Semi-automatic dispensing device and control method thereof

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of detergent dispensing technology, specifically providing a semi-automatic dispensing device and its control method, aiming to solve the problem of large deviations in detergent dispensing amounts in existing automatic dispensing devices. To this end, the semi-automatic dispensing device of this invention includes a reservoir, a manual dispensing component, and an indicator. The reservoir is located inside the washing equipment. The manual dispensing component is connected to the reservoir and is used to draw detergent from the reservoir and dispensing the drawn detergent into the washing chamber. The indicator is correspondingly arranged to the manual dispensing component and has an indicating scale. The indicating scale is configured to show the amount of detergent drawn based on the initial weight of the items to be washed inside the washing equipment. This allows the user to manually drive the dispensing component to draw detergent according to the indicating scale, ensuring that the amount of detergent drawn corresponds to the initial weight of the items to be washed, thereby making the detergent dispensed into the washing chamber by the semi-automatic dispensing device more accurate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of detergent dispensing technology, specifically providing a semi-automatic dispensing device. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of automatic detergent dispensing technology in washing machines, more and more washing machines are equipped with automatic detergent dispensing devices. In related technologies, the automatic dispensing device of the washing machine mainly uses electrical components such as electromagnetic pumps, piston pumps and motors to realize the automatic dispensing function of liquid detergent.

[0003] However, the aforementioned dispensing device has the problems of complex structure, resulting in high production cost of the whole machine, and large deviation in the amount of detergent dispensed.

[0004] Accordingly, a new technical solution is needed in this field to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, namely, to solve the problems that existing automatic dispensing devices have complex structures, resulting in high production costs and large deviations in the amount of detergent dispensed.

[0006] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a semi-automatic dispensing device, which is installed in a washing machine, the semi-automatic dispensing device comprising:

[0007] A liquid reservoir, located inside the washing equipment, is used to store detergent;

[0008] A manual dispensing assembly, connected to the reservoir, is configured to draw detergent from the reservoir and to dispense detergent into the washing chamber of the washing apparatus; and

[0009] A prompter is provided corresponding to the manual dispensing component. The prompter is provided with an indicator scale, which is configured to indicate the amount of detergent to be dispensed according to the initial weight of the laundry inside the washing equipment, so as to instruct the manual dispensing component to dispense the corresponding amount of detergent.

[0010] In the preferred embodiment of the above-mentioned semi-automatic dispensing device, the manual dispensing component includes:

[0011] The dispensing chamber is located inside the washing equipment;

[0012] The inlet pipe has a first end connected to the liquid reservoir and a second end connected to the first end of the dispensing chamber. A first one-way valve is provided in the inlet pipe so that the detergent inside the liquid reservoir can flow to the dispensing chamber.

[0013] The liquid outlet pipe has a first end connected to the first end of the dispensing chamber and a second end connected to the washing chamber. A second one-way valve is provided in the liquid outlet pipe so that the detergent inside the dispensing chamber can flow to the washing chamber.

[0014] A piston is slidably connected to the dispensing chamber, and the first end of the piston is slidably and sealingly connected to the inner wall of the dispensing chamber;

[0015] An elastic element, correspondingly connected to the dispensing cavity and the piston, is configured to drive the piston from the second end of the dispensing cavity to the first end under its own elastic force; and

[0016] A drive assembly, which is connected to the second end of the piston, is configured to drive the piston from the first end of the dispensing chamber to the second end of the dispensing chamber under the action of an external force.

[0017] In the preferred embodiment of the above-mentioned semi-automatic dispensing device, the driving component includes:

[0018] A winding wheel is located inside the washing device and is rotatably connected to the washing device.

[0019] A pull wire, the first end of which is fixedly connected to the winding wheel, and the second end of which is connected to the second end of the piston;

[0020] A knob is coaxially arranged with the winding wheel. The knob is fixedly connected to the winding wheel via a rotating shaft. The knob is located outside the housing of the washing device and is arranged to correspond with the indicator scale.

