Control panel and washing machine

Abstract

The application provides a control panel, comprising: a body, wherein an installation area is arranged in the body; a display control module, comprising a display unit, a main control unit and a driving unit which are integrated on a PCB substrate and are electrically connected through in-board wiring on the PCB substrate; a heat dissipation module, which is installed in the installation area, wherein the display control module is installed inside the heat dissipation module, and the heat dissipation module further comprises a heat dissipation piece which directly contacts the driving unit; and an operation display window is arranged on the outside of the body and corresponds to the position of the display control module. The main control unit, the driving unit and the display unit are integrated and assembled in the heat dissipation device as a whole, heat is dissipated through the whole heat dissipation module, the heat dissipation area is large, the heat dissipation effect is more significant than that of the traditional one, the internal space of the washing machine is optimized, and the production and assembly efficiency is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of laundry equipment technology, and more particularly to a control panel and a washing machine. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous improvement of the intelligence level of home appliances, washing machines, as one of the essential household appliances, have seen their control panel's human-computer interaction experience, heat dissipation performance, and structural reliability become key concerns for users. Currently, the control panel of a washing machine typically has the display unit, main control unit, and drive unit distributed separately and connected by wiring harnesses. This results in a complex internal structure, low assembly efficiency, and susceptibility to malfunctions due to loose wiring harnesses or poor contact. Simultaneously, the drive unit (such as motor drive chips and power devices) generates a large amount of heat during operation. Existing control panels often lack effective heat dissipation structures, causing the drive unit to operate at high temperatures for extended periods, affecting the overall lifespan of the machine and control accuracy.

[0003] Furthermore, the installation structure of traditional control panels is relatively cumbersome, and the heat dissipation module is not securely positioned, which can easily lead to loosening or abnormal noise after long-term use. Currently, most solutions on the market involve directly placing an aluminum block and then applying thermal grease to the surface of the IPM module. This effectively cools the IPM module quickly, with the aluminum block acting as a heat sink. The IPM module is positioned directly below and firmly attached. However, the aluminum block requires pre-application of thermal grease before being secured to the IPM module with nuts, resulting in limited heat dissipation efficiency. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a control panel and washing machine that offers high integration, excellent heat dissipation performance, and easy assembly. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address all or part of the problems of the prior art, this invention provides a control panel and a washing machine that dissipates heat through conduction of the entire heat dissipation module, resulting in a large heat dissipation area and significantly improved heat dissipation effect compared to traditional methods. At the same time, it optimizes the internal space of the washing machine and improves production and assembly efficiency.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: A control panel, comprising: The main body has an installation area within it; The display control module includes a display unit, a main control unit, and a drive unit integrated on a PCB substrate. The three are electrically connected through the in-board traces on the PCB substrate. A heat dissipation module is installed in the installation area, and the display control module is installed inside it. It also includes a heat dissipation component that directly contacts the drive unit. An operation display window corresponding to the position of the display control module is provided on the outer side of the main body.

[0006] An installation module is provided in the installation area of ​​the main body, and the installation module is used to limit and fix the heat dissipation module.

[0007] The heat dissipation module includes an inner fixed housing and an outer fixed housing that are fixedly connected to each other. The inner fixed housing is used to fix the display control module, and the heat dissipation component is fixedly disposed on the outer fixed housing.

[0008] The inner fixing shell has multiple positioning blocks on its upper and lower opposite end faces, and the multiple positioning blocks are formed by extending vertically outward from the end faces of the inner fixing shell.

[0009] The installation module includes multiple mounting seats arranged vertically, and the mounting seats are correspondingly set with the positioning block and fixedly installed by fasteners; A partition is provided at the lower part of the installation area, and multiple grooves are provided on the partition corresponding to the position of the mounting seat below.

[0010] The inner fixing housing has a first receiving cavity and a second receiving cavity that are independent and physically isolated from each other on the side facing the PCB substrate; the PCB substrate is fixedly mounted on the inner fixing housing by fasteners, wherein the first receiving cavity corresponds to the mounting position of the display unit, and the second receiving cavity corresponds to the mounting position of the main control unit and the drive unit.

