagram:

[0039] 100. Pump assembly;

[0040] 1. Drain pump;

[0041] 11. Drain pump inner cavity;

[0042] 12. Drive motor;

[0043] 131: Inlet; 132: Outlet;

[0044] 14. Noise Reduction Section;

[0045] 141. Baffle plate; 142. Noise reduction hole; 143. Water outlet hole;

[0046] 2. Filter;

[0047] 21. Filter body;

[0048] 211. Filter section;

[0049] 2111, First Filtering Zone;

[0050] 21111, Part One; 21112, Part Two;

[0051] 2112, Second Filtering Zone;

[0052] 2113, Third filtration zone; 21131, Chip-blocking structure;

[0053] 22. Knob;

[0054] 3. Rotating part;

[0055] 31. Rotating rod;

[0056] 321. First magnetic structure; 322. Second magnetic structure;

[0057] 411. Slider; 412. Slide rail;

[0058] 421. The first inclined plane; 422. The second inclined plane. Detailed Implementation

[0059] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art should understand that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical principles of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0060] It should be noted that in the description of this invention, terms such as "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," indicating directional or positional relationships, are based on the directional or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. These are merely for ease of description and do not indicate or imply that the device or element must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation; therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0061] Furthermore, it should be noted that, in the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "setting," and "connection" 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 direct connection, an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or a connection within two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0062] Furthermore, to better illustrate the present invention, numerous specific details are provided in the following detailed embodiments. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention can be practiced even without certain specific details. In some instances, the principles of slicers and other techniques well-known to those skilled in the art are not described in detail in order to highlight the main points of the present invention. The following will refer to... Figures 1 to 7 The invention may be described in whole or in part by way of the following.

[0063] Taking a drum washing machine as an example, its structure mainly includes a cabinet, an outer drum disposed in the cabinet, and an inner drum disposed inside the outer drum. The inner drum is equipped with a motor (located at the rear of the washing machine). Driven by the motor, the inner drum is rotatably disposed within the outer drum. The washing machine has a door on the side closest to the user (front side), which is typically able to rotate along a vertical axis. This allows the clothes to be washed to be fed into the clothes handling chamber inside the inner drum through the loading port by pivoting the door open. During processes such as washing, rinsing, and spin-drying, the wash water needs to be drained from the washing machine (e.g., into a drain pipe). Furthermore, some models have a function to recycle the wash water, that is, to refill the inner drum for reuse. Accordingly, if the washing machine is equipped with the pump assembly of this invention, the wash water can be discharged from the washing machine (drain pump) or refilled into the inner drum (circulation pump). The following description uses the pump assembly for draining wash water from the washing machine as an example to illustrate the invention (as in this example, according to...). Figure 1The pump body is positioned such that an inlet is located on the left side of the pump body, and a drain pump mounting position and a drain pump outlet are located on the right side of the pump body wall (when the inlet is installed at this mounting position, the function of a drain pump can be realized). Between these two positions, a circulating water pump mounting position and a circulating water pump outlet are located (when the motor and blade assembly are installed at this mounting position, the function of a circulating water pump can be realized).

[0064] In one possible implementation, the washing machine includes a pump assembly 100, which includes a drain pump 1 and a filter 2. The drain pump is mainly used to provide suction power to the wash water to be discharged. The filter is disposed inside the drain pump and is mainly used to intercept debris such as lint in the wash water to prevent it from clogging the pipes.

[0065] In one possible implementation, the drain pump 1 includes a drain pump body with a drain pump cavity 11. A drive motor 12 is disposed within the drain pump cavity 11, and a blade assembly is connected to the power output shaft of the drive motor. The drain pump body has an inlet 131 and an outlet 132. Based on this, the drive motor rotates the blade assembly to provide suction power to the washing water to be discharged, allowing the washing water to enter the drain pump cavity through the inlet 131 and then be discharged from the washing machine through the outlet 132. At least a portion of the filter 2 can be accommodated within the drain pump cavity 11. A noise reduction section 14 is provided within the drain pump cavity near the outlet, primarily for reducing the drainage noise of the washing machine.

