Drain pump and laundry treating apparatus having the same

Abstract

The present application relates to a drain pump, and particularly provides a drain pump and a clothes treatment apparatus having the same, aiming at solving the problem of poor drainage of the existing clothes treatment apparatus due to the increase of lint. To this end, the drain pump of the present application comprises a housing, an impeller, a filter member and a driving device, the housing has a filter cavity and an impeller cavity connected to each other, the impeller is arranged in the impeller cavity, the filter cavity is provided with a water inlet, the water inlet is arranged at a position capable of forming a spiral water flow moving along the axial direction in the water flowing into the filter cavity, the impeller cavity is provided with a water outlet, the water outlet is located at the outer peripheral side of the impeller, the filter member is arranged in the filter cavity and forms a first water flow channel with the inner wall of the filter cavity, and the driving device is used for driving the impeller to rotate. The above arrangement not only improves the drainage efficiency of the drain pump but also improves the lint collection efficiency, thereby ensuring smooth drainage of the clothes treatment apparatus.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a drain pump, and specifically provides a drain pump and a garment processing device having the drain pump. Background Technology

[0002] In garment processing equipment, the drain pump is the core component of the drainage system. Its lint filtering function is designed to maintain the smooth drainage of the garment processing equipment, while effectively preventing lint, debris and other objects from tangling and clogging the impeller inside the drainage system, thereby ensuring the stable operation of the garment processing equipment.

[0003] However, in many scenarios, the drain pump handles a large amount of lint within a given time. Because the water flow in the drain pump is mixed with a significant amount of lint, it exceeds its conventional design capacity. For example, when washing cotton fabrics like towels that are prone to shedding fibers, or woolen garments, a large amount of lint continuously detaches from the garment surface and mixes into the wash water, flowing into the drain pump. Furthermore, with the increasing popularity of multi-drum laundry appliances, a single drain pump may be used to discharge wastewater from multiple drums. As lint from each drum accumulates during drainage, the total amount of lint the pump needs to handle increases rapidly within a short period. Additionally, many users neglect to carefully check and empty clothing pockets before washing. Paper towels in these pockets, after being soaked in water, quickly decompose into a large amount of debris, further increasing the impurity load on the drain pump.

[0004] The water flow in the drain pump contains a large amount of lint, which can severely obstruct the drainage flow. What would normally be a normal wash cycle's drainage time can extend from a few minutes to ten minutes or even longer. Delayed drainage can also lead to poor washing results and detergent residue on clothes.

[0005] Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a new drain pump and a garment processing device having the drain pump to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, namely, to solve the problem of poor drainage of the drain pump caused by the increase of lint in existing clothing processing equipment.

[0007] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a drainage pump, comprising: a housing and an impeller, the housing having a communicating filter chamber and an impeller chamber, the impeller being disposed in the impeller chamber, the filter chamber having an inlet located at a position that allows water entering the filter chamber to form a spiral flow moving along the axial direction of the filter chamber, and the impeller chamber having an outlet located on the outer periphery of the impeller; further comprising: a filter element disposed in the filter chamber, forming a first water flow channel between the filter element and the inner wall of the filter chamber; and a driving device for driving the impeller to rotate.

[0008] In the above-mentioned optional technical solutions for the drainage pump, the water inlet is located on the side wall of the filter chamber and is tangent to the side wall; and / or the water inlet is located at the bottom of the side wall of the filter chamber.

[0009] In the optional technical solution of the above-mentioned drainage pump, the housing further includes an intermediate cavity communicating between the filter cavity and the impeller cavity, the inner wall of the intermediate cavity having ribs; and / or the filter cavity and the impeller cavity are arranged along the axial direction of the impeller.

[0010] In the above-mentioned optional technical solution of the drainage pump, the filter element includes a collection structure, which is located between the water inlet and the impeller cavity. The outer wall of the collection structure and the inner wall of the filter cavity form the first water flow channel, and the collection structure has a filter channel.

