Electric spray and foam two-in-one control circuit and method

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of electric spray and foam two-in-one control circuit and method, including battery pack, water pump, gas pump, mode selection unit, main control unit, first electronic switch and second electronic switch;The water pump, gas pump respectively through the first electronic switch, second electronic switch with the battery pack forms two power supply circuits;The mode selection unit is used to output spray mode signal and foam mode signal;In the spray mode, the main control unit only controls the first electronic switch to be turned on to drive the water pump to work;In the foam mode, the main control unit controls the first electronic switch and the second electronic switch to be turned on simultaneously, to drive the water pump and the gas pump to work cooperatively.The user of the present application does not need to operate two switches respectively, only needs to dial or press a key once, can switch between pure spray and spray foam mode.The present application can realize accurate water pressure adjustment of multiple gears in combination with Bluetooth remote control.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of control technology for spray foam equipment, specifically to a two-in-one control circuit and method for electric spraying and foaming. Background Technology

[0002] Traditional spraying equipment typically only has the function of spraying water or spraying pesticides, while foam generating equipment is mostly used to produce rich foam to enhance the adhesion and cleaning effect of detergents.

[0003] Existing two-in-one devices generally lack intelligent start-up control strategies. Specifically, when starting the foam spray mode, if the air pump and water pump start simultaneously, the high-pressure airflow generated by the air pump often reverses and blocks the water pump's outlet, causing the water pump to become pressurized or even damaged, or resulting in only air spraying without water spraying. To solve this problem, existing technologies usually rely on complex mechanical check valves or pressure sensors, but this undoubtedly increases hardware costs and failure rates. At the same time, most existing devices lack the ability to finely adjust the speed in spray mode, making it difficult to meet the differentiated needs for water pressure and atomization levels in different scenarios.

[0004] Furthermore, with the development of smart home and IoT technologies, users have placed higher demands on the ease of operation of devices. Traditional mechanical switches can no longer meet the needs of remote control, and existing remote control solutions often simply replace the on / off function of mechanical switches without deeply integrating with the core control logic of the device. This results in a lack of seamless connection between remote control and local operation, and makes it difficult to freely switch between the two control methods and reuse functions. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a two-in-one control circuit and method for electric spraying and foaming, which achieves a high degree of integration of spraying and foaming functions, simplifies operation logic, ensures safe and reliable start-up, and is compatible with both mechanical control and wireless remote control.

[0006] The technical solution of this invention is: The electric spray and foam control circuit includes: a battery pack, a water pump, an air pump, a mode selection unit, a main control unit, a first electronic switch, and a second electronic switch; The water pump forms a first power supply circuit with the battery pack through the first electronic switch, and the air pump forms a second power supply circuit with the battery pack through the second electronic switch; The mode selection unit is used to output mode signals, including spray mode signals and foam mode signals; The main control unit controls the first electronic switch and the second electronic switch to turn on and off according to the mode signal; In the spray mode, the main control unit only controls the first electronic switch to be turned on to drive the water pump to work; In the foam mode, the main control unit simultaneously controls the activation of the first electronic switch and the second electronic switch to drive the water pump and the air pump to work together.

[0007] Preferably, the mode selection unit includes a mechanical dual-position switch, which has at least two sets of synchronously operating contacts for outputting the spray mode signal when switched to the first position and the foam mode signal when switched to the second position. Alternatively, the mode selection unit includes a Bluetooth remote control switch, used to send the spray mode signal or the foam mode signal to the main control unit via wireless commands; Alternatively, the mode selection unit may be independently composed of the mechanical dual-position switch and the Bluetooth remote control switch.

[0008] Preferably, in the spray mode, the main control unit adjusts the duty cycle of the first electronic switch via PWM to achieve multi-level speed regulation of the water pump speed; the multi-level speed regulation is achieved by the additional gear settings of the Bluetooth remote control.

[0009] Preferably, when the system first enters or responds to the foam mode, the main control unit first turns on the first electronic switch, and then turns on the second electronic switch after a preset time interval; when entering or responding to the foam mode subsequently, the main control unit turns on both the first electronic switch and the second electronic switch simultaneously.

[0010] Preferably, it also includes a voltage regulator unit, which is powered by the battery pack and provides a stable operating voltage to the main control unit.

[0011] Preferably, the two sets of output terminals of the mode selection unit are electrically connected to the two parallel front-end power supply nodes of the voltage regulator unit, so that a stable operating voltage can be provided to the main control unit under different voltage levels.

[0012] Preferably, it also includes a sampling resistor and an operational amplifier connected in series in the negative circuit, and the main control unit provides overcurrent protection based on the amplified signal; Additionally, a pressure switch is installed on the water pump supply path, and the main control unit shuts off the first electronic switch when the pressure reaches the threshold.

