Door sealing structure and cleaning machine

Abstract

The utility model relates to a door body sealing structure, including sealing ring, with hollow cavity, sealing ring sets up between the door body and the main body butt joint position, air pump, with the cavity fluid communication of sealing ring, sealing ring fills air based on air pump to the cavity, expands to realize the sealing state of the relative sealing between the door body and the main body butt joint position, sealing ring is based on the ejection of cavity gas, shrinks to the initial state of the relative sealing between the door body and the main body butt joint position is cancelled. The door body sealing structure can cancel the sealing close -fit relationship between the door body and the main body in the non -working state, and then reduce the door opening and closing resistance, improve the operation hand feeling. The utility model relates to the cleaning machine of application this door body sealing structure.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to a door sealing structure, and also to a cleaning machine that uses the door sealing structure. Background Technology

[0002] Dishwasher doors typically have sealing strips along their edges to ensure a tight seal when closed. For example, the Chinese utility model patent CN209892044U (application number 201920376064.X), entitled "Sealing Strip and Washing Machine," discloses a sealing strip installed on the door cover of a washing machine to achieve a seal between the door cover and the water tank. To prevent the door from opening during washing, the sealing strip usually achieves a tight seal between the door and the tank through compression. Therefore, when closing the dishwasher door, the sealing strip at the door edge needs to be compressed and deformed to fit tightly into the tank. When opening the dishwasher door, the friction between the compressed sealing strip and the tank needs to be overcome. Thus, considerable force is required to open and close the dishwasher door. Utility Model Content

[0003] The first technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to provide a door sealing structure that can release the tight seal between the door and the main body when the door is not in operation, in contrast to the above-mentioned prior art.

[0004] The first technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to provide a cleaning machine that applies the aforementioned door sealing structure, in contrast to the prior art.

[0005] The technical solution adopted by this utility model to solve the first technical problem mentioned above is: a door sealing structure, characterized in that it includes:

[0006] A sealing ring having a hollow cavity is disposed between the door body and the main body at the mating position;

[0007] An air pump is in fluid communication with the cavity of the sealing ring;

[0008] The sealing ring expands to a sealed state when air is pumped into the cavity to achieve a relative seal between the door and the main body at their mating positions; the sealing ring also expands to a state where the relative seal between the door and the main body is released when the gas in the cavity is discharged.

[0009] Preferably, the air pump is connected to the sealing ring via a controllable one-way valve with controllable conduction direction.

[0010] As an improvement, the controllable one-way valve includes

[0011] The valve body has an axially distributed and interconnected first valve passage and second valve passage inside. The diameter of the first valve passage is larger than the diameter of the second valve passage. One end of the valve body is provided with a first air port connected to the first valve passage, and the other end of the valve body is provided with a second air port connected to the second valve passage. The first air port is connected to the outlet of the air pump, and the second air port is connected to the cavity of the sealing ring.

[0012] An electromagnetic coil is installed inside the valve body and located on the outer periphery of the second valve passage;

[0013] The valve core has a second end that is fitted into the second valve channel based on an elastic element. The valve core has a channel facing the second air port opening. The first end of the valve core has a vent hole that communicates with the channel on its side wall.

[0014] The elastic element tends to press against the valve core to close the first air port; the valve core interacts with the energized electromagnetic coil to compress the elastic element, thereby opening the first air port.

[0015] To improve the air release speed when the sealing strip is deflating, the air pump is a dual-purpose air pump that can both inflate and deflate air.

[0016] Alternatively, the sealing ring is disposed circumferentially on the inner wall of the main body, and the air pump is disposed on the main body.

[0017] To further improve the sealing performance of the sealing ring during sealing operations, a first rib is provided on the side of the sealing ring facing the door body along the circumferential direction.

[0018] The outer peripheral wall of the door is provided with a first groove along the circumferential direction for inserting the rib for sealing.

[0019] Alternatively, the sealing ring is disposed circumferentially on the outer peripheral wall of the door body, and the air pump is disposed inside the door body.

[0020] To further improve the sealing performance of the sealing ring during sealing operations, a second rib is provided circumferentially on the side of the sealing ring facing the inner wall of the main body.

[0021] The inner wall of the main body is provided with a second groove along the circumferential direction for inserting the rib for sealing.

