Laundry treating apparatus and control method thereof

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of clothes processing equipment, and particularly provides a control method of clothes processing equipment, aiming at solving the problem that the existing multi-cylinder washing equipment has a long waiting time for some washing cylinders when multiple cylinders are watered at the same time. To this end, the clothes processing equipment of the present application comprises a first washing cylinder and a second washing cylinder; a switcher is switched to the first position to deliver fluid to the first washing cylinder; the switcher is switched to the second position to deliver fluid to the second washing cylinder; the control method comprises: receiving a control instruction for delivering fluid to the first washing cylinder and the second washing cylinder; obtaining the liquid inlet time T1 of the first washing cylinder and the liquid inlet time T2 of the second washing cylinder; obtaining the time required for the switcher to be switched from the current position to the first position and the second position respectively, which is n1t and n2t respectively; judging the size of T1+n1t and T2+n2t; when T1+n1t≤T2+n2t, the first washing cylinder is prior to the second washing cylinder in delivering fluid. By comprehensively considering the liquid inlet time of the washing cylinder and the time for the switcher to switch positions, the overall waiting time is greatly reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of clothing processing equipment technology, and specifically provides a clothing processing device and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, the washing machine industry has shown a trend of diversification. With the improvement of people's living standards, the concept of healthy, partitioned washing has gradually become a core aspect of washing machine product development. To meet consumers' growing demand for healthy washing, various types of multi-drum washing machines with partitioned washing functions have been developed on the market. The emergence of multi-drum washing machines increases the washing or drying capacity, greatly increasing the amount of clothes that can be washed or dried, thus meeting the washing and drying needs of families with multiple children. However, existing multi-drum washing machines, when multiple drums enter water or detergent according to received instructions, cannot match the demand well, causing some drums to wait a long time before starting the wash cycle.

[0003] Accordingly, there is a need in the field for a new control method for garment processing equipment to solve the problem that some washing drums have long waiting times when multiple drums have liquid inlet requirements at the same time in existing multi-drum washing equipment. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, namely, to solve the problem that some washing drums have a long waiting time when multiple drums have liquid intake needs at the same time in existing multi-drum laundry processing equipment.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a control method for a garment processing device, the garment processing device including a water path switching device, the water path switching device comprising:

[0006] A switcher, which is connected to a waterway and is used to switch waterways;

[0007] The garment processing equipment includes at least a first washing drum and a second washing drum;

[0008] When the switcher is switched to the first position, fluid is supplied to the first washing drum through the corresponding water path; when the switcher is switched to the second position, fluid is supplied to the second washing drum through the corresponding water path.

[0009] The control method includes:

[0010] Received a control command to supply fluid to the first washing drum and the second washing drum;

[0011] Obtain the liquid inlet time T1 of the first washing drum and the liquid inlet time T2 of the second washing drum;

[0012] The time required for the switcher to switch from its current position to the first position and the second position are obtained as n1t and n2t, respectively; wherein the first position is closer to the current position of the switcher than the second position.

[0013] Determine the magnitudes of T1+n1t and T2+n2t;

[0014] When T1+n1t≤T2+n2t, the first washing drum takes priority over the second washing drum in conveying fluid.

[0015] In the optional technical solutions of the control method for the aforementioned clothing processing equipment, after the step of "determining the magnitudes of T1+n1t and T2+n2t", the control method includes:

[0016] If T1+n1t>T2+n2t, then determine the magnitudes of T1+n3t and T2+n2t; where n3t is the time required for the switch to switch from the second position to the first position;

[0017] If T1+n3t>T2+n2t, then the second washing drum takes priority over the first washing drum in conveying fluid.

[0018] In the optional technical solutions of the control method for the aforementioned clothing processing equipment, after the step of "determining the magnitudes of T1+n3t and T2+n2t", the control method includes:

[0019] If T1+n3t≤T2+n2t, then the first washing drum takes priority over the second washing drum in conveying fluid.

[0020] In the optional technical solutions of the control method for the aforementioned clothing processing equipment, after the step of "determining the magnitudes of T1+n1t and T2+n2t", the control method includes:

[0021] When T1+n1t>T2+n2t, determine the magnitudes of T1+n1t and T2+n2t+X; where X is a preset value.

[0022] If T1+n1t>T2+n2t+X, then the second washing drum takes priority over the first washing drum in conveying fluid.

[0023] In the optional technical solutions of the control method for the aforementioned clothing processing equipment, after the step of "determining the magnitudes of T1+n1t and T2+n2t+X", the control method includes:

[0024] If T1+n1t≤T2+n2t+X, then the first washing drum takes priority over the second washing drum in conveying fluid.

[0025] In the optional technical solutions of the control method for the above-mentioned garment processing equipment, the control method includes:

[0026] Received a control command to introduce water into the first washing drum and the second washing drum;

[0027] Obtain the water inlet time T1 of the first washing drum and the water inlet time T2 of the second washing drum;

[0028] The time required for the switcher to switch from the current position to the first position and the second position are n1t and n2t, respectively.

