Clothes dryer water box and combination laundry treatment apparatus

Abstract

This utility model discloses a dryer water box and a double-layer clothing processing device, relating to the field of clothing processing technology. The dryer water box includes: a lid; a base, which together with the lid forms a water-containing space; a drain section for draining water from the containing space; and a one-way valve, disposed on the lid, allowing one-way flow from the containing space outwards. In this utility model, when the drain section becomes blocked, the water in the dryer water box can be drained outwards through the one-way valve, preventing some electrical components of the clothing processing device from coming into contact with water due to blockage. Simultaneously, the one-way valve also prevents external air from entering the drain pipe of the double-layer clothing processing device through the dryer water box, thus preventing drainage obstruction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of clothing processing technology, and in particular to a dryer water box and a double-layer clothing processing device. Background Technology

[0002] For a combined laundry processing device that includes a dryer and a washing machine, a water box is installed at the bottom of the dryer for drainage. The water box and the washing machine drain pipe are respectively connected to the two inlets of a T-connector, and the outlet of the T-connector is connected to a main drain pipe to achieve common drainage for both the dryer and the washing machine.

[0003] However, the presence of the water box allows outside air to enter the drainage pipes of the double-layer clothing processing equipment through the water box, causing drainage problems. Utility Model Content

[0004] Based on the technical problems existing in the background technology, this utility model proposes a dryer water box and a double-layer clothing processing device. By setting a one-way valve on the cover of the dryer water box to allow one-way flow from the containing space to the outside, overflow is achieved while preventing external gas from entering the drain pipe through the dryer water box and causing poor drainage.

[0005] When blockages or other issues prevent water from draining properly from the dryer's water tank, the rising water flow can be directed out of the water tank via a one-way valve, ensuring the safety of the electrical components in the clothing processing equipment.

[0006] The water tank for the clothes dryer proposed in this utility model includes:

[0007] Box lid;

[0008] The base, together with the lid, forms a water-containing space;

[0009] A drainage section for draining water from the containing space;

[0010] A one-way valve, provided on the lid, allows one-way flow from the containing space outwards.

[0011] Preferably, the one-way valve includes a check plate and a through hole disposed on the cover.

[0012] Preferably, a limiting frame for limiting the backstop plate is provided in the through hole, and the limiting frame is located on the side close to the receiving space.

[0013] Preferably, the dryer water tank further includes a liquid level detection component disposed within the containment space.

[0014] Preferably, the liquid level detection component includes:

[0015] The main body is equipped with sensors;

[0016] A float, which can move up and down, is mounted on the main body;

[0017] The sensing element can be sensed by a sensor, and the sensing element is fixedly mounted on the float.

[0018] Preferably, the dryer water box further includes an air inlet, which is disposed on either the box cover or the base, and is used to connect the receiving space and the exhaust branch pipe in the first clothing processing section for venting the drain pipe which adopts the top drainage method.

[0019] Preferably, the air inlet is located at the bottom of the base, and / or the air inlet is higher than the bottom wall of the accommodating space.

[0020] The dual-layer garment processing device proposed in this utility model includes:

[0021] The first garment processing section has a drain pipe that uses an upward drainage method;

[0022] A clothes dryer having the aforementioned clothes dryer water box, wherein the drainage section is a drain outlet located at the bottom of the receiving space;

[0023] A three-way pipe has an outlet branch pipe, a first inlet branch pipe connected to the drain pipe, and a second inlet branch pipe connected to the drain outlet; the outlet branch pipe includes a confluence channel, a first channel, and a second channel, the first channel and the second channel are respectively connected to the first inlet branch pipe and the second inlet branch pipe, and the first channel and the second channel converge at the confluence channel;

[0024] An exhaust manifold connects the second channel and the air inlet.

[0025] The main drain pipe, connected to the branch drain pipe, is used to discharge the water discharged from the drain pipe and the drain section to the outside of the duplex clothing processing equipment.

[0026] Preferably, the exhaust branch pipe is formed on the tee pipe.

[0027] Preferably, the exhaust branch pipe and the second water inlet branch pipe are arranged side by side in the same direction;

[0028] And / or, the exhaust branch pipe and the second water inlet branch pipe share a side wall opening extending from the inlet of the second water inlet branch pipe to the outlet.

