Washer / dryer combination washing machine

Abstract

This application relates to the field of household appliances, and more particularly to a combination washer-dryer washing machine. The combination washer-dryer washing machine includes a drum (2), a drying module (3), and an air outlet duct (4) disposed between the drum (2) and the drying module (3). The air outlet duct (4) is used to guide airflow from the drum (2) to the drying module (3). The air outlet duct (4) extends along the outer surface of the drum (2). The air outlet duct (4) is provided with a filter net (6) for filtering the airflow. According to the combination washer-dryer washing machine disclosed herein, the filter net is provided in the air outlet duct for filtering the airflow. The use of the filter net in the air outlet duct prevents foreign matter, such as lint, from entering the drying module and affecting the dehumidifying and heating effects, which in turn affects the drying effect.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] (Related Applications) This application was filed on August 31, 2022, with application number 202222324411.9, and is entitled "Washing and Drying Combined Washing Machine"; a Chinese patent application for the invention titled "Washing and Drying Combined Washing Machine" was filed on August 31, 2022, with application number 202222310435.9, and a Chinese patent application for the invention titled "Washing and Drying Combined Washing Machine" was filed on August 31, 2022, with application number 202222324412.3 ...1.9, and is entitled "Washing and Drying Combined Washing Machine"; Priority is claimed to Chinese patent application No. 202222327250.9 for an invention entitled "Integrated Washing and Drying Washing Machine", filed on August 31, 2022, with application number 202222310440.X for an invention entitled "Integrated Washing and Drying Washing Machine", and Chinese patent application No. 202222310919.3 for an invention entitled "Integrated Washing and Drying Washing Machine", filed on August 31, 2022, with application number 202222310919.3, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] (Technical field) The present disclosure relates to the technical field of household appliances, and more particularly to a combined washer-dryer washing machine. [Background technology]

[0003] The combined washer-dryer washing machine not only washes clothes but also dries them after washing, which greatly facilitates people's lives and is therefore increasingly popular among ordinary consumers. The combined washer-dryer washing machine is equipped with a drum and a drying module, and the drying module, on the one hand, blows hot, dry air into the drum to dry clothes, and on the other hand, collects, dehumidifies, and heats the humid air discharged from the drum, so that the air continuously circulates between the drum and the drying module to dry the clothes.

[0004] During the drying process, a large amount of lint is generated, especially in the later stages of drying. To capture the lint, existing combined washer-dryer washing machines typically have a filter box located near the drum door, which users can remove and clean.

[0005] However, such a filter box placed inside the drum can only capture a small portion of the lint, and most of the lint enters the interior of the drying module from the drum along with the moist air, clogging the components therein, affecting the dehumidifying and heating effects and ultimately damaging these components. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The present disclosure provides a combination washer / dryer that can reduce clogging of the drying module to some extent. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The combined washing machine and dryer provided by the present disclosure comprises a drum, a drying module, and an air outlet duct provided between the drum and the drying module, the air outlet duct is used to guide airflow flowing from the drum to the drying module, the air outlet duct extends along the outer surface of the drum, and the air outlet duct is provided with a filter mesh for filtering the airflow flowing through the air outlet duct.

[0008] According to the combined washing and drying washing machine provided by the present disclosure,

[0009] On the other hand, in the combined washer-dryer washing machine of the present disclosure, a filter wire is provided in the air outlet duct to filter the airflow that flows through the air outlet duct. The use of a filter wire in the air outlet duct can prevent foreign matter such as lint caught in the airflow from entering the drying module and affecting the dehumidifying and heating effects, and ultimately the drying effect.