[0011] The display unit is provided with a program selection area, a status display area, and an operation button area; The inner fixed housing and the main body are respectively provided with through holes or grooves that are adapted to the shape and size of the program selection area, status display area and operation button area.

[0012] The display unit is any one of the following: a display unit with a knob, a touch-sensitive display unit without a knob, a button display unit, or a display unit with a touch-sensitive color film; The PCB substrate is provided with an operating structure adapted to the type of the display unit.

[0013] The main body is also provided with a detergent dispenser mounting port, which is located on one side of the operation display window.

[0014] A washing machine includes a control panel as described above, wherein the main body is provided with a buckle for mounting and fixing to the washing machine housing.

[0015] The beneficial effects of the control panel and washing machine of the present invention are as follows: High integration: The display, control, and drive units are integrated on the same PCB substrate, reducing wiring harnesses and connectors and improving reliability. This simplifies both PCB manufacturing and assembly at the system assembly plant, reducing labor intensity and labor costs.

[0016] High-efficiency heat dissipation: The heat sink directly contacts the drive unit and relies on the outer fixed shell of the entire heat dissipation module for heat dissipation. Due to the large heat dissipation area, the temperature rise is significantly reduced.

[0017] Easy assembly: The multi-level limiting structure of positioning block + mounting base + groove can realize tool-free pre-assembly, improving production efficiency.

[0018] Versatile and compatible: The same structure can be adapted to various interaction methods such as knobs, touch, and buttons, reducing development costs.

[0019] User-friendly: The detergent dispenser mounting port is positioned side-by-side with the operation window for smoother operation. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the specific embodiments of the present invention, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0021] Figure 1 An overall structure of a control panel is provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 2 This is a structural schematic diagram of a control panel from another angle, provided as an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 3 This is an exploded view of a control panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 4 An exploded view of a control panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a control panel body provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the body and internal fixing device of a control panel according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a heat dissipation module for a control panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an external fixed housing for a control panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The technical solutions in specific embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of them. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0030] Example 1

[0031] This embodiment provides a control panel that integrates three independent circuit boards—the traditionally separate main control board, frequency converter drive board, and display board—onto a single PCB substrate 21, fundamentally solving the problems of complex wiring, large space occupation, high failure rate, and high cost caused by the dispersed arrangement of multiple boards in the prior art.

[0032] Please see Figures 1-8 A control panel, comprising: Body 1, wherein an installation area is provided within body 1; The display control module 2 includes a display unit, a main control unit, and a drive unit 22 integrated on a PCB substrate 21. The three are electrically connected through the in-board traces on the PCB substrate, without the need for additional external communication wiring harnesses. The heat dissipation module 3 is installed in the installation area, and the display control module 2 is installed inside it. It also includes a heat dissipation component 31 that directly contacts the drive unit 22. An operation display window corresponding to the position of the display control module is provided on the outer side of the main body 1.

[0033] The main control unit is electrically connected to and controls the washing machine's basic functional components, including the water inlet valve, washing water heating element, drying heating element, drain pump, drain valve, door lock switch, and drying fan. It is responsible for executing the machine's program logic control, monitoring its operating status, and handling fault diagnosis. The drive unit is electrically connected to and drives the washing machine's inverter motor and / or inverter compressor. Based on the control signals sent by the main control unit, it outputs corresponding inverter drive current to achieve precise adjustment of washing speed, spin speed, and drying power. The display unit is electrically connected to and controls the washing machine's user interface display, buzzer alarm, and user input acquisition, enabling human-machine interaction.

[0034] The main body 1 is a one-piece injection-molded structure. Its inner side, facing the interior of the washing machine, has an inwardly recessed mounting area where the display and control module is integrally embedded. The outer side of the main body 1, facing the user, has an operation display window corresponding to the location of the display and control module. A transparent protective panel, touch film, or button cover can be installed at the operation display window as needed.

[0035] An installation module is provided in the installation area of ​​the main body 1, and the installation module is used to limit and fix the heat dissipation module 3.

