Washing machine with steam washing care function

Abstract

The utility model relates to clothes treatment technical field, and more specifically, it relates to a kind of washing machine with steam washing nursing function, comprising: washing machine main body;Inner drum, setting in washing machine main body, for accommodating clothes;Air duct, its two ends are connected with the airflow circulation channel formed by the circulation of airflow of inner drum two ends respectively;First fan module, for making airflow circulation in air duct and drum;Wherein, further comprising: steam generator, for generating steam and conveying to air duct;Steam generator includes: shell, it has the chamber for storing water in it;Atomization module, setting in chamber, for the water in chamber atomization;Second fan module, setting in shell, for the mist in chamber is conveyed to the gas outlet port of chamber;And heating module, located in chamber, and close to the gas outlet port of chamber setting, for the mist vaporization into steam after passing;Wherein, the gas outlet port of chamber is communicated with air duct.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of clothing treatment technology, and more specifically, to a washing machine with steam washing and care function. Background Technology

[0002] As washing machine products have evolved, users have increasingly higher demands for their functionality. To meet these demands, washing machines are constantly adding new features, such as sterilization, deodorization, and steam cleaning and care functions.

[0003] Existing washing machines with steam care functions mainly utilize steam generated by a steam generator. By introducing steam into the inner drum, the washed clothes are wrinkled, dried, and sterilized, resulting in odor-free, supple, and clean clothes.

[0004] Traditional steam generators mainly heat water through heating components, and the water evaporates to form steam. When steam is generated in this way, the steam is intermittent. In addition, there are problems such as complex steam temperature control, small steam volume, and long steam generation time.

[0005] Currently, there are methods on the market that increase the steam generation rate by heating the mist. Specifically, water is first atomized using an atomizing device, and then the atomized mist is heated so that it can quickly vaporize and form steam.

[0006] Chinese invention patent application CN116103887A discloses a washing machine with a steam washing function, comprising: a cabinet; a door body disposed on the cabinet; an inner tub disposed inside the door, wherein the inner tub is connected to the door body via a door seal; an outer tub connected to the inner tub and disposed outside the inner tub; an atomizing system connected to the outer tub; and a drying tunnel system connected to the outer tub and the atomizing system. Water enters the atomizer through the inlet solenoid valve and the inlet pipe. The atomizer atomizes the water, and the atomized water vapor is guided to the top of the air outlet of the drying tunnel through the air outlet pipe. The airflow driven by the high-speed rotating motor fan heats the air to a certain temperature at the drying heating element. When the hot airflow encounters the atomized water mist, the small water mist particles instantly turn into steam upon contact with the hot air. This steam, propelled by the airflow, enters the inner drum of the washing machine through the interface between the drying tunnel system and the door seal, performing steam disinfection and washing on the clothes inside. However, this design requires the atomized water to be transported to the drying tunnel through pipes and heated into steam, which results in condensation loss within the pipes. Additionally, the drying tunnel heating element occupies a large space (requiring additional space for installation). Utility Model Content

[0007] The main objective of this invention is to provide a washing machine with steam washing and care functions to solve the technical problems mentioned in the background art.

[0008] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this utility model proposes a washing machine with steam washing and care function, comprising: Washing machine body; A tub assembly, located inside the main body of the washing machine, includes an outer tub and an inner tub; The air duct has an air outlet and an air inlet at its two ends, which are connected to the two ends of the outer barrel to form an airflow circulation channel. The first fan module is installed inside the air duct to circulate the airflow in the air duct and the outer and inner barrels. It also includes: a steam generator for generating steam and conveying it into the duct; the steam generator includes: A shell containing a chamber for storing water; The atomizing module, located inside the chamber, is used to atomize the water inside the chamber; The second fan module, located inside the housing, is used to transport the mist in the chamber to the air outlet of the chamber. And a heating module, located inside the chamber and near the air outlet of the chamber, is used to vaporize the passing mist into steam; The air outlet of the chamber is connected to the air duct.

[0009] Furthermore, the above technical solution also includes: The weighing module is used to detect the weight of the clothes inside the inner tub; And a control module, which controls the amount of mist generated by the atomizing module and the heating temperature of the heating module based on the information detected by the weighing module.

[0010] In any of the above technical solutions, further, the inner barrel is provided with a motor for driving its rotation; The weighing module detects the weight of the clothes inside the drum by using the motor current fed back from the forward and reverse rotation of the motor.