[0066] Main reference Figure 2 In one possible implementation, the noise reduction unit 14 includes a baffle 141 with a noise reduction hole 142. Furthermore, the noise reduction baffle also has a water outlet through-hole 143 that communicates with the water outlet 132 of the drain pump 1. In this way, during drainage, air inside the drain pump cavity can be expelled through the noise reduction hole, thus effectively reducing the noise generated by the mixing of washing water and air.

[0067] In one possible implementation, the water outlet is generally located in the middle of the baffle, and the noise reduction hole is generally located at the outer edge of the water outlet and above it. Ideally, this allows air in the pump's internal cavity to be expelled before drainage, thus essentially eliminating drainage noise caused by the mixing of water and air.

[0068] In one possible implementation, viewed circumferentially along the water outlet orifice, a plurality of noise reduction holes 142 are provided in a local area above the water outlet orifice. In this example, among the plurality of noise reduction holes 142, the diameter of the portion located radially inner to the baffle (closer to the water outlet orifice) is larger than the diameter of the portion located radially outer to the baffle (farther from the water outlet orifice). This allows for better expulsion of air in contact with the water, resulting in a more significant noise reduction effect.

[0069] In one possible implementation, the noise reduction hole can be designed as a trumpet-shaped structure with a cross-section that gradually increases along the drainage direction (e.g., the generatrix of the exhaust hole is an oblique line or an arc) to facilitate smoother air discharge. In other words, the noise reduction hole has a certain axial dimension (along the thickness of the baffle), and therefore is in fact a cylindrical hole.

[0070] Some washing machines activate the drain function first upon startup. If there is no water in the drain pump chamber at this time, the drain pump (drive motor) will run dry, resulting in wasted energy. After washing clothes, the drain pump usually runs at a constant speed to drain. If the water level in the drain pump chamber is too low but the drain pump continues to drain at a higher speed, the mismatch between the water level and the pump speed will also waste energy. In this case, the operation of the drain pump and its speed can be adjusted according to the water level in the drain pump chamber. For example, if there is almost no water in the drain pump chamber, the drain pump should not be used. If there is water in the drain pump chamber but the water level is too low, the drain pump speed can be reduced to achieve a certain noise reduction effect. In other cases, normal drainage is sufficient.

[0071] In one possible implementation, the filter 2 mainly includes a filter body 21 with a generally cylindrical structure and a knob 22 disposed on the filter body as a rotating end. The filter body is mainly used to filter / intercept debris such as lint in the inner cavity of the drain pump. The knob can be rotatably connected to the drain pump. For example, the knob is provided with an external thread and the inner wall of the drain pump is provided with an internal thread (obviously, the positions of the external thread and the internal thread can also be interchanged). When the knob is rotated, the knob is tightened by means of the cooperation between the external thread and the internal thread. In the ideal state, it can be ensured that the washing machine does not leak water during the drainage process and / or when the user needs to unscrew the filter for cleaning after washing.

[0072] In one possible implementation, the filter body 21 includes a filter section 211 at a position corresponding to the filter zone. The filter section 211 is freely accommodated within the inner cavity 11 of the pump body (a gap exists between the outer wall of the filter section 211 and the cavity wall of the inner cavity 11 of the pump body, thereby forming an annular cavity between them. It is understood that those skilled in the art can determine the specific structural form of the annular cavity, the size of the gap, etc., according to actual needs. For example, the gaps corresponding to different parts may be the same or different). The filter section 221 includes communicating structures such as strip holes, round holes, and square holes. The communicating structures allow washing water to flow through on the one hand, and have the function of intercepting debris such as lint on the other hand. (As per...) Figure 1 and Figure 2 The drain pump is positioned at the right end of the filter, and the portion of the filter body near the right side is the filtration section. In this example, the filtration section 211 includes multiple filtration zones to ensure the filtration effect of the pump assembly through the cooperation between the various filtration zones. It is understood that those skilled in the art can determine the structural form, placement, number, and relative positions of the filtration zones according to actual needs.

