Laundry treating apparatus

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a laundry treating apparatus, comprising a micro-channel heat exchanger, a housing, a first limiting structure and a second limiting structure, the micro-channel heat exchanger is arranged in a drying duct of the laundry treating apparatus; the housing is formed with a receiving cavity for accommodating the micro-channel heat exchanger; the first limiting structure is arranged in the receiving cavity, and is used for limiting the micro-channel heat exchanger in the axial direction of a drum body of the laundry treating apparatus; and the second limiting structure is arranged in the receiving cavity, and is used for limiting the micro-channel heat exchanger in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the axial direction. Through the above technical solution, in the laundry treating apparatus of the present disclosure, by reducing the internal space occupied by the heat exchanger, not only the arrangement of the heat exchanger itself is facilitated, but also installation space is reserved for other components, direct increase of the volume of the laundry treating apparatus is avoided, and the design of multi-drum and multi-function of the laundry treating apparatus is better facilitated.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of clothing processing technology, and more particularly to a clothing processing device. Background Technology

[0002] As users increasingly demand separate washing and care functions, and healthier washing, washing machines are evolving towards multi-drum and multi-functional designs. However, achieving multi-drum and multi-functional designs increases the number of components that need to be installed inside the washing machine. Given the limited internal space of a washing machine, it's difficult to accommodate these additional components. Simply increasing the size of the washing machine would take up even more space, making it inconvenient to move and use. Utility Model Content

[0003] To overcome the problems existing in the related technologies, this disclosure provides a garment processing device.

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a garment processing apparatus is provided, comprising: Microchannel heat exchangers are installed in the drying tunnel of garment processing equipment; The shell has a receiving cavity for accommodating the microchannel heat exchanger; A first limiting structure is disposed within the receiving cavity, and the first limiting structure is used to limit the microchannel heat exchanger in the axial direction of the cylinder of the clothing processing equipment. A second limiting structure is disposed within the receiving cavity, and the second limiting structure is used to limit the microchannel heat exchanger in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the axis direction.

[0005] In some possible implementations, the receiving cavity has an opening facing vertically, in which the microchannel heat exchanger is movably engaged with both the first and second limiting structures, respectively, and is configured to be installed within the receiving cavity via the vertical direction. This allows operators to install and remove the microchannel heat exchanger from the receiving cavity in the vertical direction. This design eliminates the need for pre-reserved installation space within the receiving cavity for the microchannel heat exchanger, further reducing the size of the receiving cavity and the housing.

[0006] In some possible implementations, the first limiting structure includes two opposing abutment plates arranged along the axial direction, with the microchannel heat exchanger abutting between the surfaces of the two abutment plates. The plate-like first limiting structure ensures sufficient contact area between the first limiting structure and the surface of the microchannel heat exchanger, guaranteeing the limiting effect of the first limiting structure. Simultaneously, the plate-like first limiting structure is better adapted to the surface of the microchannel heat exchanger.

[0007] In some possible implementations, the abutment plate is a hollow plate, and the abutment plate and the shell are constructed as a single unit. The hollow design can also be used for arranging other small structures such as connecting lines, further utilizing the space within the abutment plate. The abutment plate and shell are constructed as a single unit, which can reduce the gap between the abutment plate and the shell, ensuring the connection strength between the abutment plate and the shell.

[0008] In some possible implementations, the second limiting structure includes a strip-shaped hole disposed on the cavity wall of the receiving cavity, the strip-shaped hole extending along the vertical direction and one end extending to the opening, and the microchannel heat exchanger is provided with a protruding refrigerant interface. The refrigerant inlet extends from the interior of the receiving cavity through the strip-shaped hole, with the hole wall abutting against the outer surface of the refrigerant inlet opposite to the horizontal direction. The second limiting structure utilizes the irregular structure of the microchannel heat exchanger itself to limit the overall horizontal movement of the microchannel heat exchanger. This ensures that the microchannel heat exchanger can move and engage with the second limiting structure without affecting its installation.

[0009] In some possible implementations, the garment processing device further includes a third limiting structure for limiting the microchannel heat exchanger in the vertical direction. This ensures that the microchannel heat exchanger does not easily detach from the receiving cavity.

[0010] In some possible implementations, the housing comprises a first housing and a second housing, which are separately configured. The receiving cavity is disposed on the first housing, and the second housing covers the opening of the receiving cavity and abuts against the microchannel heat exchanger. The third limiting structure includes the second housing. This separate housing design not only eliminates the need for additional space, further reducing the volume required for the receiving cavity and the housing, but also makes the housing easier to assemble and disassemble, and facilitates the production and processing of the housing.

[0011] In some possible implementations, the bottom of the receiving cavity is provided with a drain outlet and protruding water-guiding ribs. Multiple water-guiding ribs are arranged parallel to each other and spaced apart. Each water-guiding rib has at least one water-guiding notch, wherein the water-guiding notches on adjacent water-guiding ribs are staggered. Water remaining at the bottom of the receiving cavity can be discharged through the drain outlet. When the amount of condensate is insufficient for direct flow, the water-guiding ribs can promote water flow.