[0029] Determine the magnitudes of T1+n1t and T2+n2t;

[0030] When T1+n1t≤T2+n2t, the first washing drum takes priority over the second washing drum for water intake.

[0031] In the optional technical solutions of the control method for the above-mentioned garment processing equipment, the control method includes:

[0032] Received a control command to add laundry treatment agent to the first washing drum and the second washing drum;

[0033] Get the laundry detergent dispensing time T1 for the first washing drum and the laundry detergent dispensing time T2 for the second washing drum;

[0034] The time required for the switcher to switch from the current position to the first position and the second position are n1t and n2t, respectively.

[0035] Determine the magnitudes of T1+n1t and T2+n2t;

[0036] When T1+n1t≤T2+n2t, the first washing drum takes precedence over the second washing drum in dispensing the laundry treatment agent.

[0037] In the optional technical solution of the control method of the above-mentioned clothing processing equipment, the clothing processing equipment includes a water pump and a drive assembly, wherein the water pump is connected to a water circuit and is used to pump liquid in the water circuit;

[0038] The drive component is connected to the switcher and the water pump drive respectively, and the drive component is configured to drive the switcher to switch the water path in a first state and drive the water pump to pump the liquid in the water path in a second state; after the step of "when T1+n1t≤T2+n2t, the first washing drum delivers fluid preferentially over the second washing drum", the control method includes: controlling the drive component to rotate forward to drive the switcher to switch the water path; controlling the drive component to rotate in reverse to drive the water pump to pump the liquid in the water path.

[0039] In a second aspect, the present invention also provides a control method for a garment processing device, the garment processing device including a water circuit switching device, the water circuit switching device comprising:

[0040] A switcher, which is connected to a waterway and is used to switch waterways;

[0041] The garment processing equipment includes at least a first washing drum and a second washing drum;

[0042] When the switch is switched to the first position, fluid is supplied to the first washing drum through the corresponding water path; when the switch is switched to the second position, fluid is supplied to the second washing drum through the corresponding water path.

[0043] The control method includes:

[0044] Received a control command to supply fluid to the first washing drum and the second washing drum;

[0045] The time required for the switcher to switch from the current position to the first position and the second position are n1t and n2t, respectively.

[0046] When n1t≤n2t, the first washing drum takes priority over the second washing drum in conveying fluid.

[0047] In a third aspect, the present invention also provides a garment processing device, the garment processing device including a memory, a processor, and a garment processing device control program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, the garment processing device control program being executed by the processor to implement the control method of the garment processing device described in any of the above technical solutions.

[0048] Those skilled in the art will understand that the garment processing equipment of the present invention includes a water path switching device, the water path switching device including: a switcher, the switcher being connected to a water path and used for switching the water path; the garment processing equipment includes at least a first washing drum and a second washing drum; when the switcher is switched to a first position, fluid is supplied to the first washing drum through a corresponding water path; when the switcher is switched to a second position, fluid is supplied to the second washing drum through a corresponding water path.

[0049] The control method includes: receiving a control command to supply fluid to the first washing drum and the second washing drum;

[0050] Obtain the liquid inlet time T1 of the first washing drum and the liquid inlet time T2 of the second washing drum; obtain the time required for the switcher to switch from the current position to the first position and the second position respectively, n1t and n2t; wherein, the first position is closer to the current position of the switcher than the second position; determine the magnitude of T1+n1t and T2+n2t; when T1+n1t≤T2+n2t, the first washing drum delivers fluid first over the second washing drum.

[0051] By employing the above technical solution, this invention comprehensively considers the liquid inlet time of the washing drum and the switching position time of the switcher, accurately calculating the total time from the start of switching to the completion of fluid delivery in the washing drum. Based on this calculation, a priority order is determined, ensuring that the optimal solution is selected under various complex conditions. This significantly reduces overall waiting time, completes the washing task faster, and improves the operating efficiency of the washing machine. During the judgment process, the switching path and duration of the switcher are fully considered, prioritizing solutions with shorter switching times. This reduces mechanical wear caused by frequent and prolonged switching of the switcher, extends the service life of the switcher and related components, lowers equipment maintenance costs, and ensures long-term stable operation of the washing machine. Attached Figure Description

[0052] The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0053] Figure 1 This is a front view of the waterway switching device of the present invention;

[0054] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the pump casing and mounting plate of the present invention;

[0055] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the piston of the present invention;

[0056] Figure 4 This is a left view of the water path switching device of the present invention;

[0057] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the mounting plate of the present invention with the protrusion and torsion spring installed, wherein... Figure 5 yes Figure 4 Point A in the middle;

[0058] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the end cap of the present invention;

[0059] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the motor housing of the present invention;

[0060] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the water circuit switching device of the present invention after removing the pump casing and motor casing;

[0061] Figure 9 This is a connection diagram of the drive motor, water pump, and switch of the present invention, wherein... Figure 9 yes Figure 8 Point B in the middle;

[0062] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the first and second paddles of the present invention;

[0063] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the first card slot of the present invention;

[0064] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the second card slot of the present invention.