[0073] In one possible implementation, the drive motor 12 of the drain pump is located at the right end, and the outlet 132 is located on the side near the right end. Correspondingly, the filter section 211 includes a first filter area 2111 located on the side of the filter body and a second filter area 2112 located at the end of the filter body, wherein the pore size of the first filter area 2111 is larger than that of the second filter area 2112. In this way, larger particles such as lint can be blocked in the annular cavity formed by the filter section 211 and the inner cavity 11 of the drain pump. As in this example, the outlet of the drain pump (and the circulating water inlet of the circulating water pump) are both located in this area. Therefore, the arrangement of the first filter area can ensure that the outlet is not easily blocked by large particles of lint.

[0074] It should be noted that the pore size here is mainly used to characterize the maximum size of hair debris that the outline of the connected structure can intercept. Therefore, its specific meaning can be flexibly adjusted according to the structural form of the connected structure. For example, for a round hole, it can be understood as the hole diameter; for a square hole, it can be understood as the diameter of its inscribed circle; and for an elliptical hole, it can be understood as the length of its minor axis. In this example, the connected structure is roughly a strip-shaped hole, and the pore size can be understood as the width of the strip-shaped hole. In addition, those skilled in the art can determine the specific structural form and distribution range of the first / second filter zone and its connected structure according to actual needs. For example, the connected structures set on both, or the connected structures set on the same filter zone, can be the same or different. For example, two connected structures are set on the first filter zone, and the two connected structures can be different in structure (e.g., strip-shaped hole and round hole), size (e.g., large round hole and small round hole), and distribution method (e.g., horizontal hole and vertical hole), etc.

[0075] In one possible implementation, in the first filtration zone 2111, at least a portion of the pores in the connecting structure near the outlet of the drain pump are smaller than the pores in the connecting structure away from the outlet of the drain pump. However, the pores of the connecting structure with smaller pores are still larger than the pores of the aforementioned second filtration zone 2112. These three connecting structures are referred to as large side holes, small side holes, and end holes, respectively.

[0076] In this way, when the washing water needs to be discharged to the outside of the washing machine, the filtration process of the washing water is as follows: large side hole (the washing water entering the inner cavity of the pump body flows into the annular cavity between the filter section and the inner cavity of the pump body, and is filtered for the first time during the flow) → small side hole (the washing water in the annular cavity re-enters the inner cavity of the pump body, and is filtered for the second time during the flow) → end hole (the washing water re-enters the inner cavity of the pump body hits the end hole, and is thus filtered for the third time during the flow).

[0077] Main reference Figure 6 In one possible implementation, the first filtration zone 2111 includes a first portion 21111 and a second portion 21112 distributed circumferentially. The first and second portions are separated, on the one hand, by a position corresponding to the slider at the bottom of the filter body, and on the other hand, by a structure where the filter section has an open area (corresponding to the guide surface) circumferentially. In this example, the highest point of the first portion is closer to the bottom (h1 is less than h2). Therefore, in the first portion, the connecting structure is a strip-shaped hole, and the pore size (width) of the strip-shaped hole near the outlet (right side of the figure) is smaller than that of the strip-shaped hole away from the outlet. In the second portion, within the same strip-shaped hole, the pore size (width) of the first sub-part a near the outlet is smaller than that of the second sub-part b away from the outlet. That is, in this example, the first filtration zone is differentiated by dividing the strip-shaped holes, and the second filtration zone achieves differentiation of filtration capacity by differentiating the local structure of the strip-shaped holes. Obviously, those skilled in the art can flexibly adjust the structure of the first filter zone, its constituent parts, and the form of the connection structure between each part according to actual needs. Taking a two-part filter zone as an example, both parts can be set in a form similar to the first part (wherein, within different parts, the degree of difference between the two zones can be the same or different), or one part can be set in a form similar to the first part while the other part can be set in a form with the same pore size (such as large side pores or small side pores).

[0078] Main reference Figure 7In one possible implementation, a chip-blocking structure 21121 is provided on the filter structure of the second filter zone 2112 to better block debris such as lint inside the filter section, thereby minimizing the phenomenon of lint adhering to the surface of the blade assembly. Taking the filter structure of the second filter zone as a strip-shaped hole as an example, the chip-blocking structure can be a strip structure, a sawtooth structure, a wave structure, or spaced protrusions (extending inward) set in the strip-shaped hole. In fact, the setting of the chip-blocking structure is equivalent to further reducing the porosity of the filter structure of the second filter zone, and compared with reducing the porosity, the chip-blocking capacity can be distributed more flexibly. For example, the chip-blocking structure can be provided on all or part of the filter structure of the second filter zone, and the chip-blocking structures on different filter structures can be the same or different.