[0021] In the preferred embodiment of the above-mentioned semi-automatic dispensing device, the drive component further includes:

[0022] A pull rod, slidably connected to the washing device, coaxially arranged with the dispensing chamber, and the end of the pull rod near the dispensing chamber connected to the second end of the piston; and

[0023] A handle is connected to the end of the pull rod away from the dispensing chamber. The handle is located outside the housing of the washing device and is configured to correspond to the indicator scale.

[0024] In the preferred embodiment of the above-mentioned semi-automatic dispensing device, the elastic element is a telescopic spring.

[0025] In the preferred embodiment of the above-mentioned semi-automatic dispensing device, the indicator scale includes multiple rows of indicator lines, each row of indicator lines corresponding to different weight ranges. The number of weight ranges is equal to the number of rows of indicator lines. The position of each row of indicator lines is configured such that as the value of the corresponding weight range increases, the extraction amount corresponding to the indicator line of the weight range with the larger value increases.

[0026] In the preferred embodiment of the above-mentioned semi-automatic dispensing device, each row of indicator lines includes areas with low, medium, and high levels of dirtiness, and the extraction amount corresponding to the low, medium, and high dirtiness areas gradually increases.

[0027] In the preferred embodiment of the above-mentioned semi-automatic dispensing device, the indicator is a display, which is configured to display the row of indicator lines corresponding to the weight range corresponding to the initial weight.

[0028] In a second aspect, the present invention also provides a control method for a semi-automatic dispensing device, the control method comprising:

[0029] Obtain the initial weight;

[0030] The weight range corresponding to the initial weight is determined based on the initial weight;

[0031] The display position of the indicator line is determined based on the weight range corresponding to the initial weight.

[0032] The indicator line corresponding to the initial weight is displayed according to the display position.

[0033] In a preferred embodiment of the control method for the aforementioned semi-automatic dispensing device, the control method further includes:

[0034] Obtain the initial weight;

[0035] Obtain the material information of the item to be washed;

[0036] The weight range corresponding to the initial weight is determined based on the initial weight;

[0037] The display position of the indicator line is determined based on the material information and the weight range.

[0038] The indicator line corresponding to the initial weight is displayed according to the display position.

[0039] When the above technical solution is adopted, the indicator scale on the indicator of the present invention can indicate the amount of detergent that the manual dispensing component needs to extract according to the initial weight of the clothes to be washed inside the washing equipment. This allows the amount of detergent extracted by the user manually driving the dispensing component according to the indicator scale to correspond to the initial weight of the clothes to be washed, thereby making the detergent dispensed into the washing chamber by the semi-automatic dispensing device more accurate.

[0040] In addition, the semi-automatic dispensing device of the present invention extracts and dispenses detergent through a manual dispensing component, which simplifies the structure of the semi-automatic dispensing device and reduces the overall production cost of the machine. Attached Figure Description

[0041] The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0042] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the semi-automatic dispensing device of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A magnified view of a portion of region A in the middle.

[0044] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of one embodiment of the control method for the semi-automatic dispensing device of the present invention.

[0045] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of another embodiment of the control method for the semi-automatic dispensing device of the present invention.

[0046] List of reference numerals in the attached diagram:

[0047] 100. Drum washing machine; 1. Shell; 11. Washing chamber; 2. Semi-automatic dispensing device; 21. Liquid reservoir; 22. Manual dispensing assembly; 221. Drive assembly; 2211. Winding wheel; 2212. Pull cord; 2213. Knob; 222. Dispensing chamber; 223. Elastic element; 224. Piston; 225. Dispensing pipe; 226. Inlet pipe; 23. Indicator; 3. First check valve; 4. Second check valve. Detailed Implementation

[0048] 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 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 this embodiment is described in conjunction with a drum washing machine, it is obviously applicable to other devices with washing functions as well.