[0029] The beneficial technical effects of this utility model are as follows:

[0030] This invention features a one-way valve on the lid that allows one-way flow from the storage space outwards. When the drain is blocked, water in the dryer's water box can be discharged outwards through the one-way valve, preventing some electrical components of the clothing processing equipment from coming into contact with water due to the blockage of the drain. At the same time, the one-way valve also prevents external air from entering the drain pipe of the double-layer clothing processing equipment through the dryer's water box, thus preventing poor drainage. Attached Figure Description

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the water box for the clothes dryer proposed in this utility model;

[0032] Figure 2 An exploded view of the water tank for the dryer proposed in this utility model;

[0033] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the water tank for the clothes dryer proposed in this utility model;

[0034] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the liquid level detection component proposed in this utility model;

[0035] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the duplex clothing processing equipment proposed in this utility model;

[0036] Figure 6 This is a partial enlarged AA view of the duplex clothing processing device proposed in this utility model;

[0037] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view of the three-way pipe in the first embodiment of this utility model;

[0038] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram showing the gas and water flow directions of the three-way pipe proposed in this utility model;

[0039] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the three-way pipe in the second embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional view of the three-way pipe in the second embodiment of this utility model.

[0041] In the diagram: 1-Dryer, 2-First Clothes Processing Section, 21-Drain Pipe, 22-Main Drain Pipe, 3-T-connector, 31-First Inlet Branch Pipe, 32-Second Inlet Branch Pipe, 33-Outlet Branch Pipe, 331-First Channel, 332-Second Channel, 333-Merging Channel, 34-Exhaust Branch Pipe, 35-Mounting Base, 351-Sealing Groove, 4-Box Body, 41-Box Cover, 411-Check Plate, 412-Liquid Level Detection Component, 4121-Main Body, 4122-Sensed Element, 4123-Limiting Plate, 4124-Buffer, 4125-Mounting Groove, 4126-Float, 4127-Sensor, 413-Through Hole, 414-Limiting Frame, 42-Ventilation Pipe, 43-Drain Outlet, 44-Air Inlet, 45-Base. Detailed Implementation

[0042] The present invention will be further explained below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0043] Example 1

[0044] Reference Figure 1-3 The water box for the dryer proposed in this utility model includes a box body 4, which includes a box cover 41, a base 45, a drain section and a one-way valve.

[0045] The base 45 and the cover 41 form a water-containing space, which is connected to the dryer's drainage system for draining water from the dryer. For example, in a dryer that uses a heat pump system for drying, the water-containing space receives the condensate generated by the heat pump system and drains the condensate outside the dryer.

[0046] The drain section is used to drain water from the container. The drain section can be a water pipe connected to the container or a drain outlet located at the bottom of the container. The inlet of the drain section is not higher than the bottom of the container, so that the water in the dryer's water box can be fully drained to avoid water accumulation.

[0047] During repeated development experiments, the applicant discovered that, in extreme cases, the presence of the water box could allow outside air to enter the drain pipe of the double-layer clothing processing equipment, causing drainage problems. Therefore, the water box of the dryer in this embodiment includes a lid to prevent outside air from entering the drain pipe of the double-layer clothing processing equipment through the water box. However, with the lid on, the water in the dryer's water box cannot be discharged in time due to poor drainage, which may cause some electrical components in the dryer to come into contact with water. Therefore, this embodiment provides a one-way valve on the lid 41. The one-way valve allows one-way flow from the containing space to the outside, thereby allowing water to overflow from the water box while preventing outside air from entering the drain pipe and causing drainage problems.

[0048] The aforementioned type of one-way valve can employ conventional technologies, such as diaphragm pressure valves. In this embodiment, the one-way valve may include a check valve 411 and a through hole 413 disposed on the cover 41. The check valve 411 may be disposed on the upper side of the cover 41 and pivotally connected to the cover 41. Under normal conditions, the check valve 411 completely covers the through hole 413. When the check valve is in the position covering the through hole 413, one end of the check valve can only rotate away from the dryer water tank and cannot rotate into the dryer water tank, thereby enabling one-way flow from the containing space outwards.

[0049] In this embodiment, a limiting frame 414 is provided within the through hole 413 to limit the backstop 411. The limiting frame 414 is located on the side closer to the receiving space. By setting the limiting frame, the backstop 411 can be restricted to the outside of the receiving space. On the other hand, in order to ensure sealing, the backstop 411 is usually made of a flexible material such as rubber, so the backstop 411 may deform. The presence of the limiting frame 414 can prevent the flexible material backstop 411 from deforming. In addition, in actual use, a torsion spring can also be set at the hinge between the backstop 411 and the lid to form a pressing force on the backstop 411 against the limiting frame, further improving the sealing effect between the backstop 411 and the through hole.