[0012] In some possible implementations, the microchannel heat exchanger includes an evaporator and a condenser. The refrigerant inlet of the condenser is connected to the refrigerant outlet of the compressor, and the refrigerant outlet of the condenser is connected to the refrigerant inlet of the evaporator. Taking the need to reduce gas temperature as an example, the compressor compresses the refrigerant, turning it into a high-temperature, high-pressure gas. The high-temperature, high-pressure gas enters the condenser, where it releases heat through heat exchange with the external environment (such as air or water), condensing into a high-pressure liquid refrigerant. After throttling and pressure reduction, the high-pressure liquid refrigerant becomes a low-temperature, low-pressure liquid refrigerant that flows into the evaporator to absorb heat, thereby lowering the gas temperature.

[0013] In some possible implementations, the garment processing device includes a first drum and a second drum, with the first drum positioned above the second drum. The outer diameter of the first drum is smaller than that of the second drum, and the microchannel heat exchanger is disposed in a drying tunnel communicating with the first drum. Thus, the garment processing device has at least two drums, allowing the user to operate each drum independently and adjust the washing program and water temperature as needed to accommodate different types of garments, making the garment processing device more convenient to use.

[0014] In some possible implementations, there are two first drums, with their two central axes located on opposite sides of the vertical plane containing the central axis of the second drum. Having two first drums further enriches the use of the garment processing equipment, allowing for further partitioning of smaller garments and preventing the mixing of different types of small garments. Simultaneously, the arrangement of two first drums makes more efficient use of the space above the second drum; compared to stacking two first drums, this design occupies less space, reducing the overall size of the garment processing equipment.

[0015] In some possible implementations, the microchannel heat exchanger is positioned behind the first cylinder, and its volume V satisfies: 1000cm³ ≤ V ≤ 1400cm³. This ensures that the relatively small volume of the microchannel heat exchanger meets the heat exchange efficiency requirements of the first cylinder while also preventing the microchannel heat exchanger from becoming excessively large.

[0016] In some possible implementations, the microchannel heat exchanger includes an evaporator and a condenser. The evaporator contains one layer of heat exchange channels, and the condenser contains two layers of heat exchange channels. The two layers of heat exchange channels in the condenser are arranged at intervals along the horizontal direction, with a spacing of 6mm-8mm between them. The condenser employs a two-layer heat exchange channel structure to maximize the number of heat exchange channels per unit volume, effectively increasing the heat exchange area. Simultaneously, the small spacing between the two layers of heat exchange channels provides operational space during condenser assembly, ensuring that the two layers do not interfere with each other during installation. Furthermore, the small spacing not only prevents heat from interfering with each other between the two layers of heat exchange channels but also allows for a more compact internal arrangement within the condenser.

[0017] In some possible implementations, the condenser's inlet and outlet pipes are located on the same side of the condenser along the axial direction, while the evaporator's inlet and outlet pipes are located on opposite sides of the evaporator along the axial direction, with one of the evaporator's inlet and outlet pipes extending from one side of the axial direction to the other. This allows the evaporator's inlet and outlet pipes to be located on opposite sides of the evaporator along the axial direction, with one extending from one side to the other. This facilitates the arrangement of the evaporator itself, allowing the inlet and outlet pipes to follow different directions and reducing refrigerant pressure loss due to bends. Simultaneously, the outlet pipe can be kept away from the inlet pipe, avoiding thermal interference between the two pipes and improving the evaporator's cooling efficiency.

[0018] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this disclosure may include the following beneficial effects: Through the above technical solutions, the garment processing equipment of this disclosure embodiment is equipped with a microchannel heat exchanger, which is smaller in size and occupies less space compared to conventional heat exchangers. Simultaneously, by installing a shell with a receiving cavity, the microchannel heat exchanger is indirectly installed, allowing the irregular structure of the microchannel heat exchanger to be ignored during installation. Compared to directly installing the microchannel heat exchanger, the required installation structure is smaller, occupying less space, thus facilitating the installation of the garment processing equipment. Furthermore, within the shell, a limiting structure restricts the position of the microchannel heat exchanger within the receiving cavity, enabling the microchannel heat exchanger to be installed within the shell. Compared to other installation structures, the design of the limiting structure allows for a reduction in the size of the receiving cavity and the shell, further minimizing the space occupied by the microchannel heat exchanger. In other words, in the garment processing equipment of this disclosure embodiment, by reducing the internal space occupied by the heat exchanger, not only is the arrangement of the heat exchanger itself easier, but installation space can also be reserved for other components, avoiding a direct increase in the size of the garment processing equipment and better facilitating the multi-cylinder and multi-functional design of the garment processing equipment.

[0019] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a structure in which a heat exchanger is installed in a housing, as shown in a first view, according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a structure in which a heat exchanger is installed in a housing, shown from a second perspective, according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Enlarged view of section A; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the bottom of the housing shown in an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a garment processing device shown in an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first cylindrical body shown in an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures 1-Clothing processing equipment, 11-Microchannel heat exchanger, 111-Refrigerant interface, 112-Condenser, 113-Evaporator, 12-Shell, 121-Receiving cavity, 1211-Opening, 1212-Drain outlet, 1213-Water guide rib, 1214-Water guide notch, 122-First shell, 123-Second shell, 13-First limiting structure, 14-Second limiting structure, 15-Third limiting structure, 16-Drying tunnel, 161-Air inlet pipe, 162-Air outlet pipe, 163-Air inlet, 17-First cylinder, 18-Second cylinder. Detailed Implementation

[0023] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numerals in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this disclosure. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses consistent with some aspects of this disclosure as detailed in the appended claims.