[0079] As can be seen, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the filter section mainly includes filter surfaces with three filtration capacities. In the first filter zone, the pores of the connecting structure of the filter surface far from the outlet are large. The large pores of the connecting structure can wash larger lint and other debris into the annular cavity between the filter section and the inner cavity of the drain pump. In the first filter zone, the pores of the connecting structure of the filter surface near the outlet are small.

[0080] In this example, a drain pump is used as an example of the design. If the pump assembly of the present invention is used to construct a circulating water pump, the pores of the connecting structure in the area near the center of the first filter zone can be adjusted to be smaller, while the pores on both sides can be appropriately enlarged. Furthermore, the second filter zone is adjusted so that the front part of the filter grille is close to the drain outlet, corresponding to the installation position (side) of the drive motor of the circulating water pump, and the grille pores are minimized to thoroughly filter the washing water.

[0081] The washing machine includes (with a controller, etc.) or is equipped with a control unit (such as a server or cloud server located in a central control room). The controller is used to: determine the current clogging status of the filter; and, when cleaning is required (e.g., when the current clogging status reaches a preset level, which can be quantified by those skilled in the art according to actual needs, such as by the amount, area, or thickness of lint), start the drive motor of the drain pump, thereby forming a high-speed rotating filter cleaning water flow. This water flow impacts and washes away the clogged connecting structure, achieving self-cleaning of the filter and ensuring the performance of the pump assembly. Obviously, parameters such as the rotation direction, speed, and running time of the drive motor can be implemented according to a pre-established mapping relationship. For example, parameters such as speed / running time can be adjusted according to the specific clogging status. For instance, by controlling the drive motor to rotate in the same direction, the washing water inside the drain pump cavity can form a high-speed rotating vortex. This dissolves finer lint in the washing water and discharges it to the outside of the washing machine via the drain pump. Furthermore, by controlling the forward and reverse rotation of the drive motor, larger lint can be broken up and discharged to the outside of the washing machine.

[0082] For example, a photoelectric sensor can be installed at the end of the filter body near the knob. This sensor can detect whether the connecting structure of the filter section is blocked. If the connecting structure is blocked, the drive motor is started, creating a high-speed rotating water flow. The impact of the water flow clears the blockage, ensuring the performance of the drain pump. Clearly, those skilled in the art can select appropriate detection components and methods to specifically define the current blockage state of the filter section according to actual needs.

[0083] In one possible implementation, a level detection component, such as a sensor, can be provided at the side wall or other location of the filter grid to detect whether the filter grid is currently in a level state (e.g., the level state of the bottom or axis of the filter grid can be detected). If the level state of the filter grid is not up to standard, the posture of the filter grid can be manually adjusted by means of the guide part described below.

[0084] In one possible implementation, the pump assembly includes a rotating part 3, which includes a rotating rod 31 as a rotating component. A first end of the rotating rod 31 is disposed on a knob 22, and a second end can be selectively connected to the drain pump 1. Specifically, the rotating rod can be connected to the drain pump when the knob is not fully tightened relative to the drain pump. When the knob is fully tightened relative to the drain pump, the connection between the rotating rod and the drain pump can / is automatically released. In this way, the knob and the drain pump can be ensured to be fully tightened through a switchable (established or disengaged) connection between the rotating rod and the drain pump. In this example, the rotating rod 31 can be connected to the blade assembly (approximately at the center) of the drain pump 1. Obviously, it can also be connected to other structures such as the power output shaft of a drive motor.

[0085] In one possible implementation, the second end of the rotating rod 31 can be selectively connected to the drain pump 1 via magnetic adsorption. If the pump assembly 100 is equipped with a tightening detection component, magnetic structures are provided or installed on the second end of the rotating rod 31 and the blade assembly, respectively. Based on the detection result of the tightening detection component, if the tightening is incomplete, a connection is established between the first and second magnetic structures (e.g., energized), and the drive motor rotates, thereby causing the knob to rotate. The knob can be directly rotated to the tightened position, or after appropriate rotation, the user can manually tighten the knob to the drain pump. After tightening to the target position, the connection between the first and second magnetic structures can be released.