[0049] It should be noted that in the description of this invention, terms such as "upper" and "lower," indicating directional or positional relationships, are based on the directional or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. This is merely for ease of description and does not indicate or imply that the device or element must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation; therefore, it should not be construed as a limitation of this invention. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0050] Furthermore, it should be noted that, in the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connected" and "linked" 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 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.

[0051] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a semi-automatic dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A magnified view of a portion of region A in the middle. Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating one embodiment of the control method for a semi-automatic dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 This is a flowchart of another embodiment of the control method for a semi-automatic dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0052] To address the problems of existing automatic detergent dispensing devices, such as complex structure leading to high overall production costs and significant deviations in detergent dosage.

[0053] like Figure 1As shown, the present invention provides a semi-automatic dispensing device 2, which is installed in a drum washing machine 100. The semi-automatic dispensing device 2 includes a liquid reservoir 21, a manual dispensing component 22, and an indicator 23. The liquid reservoir 21 is located inside the housing 1 of the drum washing machine 100 and is used to store detergent. The manual dispensing component 22 is connected to the liquid reservoir 21 and is configured to draw detergent from the liquid reservoir 21 and to dispense detergent into the washing chamber 11 of the drum washing machine 100. The indicator 23 is correspondingly set to the manual dispensing component 22. The indicator 23 is equipped with an indicator scale, which is configured to indicate the amount of detergent that needs to be dispensed by the drum washing machine 100 when washing clothes, based on the initial weight of the clothes to be washed inside the washing chamber 11. This indicates the amount of detergent that the manual dispensing component 22 should dispense accordingly, so that the amount of detergent dispensed by the user manually driving the manual dispensing component 22 according to the indicator scale corresponds to the initial weight of the clothes to be washed. This makes the detergent dispensed by the semi-automatic dispensing device 2 into the washing chamber 11 more accurate, avoiding situations where there is too much or too little detergent entering the washing chamber 11 when washing clothes due to large deviations in the detergent dispensed by the user manually driving the semi-automatic dispensing device 2. This achieves the goal of ensuring the washing effect of the drum washing machine 100 while reducing the risk of detergent waste, thereby improving user satisfaction.

[0054] It should be noted that, in the process of realizing this invention, the inventors also discovered that, in the prior art, when washing equipment uses a fully automatic dispensing device to dispense detergent, although the fully automatic dispensing device has a quantitative dispensing function, the amount determined by the fully automatic dispensing device is not accurate. This leads to situations where the fully automatic dispensing device dispenses too much or too little detergent into the washing drum. Specifically, when the washing equipment is a washing machine, the fully automatic dispensing device usually automatically determines the amount of detergent based on the weight and degree of soiling of the clothes to be washed inside the washing drum. More specifically, after determining the weight of the clothes to be washed, the fully automatic dispensing device then combines this with the degree of soiling of the clothes to be washed measured by the washing machine to determine the amount of detergent to be dispensed. However, since existing washing machines often fail to accurately determine the degree of soiling of the clothes to be washed inside the washing machine, the amount of detergent determined by the fully automatic dispensing device is prone to being too much or too little.

[0055] The semi-automatic dispensing device 2 of the present invention determines the weight of the clothes to be washed by the drum washing machine 100, and then the user determines the degree of dirtiness of the clothes to be washed. For example, if there is a lot of dust on the clothes to be washed, even if the drum washing machine 100 detects that the degree of dirtiness of the clothes to be washed is high, it is not necessary to dispense the amount of detergent corresponding to the degree of dirtiness. At this time, the user can determine the amount of detergent extracted by the semi-automatic device according to his / her washing experience and the indication scale on the indicator 23. This makes the detergent dispensed by the semi-automatic dispensing device 2 into the washing chamber 11 more accurate, avoiding the situation where the amount of detergent extracted by the semi-automatic dispensing device 2 manually driven by the user is too large, resulting in excessive or insufficient detergent entering the washing chamber 11 when the drum washing machine 100 washes clothes. This achieves the goal of ensuring the washing effect of the drum washing machine 100 while reducing the risk of wasting detergent and improving user satisfaction.