[0013] An electric spraying and foaming device includes a combined electric spraying and foaming control circuit.

[0014] A combined electric spray and foam control method, based on the aforementioned circuit, includes the following steps: Acquire the mode signal output by the mode selection unit; When the mode signal is determined to be a spray mode signal, only the first electronic switch is turned on to drive the water pump to work, and the speed of the water pump is adjusted by PWM to achieve multiple speed levels. When the mode signal is determined to be a foam mode signal, the first electronic switch and the second electronic switch are simultaneously turned on with a constant voltage to drive the water pump and the air pump to work together. Furthermore, upon first entering or responding to the foam mode, the first electronic switch is turned on, and the second electronic switch is turned on again after a preset time interval; upon subsequent entry into or response to the foam mode, both the first electronic switch and the second electronic switch are turned on simultaneously.

[0015] Preferably, the method of acquiring the mode signal includes: reading the contact level of the mechanical dual-position switch, receiving the wireless command of the Bluetooth remote control, or detecting the trigger combination state of the two independent function switches, the mechanical dual-position switch and the Bluetooth remote control switch.

[0016] The advantages of this invention are: 1. This invention aggregates mechanical switch and Bluetooth remote control input signals to the upper-level unit via a mode selection unit, which is then uniformly analyzed and used by the main control unit to drive the water pump and air pump. Users do not need to operate two separate switches; they can switch between pure spray and foam spray modes with a single toggle or button press. This design completely solves the misoperation problem that easily occurs in traditional dual-switch devices, greatly reducing the user's operational burden and learning cost.

[0017] 2. Addressing the industry pain point that existing technologies often suffer from air pump pressure blocking the water pump outlet, resulting in no water output or motor damage, this invention designs a differentiated startup logic: When the system first enters foam mode, the water pump is started first, and the air pump is started only after the water path is clear and pressure is formed, ensuring that the foam can be sprayed out smoothly; in subsequent operations, the delay is eliminated, allowing both pumps to start simultaneously to maintain the dynamic balance of air pressure and water flow, ensuring both startup reliability and foam uniformity during continuous operation.

[0018] 3. This invention retains the PWM speed control function in spray mode. In particular, when combined with Bluetooth remote control, it can achieve precise water pressure adjustment at multiple levels, flexibly select the appropriate atomization degree and impact force, which not only ensures the cleaning effect, but also effectively saves water resources and battery power. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the principle of the electric spray and foam combined control circuit of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The following description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrates a combined electric spray and foam control circuit, and its specific implementation will be explained. This description is for illustrative purposes only and does not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this invention.

[0021] The electric spray and foam combined control circuit of the present invention mainly includes: a battery pack, a voltage regulator unit, a water pump, an air pump, a mode selection unit, a main control unit, a first electronic switch, a second electronic switch, a pressure switch, a sampling resistor, and an operational amplifier.

[0022] like Figure 1 The diagram shows an embodiment of the electric spray and foam combined control circuit of the present invention. The control circuit in this embodiment mainly includes a battery pack, a water pump M1, an air pump M2, a two-position rocker switch SW1 (forming a mode selection unit), a control board, and on the control board, an LDO (forming a voltage regulator unit), an MCU (forming a main control unit), an operational amplifier, a sampling resistor RES, and MOSFETs Q1 and Q2 (forming a first electronic switch and a second electronic switch, respectively). A pressure switch SW2 is connected in series in the circuit containing the water pump M1. The negative terminals of the water pump M1 and the air pump M2 are connected to the negative terminal P- of the battery pack through corresponding MOSFETs Q1 and Q2, respectively, while their positive terminals are connected to the positive terminal P+ of the battery pack.

[0023] The battery pack provides DC power to this circuit. The positive terminal P+ of the battery pack is connected via lines to the positive terminal M+ of water pump M1 and the positive terminal of air pump M2, and also to the control board to power the LDO. The LDO converts the battery pack voltage into a stable voltage suitable for MCU operation and outputs it to the MCU. The negative terminal P- of the battery pack, after passing through the sampling resistor RES and related nodes, serves as a common reference for the negative circuit of the motor, and controls the on / off state of the negative terminals of water pump M1 and air pump M2 through MOSFETs Q1 and Q2, respectively.

[0024] The two-position rocker switch SW1 is a mode selection switch. Different positions of this switch provide different mode detection signals to the MCU. It can also control the on / off state of the LDO or the MCU's pre-amplifier power supply node, ensuring that the MCU receives effective operating voltage and recognizes the current mode when the switch is in either the spray or foam mode. In actual use, when the two-position rocker switch SW1 is to one side, the MCU recognizes it as spray mode; when to the other side, the MCU recognizes it as foam mode.