[0024] As users increasingly demand separate washing and care functions, and healthier washing, washing machines are evolving towards multi-drum and multi-functional designs. However, achieving these multi-drum and multi-functional designs requires more internal components, increasing the number of parts that need to be installed. Each component requires a corresponding mounting structure to secure it. Furthermore, washing machines vibrate during operation, causing these internal components to vibrate as well. Therefore, the mounting structure must also protect the components from vibration, further increasing the size of the mounting structure. However, the internal space of a washing machine is limited, making it difficult to guarantee sufficient space for installing the components and their corresponding mounting structures. Simply increasing the size of the washing machine directly would result in it occupying more space, making it inconvenient to move and use.

[0025] To address the aforementioned issues, the solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0026] Reference Figures 1 to 6 The present disclosure provides a garment processing device 1, including a microchannel heat exchanger 11, a housing 12, a first limiting structure 13 and a second limiting structure 14.

[0027] A microchannel heat exchanger 11 is installed in the drying tunnel 16 of the garment processing equipment 1. Taking a washing machine as an example, the drying tunnel 16 refers to a gas flow system used to regulate the temperature and humidity of the gas flowing through the washing drum. During the washing process, the temperature of the gas and water in the washing drum can be regulated by adjusting the temperature of the gas in the drying tunnel 16. After washing, a high-temperature airflow can be generated through the drying tunnel 16 to dry the clothes in the washing drum. When not washing, a high-temperature airflow can be generated through the drying tunnel 16 to dry the inside of the washing drum, preventing it from becoming too damp. The microchannel heat exchanger 11, installed in the drying tunnel 16 of the garment processing equipment 1, ensures that the temperature of the gas flowing through the microchannel heat exchanger 11 in the drying tunnel 16 can be regulated by the microchannel heat exchanger 11 to achieve the various conditions mentioned above. Furthermore, the microchannel heat exchanger 11 is smaller in size than conventional heat exchangers. When the microchannel heat exchanger 11 is installed inside the garment processing equipment 1, it occupies less space, making it easier to arrange the heat exchanger and better reserving installation space for other components.

[0028] The shell 12 has a receiving cavity 121 for accommodating the microchannel heat exchanger 11. The shell 12 protects and secures the microchannel heat exchanger 11. Simultaneously, the shell 12 also isolates external gases to a certain extent, preventing them from affecting the heat exchange efficiency of the microchannel heat exchanger 11. In related technologies, the microchannel heat exchanger 11 often has an irregular structure. This irregular structure includes both an irregular shape (not a typical cube) and a surface that is not planar, potentially having multiple protruding structures. Although the microchannel heat exchanger 11 itself is relatively small, if it is directly placed inside the garment processing device 1, numerous mounting structures would be required within the device to secure the microchannel heat exchanger 11 at different locations, thus increasing its space requirements. Therefore, in the clothing processing device 1 of this embodiment, the microchannel heat exchanger 11 is installed in the housing 12 with the receiving cavity 121. The receiving cavity 121 can ignore the irregular structure of the microchannel heat exchanger 11. By installing the housing 12 in the clothing processing device 1, the microchannel heat exchanger 11 can be installed. As the housing 12 is a regular cubic structure, its installation is more convenient and does not require a lot of installation structure, thus avoiding occupying space in the clothing processing device 1.

[0029] A first limiting structure 13 is disposed within the receiving cavity 121, and is used to limit the microchannel heat exchanger 11 in the axial direction of the cylinder of the garment processing device 1. A second limiting structure 14 is disposed within the receiving cavity 121, and is used to limit the microchannel heat exchanger 11 in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the axial direction. The first limiting structure 13 and the second limiting structure 14 can limit the position of the microchannel heat exchanger 11 in the axial direction and the horizontal direction, respectively. Since the axial direction and the horizontal direction are orthogonal in the horizontal plane, the position of the microchannel heat exchanger 11 in the horizontal plane is actually fixed by the first limiting structure 13 and the second limiting structure 14. That is, when the housing 12 is installed, the first limiting structure 13 and the second limiting structure 14 can serve as the mounting structure for the microchannel heat exchanger 11, allowing the microchannel heat exchanger 11 to be installed within the housing 12.

[0030] Generally, the garment processing device 1 is constructed as a cube, with the side facing the user being the front side and the rear side being the side away from the user. The opening of the washing drum of the garment processing device 1 is usually located on the front side. It is understood that, in the embodiments of this disclosure, the axial direction of the washing drum of the garment processing device 1 mentioned above and below corresponds to one of the depth direction of the washing drum, the front-back direction of the garment processing device 1, and the width or length direction of the garment processing device 1. The horizontal direction mentioned above and below corresponds to the left-right direction of the garment processing device 1, and also corresponds to one of the width or length direction of the garment processing device 1. That is, when the axial direction corresponds to the width direction of the garment processing device 1, the horizontal direction corresponds to the length direction of the garment processing device 1; when the axial direction corresponds to the length direction of the garment processing device 1, the horizontal direction corresponds to the width direction of the garment processing device 1. Whether the axial direction of the washing drum specifically corresponds to the width or length direction of the garment processing device 1 depends mainly on the shape of the garment processing device 1, and this embodiment of the disclosure does not specifically limit this. Correspondingly, the vertical direction mentioned below corresponds to the height direction of the garment processing device 1, and also corresponds to the up-down direction.

