Automatic drying control method and household appliance

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of household appliance technology, specifically providing an automatic drying control method and a household appliance, aiming to solve the problem of bacteria growth and odor generation in existing cleaning-related household appliances. To this end, the automatic drying control method of this invention includes: determining whether to run a drying program based on the operating status of the household appliance; if the drying program is running, acquiring the environmental parameters of the household appliance, and adjusting the operating status of the household appliance according to the environmental state parameters; determining whether the environmental parameters have reached a threshold range; if so, ending the drying program; if not, maintaining the current operating status until the environmental parameters reach the threshold range. Through this solution, by adjusting the operating status of the household appliance in its non-operating state according to environmental parameters, the problem of bacteria growth and odor generation caused by the environment not meeting the appliance's ideal state is fundamentally solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of household appliance technology, specifically providing an automatic drying control method and a household appliance. Background Technology

[0002] As people's living standards continue to improve, household appliances have become an indispensable part of daily life. Among them, cleaning appliances have greatly facilitated people's daily lives. However, cleaning appliances also have certain shortcomings, affecting people's user experience.

[0003] Taking washing machines as an example, after washing clothes, the inner drum of the washing machine is still damp. If the washing machine door is closed for a long time, bacteria will grow and multiply in the washing machine, causing secondary pollution to the user's clothes. The purpose of the washer-dryer combo is to facilitate the drying program immediately after the washing program ends. Washing and drying are completed in the same machine, which greatly improves the convenience of washing and caring for clothes. However, the drying device is not fully utilized. After drying, condensate is easy to accumulate in the inner and outer drums. It is not in a dry state. If the washing machine is not used for a long time, it is easy to produce odor.

[0004] In existing technologies, for appliances similar to washing machines, sterilization measures are often adopted to improve the safety of their use. For example, CN219709208U discloses an electrolytic water system for a washing machine, CN115613285A discloses a dispensing device and washing machine, and CN114000305A discloses a sterilization method, device, computer-readable storage medium, and electronic device for a washing machine. However, the technologies in these patents do not fundamentally solve the defects of easy bacterial growth and odor generation.

[0005] Accordingly, there is a need in the field for a new automatic drying control method and household appliances to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, namely, to solve the problem that household appliances related to cleaning are prone to bacterial growth and odor in the prior art.

[0007] In a first aspect, the present invention provides an automatic drying control method, which is applied to a household appliance, and the automatic drying control method includes the following steps:

[0008] Determine whether to run the drying program based on the operating status of the household appliance;

[0009] If the drying program is run, the environmental parameters of the household appliance are obtained, and the operating status of the household appliance is adjusted according to the environmental state parameters inside the household appliance;

[0010] Determine whether the environmental parameters have reached the threshold range;

[0011] If the desired result is achieved, the drying process ends.

[0012] If the threshold is not reached, the current operating state will be maintained until the environmental parameter reaches the threshold range.

[0013] In a specific embodiment of the above-described automatic drying control method, the household appliance includes a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor, and the step "obtaining the environmental parameters of the household appliance" specifically involves:

[0014] Obtain the temperature and humidity values ​​of the household appliance.

[0015] In a specific embodiment of the above-described automatic drying control method, the step "determining whether the environmental parameters have reached the threshold range" specifically involves:

[0016] Determine whether the temperature value of the household appliance is less than a temperature threshold and whether the humidity value is less than a humidity threshold.

[0017] In a specific embodiment of the above-described automatic drying control method, the household appliance includes a fan unit and a heating unit, and the step "adjusting the operating state of the household appliance according to the environmental state parameters inside the household appliance" specifically includes:

[0018] The fan unit and heating unit of the household appliance are selectively operated according to the temperature and humidity values ​​of the household appliance.

[0019] In a specific embodiment of the above-described automatic drying control method, the step "selectively operating the fan unit and heating unit of the household appliance according to the temperature and humidity values ​​of the household appliance" specifically refers to:

[0020] The temperature value of the household appliance is higher than the temperature threshold, the humidity value of the household appliance is higher than the humidity threshold, and the household appliance is only operating the fan unit;

[0021] or,

[0022] The temperature value of the household appliance is lower than the temperature threshold, the humidity value of the household appliance is higher than the humidity threshold, and the household appliance operates the fan unit and the heating unit.