[0011] In any of the above technical solutions, the outer barrel is further provided with a first port and a second port, and the air outlet and air inlet of the air duct are respectively connected to the first port and the second port.

[0012] In any of the above technical solutions, the first port is located on the upper side wall of the outer tub, and the second port is located below the end of the outer tub away from the main door of the washing machine.

[0013] In any of the above technical solutions, further comprising: The camera module, located on the main body of the washing machine, is used to detect the wrinkles of the clothes inside the drum and send the detected information to the control module. The control module is also configured to control the amount of fog generation and the heating temperature of the heating module based on the received information about the wrinkles in the clothing.

[0014] In any of the above technical solutions, the housing is further provided with a water inlet pipe that communicates with the chamber, and the chamber is also provided with a liquid level sensing module that is electrically connected to the control module for detecting the water level in the chamber. The liquid level sensing module sends the detected water level information to the control module, which is also configured to control the opening and closing of the water inlet pipe based on the received water level information.

[0015] In any of the above technical solutions, the heating module is further defined as a heating plate.

[0016] In any of the above technical solutions, the heating plate is further provided in two sets, which are respectively disposed on two opposite inner walls of the cavity.

[0017] In any of the above technical solutions, the steam generator is further disposed below the air duct and arranged near the air outlet of the air duct.

[0018] Beneficial effects: Compared with existing technologies, On the one hand, by heating the mist to vaporize it into steam, the steam generation rate can be effectively increased and the steam generation time can be shortened. On the other hand, by setting the atomization module, the second fan module and the heating module in the housing of this steam generator, the installation space can be greatly reduced. It can be installed without adjusting the size and structure of the washing machine, which is very convenient and practical. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this utility model; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the steam generator of this utility model; Figure 3 This is a control block diagram of the control module of this utility model.

[0021] The annotations in the attached figures are explained as follows: 1. Washing machine body; 11. Door; 2. Drum assembly; 21. Outer drum; 211. First port; 212. Second port; 22. Inner drum; 23. Motor; 3. Air duct; 4. First fan module; 5. Steam generator; 51. Housing; 511. Chamber; 52. Atomizing module; 53. Second fan module; 54. Heating module; 6. Weighing module; 7. Control module; 8. Camera module; 9. Liquid level sensing module; 10. Temperature sensor. Detailed Implementation

[0022] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments according to this application will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are merely a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments of this application. It should be understood that this application is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described herein. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this utility model without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this utility model.

[0023] It should be noted that, as shown in this application and claims, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the words "a," "an," "an," and / or "the" do not specifically refer to the singular and may also include the plural. Generally speaking, the terms "comprising" and "including" only indicate the inclusion of explicitly identified steps and elements, and these steps and elements do not constitute an exclusive list; the method or apparatus may also include other steps or elements.

[0024] If the embodiments of this utility model involve directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indicators are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indicators will also change accordingly.

[0025] In this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connection," "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "fixing" can mean a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; it can mean a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can mean a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can mean the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model according to the specific circumstances.

[0026] Furthermore, if the embodiments of this utility model involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, the meaning of "and / or" throughout the text includes three parallel solutions; for example, "A and / or B" includes solution A, solution B, or a solution where both A and B are satisfied simultaneously. Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this utility model.

[0027] The following embodiments will be used to provide a detailed description of the washing machine with steam washing and care function of this application.

[0028] Example 1: like Figures 1-3 As shown, this embodiment proposes a washing machine with steam washing and care function, including: The washing machine body 1 is a drum-type washing machine with a door 11 on its front side for opening or closing; the tub assembly 2 is disposed inside the washing machine body 1, including an outer tub 21 and an inner tub 22. The side wall of the outer tub 21 is a closed structure for holding water, and the side wall of the inner tub 22 is a perforated structure to allow water from the outer tub 21 to enter the inner tub 22 for washing the clothes inside the inner tub 22; the air duct 3 has an air outlet and an air inlet at its two ends, which are respectively connected to the two ends of the outer tub 21 to form an airflow circulation channel; the first fan module 4 is disposed in the air duct 3 to circulate the airflow in the air duct 3 and the outer tub 21 and inner tub 22. The device also includes: a steam generator 5 for generating steam and conveying it into the air duct 3; the steam generator 5 includes: a housing 51 having a chamber 511 for storing water; an atomizing module 52 disposed in the chamber 511 for atomizing the water in the chamber 511; a second fan module 53 disposed in the housing 51 for conveying the mist in the chamber 511 to the air outlet of the chamber 511; and a heating module 54 located in the chamber 511 and near the air outlet of the chamber 511 for vaporizing the passing mist into steam. The air outlet of chamber 511 is connected to the air duct 3.