[0031] In this embodiment of the disclosure, unless otherwise specified, the axial direction is taken as the length direction of the garment processing device 1, the horizontal direction as the width direction of the garment processing device 1, and the vertical direction as the height direction of the garment processing device 1, as examples are provided. For details, please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 .exist Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 In this diagram, the axial direction is represented by the X direction, the horizontal direction by the Y direction, and the vertical direction by the Z direction. Here, the horizontal direction corresponds to the left-right direction of the clothing handling device 1, and the axial direction corresponds to the front-back direction of the washing machine. It can be understood that these directions are based on the user's perspective when facing the control panel.

[0032] As mentioned above, in the related technologies, the microchannel heat exchanger 11 is mostly an irregular structure. If the microchannel heat exchanger 11 is installed in the housing 12 using ordinary installation structures, such as bolts or rivets, a large operating space needs to be reserved in the cavity 121. At the same time, these installation structures themselves also require a lot of volume, which will lead to an increase in the size of the housing 12 itself. This will also cause the microchannel heat exchanger 11 to occupy more space.

[0033] The method of installing the microchannel heat exchanger 11 using a limiting structure in this embodiment does not require reserving additional operating space; it only needs to ensure that the limiting structure can fit into the microchannel heat exchanger 11 itself. Furthermore, the shape of the limiting structure can be adaptively designed according to the irregular structure of the microchannel heat exchanger 11. That is, the limiting structure can be placed in the gap between the microchannel heat exchanger 11 and the inner wall of the shell 12, better utilizing the space within the receiving cavity 121. This allows for a reduction in the size of the receiving cavity 121 and the shell 12, resulting in a smaller space occupied by the microchannel heat exchanger 11.

[0034] Through the above technical solution, the clothing processing device 1 of this embodiment is equipped with a microchannel heat exchanger 11, which is smaller in size and occupies less space compared to conventional heat exchangers. Simultaneously, by installing the housing 12 with the receiving cavity 121, the microchannel heat exchanger 11 is indirectly installed. This allows the irregular structure of the microchannel heat exchanger 11 to be ignored when installing it in the clothing processing device 1. Compared to directly installing the microchannel heat exchanger 11, the required installation structure is smaller, and the space occupied is also smaller, facilitating the installation of the clothing processing device 1. Furthermore, within the housing 12, a limiting structure restricts the position of the microchannel heat exchanger 11 within the receiving cavity 121, thus achieving the installation of the microchannel heat exchanger within the housing 12. Compared to other installation structures, the design of the limiting structure allows the dimensions of the receiving cavity 121 and the housing 12 to be minimized, further reducing the space occupied by the microchannel heat exchanger 11. In other words, in the clothing processing device 1 of this disclosure embodiment, by reducing the internal space occupied by the heat exchanger, it is not only convenient to arrange the heat exchanger itself, but also to reserve installation space for other components, avoiding directly increasing the volume of the clothing processing device 1, and better helping the clothing processing device 1 to achieve a multi-cylinder and multi-functional design.

[0035] Reference Figures 1 to 3 The drying tunnel 16 of the garment processing equipment 1 may include an air inlet pipe 161 and an air outlet pipe 162. The receiving cavity 121 may be provided with an air inlet 163 and an air outlet. The air inlet pipe 161 is connected to the air inlet 163 and the washing drum of the garment processing equipment 1, respectively. The air outlet pipe 162 is connected to the air outlet and the washing drum of the garment processing equipment 1, respectively, to realize the circulation of gas.

[0036] In some embodiments, the receiving cavity 121 may be provided with an opening 1211 facing the vertical direction. In the vertical direction, the microchannel heat exchanger 11 is movably engaged with the first limiting structure 13 and the second limiting structure 14, respectively, and the microchannel heat exchanger 11 is configured to be installed in the receiving cavity 121 in the vertical direction. As mentioned above, the vertical direction is orthogonal to both the axial direction and the horizontal direction. In the embodiments of this disclosure, the limiting structures not only limit the position of the microchannel heat exchanger 11 in the axial direction and the horizontal direction, thus realizing the installation of the microchannel heat exchanger 11, but also do not affect the installation process of the microchannel heat exchanger 11 in the housing 12. Operators can install the microchannel heat exchanger 11 in the receiving cavity 121 in the vertical direction, and can also remove the microchannel heat exchanger 11 from the receiving cavity 121 in the vertical direction. This design eliminates the need to reserve installation space in the receiving cavity 121 for installing the microchannel heat exchanger 11, further reducing the size of the receiving cavity 121 and the housing 12.