[0036] The heat dissipation module 3 includes an inner fixed shell 32 and an outer fixed shell 33 that are fixedly connected to each other. The inner fixed shell 32 is used to fix the display control module 2, and the heat sink 31 is fixedly disposed on the outer fixed shell 33. The inner fixed shell 32 and the outer fixed shell 33 are connected by one or more of the following fixed connection methods: Method 1: Clip-on connection The inner fixing housing 32 has multiple elastic hooks integrally formed on the outer side wall, and the outer fixing housing 33 has corresponding slots on the inner side wall. During assembly, the inner fixing housing 32 is pressed axially into the outer fixing housing 33. The elastic hooks deform elastically and engage in the slots, producing a "click" sound to indicate that the installation is complete. This method requires no tools, has high assembly efficiency, and is suitable for mass production.

[0037] Method 2: Screw fixing The inner fixing housing 32 extends vertically outward from its sidewall to form multiple first screw posts, and the outer fixing housing 33 extends vertically outward from its sidewall to form multiple second screw posts or through holes. During assembly, after the inner fixing housing 32 and the outer fixing housing 33 are mated, self-tapping screws or machine screws are passed through the through holes on the outer fixing housing 33 and screwed into the first screw posts of the inner fixing housing 32, or the screws are directly passed through the first and second screw posts and tightened. This method provides high connection strength and good vibration resistance, making it suitable for large-size or high-vibration environments.

[0038] Method 3: Ultrasonic welding The contact surfaces of the inner fixing housing 32 and the outer fixing housing 33 are provided with energy guiding ribs, and both are made of ultrasonically weldable thermoplastic plastics (such as ABS, PC / ABS alloy). During assembly, the inner fixing housing 32 is nested inside the outer fixing housing 33, and high-frequency vibration is applied to the contact surfaces using an ultrasonic welding machine, causing the contact surface materials to melt and solidify into a single unit. This method provides good sealing performance and simultaneously achieves connection and waterproof / dustproof functions.

[0039] Method 4: Hot melt riveting The outer fixing housing 33 is provided with multiple hot-melt pins, and the inner fixing housing 32 has corresponding riveting holes. During assembly, the hot-melt pins are passed through the riveting holes, and the tips of the hot-melt pins are heated with a hot-melt gun to soften and flatten them to form a riveting joint. After cooling, the joint is fixed. This method provides a reliable connection, requires no additional fasteners, and has a low cost.

[0040] The inner fixing housing 32 has multiple positioning blocks 321 on its upper and lower opposite end faces, and the multiple positioning blocks 321 are formed by extending vertically outward from the end faces of the inner fixing housing 32.

[0041] The installation module includes multiple mounting seats 11 arranged vertically, and the mounting seats 11 are correspondingly arranged with the positioning block 321 and fixedly installed by fasteners; A partition 12 is provided at the lower part of the installation area, and multiple grooves are provided on the partition 12 corresponding to the position of the mounting base 11 below.

[0042] The inner fixed housing 32 is injection molded from flame-retardant insulating material, and its side facing the PCB substrate 2 has a first receiving cavity 321 and a second receiving cavity 322 that are independent and physically isolated from each other. The PCB substrate 21 is fixedly mounted on the inner fixed housing by fasteners, wherein the first receiving cavity 321 corresponds to the mounting position of the display unit, and the second receiving cavity 322 corresponds to the mounting position of the main control unit and the drive unit.

[0043] Multiple vertically extending mounting posts are integrally formed on the inner wall of the inner fixed housing, and mounting holes corresponding to the positions of each mounting post are pre-set on the PCB substrate 21. During installation, fasteners pass through the mounting holes on the PCB substrate 2 and are screwed into the threaded holes at the top of the mounting posts, thereby achieving a rigid fixed connection between the PCB substrate 21 and the inner fixed housing.

[0044] Fasteners are evenly distributed along the edge of the PCB substrate 21. In this embodiment, the distance between the center of each fastener and the edge of the PCB substrate 21 is controlled at 5mm-10mm, and the distance between the centers of adjacent fasteners is 80mm-120mm. This arrangement can significantly improve the structural strength of the PCB substrate 2, effectively resist the strong vibration and impact generated under the high-speed spin-drying condition of the washing machine, avoid problems such as warping, deformation, displacement and loosening of the circuit board, and ensure the stability and reliability of the electronic control components during the operation of the whole machine.