[0010] On the other hand, in the combined washer-dryer washing machine of the present disclosure, the air outlet duct extends from bottom to top along the outer surface of the rear wall of the drum, which reduces the overall height of the combined washer-dryer washing machine and ensures more space above the drum for arranging the components of the drying module, compared to a method in which the air outlet duct extends from bottom to top along the outer surface of the rear wall of the drum. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] In order to more clearly describe the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the following will briefly describe the accompanying drawings that need to be used in the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these accompanying drawings without any creative work. In the accompanying drawings: [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a washing and drying combination washing machine. [Figure 2] 2A and 2B show schematic diagrams of the relative arrangement of an air outlet duct and a drum of an integrated washer-dryer washing machine according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; [Figure 3] 10A and 10B are schematic diagrams showing the relative arrangement of an air outlet duct and a drum of a combined washer-dryer washing machine according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams illustrating longitudinal cross-sectional views of an air outlet duct of an integrated washer-dryer washing machine according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; [Figure 5] 1 shows a schematic longitudinal section of an air outlet duct provided with a first exemplary filter mesh self-cleaning device; [Figure 6] 6 is a schematic enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] 10A and 10B are schematic top views of another nozzle of a first exemplary filtration mesh self-cleaning device according to the present disclosure; [Figure 8] 1 shows a schematic enlarged partial view of another air outlet duct of the first exemplary filter mesh self-cleaning device. [Figure 9]1 shows a schematic longitudinal section of an air outlet duct provided with a second exemplary filter mesh self-cleaning device; [Figure 10] 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a washing and drying combination washing machine with an improved air outlet duct; [Figure 11] 11 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the air outlet duct taken along line AA in FIG. 10; [Figure 12] 12 is a schematic enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 11. [Figure 13] 1A and 1B show schematic cross-sectional views of a filter strand self-cleaning device and an alternative bracket for securing the filter strand according to the present disclosure; [Figure 14] 12 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the air outlet duct taken along line BB in FIG. 11 . [Figure 15] 1A and 1B are schematic structural diagrams of a combined washer-dryer washing machine equipped with a filter cassette according to some embodiments; [Figure 16a] 1A-1C are schematic diagrams illustrating the structure of an air outlet duct according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; [Figure 16b] 1A-1C are schematic diagrams illustrating the structure of an air outlet duct according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; [Figure 17] 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams illustrating longitudinal cross-sectional views of an air outlet duct and cooling passages of an integrated washer-dryer washing machine according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; [Figure 18] 10A and 10B are schematic perspective views of an air outlet duct and a cooling passage of a combined washer-dryer washing machine according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure; [Figure 19] 1 is a schematic diagram of a combined water circuit system of a combined washer-dryer washing machine according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. [Figure 20] 20 shows a schematic enlarged view of a pipe assembly of the combined water circuit system of FIG. 19. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of an integrated washer-dryer. Referring to FIG. 1, the integrated washer-dryer 1 includes at least a drum 2, a drying module 3, and an air outlet duct 4. The air outlet duct 4 is disposed between the drum 2 and the drying module 3. Specifically, one end of the air outlet duct 4 is connected to the air outlet 21 of the drum 2, and the other end of the air outlet duct 4 is connected to the air inlet 31 of the drying module 3. The drum 2 has a storage space for storing laundry such as clothes. In a drying mode, the air outlet duct 4 is used to guide the wet airflow from the drum 2 to the drying module 3. The drying module 3 dehumidifies and heats the wet airflow from the drum 2, and then returns the hot, dry airflow to the drum 2, repeatedly drying the clothes.

[0013] 1A-1C are schematic diagrams illustrating the structure of an air outlet duct according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of the relative arrangement of the air outlet duct and the drum in an integrated washer-dryer washing machine according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, and Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of the relative arrangement of the air outlet duct and the drum in another integrated washer-dryer washing machine according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the air outlet duct 4 extends from bottom to top along the outer surface of the rear wall 22 of the drum 2. This extension method reduces the overall height of the integrated washer-dryer washing machine 1, allowing it to be easily placed under a countertop.

[0014] 2 and 3, the duct wall of the air outlet duct 4 is in close contact with the outer surface of the rear wall 22 of the drum 2, and the air outlet duct 4 may be configured as a flat duct, thereby reducing the overall thickness of the combined washer-dryer washing machine 1. Of course, the air outlet duct 4 may be in close contact with the drum along an opening provided at the middle position of the drum 2 and extend to the air inlet of the drying module 3. In some embodiments, the air outlet duct 4 may extend from the bottom to the top from the side of the drum 2 until it communicates with the air inlet 31 of the drying module 3, thereby further reducing the size of the entire machine in the front-to-rear thickness direction.

[0015] In some embodiments according to Figure 2, the air outlet duct 4 is located at the left rear of the drum 2. In other embodiments according to Figure 3, the air outlet duct 4 is located at the right rear of the drum 2. That is, the air outlet duct 4 may be located on the rear side of the drum 2. The air outlet duct 4 may also extend from the left rear of the drum 2 to the left front side of the drum 2, or from the right rear of the drum 2 to the right front side of the drum 2. Such an extension method makes it easy for the user to remove the filter screen from the air outlet duct from the front side, which facilitates the arrangement of a manual cleaning device for the filter screen, described below.

[0016] In some embodiments, the air outlet duct 4 is flexibly connected to the air inlet 31 of the drying module 3, thereby preventing vibrations of the drum 2 from being transmitted to the air outlet duct 4 and thus to the drying module 3, which may damage components of the drying module 3. In a specific implementation, the air outlet duct 4 may be connected to the air inlet 31 of the drying module 3 via a flexible bellows.

[0017] 4 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of an air outlet duct of an integrated washer-dryer washing machine according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 4 , the air outlet duct 4 includes a first half housing 41 and a second half housing 42, forming an air flow cavity Q1 through which air flow F flows, with the direction of air flow F indicated by an arrow. The air outlet duct 4 has a first end and a second end, the first end serving as an air inlet end 43 of the air outlet duct 4, and the second end serving as an air outlet end 44 of the air outlet duct 4. The air inlet end 43 of the air outlet duct 4 is connected to the air outlet 21 of the drum 2, and the air outlet end 44 is connected to the air inlet 31 of the drying module 3.