[0065] Figure 13 This is a flowchart of the control method for clothing processing equipment according to the present invention;

[0066] Figure 14 This is a flowchart of another control method for the clothing processing equipment of the present invention;

[0067] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the switching position of the switcher of the present invention.

[0068] List of reference numerals in the attached diagram:

[0069] 1. Water circuit switching device; 11. Switcher; 12. Water pump; 121. Pump housing; 1211. Second snap-fit ​​protrusion; 1212. Slide rail; 122. Piston; 1221. Sliding protrusion; 123. Slide groove; 124. Mounting plate; 1241. Mounting protrusion; 1242. Torsion spring; 1243. First snap-fit; 1244. First mounting hole; 125. End cap; 1251. Second snap-fit; 1252. Return hole; 253. Return fluid line; 13. Drive motor; 131. Motor housing; 1311. First snap-fit ​​protrusion; 1312. Second mounting hole; 14. First paddle; 15. First gear; 16. First slot; 17. Second gear; 18. Second paddle; 19. Transmission rod; 191. Cam; 192. Paddle lever; 193. Limiting protrusion; 20. Second slot; 21. Third gear; 22. Fourth gear; 23. Crankshaft. Detailed Implementation

[0070] 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.

[0071] It should be noted that in the description of this invention, terms such as "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," indicating directional or positional relationships, are based on the directional or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. These are merely for ease of description and do not indicate or imply that the device or element must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation; therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0072] Furthermore, it should be noted that, in the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0073] First, the water circuit switching device of existing washing machines is described. In existing washing machine designs, the electrical control circuits for the motor and the dispensing pump are typically set up independently. This requires installing two sets of electrical control circuits for each motor and the dispensing pump, and also requires two sets of control logic in the software, increasing the manufacturing cost and the difficulty of later maintenance. Therefore, how to modify the water circuit switching device of the washing machine to improve its existing shortcomings has become an urgent technical problem to be solved in this field. The following implementation method is proposed to address this issue.

[0074] Example 1

[0075] like Figures 1-12 As shown, to solve the problem of complex water circuit switching structures and control logic in existing washing machines, the water circuit switching device 1 for washing equipment of the present invention includes:

[0076] The drive assembly is a drive motor 13. A first paddle 14 and a second paddle 18 are fixedly mounted on the output shaft of the drive motor 13. The first paddle 14 is positioned between the main body of the drive motor 13 and the second paddle 18. The first paddle 14 and the second paddle 18 are elastic structures, and abutment surfaces are provided at their ends. A first gear 15 and a transmission rod 19 are also sleeved on the output shaft of the drive motor 13. The first gear 15 is positioned between the main body of the drive motor 13 and the transmission rod 19. A bearing is provided between the first gear 15 and the output shaft to allow the first gear 15 to rotate relative to the output shaft. A first slot 16 is provided on the first gear 15, corresponding to the first paddle 14. The first slot 16 has circumferentially arranged wavy protrusions. The transmission rod 19 is driven by the water pump 12. A second slot 20 is provided on the transmission rod 19, corresponding to a second paddle 18. The second slot 20 contains circumferentially arranged wavy protrusions. When the drive motor 13 rotates forward, the first paddle 14 abuts against the protrusions in the first slot 16, driving the first gear 15 to rotate, while the second paddle 18 does not abut against the second slot 20. When the drive motor 13 rotates in reverse, the first paddle 14 does not abut against the protrusions in the first slot 16, while the second paddle 18 abuts against the second slot 20, driving the transmission rod 19 to rotate.

[0077] A switcher 11 is connected to the water circuit of the washing machine and is used to switch the water circuit. The switcher 11 includes a second gear 17, which meshes with a first gear 15. The switcher 11 also includes a third gear 21 and a fourth gear 22, which mesh with the second gear 17 respectively. The third gear 21 and the fourth gear 22 are also connected to the crankshaft 23 of the switcher 11, which is connected to a piston 122 to control the flow of water. When the drive motor 13 rotates forward, the first paddle 14 abuts against the first slot 16 and drives the first gear 15 and the second gear 17 to rotate. The second gear 17 drives the third gear 21 and the fourth gear 22 to rotate, thereby moving the crankshaft 23 and the piston 122 to control the flow of water. When the drive motor 13 rotates in reverse, the first paddle 14 does not abut against the first slot 16, thus not driving the piston 122 to move, and therefore not affecting the flow of water.

[0078] A water pump 12 is connected to a water circuit and is used to pump liquid within the water circuit. The water pump 12 includes a pump housing 121 and a piston 122 disposed inside the pump housing 121. A cam 191 is provided at the end of a transmission rod 19, and a lever 192 is provided on the cam 191. A groove 123 is provided on the piston 122, and the lever 192 can slide within the groove 123. A sliding protrusion 1221 is also provided on the piston 122. A vertical slide rail 1212 is provided on the pump housing 121, and the sliding protrusion 1221 can slide within the slide rail 1212. When the drive motor 13 reverses, the second lever 18 abuts against the second slot 20 and drives the transmission rod 19 and the cam 191 at the end of the transmission rod 19 to rotate. While the lever 192 on the cam 191 rotates in the vertical plane, it drives the piston 122 to move up and down reciprocally in the vertical direction through the groove 123 to pump liquid within the water circuit. When the drive motor 13 rotates forward, the second paddle 18 does not abut against the second slot 20, and thus the water pump 12 does not pump water.