[0045] The second cavity 322 is filled with thermally conductive and insulating potting compound, which completely covers all electronic components and solder joints on the main control unit and drive unit. The potting compound provides excellent waterproofing, moisture resistance, dustproofing, shock absorption, and heat dissipation, significantly improving the reliability and lifespan of the circuit system. To prevent the potting compound in the second cavity 322 from overflowing and flowing into the first cavity 321 before curing, thus contaminating the display unit, a leak-proof sealing structure is provided on the sidewalls adjacent to the first cavity 321 and the second cavity 322.

[0046] The anti-leakage sealing structure includes at least one overflow groove extending circumferentially along the inner sidewall of the first receiving cavity 321. The overflow groove has a U-shaped or V-shaped cross-section and is used to receive potting compound overflowing from the second receiving cavity 322. Furthermore, an elastic sealing gasket can be adhered to the top surface of the sidewall of the overflow groove. The elastic sealing gasket is made of silicone rubber or nitrile rubber, and its top surface is tightly fitted to the bottom surface of the PCB substrate 21 to form a physical sealing barrier, completely blocking the overflow path of the potting compound.

[0047] The display unit is provided with a program selection area, a status display area, and an operation button area; The inner fixed housing 32 and the main body 1 are respectively provided with through holes or grooves that are adapted to the shape and size of the program selection area, status display area and operation button area.

[0048] The display unit is any one of a knob-type display unit, a knobless touch-type display unit, a button-type display unit, or a display unit with a touch color film; the PCB substrate 21 is provided with an operating structure adapted to the type of the display unit, such as a knob encoder, a touch sensing electrode, a tactile switch, or a conductive rubber button.

[0049] Through the above design, the same control panel structure can be adapted to multiple operating methods, reducing mold development costs and inventory management costs.

[0050] The main body 1 also has a detergent dispenser mounting port, located on one side of the operation display window. The detergent dispenser is embedded in this mounting port, forming an integrated operation panel layout with the operation display window. After setting the program on the operation panel, the user can directly pull out the dispenser to add detergent without turning around or searching for the dispenser, improving ease of use. The detergent dispenser mounting port may further be equipped with a flow guide slope and a leak-proof structure.

[0051] A washing machine includes a control panel as described above. The main body 1 is equipped with clips for mounting and fixing to the washing machine casing. Specifically, multiple clips are provided on the back of the main body 1 to engage with slots on the front door of the washing machine, and can also be reinforced with screws. The drive unit 22 of the control panel is connected to loads such as a motor, water inlet valve, and drain pump via leads. The main control unit is also connected to signal input terminals such as a water level sensor and a temperature sensor to achieve fully automatic control of the washing machine.

[0052] Fasteners are evenly distributed along the edge of the PCB substrate 21. In this embodiment, the distance between the center of each fastener and the edge of the PCB substrate 21 is controlled at 5mm-10mm, and the distance between the centers of adjacent fasteners is 80mm-120mm. This arrangement can significantly improve the structural strength of the PCB substrate 2, effectively resist the strong vibration and impact generated under the high-speed spin-drying condition of the washing machine, avoid problems such as warping, deformation, displacement and loosening of the circuit board, and ensure the stability and reliability of the electronic control components during the operation of the whole machine.

[0053] The second cavity 322 is filled with thermally conductive and insulating potting compound, which completely covers all electronic components and solder joints on the main control unit and drive unit. The potting compound provides excellent waterproofing, moisture resistance, dustproofing, shock absorption, and heat dissipation, significantly improving the reliability and lifespan of the circuit system. To prevent the potting compound in the second cavity 322 from overflowing and flowing into the first cavity 321 before curing, thus contaminating the display unit, a leak-proof sealing structure is provided on the sidewalls adjacent to the first cavity 321 and the second cavity 322.

