Front-loading washing machine

Abstract

This application relates to the field of clothing handling device technology, and more particularly to a drum washing machine. The drum washing machine includes: a cabinet, within which is disposed: an outer drum; a drum rotatably disposed within the outer drum; a drive assembly, which is drivenly connected to the drum to drive its rotation; the drum includes: a drum body, one end of which forms an opening; a drum bottom, connected to the end of the drum body away from the opening; lifting ribs, disposed on the inner wall of the drum body for lifting clothes; and an auxiliary agitator, disposed within the drum and connected to the drum bottom, at least a portion of which extends into the space enclosed by the drum body. A gap exists between the auxiliary agitator and the inner wall of the drum body along its radial direction, and the auxiliary agitator can rotate with the drum to agitate the clothes or water within the drum. This application can improve the washing efficiency of the drum washing machine.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of clothing handling devices, and more particularly to a drum washing machine. Background Technology

[0002] In modern life, washing machines have become an essential household appliance. Washing machines include top-loading washing machines and front-loading washing machines. During operation, the drum of a front-loading washing machine rotates continuously, and the clothes inside the drum are constantly lifted and dropped as the drum rotates, so that the clothes and the detergent can fully contact and rub against each other to remove dirt.

[0003] However, current front-loading washing machines take a long time to clean clothes, and their washing efficiency needs to be improved. Utility Model Content

[0004] This application discloses a drum washing machine that can improve the washing efficiency of the drum washing machine.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, embodiments of this application disclose a drum washing machine, comprising:

[0006] The box contains:

[0007] outer cylinder;

[0008] A roller, which is rotatably disposed inside the outer cylinder;

[0009] A drive assembly, which is connected to the roller drive to drive the roller to rotate;

[0010] The roller includes:

[0011] A cylindrical body, one end of which forms a cylindrical opening;

[0012] The bottom of the cylinder is connected to the end of the cylinder body away from the opening of the cylinder;

[0013] Lifting ribs, which are located on the inner wall of the cylinder, are used to lift clothing;

[0014] An auxiliary agitator is disposed inside the drum and connected to the bottom of the drum. At least a portion of the auxiliary agitator extends into the space enclosed by the drum body. A gap exists between the auxiliary agitator and the inner wall of the drum body along the radial direction of the drum body. The auxiliary agitator can rotate with the drum to agitate the clothes or water inside the drum.

[0015] In this application, an auxiliary agitator is disposed inside the drum and connected to the bottom of the drum. At least a portion of the auxiliary agitator extends into the space enclosed by the drum body. When the drive assembly drives the drum to rotate, the auxiliary agitator can rotate with the drum. When clothes accumulate inside the drum, or when the rotation speed of the clothes inside the drum is less than the rotation speed of the drum, the auxiliary agitator can rub and pat the clothes during rotation, thereby improving the cleaning effect of the drum washing machine on clothes, shortening the time required to clean clothes, and increasing the washing ratio of the drum washing machine. Furthermore, the auxiliary agitator agitates the washing water during rotation, increasing the tumbling amplitude of the washing water inside the drum, strengthening the rinsing effect of the water flow on the clothes, improving the cleaning effect of the drum washing machine on clothes, shortening the time required to clean clothes, and improving the washing efficiency of the drum washing machine.

[0016] Furthermore, the auxiliary agitator of this application is connected to the bottom of the drum, so the auxiliary agitator can rotate with the drum. In other words, the auxiliary agitator can use the drive component that drives the drum to rotate as the drive source, so that there is no need to set an additional drive source for the auxiliary agitator, thereby simplifying the structure of the drum washing machine.

[0017] Furthermore, after the lifting ribs lift the clothes, they fall from a height. Some of the falling clothes will slam onto the auxiliary agitator. As the drum rotates, the auxiliary agitator will further agitate the clothes, resulting in a second tumbling action that improves the cleaning effect and increases the washing ratio of the drum washing machine. Moreover, both the lifting ribs and the auxiliary agitator agitate the clothes and water, enhancing the agitation effect on the clothes and wash water inside the drum.

[0018] In one optional embodiment, the auxiliary agitator extends into the cylinder by a distance L1 along the axial direction of the drum, and the depth of the cylinder is D, where L1 / D≥0.05 and L1 / D≤0.5.

[0019] If L1 / D is less than 0.05, the distance the auxiliary agitator extends into the drum is too small, preventing it from fully contacting the clothes inside. This obviously limits the agitator's ability to agitate the clothes. Furthermore, when the auxiliary agitator is too short, the axial water flow generated is weak, failing to effectively create vortex impact and weakening the impact on the clothes. If L1 / D is greater than 0.5, the distance the auxiliary agitator extends into the drum is too large, causing it to occupy too much space inside the drum. This reduces the space available for clothes, resulting in a smaller capacity for the washing machine.

[0020] Therefore, in this embodiment, L1 / D is controlled between 0.05 and 0.5, allowing the auxiliary agitator to extend into the drum at a suitable distance. This ensures the auxiliary agitator makes full contact with the clothes inside the drum, enhancing its agitation effect. Furthermore, the axial water flow generated by the auxiliary agitator is stronger, effectively creating a vortex impact and increasing the impact force on the clothes. Moreover, the suitable extension distance of the auxiliary agitator into the drum does not excessively occupy the drum's internal space, thus ensuring the washing machine's capacity remains within a suitable range. Therefore, this embodiment ensures both effective cleaning of clothes and a large washing machine capacity.