[0079] The advantages of the above-described embodiments are as follows: The water circuit switching device 1 for washing equipment of the present invention, by setting the drive component to be connected to the switcher 11 and the water pump 12 respectively, when water circuit switching is required, controlling the drive component to rotate forward can drive the switcher 11 to perform water circuit switching. After the water circuit switching is completed, controlling the drive component to rotate in reverse can drive the water pump 12 to send the washing water pump 12 in the water circuit to the washing equipment to wash the clothes inside the washing equipment. Compared with the prior art where the circuits of the motor and the dispensing pump are set up separately, the present invention integrates the electrical control circuit of the water pump 12 with the drive component. It is only necessary to lead the electrical control circuit of the washing equipment to the drive component, and then control the forward and reverse rotation of the drive component to realize both water circuit switching and water pumping functions, simplifying the structure of the electrical control circuit. At the same time, the method of using the forward and reverse rotation of the drive component also makes the software control logic simpler, solving the problem of complex water circuit switching structure and control logic of existing washing machines.

[0080] Furthermore, regarding the connection method between the first paddle 14 and the first slot 16, and between the second paddle 18 and the second slot 20 mentioned above, in this embodiment, the first paddle 14 and the second paddle 18 are configured as elastic structures. In this way, when the first paddle 14 and the second paddle 18 are not required to abut against the first slot 16 and the second slot 20, since the first paddle 14 and the second paddle 18 are elastic structures, although the small protrusions in the first slot 16 and the second slot 20 will still contact the first paddle 14 and the second paddle 18, the contact will only cause slight elastic deformation of the first paddle 14 and the second paddle 18. This slight elastic deformation will not cause structural damage to the first paddle 14 and the second paddle 18, nor will it generate a large frictional force that would cause a large resistance to the drive of the drive motor 13, thus achieving an ideal transmission effect. Meanwhile, by providing abutment surfaces at the ends of the first paddle 14 and the second paddle 18, the shapes of these abutment surfaces are complementary to the abutment grooves formed by the small protrusions and the first and second slots 16 and 20. Therefore, when the first paddle 14 or the second paddle 18 abuts against the small protrusions within the first and second slots 16 and 20, the abutment surfaces on the first paddle 14 or the second paddle 18 can be embedded into the abutment grooves, thereby making the connection between the first paddle 14 or the second paddle 18 and the first and second slots 16 and 20 more stable. Furthermore, regarding the shapes of the first paddle 14, the second paddle 18, and the small protrusions within the first and second slots 16 and 20, those skilled in the art can set them to other common shapes, as long as they conform to the aforementioned technical principles. These modifications are all within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0081] Furthermore, the water pump 12 includes a pump housing 121 and a mounting plate 124 connected to the pump housing 121. The drive motor 13 includes a motor housing 131. The mounting plate 124 is provided with a mounting protrusion 1241, and a torsion spring 1242 is sleeved on the mounting protrusion 1241. The transmission rod 19 is provided with a limiting protrusion 193. When the drive motor 13 rotates forward, the torsion spring 1242 abuts against the limiting protrusion 193. The mounting plate 124 is provided with a first buckle 1243. The motor housing 131... The mounting plate 124 is provided with a first snap-fit ​​protrusion 1311. The first buckle 1243 cooperates with the first snap-fit ​​protrusion 1311 to realize the detachable connection between the mounting plate 124 and the motor housing 131. The mounting plate 124 is provided with a first mounting hole 1244, and the motor housing 131 is provided with a second mounting hole 1312. The second mounting hole 1312 is provided with a thread. The mounting plate 124 and the motor housing 131 are installed and fixed through the first mounting hole 1244 and the second mounting hole 1312.

[0082] In the above-described embodiment, the first snap-fit ​​1243 on the mounting plate 124 is first snapped onto the first snap-fit ​​protrusion 1311 on the motor housing 131, thus achieving the snap-fit ​​installation of the mounting plate 124 and the motor housing 131. Then, the mounting plate 124 and the motor housing 131 are fixed by fastening bolts through the first mounting hole 1244 and the second mounting hole 1312. Finally, the motor housing 131 is installed onto the main body of the drive motor 13 to complete the installation of the water pump 12 and the drive motor 13. The installation using both snap-fit ​​and fastening bolts improves the connection stability between the water pump 12 and the drive motor 13. Furthermore, although it was mentioned earlier that the second paddle 18 is designed as an elastic structure and will not generate significant friction with the second slot 20, the drive shaft may still rotate slowly under the action of friction, potentially causing the water pump 12 to pump water prematurely. Therefore, in this embodiment, a torsion spring 1242 is also provided on the mounting plate 124. When the drive motor 13 rotates forward, the torsion spring 1242 can abut against the limiting protrusion 193 of the transmission rod 19, thereby limiting the transmission rod 19 and preventing the transmission rod 19 from rotating slowly when the drive motor 13 rotates forward. Furthermore, since the torsion spring 1242 itself has elasticity and the limiting protrusion 193 has a one-way limiting structure, when the drive motor 13 rotates in reverse, the transmission rod 19 rotates under the drive of the second paddle 18, and at this time the torsion spring 1242 will not limit the rotation of the transmission rod 19.