[0037] In some embodiments, the first limiting structure 13 includes two abutment plates arranged opposite each other in the axial direction, with the microchannel heat exchanger 11 abutting between the surfaces of the two abutment plates. The plate-shaped first limiting structure 13 ensures the contact area between the first limiting structure 13 and the surface of the microchannel heat exchanger 11, thus ensuring the limiting effect of the first limiting structure 13. Simultaneously, the plate-shaped first limiting structure 13 can be better adapted to the surface of the microchannel heat exchanger 11. For example, when the surface of the microchannel heat exchanger is irregular, the surface of the abutment plate can be an irregularly shaped surface that matches the surface of the microchannel heat exchanger. Furthermore, the abutment plate can be better designed with perforations and slots; when the surface of the microchannel heat exchanger 11 has protruding structures, the perforations and slots on the abutment plate can better avoid them. It is understood that in the embodiments of this disclosure, the size and shape of the abutment plate are not limited; the shape and size of the abutment plate can be adapted to the microchannel heat exchanger 11. As described above, in the vertical direction, the microchannel heat exchanger 11 can be movably engaged with the first limiting structure 13. At this time, the abutment plate can extend in the vertical direction to achieve movable engagement.

[0038] The abutment plate can be a hollow plate, and the abutment plate and the housing 12 are constructed as a single piece. The hollow design reduces the weight of the abutment plate, making the housing 12 lighter and facilitating integral molding of the abutment plate with the housing 12. Simultaneously, the hollow design can also be used for the arrangement of other small structures such as connecting lines, further utilizing the space within the abutment plate. The integral construction of the abutment plate and the housing 12 reduces the gap between them, ensuring the connection strength between the abutment plate and the housing 12.

[0039] In some embodiments, the second limiting structure 14 may include a strip-shaped hole provided on the cavity wall of the receiving cavity 121. The strip-shaped hole extends vertically and one end extends to the opening 1211. The microchannel heat exchanger 11 is provided with a protruding refrigerant interface 111, wherein the refrigerant interface 111 passes through the strip-shaped hole from the inside of the receiving cavity 121, and the wall of the strip-shaped hole abuts against the outer surface of the refrigerant interface 111 opposite to the horizontal direction. That is to say, the second limiting structure 14 actually utilizes the irregular structure of the microchannel heat exchanger 11 itself to achieve horizontal limiting of the entire microchannel heat exchanger 11. In this way, the second limiting structure 14 can be constructed as a hole-like structure. The second limiting structure 14 not only does not occupy space, but also reduces the weight of the shell 12, further reducing the volume required for the receiving cavity 121 and the shell 12. At the same time, the design of the second limiting structure 14 as a strip-shaped hole ensures that the microchannel heat exchanger 11 can move and cooperate with the second limiting structure 14 without affecting the installation of the microchannel heat exchanger 11.

[0040] After the microchannel heat exchanger 11 is installed in the receiving cavity 121, in some embodiments, to prevent the microchannel heat exchanger 11 from shifting in the vertical direction, the garment processing device 1 may also include a third limiting structure 15 for limiting the microchannel heat exchanger 11 in the vertical direction. In this way, it can be ensured that the microchannel heat exchanger 11 will not easily detach from the receiving cavity 121.

[0041] Specifically, the housing 12 may include a first housing 122 and a second housing 123 that are separately disposed. A receiving cavity 121 is disposed on the first housing 122, and the second housing 123 covers the opening 1211 of the receiving cavity 121 and abuts against the microchannel heat exchanger 11. The third limiting structure 15 includes the second housing 123. The second housing 123 may be located above the first housing 122. In this case, when the microchannel heat exchanger 11 is disposed inside the receiving cavity 121, due to gravity, the lower surface of the microchannel heat exchanger 11 can abut against the bottom of the receiving cavity 121. When the second housing 123 covers the opening 1211 of the receiving cavity 121 and abuts against the microchannel heat exchanger 11, both the upper and lower surfaces of the microchannel heat exchanger 11 are actually abutted, achieving vertical limiting of the microchannel heat exchanger 11. This split design of the housing 12 not only saves space and further reduces the volume required for the receiving cavity 121 and the housing 12, but also makes the housing 12 easier to assemble and disassemble, and facilitates its production and processing. To avoid the second housing 123 obstructing the internal structure of the receiving cavity 121, in this embodiment, only... Figure 1 The second housing 123 is shown in the figure; other figures are omitted.

[0042] In the microchannel heat exchanger 11, when the gas temperature needs to be changed, during the process of temperature change, when the gas temperature decreases, the gaseous water in the gas may liquefy into liquid water, which will drip and remain at the bottom of the receiving cavity 121. To avoid the accumulation of condensate, some embodiments can be referred to in detail. Figure 3 The bottom of the receiving cavity 121 may be provided with a drain outlet 1212 and protruding water-guiding ribs 1213. Multiple water-guiding ribs 1213 are arranged parallel to each other and spaced apart. Each water-guiding rib 1213 has at least one water-guiding notch 1214, wherein the water-guiding notches 1214 on adjacent water-guiding ribs 1213 are staggered. Water remaining at the bottom of the receiving cavity 121 can be discharged through the drain outlet 1212. When the amount of condensate is insufficient for direct flow, the water-guiding ribs 1213 can promote water flow. When condensate drips onto the water-guiding ribs 1213, due to the surface tension of water, the water droplets will diffuse to both ends of the water-guiding ribs 1213, promoting water flow. The water-guiding notch 1214 allows water on one water-guiding rib 1213 to flow to an adjacent water-guiding rib 1213. Water on different water-guiding ribs 1213 can merge, promoting water flow and further facilitating the flow of water to the drain outlet 1212. It is understandable that... Figure 4 Only a portion of the casing is shown in the image.

