A foam eliminating structure, a foam eliminating method, and a laundry apparatus

Abstract

The application provides a foam eliminating structure, a foam eliminating method and a laundry equipment. The foam eliminating structure comprises a barrel and a drying assembly. The barrel has a clothes feeding opening. The drying assembly has an air outlet, which is located at the clothes feeding opening and can deliver a drying airflow to the inside of the barrel to dry the residual foam in the inside of the barrel. In one aspect, the application can be implemented by using a simple fan without setting water pipes, spraying parts and other components, so that the structure is simple and easy to implement. In another aspect, the application does not need to use additional water resources for foam elimination. At the same time, due to the better flowability and dispersibility of the airflow, the airflow can flow at each position in the inside of the barrel and there is no flow blind area, so that each position in the inside of the barrel and the inner wall of the barrel cover assembly has a good foam elimination effect.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of clothing processing equipment technology, and in particular to a foam elimination structure, a foam elimination method, and a laundry equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Laundry equipment, or garment processing equipment, is an indispensable appliance in people's daily lives, with multiple functions such as washing, rinsing, dehydration, and even drying.

[0003] Existing laundry equipment often leaves a small amount of foam residue inside the washing tub and on the inner wall of the lid after washing. While this foam does not affect the washing effect or the user's ability to use the equipment for the next wash, it often impacts the user experience.

[0004] To address this, existing laundry equipment often adds a spray structure. After washing, water is sprayed into the washing tub through the spray structure to rinse away the foam. However, this setup is not only more complex and wasteful of water resources, but also inevitably creates blind spots for rinsing the foam at the bottom of the tub as the water flows, resulting in poor foam removal at the bottom of the tub and affecting the overall defoaming effect of the laundry equipment. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, the present invention aims to propose a foam elimination structure, a foam elimination method, and a laundry equipment to solve the problems of complex structure, waste of water resources, and poor foam elimination effect of the existing spray defoaming scheme.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present invention is implemented as follows:

[0007] A foam elimination structure includes a bucket body and a drying component. The bucket body has a clothing inlet. The drying component has an air outlet located at the clothing inlet and is capable of delivering a drying airflow into the bucket body to dry the foam remaining inside the bucket body and on the inner wall of the bucket lid component.

[0008] Furthermore, on the projection along the central axis of the barrel, at least a portion of the projection surface of the air outlet coincides with the projection surface of the clothing inlet.

[0009] Furthermore, the air-drying assembly includes a fan, an air duct component, and an air guide hood. One end of the air duct component is connected to the air outlet of the fan, and the other end of the air duct component is connected to the air guide hood.

[0010] Furthermore, the air duct component and the air guide cover together form an air outlet.

[0011] Furthermore, a heater is provided in the air duct cavity of the air duct component.

[0012] A laundry appliance including the aforementioned foam-eliminating structure.

[0013] Furthermore, the tub body includes an outer tub and an inner tub, and the drying assembly is connected to the outer wall of the outer tub; and / or, the washing equipment includes a shell and an inner liner, the inner liner being disposed between the shell and the tub body, and the drying assembly being connected to the inner liner.

[0014] Furthermore, the outer barrel is provided with a barrel lid assembly, and the barrel lid assembly has an assembly clearance opening on the side near the air-drying assembly, through which the air-drying assembly can pass.

[0015] A foam elimination method is applied to the aforementioned foam elimination structure; the foam elimination method includes: activating the drying component during the washing process to deliver a drying airflow into the drum body to eliminate foam inside the drum body; the washing process includes at least one of the following processes: washing process, rinsing process, and spin-drying process.

[0016] Furthermore, the foam elimination method includes: S1, real-time detection of the foam situation inside the tub during the washing process; S2, determining whether the foam situation meets a first preset condition; if yes, proceed to step S3; if no, return to step S1; S3, turning on the drying component to deliver drying airflow into the tub; S4, determining whether the operation of the drying component meets the fan conditions, and / or whether the current foam situation meets a second preset condition; if yes, turn off the drying component; if no, keep the drying component on and re-execute step S4.