[0083] Furthermore, the water pump 12 includes a pump housing 121 and an end cover 125. The end cover 125 is provided with a second latch 1251, and the pump housing 121 is provided with a second engaging protrusion 1211. The second latch 1251 and the second engaging protrusion 1211 cooperate to achieve a detachable connection between the end cover 125 and the pump housing 121. The end cover 125 is provided with a return fluid hole 1252, which is connected to a return fluid pipe 1253, and the return fluid pipe 1253 is connected to the water circuit of the washing machine.

[0084] The advantages of the above-described embodiment are as follows: By providing a return hole 1252 and a return pipe 1253 connected thereto on the end cover 125, when water pump 12 leaks inside, the leaked water can be discharged from the return hole 1252 and the return pipe 1253 and re-enter the water circuit of the washing machine. This avoids the problem of leaked water seeping from inside the water pump 12 to the outside of the water pump 12 after leakage, which could pose a safety hazard to the washing machine's electrical circuit. In addition, by providing a second snap-fit ​​protrusion 1211 and a second snap fastener 1251 on the pump housing 121 and the end cover 125 respectively, a detachable connection between the pump housing 121 and the end cover 125 is achieved, which also makes it easier to inspect the inside of the water pump 12.

[0085] Example 2

[0086] The present invention also provides a garment processing device, including a water path switching device 1 as described in any of the above embodiments. The garment processing device includes multiple washing drums, and the water path switching device 1 is connected to the multiple washing drums via water paths, thereby enabling the water path switching device 1 to switch between different water paths to supply water to different washing drums. Of course, in addition to switching water paths to supply water to the washing drums, the water path switching device 1 can also be used to add garment processing agent. The water path switching device 1 is connected to the multiple washing drums via water paths for adding garment processing agent, and the water path switching device 1 switches between different dispensing water paths to add garment processing agent to different washing drums.

[0087] The garment processing device includes a memory, a processor, and a garment processing device control program stored in the memory and executable on the processor. The garment processing device control program is executed by the processor to implement the control method of the garment processing device according to any embodiment.

[0088] Example 3

[0089] The present invention also provides a control method for a garment processing device, wherein the garment processing device is the garment processing device described in the aforementioned embodiment two, and the drive component is communicatively connected to the controller of the garment processing device, such as... Figure 13 As shown, the control methods include:

[0090] Step S11: Obtain the operating mode of the garment processing equipment;

[0091] Step S12: Based on the operating mode of the garment processing equipment, control the drive component to rotate forward to drive the switcher 11 to switch the water path;

[0092] Step S13: Control the drive component to reverse so as to drive the water pump 12 to pump the liquid in the water circuit.

[0093] Example 4

[0094] This invention also provides a control method for a garment processing device, which is the garment processing device described in Embodiment 2 above. The garment processing device includes at least a first washing drum and a second washing drum. When the switch 11 is switched to the first position, the first water path is connected to supply fluid to the first washing drum. When the switch 11 is switched to the second position, the second water path is connected to supply fluid to the second washing drum. The supplied fluid can be inlet water or a garment processing agent, such as detergent, fabric softener, fragrance, etc. When the switch 11 switches the water path, it can be clockwise or counterclockwise, and those skilled in the art can set it according to actual needs, which is within the protection scope of this invention. This embodiment describes clockwise as an example.

[0095] Furthermore, although the present invention is described as a garment processing device comprising two washing drums, it is not intended to limit the number of washing drums. Those skilled in the art can set the number of washing drums according to actual needs, and all such settings fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0096] Reference Figure 14 The main steps of the control method include:

[0097] Step S21: Receive control command to supply fluid to the first and second washing drums;

[0098] Step S22: Obtain the liquid inlet time T1 of the first washing drum and the liquid inlet time T2 of the second washing drum;

[0099] Step S23: Obtain the time required for the switcher to switch from the current position to the first position and the second position, respectively, n1t and n2t.

[0100] Upon receiving control commands to deliver fluid to the two washing drums respectively, the time T1 required for fluid delivery to the first washing drum and the time T2 required for fluid delivery to the second washing drum are obtained respectively. The control commands can be received in parallel or sequentially according to time sequence, and neither receiving method affects the normal implementation of the control method of the present invention.

[0101] The first position is closer to the current position of switcher 11 than the second position, therefore n1t < n2t. It should be noted that this invention only defines the priority of the pre-switching positions by name, and does not impose any restrictions on the order in which the switching duration is obtained. The system supports either obtaining the switching duration n1t from the current position to the first position first, or obtaining the switching duration n2t from the current position to the second position first; the specific implementation order can be flexibly set by those skilled in the art according to actual needs.