[0023] In a specific embodiment of the above-described automatic drying control method, the household appliance further includes a door closing unit, and the step of "selectively operating the fan unit and heating unit of the household appliance according to the temperature and humidity values ​​of the household appliance" is further specified as follows:

[0024] When the temperature value of the household appliance is higher than the temperature threshold and the humidity value of the household appliance is lower than the humidity threshold, the door closing unit of the household appliance opens.

[0025] or,

[0026] When the temperature value of the household appliance is less than the temperature threshold and the humidity value of the household appliance is less than the humidity threshold, the door closing unit of the household appliance is closed.

[0027] In a specific embodiment of the above-described automatic drying control method, the step "determining whether to run the drying program based on the operating status of the household appliance" specifically comprises:

[0028] Determine whether the household appliance is in a programmed operating state. If it is in a programmed operating state, the drying program will not run; if it is not in a programmed operating state, the drying program will run.

[0029] In a specific embodiment of the above-described automatic drying control method, the temperature threshold is 40°C and the humidity threshold is 30%.

[0030] In a specific embodiment of the above-described automatic drying control method, the heating unit is an electric heating element.

[0031] The present invention also discloses a household appliance, including a controller, which is capable of executing the automatic drying control method described in any of the above embodiments.

[0032] By employing the above technical solution, this invention proposes an automatic drying control method. The method determines whether to activate the drying program based on the operating status of the household appliance. If the drying program does not conflict with the operation of the appliance, it is activated. When the drying program is running, the environmental parameters of the appliance are first acquired. The operating status of the appliance is adjusted based on these parameters, utilizing its operation in a non-operating state to alter the environmental parameters until they fall within a threshold range. Once the threshold range is reached, the drying program ends. If the threshold range is not reached, the program continues until the environmental parameters are within the threshold range. This solution, by adjusting the operating status of the appliance in a non-operating state based on environmental parameters, fundamentally solves the problem of bacterial growth and odors caused by the appliance being in an environment that is not ideal for it. Attached Figure Description

[0033] The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0034] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of one embodiment of the drying control method in this invention;

[0035] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of another embodiment of the drying control method in this invention;

[0036] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of another embodiment of the drying control method in this invention. Detailed Implementation

[0037] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings and a washing machine. Those skilled in the art should understand that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical principles of the invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the invention. Those skilled in the art can make adjustments as needed to adapt to specific applications. For example, although the specification describes the invention in conjunction with a washing machine, this is not limiting; those skilled in the art can apply the invention to any other cleaning-related household appliance as needed, as long as the appliance requires keeping its interior dry and clean to prevent bacterial growth.

[0038] It should be noted that in the description of this invention, terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "inner," and "outer," which indicate direction or positional relationships, are based on the direction or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. These are used merely for ease of description and do not indicate or imply that the relevant devices or elements must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention. Furthermore, ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0039] Furthermore, it should be noted that, in the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation" 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 mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0040] Furthermore, in order to more clearly demonstrate the core technical solution of the present invention, the description of the known structure of the washing machine is omitted in the following description. However, this omission is only for the convenience of description and does not mean that the washing machine can be without these structures.

[0041] like Figure 1 As shown, this invention proposes an automatic drying control method, which is applied to household appliances. The automatic drying control method includes the following steps:

[0042] S100: Determine whether to run the drying program based on the working status of the household appliance;

[0043] S200: If the drying program is running, obtain the environmental parameters of the household appliance;

[0044] S300: Adjust the operating status of the household appliance according to the environmental status parameters inside the household appliance;

[0045] S400: Determine whether the environmental parameters have reached the threshold range;

[0046] S500: If reached, the drying process ends;

[0047] S600: If not reached, maintain the current operating state until the environmental parameter reaches the threshold range.

[0048] The automatic drying control method of this embodiment is described in conjunction with a washing machine. First, after the washing machine finishes washing clothes, the inner drum of the washing machine is still damp. If the washing machine door is closed for a long time, bacteria will grow and multiply inside the washing machine, causing secondary pollution to the clothes. The fully automatic drum washing machine with washer-dryer combo has a drying device, which is intended to start the drying program immediately after the washing program ends. Washing and drying are completed in the same machine, which greatly improves the convenience of washing and caring for clothes. However, after drying the clothes, there will still be residual condensate in the inner drum of the washing machine, which makes it easy for bacteria to grow in the inner drum and produce odors.