[0018] Referring to FIG. 4, the air outlet duct 4 is provided with a filter 6 which is used to filter the air flow F flowing through the air outlet duct 4 and prevent foreign matter such as lint caught in the air flow from entering the drying module 3.

[0019] Referring to Figure 4, the filter wire 6 is installed at an angle in the air outlet duct 4. By setting the angle of the filter wire 6, when the cross section of the air outlet duct 4 is constant, the filtering area of ​​the filter wire 6 can be increased, thereby reducing the risk of clogging of the filter wire 6, extending the usage cycle of the filter wire 6, and reducing the need for cleaning the filter wire 6.

[0020] In some embodiments, the angle α between the filter wire 6 and the longitudinal axis of the air outlet duct 4 is between 15° and 80°, preferably between 15° and 45°. If the angle of inclination of the filter wire 6 is within this range, the filtering area of ​​the filter wire 6 can be further increased, and the risk of clogging of the filter wire 6 can be further reduced. Furthermore, if the angle of inclination of the filter wire 6 is within this range, the filter wire self-cleaning device described below can easily remove foreign matter such as lint embedded in the filter wire 6.

[0021] 4, the air outlet duct 4 is further provided with an arc-shaped bracket 63 for supporting the filter strand 6. Specifically, the upper end of the bracket 63 is attached to the upper end plate of the first half housing 41, the lower end of the bracket 63 is fixedly connected to the upper end of the filter strand 6, and the lower end of the filter strand 6 is attached to the second half housing 42. The arc-shaped bracket 63 also serves to guide the filtered airflow and prevent turbulence. In another embodiment, the filter strand 6 itself traverses the entire cross section of the air outlet duct 4 to filter all of the airflow that has flowed through the air outlet duct. By having the filter strand 6 traverse the entire cross section of the air outlet duct 4, the filtering area of ​​the filter strand 6 is maximized and filtering efficiency is improved.

[0022] Over time, a large amount of lint and other debris accumulates on the air inlet surface of the filter wire 6 (i.e., the surface that first comes into contact with the hot, humid air flow), not only slowing down the flow rate of the hot, humid air but also significantly reducing the filtering efficiency of the filter wire 6.

[0023] 4, a filter wire self-cleaning device 7 is further provided in the air outlet duct 4 for cleaning the filter wire 6. This automatically removes lint and other foreign matter blocked by the filter wire, thereby ensuring the filtering ability of the filter wire at all times. The frequency of self-cleaning can be set as needed. For example, the filter wire 6 may be self-cleaned once after drying clothes once, or after drying clothes several times. Alternatively, a sensor may be provided on the filter wire 6, which may self-clean when it detects that the filter wire is clogged beyond a set threshold.

[0024] FIG. 5 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of an air outlet duct equipped with a first exemplary self-cleaning filter mesh device. Referring to FIG. 5, the air outlet duct 4 includes a first half housing 41 and a second half housing 42 to define an airflow cavity therein. The second half housing 42 is connected to the air outlet 21 of the drum 2 at the air inlet end 43 of the air outlet duct 4, and the first half housing 41 has an arc-shaped inner surface at its end to guide the airflow entering the cavity. An arc-shaped bracket 63 is provided at the air outlet end 44 of the first half housing 41, and is connected to the top plate 45 of the first half housing 41 at the air inlet end 43, with the air outlet end 44 extending into the airflow cavity. The arc-shaped bracket 63 facilitates guiding the filtered airflow to prevent turbulence. With the aid of the second end of the arc-shaped bracket 63, the filter strand 6 is (removably or fixedly) installed in the airflow cavity in an inclined position from the bottom of the second half housing 42 to the top of the first half housing 41, dividing the airflow cavity into an uncleaned space S1 and a cleaned space S2. In other embodiments, the bracket 63 has other configurations and shapes, for example, it may be flat, with one end fixed to the top of the first half housing 41 (for example, molded integrally with the first half housing 41 or screwed thereto), and the other end extending into the uncleaned space S1 and fixing the top edge of the filter strand 6 with its edge. The inclination angle of the filter strand 6 can be adjusted as needed to improve shower efficiency.

[0025] 5, all airflow F entering the cavity from the air inlet end 43 of the air outlet duct 4 first enters the uncleaned space S1, passes through the air inlet face 61 and the cleaning face 62 of the filter wire 6, and then enters the cleaned space S2, before being transmitted to the drying module 3 via the air outlet end 44 of the air outlet duct 4. Due to this arrangement of the filter wire 6, the inclusions filtered by the filter wire 6 are mainly deposited on the air inlet face 61.