[0021] In one alternative embodiment, L1 / D ≥ 0.1 and L1 / D ≤ 0.3.

[0022] If L1 / D is less than 0.1, the auxiliary agitator extends a short distance into the drum. Although it contacts the clothes inside, the contact area is small, limiting its effectiveness in agitating the clothes. Furthermore, a shorter auxiliary agitator results in weaker axial water flow and less impact on the clothes. If L1 / D is greater than 0.5, the auxiliary agitator extends a long distance into the drum, occupying more space and reducing the washing machine's capacity.

[0023] Therefore, in this embodiment, L1 / D is controlled between 0.1 and 0.3, allowing the auxiliary agitator to extend into the drum at a more suitable distance. This ensures greater contact between the auxiliary agitator and the clothes inside the drum, further enhancing the agitation effect. Furthermore, it also strengthens the axial water flow generated by the auxiliary agitator, increasing the impact force on the clothes. Moreover, the more suitable extension distance of the auxiliary agitator into the drum allows for a larger capacity of the drum washing machine. Thus, this embodiment not only improves the cleaning effect on clothes but also increases the capacity of the drum washing machine.

[0024] In one optional embodiment, the auxiliary agitator includes:

[0025] The base portion is columnar, with its first end connected to the bottom of the roller and its second end extending into the space enclosed by the roller body.

[0026] Multiple agitator blades are disposed on the outer surface of the base portion and are spaced apart circumferentially along the base portion, the agitator blades extending from a first end of the base portion to a second end of the base portion.

[0027] In this embodiment, the agitator blades extend from the first end of the base to the second end of the base, meaning the agitator blades have a large extension length. This allows the auxiliary agitator to fully contact the clothes inside the drum, ensuring the effective agitation of the clothes. Furthermore, the presence of multiple agitator blades allows for more effective disturbance of the water flow inside the drum during rotation, creating more complex and intense eddies and water flow. This results in a more powerful impact on the clothes, improving their cleanliness. Moreover, multiple agitator blades can contact the clothes more frequently, further enhancing the cleaning effect.

[0028] In one optional embodiment, the maximum distance between the outer edge of the agitator blade and the axis of the base portion along the radial direction of the base portion is L2, the radius of the cylinder is R, L2 / R≥0.15, and L2 / R≤0.35.

[0029] If L2 / R is less than 0.15, the radial extension dimension of the agitator blades is too small. This weakens the agitator blades' driving effect on the clothes, resulting in insufficient movement of the clothes in the drum and poor washing performance. Furthermore, agitator blades with too small a radial extension dimension may not effectively generate enough water flow disturbance, preventing the detergent from fully contacting the clothes and affecting stain removal. If L2 / R is greater than 0.35, the radial extension dimension of the agitator blades 3 is too large, and the contact area between the agitator blades and the clothes is also too large. Oversized agitator blades increase the rotational resistance of the base, causing the drive assembly to consume more energy to drive the drum to rotate and drive the auxiliary agitator 300 to rotate. Obviously, this will increase the energy consumption of the drive assembly.

[0030] Therefore, in this embodiment, L2 / R is controlled between 0.15 and 0.35, which allows the radial extension dimension of the agitator blade to be within a suitable range. This enhances the agitator blade's driving effect on the clothes and generates sufficient water flow disturbance to improve the washing effect, while preventing the contact area between the agitator blade and the clothes from becoming too large, thus keeping the energy consumption of the drive component within a suitable range.

[0031] In one alternative embodiment, the outer edge of the agitator blade includes a first side and a second side that meet, the first side being located on the side of the agitator blade that is radially away from the base portion, and the second side being located on the side of the agitator blade that is axially away from the bottom of the drum, and the first side extending axially along the base portion.

[0032] In this embodiment, the outer edge of the agitator blade includes a first side and a second side that are in contact. The first side is located on the side of the agitator blade that is radially away from the base portion and extends along the axial direction of the base portion. That is, the first side is parallel to the axis of the base portion. Along the axial direction of the base portion, the distance between the first side and the axis of the base portion is equal. When the axis of the base portion is parallel to or collinear with the axis of the drum, along the axial direction of the drum, the distance between the first side and the inner wall of the drum body is equal. In this way, the force exerted by the clothing on each part of the agitator blade along the extension direction of its first side is approximately equal, thereby improving the balance of the force on the agitator blade.

[0033] In one alternative embodiment, the outer edge of the agitator blade includes a first side, at least a portion of which is located on the side of the agitator blade radially away from the base portion, and the first side is convex arc-shaped.

[0034] In this embodiment, the convex arc-shaped first side can more effectively guide the water flow, helping to distribute the water flow evenly from the root of the base to the periphery and form an orderly flow along the inner wall of the drum, promoting thorough mixing of detergent and clothes and improving the washing effect. Furthermore, the convex arc-shaped edge can gently push the clothes during rotation, avoiding excessive mechanical impact and reducing wear and tear.

[0035] In one alternative embodiment, the outer edge of the agitator blade further includes a second side extending in a straight line, the second side being located on the side of the agitator blade axially away from the bottom of the drum, one end of the second side being connected to the first side, and the other end of the second side being connected to the base portion.

[0036] In this embodiment, the second edge extends in a straight line and connects with the base, forming a relatively stable straight support structure. This enhances the overall structural strength of the agitator blade and the base, making the auxiliary agitator more robust when rotating at high speed and subjected to water flow impact, reducing the risk of deformation or damage to the agitator blade, and extending the service life of the agitator blade.