[0049] Based on the above issues, an automatic drying control method is used to dry the inner drum of the washing machine. Specifically, when the washing machine is running, it is first determined whether the washing machine can run the drying program. This is determined based on the washing machine's operating status. During the drying program, the washing machine cannot be in washing, spin-drying, or clothes-drying states, as these states conflict. Therefore, after first determining whether the washing machine can execute the drying program, if the drying program conflicts with other operating states, it will not be executed. If there are no program conflicts, the drying program can be executed. It should be further noted that the drying program cannot conflict with any of the washing machine's normal operating states, and the washing machine itself cannot have any malfunctions that would affect the operation of the drying program.

[0050] When running the drying program, the environmental parameters of the washing machine are first obtained. Specifically, the environmental parameters of the washing machine are the environmental parameters inside the washing machine drum. Since condensation water is prone to accumulate on the inner drum side of the washing machine, which can lead to bacterial growth and odor, a suitable drying program should be run based on the environmental parameters of the inner drum. The environmental parameters of the inner drum can be humidity, temperature, etc., which is not a limitation. Other parameters of the inner drum can also be collected, as long as they affect the environmental hygiene of the inner drum.

[0051] Based on the environmental parameters inside the washing machine drum, the operating status of the washing machine is adjusted to further modify these parameters, thereby bringing them to a threshold level and placing the washing machine in an ideal clean state. Specifically, the washing machine's own configuration unit adjusts its operating program to regulate the environmental parameters inside the drum, bringing them within a dry and clean threshold range, without requiring additional devices to increase manufacturing costs.

[0052] By adjusting the washing machine's operating status and keeping it running, the machine continuously acquires environmental parameters during operation and constantly judges whether they have reached the threshold range. If they have reached the threshold range, the drying program ends and the washing machine shuts down, reaching the ideal state. If the environmental parameters have not reached the threshold range, the machine needs to continue running in an operating state adjusted according to the environmental parameters until the threshold range is reached.

[0053] The above description uses a washing machine as a typical example to illustrate this automatic drying control method. However, this should not be considered a limitation on the method's application. In fact, the principles and advantages of this automatic drying control method are widely applicable to various cleaning-related household appliances. Whether it's a dishwasher, dryer, or any other household appliance involving internal cleaning and moisturizing, this automatic drying control technology can be introduced and effectively utilized. Its core value lies in precisely controlling the key parameters of the appliance's internal environment, effectively preventing these parameters from exceeding preset thresholds. This avoids the growth of harmful bacteria due to abnormal environmental parameters such as excessive humidity or inappropriate temperature, further preventing odors and providing users with a healthier and fresher living environment. Therefore, it is foreseeable that this automatic drying control method will bring users a better user experience in the design and manufacture of future household appliances.

[0054] like Figure 2 As shown, in a potentially more specific embodiment, the household appliance includes a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor, then the automatic drying control method includes the following steps:

[0055] S100: Determine whether to run the drying program based on the working status of the household appliance;

[0056] S200: If the drying program is running, obtain the temperature and humidity values ​​of the household appliance;

[0057] S300: Adjust the operating status of the household appliance according to the temperature and humidity values ​​inside the household appliance;

[0058] S400: Determine whether the temperature value of the household appliance is less than a temperature threshold and whether the humidity value is less than a humidity threshold;

[0059] S500: If reached, the drying process ends;

[0060] S600: If not reached, maintain the current operating state until the environmental parameter reaches the threshold range.

[0061] In this embodiment, the specific implementation method will still be described in conjunction with the washing machine. Similar to the above embodiments, it is necessary to first determine whether the washing machine can run the drying program. The drying program can be run based on the working status of the washing machine. When running the drying program, the washing machine cannot be in the washing, spin-drying, or clothes drying state.

[0062] When the drying program is running, the washing machine first acquires its environmental parameters. Specifically, the washing machine is equipped with temperature and humidity sensors, which are located on the side of the inner drum opening. The standard is simply to detect the temperature and humidity inside the drum. Considering the different structures of washing machines, the specific installation location of the temperature and humidity sensors is not limited here. The washing machine adjusts its operating status based on the temperature and humidity values ​​inside the drum. The core of this adjustment is to maintain a suitable temperature and humidity environment inside the drum to prevent bacterial growth, odors, and negative impacts on the user experience, as well as secondary contamination of clothes.