[0026] Referring to FIG. 4 , a first exemplary filter wire self-cleaning device 7 is provided at the air outlet end 44 of the air outlet duct 4 to clean the filter wire 6. A cleaning fluid is sprayed onto the filter wire 6 from the air inlet surface 61 of the filter wire 6 toward the uncleaned space S1, showering inclusions such as lint from the filter wire 6. The cleaning fluid may be tap water (which may contain detergent). After showering the filter wire 6, the used tap water flows out of the air inlet end 43 of the air outlet duct 4 and is discharged from the combined washer-dryer washing machine 1, for example, through a dedicated outlet for cleaning liquid or a drain outlet of the drum 2. The cleaning fluid may be pressurized air or other cleaning fluids. A condensing mechanism 9 is further provided at the air outlet end 44 of the air outlet duct 4, adjacent to the filter wire self-cleaning device 7, to guide cooling water against the inner wall of the air outlet duct 4 to cool and liquefy the air flowing therethrough.

[0027] FIG. 6 is a schematic enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 5. Referring to FIG. 6, the filter wire self-cleaning device 7 includes a first fluid supply pipe 71 and a nozzle 72 connected to the fluid supply pipe. The first fluid supply pipe 71 is integrally formed with the top plate 45 of the air outlet duct 4 on the uncleaned space S1 side and is connected to a fluid supply source, for example, via a hose spanning the drum 2. In another embodiment, the first fluid supply pipe 71 is sealably fixed to the top plate 45, for example, by a combination of threaded engagement and a sealant. The nozzle 72 is connected to the first half housing 41 through a plurality of connection holes 80 provided on its edge and is configured to spray tap water (which may contain detergent) onto the air inlet surface 61 of the filter wire 6 at the top of the filter wire 6. In another embodiment, a pressurizing structure (such as a pressure valve) can be provided in or upstream of the first fluid supply pipe 71 to pressurize the tap water entering the filter wire self-cleaning device and shower the filter wire 6 with the pressurized tap water, thereby contributing to improved cleaning efficiency and cost-effectiveness. In other embodiments, the first fluid supply pipe 71 may be secured to the first housing half 41 in other ways, such as with the aid of the bracket 63 .

[0028] Referring to FIG. 6 , the nozzle 72 includes an adapter 73 connected to a first fluid supply pipe 71 and a first tapered extension 74 integrally molded with the adapter 73. The adapter 73 is fixedly connected to the first fluid supply pipe 71, for example, by a threaded connection, an interference fit, adhesive, or other means. The first tapered extension 74 is inclined at an angle relative to the filter wire 6 and has an outlet at its free end that traverses the cavity of the air outlet duct 4 and covers substantially the entire width of the filter wire 6, ensuring cleaning coverage. In some embodiments, the included angle between the first tapered extension 74 and the filter wire 6 is between 0° and 80°, preferably between 5° and 45°. A too large angle can be detrimental to the flow of tap water from the top of the filter wire 6 to the bottom of the filter wire 6, reducing cleaning efficiency. In some embodiments, the first tapered extension 74 tapers along its length (i.e., its inclination direction), and a flat opening is provided at the free end of the first tapered extension 74 to increase water pressure and improve impact force on the filter screen 6, thereby improving cleaning efficiency. In other embodiments, the inner surfaces of the connected first fluid supply pipe 71 and the adapter 73 form a Venturi tube shape to increase the velocity of tap water flowing out of the adapter 73, contributing to improved cleaning efficiency, and / or the adapter 73 and the first tapered extension 74 may be formed separately and then combined, and / or the width of the free end of the first tapered extension 74 and the width of the flat opening may be selected as needed, with the width of the flat opening being at least 90% of the width of the filter screen 6 to ensure sufficient cleaning coverage, and preferably at least 95% or more.

[0029] In some embodiments, activation and deactivation of the first exemplary filter mesh self-cleaning device 7 is controlled by a controller. In other embodiments, a nozzle 72 sprays pressurized air or other cleaning fluid and is supplied to the first fluid supply line 71 from a fluid source.

[0030] FIG. 7 schematically illustrates a plan view of another nozzle of a first exemplary filter strand self-cleaning device according to the present disclosure. Where possible, like numerals are used to indicate like parts. In this embodiment, the nozzle's adapter 73 and first tapered extension 74 are integrally molded, for example, by injection molding. Similarly, the free end of the first tapered extension 74 has a flat opening for injecting cleaning fluid onto the filter strand 6. A plurality of passages 76 are provided at intervals along the width of the flat opening (which is also at least 90% of the width of the filter strand) to uniformly distribute the cleaning fluid across the width of the flat opening.