[0029] After opening the door 11 and placing the clothes in the inner tub 22, the first fan module 4 is activated, causing the airflow in the air duct 3 to be transported to one end of the outer tub 21. After passing through the clothes in the inner tub 22, the airflow is discharged from the other end of the outer tub 21. The discharged airflow is sent into the air duct 3, thereby circulating the airflow in the air duct 3, the outer tub 21, and the inner tub 22, thus achieving the drying process for the clothes in the inner tub 22. To achieve steam care for clothing, a steam generator 5 is also provided. The steam generator 5 is a device for generating steam. In contrast to the traditional method of heating water to generate steam, an atomizing module 52 is now provided. The atomizing module 52 is located at the bottom of the chamber 511 of the housing 51. The atomizing module 52 converts water into small particles of mist. Then, the mist is transported to the air outlet of the chamber 511 by the second fan module 53. After passing through the heating module 54, the mist is quickly vaporized into steam and flows into the air duct 3. Finally, under the action of the first fan module 4, the steam is transported into the outer tub 21, thereby providing steam care for the clothing in the inner tub 22.

[0030] On the one hand, by heating the mist to vaporize it into steam, the steam generation rate can be effectively increased and the steam generation time can be shortened. On the other hand, by setting the atomization module 52, the second fan module 53 and the heating module 54 in the housing 51 of this steam generator 5, the installation space can be greatly reduced. It can be installed without adjusting the size and structure of the washing machine, which is very convenient and practical.

[0031] In this embodiment, it should be noted that the second fan module 53 is a small fan installed inside the housing 51, positioned above the highest water level in the chamber 511. The upward or obliquely upward airflow from the fan module 53 carries the mist generated by the atomizing module 52 upwards, passing through the heating module 54. The heating module 54 is a flat heating plate used to heat the passing mist, vaporizing it into steam. The steam is then discharged from the outlet of the chamber 511 into the air duct 3 and finally into the inner cylinder 22 via the first fan module 4. The first fan module 4 is a fan installed inside the air duct 3, close to the outlet of the chamber 511. The steam in the chamber 511 is transported into the air duct 3 via the second fan module 53. Simultaneously, under the action of the first fan module 4, a negative pressure is generated in the chamber 511, causing the steam to flow into the air duct 3 and finally into the inner cylinder 22 via the first fan module 4.

[0032] In this embodiment, the optimized steam generator 5 is positioned below the air duct 3 and close to the air outlet of the air duct 3. By positioning the steam generator 5 below the air duct 3, installation is facilitated; furthermore, condensate residue is reduced, thus lowering steam loss.

[0033] In this embodiment, it should be noted that the atomizing module can be an ultrasonic atomizer, capable of converting water within the chamber into mist with a particle size of 0.5-55 μm. Example 2: This embodiment is a further improvement based on Embodiment 1.

[0034] like Figures 1-3 As shown, in this embodiment, it also includes: a weighing module 6, used to detect the weight of the clothes inside the inner tub 22; And control module 7, which controls the amount of mist generated by atomizing module 52 and the heating temperature of heating module 54 based on the information detected by weighing module 6.

[0035] Regarding steam care for clothing, if there is a large amount of clothing in the inner tub 22, more steam needs to be supplied to the inner tub 22; if there is a small amount of clothing, a small amount of steam can be supplied, thereby reducing power consumption.

[0036] To this end, a weighing module 6 is provided to weigh the clothes in the inner tub 22 in order to detect the amount of clothes in the inner tub 22, thereby facilitating the control module 7 to control the atomizing module 52 and the heating module 54.

[0037] The inner tub 22 is equipped with a motor 23 to drive its rotation. The forward and reverse rotation of the motor 23 drives the inner tub 22 to rotate, thereby washing and caring for the clothes inside. Furthermore, the weight detection of the clothes inside the inner tub 22 can essentially be transformed into the detection of the load on the motor 23. Since changes in the load on the motor 23 cause changes in the current flowing through it, the weight of the load can be detected by measuring the magnitude of the current in the motor 23. Specifically, the weighing module 6 detects the weight of the clothes inside the inner tub 22 by using the current fed back from the forward and reverse rotation of the motor 23. Because this detection method is quite common in existing technology, it will not be described in detail here.