[0063] Specifically, the temperature and humidity values ​​inside the washing machine need to be set with corresponding thresholds for comparison, thereby adjusting the washing machine's operating state. In a possible implementation, a temperature of 40°C and a humidity of 30% are used as the critical judgment states, serving as the temperature and humidity thresholds. When the temperature is above 40°C and the humidity is above 30%, the environment inside the drum is characterized by high humidity and high heat; when the temperature is above 40°C and the humidity is below 30%, the environment inside the drum is characterized by dryness and high heat; when the temperature is below 40°C and the humidity is above 30%, the environment inside the drum is characterized by high humidity and normal temperature; when the temperature is below 40°C and the humidity is below 30%, the environment inside the drum is characterized by dryness and normal temperature. Dryness and normal temperature is the ideal placement state for the washing machine, where bacteria will not grow or odors will be produced inside. Based on these thresholds, the washing machine adjusts its operating state to ensure the internal environment remains within the threshold range, at which point the drying cycle ends.

[0064] It is important to note that the temperature and humidity thresholds mentioned above are provided as illustrative data only and do not constitute a universally applicable standard for all household appliances. In practical applications, different types of household appliances often have significantly different requirements for temperature and humidity thresholds due to differences in their structure, function, usage environment, and materials. Therefore, when setting these thresholds, the characteristics and actual needs of specific household appliances must be fully considered, and reasonable and scientific adjustments must be made.

[0065] like Figure 3 As shown, in a possible, more specific embodiment, the household appliance includes a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and also includes a fan unit, a heating unit, and a door closing unit. The automatic drying control method then includes the following steps:

[0066] S100: Determine whether to run the drying program based on the working status of the household appliance;

[0067] S200: If the drying program is running, obtain the temperature and humidity values ​​of the household appliance;

[0068] S300: Determine the relationship between the temperature value and temperature threshold, and the humidity value and humidity threshold inside the household appliance;

[0069] S301: The temperature value of the household appliance is higher than the temperature threshold, the humidity value of the household appliance is higher than the humidity threshold, and the household appliance only operates the fan unit;

[0070] S302: The temperature value of the household appliance is less than the temperature threshold, the humidity value of the household appliance is higher than the humidity threshold, and the household appliance operates the fan unit and the heating unit;

[0071] S303: When the temperature value of the household appliance is higher than the temperature threshold and the humidity value of the household appliance is lower than the humidity threshold, the door closing unit of the household appliance opens.

[0072] S304: When the temperature value of the household appliance is less than the temperature threshold and the humidity value of the household appliance is less than the humidity threshold, the door closing unit of the household appliance is closed.

[0073] S400: Determine whether the temperature value of the household appliance is less than a temperature threshold and whether the humidity value is less than a humidity threshold;

[0074] S500: If reached, the drying process ends;

[0075] S600: If not reached, maintain the current operating state until the environmental parameter reaches the threshold range.

[0076] Based on the above embodiments, the washing machine will be used as an example for further explanation. In the above embodiments, after the washing machine judges different environmental states according to the corresponding thresholds, it needs to further adjust the operating state of the washing machine to make the environmental parameters reach within the threshold range. Specifically, the washing machine in this embodiment is also equipped with a fan unit, a heating unit, and a door closing unit. When the temperature is higher than 40°C and the humidity is higher than 30%, the environment of the inner drum is high humidity and high heat. At this time, only the fan unit runs to dry the remaining condensate with the help of the high temperature of the inner drum. When the temperature is higher than 40°C and the humidity is lower than 30%, the environment of the inner drum is dry and hot. At this time, the door closing unit temporarily opens the washing machine door to cool the inside down to the threshold range, and then automatically closes the door. When the temperature is lower than 40°C and the humidity is higher than 30%, the environment of the inner drum is high humidity and normal temperature. At this time, the fan unit and the heating unit need to be turned on to dry the inner drum of the washing machine as soon as possible. The heating unit can be an electric heating device. When the temperature is lower than 40°C and the humidity is lower than 30%, the environment of the inner drum is dry and normal temperature. At this time, the washing machine is in an ideal state, and only the door closing unit needs to close the washing machine door.

[0077] The above explanation is based on a washing machine. When applied to other electrical appliances, reasonable adjustments should be made based on the same inventive concept, which will not be elaborated further here.