[0050] In this embodiment, the dryer water box also includes a liquid level detection component 412 disposed in the accommodating space. The liquid level detection component 412 is used to monitor the water level in the dryer water box. When the water level in the dryer water box reaches the warning water level line, it indicates that the drain pipe of the clothing processing equipment is blocked. At this time, the liquid level detection component 412 sends a signal to the main control board, and the main control board controls the clothing processing equipment to stop working. At the same time, it can also issue an alarm signal to remind the user to check and repair the blocked pipe.

[0051] The specific structure of the liquid level detection component can refer to existing technologies, and is an optional implementation scheme in this embodiment. Figure 4 The liquid level detection component 412 may include: a main body 4121, a float 4126, and a sensed element 4122.

[0052] The main body 4121 can be installed on the cover, and the specific installation method between the main body and the cover can adopt existing technology; a mounting slot 4125 can also be set in the main body for mounting the sensor 4127. The wire connected to the sensor 4127 is led out from one end of the main body 4121. The sensor is used to detect whether the sensed element 4122 is at the water level warning line position. When the sensed element 4122 is at the water level warning line position, the sensor transmits the signal to the main control board, and the main control board responds according to the preset program.

[0053] The float 4126 is movable up and down on the main body 4121. The float can move up and down along the main body 4121 under the buoyancy of the water in the dryer water box, thereby indicating the water level in the dryer water box.

[0054] The sensed element 4122 can be sensed by the sensor 4127. The sensed element 4122 is fixedly mounted on the float 4126. The sensed element 4122 can move up and down along the main body 4121 under the buoyancy of the water in the dryer's water tank. The sensor can detect the position of the sensed element 4122. The sensor can monitor the position of the sensed element in real time, or it can monitor whether the sensed element has reached the water level warning line. That is, when the sensed element is below the water level warning line, it cannot be detected by the sensor. When the sensed element is detected by the sensor, it means that the water level in the dryer's water tank has reached near the water level warning line. At this time, the sensor can send a warning signal to the main control board. In this embodiment, the sensor can be a Hall sensor, and the corresponding sensed element can be a magnet.

[0055] In a specific product, the main body 4121 may be provided with two limiting plates 4123, and the float 4126 is located between the two limiting plates 4123. The distance between the two limiting plates 4123 is the effective displacement distance of the float 4126. The specific size of the distance can be designed according to the actual situation. In addition, a buffer 4124 may be provided on the side of the limiting plate 4123 near the float 4126, which can buffer the moving float 4126.

[0056] In this embodiment, the dryer water box may also include an air inlet 44, which is disposed on either the box cover 41 or the base 45, and is used to connect the accommodating space and the exhaust branch pipe 34 in the first clothing processing unit 2 for venting the drain pipe 21 which adopts the top drainage method.

[0057] In one scenario, the first garment processing unit 2 and the dryer can be two separate devices, only close to each other during use, and can be connected by an additional pipe to the exhaust branch pipe 34 of the first garment processing unit 2 and the air inlet 44 on the water tank of the dryer; in another scenario, the first garment processing unit 2 and the dryer can be two parts of the same double garment processing device, for example, the double garment processing device consists of a dryer and a washing machine designed to be stacked on top of each other, with the washing machine located below the dryer.

[0058] In all the above situations, the first clothing processing unit 2 uses an upward drainage method for drainage, and an exhaust branch pipe 34 is provided corresponding to the drain pipe. As is known to those skilled in the art, the exhaust branch pipe 34 can remove the gas in the drain pipe of the first clothing processing unit 2, avoiding the problem of drainage failure. However, on the other hand, the presence of the exhaust branch pipe may cause drainage to overflow from the exhaust branch pipe to the outside. Therefore, the air inlet 44 in this embodiment is connected to the exhaust branch pipe 34. The air inlet 44 can guide the water overflowing from the exhaust branch pipe 34 of the first clothing processing unit 2 into the dryer water box, avoiding the overflow water from polluting the first clothing processing unit 2 or its surrounding environment.