[0025] Water pump M1 is controlled by MOSFET Q1 for on / off switching and speed regulation, while air pump M2 is controlled by MOSFET Q2. The MCU controls the conduction state of MOSFETs Q1 and Q2 according to the current mode signal. In spray mode, the MCU only turns on MOSFET Q1, while MOSFET Q2 remains off. Only water pump M1 operates at this time, and the liquid is pressurized by the pump and sprayed out from the nozzle, forming a water stream or mist. In spray mode, the MCU can adjust the duty cycle of MOSFET Q1 via a PWM signal, thereby changing the average operating voltage and speed of water pump M1 to achieve multi-level water pressure regulation. Multi-level speed regulation can include multiple speed settings, such as setting different duty cycles via Bluetooth remote control commands to meet different needs such as rinsing, irrigation, and fine mist spraying.

[0026] In foam mode, the MCU turns on both MOSFETs Q1 and Q2, and water pump M1 and air pump M2 work together. Water pump M1 pumps out liquid, and air pump M2 provides airflow. The liquid and gas mix in the subsequent mixing nozzle or flow channel to form foam. In foam mode, MOSFETs Q1 and Q2 can operate in near-full conduction or fixed duty cycle mode, allowing the water pump and air pump to obtain a relatively stable drive voltage, thereby maintaining a relatively stable water-to-air ratio and a more uniform foam spray.

[0027] For the foam mode startup process, the MCU has an internal status memory bit to record whether the previous foam mode has successfully sprayed. If the system is powered on for the first time, enters foam mode for the first time, or if the previous foam mode did not spray normally, the MCU first turns on Q1 to start the water pump M1, and maintains this for a period of time before turning on Q2 to start the air pump M2. This delay time can be set to 3 seconds or more. Starting the water pump first helps to establish the water path and release the outlet pressure, preventing the air pump airflow from backing up against the water pump outlet, which could cause no liquid output, difficulty in foam startup, or water pump pressure buildup. If the MCU determines that the previous foam mode has sprayed normally, Q1 and Q2 can be turned on simultaneously when re-entering foam mode to reduce waiting time and maintain continuous operation efficiency.

[0028] The circuit also includes a sampling resistor RES and an operational amplifier. RES is connected in series in the negative circuit to detect the motor's operating current. The operational amplifier amplifies the voltage across RES and sends it to the MCU. The MCU uses this sampled signal to determine if there is an overcurrent or stall fault. When the detected current exceeds a set threshold, the MCU shuts off Q1 and / or Q2, stopping the corresponding motor and providing protection.

[0029] A pressure switch SW2 is installed in the water pump M1 circuit. When the water pump outlet pressure reaches a set threshold, the pressure switch SW2 activates and provides a corresponding signal to the MCU, or directly participates in cutting off / limiting the water pump operation. After receiving the signal from the pressure switch SW2, the MCU can turn off the MOSFET Q1 to prevent the water pump from operating under high pressure for an extended period. This protection, together with the aforementioned current sampling protection, improves the circuit reliability.

[0030] The LDO on the control board is responsible for providing a stable voltage to the MCU. The contact connection of the two-position rocker switch SW1 ensures that the LDO preamp or the MCU mode detection terminal receives the corresponding voltage level regardless of whether it is in the spray or foam mode, guaranteeing normal power-on and mode recognition of the MCU. For the implementation of Bluetooth remote control or independent function switch, the essence is still to provide an equivalent mode selection signal to the MCU, which then controls Q1, Q2, and the PWM duty cycle according to the above logic.

[0031] In actual operation, the user selects the desired function using the two-position boat-shaped switch SW1. When the spray mode is selected, only the water pump operates, and the water pressure level can be adjusted via PWM. When the foam mode is selected, the control circuit determines whether to start the water pump first and then the air pump, or to start both pumps simultaneously, based on the memorized state. During operation, the MCU continuously monitors the current sampling signal and the status of the pressure switch SW2, promptly shutting off the output in case of any abnormality.

[0032] With the above structure, the circuit realizes both spray and foam functions on a single control board, reducing the use of additional mechanical valves or complex air pressure pre-charge structures, while improving the start-up reliability in foam mode by utilizing mode selection and start-up timing control.

[0033] The present invention also protects an electric spraying and foaming device, comprising the electric spraying and foaming two-in-one control circuit.