[0056] As one possible implementation method, such as Figure 1As shown, the manual dispensing assembly 22 includes a dispensing chamber 222, an inlet pipe 226, an outlet pipe 225, a piston 224, an elastic element 223, and a drive assembly 221. The dispensing chamber 222 is located inside the drum washing machine 100, specifically, it is fixedly connected to the housing 1 of the drum washing machine 100. The first end of the inlet pipe 226 is connected to the liquid reservoir 21, and the second end of the inlet pipe 226 is connected to the first end of the dispensing chamber 222. A first one-way valve 3 is provided in the inlet pipe 226 to allow the detergent inside the liquid reservoir 21 to flow into the dispensing chamber 222 and prevent backflow. The first end of the outlet pipe 225 is connected to the first end of the dispensing chamber 222, and the second end of the outlet pipe 225 is connected to the washing chamber 11 of the drum washing machine 100. A second one-way valve 4 is provided in the inlet pipe 226 to allow the detergent inside the dispensing chamber 222 to flow into the washing chamber 11 of the drum washing machine 100 and prevent backflow. The piston 224 is slidably connected to the dispensing chamber 222. Specifically, the first end of the piston 224 is slidably and sealingly connected to the inner wall of the dispensing chamber 222 so that when the first end of the piston 224 moves relative to the dispensing chamber 222, the manual dispensing component 22 can extract or dispense detergent. The elastic element 223 is correspondingly connected to the dispensing chamber 222 and the piston 224, and is configured to drive the piston 224 from the second end of the dispensing chamber 222 to the first end of the dispensing chamber 222 under the action of its own elastic force. When the user removes the external force applied to the manual dispensing component 22, the piston 224 can slide from the second end of the dispensing chamber 222 to the first end of the dispensing chamber 222 under the action of the elastic force of the elastic element 223, so that the space between the piston 224 and the first end of the dispensing chamber 222 is reduced. At this time, since the first one-way valve 3 provided in the liquid inlet pipe 226 can prevent the detergent in the dispensing chamber 222 from flowing back to the liquid reservoir 21 along the liquid inlet pipe 226, the detergent in the dispensing chamber 222 can be dispensed into the washing chamber 11 of the drum washing machine 100 along the liquid outlet pipe 225.

[0057] Continue reading Figure 1The drive assembly 221 is connected to the second end of the piston 224, and is configured to drive the piston 224 from the first end of the dispensing chamber 222 to the second end of the dispensing chamber 222 under the action of an external force. This allows the piston 224 to slide from the first end of the dispensing chamber 222 to the second end of the dispensing chamber 222 under the driving force of the drive assembly 221 when the user applies an external force to the drive assembly 221, thereby increasing the space between the piston 224 and the first end of the dispensing chamber 222. At this time, the second one-way valve 4 installed in the outlet pipe 225 can prevent liquid or air outside the outlet pipe 225 from flowing back into the dispensing chamber 222. In step 2, this results in a negative pressure inside the dispensing chamber 222, allowing the dispensing chamber 222 to draw detergent from the reservoir 21 through the liquid inlet pipe 226. With the above arrangement, the manual dispensing component 22 of the present invention can draw detergent under the action of external force applied by the user, and under the action of the elastic force of the elastic member 223, the detergent drawn from the dispensing chamber 222 is dispensed into the washing chamber 11 of the drum washing machine 100. This eliminates the need for an electromagnetic pump and motor or other electric drive device in the semi-automatic dispensing device 2 of the present invention, thereby reducing the production cost of the semi-automatic dispensing device 2 of the present invention.