[0037] In one alternative embodiment, the auxiliary agitator is detachably connected to the bottom of the cylinder.

[0038] When washing heavily soiled clothes, users can attach the auxiliary agitator to the bottom of the drum, enabling the washing machine to enter a powerful cleaning mode and improve the washing effect. For lightly soiled clothes, the auxiliary agitator can be attached to the bottom of the drum, allowing the washing machine to perform a large-capacity cleaning mode, thus increasing the amount of laundry it can handle. Furthermore, the detachable connection of the auxiliary agitator makes it easy to replace after wear.

[0039] In one optional embodiment, the bottom of the cylinder has a groove on the side facing the cylinder body, a portion of the auxiliary agitator is located in the groove, and the portion of the auxiliary agitator located in the groove is detachably connected to the bottom of the cylinder.

[0040] If the bottom of the drum does not have a groove, after the auxiliary agitator is connected to the bottom of the drum, the opening of the gap at the connection between the auxiliary agitator and the bottom of the drum faces the radial direction of the drum, that is, the gap extends radially. When the drum rotates, the clothes will move radially along the drum, which can easily cause the clothes to enter and get stuck in the gap. In order to solve the problem of clothes getting stuck in the gap at the connection between the auxiliary agitator and the bottom of the drum, this embodiment has a groove on the bottom of the drum. The groove opening faces the opening of the drum body. A part of the auxiliary agitator is located in the groove. The part of the auxiliary agitator located in the groove is detachably connected to the bottom of the drum. Therefore, the connection between the auxiliary agitator and the bottom of the drum is located in the groove. The side wall of the groove can be used to cover the gap at the connection between the auxiliary agitator and the bottom of the drum, preventing clothes from entering and getting stuck in the gap.

[0041] In one optional embodiment, the number of outer cylinders includes two, the two outer cylinders are spaced apart along the width direction of the box body, each outer cylinder is provided with a roller, and the bottom of each roller is provided with an auxiliary stirring element.

[0042] In this application, the clothing handling device includes two drums and two outer drums. The two outer drums are arranged side by side with a gap along the width of the cabinet. Each drum is respectively arranged in its corresponding outer drum. That is to say, the drum washing machine of this application has two independent drums in one cabinet. The two drums can operate independently, thereby realizing partitioned washing. Partitioned washing can separate clothes with different washing requirements for washing. For example, underwear and other intimate clothing can be washed separately from outer clothing, socks and other clothing to avoid cross-contamination and ensure the washing quality of the clothes.

[0043] In one alternative embodiment, the roller is inclined from top to bottom along the direction from the front side of the housing to the rear side of the housing.

[0044] In this embodiment, the roller is inclined from top to bottom along the direction from the front side of the box to the rear side of the box. After the user puts clothes into the roller, the clothes will slide to the bottom of the roller under their own weight, so that the clothes are closer to the auxiliary agitator after entering the roller, thereby making better use of the auxiliary agitator to clean the clothes.

[0045] In this embodiment, by tilting the drum, the trajectory of the clothes as they fall from a height is extended, thereby increasing the potential and kinetic energy of the clothes and amplifying the impact force as they hit the drum wall, thus improving the washing effect. Furthermore, compared to a horizontal drum setup, tilting the drum downwards from the front to the rear of the unit shifts the point of impact of the lifted clothes onto the drum wall towards the rear of the drum, preventing clothes from getting caught between the drum and the door seal located at the front of the drum. Attached Figure Description

[0046] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0047] Figure 1 This is an isometric view of the drum washing machine disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0048] Figure 2 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the drum washing machine disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0049] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the drum and auxiliary agitator disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0050] Figure 4 For the purpose of this application Figure 3 Based on the structure shown, a structural diagram from another perspective is obtained after removing part of the cylinder body;

[0051] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the auxiliary stirring component disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0052] Figure 6 For this application Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of the structure shown from another perspective;

[0053] Figure 7 For this application Figure 6 Enlarged view of point A in the middle;

[0054] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the cylinder bottom and the auxiliary agitator disclosed in another embodiment of this application;

[0055] Figure 9 For this application Figure 8 An exploded view of the structure shown.

[0056] Figure 10 For this application Figure 8A schematic diagram of the auxiliary agitator in the structure shown;

[0057] Figure 11 For this application Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the auxiliary agitator in the structure shown from another perspective.

[0058] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0059] 100. Box body; 110. Clothes inlet; 210. Outer cylinder; 220. Drum; 221. Cylinder body; 222. Bottom of cylinder; 223. Clothes retaining ring; 230. Groove; 240. Boss; 250. Anti-rotation recess; 300. Auxiliary agitator; 310. Base; 311. Receiving cavity; 312. Anti-rotation protrusion; 320. Agitator blade; 321. First side; 322. Second side; 330. Cover; 410. Screw; 420. Nut; 500. Door; 600. Lifting rib. Detailed Implementation

[0060] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0061] In this application, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "front," "rear," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "vertical," "horizontal," "lateral," and "longitudinal" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. These terms are primarily for the purpose of better describing this application and its embodiments, and are not intended to limit the indicated device, element, or component to having a specific orientation, or to be constructed and operated in a specific orientation.