[0031] 8 is a partial enlarged view of another air outlet duct of the first exemplary filter wire self-cleaning device, in which the condensation mechanism 9 described below is omitted in the air outlet duct 4 shown in FIG. 8, so that the filter wire self-cleaning device 7 is in close contact with the inner surface of the first half housing 41 of the air outlet duct 4. A bracket 63 extends on the outer surface of the second end within the air flow cavity, and grooves matching the shapes of multiple protrusions on the outer surface of the nozzle 72 of the filter wire self-cleaning device 7 are provided to seal and fix the nozzle 72 with the aid of a sealing member 66, and the water outlet 75 of the filter wire self-cleaning device 7 is located at the top of the filter wire 6 on the air inlet surface 61 side.

[0032] 9 shows a schematic longitudinal cross section of an air outlet duct provided with a second exemplary filter mesh self-cleaning device. Where possible, like numerals are used to designate like parts, with the prefix "100" added to indicate that these features belong to the second exemplary filter mesh self-cleaning device.

[0033] 9 , the second exemplary filter strand self-cleaning device 7 includes a fluid supply pipe 171 and at least two rotatable nozzles 172 spaced apart on the side of the fluid supply pipe facing the filter strand 6 to spray a cleaning fluid onto the filter strand 6 from the air inlet face 61 of the filter strand 6. The cleaning fluid may be tap water (which may contain detergent). Similarly, the cleaning fluid may be pressurized air or another cleaning fluid. In the uncleaned space S1, the fluid supply pipe 171 extends along the inner surface of the first half housing 41 of the air outlet duct 4 to a position flush with approximately the middle of the filter strand 6 and is fixed to the inner surface of the first half housing 41 via a plurality of fastening members 177, which may be elastic snaps that fit the shape of the fluid supply pipe 171. Furthermore, the fluid supply pipe 171 is fixed to the inner surface of the first half housing 41 to facilitate cooling of the air outlet duct 4.

[0034] 9, two rotatable nozzles 172 are positioned along the length of the first fluid supply pipe 717 substantially corresponding to the top and middle positions of the filter strand 6 and rotate 360° to spray tap water onto the filter strand 6 from the air inlet surface 61 side of the filter strand 6. In other embodiments, the fluid supply pipe 171 extends further, as shown by the dotted line in FIG. 9, to a position approximately three-quarters of the way through the filter strand 6 or flush with the bottom edge, and three or four rotatable nozzles 172 are uniformly spaced along the length of the fluid supply pipe. The length of the corresponding fluid supply pipe 171 and the number and arrangement of the rotatable nozzles 172 may be selected as needed. In some embodiments, all of the rotatable nozzles 172 configured via the controller may be used as needed, or at least one of them may be selectively used.

[0035] In some embodiments, a sensor may be provided on the filter strand 6, which, upon detecting that the filter strand is clogged to a predetermined extent, sends a signal to the controller of the combined washer-dryer washing machine to display a prompt on the control panel indicating that the filter strand needs to be cleaned. Based on this prompt, the user can operate the control panel to activate the filter strand self-cleaning device 7 to clean the filter strand 6.

[0036] In other embodiments, the filter wire self-cleaning device 7 may be a vibration mechanism for vibrating the filter wire (e.g., a vibration motor for vibrating the filter wire), or a blower for blowing air across the filter wire (e.g., a reverse airflow generated by the reverse rotation of a fan in the drying module, or a dedicated fan for blowing air across the filter wire in the reverse direction), or a scrubbing mechanism for scrubbing the filter wire (e.g., a scraper, brush, etc.). These different filter wire self-cleaning devices may be used alone or in any combination.

[0037] The combined washer-dryer washing machine equipped with the filter mesh self-cleaning device of the present disclosure can achieve automatic cleaning of the filter mesh installed in the air outlet duct with a simple structure and installation, thereby ensuring the filtering efficiency of the filter mesh and contributing to the reduction of inclusions such as lint that enter the drying module, as well as extending the service life of the filter mesh and improving cost-effectiveness.

[0038] FIG. 10 shows a schematic structural diagram of a combination washer-dryer with an improved air outlet duct, FIG. 11 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the air outlet duct taken along line AA in FIG. 10, and FIG. 12 shows a partially enlarged view of FIG. 11. Referring to FIGS. 10 to 12, air outlet duct 4 is located at the rear of drum 2 in close contact with drum 2 and extends from bottom to top. This extension reduces the overall height of combination washer-dryer washing machine 1, allowing it to be easily placed under a countertop. Air outlet duct 4 is connected at its air inlet end 43 to air outlet 21 of drum 2 and at its air outlet end 44 to drying module 3. Filter mesh self-cleaning device 7 is located at air outlet end 44 of air outlet duct 4 and is connected to water pipe 12 of combination washer-dryer washing machine 1 via guide pipe 11. The air outlet duct 4 and the water pipe 12 are provided on both sides of the drum 2, so that the guide pipe 11 connecting the water inlet 71 of the filter wire self-cleaning device 7 and the water pipe 12 traverses the drum 2. The guide pipe 11 may be a rigid tube or a hose. In another embodiment, the air outlet duct 4 and the water pipe 12 may be provided on the same side of the drum 2, so that the water inlet 71 of the filter wire self-cleaning device 7 and the water pipe 12 may be connected on that side directly or via an adapter.