[0086] In other words, the washing machine includes (with a controller, etc.) or is equipped with a control unit (such as a server or cloud server located in a central control room). The controller is used to: determine whether the filter and drain pump are properly tightened based on the detection results of the tightening detection component; if the tightening is not up to standard, connect the rotating rod to the drain pump via magnetic attraction (power on). Based on this connection, the drain pump's drive motor drives the knob to rotate via the rotating rod. This rotation can directly achieve the tightening standard, or the user can continue to tighten the knob to achieve the tightening standard based on the rotation result; if the tightening is up to standard, disconnect the rotating rod from the drain pump (power off). In this way, the switchable connection state and the drive motor's assisted rotation can ensure that the knob and drain pump are properly tightened without leakage. Obviously, the rotation parameters such as the rotation direction and amount of rotation of the drive motor can be achieved according to a pre-established mapping relationship.

[0087] It should be noted that the tightening detection component may include a pair of detection components respectively mounted on the knob and the drain pump. For example, the matching results of the detection results of the pair of detection components can be used to determine whether the knob and the drain pump are tightened properly. Alternatively, it may include a single detection component, which can determine whether the knob and the drain pump are tightened properly by acquiring parameters such as images, pressure, and distance at a preset position.

[0088] In one possible implementation, the pump assembly 100 includes a guide section, through which the filter 2 can be smoothly installed into the drainage pump cavity 11. Obviously, those skilled in the art can determine the structure, number, and location of the guide section according to actual needs.

[0089] In one possible implementation, the guide portion includes a first guide assembly, which includes a slider 411 (first sliding structure) disposed on the filter and a slide rail 412 (second sliding structure) disposed on the wall of the drain pump cavity 11. In this way, during the process of installing the filter 2 into the drain pump cavity 11, the sliding of the slider 411 in the slide rail can ensure the reliability of the installation.

[0090] In this example, the slider includes multiple sliders (a group of sliders) spaced apart along the axial direction of the drain pump's inner cavity. Clearly, those skilled in the art can determine the structure, number, and placement of the sliders on the filter according to actual needs. It is possible to use only one slider, multiple / groups of sliders on different sides of the filter, or multiple / groups of sliders on the same side of the filter (along a direction perpendicular to the axis), etc.

[0091] Furthermore, the combination of slider and guide rail is only an exemplary description of the first guide component. Those skilled in the art can flexibly adjust its structure according to actual needs, such as swapping the positions of the guide rail and slider, or replacing multiple sliders with guide bars extending axially along the inner cavity of the drain pump.

[0092] In a preferred embodiment, the slider is located at the bottom of the filter body 21, serving as a guide, positioner, and counterweight. Specifically, during filter installation, the slider can quickly adjust to its installation posture / position within the drain pump cavity under its own weight, thus improving installation efficiency while ensuring installation reliability. For example, the slider is located approximately in the middle of the bottom. Furthermore, the user can manually adjust the filter grille to a position / position suitable for quick installation into the drain pump cavity if the levelness is not met, based on the detection results from sensors or other detection components.

[0093] In one possible implementation, the guide portion includes a second guide assembly, which includes a first inclined surface 421 (first guide surface) disposed on the filter and a second inclined surface 422 (second guide surface) disposed on the wall of the drain pump cavity 11. In this way, the accuracy of installation can be ensured by means of the cooperation between the pair of guide surfaces during the installation of the filter 2 into the drain pump cavity 11.

[0094] In this example, a first inclined surface is provided on the upper right side of the filter (viewed from the knob side along the axis of the drain pump cavity), with an angle of approximately 45° between the first inclined surface and the horizontal plane. A second inclined surface is provided at a corresponding position on the wall of the drain pump cavity. Obviously, those skilled in the art can determine the structural form, number, and specific placement of the first / second guide surfaces according to actual needs. For example, the angle between the first inclined surface and the horizontal plane can also be 30°, 60°, etc., and the first inclined surface can be replaced with a combination of a folded surface, a curved surface, or a curved surface and a plane, etc., and first guide surfaces can also be provided at the upper left and upper right respectively. Adjusting the angle of the first inclined surface or replacing it with a folded surface can achieve guidance while also serving as a foolproof and quick-installation mechanism.