[0058] It should be noted that, although the above combination Figure 1 The piston 224 described is slidably connected along the axial direction of the dispensing chamber 222, but this is not limiting. In other embodiments of the invention, the piston 224 may also be rotatably connected to the dispensing chamber 222, thus achieving liquid extraction and discharge through relative rotation between the piston 224 and the chamber. Alternatively, the manual dispensing assembly 22 of the invention may also adopt a gear pump structure. Specifically, two meshing gears are arranged inside a closed chamber, and configured to achieve liquid extraction and discharge functions when the two meshing gears rotate inside the closed chamber. The specific connection method between the piston 224 and the dispensing chamber 222 is not the focus of the invention, and therefore will not be elaborated here. Furthermore, the above adjustments do not deviate from the principle of the invention and therefore fall within the protection scope of the invention.

[0059] As one possible implementation method, such as Figure 1As shown, the drive assembly 221 includes a winding wheel 2211, a pull cable 2212, and a knob 2213. The winding wheel 2211 is located inside the washing device and is rotatably connected to the washing device. The first end of the pull cable 2212 is fixedly connected to the winding wheel 2211, and the second end of the pull cable 2212 is connected to the second end of the piston 224. The knob 2213 is coaxially arranged with the winding wheel 2211. The knob 2213 is fixedly connected to the winding wheel 2211 via a rotating shaft. The knob 2213 is located outside the housing 1 of the drum washing machine 100 so that the user can manually apply external force to the knob 2213. The marking point on the knob 2213 corresponds to the indicator scale on the indicator 23. The indicator 23 is a disc with an indicator scale. The indicator scale is coaxially arranged with the knob 2213 so that the marking point on the knob 2213 can always point to the indicator scale when the knob 2213 is rotated, so that the user can more accurately dispense detergent according to the indication of the indicator 23.

[0060] Specifically, in this embodiment of the invention, the axial direction of the winding wheel 2211 is perpendicular to the axial direction of the dispensing cavity. Specifically, the extension line of the center line perpendicular to the axial direction on the surface of the sidewall of the winding wheel 2211 coincides with the axis of the dispensing cavity 222, and the second end of the pull line 2212 is connected to the axis of the piston 224. This ensures that when the winding wheel 2211 pulls the piston 224 through the pull line 2212 to slide inside the dispensing cavity 222, the tension of the pull line 2212 on the piston 224 is primarily a force along the axial direction of the dispensing cavity 222. This makes the force on the piston 224 along the direction perpendicular to the cavity axis negligible, resulting in less friction between the piston 224 and the cavity interior. This reduces the external force required from the user on the knob 2213, making it easier for the user to rotate the knob and improving the user experience.

[0061] Furthermore, the present invention combines the structure of the knob 2213 with the piston 224 and the dispensing chamber 222, allowing the user to manually rotate the knob 2213 to dispense detergent. This effectively reduces the volume occupied by the semi-automatic dispensing device 2 during operation, making the installation position of the semi-automatic dispensing device 2 inside the washing equipment more flexible and more versatile, thereby further reducing the overall size and production cost of the washing equipment equipped with the semi-automatic dispensing device 2 of the present invention.

[0062] It should be noted that, although the above combination Figure 1The described drive assembly 221 includes a winding wheel 2211, a pull cable 2212, and a knob 2213. However, this is not limiting. In other embodiments of the invention, the drive assembly 221 may also include a pull rod and a handle. Specifically, the pull rod is slidably connected to the washing device and coaxially arranged with the dispensing chamber 222. The end of the pull rod near the dispensing chamber 222 is connected to the second end of the piston rod 224. The handle is connected to the end of the pull rod away from the dispensing chamber 222. The handle is located outside the housing 1 of the drum washing machine 100 so that the user can manually apply pulling force to the handle. The handle is correspondingly set with the indicator scale on the indicator 23. Specifically, the mark on the handle is correspondingly set with the indicator scale on the indicator 23 so that when the handle slides relative to the housing 1 of the drum washing machine 100, the mark on the handle always points to the indicator scale.