[0022] The technical solution adopted by this utility model to solve the second technical problem mentioned above is: a cleaning machine, including a main body with a cavity and a door covering the main body, and also including the aforementioned door sealing structure.

[0023] Preferably, the door is rotatably connected to the main body.

[0024] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of this utility model are as follows: The door sealing structure of this utility model has a hollow cavity in the sealing ring. The sealing ring expands when the cavity is inflated, achieving a good compression seal between the main body and the door. When the cavity of the sealing ring is deflated, its volume shrinks back, which can relieve the relative compression seal between the sealing ring and the main body and the door. This releases the relative resistance between the main body and the door caused by the sealing ring structure, making it easier for users to open and close the door with less force and improving the operating feel. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is an installation diagram of the door sealing structure in a cleaning machine according to an embodiment of this utility model.

[0026] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the sealing ring in its initial state in an embodiment of this utility model.

[0027] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the sealing ring in a sealed state in an embodiment of this utility model.

[0028] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the controllable one-way valve in a one-way conduction state in an embodiment of this utility model.

[0029] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of the controllable one-way valve in a bidirectional conduction state in an embodiment of this utility model. Detailed Implementation

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

[0031] The door 100 sealing structure in this embodiment can be applied to any electrical appliance with an openable and closable door 100. In this embodiment, a cleaning machine is used as an example, and the door 100 sealing structure and the cleaning machine using the door 100 sealing structure are described.

[0032] like Figures 1 to 5 As shown, the cleaning machine of this utility model includes a main body 200 with a cavity, a door 100 covering the main body 200, and a sealing structure for the door 100. The door 100 can open and close relative to the cavity of the main body 200, thereby covering or opening the cavity of the main body 200. Normally, the door 100 is closable and installable on the main body 200 via a connecting structure; in this embodiment, the door 100 is rotatably connected to the main body 200.

[0033] The main body 200 is determined according to the type of cleaning machine and the opening direction of the cavity. For example, when the cleaning machine is an embedded cleaning machine, the main body 200 has a cavity that opens forward, and the door 100 is rotatably connected to the main body 200 through the front and rear opening and closing directions. When the cleaning machine is a tank-type cleaning machine, the main body 200 has a cavity that opens upward, and the door 100 is rotatably connected to the main body 200 through the up and down opening and closing directions.

[0034] In order for the cover to fit better onto the main body 200, the cover usually has a fitting part that protrudes into the cavity and is embedded into the opening end of the main body 200.

[0035] In this embodiment, the door 100 sealing structure includes a sealing ring 1 and an air pump 2.

[0036] In this embodiment, the sealing ring 1 is generally flat and is disposed between the mating positions of the door body 100 and the main body 200, that is, between the mating side wall of the door body 100 and the inner wall of the opening end of the main body 200. Depending on the needs, the sealing ring 1 may be disposed on the door body 100 or on the inner wall of the main body 200 to achieve a fixed installation.

[0037] Specifically, the sealing ring 1 has a hollow cavity 11. When the sealing ring 1 is in its initial state, it does not provide a sealing effect between the mating part of the door 100 and the main body 200. No relative resistance is formed between the door 100 and the main body 200 due to the sealing ring 1, or the relative frictional resistance between the door 100 and the main body 200 based on the sealing ring 1 is very small. The initial state of the sealing ring 1 is ideal for use when the washing machine is not in operation, allowing users to easily open and close the door 100 with minimal force, thus improving the user experience.

[0038] The air pump 2 is in fluid communication with the cavity 11 of the sealing ring 1. The air pump 2 can be used to inflate the sealing ring 1, causing it to expand and thus perform a sealing function. Specifically, the sealing ring 1 expands to a sealed state based on the air pump 2 inflating the cavity 11, achieving a relative seal between the door body 100 and the main body 200 at their mating positions; the sealing ring 1 then expands to an initial state where the relative seal between the door body 100 and the main body 200 is released based on the outward discharge of gas from the cavity 11. In actual use, when the cleaning machine is operating, after the door body 100 covers the main body 200, the air pump 2 is used to inflate the sealing ring 1, thereby achieving a relative seal between the door body 100 and the main body 200 and ensuring the sealing of the cavity inside the cleaning machine during operation.