[0017] Compared with existing technologies, the foam elimination structure, foam elimination method, and washing equipment described in this invention have the following advantages:

[0018] The foam elimination structure, foam elimination method, and washing equipment described in this invention achieve foam elimination by delivering drying airflow into the drum through a drying component. This is achieved through a simple fan, eliminating the need for water pipes, spray nozzles, and other components, making the structure simple and easy to implement. Furthermore, no additional water resources are required for defoaming. Simultaneously, due to the better fluidity and dispersion of the airflow, it can flow throughout the drum without any blind spots, resulting in excellent defoaming effects at all locations within the drum and on the inner wall of the drum lid assembly. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an undue limitation of the invention. In the drawings:

[0020] Figure 1This is an isometric view of a foam elimination structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a foam elimination structure (hidden bucket lid assembly) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a foam elimination structure according to an embodiment of the present invention (hiding the air-drying component);

[0023] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the air-drying component according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 5 This is an exploded view of the air-drying assembly described in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the horizontal cross-section of the bucket body (hiding the bucket lid assembly) in a downward view, representing a foam elimination structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0027] 1. Drum body; 11. Balance ring; 12. Clothes loading port; 2. Drying assembly; 21. Fan; 22. Air duct component; 221. Air duct cavity; 222. Flow divider; 223. Air outlet side; 23. Air guide cover; 24. Air outlet; 3. Drum lid assembly; 31. Outer drum ring; 32. Outer drum cover plate; 33. Assembly clearance. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The inventive concepts of this disclosure will be described below using terminology commonly used by those skilled in the art to communicate the essence of their work to others skilled in the art. However, these inventive concepts may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments described herein.

[0029] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in the embodiments of this invention can be combined with each other. In this application, "defoaming" can be understood as an abbreviation for "foam elimination" or "foam removal."

[0030] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0031] To address the problems of complex structure, excessive water waste, and poor defoaming effect in existing spray defoaming solutions, this embodiment proposes a foam elimination structure, as shown in the attached figure. Figure 1-6As shown, the foam elimination structure includes a bucket body 1, a drying component 2, and a bucket lid component 3. One end of the bucket body 1 has a conventional open structure, referred to as the clothing inlet 12. The drying component 2 has an air outlet 24, which is located at the clothing inlet 12 and can deliver drying airflow into the bucket body 1 to dry the foam remaining inside the bucket body 1 and the inner wall of the bucket lid component 3.

[0032] Therefore, this application abandons the commonly used spray defoaming solution in the prior art, and instead sets up a drying component 2 to deliver drying airflow into the barrel 1 to achieve foam elimination. On the one hand, this can be achieved with a simple fan, without the need for water pipes, spray components, or other parts, making the structure simple and easy to implement. On the other hand, no additional water resources are needed for defoaming. At the same time, due to the better fluidity and dispersion of the airflow, the airflow can flow in all positions inside the barrel 1 without any blind spots, resulting in good defoaming effect in all positions inside the barrel 1 and on the inner wall of the barrel lid component 3. It should be noted that the inner wall of the barrel lid component 3 refers to the side wall of the barrel lid component 3 facing the inside of the barrel 1.

[0033] On the projection along the central axis of the barrel 1, at least a portion of the projection surface of the air outlet 24 coincides with the projection surface of the clothing inlet 12, so that the drying airflow can smoothly and directly enter the interior of the barrel 1 from the clothing inlet 12.

[0034] Preferably, the air-drying assembly 2 includes a fan 21, an air duct component 22, and an air guide shroud 23. One end of the air duct component 22 is connected to the air outlet of the fan 21, and the other end of the air duct component 22 is connected to the air guide shroud 23. Preferably, the fan 21, the air duct component 22, and the air guide shroud 23 are all sealed together, and the air duct component 22 and the air guide shroud 23 are specifically snap-fitted together.

[0035] The air duct component 22 and the air guide shroud 23 together form an air outlet 24; of course, the air outlet 24 can also be formed on the air duct component 22 or the air guide shroud 23. Preferably, the air outlet side 223 of the air duct component 22 is provided with an arc-shaped edge, so that the air outlet 24 can be formed to correspond to the circle of the clothing inlet 12, so that the drying airflow can enter the interior of the tub 1 from the clothing inlet 12. The arc-shaped edge has a transition flange, which is parallel to the central axis of the tub 1 and extends towards the interior of the tub 1. This, in conjunction with the air guide shroud 23, makes the air outlet 24 parallel to the central axis of the tub 1.

[0036] The air duct component 22 is provided with a diversion part 222 on the side near the air outlet 24. On the one hand, it disperses the airflow that is about to flow out of the air outlet 24, so that the airflow can enter the barrel 1 in a more dispersed and turbulent state in advance, thereby improving the defoaming efficiency. On the other hand, the air duct component 22 can also be engaged or abutted with the air guide hood 23 through the diversion part 222, thereby improving the assembly reliability between the air duct component 22 and the air guide hood 23, and also helping to support the air guide hood 23, thereby improving the force distribution of the drying component 2 near the air outlet 24.