[0054] The anti-leakage sealing structure includes at least one overflow groove extending circumferentially along the inner sidewall of the first receiving cavity 321. The overflow groove has a U-shaped or V-shaped cross-section and is used to receive potting compound overflowing from the second receiving cavity 322. Furthermore, an elastic sealing gasket can be adhered to the top surface of the sidewall of the overflow groove. The elastic sealing gasket is made of silicone rubber or nitrile rubber, and its top surface is tightly fitted to the bottom surface of the PCB substrate 21 to form a physical sealing barrier, completely blocking the overflow path of the potting compound.

[0055] The present invention achieves the following significant technical effects through the above-mentioned integrated display control device design: it greatly reduces the number and types of circuit boards, eliminates multiple sets of communication and power harnesses between the main control board, frequency converter drive board and display board in the traditional split structure, simplifies the internal wiring of the washing machine, saves internal space of the equipment, and is conducive to the miniaturization and ultra-thin design of the washing machine.

[0056] The reduced number of connectors fundamentally lowers the incidence of circuit failures such as loose connectors and poor contact caused by vibration, significantly improving product reliability and lifespan.

[0057] The heat sink directly contacts the drive unit and relies on the outer fixed shell of the entire heat sink module for heat dissipation. The large heat dissipation area significantly reduces the temperature rise of the drive unit and improves the stability of the whole machine.

[0058] The multi-level limiting structure formed by the positioning block, mounting base and groove enables rapid pre-positioning and firm fixation between the heat dissipation module and the main body, improving assembly efficiency and reliability.

[0059] The integrated design facilitates unified electromagnetic compatibility and heat dissipation design, improving the overall performance of the circuit system; the modular overall assembly structure facilitates later maintenance and replacement, reducing after-sales service costs.

[0060] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A control panel, characterized in that, include: The main body has an installation area within it; The display control module includes a display unit, a main control unit, and a drive unit integrated on a PCB substrate. The three are electrically connected through the in-board traces on the PCB substrate. A heat dissipation module is installed in the installation area, and the display control module is installed inside it. It also includes a heat dissipation component that directly contacts the drive unit. An operation display window corresponding to the position of the display control module is provided on the outer side of the main body.

2. A control panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, An installation module is provided in the installation area of ​​the main body, and the installation module is used to limit and fix the heat dissipation module.

3. A control panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat dissipation module includes an inner fixed housing and an outer fixed housing that are fixedly connected to each other. The inner fixed housing is used to fix the display control module, and the heat dissipation component is fixedly disposed on the outer fixed housing.

4. A control panel according to claim 3, characterized in that, The inner fixing shell has multiple positioning blocks on its upper and lower opposite end faces, and the multiple positioning blocks are formed by extending vertically outward from the end faces of the inner fixing shell.

5. A control panel according to claim 4, characterized in that, The installation module includes multiple mounting seats arranged vertically, and the mounting seats are correspondingly set with the positioning block and fixedly installed by fasteners; A partition is provided at the lower part of the installation area, and multiple grooves are provided on the partition corresponding to the position of the mounting seat below.

6. A control panel according to claim 3, characterized in that, The inner fixing housing has a first receiving cavity and a second receiving cavity that are independent and physically isolated from each other on the side facing the PCB substrate; the PCB substrate is fixedly mounted on the inner fixing housing by fasteners, wherein the first receiving cavity corresponds to the mounting position of the display unit, and the second receiving cavity corresponds to the mounting position of the main control unit and the drive unit.

7. A control panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The display unit is provided with a program selection area, a status display area, and an operation button area; The inner fixed housing and the main body are respectively provided with through holes or grooves that are adapted to the shape and size of the program selection area, status display area and operation button area.

8. A control panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The display unit is any one of a knob-type display unit, a knobless touch-screen display unit, a button-type display unit, or a display unit with a touch-screen color film; the PCB substrate is provided with an operating structure adapted to the type of the display unit.

9. A control panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main body is also provided with a detergent dispenser mounting port, which is located on one side of the operation display window.

10. A washing machine, characterized in that, The control panel as described in any one of claims 1-9 is provided with a buckle on the main body for installation and fixation with the washing machine housing.

Images