[0063] As one possible implementation method, such as Figure 1 As shown, the elastic element 223 is a telescopic spring. Specifically, the first end of the telescopic spring abuts against the inner wall of the second end of the dispensing cavity 222, and the second end of the telescopic spring abuts against the second end of the piston 224. This allows the piston 224 to slide from the second end of the dispensing cavity 222 to the first end of the dispensing cavity 222 under the action of the telescopic spring when the user removes the external force applied to the drive assembly 221. This allows the detergent extracted from the dispensing cavity 222 to push the piston 224 relative to the dispensing cavity 222 under the action of the telescopic spring, so that the detergent inside the dispensing cavity 222 can be dispensed into the washing drum of the drum washing machine 100.

[0064] It should be noted that, although the above combination Figure 1 The elastic element 223 described is a telescopic spring, but this is not limiting. In other embodiments of the invention, when the piston 224 is rotatably connected to the dispensing chamber 222, the elastic element 223 can also be a torsion spring. Obviously, the elastic element 223 can also be a tension spring or other elastic component, as long as it allows the piston 224 to slide from the second end of the dispensing chamber 222 to the first end of the dispensing chamber 222 under the elastic force of the elastic element 223.

[0065] As one possible implementation method, such as Figure 1 As shown, see also Figure 2The indicator scale on the indicator 23 includes multiple rows of indicator lines, each row corresponding to a different weight range. The number of weight ranges is equal to the number of rows of indicator lines. The position of each row of indicator lines is configured such that as the value of the corresponding weight range increases, the amount of laundry dispensed corresponding to that weight range increases. Through this configuration, the semi-automatic dispensing device 2 of the present invention can specifically determine different dispensing amounts based on the initial weight of the clothes to be washed, thereby ensuring the washing effect of the drum washing machine 100.

[0066] As one possible implementation method, such as Figure 1 As shown, see also Figure 2 Each row of indicator lines includes areas for low, medium, and high levels of soiling, with the dispensing amount gradually increasing for each of these areas. Through this configuration, the semi-automatic dispensing device 2 of this invention can not only determine different dispensing amounts based on different initial weights, but also indicate different detergent dispensing amounts based on the degree of soiling of the clothes to be washed. This allows users to more accurately determine the amount of detergent to dispense based on the instructions of the semi-automatic dispensing device 2, ensuring the washing effect of the drum washing machine 100 while reducing the risk of wasting detergent.

[0067] Preferably, in a specific implementation of the present invention, the indicator 23 is a display, configured to display the row of indicator lines corresponding to the weight range corresponding to the initial weight. Through this configuration, the indicator 23 of the semi-automatic dispensing device 2 of the present invention uses an electronic display, allowing the indicator 23 to display more rows of indicator lines while reducing the space occupied by the indicator 23. Furthermore, by making the indicator 23 a display, the display can show more rows of indicator lines, thus increasing the number of weight ranges and improving the accuracy of the display in indicating the dispensing amount. This improves the dispensing accuracy of the semi-automatic dispensing device 2, further enhancing the user experience.

[0068] Below, refer to Figures 3-4 This paper describes possible implementations of the control method for the semi-automatic dispensing device of the present invention.

[0069] like Figure 3 As shown, in one possible implementation, the control method of the semi-automatic dispensing device of the present invention includes the following steps:

[0070] S101: Obtain the initial weight;

[0071] S102: Determine the weight range corresponding to the initial weight based on the initial weight;

[0072] S103: Determine the display position of the indicator line on the display based on the weight range corresponding to the initial weight;

[0073] S104: Display an indicator line corresponding to the initial weight according to the display position.

[0074] In S101, the initial weight of the clothes to be washed placed inside the washing chamber is measured by a weight sensor installed inside the drum washing machine. The location of the weight sensor is not the focus of this invention, and the location of the weight sensor is common knowledge in the field, so it will not be described in detail here.