[0039] In some embodiments, the air outlet duct 4 has a flat cross section, which can reduce the overall thickness of the combined washer-dryer washing machine 1.

[0040] 10 to 12, the air outlet duct 4 includes a first half housing 41 and a second half housing 42 to define an airflow cavity therein. The second half housing 42 is connected to the air outlet 21 of the drum 2 at the air inlet end 43 of the air outlet duct 4, and the first half housing 41 has an arc-shaped inner surface 47 at the opposite end to guide the airflow entering the airflow cavity and prevent turbulence. An arc-shaped bracket 63 is provided at the air outlet end 44 of the first half housing 41, with its top end connected to the top plate 45 of the first half housing 41 and its bottom end extending into the airflow cavity. The arc-shaped bracket 63 helps guide the filtered airflow and prevent turbulence. With the help of the bottom end of the arc-shaped bracket 63, the filter wire 6 is inclined in the cavity from the bottom of the second half housing 42 to the top of the first half housing 41, dividing the cavity into an unclean space S1 and a clean space S2. A support rib 46 is provided on the second half housing 42 to support the filter wire 6, preventing it from being bent or damaged by excessive airflow.

[0041] In some embodiments, the support ribs 46 are integrally molded into the second housing half 42, for example, by 3D printing techniques.

[0042] 10 to 12, all airflow F entering the airflow cavity from the air inlet end 43 of the air outlet duct 4 first enters the uncleaned space S1, passes through the air inlet face 61 and the cleaning face 62 of the filter wire 6, and then enters the cleaned space S2, before being transmitted to the drying module via the air outlet end 44 of the air outlet duct 4. Due to this arrangement of the filter wire 6, inclusions filtered by the filter wire 6 are mainly deposited on the air inlet face 61.

[0043] To clean the filter wire 6, a filter wire self-cleaning device 7 is provided at the air outlet end 44 of the air outlet duct 4. The outer surface of a bracket 63 extending to the bottom of the air flow cavity is provided with grooves that match the shapes of multiple protrusions on the outer surface of the nozzle 72 of the filter wire self-cleaning device 7 to secure the nozzle 72, so that the water outlet 75 of the filter wire self-cleaning device 7 is located at the top of the filter wire 6, on the air inlet face 61 side. In other embodiments, as shown in Figure 13, the bracket 63 may have other configurations and shapes, for example, a flat plate shape. One end of the flat bracket 163 is fixed to the top of the first half housing 41 (for example, molded integrally with the first half housing 41 or screwed to it), and the other end extends into the cavity to secure the top edge of the filter wire 6 with its edge. The nozzle 72 of the filter wire self-cleaning device 7 is sealed and fixed to the bracket 163 so that the water outlet 75 of the filter wire self-cleaning device 7 is located at the top of the filter wire 6 on the air inlet surface 61 side.

[0044] With the above-mentioned installation, the filter wire self-cleaning device 7 and the air inlet end of the air outlet duct 4 are located at opposite ends of the filter wire 6, and the water outlet of the filter wire self-cleaning device 7 and the air inlet end of the air outlet duct 4 are located on the same side of the filter wire 6, so that the combined washer-dryer can pre-treat the hot and humid air flowing out of the drum using the improved air outlet duct, shortening the drying time and achieving improved economic benefits.

[0045] When the filter wire 6 needs to be cleaned, tap water (which may contain detergent) is sprayed onto the filter wire 6 from the air inlet surface 61 side of the filter wire 6 through the water outlet 75 of the filter wire self-cleaning device 7, showering out inclusions such as lint adhering to the filter wire 6. After showering the filter wire 6, the used tap water flows out from the air inlet end 43 of the air outlet duct 4 and is discharged from the combined washer-dryer washing machine, for example, through an outlet dedicated to the self-cleaning liquid or the drain outlet of the drum 2.

[0046] Figure 14 schematically illustrates a cross-sectional view of the air outlet duct taken along line BB in Figure 11. Referring to Figure 14, the first and second half housings 41, 42 of the air outlet duct 4 each include an arcuate section 49 beginning at the first end and a straight section 48 connected to the arcuate section 49. The arcuate sections 49 of the first and second half housings 41, 42 gradually widen from the air inlet end 43 toward the straight sections 48 of the first and second half housings 41, 42. The filter mesh 6 is inclined within the straight sections 48 of the first and second half housings 41, 42, thereby providing a large filtering area. The first and second half housings 41, 42 are provided with spaced apart mounting portions 50 at their edges along their lengths, which are threaded to secure the first and second half housings 41, 42 together to form an airflow cavity. In some embodiments, sealing rings may be provided along the entire edge of the first half housing 41 and / or the second half housing 42 to improve the sealing of the cavity and prevent leakage of hot and humid air.