[0095] In this way, when the user needs to install the filter 2 into the inner cavity 11 of the drain pump, the filter grid can be quickly adjusted to the target posture by means of the slider, which has the functions of guiding, positioning and counterweight. On this basis, the assembly between the filter and the drain pump can be achieved quickly and accurately by means of the sliding connection between the slider and the slide rail and the guiding cooperation between a pair of guide slopes.

[0096] As can be seen, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, by setting multiple filtration structures on the filter body, a richer filtration path can be constructed, thereby potentially achieving sufficient filtration of the washing water flowing through the filter. Furthermore, by combining the rotation parameters of the drive motor with the multiple filtration structures on the filter body, differentiated self-cleaning logic can be provided for different lint states, thus ensuring the filter's performance. In addition, based on the switchable connection between the rotating rod and the drain pump, the tightening of the filter and the drain pump can be ensured, effectively preventing problems such as drain pump leakage during the washing machine's drainage process and / or when the user needs to unscrew the filter for cleaning after washing, thus improving the user experience. Moreover, the guide portion allows for precise and quick installation of the filter into the drain pump's inner cavity, improving installation convenience.

[0097] The technical solution of the present invention has been described above with reference to the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the scope of protection of the present invention is obviously not limited to these specific embodiments. Without departing from the principles of the present invention, those skilled in the art can make equivalent changes or substitutions to the relevant technical features, and the technical solutions after these changes or substitutions will all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A pump assembly, characterized in that, The pump assembly includes: A pump, comprising a pump body, the pump body including an inlet and an outlet and forming a pump cavity; A filter comprising a filter body, the filter body including a filter section, the filter section being freely accommodating within the pump cavity; and The noise reduction unit is located in the inner cavity of the pump near the water outlet.

2. The pump assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The noise reduction unit includes a baffle plate, which is provided with a water outlet hole and a noise reduction hole. The noise reduction hole is located above the water outlet hole.

3. The pump assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The noise reduction holes include multiple holes, and at least a portion of the noise reduction holes located radially outside the water outlet through-hole have a smaller size than the noise reduction holes located radially inside the water outlet through-hole; and / or Observed along the water outlet direction of the pump, the noise reduction hole is a trumpet-shaped structure with a gradually increasing cross-section.

4. The pump assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pump assembly includes a rotating part, the pump includes a drive part, and the filter includes a filter body and a rotating end. The rotating part includes a rotating component, which is disposed on the rotating end on one side and can be selectively connected to the driving part on the other side.

5. The pump assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that, The rotating component can be connected to the pump via magnetic adsorption.

6. The pump assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pump assembly further includes a guide portion, the guide portion comprising: The first guide assembly includes a first sliding structure and a second sliding structure that are slidably connected to the walls of the filter and the pump cavity, respectively; and / or The second guide assembly includes: a first guide surface and a second guide surface that are respectively disposed on the walls of the filter and the pump cavity.

7. The pump assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The filtration unit includes multiple filtration zones, including a first filtration zone and a second filtration zone, wherein the second filtration zone is closer to the water outlet than the first filtration zone. Wherein, at least a portion of the pores in the interconnected structure of the second filter zone are smaller than the pores in the interconnected structure of the first filter zone.

8. The pump assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that, The filter body has a cylindrical structure, and an annular cavity is formed between the pump body and the cylindrical structure. At least a portion of the first filtration zone is located in the filtration section at a position corresponding to the annular cavity.

9. The pump assembly according to claim 8, characterized in that, In at least a portion of the first filtration zone, the pore size of the connecting structure near the outlet is smaller than the pore size of the connecting structure away from the outlet; and / or In at least a portion of the interconnected structure of the first filtration zone, the pores of the interconnected structure near the outlet are smaller than the pores away from the outlet; and / or At least a portion of the connecting structure of the second filtration zone is provided with a chip-blocking structure.

10. A garment processing device, characterized in that, The garment processing device includes the pump assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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