[0075] In S102, a weight range corresponding to the initial weight is determined based on the initial weight detected by the weight sensor. Multiple weight ranges cover the minimum and maximum weight of the laundry that the drum washing machine can withstand without overlap. In a specific implementation of the present invention, the number of weight ranges is at least two. Specifically, the upper and lower limits of each weight range are determined by the designer based on experience, experiments, calculations, etc.

[0076] In S103, the controller installed inside the drum washing machine determines the display position of the indicator line on the display based on the weight range corresponding to the initial weight. Specifically, in this specific implementation of the invention, the weight range corresponding to the initial weight can be determined after the initial weight is determined. After the weight range is determined, the display position of the indicator line corresponding to the weight range is also determined. More specifically, the correspondence between the weight range and the display position of the indicator line corresponding to the weight range can be determined by the designer based on experiments, calculations, or training. The specific determination method is not the focus of this invention, so it will not be elaborated here.

[0077] In S104, after the display position is determined, the controller displays an indicator line corresponding to the initial weight of the clothes to be washed according to the determined display position.

[0078] like Figure 4 As shown, in one possible implementation, the control method of the semi-automatic dispensing device of the present invention further includes the following steps:

[0079] S201: Obtain the initial weight;

[0080] S202: Obtain the material information of the item to be washed;

[0081] S203: Determine the weight range corresponding to the initial weight based on the initial weight;

[0082] S204: Determine the display position of the indicator line on the monitor based on the material information and weight range;

[0083] S205: Display the indicator line corresponding to the initial weight according to the display position.

[0084] In S202, the material information of the clothes to be washed is detected by a clothing feature detection module installed inside the drum washing machine. Specifically, in the specific implementation of the present invention, the clothing feature detection module is a clothing material type detector, which directly determines the type of clothing material. For example, existing clothing material type detectors include clothing material detection instruments based on spectral, infrared thermal imaging and computer vision technologies for detecting clothing material and / or clothing color.

[0085] In S203, a weight range corresponding to the initial weight is determined based on the initial weight detected by the weight sensor. Multiple weight ranges cover the minimum and maximum weight of the laundry that the drum washing machine can bear without overlap. In a specific implementation of the present invention, the number of weight ranges is at least two. Specifically, the upper and lower limits of each weight range are determined by the designer based on experience, experiments, calculations, etc.

[0086] In S204, the controller located inside the drum washing machine determines the display position of the indicator line on the display based on the acquired material information and the weight range corresponding to the initial weight. Specifically, in this specific implementation, after the initial weight is determined, the weight range corresponding to the initial weight can be determined. After the weight range is determined, the display position of the indicator line corresponding to the weight range and the material information is also determined. More specifically, the correspondence between the weight range, the material information, and the display position of the indicator line corresponding to the weight range can be determined by the designer based on experiments, calculations, or training. However, the specific determination method is not the focus of this invention, so it will not be elaborated here.

[0087] In S205, after the display position is determined, the controller displays an indicator line corresponding to the initial weight and material information of the clothes to be washed, based on the determined display position.

[0088] Those skilled in the art will understand that although some embodiments herein include certain features included in other embodiments but not others, combinations of features from different embodiments are intended to be within the scope of this application and form different embodiments. For example, any of the claimed embodiments in the claims of this application can be used in any combination.

[0089] It should be noted that although the detailed steps of the method of this application have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art can combine, split and rearrange the above steps without departing from the basic principles of this application. Such modified technical solutions do not change the basic concept of this application and therefore fall within the protection scope of this application.

[0090] 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 semi-automatic dispensing device, characterized in that, The semi-automatic dispensing device (2) is installed in the washing equipment, and the semi-automatic dispensing device (2) includes: A liquid reservoir (21), located inside the washing equipment, is used to store detergent; A manual dispensing assembly (22), which is connected to the reservoir (21), is configured to draw detergent from the reservoir (21) and to dispense detergent into the washing chamber (11) of the washing equipment; and A prompter (23) is provided corresponding to the manual dispensing component (22). The prompter (23) is provided with an indicator scale. The indicator scale is configured to indicate the amount of detergent to be dispensed according to the initial weight of the laundry inside the washing equipment, so as to instruct the manual dispensing component (22) to dispense the corresponding amount of detergent.