[0059] In this embodiment, the air inlet 44 can be located at the bottom of the base 45 and can be flush with the bottom of the base. However, when the height of the air inlet is set to be the same as the height of the drain outlet, the exhaust of the air inlet may be affected during the drainage process. Therefore, the air inlet 44 can also be set higher than the bottom of the base 45 to avoid the water flow from the dryer water box into the drain outlet affecting the exhaust of the vent pipe.

[0060] To ensure that the air inlet is higher than the bottom wall of the storage space, the air inlet can be extended from the storage space toward the lid to form a vent pipe with a certain height. The vent pipe can be integrally formed with the dryer water box, or fixed inside the dryer water box in the existing way. The gas in the drain pipe passes through the air inlet and the vent pipe in sequence and is discharged into the dryer water box.

[0061] Alternatively, the exhaust branch pipe 34 can be directly inserted through the air inlet and into the dryer water box, so that the exhaust outlet of the exhaust branch pipe is higher than the bottom wall of the accommodating space. In this case, it is necessary to ensure the sealing of the connection between the exhaust branch pipe and the dryer water box to avoid water leakage.

[0062] Example 2

[0063] Reference Figure 5 and Figure 6 This utility model also provides a double-layer clothing processing device, including: a first clothing processing unit 2, a dryer 1, a three-way pipe 3, an exhaust branch pipe 34, and a main drain pipe 22.

[0064] The first garment processing unit 2 has a drain pipe 21 that drains water using an upward drainage method. For example, the first garment processing unit 2 can be a washing machine in a multi-layer garment processing device.

[0065] The dryer 1 has the dryer water box as in Embodiment 1, and the drainage part is a drain outlet 43 located at the bottom of the dryer water box containing space. The water discharged from the dryer first enters the dryer water box and then is discharged through the drain outlet.

[0066] In a double-layer clothing processing system, the washing machine and dryer can be arranged either vertically or side-by-side. When arranged vertically, the dryer can be placed on top of the washing machine.

[0067] Reference Figure 7 The three-way pipe 3 has an outlet branch pipe 33, a first inlet branch pipe 31 connected to the drain pipe 21, and a second inlet branch pipe 32 connected to the drain outlet 43; the outlet branch pipe 33 includes a confluence channel 333, a first channel 331 and a second channel 332, the first channel 331 and the second channel 332 are respectively connected to the first inlet branch pipe 31 and the second inlet branch pipe 32, and the first channel 331 and the second channel 332 converge at the confluence channel 333.

[0068] Combining the water flow direction in the tee pipe Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the water flowing into the first inlet branch pipe 31 passes through the first channel 331 and the confluence channel 333 in sequence, and the water flowing into the second inlet branch pipe 32 passes through the second channel 332 and the confluence channel 333 in sequence; when the first inlet branch pipe 31 and the second inlet branch pipe 32 are filled with water at the same time, the water flowing into the first channel 331 and the water flowing into the second channel 332 are discharged after being gathered in the confluence channel 333.

[0069] The exhaust branch pipe 34 connects the second channel 332 and the air inlet 44, which can discharge the gas in the three-way pipe into the dryer water box, ensuring smooth drainage of the three-way pipe.

[0070] The main drain pipe 22 is connected to the branch water outlet pipe 33, which is used to discharge the water discharged from the drain pipe 21 and the drainage section to the outside of the duplex clothing processing equipment.

[0071] The exhaust manifold can be independent of tee 3, see reference 3. Figure 7 The exhaust branch pipe 34 can also be formed on the tee pipe 3, which facilitates the installation and processing of the exhaust pipe and improves the integration of the equipment. In addition, the exhaust branch pipe 34 and the second water inlet branch pipe 32 can be arranged in the same direction and side by side, which facilitates the mold release during the manufacturing of the tee pipe. Moreover, the exhaust branch pipe 34 has a simple structure and is easy to manufacture.

[0072] Alternatively, the exhaust branch pipe 34 and the second water inlet branch pipe 32 can be configured to share a side wall opening extending from the inlet to the outlet of the second water inlet branch pipe, which can further facilitate the mold release during the manufacturing of the tee pipe and save materials.

[0073] In the first embodiment, refer to Figure 7 The outlet of the exhaust branch pipe 34 is flush with the inlet of the second water inlet branch pipe. This method facilitates the production of molds during the manufacturing of the three-way pipe and facilitates the subsequent installation of the three-way pipe on the clothing processing equipment. At this time, the outlet of the exhaust branch pipe 34 is directly connected to the air inlet in the water box of the dryer.