[0102] Step S24: Determine the magnitudes of T1+n1t and T2+n2t;

[0103] Step S25: When T1+n1t≤T2+n2t, the first washing drum delivers fluid before the second washing drum.

[0104] After obtaining the time consumed by the switcher 11 in switching from its current position to the first and second positions respectively, the total time for each washing drum from the start of the switcher 11's switching action to the end of the washing drum's fluid delivery is calculated. The total time required for the first washing drum is T1+n1t, and the total time required for the second washing drum is T2+n2t. Then, the total times of the two are compared, and this is used as the basis for determining the priority delivery order.

[0105] When T1 + n1t ≤ T2 + n2t, the first washing drum takes priority over the second washing drum for liquid intake. That is, when the total time required for the first washing drum is less than or equal to the total time required for the second washing drum, the first washing drum is given priority for liquid intake, and the second washing drum begins to intake after the first washing drum has finished. Since the switching position of the first washing drum is closer to the current position of the switcher 11, the switcher 11 takes less time to switch to the corresponding position, and its total time is also shorter. Prioritizing the first washing drum for liquid intake reduces waiting time and improves efficiency.

[0106] In one possible implementation, after step S25, the control method includes:

[0107] Step S26: When T1+n1t>T2+n2t, determine the magnitudes of T1+n3t and T2+n2t; where n3t is the time required for the switcher to switch from the second position to the first position.

[0108] Step S27: If T1+n3t>T2+n2t, then the second washing drum takes priority over the first washing drum;

[0109] Step S28: If T1+n3t≤T2+n2t, then the first washing drum takes priority over the second washing drum.

[0110] If switcher 11 prioritizes switching from the current position to the second position (i.e., prioritizing liquid intake for the second washing drum), then switcher 11 needs to switch from the second position to the first position after the second washing drum has finished inleting liquid. If T1 + n3t > T2 + n2t, it means that if the second position priority is adopted, the total time of the second washing drum is less than the total time of the first washing drum. Therefore, liquid intake for the second washing drum is prioritized to optimize the overall time consumption. If T1 + n3t ≤ T2 + n2t, it means that if the second position priority is adopted, the total time of the second washing drum is greater than or equal to that of the first washing drum. In this case, liquid intake for the first washing drum is still prioritized.

[0111] After determining the priority of the fluids delivered by the first and second washing drums, the control method further includes:

[0112] Steps: Control the drive component to rotate forward to drive the switcher to switch water channels;

[0113] Step: Control the drive component to reverse so as to drive the water pump to pump the liquid in the water circuit.

[0114] In an alternative implementation, after step S25, steps S26, S27, and S28 can be respectively:

[0115] Step S26: When T1+n1t>T2+n2t, determine the magnitude of T1+n1t and T2+n2t+X; X is a preset time value;

[0116] Step S27: If T1+n1t>T2+n2t+X, then the second washing drum takes priority over the first washing drum;

[0117] Step S28: If T1+n1t≤T2+n2t+X, then the first washing drum takes priority over the second washing drum.

[0118] When T1+n1t>T2+n2t, it means that the total time required for the second washing drum is less than that for the first washing drum, but the switching time from the current position to the second position and then from the second position to the first position is longer. Therefore, we then determine the values ​​of T1+n1t and T2+n2t+X. If T1+n1t>T2+n2t+X, it means that the total time for the second washing drum is much shorter than that for the first washing drum, and prioritizing the liquid intake of the second washing drum will save more time. If T1+n1t≤T2+n2t+X, it means that the total time for the second washing drum is not much different from that of the first washing drum, and in order to facilitate the switching operation of the switcher 11 and save switching time, we still prioritize the liquid intake of the first washing drum.

[0119] Wherein, X is a preset time value, which can be obtained from experimental data, an empirical value, or a value calculated by a person skilled in the art based on a formula, etc. This invention does not impose any restrictions on the setting method or specific value of X.

[0120] By comprehensively considering the liquid inlet time of the washing drum and the switching position time of the switcher 11, the total time from the start of switching to the completion of fluid delivery in the washing drum is accurately calculated. Based on this, the priority order is determined to ensure that the optimal solution can be selected under various complex conditions, significantly reducing the overall waiting time, completing the washing task faster, and improving the operating efficiency of the washing machine. In the judgment process, the switching path and duration of the switcher 11 are fully considered, and the solution with the shortest switching time is prioritized to reduce the mechanical wear caused by frequent and long-term switching of the switcher 11, extend the service life of the switcher 11 and related components, reduce equipment maintenance costs, and ensure the long-term stable operation of the washing machine.

[0121] The above control steps are illustrated below using the example of water entering the first and second washing drums:

[0122] Reference Figure 15 Because the switch 11 rotates clockwise in one direction to switch positions, from the initial position N to position 1 to position 2 to ... to position 7, each rotation takes time t. The switch 11 does not feed liquid into any washing drum when it is in the initial position N.