[0039] When the cleaning machine finishes its operation and the user needs to open the door 100, the sealing ring 1 can expel the gas in its cavity 11, allowing it to return to its initial state and reducing the force required for the user to open the door. However, gas expulsion takes time. To accelerate the expulsion process, the air pump 2 in this embodiment is a dual-purpose pump capable of both inflation and deflation. Accordingly, when deflation is required, the air pump 2 activates its deflation mode, accelerating the expulsion of gas from the cavity 11 of the sealing ring 1, thus allowing the sealing ring 1 to return to its initial state in a shorter time and reducing the user's waiting time to open the door.

[0040] Some electrical appliances, including cleaning machines, operate for relatively long periods. During this time, maintaining the expansion of the sealing ring 1 is crucial to prevent gas from escaping naturally and causing a seal failure. This necessitates continuous operation of the air pump 2, which is difficult to control and consumes a lot of energy. To ensure the sealing ring 1 remains continuously expanded during its operating time, in this embodiment, the air pump 2 is connected to the sealing ring 1 via a controllable one-way valve 3 with controllable flow direction. The controllable one-way valve 3, based on its operation, can achieve both unidirectional and bidirectional flow between the air pump 2 and the sealing ring 1's cavity 11. When the controllable one-way valve 3 is in the unidirectional flow state, the air pump 2 supplies air to the sealing ring 1's cavity 11 until the sealing ring 1 expands to the required sealing state. After the air pump 2 stops supplying air, the sealing ring 1 remains in an expanded, sealed state because the cavity 11 of the sealing ring 1 cannot release gas under the controllable one-way valve 3. When the controllable one-way valve 3 is adjusted to the bidirectional open state based on the action, it is usually used to vent the sealing ring 1. The gas in the sealing ring 1 can be vented towards the air pump 2 through the controllable one-way valve 3, so that the sealing ring 1 returns to the initial state. In this embodiment, when the controllable one-way valve 3 is adjusted to the bidirectional open state, the air pump 2 is controlled to perform air extraction, which accelerates the venting of the gas in the sealing ring 1 and speeds up the return of the sealing ring 1 to its original state.

[0041] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the controllable one-way valve 3 in this embodiment includes a valve body 31, an electromagnetic coil 32, and a valve core 33. The valve body 31 has an axially distributed and interconnected first valve passage 311 and a second valve passage 312, the diameter of which is larger than the diameter of the second valve passage 312. One end of the valve body 31 has a first air port 313 communicating with the first valve passage 311, and the other end has a second air port 314 communicating with the second valve passage 312. The first air port 313 is connected to the outlet of the air pump 2, and the second air port 314 is connected to the cavity 11 of the sealing ring 1.

[0042] The electromagnetic coil 32 is disposed inside the valve body 31 and located on the outer periphery of the second valve passage 312.

[0043] The diameter of the valve core 33 matches the diameter of the second valve passage 312, so that the second end of the valve core 33 is fitted into the second valve passage 312 based on the elastic element 34. The valve core 33 has a channel 331 opening towards the second air port 314, and a vent hole 332 communicating with the channel 331 is opened on the side wall of the first end of the valve core 33. The vent hole 332 and the channel 331 together form a through airflow channel within the valve core 33. The valve core 33 is made of metal. Based on the position of the valve core 33 within the valve body 31 and the position of the electromagnetic coil 32 within the valve body 31, when the electromagnetic coil 32 is energized, an electromagnetic interaction is generated between the electromagnetic coil 32 and the valve core 33, thereby causing the valve core 33 to move axially along the second valve passage 312 within the valve body 31. Specifically, in this embodiment, the elastic element 34 tends to press against the valve core 33 to close the first air port 313. The valve core 33 interacts with the energized electromagnetic coil 32 to compress the elastic element 34 and move, thereby opening the first air port 313.