[0074] In the second embodiment, refer to Figure 9 and Figure 10 The outlet of the exhaust branch pipe 34 is higher than the inlet of the second water inlet branch pipe 32. In this case, the exhaust branch pipe and the second water inlet branch pipe 32 can either share a side wall opening extending from the inlet of the second water inlet branch pipe to its outlet, or the outer exhaust branch pipe and the second water inlet branch pipe 32 can be set to be independent of each other, with only the inlet of the exhaust branch pipe and the outlet of the second water inlet branch pipe 32 connected to the second channel. When installing the tee pipe, the exhaust branch pipe 34 can be directly inserted through the air inlet and into the dryer's water box, making the exhaust outlet higher than the bottom wall of the accommodating space. In this case, it is necessary to ensure the airtightness of the connection between the exhaust branch pipe and the dryer's water box to avoid leakage. This design simplifies the structure of the dryer's water box, facilitating subsequent maintenance and replacement.

[0075] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the outlet and inlet of the exhaust branch pipe 34, the outlet of the second channel 332, and the outlet of the first channel 331 can decrease in height. As is known to those skilled in the art, based on this design, gas in the tee can be more easily discharged from the tee.

[0076] Although embodiments of this application have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of this application. The scope of this application is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents, all of which should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A water tank for a clothes dryer, characterized in that, include: Box lid (41); The base (45) and the lid (41) together form a water-containing space; A drainage section for draining water from the containing space; A one-way valve is provided on the cover (41) to allow one-way flow from the containment space outward.

2. The dryer water tank according to claim 1, characterized in that, The one-way valve includes a check plate (411) and a through hole (413) provided on the cover (41).

3. The dryer water tank according to claim 2, characterized in that, A limiting frame (414) is provided inside the through hole (413) to limit the backstop plate (411), and the limiting frame (414) is located on the side close to the receiving space.

4. The dryer water tank according to claim 1, characterized in that, The dryer water box also includes a liquid level detection component (412) disposed within the containment space.

5. The dryer water tank according to claim 4, characterized in that, The liquid level detection component (412) includes: The main body (4121) is equipped with a sensor (4127); A float (4126) is mounted on the main body (4121) and can move up and down. The sensing element (4122) can be sensed by the sensor (4127), and the sensing element (4122) is fixedly mounted on the float (4126).

6. The dryer water tank according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The dryer water box also includes an air inlet (44), which is located on either the box cover (41) or the base (45) and is used to connect the accommodating space and the exhaust branch pipe (34) in the first clothing processing unit (2) for venting the drain pipe (21) which uses the top drainage method.

7. The dryer water tank according to claim 6, characterized in that, The air inlet (44) is located at the bottom of the base (45), and / or the air inlet (44) is higher than the bottom wall of the accommodating space.

8. A double-layer garment processing device, characterized in that, include: The first garment processing unit (2) has a drain pipe (21) that drains water using an upward drainage method; A clothes dryer (1) having a clothes dryer water box as described in any one of claims 1-7, wherein the drain section is a drain outlet (43) provided at the bottom of the receiving space; The three-way pipe (3) has an outlet branch pipe (33), a first inlet branch pipe (31) connected to the drain pipe (21), and a second inlet branch pipe (32) connected to the drain outlet (43); the outlet branch pipe (33) includes a confluence channel (333), a first channel (331), and a second channel (332), the first channel (331) and the second channel (332) are respectively connected to the first inlet branch pipe (31) and the second inlet branch pipe (32), and the first channel (331) and the second channel (332) converge at the confluence channel (333); An exhaust manifold (34) connects the second channel (332) and the air inlet (44); The main drain pipe (22) is connected to the outlet branch pipe (33) and is used to discharge the water discharged from the drain pipe (21) and the drainage section to the outside of the duplex clothing processing equipment.

9. The garment processing equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that, The exhaust branch pipe (34) is formed on the tee pipe (3).

10. The garment processing equipment according to claim 9, characterized in that, The exhaust branch pipe (34) and the second water inlet branch pipe (32) are arranged side by side in the same direction; And / or, the exhaust branch pipe (34) and the second water inlet branch pipe (32) share a side wall opening extending from the inlet of the second water inlet branch pipe to the outlet.

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