[0062] Furthermore, in addition to indicating location or positional relationship, some of the aforementioned terms may also have other meanings. For example, the term "above" may also be used in some cases to indicate a certain dependency or connection relationship. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0063] Furthermore, the terms "installation," "setup," "equipped with," "connection," and "linked" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral structure; 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, or an internal connection between two devices, components, or parts. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0064] Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are primarily used to distinguish different devices, elements, or components (which may be the same or different in specific type and construction), and are not intended to indicate or imply the relative importance or quantity of the indicated devices, elements, or components. Unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0065] In modern life, washing machines have become an essential household appliance. Washing machines include top-loading washing machines and front-loading washing machines. During operation, the drum of a front-loading washing machine rotates continuously, and the clothes inside the drum are constantly lifted and dropped as the drum rotates, so that the clothes and the detergent can fully contact and rub against each other to remove dirt.

[0066] However, current front-loading washing machines only tumble and beat the clothes during washing, without rubbing them, so it takes a long time to get the clothes clean.

[0067] This application discloses a drum washing machine that improves washing efficiency. The drum washing machine provided in this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments and application scenarios.

[0068] Please see Figures 1 to 3 and Figure 8 This application discloses a drum washing machine, comprising:

[0069] The housing 100 forms the overall appearance of the drum washing machine. The interior of the housing 100 is hollow to create a storage space. This space is configured to accommodate various components of the drum washing machine, such as electrical circuits, drive components, and drainage components. The housing 100 can be rectangular for placement against a wall. Alternatively, it can be cylindrical to accommodate circular components within the drum washing machine. A loading port 110 is located on the front of the housing 100, corresponding to the drum 220. Clothes can be loaded into the drum 220 through the loading port 110. A door 500 is hinged to the housing 100, allowing the loading port 110 to be opened or closed.

[0070] The box 100 contains:

[0071] The outer cylinder 210 can be connected to the housing 100 via a hanging spring, thereby achieving the purpose of placing the outer cylinder 210 inside the housing 100.

[0072] The roller 220 is rotatably disposed inside the outer cylinder 210. Specifically, when the roller 220 rotates, the clothes are lifted up and move upward with the roller 220. After rotating to a certain height, the clothes fall under the action of gravity and hit the cylinder wall of the roller 220 to achieve the purpose of removing dirt.

[0073] A drive assembly (not shown in the figure) is connected to the roller 220 to drive the roller 220 to rotate. This drive assembly can be located on the outer cylinder 210 or the housing 100 to secure it. For example, the drive assembly can be a direct-drive structure, where the motor is directly connected to the roller 220; or it can be a belt-driven structure, where the motor drives the belt via a pulley, and the belt then drives the roller 220 to rotate.

[0074] Roller 220 includes:

[0075] The tube body 221 has an opening at one end, which corresponds to the clothing inlet 110 of the box 100 described above. Clothes inserted by the user into the clothing inlet 110 can enter the tube body 221 through the opening. The tube body 221 is cylindrical, and both ends of the tube body 221 have openings, one of which is the opening. The tube bottom 222, described below, is connected to the other end of the tube body 221 to cover the other opening of the tube body 221. For example, please refer to [reference needed]. Figure 6 The roller 220 also includes a clothes-blocking ring 223, which is located at the opening of the roller and has an inner diameter smaller than the opening diameter of the roller.

[0076] The bottom of the cylinder 222 is connected to the end of the cylinder body 221 away from the opening. For example, the direct-drive assembly described above can be connected to the bottom of the cylinder 222.

[0077] A lifting rib 600 is disposed on the inner wall of the drum 221 to lift the clothing. For example, the lifting rib 600 can extend axially along the drum 221. When the drum 220 rotates, the lifting rib 600 will cause the clothing to climb to a higher height along the drum 220, thereby improving the tumbling effect. Furthermore, the number of lifting ribs 600 can include multiple ribs, which are distributed at intervals along the circumference of the drum 221.

[0078] An auxiliary agitator 300 is disposed inside the drum 220 and connected to the bottom 222 of the drum. At least a portion of the auxiliary agitator 300 extends into the space enclosed by the drum body 221. That is, all parts of the auxiliary agitator 300 can extend into the space enclosed by the drum body 221, or only a portion of the auxiliary agitator 300 can extend into the space enclosed by the drum body 221. Along the radial direction of the drum body 221, there is a gap between the auxiliary agitator 300 and the inner wall of the drum body 221, allowing clothing to enter the gap between the auxiliary agitator 300 and the drum body 221. The auxiliary agitator 300 can rotate with the drum 220 to agitate the clothing or water inside the drum 220.

[0079] In this application, an auxiliary agitator 300 is disposed inside the drum 220 and connected to the bottom 222 of the drum 220. At least a portion of the auxiliary agitator 300 extends into the space enclosed by the drum body 221. When the drive assembly drives the drum 220 to rotate, the auxiliary agitator 300 can rotate with the drum 220. When clothes accumulate inside the drum 220, or when the rotation speed of the clothes inside the drum 220 is less than the rotation speed of the drum 220, the auxiliary agitator 300 can rub and pat the clothes during rotation, thereby improving the cleaning effect of the drum washing machine on clothes, shortening the time required to clean clothes, and increasing the washing ratio of the drum washing machine. Furthermore, the auxiliary agitator 300 agitates the washing water during rotation, increasing the tumbling amplitude of the washing water inside the drum 220, strengthening the rinsing effect of the water flow on the clothes, improving the cleaning effect of the drum washing machine on clothes, and shortening the time required to clean clothes.