[0038] In this embodiment, the outer tub 21 has a first port 211 and a second port 222. The air outlet and air inlet of the air duct 3 are connected to the first port 211 and the second port 222, respectively. The first port 211 is located on the upper side wall of the outer tub 21, and the second port 222 is located below the end of the outer tub 21 away from the door 11 of the washing machine body 1.

[0039] When the washing machine starts the steam care mode, the first fan module 4 and the steam generator 5 are activated. The steam generated by the steam generator 5 is sent from the air outlet of the air duct 3 to the first port 211 of the outer tub 21 through the first fan module 4, and then is transferred to the inner tub 22 through the hole on the inner tub 22. After acting on the clothes in the inner tub 22, it is discharged from the second port 222 of the outer tub 21 to the air duct 3, and finally circulated through the first fan module 4. In the initial stage, after the high-temperature steam enters the outer tub 21 through the first port 211, the high-temperature steam density is lower than that of air and will rise. In this embodiment, by setting the first port 211 at the top of the side wall of the outer tub 21 and near the door seal, and then setting the second port 222 below the end wall, the high-temperature steam entering from the top of the outer tub 21 can quickly press the gas in the inner tub 22 towards the second port 222 of the outer tub 21 and discharge it from the second port 222. At the same time, the high-temperature steam gradually and evenly acts on the clothes in the inner tub 22. After the motor 23 drives the inner tub 22 to rotate, the steam can come into more comprehensive contact with the clothes, resulting in a better care effect.

[0040] In this embodiment, the optimized version also includes: a camera module 8, which is mounted on the main body 1 of the washing machine, for detecting the wrinkles of the clothes in the inner tub 22 and sending the detected information to the control module 7; The control module 7 is also configured to control the amount of fog generation and the heating temperature of the heating module 54 based on the received information about the wrinkles in the clothing.

[0041] The camera module 8 is a camera installed on the door 11, which can take pictures of the clothes inside the inner tub 22. If it is detected that there are many wrinkles in the clothes inside the inner tub 22, the control module 7 controls the atomizing module 52 to increase the atomization amount and controls the heating module 54 to increase the heat generation, thereby increasing the amount of steam entering the inner tub 22 to speed up the steam care of the clothes inside the inner tub 22. When it is detected that the amount of wrinkles in the clothes inside the inner tub 22 gradually decreases to a certain amount, the control module 7 controls the atomizing module 52 to decrease the atomization amount and controls the heating module 54 to decrease the heat generation, thereby reducing the amount of steam entering the inner tub 22 to reduce the power consumption of the entire washing machine.

[0042] It should be noted that the heating module 54 consists of two sets of heating plates arranged on the inner wall of the chamber 511. When it is necessary to reduce the heat output of the heating module 54, only one set of heating plates needs to be turned on. When it is necessary to increase the heat output of the heating module 54, both sets of heating plates can be turned on. This is very convenient and can effectively control the steam temperature.

[0043] Example 3: This embodiment is a further improvement based on Embodiment 2.

[0044] like Figure 2As shown, in this embodiment, the housing 51 is also provided with a water inlet pipe that communicates with the chamber 511, and the chamber 511 is also provided with a liquid level sensing module 9 that is electrically connected to the control module 7, for detecting the water level in the chamber 511. The liquid level sensing module 9 sends the detected water level information to the control module 7, which is also configured to control the opening and closing of the water inlet pipe based on the received water level information.

[0045] The water inlet pipe is connected to the water passage inside the main body 1 of the washing machine so that water can flow into the chamber 511 of the housing 51 through the water inlet pipe. Then, the water level in the chamber 511 is monitored by a liquid level sensor installed in the chamber 511. When the water level is lower than the set minimum threshold, the valve or pump on the water inlet pipe needs to be opened to allow water to enter the chamber 511. When the water level is higher than the set maximum threshold, the valve or pump on the water inlet pipe is turned off, thereby ensuring that the water in the chamber 511 can be continuously atomized and heated.