[0011] In the above-mentioned optional technical solution of the drainage pump, the filter chamber forms a constriction on the side of the axial direction close to the impeller chamber, the first part of the outer side of the collection structure is disposed in the constriction, and an annular first water flow channel is formed between the collection structure and the constriction, and the remaining part of the outer side of the collection structure forms an annular second water flow channel with a width greater than the first water flow channel between the inner wall of the filter chamber.

[0012] In the above-mentioned optional technical solution of the drainage pump, the outer side of the collection structure is configured as a straight cylinder, the filter element further includes a connecting column arranged along the axial direction, the collection structure further includes a through hollow cylinder, the hollow cylinder is disposed inside the straight cylinder, a lint collection groove is formed between the outer wall of the hollow cylinder and the inner wall of the straight cylinder, the groove opening of the lint collection groove is away from the impeller cavity, the connecting column is located in the hollow cylinder, and the filter channel is formed between the connecting column and the hollow cylinder.

[0013] In the above-mentioned optional technical solution of the drainage pump, the hollow cylinder is configured as a conical cylinder, the wide end of the conical cylinder faces the impeller cavity, the wide end is connected to the inner wall of the straight cylinder through an annular disk to form the lint collection groove, the annular disk is provided with a through hole, the connecting post is located in the narrow end of the conical cylinder, and the filter channel is formed between the connecting post and the narrow end of the conical cylinder.

[0014] In the above-mentioned optional technical solution of the drainage pump, the filter element further includes a base and a support. The base is located at the end of the filter cavity that is axially away from the impeller cavity. The connecting column is located on the base. The two ends of the support are respectively connected to the base and the inner wall of the lint collection groove.

[0015] In another aspect, the present invention also provides a garment processing device, which includes a washing drum and a drain pump as described in any of the above embodiments, wherein the water inlet is connected to the drain outlet of the washing drum.

[0016] In the optional technical solution of the above-mentioned clothing processing equipment, the washing drum includes a first drum, a second drum and a third drum. The second drum and the third drum are arranged side by side above the first drum along the width direction of the casing. The volume of the second drum and the third drum is smaller than the volume of the first drum. The water inlet is connected to at least one of the drain outlets of the first drum, the second drum and the third drum.

[0017] Those skilled in the art will understand that the drainage pump of the present invention includes a housing, an impeller, a filter element, and a drive device. The housing has a connected filter chamber and an impeller chamber. The impeller is disposed in the impeller chamber. The filter chamber is provided with an inlet, which is positioned to allow the water entering the filter chamber to form a spiral water flow moving along the axial direction of the filter chamber. The impeller chamber is provided with an outlet, which is located on the outer periphery of the impeller. The filter element is disposed in the filter chamber and forms a first water flow channel with the inner wall of the filter chamber. The drive device is used to drive the impeller to rotate.

[0018] Because the inlet is positioned to create a spiral flow of water moving axially along the filter chamber, when the impeller starts rotating, water containing lint enters the filter chamber through the inlet, forming a high-speed spiral flow that rotates axially. During rotation, lighter lint is pushed towards the center by the vortex, making it easier for the filter element to capture, thus improving lint collection efficiency and preventing it from flowing circumferentially and clogging the first water flow channel. Larger volumes of clean water flow along the first water flow channel between the filter element and the inner wall of the filter chamber towards the impeller, and then exit through the outlet on the outer periphery of the impeller. This improves the efficiency of the drain pump and prevents poor drainage. Furthermore, unlike traditional drain pumps, the rotating impeller blades of this invention do not need to transport water from the center to the vicinity of the blade edge. Instead, they directly apply centrifugal force to the water already near the blade edge, allowing the water to exit more easily from the outlet on the outer periphery of the impeller. This significantly reduces energy loss during impeller rotation and lowers power consumption, making it particularly suitable for household appliances such as washing machines that require continuous operation. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0020] Figure 1 This is a front sectional view of the drainage pump of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a top sectional view of the drainage pump of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 3 This is a left view of the drainage pump of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 Sectional view at point AA;

[0024] Figure 5 yes Figure 2 Sectional view at point BB;

[0025] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the garment processing device of the present invention.