[0047] 14 , the arc-shaped section 49 extends substantially along one-sixth of the circumference of the drive portion 22 of the drum 2. In some embodiments, the arc-shaped section 49 extends substantially along one-quarter of the circumference of the drive portion 22 of the drum 2. Compared to a completely straight air outlet duct, the air outlet duct 4 has a longer length, thereby extending the flow path of the hot and humid air before entering the drying module 3, increasing the time for cooling and potential condensation, and reducing the humidity and temperature of the hot and humid air before entering the drying module 3 to some extent, thereby reducing the load on the drying module 3 and shortening the time required for drying. In some embodiments, the outer surfaces of the first and second half housings 41, 42 may be provided with protrusions, pits, ribs, etc. at intervals to increase the surface area of ​​the outer walls, increase the heat dissipation rate of the air outlet duct, and thereby increase the temperature difference between the hot and humid air flowing in and out of the air outlet duct. In other embodiments, a condensing mechanism may be provided inside or outside the air outlet duct 4 to condense and pre-dehumidify the hot and humid air flow exiting the drum 2 before entering the drying module 3.

[0048] The combined washer-dryer washing machine of the present disclosure improves pre-treatment of the hot and humid air exiting the drum 2 by the air outlet duct 4, contributing to a reduction in drying time and realizing improved economic benefits.

[0049] In addition to the self-cleaning installation of the filter strand 6, in another embodiment, the filter strand 6 may be manually cleaned. In such a case, the filter strand 6 is removably mounted in the air outlet duct 4, and an opening for inserting and removing the filter strand 6 is provided in the air outlet duct 4 at a position corresponding to the filter strand 6.

[0050] 15 is a schematic structural diagram of an integrated washer-dryer washing machine equipped with a filter cassette according to some embodiments. Referring to FIG. 15, an air outlet duct 4 is provided on the side of the drum 2. The air outlet duct 4 includes a first section 51, a second section 52, and a filter wire arrangement section 53 connecting the first section 51 and the second section 52. The filter wire 6 is provided within the filter wire arrangement section 53. A first end 511 of the first section 51 defines an air inlet end 43 of the air outlet duct 4, which is connected to the air outlet 21 of the drum 2. A first end 521 of the second section 52 defines an air outlet end 44 of the air outlet duct 4, which is connected to the air inlet 31 of the drying module 3. The filter wire arrangement section 53 sealably connects the second end 512 of the first section 51 and the second end 522 of the second section 52 to form the entire air outlet duct 4, and the filter wire arrangement section can be accessed from outside the housing of the combined washer-dryer washing machine and operated.

[0051] 15 , the filter strand 6 is mounted (removably or fixedly) at an angle within the filter cassette 8, which is removably and sealingly mounted within the filter strand arranging section 53. The filter cassette 8 has two open ends, and when mounted in the filter strand arranging section 53, the two open ends of the filter cassette 8 are connected to the second end 512 of the first section 51 and the second end 522 of the second section 52, respectively, and the filter cassette 8 communicates with the first section 51 and the second section 52 to form the air outlet duct 4.

[0052] In some embodiments, filter cassette 8 is flexible and connected with an interference fit between first section 51 and second section 52 to provide a sealed connection under constant pressure. In other embodiments, filter cassette 8 may be rigid and connected to first section 51 and second section 52 via snap fits and / or sealing members.

[0053] In some embodiments, at least one side of the filter cassette 8 is transparent to allow easy observation of the condition of the filter thimble 6 disposed therein.

[0054] Referring to Figure 15, the filter wire 6 is inclined from the bottom of the filter cassette 8 to the top of the filter cassette 8, dividing the space within the air outlet duct 4 into an uncleaned space S1 and a cleaned space S2. The angle of inclination of the filter wire 6 can be adjusted as needed to improve filtration efficiency. The filter wire 6 itself may optionally traverse the entire cross section of the air outlet duct 4 to filter all of the airflow passing through the air outlet duct 4. By having the filter wire 6 traverse the entire cross section of the air outlet duct 4, the filtering area of ​​the filter wire is maximized, improving filtration efficiency. All of the airflow F entering the air inlet end 43 of the air outlet duct 4 first enters the uncleaned space S1, passes through the air inlet surface 61 and the cleaning surface 62 of the filter wire 6, enters the cleaned space S2, and is then transmitted to the drying module 3 via the air outlet end 44 of the air outlet duct 4.