[0034] This invention also protects a combined electric spray and foam control method, based on the aforementioned circuit, comprising the following steps: Acquire the mode signal output by the mode selection unit; When the mode signal is determined to be a spray mode signal, only the first electronic switch is turned on to drive the water pump to work, and the speed of the water pump is adjusted by PWM to achieve multiple speed levels. When the mode signal is determined to be a foam mode signal, the first electronic switch and the second electronic switch are simultaneously turned on with a constant voltage to drive the water pump and the air pump to work together. Furthermore, upon first entering or responding to the foam mode, the first electronic switch is turned on, and the second electronic switch is turned on again after a preset time interval; upon subsequent entry into or response to the foam mode, both the first electronic switch and the second electronic switch are turned on simultaneously.

[0035] The methods for acquiring the mode signal include: reading the contact level of the mechanical dual-position switch, receiving wireless commands from the Bluetooth remote control, or detecting the trigger combination state of the mechanical dual-position switch and the Bluetooth remote control switch, which are two independent function switches.

[0036] The above embodiments are only for illustrating the technical concept and features of the present invention, and are intended to enable those skilled in the art to understand the content of the present invention and implement it accordingly. They should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention. All modifications made according to the spirit and essence of the main technical solution of the present invention should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A combined electric spray and foam control circuit, characterized in that, include: Battery pack, water pump, air pump, mode selection unit, main control unit, first electronic switch and second electronic switch; The water pump forms a first power supply circuit with the battery pack through the first electronic switch, and the air pump forms a second power supply circuit with the battery pack through the second electronic switch; The mode selection unit is used to output mode signals, including spray mode signals and foam mode signals; The main control unit controls the first electronic switch and the second electronic switch to turn on and off according to the mode signal; In the spray mode, the main control unit only controls the first electronic switch to be turned on to drive the water pump to work; In the foam mode, the main control unit simultaneously controls the activation of the first electronic switch and the second electronic switch to drive the water pump and the air pump to work together.

2. The electric spray and foam combined control circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mode selection unit includes a mechanical dual-position switch, which has at least two sets of synchronously operating contacts for outputting the spray mode signal when switched to the first position and the foam mode signal when switched to the second position. Alternatively, the mode selection unit includes a Bluetooth remote control switch, used to send the spray mode signal or the foam mode signal to the main control unit via wireless commands; Alternatively, the mode selection unit may be independently composed of the mechanical dual-position switch and the Bluetooth remote control switch.

3. The electric spray and foam combined control circuit according to claim 2, characterized in that, In the spray mode, the main control unit adjusts the duty cycle of the first electronic switch via PWM to achieve multi-level speed regulation of the water pump; the multi-level speed regulation is achieved by the additional gear settings of the Bluetooth remote control.

4. The electric spray and foam combined control circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the system first enters or responds to the foam mode, the main control unit first turns on the first electronic switch, and then turns on the second electronic switch after a preset time interval; when entering or responding to the foam mode subsequently, the main control unit turns on both the first electronic switch and the second electronic switch simultaneously.

5. The electric spray and foam combined control circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a voltage regulator unit, which is powered by the battery pack and provides a stable operating voltage to the main control unit.

6. The electric spray and foam combined control circuit according to claim 5, characterized in that, The two sets of output terminals of the mode selection unit are electrically connected to the two parallel front power supply nodes of the voltage regulator unit, so that a stable operating voltage can be provided to the main control unit under different voltage levels.

7. The electric spray and foam combined control circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a sampling resistor and an operational amplifier connected in series in the negative circuit, and the main control unit provides overcurrent protection based on the amplified signal; Additionally, a pressure switch is installed on the water pump supply path, and the main control unit shuts off the first electronic switch when the pressure reaches the threshold.

8. An electric spraying and foaming device, characterized in that, It includes the electric spray and foam control circuit as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A method for controlling both electric spraying and foaming, based on the circuit described in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Acquire the mode signal output by the mode selection unit; When the mode signal is determined to be a spray mode signal, only the first electronic switch is turned on to drive the water pump to work, and the speed of the water pump is adjusted by PWM to achieve multiple speed levels. When the mode signal is determined to be a foam mode signal, the first electronic switch and the second electronic switch are simultaneously turned on with a constant voltage to drive the water pump and the air pump to work together. Furthermore, upon first entering or responding to the foam mode, the first electronic switch is turned on, and the second electronic switch is turned on again after a preset time interval; upon subsequent entry into or response to the foam mode, both the first electronic switch and the second electronic switch are turned on simultaneously.

10. The control method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The methods for acquiring the mode signal include: reading the contact level of the mechanical dual-position switch, receiving wireless commands from the Bluetooth remote control, or detecting the trigger combination state of the mechanical dual-position switch and the Bluetooth remote control switch, which are two independent function switches.

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