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

[0027] 100-Casing; 200-Washing drum; 210-First drum; 220-Second drum; 230-Third drum; 300-Drain pipe; 400-Drain pump; 410-Housing shell; 411-Filter chamber; 4111-Inlet; 4112-End cap; 4113-Nap; 412-Intermediate chamber; 4121-Rib; 413-Impeller chamber; 4131-Outlet; 420-Filter element; 421-Collection structure; 4211-Connecting column; 4212-Straight cylinder; 4213-Hollow cylinder; 4214-Annular disc; 4215-Wire debris collection trough; 4216-Filter channel; 422-Base; 423-Supporting component; 430-Drive device; 440-Impeller; 450-Second water flow channel; 460-First water flow channel. Detailed Implementation

[0028] 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.

[0029] It should be noted that, in the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connected" and "linked" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0030] To address the problem of poor drainage from the drain pump in garment processing equipment due to increased lint. For example... Figures 1 to 5 As shown, the present invention provides a drainage pump 400, including a housing 410, an impeller 440, a filter element 420, and a drive device 430. The housing 410 has a filter chamber 411 and an impeller chamber 413 that are connected. The impeller 440 is disposed in the impeller chamber 413. The filter chamber 411 is provided with an inlet 4111, which is positioned to allow the water entering the filter chamber 411 to form a spiral water flow that rotates along the axial direction of the filter chamber. The impeller chamber 413 is provided with an outlet 4131, which is located on the outer periphery of the impeller 440. The filter element 420 is disposed in the filter chamber 411 and forms a first water flow channel 460 between itself and the inner wall of the filter chamber 411. The drive device 430 is used to drive the impeller 440 to rotate.

[0031] Because the inlet 4111 is positioned to create a spiral flow that rotates axially, when the impeller 440 starts to rotate, water containing lint enters the filter chamber 411 through the inlet 4111 and forms a spiral flow that rotates axially and moves forward at a high speed. During the rotation, lighter lint is pushed towards the center by the vortex and is more easily captured by the filter element 420, improving the lint collection efficiency and preventing it from flowing away circumferentially and clogging the first water flow channel 460. The larger volume of clean water flows along the first water flow channel 460 between the filter element 420 and the inner wall of the filter chamber 411 to the impeller 440, and then is discharged through the outlet 4131 on the outer periphery of the impeller 440, improving the working efficiency of the drainage pump 400 and avoiding poor drainage. Furthermore, unlike the conventional drain pump 400, the rotating impeller 440 of the present invention does not need to transport water from the central area to the vicinity of the outer edge of the blades. Instead, it directly applies centrifugal force to the water flow that is already located near the outer edge of the blades, making it easier for the water flow to be discharged from the outlet 4131 on the outer periphery of the impeller 440. This significantly reduces the energy loss when the impeller 440 rotates and lowers the power consumption, making it particularly suitable for use in household appliances such as washing machines that need to work continuously for a long time.

[0032] The following describes a specific embodiment of the drain pump 400 of the garment processing device of the present invention.