[0044] When in use, when it is necessary to control the controllable one-way valve 3 to be in a one-way conduction state, the electromagnetic coil 32 is not energized, and the elastic element 34 will push the valve core 33 to move towards the first valve channel 311, so that the valve core 33 presses and blocks the first air port 313. At this time, although the channel 331 and the vent 332 of the valve core 33 can conduct the second air port 314 and the first valve channel 311, the first air port 313 cannot be conducted. When the air pump 2 introduces pressurized gas into the controllable one-way valve 3 through the first air port 313, the pressurized gas presses the valve core 33 against the elastic force of the elastic element 34 and moves it toward the second air port 314. Then, the valve core 33 opens the seal on the first air port 313 based on the pressure of the pressurized gas. The pressurized gas enters the first valve channel 311 through the first air port 313. At this time, the part of the valve core 33 with the vent hole 332 still remains in the first valve channel 311. Then, the pressurized gas flows to the second air port 314 through the vent hole 332 and the channel 331 of the valve core 33. It enters the cavity 11 of the sealing ring 1 through the second air port 314. As the pressurized gas continues to flow into the sealing ring 1, the sealing ring 1 gradually expands, thereby achieving a seal between the door body 100 and the main body 200. When the sealing ring 1 expands to the required extent, the air pump 2 stops supplying air to the sealing ring 1. At this time, the pressure of the pressurized gas on the valve core 33 is released, and the valve core 33 seals the first air port 313 based on the elastic force of the elastic element 34. Thus, the gas inside the sealing ring 1 cannot be discharged through the controllable one-way valve 3, thereby keeping the sealing ring 1 in an expanded and sealed state.

[0045] When it is necessary to control the controllable one-way valve 3 to be in a bidirectional open state to discharge the gas in the sealing ring 1, the electromagnetic coil 32 is energized. Based on the electromagnetic effect between the electromagnetic coil 32 and the valve core 33, the valve core 33 moves towards the second air port 314, thereby opening the blockage of the first air port 313. At this time, the first air port 313, the first valve channel 311, the vent hole 332, the channel 331, and the second air port 314 form a through airflow channel. The gas in the sealing ring 1 can be discharged from the first air port 313 towards the air pump 2. At this time, the air pump 2 can be used to accelerate the discharge of the gas in the sealing ring 1, thereby enabling the sealing ring 1 to quickly return to its initial state and release the relative seal between the main body 200 and the door body 100 based on the sealing ring 1.

[0046] As described above, the sealing ring 1 is set on the door body 100 or the inner wall of the main body 200 as needed to achieve the fixed setting of the sealing ring 1.

[0047] Specifically, one option is to circumferentially mount the sealing ring 1 on the inner wall of the main body 200, specifically on the inner wall of the main body 200 at the open end to form a mating and aligning arrangement. Correspondingly, the air pump 2 and the controllable one-way valve 3 are also mounted on the main body 200, which can be mounted on the side wall or bottom of the main body 200. The air pump 2 is connected to the controllable one-way valve 3 via an air pipe, and the controllable one-way valve 3 is connected to the sealing ring 1 via an air pipe. To improve the reliability of the seal between the door body 100 and the main body 200 when the sealing ring 1 is in a sealed state, in this embodiment, a first rib 12 is circumferentially protruding on the side of the sealing ring 1 facing the door body 100; a first groove 101 for the rib to be sealed and inserted is circumferentially mounted on the outer peripheral wall of the door body 100. When the door 100 is placed on the main body 200 and the sealing ring 1 is in an expanded and sealed state due to inflation, the side of the sealing ring 1 is tightly fitted with the side wall of the mating part of the door 100, and at the same time, the first protruding rib 12 is embedded in the first groove 101 to enhance the sealing effect between the door 100 and the main body 200.

[0048] Another option is to have the sealing ring 1 circumferentially disposed on the outer peripheral wall of the mating part of the door body 100, with the corresponding air pump 2 and controllable one-way valve 3 disposed inside the door body 100. However, the thickness of the door body 100 is usually limited, and the power supply voltage of the circuit board inside the door body 100 is limited. The placement of the air pump 2 and controllable one-way valve 3 inside the door body 100 would alter the thickness of the door body 100 and the circuit structure within it, making it unsuitable for use with existing common electrical appliances. The aforementioned option is preferable. Similarly, to enhance the sealing reliability of the sealing ring 1 when it is in a sealed state, a second rib is circumferentially protruding on the side of the sealing ring 1 facing the inner wall of the main body 200; a second groove is circumferentially provided on the inner wall of the main body 200 for the rib to be sealed into. The working relationship between the second rib and the second groove is the same as the working relationship between the first rib 12 and the first groove 101.