[0078] It should be further explained that, in the above embodiments, the step "determine whether to run the drying program based on the working state of the household appliance" specifically means: determining whether the household appliance is in a programmed working state; if it is in a programmed working state, the drying program is not run; if it is not in a programmed working state, the drying program is run.

[0079] It is understandable that when running the drying program, the washing machine cannot be in a programmed operating state. Programmed operating states may include, but are not limited to, washing, spin-drying, and clothes-drying states. The drying program conflicts with the washing machine's washing, spin-drying, and clothes-drying states. It should be noted that other household appliances should also have their drying programs separate from their operating states to avoid conflicts.

[0080] This invention also proposes a household appliance including a controller that can execute the automatic drying control method described in the above embodiments. It should be noted that the principle and advantages of this automatic drying control method have wide applicability to various cleaning-related household appliances. Whether it's a dishwasher, a dryer, or any other household appliance involving internal cleaning and moisturizing, this automatic drying control technology can be introduced and effectively utilized. Its core value lies in its ability to effectively prevent these parameters from exceeding preset thresholds by precisely controlling key parameters of the appliance's internal environment. This avoids the growth of harmful bacteria due to abnormal environmental parameters such as excessive humidity or inappropriate temperature, further preventing odors and providing users with a healthier and fresher living environment.

[0081] The technical solution of the present invention has been described above with reference to the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the scope of protection of the present invention is obviously not limited to these specific embodiments. Without departing from the principles of the present invention, those skilled in the art can make equivalent changes or substitutions to the relevant technical features, and the technical solutions after such changes or substitutions will all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automatic drying control method, characterized in that, The automatic drying control method is applied to household appliances, and the automatic drying control method includes the following steps: Determine whether to run the drying program based on the operating status of the household appliance; If the drying program is run, the environmental parameters of the household appliance are obtained, and the operating status of the household appliance is adjusted according to the environmental state parameters inside the household appliance; Determine whether the environmental parameters have reached the threshold range; If the desired result is achieved, the drying process ends. If the threshold is not reached, the current operating state will be maintained until the environmental parameter reaches the threshold range.

2. The automatic drying control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The household appliance includes a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor. The step "obtaining the environmental parameters of the household appliance" specifically involves: Obtain the temperature and humidity values ​​of the household appliance.

3. The automatic drying control method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The step "determine whether the environmental parameters have reached the threshold range" specifically involves: Determine whether the temperature value of the household appliance is less than a temperature threshold and whether the humidity value is less than a humidity threshold.

4. The automatic drying control method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The household appliance includes a fan unit and a heating unit. The step "adjusting the operating state of the household appliance according to the environmental state parameters inside the household appliance" specifically involves: The fan unit and heating unit of the household appliance are selectively operated according to the temperature and humidity values ​​of the household appliance.

5. The automatic drying control method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The step "selectively operating the fan unit and heating unit of the household appliance according to the temperature and humidity values ​​of the household appliance" specifically involves: The temperature value of the household appliance is higher than the temperature threshold, the humidity value of the household appliance is higher than the humidity threshold, and the household appliance is only operating the fan unit; or, The temperature value of the household appliance is lower than the temperature threshold, the humidity value of the household appliance is higher than the humidity threshold, and the household appliance operates the fan unit and the heating unit.

6. The automatic drying control method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The household appliance also includes a door closing unit, and the step "selectively operating the fan unit and heating unit of the household appliance according to the temperature and humidity values ​​of the household appliance" is further specified as follows: When the temperature value of the household appliance is higher than the temperature threshold and the humidity value of the household appliance is lower than the humidity threshold, the door closing unit of the household appliance opens. or, When the temperature value of the household appliance is less than the temperature threshold and the humidity value of the household appliance is less than the humidity threshold, the door closing unit of the household appliance is closed.

7. The automatic drying control method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The step "Determine whether to run the drying program based on the operating status of the household appliance" specifically involves: Determine whether the household appliance is in a programmed operating state. If it is in a programmed operating state, the drying program will not run; if it is not in a programmed operating state, the drying program will run.

8. The automatic drying control method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The temperature threshold is 40°C, and the humidity threshold is 30%.

9. The automatic drying control method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The heating unit is an electric heating element.

10. A household appliance, comprising a controller, characterized in that, The controller is capable of executing the automatic drying control method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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