[0033] The drain pump 400 of the present invention includes a housing 410, a filter element 420, an impeller 440, and a drive device 430. The housing 410 has a filter chamber 411 and an impeller chamber 413. It is understood that the filter chamber 411 and the impeller chamber 413 described in this invention are both part of the housing and are solid structures with internal cavities. The impeller 440 is disposed in the impeller chamber 413. The drive device 430 can be a motor, which is located outside the impeller chamber 413, and its output shaft is centrally connected to the impeller 440 to drive the impeller 440 to rotate. The filter chamber 411 and the impeller chamber 413 are sequentially connected along the axial direction of the impeller 440. The bottom of the side wall of the filter chamber 411 is provided with a water inlet 4111 to ensure that the drain pump 400 takes in water at the lowest position, reducing the amount of water remaining in the washing drum 200 of the laundry treatment equipment. Furthermore, the inlet 4111 is tangent to the bottom of the side wall of the filter chamber 411 to form a spiral water flow. The impeller chamber 413 is provided with an outlet 4131, which is located on the outer periphery of the impeller 440. The filter element 420 is axially disposed at the center of the filter chamber 411. The filter element 420 includes a collection structure 421, which is located between the inlet 4111 and the impeller chamber 413. The outer side of the collection structure 421 is configured as a straight cylinder 4212. The filter chamber 411 forms a constriction 4113 (a smaller diameter opening) on ​​the side axially close to the impeller chamber 413. The first part of the straight cylinder 4212 is disposed in the constriction 4113, and an annular first water flow channel 460 is formed between the straight cylinder 4212 and the constriction 4113. The remaining part of the straight cylinder 4212 forms an annular second water flow channel 450 with a width greater than the first water flow channel 460 between it and the inner wall of the filter chamber 411. The collecting structure 421 also includes a through hollow cylinder 4213, which is disposed inside the straight cylinder 4212. An annular wire debris collecting groove 4215 is formed between the outer wall of the hollow cylinder 4213 and the inner wall of the straight cylinder 4212. The opening of the wire debris collecting groove 4215 is away from the impeller cavity 413. The filter element 420 also includes a connecting column 4211 arranged along the axial direction. The connecting column 4211 is located in the hollow cylinder 4213, and a filter channel 4216 is formed between the connecting column 4211 and the hollow cylinder 4213.

[0034] When the impeller 440 starts rotating, water containing lint enters the filter chamber 411 through the inlet 4111, forming a high-velocity water flow that rotates forward axially. Refer to the Coriolis force principle below: The Coriolis force is a force caused by fluid flow, primarily manifested as rotational shear. When fluid flows out of a container, it experiences resistance due to viscosity and friction from the container walls, resulting in a slow outflow velocity. However, when the fluid passes through the bottle opening, due to its circular shape, it begins to rotate, forming a vortex. The formation of this vortex generates a transverse shear flow, which causes rotational acceleration during fluid flow, providing an outward force and reducing viscous drag. The Coriolis force is proportional to the tangential velocity gradient and the vortex curvature; therefore, by optimizing vortex formation, the magnitude of the Coriolis force can be further increased, thereby increasing the outflow velocity of the fluid.

[0035] Based on the Coriolis force principle, water containing lint entering the filter chamber 411 forms a high-velocity spiral water flow. During rotation, the lint, which has a relatively low water density, is pushed towards the central area by the vortex. A small amount of water in the central area enters the impeller chamber 413 through the filter channel 4216. The lint is filtered by the filter channel 4216 and collected in the lint collection tank 4215, preventing large lint or foreign objects from entering the impeller chamber 413 and causing entanglement or jamming of the impeller 440. A large amount of circumferential water flows forward axially, generating a Venturi effect in the second water flow channel 450 and the first water flow channel 460, increasing the water flow velocity, preventing the circumferentially rotating water flow from spreading and stalling, and further suppressing the migration of lint towards the inner wall of the filter chamber 411 through the velocity gradient. In addition, the water flow in the first water flow channel 460 is directly delivered to the impeller 440. Figure 5 The F-point location allows the impeller 440 to immediately apply centrifugal force to the water flow when it rotates, quickly discharging the water from the outlet 4131. Compared with the traditional design, this reduces the energy consumption of pushing water from the center E-point to the outer F-point.

[0036] Understandably, in the initial stage of use, the filter channel 4216 can drain water. When a lot of lint accumulates and clogs the filter channel 4216, almost all the water is discharged through the first water flow channel 460. This ensures both the filtration effect and the stable drainage of the drain pump 400 during long-term use, making it particularly suitable for household appliances such as washing machines that need to handle a lot of lint.

[0037] Furthermore, it is understandable that since the outer side of the collecting structure 421 is configured as a straight cylinder 4212, it can stabilize the direction of water flow. When the rotating spiral water flow enters the second water flow channel 450, the wall of the straight cylinder 4212 can guide the water flow smoothly along a fixed path, avoiding disorderly diffusion of the water flow.