[0049] The sealing structure of the door 100 in this utility model has a hollow cavity 11 in the sealing ring 1. Inflating the cavity 11 allows the sealing ring 1 to expand, achieving a good compression seal between the main body 200 and the door 100. When the cavity 11 of the sealing ring 1 is deflated, its volume shrinks back, which can release the relative compression seal between the main body 200 and the door 100. This releases the relative resistance between the main body 200 and the door 100 caused by the structure of the sealing ring 1, making it easier for users to open and close the door with less force and improving the operating feel.

[0050] In the specification and claims of this utility model, terms indicating direction, such as "front," "rear," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "side," "top," and "bottom," are used to describe various exemplary structural parts and elements of the invention. However, the use of these terms is merely for illustrative purposes and is based on the exemplary orientations shown in the accompanying drawings. Since the embodiments disclosed in this invention can be arranged in different orientations, these terms indicating direction are for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered as limitations. For example, "upper" and "lower" are not necessarily limited to directions opposite to or consistent with the direction of gravity.

[0051] The term "fluid connectivity" as used in this utility model refers to the spatial relationship between two components or parts (hereinafter referred to as the first part and the second part, respectively), that is, a fluid (gas, liquid, or a mixture of both) can flow from the first part along a flow path and / or be transported to the second part. This can be a direct connection between the first part and the second part, or an indirect connection between the first part and the second part through at least one third party. The third party can be a fluid channel such as a pipe, channel, conduit, guide, hole, or groove, or a chamber or combination thereof that allows fluid to flow through.

Claims

1. A door (100) sealing structure, characterized in that: include A sealing ring (1) has a hollow cavity (11) and the sealing ring (1) is disposed between the mating position of the door body (100) and the main body (200); The air pump (2) is in fluid communication with the cavity (11) of the sealing ring (1); The sealing ring (1) expands to a sealing state where the door (100) and the main body (200) are relatively sealed when the air pump (2) inflates the cavity (11); the sealing ring (1) shrinks to an initial state where the relative seal between the door (100) and the main body (200) is released when the gas in the cavity (11) is discharged.

2. The door (100) sealing structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air pump (2) is connected to the sealing ring (1) through a controllable one-way valve (3) with controllable conduction direction.

3. The door (100) sealing structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The controllable one-way valve (3) includes The valve body (31) has an axially distributed and interconnected first valve passage (311) and second valve passage (312) inside. The diameter of the first valve passage (311) is larger than the diameter of the second valve passage (312). One end of the valve body (31) is provided with a first air port (313) connected to the first valve passage (311), and the other end of the valve body (31) is provided with a second air port (314) connected to the second valve passage (312). The first air port (313) is connected to the outlet of the air pump (2), and the second air port (314) is connected to the cavity (11) of the sealing ring (1). An electromagnetic coil (32) is disposed inside the valve body (31) and located on the outer periphery of the second valve passage (312); The valve core (33) has its second end fitted into the second valve channel (312) based on the elastic element (34). The valve core (33) has a channel (331) facing the second air port (314). The valve core (33) has a vent hole (332) connected to the channel (331) on the side wall of its first end. The elastic element (34) tends to press against the valve core (33) to close the first air port (313); the valve core (33) interacts with the energized electromagnetic coil (32) to compress the elastic element (34) and thus open the first air port (313).

4. The door (100) sealing structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The air pump (2) is a dual-purpose air pump (2) that can be used for both inflation and deflation.

5. The door (100) sealing structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The sealing ring (1) is arranged circumferentially on the inner wall of the main body (200), and the air pump (2) is arranged on the main body (200).

6. The door (100) sealing structure according to claim 5, characterized in that: The sealing ring (1) has a first rib (12) protruding circumferentially along the side facing the door body (100); The outer peripheral wall of the door (100) is provided with a first groove (101) for inserting the rib seal along the circumferential direction.

7. The door (100) sealing structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The sealing ring (1) is circumferentially disposed on the outer peripheral wall of the door body (100), and the air pump (2) is disposed inside the door body (100).

8. The door (100) sealing structure according to claim 7, characterized in that: The sealing ring (1) has a second rib protruding circumferentially along the side facing the inner wall of the main body (200); The inner wall of the main body (200) is provided with a second groove along the circumferential direction for the insertion of the rib seal.

9. A cleaning machine comprising a main body (200) having a cavity and a door (100) covering the main body (200), characterized in that: It also includes the door (100) sealing structure as described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. The cleaning machine according to claim 9, characterized in that: The door (100) is rotatably connected to the main body (200).

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