[0043] The microchannel heat exchanger 11 includes an evaporator 113 and a condenser 112. The refrigerant inlet of the condenser 112 is connected to the refrigerant outlet of the compressor, and the refrigerant outlet of the condenser 112 is connected to the refrigerant inlet of the evaporator 113. Taking the need to reduce gas temperature as an example, the compressor compresses the refrigerant, turning it into a high-temperature, high-pressure gas. The high-temperature, high-pressure gas enters the condenser 112, where it releases heat through heat exchange with the external environment, such as air or water, and condenses into a high-pressure liquid refrigerant. After throttling and depressurization, the high-pressure liquid refrigerant becomes a low-temperature, low-pressure liquid refrigerant that flows into the evaporator 113 to absorb heat and reduce the gas temperature.

[0044] In some embodiments, the microchannel heat exchanger 11 includes an evaporator 113 and a condenser 112, with a heat exchange channel disposed within the evaporator 113. As described above, the evaporator 113 absorbs heat to lower the gas temperature, and the cooled gas needs to be introduced from the evaporator 113 into the washing drum within the clothing processing device 1. Generally, to ensure heat exchange efficiency, the refrigerant flows along a curved path in a specific direction within the heat exchange channel to ensure efficient heat exchange between the refrigerant and the gas. In this configuration, the curved path occupies a significant amount of space, and the single-layer heat exchange channel lacks space for refrigerant backflow. Therefore, the inlet pipe for introducing the refrigerant and the outlet pipe for discharging the refrigerant from the evaporator 113 are located on opposite sides of the evaporator 113. Taking the refrigerant flowing along a curved path in the axial direction as an example, the inlet and outlet pipes of the evaporator 113 are located on opposite sides of the evaporator 113 in the axial direction, with one of the inlet and outlet pipes extending from one side of the axial direction to the other. This design facilitates the arrangement of the evaporator 113, allowing the inlet and outlet pipes to be routed in different directions, reducing refrigerant pressure loss due to bends. Simultaneously, the outlet pipe can be kept away from the inlet pipe, avoiding thermal interference between them and improving the cooling efficiency of the evaporator 113.

[0045] As described above, in the axial direction, the inlet pipe and outlet pipe of the evaporator 113 can be located on opposite sides of the evaporator 113 in the axial direction. Correspondingly, in the vertical direction, the inlet pipe and outlet pipe of the evaporator 113 can be located on the same side, which further facilitates the arrangement of the evaporator 113. For example, in this application, the inlet pipe and outlet pipe of the evaporator 113 can both be located on the upper side of the evaporator 113 in the vertical direction.

[0046] In other embodiments, the condenser 112 may have two layers of heat exchange channels. These two layers of heat exchange channels can be arranged horizontally at intervals, with a spacing of 6mm-8mm between them. The two-layer heat exchange channel structure of the condenser 112 maximizes the number of heat exchange channels per unit volume, effectively increasing the heat exchange area. Simultaneously, the small spacing between the two layers allows for operational space during condenser 112 assembly, ensuring that the two layers do not interfere with each other during installation. Furthermore, the smaller spacing not only prevents heat exchange between the two layers from interfering with each other but also makes the internal arrangement of the condenser 112 more compact.

[0047] Meanwhile, when two heat exchange channels are provided inside the condenser 112, the inlet pipe and outlet pipe of the condenser 112 can be located on the same side of the condenser 112 along the axial direction. As mentioned above, in the case of a single-layer heat exchange channel, there is no space inside for refrigerant reversal flow. Therefore, the inlet pipe for refrigerant in a single-layer heat exchange channel and the outlet pipe for refrigerant outflow are located on opposite sides of the heat exchange channel. However, when two heat exchange channels are provided, the outlet pipe of one heat exchange channel can correspond to and connect with the inlet pipe of the other heat exchange channel. In this case, the flow direction of the refrigerant in the two heat exchange channels is exactly opposite, and the two heat exchange channels together form a space for the refrigerant to "reverse" flow. That is to say, for a condenser 112 with two heat exchange channels, the inlet pipe and outlet pipe of the condenser 112 can be located on the same side of the condenser 112 along the axial direction. The water inlet and outlet pipes of the condenser 112, which are arranged on the same side along the axial direction, make it easier to connect the condenser 112 to the compressor, making the clothing processing equipment 1 more integrated.

[0048] In some embodiments, the garment processing device 1 may include a first drum 17 and a second drum 18, with the first drum 17 positioned above the second drum 18. The outer diameter of the first drum 17 is smaller than that of the second drum 18. That is, the garment processing device 1 has at least two drums, which can be operated independently by the user. The user can adjust the washing program and water temperature separately as needed to accommodate different types of clothing, making the garment processing device 1 more convenient to use. For example, the second drum 18 can be used to wash clothes such as coats and jackets, while the first drum 17 can be used specifically for small items such as underwear and socks. This partitioned design avoids mixing different types of clothing, reduces the risk of cross-contamination, and improves washing efficiency. In some embodiments, a microchannel heat exchanger 11 may be disposed in a drying tunnel 16 communicating with the first drum 17.