[0038] In one possible implementation, the hollow cylinder 4213 is configured as a conical cylinder, with its wide end facing the impeller cavity 413. The wide end of the conical cylinder is connected to the inner wall of the straight cylinder 4212 via an annular disc 4214, thereby forming a wire shavings collection groove 4215 between the conical cylinder, the annular disc 4214, and the straight cylinder 4212. It is understood that this wire shavings collection groove 4215 is an annular groove. Preferably, the annular disc 4214 is integrally formed with the conical cylinder and is detachably connected to the inner wall of the straight cylinder 4212 (e.g., by threaded connection or snap-fit), so that the straight cylinder 4212 can be removed for wire shavings removal.

[0039] In addition, the filter element 420 also includes a base 422, which is located at one end of the filter chamber 411 axially away from the impeller chamber 413. This end has an opening with a detachable end cap 4112. The base 422 and the end cap 4112 are connected, either detachably or integrally. One end of the connecting post 4211 is connected to the base 422, and the other end is located in the narrow end of the conical cylinder, forming an annular filter channel 4216 between the post and the narrow end of the conical cylinder. The filter element 420 also includes a support member 423, whose two ends are connected to the inner walls of the base 422 and the lint collection groove 4215, respectively, to fix the conical cylinder and the straight cylinder 4212 to the base 422. Specifically, the support member 423 can be connected to the annular disc 4214, or it can be connected to the outer wall of the conical cylinder, etc. Furthermore, the number of support members 423 can be one or more, and the present invention does not limit this. Exemplarily, there are two support members 423 symmetrically distributed; of course, the number of support members 423 can also be three, five, etc. When there are more than two support members 423, the support members 423 can be distributed at intervals around the connecting column 4211 to improve connection stability. The base 422, connecting column 4211, support members 423, and conical cylinder are preferably integrally formed to improve strength and lifespan. The support member 423 can also function as a lint comb, allowing the intercepted lint to quickly move into the lint collection groove 4215. It is understood that the end cap 4112 can serve a sealing function and allows the filter element 420 to be removed during disassembly, facilitating cleaning of the filter element 420.

[0040] Possibly, the support member 423 can be a sheet-like structure, with its unfolded surface not directly facing the inlet 4111, to avoid a significant increase in resistance to water flow, thereby helping to increase the rotational speed of the water flow. However, this is not limiting; the support member 423 can also be in other forms, such as a columnar structure. These adjustments do not depart from the principles of the present invention and are all within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0041] The conical design allows the wire scraps to slide along the inclined surface to the bottom of the wire scrap collection trough 4215 when they are pushed towards the center, preventing them from accumulating on the cylinder wall or being swept away by the water flow again. At the same time, the narrow space at the bottom of the cone is more conducive to storing wire scraps.

[0042] In one possible implementation, the annular disk 4214 is provided with through holes. Preferably, the through holes are spaced apart on the annular disk 4214. Since the width of the wire scrap collection groove 4215 formed between the straight cylinder 4212, the conical cylinder, and the annular disk 4214 gradually decreases from the opening to the bottom, the pressure gradually increases when water flows into the wire scrap collection groove 4215 and swirls around the annular groove 4215. This causes water to be squeezed out through the through holes of the annular disk 4214 and the wire scrap to be compacted, thereby increasing the storage capacity of the wire scrap.

[0043] In one possible implementation, the housing 410 further includes an intermediate cavity 412 communicating between the filter cavity 411 and the impeller cavity 413. The intermediate cavity 412 is part of the housing and is a solid structure with an internal cavity. The inner wall of the intermediate cavity 412 has protruding ribs 4121. There can be one or more protruding ribs 4121. When there are multiple protruding ribs 4121, they can be distributed at intervals along the circumference of the intermediate cavity 412.

[0044] Because the water flow reaching impeller 440 is rotating, and the direction of rotation is fixed, from Figure 4 While the water appears to rotate counter-clockwise, the motor is extremely simple and uses alternating current, so its rotation direction is random each time it starts. When the water flow direction is opposite to the motor's rotation direction, it affects the motor's output power. Therefore, this invention incorporates a raised rib 4121 to prevent the water flow from rotating or reduce its speed when entering the impeller cavity 413. This avoids affecting the drainage speed of the drain pump 400 when the motor's rotation direction is random, ensuring a consistent drainage speed that doesn't fluctuate, thus facilitating the determination of remaining washing time.