[0037] Preferably, a heater is provided in the air duct cavity 221 of the air duct component 22 to heat the airflow for drying, thereby increasing the speed of foam drying and improving defoaming efficiency. Accordingly, in addition to the function of eliminating foam, this configuration also eliminates the need for an additional drying component in the washing equipment, as the drying function can be achieved through the air drying component 2 alone.

[0038] Based on the foam elimination structure described above, any washing equipment, such as conventional drum washing machines, pulsator washing machines, or washer-dryer combos, can include the foam elimination structure described in this embodiment.

[0039] Furthermore, this application does not impose too many restrictions on the tub body 1. It can be a conventional inner and outer double tub structure of a top-loading washing machine or a front-loading washing machine, or it can be a single tub structure (such as an early twin-tub top-loading washing machine). Accordingly, both the inner and outer double tub structure and the single tub structure are conventional technologies and will not be described in detail.

[0040] Preferably, the tub body 1 includes an outer tub and an inner tub, and the drying assembly 2 is connected to the outer wall of the outer tub; and / or, the washing equipment includes a shell and an inner liner, the inner liner being disposed between the shell and the tub body 1, and the drying assembly 2 being connected to the inner liner. It should be noted that the tub structure shown in the accompanying drawings of this application refers to the inner tub; the outer tub is not shown.

[0041] Based on this, the bucket lid assembly 3 can be referred to as the "outer bucket lid assembly", which includes an outer bucket ring 31 and an outer bucket cover plate 32. The outer bucket ring 31 is connected to the outer bucket, and a clothing inlet is formed in the center of the outer bucket ring 31. The outer bucket cover plate 32 is connected to the outer bucket ring 31 and is used to open or close the clothing inlet. This is the same as the bucket ring and bucket lid of the outer bucket in the prior art, and will not be described in detail.

[0042] The difference is that the outer barrel ring 31 has an assembly clearance opening 33 on the side near the drying component 2. The drying component 2 can pass through the assembly clearance opening 33, so that the air duct structure of the drying component 2 passes through the assembly clearance opening 33 from the outside of the outer barrel, so that the air outlet 24 can be set between the barrel body 1 and the barrel lid assembly 3. The drying airflow sent from the air outlet 24 can flow towards the inside of the barrel body 1 and the inner wall of the barrel lid assembly 3 to dry the foam at the corresponding position.

[0043] The inner wall of the outer barrel cover 32 can be flat, partially concave, or entirely concave. For example, the outer barrel cover 32 can form a concave arc surface, allowing the airflow to flow smoothly and gently along the inner wall of the outer barrel cover 32. In addition, the inner wall of the outer barrel cover 32 is provided with a patterned structure, such as a rough leather texture. On the one hand, this can improve the visual appeal of the outer barrel cover 32, allowing the user to directly see the corresponding pattern when opening the outer barrel cover 32. On the other hand, compared with a smooth wall surface, a wall surface with a patterned structure is less prone to foam adhesion, providing a better defoaming effect.

[0044] Correspondingly, for the conventional inner and outer double-tub structure of a pulsator washing machine, a balance ring 11 is often set on the top of the inner tub.

[0045] Based on the relevant structure and assembly relationship provided in this embodiment, the washing equipment also includes conventional components such as the housing and electronic control components. Since the conventional components can all adopt existing technologies, they will not be described in detail here.

[0046] Based on the foam elimination structure, this application further proposes a foam elimination method, including: turning on the drying component 2 during the washing process, delivering a drying airflow into the tub 1, and eliminating the foam inside the tub 1.

[0047] The washing process includes at least one of the following processes: washing, rinsing, and dehydration.

[0048] Specifically, the foam elimination method includes:

[0049] S1. During the washing process, the foam condition inside the drum 1 is monitored in real time;

[0050] The foam condition includes the number of bubbles, the density of the foam distribution, the highest point of the foam, and the height (thickness) of the foam. The foam condition can be obtained through image recognition, electrode detection, etc.

[0051] S2. Determine whether the foam situation meets the first preset condition; if yes, proceed to step S3; if no, return to step S1.

[0052] The first preset condition can be that the number of bubbles is greater than the preset number, the bubble distribution density is greater than the preset distribution density, the highest point of the bubbles is higher than the preset height, the bubble height (thickness) is greater than the preset value, etc.