[0123] Assuming that switcher 11 is stopped at position 1 due to the previous water intake task, a water replenishment request for the first washing drum and a main washing water intake request for the second washing drum occur at this time. Position 3 on switcher 11 corresponds to the water replenishment for the first washing drum, and position 5 corresponds to the main washing water intake for the second washing drum. Since switcher 11 is currently closer to position 3 than position 1, position 3 is the aforementioned first position, and position 5 is the aforementioned second position. The time consumed when switcher 11 changes position from 1 to 3 and from 1 to 5 is obtained: switching from 1 to 3 takes 2t, and switching from 1 to 5 takes 4t. Based on this, the water intake times T1 and T2 for the second and third washing drums are further considered for judgment.

[0124] If (2t+T1)<(4t+T2), it means that the total time required for the first washing drum is less than that for the second washing drum. Therefore, the first washing drum is given priority in water intake. When (2t+T1)=(4t+T2), the first washing drum is still given priority in water intake for the sake of easy switching of the switcher 11.

[0125] If (2t+T1)>(4t+T2), and the second washing drum is given priority for water intake, the position needs to be switched from position 5 to position 3 after the second washing drum is filled with water. At this time, the switching process of switcher 11 is position 5-6-7-N-1-2-3, and the switching time is 6t, which is more than the switching time consumed by switching directly from position 1 to position 3.

[0126] Therefore, when (2t+T1)>(4t+T2), continue comparing the values ​​between (6t+T1) and (4t+T2). If (6t+T1)>(4t+T2), it means that when switcher 11 switches from position 5 to position 3, the total time required for the second washing drum is still less than that for the first washing drum, so the second washing drum is given priority for water intake. If (6t+T1)≤(4t+T2), it means that when switcher 11 switches from position 5 to position 3, the total time required for the second washing drum is greater than or equal to that for the first washing drum, so the first washing drum is still given priority.

[0127] In an alternative implementation, comparing the sizes of (6t+T1) and (4t+T2) can be replaced by comparing the sizes of (2t+T1) and (4t+T2+X).

[0128] When (2t+T1)>(4t+T2), the values ​​of (2t+T1) and (4t+T2+X) are then compared. If (2t+T1)>(4t+T2+X), the second washing drum is given priority for water intake. That is, if (2t+T1)>(4t+T2+X), it means that the required time for the second washing drum, 4t+T2, is indeed much shorter than 2t+T1, so the second washing drum is given priority for water intake. If (2t+T1)≤(4t+T2+X), it means that the required time for the second washing drum, 4t+T2, is not significantly different from 2t+T1, so the first washing drum is given priority for water intake to facilitate the switching of the position by the switcher 11.

[0129] As one possible implementation method, the control method includes:

[0130] Step: Receive control instructions to supply fluid to the first and second washing drums;

[0131] Steps: Obtain the time required for the switcher to switch from the current position to the first position and the second position, respectively, n1t and n2t;

[0132] Step: When n1t≤n2t, the first washing drum takes priority over the second washing drum in conveying fluid;

[0133] Step: When n1t≤n2t, the first washing drum takes priority over the second washing drum in conveying fluid.

[0134] In this embodiment, the time required for the switch 11 to switch to the first position and the second position is obtained. If the time required for the switch 11 to switch to the first position is shorter, the first washing drum prioritizes fluid delivery; if the time required for the switch 11 to switch to the second position is shorter, the second washing drum prioritizes fluid delivery. This control effectively shortens the system response time by minimizing the time consumed by the switching action, improves the overall efficiency of multi-drum fluid delivery, and reduces waiting time.

[0135] Although this embodiment describes the control method using water inlet, it is also applicable to the application of clothing treatment agents, and those skilled in the art can set it according to actual needs.

[0136] In the above-described implementation, since different operating modes may require different water circuits, the operating mode of the garment processing equipment is first obtained. Based on the operating mode, the drive component is controlled to rotate forward to drive the switcher 11 to perform the corresponding water circuit switching. After the water circuit switching is completed, the drive component is controlled to rotate in reverse to drive the water pump 12 to pump the liquid in the water circuit. The control method for the garment processing equipment in this embodiment can achieve both water circuit switching and water pumping functions by controlling the forward and reverse rotation of the drive motor 13. The integration of functions is higher, and the operation is more convenient.