[0046] Specifically, the change in liquid level in steam generator 5 is confirmed by measuring the liquid level change in steam generator 5, and then multiplied by a coefficient of 0.8 to account for losses due to the conversion of mist into steam and the steam loss during the passage of air duct 3. This is then used to confirm whether the change matches the weight of the clothes inside the inner tub 22. If the amount of steam generated and entering the inner tub 22 matches the weight of the clothes, only one set of heating plates on the side wall of steam generator 5 will operate. Simultaneously, water will begin entering through the water inlet pipe connected to steam generator 5 to ensure a continuous supply of water inside the steam generator 5. If the amount of steam generated does not match the weight of the clothes inside the tub, both heating plates must operate simultaneously, and the atomization volume of the atomization module 52 must be increased. When both heating plates are operating simultaneously, the steam generation rate is faster, and the water consumption inside steam generator 5 is also faster. Water must also be added to chamber 511 to maintain the water level. Water intake will only stop after the liquid level sensor determines that the water level at the bottom of steam generator 5 is between 50-55mm.

[0047] Additionally, it should be noted that a temperature sensor 10 can be installed inside the air duct 3 to detect the temperature inside the air duct 3, thereby facilitating the control of the heating module 54 and ensuring that the steam temperature reaches the set threshold.

[0048] The various embodiments of this disclosure have been described above. These descriptions are exemplary and not exhaustive, nor are they limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein is chosen to best explain the principles, practical application, or improvement of the technology in the market, or to enable others skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A washing machine with steam washing and care function, comprising: Washing machine body (1); The tub assembly (2) is disposed inside the main body (1) of the washing machine and includes an outer tub (21) and an inner tub (22). The air duct (3) has an air outlet and an air inlet at its two ends, which are respectively connected to the two ends of the outer barrel (21) to form an airflow circulation channel; The first fan module (4) is installed in the air duct (3) to circulate the airflow in the air duct (3) and the outer barrel (21) and inner barrel (22); The feature is that it further includes: a steam generator (5) for generating steam and conveying it into the air duct (3); the steam generator (5) includes: The shell (51) has a chamber (511) for storing water. Atomizing module (52) is disposed in the chamber (511) and is used to atomize the water in the chamber (511); The second fan module (53) is disposed inside the housing (51) and is used to transport the mist in the chamber (511) to the air outlet of the chamber (511); And a heating module (54), located in the chamber (511) and near the air outlet of the chamber (511), for vaporizing the passing mist into steam; The air outlet of the chamber (511) is connected to the air duct (3).

2. The washing machine with steam washing and care function as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: Weighing module (6) is used to detect the weight of the clothes inside the inner tub (22); And the control module (7) controls the amount of mist generated by the atomizing module (52) and the heating temperature of the heating module (54) based on the information detected by the weighing module (6).

3. The washing machine with steam washing and care function as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The inner barrel (22) is equipped with a motor (23) for driving its rotation. The weighing module (6) detects the weight of the clothes in the inner tub (22) through the motor (23) current fed back by the forward and reverse rotation of the motor (23).

4. The washing machine with steam washing and care function as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The outer barrel (21) is provided with a first port (211) and a second port (212), and the air outlet and air inlet of the air duct (3) are respectively connected to the first port (211) and the second port (212).

5. The washing machine with steam washing and care function as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The first port (211) is located on the upper side wall of the outer tub (21), and the second port (212) is located below the end of the outer tub (21) away from the washing machine body (1) door (11).

6. The washing machine with steam washing and care function as described in any one of claims 2-5, characterized in that, Also includes: The camera module (8) is installed on the main body (1) of the washing machine and is used to detect the wrinkle information of the clothes in the inner tub (22) and send the detected information to the control module (7). The control module (7) is further configured to control the amount of fog generated and the heating temperature of the heating module (54) based on the received information about the wrinkles in the clothing.

7. The washing machine with steam washing and care function as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The housing (51) is also provided with a water inlet pipe that communicates with the chamber (511), and the chamber (511) is also provided with a liquid level sensing module (9) that is electrically connected to the control module (7) for detecting the water level in the chamber (511); The liquid level sensing module (9) sends the detected water level information to the control module (7), and the control module (7) is also configured to control the opening and closing of the water inlet pipe according to the received water level information.

8. The washing machine with steam washing and care function as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The heating module (54) is a heating plate.

9. The washing machine with steam washing and care function as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The heating plate has two sets, which are respectively disposed on two opposite inner walls in the cavity (511).

10. The washing machine with steam washing and care function as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The steam generator (5) is located below the air duct (3) and is positioned near the air outlet of the air duct (3).

Images