[0053] S3. Turn on the air drying component 2 to deliver air drying air into the barrel 1;

[0054] S4. Determine whether the operation of the air-drying component 2 meets the fan conditions, and / or whether the current foam condition meets the second preset condition; if yes, then turn off the air-drying component 2; if no, then keep the air-drying component 2 on and repeat step S4.

[0055] The fan condition can be that the fan running time is longer than the preset time. The second preset condition can be that the number of foams is less than the preset number, the foam distribution density is less than the preset distribution density, the highest point of the foam is lower than the preset height, the foam height (thickness) is less than the preset value, etc.

[0056] Accordingly, steps S1-S4 can be performed at any stage of the washing, rinsing, or dehydration process.

[0057] Therefore, with the foam elimination method proposed in this application, once it is found that foam needs to be eliminated during any washing process, the air-drying component 2 can promptly remove the foam, which can effectively reduce the amount of foam during the washing process and improve the user experience.

[0058] In addition, this application includes an extra foam removal process before the washing is completed. Specifically, the foam removal method includes:

[0059] B1. When performing the final dehydration process, turn on the air drying component 2 to deliver air drying air into the barrel 1;

[0060] B2. After the final dehydration process is completed, the air drying component 2 shall be turned off simultaneously.

[0061] That is, while completing the entire washing process, it also eliminates the residual foam inside the drum 1, without interfering with the regular washing process or extending the washing time. This ensures that when users take out their clothes after washing, they will not see any residual foam inside the drum 1, which helps to improve the user experience.

[0062] Compared to conventional spray defoaming solutions, which require users to remove clothes from the tub before spray defoaming, otherwise the spray water will wet the clothes again, this application eliminates foam by air drying before the user removes the clothes.

[0063] Correspondingly, this application executes the defoaming process simultaneously with the final spin-drying process, which to some extent shortens the running time of the washing equipment, eliminating the need to perform defoaming after the user removes the clothes.

[0064] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is 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 foam-eliminating structure, characterized in that, The foam elimination structure includes a bucket body (1) and a drying component (2). The bucket body (1) has a clothing inlet (12). The drying component (2) has an air outlet (24) located at the clothing inlet (12) and can deliver a drying airflow into the bucket body (1) to dry the foam remaining inside the bucket body (1) and the inner wall of the bucket lid component (3).

2. The foam elimination structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, On the projection along the central axis of the barrel (1), at least a portion of the projection surface of the air outlet (24) coincides with the projection surface of the clothing inlet (12).

3. The foam elimination structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air drying assembly (2) includes a fan (21), an air duct (22), and an air guide shroud (23). One end of the air duct (22) is connected to the air outlet of the fan (21), and the other end of the air duct (22) is connected to the air guide shroud (23).

4. The foam elimination structure according to claim 3, characterized in that, The air duct component (22) and the air guide shroud (23) together form an air outlet (24).

5. A foam-eliminating structure according to claim 3, characterized in that, A heater is provided in the air duct cavity (221) of the air duct component (22).

6. A laundry appliance, characterized in that, The washing equipment includes the foam elimination structure according to any one of claims 1-5.

7. A washing machine according to claim 6, characterized in that, The tub body (1) includes an outer tub and an inner tub, and the air-drying assembly (2) is connected to the outer wall of the outer tub; and / or, the washing equipment includes a shell and an inner liner, the inner liner being disposed between the shell and the tub body (1), and the air-drying assembly (2) being connected to the inner liner.

8. A washing machine according to claim 7, characterized in that, The outer barrel is provided with a lid assembly (3), and the lid assembly (3) is provided with an assembly clearance opening (33) on the side near the air-drying assembly (2), and the air-drying assembly (2) can pass through the assembly clearance opening (33).

9. A method for eliminating foam, characterized in that, The foam elimination method is applied to the foam elimination structure according to any one of claims 1-5; the foam elimination method includes: turning on the drying component (2) during the washing process, delivering a drying airflow into the tub (1) to eliminate the foam inside the tub (1); the washing process includes at least one of the washing process, rinsing process, and dehydration process.

10. A foam elimination method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The foam elimination method includes: S1. During the washing process, the foam condition inside the tub (1) is monitored in real time; S2. Determine whether the foam situation meets the first preset condition; if yes, proceed to step S3; if no, return to step S1. S3. Turn on the air drying component (2) to deliver air drying air into the barrel (1); S4. Determine whether the operation of the air-drying component (2) meets the fan conditions and / or whether the current foam condition meets the second preset condition; if yes, then turn off the air-drying component (2); if no, then keep the air-drying component (2) on and repeat step S4.

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