2. The semi-automatic dispensing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The manual dispensing component (22) includes: The dispensing chamber (222) is located inside the washing device; The liquid inlet pipe (226) has a first end connected to the liquid reservoir (21) and a second end connected to the first end of the dispensing chamber (222). A first one-way valve (3) is provided in the liquid inlet pipe (226) so that the detergent inside the liquid reservoir (21) can flow to the dispensing chamber (222). The liquid outlet pipe (225) has a first end connected to the first end of the dispensing chamber (222) and a second end connected to the washing chamber (11). A second one-way valve (4) is provided in the liquid outlet pipe (225) so that the detergent inside the dispensing chamber (222) can flow to the washing chamber (11). A piston (224) is slidably connected to the dispensing chamber (222), and the first end of the piston (224) is slidably and sealingly connected to the inner wall of the dispensing chamber (222); An elastic element (223), correspondingly connected to the dispensing cavity (222) and the piston (224), is configured to drive the piston (224) from the second end of the dispensing cavity (222) to the first end of the dispensing cavity (222) under its own elastic force; and A drive assembly (221) is connected to the second end of the piston (224) and is configured to drive the piston (224) to slide from the first end of the dispensing chamber (222) to the second end of the dispensing chamber (222) under the action of an external force.

3. The semi-automatic dispensing device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The driving component (221) includes: A winding wheel (2211) is disposed inside the washing device, and the winding wheel (2211) is rotatably connected to the washing device; A pull wire (2212), the first end of which is fixedly connected to the winding wheel (2211), and the second end of which is connected to the second end of the piston (224); and A knob (2213) is coaxially arranged with the winding wheel (2211). The knob (2213) is fixedly connected to the winding wheel (2211) through a rotating shaft. The knob (2213) is located outside the housing (1) of the washing device. The knob (2213) is arranged corresponding to the indicator scale.

4. The semi-automatic dispensing device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The driving component (221) includes: A pull rod, slidably connected to the washing device, is coaxially arranged with the dispensing chamber (222), and the end of the pull rod near the dispensing chamber (222) is connected to the second end of the piston (224); and A handle is connected to the end of the pull rod away from the dispensing chamber (222). The handle is located outside the housing (1) of the washing device and is configured to correspond to the indicator scale.

5. The semi-automatic dispensing device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The elastic element (223) is a telescopic spring.

6. The semi-automatic dispensing device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The indicator scale includes multiple rows of indicator lines, each row of indicator lines corresponding to a different weight range. The number of weight ranges is equal to the number of rows of indicator lines. The position of each row of indicator lines is configured such that as the value of the corresponding weight range increases, the extraction amount corresponding to the indicator line of the weight range with the larger value increases.

7. The semi-automatic dispensing device according to claim 6, characterized in that, Each row of indicator lines includes regions of low, medium, and high levels of dirtiness, with the extraction amount gradually increasing corresponding to the low, medium, and high dirtiness regions.

8. The semi-automatic dispensing device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The indicator (23) is a display that is configured to display the row of indicator lines corresponding to the weight range corresponding to the initial weight.

9. A control method applied to the semi-automatic dispensing device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The control method includes: Obtain the initial weight; The weight range corresponding to the initial weight is determined based on the initial weight; The display position of the indicator line is determined based on the weight range corresponding to the initial weight. The indicator line corresponding to the initial weight is displayed according to the display position.

10. A control method applied to the semi-automatic dispensing device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The control method further includes: Obtain the initial weight; Obtain the material information of the item to be washed; The weight range corresponding to the initial weight is determined based on the initial weight; The display position of the indicator line is determined based on the material information and the weight range. The indicator line corresponding to the initial weight is displayed according to the display position.

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