[0045] The following describes a specific embodiment of the garment processing equipment in which the drain pump 400 of the present invention is applied.

[0046] like Figure 6As shown, the garment processing device of the present invention can be a drum washing machine, a drum washer-dryer combo, or a shoe washing machine, etc. The garment processing device includes a housing 100, a washing drum 200 disposed within the housing 100, and a drain pump 400. Possibly, the housing 410 of the drain pump 400 of the present invention has a fixing part at one end axially away from the impeller cavity 413. The fixing part has a blind hole, and fasteners (such as bolts) can pass through the front of the housing 100 of the garment processing device and be connected to the blind hole to realize the installation of the drain pump 400. However, this is not limiting. Alternatively, the drain pump 400 can also be installed at the bottom of the housing 100 by means of a bracket, etc. These adjustments do not deviate from the principle of the present invention and are all within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0047] The washing drums 200 are multiple in number. The inlet 4111 of the drain pump 400 can be connected to the drain outlet of one washing drum 200 or to the drain outlets of all washing drums 200 via a drain pipe 300. The washing drums 200 may include a first drum 210, a second drum 220, and a third drum 230, each with a rotatable inner drum. The second drum 220 and the third drum 230 are arranged side-by-side above the first drum 210 along the width of the casing 100, and the volumes of the second drum 220 and the third drum 230 are smaller than the volume of the first drum 210. The inlet 4111 is connected to at least one of the drain outlets of the first drum 210, the second drum 220, and the third drum 230. Possibly, the bottom of the first drum 210 of the present invention has a water storage tank, which is offset at the bottom of the drum to reduce the space occupied in the height direction. The drain outlet of the first drum 210 is located on the water storage tank. The inlet 4111 of the drain pump 400 is connected to the drain outlet of the first drum 210 through the drain pipe 300 to ensure the drainage efficiency of the clothing processing equipment. In actual use, the lower first drum 210 is suitable for washing and caring for ordinary clothes, bedding, etc., while the second drum 220 and the third drum 230 are more suitable for washing and / or caring for small items of clothing (such as socks, underwear, etc.), thereby realizing zoned washing and care.

[0048] Because drum washing machines operate on a tumbling washing principle, smaller diameter drums result in shorter tumbling distances and poorer cleaning power. To improve the cleaning power of the second and third drums 220 and 230, the drum diameter must be increased. To ensure a sufficiently large diameter for the second and third drums 220 and 230, the first drum 210 must also meet a washing capacity of, for example, 10 kg, making the internal space extremely limited. Therefore, the first drum 210 must be positioned as low as possible, even slightly below the casing 100. Using a traditional drain pump 400 with an inlet 4111 entering from the middle of the cavity may result in some water not being drained. However, the drain pump 400 of this invention has its inlet 4111 located at the bottom of the side wall of the filter cavity 411. Water from the first drum 210 enters the drain pump 400 from a lower position, without being raised, thus reducing water residue in the first drum 210 after drainage. Furthermore, the drain pump 400 of this invention has higher drainage efficiency and is more suitable for multi-drum laundry processing equipment.

[0049] 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. Without departing from the principles of the present invention, those skilled in the art can adjust the above structure so that the present invention can be applied to more specific application scenarios.