[0137] It should be noted that the above embodiments are merely used to illustrate the principles of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can adjust the above structure without departing from the principles of the present invention so that the present invention can be applied to more specific application scenarios. Furthermore, although the above description uses a washing machine as an example, those skilled in the art can obviously apply the above solution to other clothing processing equipment, such as washer-dryer combos, all of which are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0138] Those skilled in the art will understand that the above-described garment processing equipment also includes other known structures, such as processors, controllers, and memories. These memories include, but are not limited to, random access memory (RAM), flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), volatile memory, non-volatile memory, serial memory, parallel memory, or registers. Processors include, but are not limited to, CPLD / FPGA, DSP, ARM processors, and MIPS processors. To avoid unnecessarily obscuring the embodiments of this disclosure, these known structures are not shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0139] The technical solution of the present invention has been described above with reference to the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the scope of protection of the present invention is obviously not limited to these specific embodiments. Without departing from the principles of the present invention, those skilled in the art can make equivalent changes or substitutions to the relevant technical features, and the technical solutions after such changes or substitutions will all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A control method for a garment processing device, characterized in that, The garment processing equipment includes a water circuit switching device (1), which comprises: A switch (11) is connected to a waterway and is used to switch the waterway; The garment processing equipment includes at least a first washing drum and a second washing drum; When the switch (11) is switched to the first position, fluid is supplied to the first washing drum through the corresponding water path; when the switch (11) is switched to the second position, fluid is supplied to the second washing drum through the corresponding water path. The control method includes: Received a control command to supply fluid to the first washing drum and the second washing drum; Obtain the liquid inlet time T1 of the first washing drum and the liquid inlet time T2 of the second washing drum; The time required for the switcher to switch from its current position to the first position and the second position are obtained as n1t and n2t, respectively; wherein the first position is closer to the current position of the switcher than the second position. Determine the magnitudes of T1+n1t and T2+n2t; When T1+n1t≤T2+n2t, the first washing drum takes priority over the second washing drum in conveying fluid.

2. The control method for the garment processing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, Following the step of "determining the magnitudes of T1+n1t and T2+n2t", the control method includes: If T1+n1t>T2+n2t, then determine the magnitudes of T1+n3t and T2+n2t; where n3t is the time required for the switch to switch from the second position to the first position; If T1+n3t>T2+n2t, then the second washing drum takes priority over the first washing drum in conveying fluid.

3. The control method for the garment processing equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, Following the step of "determining the magnitudes of T1+n3t and T2+n2t", the control method includes: If T1+n3t≤T2+n2t, then the first washing drum takes priority over the second washing drum in conveying fluid.

4. The control method for the garment processing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, Following the step of "determining the magnitudes of T1+n1t and T2+n2t", the control method includes: When T1+n1t>T2+n2t, determine the magnitudes of T1+n1t and T2+n2t+X; where X is a preset value. If T1+n1t>T2+n2t+X, then the second washing drum takes priority over the first washing drum in conveying fluid.

5. The control method for the garment processing equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that, Following the step of "determining the magnitudes of T1+n1t and T2+n2t+X", the control method includes: If T1+n1t≤T2+n2t+X, then the first washing drum takes priority over the second washing drum in conveying fluid.

6. The control method for the garment processing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control method includes: Received a control command to introduce water into the first washing drum and the second washing drum; Obtain the water inlet time T1 of the first washing drum and the water inlet time T2 of the second washing drum; The time required for the switcher to switch from the current position to the first position and the second position are n1t and n2t, respectively. Determine the magnitudes of T1+n1t and T2+n2t; When T1+n1t≤T2+n2t, the first washing drum takes priority over the second washing drum for water intake.

7. The control method for the garment processing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control method includes: Received a control command to add laundry treatment agent to the first washing drum and the second washing drum; Obtain the duration T1 for adding laundry detergent to the first washing drum and the duration T2 for adding laundry detergent to the second washing drum; The time required for the switcher to switch from the current position to the first position and the second position are n1t and n2t, respectively. Determine the magnitudes of T1+n1t and T2+n2t; When T1+n1t≤T2+n2t, the first washing drum takes precedence over the second washing drum in dispensing the laundry treatment agent.

8. The control method for the garment processing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The garment processing equipment includes a water pump (12) and a drive assembly, wherein the water pump (12) is connected to a water circuit and is used to pump liquid in the water circuit; The drive assembly is connected to the switch (11) and the water pump (12) respectively, and the drive assembly is configured to drive the switch (11) to switch the water path in the first state and drive the water pump (12) to pump the liquid in the water path in the second state. Following the step of "when T1+n1t≤T2+n2t, the first washing drum prioritizes the second washing drum in conveying fluid", the control method includes: Control the drive component to rotate forward to drive the switcher to perform waterway switching; The drive component is controlled to reverse so as to drive the water pump to pump the liquid in the water circuit.

9. A control method for a garment processing device, characterized in that, The garment processing equipment includes a water circuit switching device (1), which comprises: A switch (11) is connected to a waterway and is used to switch the waterway; The garment processing equipment includes at least a first washing drum and a second washing drum; When the switch (11) is switched to the first position, fluid is supplied to the first washing drum through the corresponding water path; when the switch (11) is switched to the second position, fluid is supplied to the second washing drum through the corresponding water path. The control method includes: Received a control command to supply fluid to the first washing drum and the second washing drum; The time required for the switcher to switch from the current position to the first position and the second position are n1t and n2t, respectively. When n1t≤n2t, the first washing drum takes priority over the second washing drum in conveying fluid.

10. A garment processing device, characterized in that, The garment processing device includes a memory, a processor, and a garment processing device control program stored in the memory and executable on the processor. The garment processing device control program is executed by the processor to implement the control method of the garment processing device according to any one of claims 1-9.

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