[0049] There can be two first tubs 17. Two first tubs 17 can further enrich the use of the garment processing device 1, allowing smaller garments to be further separated and avoiding the mixing of different types of small garments. The two central axes of the two first tubs 17 are located on both sides of the vertical plane containing the central axis of the second tub 18. Furthermore, when there are two first tubs 17, the two housings 12 can be constructed as a single piece.

[0050] Reference Figure 5With the viewpoint facing the garment processing device 1 as a reference, the two central axes of the two first cylinders 17 can be located to the upper left and upper right of the central axis of the second cylinder 18, respectively. "Facing the garment processing device 1" here means facing the openings of the cylinders of the garment processing device 1, i.e., facing the operating interface. When using the garment processing device 1, the user can take or put away garments through the openings located in front of the garment processing device 1. In this way, the two first cylinders 17 can make efficient use of the space above the second cylinder 18. Compared to stacking the two first cylinders 17, this design occupies less space and reduces the volume of the garment processing device 1.

[0051] As described above, the outer diameter of the first cylinder 17 is smaller than the outer diameter of the second cylinder 18. Generally, the depth of the first cylinder 17 is also smaller than the depth of the second cylinder 18. When the first cylinder 17 and the second cylinder 18 are arranged as described above, in the front-back direction of the garment processing device 1, please refer to... Figure 6 At this point, the first cylinder 17 and the second cylinder 18 can be offset by a portion. To further utilize this space, the microchannel heat exchanger 11 can be positioned behind the first cylinder 17, making the arrangement within the garment processing equipment 1 more compact. Furthermore, the volume V of the microchannel heat exchanger 11 can satisfy: 1000cm³ ≤ V ≤ 1400cm³. Since the internal space of the first cylinder 17 is relatively small, the corresponding volume of the microchannel heat exchanger 11 can also be small, ensuring that the heat exchange efficiency of the microchannel heat exchanger 11 just meets the requirements of the first cylinder 17, and also preventing the volume of the microchannel heat exchanger 11 from becoming excessively large.

[0052] It is understood that, in the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of this disclosure, from Figures 1 to 6 The following is an example illustrating a garment processing device 1 having two first cylinders 17, and each of the drying tunnels 16 connected to the two first cylinders 17 being equipped with a microchannel heat exchanger 11. Figures 1 to 6 In this configuration, with two microchannel heat exchangers 11, the two housings 12 can be arranged side-by-side. Furthermore, it is understood that... Figure 5 The garment processing device 1 shown is not a complete garment processing device 1. Figure 5 The image shows only a portion of the structure of the garment processing equipment 1 as an illustration.

[0053] In the above detailed description, reference has been made to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate specific aspects of this disclosure by way of illustration. In this regard, terms indicating direction or positional relationship, such as “center,” “longitudinal,” “lateral,” “length,” “width,” “thickness,” “upper,” “lower,” “front,” “rear,” “left,” “right,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “top,” “bottom,” “inner,” “outer,” “clockwise,” “counterclockwise,” “axial,” “radial,” and “circumferential,” are used with reference to the orientation of the described figures. Since components of the described device can be positioned in multiple different orientations, directional terms are used for illustrative purposes and not for limitation. It should be understood that other aspects can be utilized and structural or logical changes can be made without departing from the concept of this disclosure. Therefore, the following detailed description should not be considered limiting.

[0054] It should be understood that, unless otherwise specifically indicated, features of various embodiments of this disclosure described herein can be combined with each other. As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any one of the relevant listed items and any combination of any two or more; similarly, “at least one of…” includes any one of the relevant listed items and any combination of any two or more.

[0055] It should be understood that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "joining," "attaching," "installing," "connecting," "linking," "fixing," etc., used in the embodiments of this disclosure should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a connection that allows communication between them; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms herein based on the specific circumstances.

[0056] Furthermore, the term "above" as used herein with respect to components, elements, or material layers formed or located "above" a surface may be used to indicate that the component, element, or material layer is "indirectly" positioned (e.g., placed, formed, deposited, etc.) on the surface such that one or more additional components, elements, or layers are arranged between the surface and the component, element, or material layer. However, the term "above" as used with respect to components, elements, or material layers formed or located "above" a surface may also optionally have a specific meaning: that the component, element, or material layer is "directly" positioned (e.g., placed, formed, deposited, etc.) on the surface, for example, in direct contact with the surface.

[0057] Although terms such as “first,” “second,” and “third” may be used herein to describe various components, parts, regions, layers, or sections, these components, parts, regions, layers, or sections are not limited to these terms. Rather, these terms are used only to distinguish one component, part, region, layer, or section from another. Therefore, without departing from the teachings of the examples described herein, the first component, part, region, layer, or section mentioned in the examples may also be referred to as the second component, part, region, layer, or section. Furthermore, the terms “first” and “second” are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as “first” or “second” may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description herein, “a plurality” means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0058] It should be understood that spatial relative terms, such as “above,” “upper,” “below,” and “lower,” are used herein to describe the relationship between one element and another shown in the figures. In addition to the orientation depicted in the figures, these spatial relative terms are also intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation. For example, if the device in the figures is flipped, an element described as “above” or “upper” relative to another element would be “below” or “lower” relative to that other element. Thus, depending on the spatial orientation of the device, the term “above” encompasses both above and below orientations. Devices may have other orientations (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatial relative terms used herein should be interpreted accordingly.