[0080] Furthermore, the auxiliary agitator 300 of this application is connected to the bottom 222 of the drum 220, so the auxiliary agitator 300 can rotate with the drum 220. In other words, the auxiliary agitator 300 can use the drive assembly that drives the drum 220 to rotate as the drive source, so that there is no need to set an additional drive source for the auxiliary agitator 300, thereby simplifying the structure of the drum washing machine.

[0081] Furthermore, after the lifting ribs 600 lift the clothes, the clothes will fall from a height. Some of the falling clothes will tumble onto the auxiliary agitator 300. As the drum 220 rotates, the auxiliary agitator 300 will fling the clothes that have fallen onto it a second time, achieving a secondary tumbling action on the clothes, improving the cleaning effect and increasing the washing ratio of the drum washing machine. Moreover, both the lifting ribs 600 and the auxiliary agitator 300 can agitate the clothes and water, which enhances the agitation effect on the clothes and washing water inside the drum 220.

[0082] Please see Figure 4In one optional embodiment, the auxiliary agitator 300 extends into the cylinder body 221 by a distance L1 along the axial direction of the drum 220, and the depth of the cylinder body 221 is D, where L1 / D ≥ 0.05 and L1 / D ≤ 0.5. For example, L1 / D can be equal to 0.08, 0.1, 0.16, 0.2, 0.3, 0.32, 0.38, 0.4, 0.47, etc., and this application does not impose any limitations on this.

[0083] If L1 / D is less than 0.05, the distance the auxiliary agitator 300 extends into the drum 221 is too small, and the auxiliary agitator 300 cannot fully contact the clothes inside the drum 220. Obviously, this will limit the agitator 300's ability to agitate the clothes. Furthermore, when the length of the auxiliary agitator 300 is insufficient, the axial water flow intensity generated by the auxiliary agitator 300 is very weak, and it cannot effectively form a vortex impact, weakening the impact force on the clothes. If L1 / D is greater than 0.5, the distance the auxiliary agitator 300 extends into the drum 221 is too large. The auxiliary agitator 300 will occupy too much space inside the drum 221, compressing the space that could originally be used to place clothes, resulting in a reduction in the capacity of the drum washing machine.

[0084] Therefore, in this embodiment, L1 / D is controlled between 0.05 and 0.5, allowing the auxiliary agitator 300 to extend into the drum 221 at a suitable distance. This ensures that the auxiliary agitator 300 makes full contact with the clothes inside the drum 220, enhancing the agitation effect. Furthermore, the axial water flow generated by the auxiliary agitator 300 is stronger, effectively creating a vortex impact and increasing the impact force on the clothes. Moreover, the suitable distance at which the auxiliary agitator 300 extends into the drum 221 does not excessively occupy the space inside the drum 221, thus ensuring that the capacity of the drum washing machine remains within a suitable range. Therefore, this embodiment ensures both effective cleaning of clothes and a large capacity for the drum washing machine.

[0085] In one alternative embodiment, L1 / D ≥ 0.1 and L1 / D ≤ 0.3. For example, L1 / D can be equal to 0.15, 0.19, 0.21, 0.23, 0.25, 0.29, etc., and this application does not limit it in this way.

[0086] If L1 / D is less than 0.1, the distance the auxiliary agitator 300 extends into the drum 221 is small. Although the auxiliary agitator 300 contacts the clothes inside the drum 220, the contact area is small, and the agitator 300's effect on agitating the clothes is limited. Furthermore, when the length of the auxiliary agitator 300 is short, the axial water flow intensity generated by the auxiliary agitator 300 is weak, resulting in less impact on the clothes. If L1 / D is greater than 0.5, the distance the auxiliary agitator 300 extends into the drum 221 is large, and the auxiliary agitator 300 will occupy a larger space inside the drum 221, leading to a reduction in the capacity of the drum washing machine.

[0087] Therefore, in this embodiment, L1 / D is controlled between 0.1 and 0.3, allowing the auxiliary agitator 300 to extend into the drum 221 at a more suitable distance. This ensures that the auxiliary agitator 300 makes more thorough contact with the clothes inside the drum 220, further enhancing the agitation effect of the auxiliary agitator 300. Furthermore, it can further enhance the axial water flow intensity generated by the auxiliary agitator 300, thus increasing the impact force on the clothes. Moreover, the more suitable distance at which the auxiliary agitator 300 extends into the drum 221 can further increase the capacity of the drum washing machine. Therefore, by adopting this embodiment, both the cleaning effect on clothes can be further improved, and the capacity of the drum washing machine can be further increased.

[0088] Please see Figure 5 and Figure 9 In one optional embodiment, the auxiliary agitator 300 includes:

[0089] The base portion 310 is columnar, with its first end connected to the bottom 222 of the drum 220 and its second end extending into the space enclosed by the drum body 221. The base portion 310 provides a mounting base for the agitator blade 320 described below and enables the agitator blade 320 to be mounted to the bottom 222.

[0090] Multiple agitator blades 320 are disposed on the outer surface of the base portion 310 and spaced apart circumferentially along the base portion 310. The agitator blades 320 extend from a first end to a second end of the base portion 310. The agitator blades 320 are used to agitate clothing or water. For example, the multiple agitator blades 320 may be evenly spaced along the circumferential direction of the base portion 310.