[0050] For example, as an alternative implementation, the collection structure 421 can omit the hollow cylinder 4213 and replace it with a filter screen, etc. As long as the collection structure 421 has a filter channel 4216, these possible adjustments do not deviate from the principle of the present invention and are all within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0051] For example, as an alternative implementation, although the present invention is described using a conical cylinder as an example, this is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention, as long as it is a hollow cylinder 4213. For example, the conical cylinder can be replaced with a cylindrical hollow cylinder 4213, etc. These possible adjustments do not depart from the principle of the present invention and are all within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0052] For example, as an alternative implementation, although the outer side of the collection structure 421 of the present invention is described as a straight cylinder 4212, this is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. It is sufficient that the first portion of the outer side of the collection structure 421 is located in the constriction 4113, forming an annular first water flow channel 460 between the collection structure 421 and the constriction 4113, and the remaining portion of the outer side of the collection structure 421 forms an annular second water flow channel 450 with a width greater than the first water flow channel 460 between it and the inner wall of the filter chamber 411. For example, the outer side of the collection structure 421 may be configured as a conical structure, with the wide end of the conical structure facing the impeller chamber 413, forming an annular first water flow channel 460 between the wide end of the conical structure and the constriction 4113, and forming an annular second water flow channel 450 with a width greater than the first water flow channel 460 between the narrow end of the conical structure and the inner wall of the filter chamber 411. These possible adjustments do not depart from the principles of the present invention and are all within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0053] For example, as an alternative implementation, although the present invention is described as having a separate arrangement between the straight cylinder 4212 and the conical cylinder, this is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. For instance, the straight cylinder 4212 and the annular disk 4214 on the outer side of the conical cylinder may be integrally formed. These possible adjustments do not depart from the principles of the present invention and are all within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0054] For example, as an alternative implementation, the specific form in which the straight cylinder 4212 and the conical cylinder are separately arranged can be changed. For instance, the annular disk 4214 can be integrally formed with the inner wall of the straight cylinder 4212, and the annular disk 4214 can be detachably connected to the wide end of the conical cylinder. These possible adjustments do not deviate from the principles of the present invention and are all within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0055] For example, as an alternative implementation, although the present invention is described with the inlet 4111 tangent to the side wall of the filter chamber 411 as an example, this is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. The inlet 4111 can be positioned such that the water flowing into the filter chamber 411 forms a spiral flow along the axial direction. For example, if the inlet 4111 forms an angle of less than or equal to 10° with the tangent to the side wall of the filter chamber 411, and the water flow in the filter chamber 411 can still move spirally along the axial direction, then the inlet 4111 does not need to be tangent to the side wall of the filter chamber 411. These possible adjustments do not depart from the principles of the present invention and are all within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0056] For example, as an alternative implementation, although the drive device 430 of the present invention is described using an electric motor as an example, this is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention, as long as the drive device 430 can drive the impeller 440 to rotate. For example, the drive device 430 may be a combination of an electric motor and a transmission assembly such as a gear assembly. These possible adjustments do not depart from the principles of the present invention and are all within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0057] For example, as an alternative embodiment, although the present invention is described with the filter element 420 disposed axially at the center of the filter cavity 411, this is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. It is sufficient as long as the filter element 420 is disposed in the filter cavity 411 and forms a first water flow channel 460 between itself and the inner wall of the filter cavity 411. For example, the filter element 420 may be offset from the center of the filter cavity 411. These possible adjustments do not depart from the principles of the present invention and are all within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0058] For example, as an alternative implementation, the base 422 and support 423 can be omitted. In this case, the collection structure 421 can be directly fixed to the inner wall of the filter chamber 411 by bolts or the like. These possible adjustments do not depart from the principles of the present invention and are all within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0059] For example, as an alternative implementation, the rib 4121 can be omitted.

[0060] For example, as an alternative implementation, the number of washing drums 200 may be only one.

[0061] For example, as an alternative implementation, the first cylinder 210, the second cylinder 220, and / or the third cylinder 230 may be a single-cylinder structure. In this case, a clothing-beating component or the like may be installed inside the first cylinder 210, the second cylinder 220, and / or the third cylinder 230. These possible adjustments do not depart from the principles of the present invention and are all within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0062] For example, as an alternative implementation, the filter element 420 is a cylindrical body with a bottom and multiple filter holes. The axial direction of the cylindrical body is aligned with the axial direction of the impeller 440, etc. These possible adjustments do not depart from the principles of the present invention and are all within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0063] 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 drainage pump, characterized in that, include: The housing (410) and impeller (440) are connected to a filter chamber (411) and an impeller chamber (413). The impeller (440) is disposed in the impeller chamber (413). The filter chamber (411) is provided with an inlet (4111) which is positioned to allow the water entering the filter chamber (411) to form a spiral water flow along the axial direction of the filter chamber (411). The impeller chamber (413) is provided with an outlet (4131) which is located on the outer periphery of the impeller (440). Also includes: A filter element (420) is disposed in the filter cavity (411) and forms a first water flow channel (460) between it and the inner wall of the filter cavity (411); A drive unit (430) is used to drive the impeller (440) to rotate.