[0059] Furthermore, the term “exemplary” is used herein to mean serving as an example, instance, or illustration. Any aspect or design described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as advantageous compared to other aspects or designs. Rather, the use of the term “exemplary” is intended to present the concept in a concrete manner. As used herein, the term “or” is intended to mean an inclusive “or” rather than an exclusive “or.” That is, unless otherwise specified or clear from the context, “X applies A or B” is intended to mean any of the natural inclusive arrangements. That is, “X applies A or B” satisfies any of the foregoing instances if X applies A; X applies B; or both X applies A and B. Additionally, unless otherwise specified or clear from the context to refer to the singular form, the articles “a” and “an” as used in this application and the appended claims are generally understood to mean “one or more.”

[0060] Similarly, although this disclosure has been shown and described with respect to one or more implementations, equivalent variations and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the specification and drawings. This disclosure includes all such modifications and variations and is limited only by the scope of the claims. In particular, with respect to the various functions performed by the components described above (e.g., elements, resources, etc.), unless otherwise indicated, the terminology used to describe such components is intended to correspond to any component (functionally equivalent) that performs the specific function of the described component, even if structurally not equivalent to the disclosed structure. Furthermore, although specific features of this disclosure may have been disclosed with respect to only one of several implementations, such features may be combined with one or more other features of other implementations, as may be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application. Moreover, with regard to the terms “comprising,” “owning,” “having,” “having,” or variations thereof as used in the detailed description or claims, such terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “including.”

[0061] Other embodiments of this disclosure will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this disclosure that follow the general principles of this disclosure and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of this disclosure are indicated by the appended claims.

[0062] It should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the precise structures described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of this disclosure is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A garment processing device, characterized in that, include: Microchannel heat exchangers are installed in the drying tunnel of garment processing equipment; The shell has a receiving cavity for accommodating the microchannel heat exchanger; A first limiting structure is disposed within the receiving cavity, and the first limiting structure is used to limit the microchannel heat exchanger in the axial direction of the cylinder of the clothing processing equipment. A second limiting structure is disposed within the receiving cavity, and the second limiting structure is used to limit the microchannel heat exchanger in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the axis direction.

2. The garment processing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The receiving cavity is provided with an opening facing the vertical direction. In the vertical direction, the microchannel heat exchanger is movably engaged with the first limiting structure and the second limiting structure, respectively. The microchannel heat exchanger is configured to be installed in the receiving cavity via the vertical direction.

3. The garment processing equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first limiting structure includes two abutment plates arranged opposite each other in the axial direction, and the microchannel heat exchanger abuts between the surfaces of the two abutment plates.

4. The garment processing equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that, The abutment plate is a hollow plate, and the abutment plate and the shell are integrally formed.

5. The garment processing equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The second limiting structure includes a strip-shaped hole disposed on the cavity wall of the receiving cavity, the strip-shaped hole extending along the vertical direction and one end extending to the opening, and the microchannel heat exchanger being provided with a protruding refrigerant interface. The refrigerant interface extends from the inside of the receiving cavity through the strip-shaped hole, and the wall of the strip-shaped hole abuts against the outer surface of the refrigerant interface opposite to the horizontal direction.

6. The garment processing equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The garment processing equipment also includes a third limiting structure for limiting the microchannel heat exchanger in the vertical direction.

7. The garment processing equipment according to claim 6, characterized in that, The housing includes a first housing and a second housing that are separately arranged. The receiving cavity is disposed on the first housing. The second housing covers the opening of the receiving cavity and abuts against the microchannel heat exchanger. The third limiting structure includes the second housing.

8. The garment processing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom of the cavity is provided with a drain outlet and protruding water guide ribs. Multiple water guide ribs are arranged in parallel and at intervals. Each water guide rib is provided with at least one water guide notch. The water guide notches on adjacent water guide ribs are staggered.

9. The garment processing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The garment processing equipment includes a first cylinder and a second cylinder, with the first cylinder located above the second cylinder. The outer diameter of the first cylinder is smaller than the outer diameter of the second cylinder. The microchannel heat exchanger is disposed in a drying tunnel communicating with the first cylinder.

10. The garment processing equipment according to claim 9, characterized in that, There are two first cylinders, and the two central axes of the two first cylinders are located on both sides of the vertical plane where the central axis of the second cylinder is located.

11. The garment processing equipment according to claim 10, characterized in that, The microchannel heat exchanger is located behind the first cylinder, and its volume V satisfies: 1000 cm³ 3 ≤V≤1400cm 3 .

12. The garment processing equipment according to claim 11, characterized in that, The microchannel heat exchanger includes an evaporator and a condenser. The evaporator has one layer of heat exchange channels, and the condenser has two layers of heat exchange channels. The two layers of heat exchange channels in the condenser are arranged at intervals along the horizontal direction, and the distance between the two layers of heat exchange channels in the condenser is 6mm-8mm.

13. The garment processing equipment according to claim 12, characterized in that, The inlet and outlet pipes of the condenser are located on the same side of the condenser along the axial direction, and the inlet and outlet pipes of the evaporator are located on opposite sides of the evaporator along the axial direction, with one of the inlet and outlet pipes of the evaporator extending from one side of the axial direction to the other.

Images