[0091] In this embodiment, the agitator blade 320 extends from the first end of the base portion 310 to the second end of the base portion 310. That is, the agitator blade 320 has a relatively large extension length, allowing the auxiliary agitator 300 to fully contact the clothes inside the drum 220, ensuring the effective agitation of the clothes by the auxiliary agitator 300. Furthermore, there are multiple agitator blades 320. When multiple agitator blades 320 rotate, they can more effectively agitate the water flow inside the drum 220, forming more complex and stronger vortices and water flow movements. The water flow impacts the clothes more forcefully, improving the cleanliness of the clothes. Moreover, multiple agitator blades 320 can contact the clothes more frequently, thereby improving the cleaning effect on the clothes.

[0092] In some embodiments, the auxiliary agitator 300 may include a base portion 310 and a plurality of agitating columns, the plurality of agitating columns being spaced apart circumferentially on the outer peripheral surface of the base portion 310. In other embodiments, the auxiliary agitator 300 may be an agitating column or an agitating blade 320, the agitating column or the agitating blade 320 being directly connected to the bottom of the cylinder 222.

[0093] Please see Figure 4 and Figure 5 In one optional embodiment, the maximum distance between the outer edge of the agitator blade 320 and the axis of the base portion 310 along the radial direction of the base portion 310 is L2, the radius of the cylinder body 221 is R, L2 / R ≥ 0.15, and L2 / R ≤ 0.35. For example, L2 / R can be 0.18, 0.2, 0.25, 0.29, 0.3, 0.33, etc., and this application does not limit it.

[0094] If L2 / R is less than 0.15, the radial extension dimension of the agitator blade 320 is too small. This weakens the agitator blade 320's driving effect on the clothes, resulting in insufficient movement of the clothes in the drum 220 and poor washing effect. Furthermore, an agitator blade 320 with an insufficient radial extension dimension may not effectively generate enough water flow disturbance, preventing the detergent from fully contacting the clothes and affecting the stain removal effect. If L2 / R is greater than 0.35, the radial extension dimension of the agitator blade 320 is too large, and the contact area between the agitator blade 320 and the clothes is also too large. An excessively large agitator blade 320 increases the rotational resistance of the base part 310, causing the drive component to consume more energy to drive the drum 220 to rotate in order to drive the auxiliary agitator 300 to rotate. Obviously, this will increase the energy consumption of the drive component.

[0095] Therefore, in this embodiment, L2 / R is controlled between 0.15 and 0.35, which allows the radial extension dimension of the agitator blade 320 to be within a suitable range. This enhances the driving effect of the agitator blade 320 on the clothes and generates sufficient water flow disturbance to improve the washing effect, while preventing the contact area between the agitator blade 320 and the clothes from being too large, thus keeping the energy consumption of the drive component within a suitable range.

[0096] Please see Figure 5In one optional embodiment, the outer edge of the agitator blade 320 includes a first side 321 and a second side 322 that meet. The first side 321 is located on the side of the agitator blade 320 that is radially away from the base portion 310, where radial refers to the radial direction of the base portion 310. The second side 322 is located on the side of the agitator blade 320 that is axially away from the bottom 222 of the drum 220, where axial refers to the axial direction of the base portion 310. The first side 321 extends along the axial direction of the base portion 310. Exemplarily, the first side 321 and the second side 322 can be smoothly transitioned by chamfering to remove the internal stress at the junction between the first side 321 and the second side 322.

[0097] In this embodiment, the outer edge of the agitator blade 320 includes a first side 321 and a second side 322 that are in contact. The first side 321 is located on the side of the agitator blade 320 that is radially away from the base portion 310, and the first side 321 extends along the axial direction of the base portion 310. That is, the first side 321 is parallel to the axis of the base portion 310. Along the axial direction of the base portion 310, the distance between the first side 321 and the axis of the base portion 310 is equal. When the axis of the base portion 310 is parallel or collinear with the axis of the roller 220, along the axial direction of the roller 220, the distance between the first side 321 and the inner wall of the cylinder body 221 is equal. In this way, the force exerted by the clothing on each part of the agitator blade 320 along the extension direction of its first side 321 is approximately equal, thereby improving the balance of the force on the agitator blade 320.

[0098] Alternatively, please see Figure 8 , Figure 9 and Figure 11 In another alternative embodiment, the outer edge of the agitator blade 320 includes a first side 321, at least a portion of which is located on the side of the agitator blade 320 radially away from the base portion 310, and the first side 321 is convex arc-shaped.

[0099] In this embodiment, the convex arc-shaped first side 321 can more effectively guide the water flow, helping to distribute the water flow evenly from the root of the base portion 310 to the periphery and form an orderly flow along the inner wall of the drum 220, promoting thorough mixing of detergent and clothes and improving the washing effect. Furthermore, the convex arc-shaped edge can gently push the clothes during rotation, avoiding excessive mechanical impact and reducing wear and tear.

[0100] In one alternative embodiment, please refer to Figure 11 The outer edge of the agitator blade 320 also includes a second side 322 extending in a straight line. The second side 322 is located on the side of the agitator blade 320 away from the bottom 222 of the drum 220 along the axial direction. One end of the second side 322 is connected to the first side 321, and the other end of the second side 322 is connected to the base portion 310.

[0101] In this embodiment, the second side 322 extends along a straight line and connects with the base part 310, which can form a relatively stable straight support structure. This can enhance the overall structural strength of the stirring blade 320 and the base part 310, making the auxiliary stirring member 300 more robust when rotating at high speed and bearing the impact of water flow, reducing the risk of deformation or damage to the stirring blade 320, and extending the service life of the stirring blade 320.