2. The drainage pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inlet (4111) is located on the side wall of the filter chamber (411) and is tangent to the side wall; and / or The water inlet (4111) is located at the bottom of the side wall of the filter chamber (411).

3. The drainage pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, The housing (410) further includes an intermediate cavity (412) communicating between the filter cavity (411) and the impeller cavity (413), the inner wall of the intermediate cavity (412) having ribs (4121); and / or The filter chamber (411) and the impeller chamber (413) are arranged along the axial direction of the impeller (440).

4. The drainage pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, The filter element (420) includes a collection structure (421) located between the inlet (4111) and the impeller cavity (413). The outer wall of the collection structure (421) and the inner wall of the filter cavity (411) form the first water flow channel (460). The collection structure (421) has a filter channel (4216).

5. The drainage pump according to claim 4, characterized in that, The filter chamber (411) forms a constriction (4113) on the side axially close to the impeller chamber (413). The first part of the outer side of the collection structure (421) is disposed in the constriction (4113) and forms an annular first water flow channel (460) between the collection structure (421) and the constriction (4113). The remaining part of the outer side of the collection structure (421) forms an annular second water flow channel (450) with a width greater than the first water flow channel (460) between the collection structure (421) and the inner wall of the filter chamber (411).

6. The drainage pump according to claim 5, characterized in that, The outer side of the collection structure (421) is configured as a straight cylinder (4212). The filter element (420) also includes a connecting column (4211) arranged along the axial direction. The collection structure (421) also includes a through hollow cylinder (4213). The hollow cylinder (4213) is disposed inside the straight cylinder (4212). A wire chip collection groove (4215) is formed between the outer wall of the hollow cylinder (4213) and the inner wall of the straight cylinder (4212). The groove opening of the wire chip collection groove (4215) is away from the impeller cavity (413). The connecting column (4211) is located in the hollow cylinder (4213). The filter channel (4216) is formed between the connecting column (4211) and the hollow cylinder (4213).

7. The drainage pump according to claim 6, characterized in that, The hollow cylinder (4213) is configured as a conical cylinder, with the wide end of the conical cylinder facing the impeller cavity (413). The wide end is connected to the inner wall of the straight cylinder (4212) through an annular disk (4214) to form the lint collection groove (4215). The annular disk (4214) is provided with a through hole. The connecting post (4211) is located in the narrow end of the conical cylinder, and the filter channel (4216) is formed between the connecting post (4211) and the narrow end of the conical cylinder.

8. The drainage pump according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that, The filter element (420) further includes a base (422) and a support (423). The base (422) is located at the end of the filter cavity (411) that is axially away from the impeller cavity (413). The connecting column (4211) is located on the base (422). The two ends of the support (423) are respectively connected to the inner walls of the base (422) and the lint collection groove (4215).

9. A garment processing device, characterized in that, The garment processing device includes a washing drum (200) disposed in a housing (100) and a drain pump (400) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the water inlet (4111) is connected to the drain outlet of the washing drum (200).

10. The garment processing equipment according to claim 9, characterized in that, The washing drum (200) includes a first drum (210), a second drum (220), and a third drum (230). The second drum (220) and the third drum (230) are arranged side by side above the first drum (210) along the width direction of the casing (100). The volume of the second drum (220) and the third drum (230) is smaller than the volume of the first drum (210). The water inlet (4111) is connected to at least one of the drain outlets of the first drum (210), the second drum (220), and the third drum (230).

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