[0102] Please see Figure 6 , Figure 7 , Figure 9 and Figure 10 In one alternative embodiment, the auxiliary agitator 300 is detachably connected to the bottom of the cylinder 222.

[0103] While the auxiliary agitator 300 improves the washing effect on clothes, it occupies valuable space within the drum 220. In this embodiment, the auxiliary agitator 300 is detachably connected to the drum bottom 222. When washing heavily soiled clothes, the user can attach the auxiliary agitator 300 to the drum bottom 222, enabling the washing machine to operate in a powerful cleaning mode, thus improving the washing effect. When washing lightly soiled clothes, the user can attach the auxiliary agitator 300 to the drum bottom 222, enabling the washing machine to handle a large-capacity cleaning mode, thereby increasing the amount of clothes it can handle. Furthermore, the detachable connection facilitates replacement of the auxiliary agitator 300 after wear. Of course, the auxiliary agitator 300 can also be connected to the drum bottom 222 by non-detachable methods such as welding; this application does not limit this connection.

[0104] For example, the auxiliary agitator 300 can be snapped into the bottom of the cylinder 222. Alternatively, the auxiliary agitator 300 can be connected to the bottom of the cylinder 222 via a threaded connector. The auxiliary agitator 300 is provided with a receiving cavity 311, the opening of which faces the cylinder opening. A cover 330 is provided at the opening of the receiving cavity 311. The cover 330 is detachably connected to the auxiliary agitator 300 to seal the opening of the receiving cavity 311. One end of the threaded connector is located inside the receiving cavity 311. An anti-rotation structure is provided between the auxiliary agitator 300 and the bottom of the drum 222 to restrict the auxiliary agitator 300 from rotating about the axis of the drum 220 relative to the bottom of the drum 222. The anti-rotation structure may include an anti-rotation protrusion 312 and an anti-rotation recess 250. One of the anti-rotation protrusion 312 and the anti-rotation recess 250 is provided on the auxiliary agitator 300 and the other is provided on the bottom of the drum 222. The anti-rotation protrusion 312 and the anti-rotation recess 250 are inserted into each other.

[0105] Further, please refer to Figure 9 and Figure 10The threaded connector includes a screw 410 and a nut 420. The head of the screw 410 is located in the receiving cavity, and the nut 420 engages with the threaded end of the screw 410 to connect the bottom of the cylinder 222 to the auxiliary agitator 300.

[0106] Please see Figure 7 and Figure 9 In one optional embodiment, a groove 230 is provided on the side of the bottom 222 facing the body 221, and a portion of the auxiliary agitator 300 is located within the groove 230. The portion of the auxiliary agitator 300 located within the groove 230 is detachably connected to the bottom 222. For example, a boss 240 may be provided on the side of the bottom 222 facing the body 221, and the groove 230 may be provided on the end face of the boss 240 facing the body 221.

[0107] If the bottom of the drum 222 is not provided with a groove 230, after the auxiliary stirring member 300 is connected to the bottom of the drum 222, the opening of the gap at the connection between the auxiliary stirring member 300 and the bottom of the drum 222 faces the radial direction of the drum 220, that is, the gap extends radially. When the drum 220 rotates, the clothes will move radially along the drum 220, which can easily cause the clothes to enter and get stuck in the gap. To address the issue of clothing getting caught in the gap between the auxiliary agitator 300 and the drum bottom 222, this embodiment provides a groove 230 on the drum bottom 222. The opening of the groove 230 faces the opening of the drum body 221. A portion of the auxiliary agitator 300 is located within the groove 230, and this portion is detachably connected to the drum bottom 222. Therefore, the connection between the auxiliary agitator 300 and the drum bottom 222 is located within the groove 230. The sidewall of the groove 230 can be used to block the gap between the auxiliary agitator 300 and the drum bottom 222, preventing clothing from entering and getting caught in the gap. It should be noted that although there is also a gap between the auxiliary agitator 300 and the groove 230, the opening of this gap faces the opening of the drum 220, meaning the gap extends axially. When the drum 220 rotates, the axial movement of the clothing is minimal, thus reducing the likelihood of clothing getting caught in the gap between the auxiliary agitator 300 and the groove 230.

[0108] Please see Figure 2In one optional embodiment, the number of outer cylinders 210 includes two, which are spaced apart along the width direction of the box body 100. Each outer cylinder 210 is provided with a roller 220, and the bottom 222 of each roller 220 is provided with an auxiliary agitator 300. Exemplarily, the box body 100 includes a frame and an outer shell. The outer shell includes a front panel, a back panel, a left side panel, a right side panel, and a top panel. The front panel is connected to the front side of the frame, and the aforementioned garment inlet 110 can be located on the front panel. The back panel is connected to the rear side of the frame, the left side panel is connected to the left side of the frame, the right side panel is connected to the right side of the frame, and the top panel is connected to the upper side of the frame. The width direction of the box body 100 is the arrangement direction of the left and right side panels; the depth direction of the box body 100 is the arrangement direction of the front panel and the back panel. Further, the outer shell also includes a bottom plate, which is connected to the lower side of the frame. The height direction of the box body 100 is the arrangement direction of the top and bottom plates.

[0109] In this application, the garment handling device includes two drums 220 and two outer drums 210. The two outer drums 210 are arranged side by side at intervals along the width direction of the housing 100 inside the housing 100. Each drum 220 is respectively arranged inside the corresponding outer drum 210. That is to say, the drum washing machine of this application has two independent drums 220 in one housing 100. The two drums 220 can operate independently, thereby realizing partitioned washing. Partitioned washing can separate clothes with different washing requirements for washing. For example, underwear and other intimate clothing can be washed separately from outerwear, socks and other clothing to avoid cross-contamination and ensure the washing quality of the clothes.

[0110] Please see Figure 2 In one alternative embodiment, the roller 220 is inclined from top to bottom along the direction from the front side of the box 100 to the rear side of the box 100.

[0111] In this embodiment, the drum 220 is inclined from top to bottom along the direction from the front side of the box 100 to the rear side of the box 100. After the user puts clothes into the drum 220, the clothes will slide to the bottom 222 of the drum under their own weight, so that the clothes are closer to the auxiliary agitator after entering the drum 220, thereby making better use of the auxiliary agitator to clean the clothes.

[0112] In this embodiment, by tilting the drum 220, the trajectory of the clothes falling from a height is extended, thereby increasing the potential and kinetic energy of the clothes and increasing the impact force of the clothes falling on the drum wall of the drum 220, thus improving the washing effect. Furthermore, compared to a horizontal drum 220, tilting the drum 220 from top to bottom in the direction from the front to the rear of the housing 100 allows the landing point of the lifted clothes on the drum wall to move towards the rear of the drum 220. This prevents the clothes from being trapped between the drum 220 and the door seal located at the front of the drum 220.

[0113] The foregoing embodiments of this application focus on describing the differences between various embodiments. As long as the different optimization features between embodiments are not contradictory, they can be combined to form better embodiments. For the sake of brevity, these differences will not be elaborated upon here. The embodiments of this application have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art, under the guidance of this application, can make many modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims, all of which fall within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A drum washing machine, characterized in that, include: Box (100), wherein the box (100) is provided with: outer cylinder(210); A roller (220) is rotatably disposed inside the outer cylinder (210); A drive assembly is connected to the roller (220) for driving the roller (220) to rotate; The roller (220) includes: A cylindrical body (221), one end of which forms a cylindrical opening; The bottom of the cylinder (222) is connected to the end of the cylinder body (221) away from the opening of the cylinder; Lifting rib (600), the lifting rib (600) is provided on the inner wall of the cylinder (221) for lifting clothes; An auxiliary agitator (300) is disposed inside the drum (220) and connected to the bottom of the drum (222). At least a portion of the auxiliary agitator (300) extends into the space enclosed by the drum body (221). Along the radial direction of the drum body (221), there is a gap between the auxiliary agitator (300) and the inner wall of the drum body (221). The auxiliary agitator (300) can rotate with the drum (220) to agitate the clothes or water inside the drum (220).

2. The drum washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, Along the axial direction of the drum (220), the auxiliary agitator (300) extends into the cylinder body (221) by a distance L1, the depth of the cylinder body (221) is D, L1 / D≥0.05, and L1 / D≤0.

5.

3. The drum washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The auxiliary agitator (300) includes: The base part (310) is columnar, with its first end connected to the bottom (222) of the roller (220) and its second end extending into the space enclosed by the cylinder body (221). Multiple agitator blades (320) are disposed on the outer surface of the base portion (310) and are distributed at intervals along the circumference of the base portion (310). The agitator blades (320) extend from a first end of the base portion (310) to a second end of the base portion (310).

4. The drum washing machine according to claim 3, characterized in that, Along the radial direction of the base portion (310), the maximum distance between the outer edge of the stirring blade (320) and the axis of the base portion (310) is L2, the radius of the cylinder (221) is R, L2 / R≥0.15, and L2 / R≤0.

35.

5. The drum washing machine according to claim 3, characterized in that, The outer edge of the agitator blade (320) includes a first side (321) and a second side (322) that are in contact. The first side (321) is located on the side of the agitator blade (320) that is radially away from the base portion (310). The second side (322) is located on the side of the agitator blade (320) that is axially away from the bottom (222) of the drum (220). The first side (321) extends axially along the base portion (310).

6. The drum washing machine according to claim 3, characterized in that, The outer edge of the agitator blade (320) includes a first side (321), at least a portion of which is located on the side of the agitator blade (320) radially away from the base portion (310), and the first side (321) is convex arc-shaped.

7. The drum washing machine according to claim 6, characterized in that, The outer edge of the agitator blade (320) also includes a second side (322) extending in a straight line. The second side (322) is located on the side of the agitator blade (320) away from the bottom (222) of the drum (220) along the axial direction. One end of the second side (322) is connected to the first side (321), and the other end of the second side (322) is connected to the base part (310).

8. The drum washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The auxiliary agitator (300) is detachably connected to the bottom of the cylinder (222).

9. The drum washing machine according to claim 8, characterized in that, The bottom (222) of the cylinder has a groove (230) on the side facing the cylinder body (221). A part of the auxiliary agitator (300) is located in the groove (230), and the part of the auxiliary agitator (300) located in the groove (230) is detachably connected to the bottom (222).

10. The drum washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, The number of outer cylinders (210) includes two, and the two outer cylinders (210) are distributed at intervals along the width direction of the box body (100). Each outer cylinder (210) is provided with a roller (220), and the bottom (222) of each roller (220) is provided with an auxiliary stirring element (300).

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