[0055] In some embodiments, at least one further filter mesh 6 is provided downstream of the filter mesh 6 in the filter cassette 8, parallel to the cross section of the air outlet duct 4 (perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the filter mesh arrangement section 53), the sieve holes of which are smaller than the sieve holes of the filter mesh 6, to further filter the airflow.

[0056] In some embodiments, the combination washer-dryer has a first closable opening in a housing side panel, the position of which corresponds to the filter wire arrangement section 53, and the filter wire arrangement section 53 can be accessed to remove the filter cassette 8. In other embodiments, the filter wire arrangement section 53 of the air outlet duct 4 can be located in front of or behind the drum of the combination washer-dryer, and accordingly the first closable opening can be located in the front panel or rear panel of the housing of the combination washer-dryer, and the filter wire arrangement section 53 can be accessed to perform the cleaning operation. When cleaning is required, for example, a sensor is provided in the filter wire 6, and when it detects that the filter wire has become clogged to a predetermined value, a signal is sent to the controller of the combination washer-dryer, causing a prompt to be displayed on the control panel indicating that the filter wire needs to be cleaned. The user can then open the first closable opening, remove the filter cassette 8, and clean the filter wire 6.

[0057] 16a and 16b show schematic structural diagrams of an air outlet duct according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure. Where possible, like numerals are used to indicate like parts, and the prefix "100" is added to indicate that these features belong to the second exemplary air outlet duct. Referring to FIGS. 16a and 16b, the second exemplary air outlet duct 40 may be provided on the side, front, or rear of the drum 2 of the combined washer-dryer washing machine, and includes a first section 151, a second section 152, and a filter wire arrangement section 153, where the filter wire arrangement section 153 is provided between the first section 151 and the second section 152 and has a second closable opening 154.

[0058] In some embodiments, first section 151, second section 152, and filter mesh arrangement section 153 are integrally molded (e.g., injection molded), with dotted lines generally separating each section. The bottom of first section 151 defines the air inlet end of air outlet duct 40 and is connected to air outlet 21 of drum 2. The top of second section 152 defines the air outlet end of air outlet duct 40 and is connected to air inlet 31 of drying module 3.

[0059] 16b, the second closable opening 154 of the filter wire arrangement section 153 is sealed via a movable plate 155 to close the air outlet duct 40 and prevent hot and humid air from flooding into other parts of the combined washer-dryer machine and causing adverse effects such as corrosion. The movable plate 155 is movable between the second section 152 and the filter wire arrangement section 153 by a slide rail, a reversing mechanism, or the like. In some embodiments, the movable plate 155 is configured to slide between the first section 151 and the filter wire arrangement section 153. In other embodiments, the second closable opening 154 may be opened and closed by a rotating flap hinged on one or both sides of the second closable opening 154 of the filter wire arrangement section 153.

[0060] In some embodiments, at least a portion of the filter wire arrangement section 153 is transparent, for example, the movable plate 155 is transparent, allowing the state of the filter wire therein to be observed. The filter wire 6 is attached (removably or fixedly) to the filter wire arrangement section 153 at an angle from the bottom of the filter wire arrangement section 153 to the top of the filter wire arrangement section 153, for example, by being inserted into a slot provided in the filter wire arrangement section with a tight fit, or by being removably attached by screws or the like, or by being fixedly attached by a sealant or the like. In other embodiments, the filter wire 6 may be provided in a filter cassette 8, and the filter cassette 8 is removably fixed in the filter wire arrangement section 153 by a snap fit, magnets, chute or the like. When the filter wire 6 needs to be cleaned (when prompted by the sensor or observed through the transparent part of the filter wire arrangement section 153), the user opens the first closable opening correspondingly provided on the side panel, front panel or rear panel of the housing of the combined washing and drying washing machine, and then operates the movable plate 155 to open the filter wire arrangement section 153, so that the filter wire 6 can be directly cleaned, such as scraped, or the filter wire 6 or filter cassette can be removed and cleaned.

[0061] The integrated washer-dryer washing machine equipped with the filter mesh arrangement section of the present disclosure has a simple structure and installation, allowing for quick removal and cleaning of the filter mesh installed in the air outlet duct, ensuring the filtering efficiency of the filter mesh and being advantageous in reducing inclusions such as lint that enter the drying module, as well as extending the service life of the filter mesh and achieving improved cost-effectiveness.

[0062] In addition, the automatic cleaning method of the filter mesh and the manual cleaning method of the filter mesh may be set independently or in combination, and may be specifically designed according to the actual structure of the washing and drying machine, and will not be repeated here.

[0063] The moisture content of the moist air discharged from the drum is very high, so existing combined washer-dryer washing machines typically use a dehumidifier in the drying module to remove the moisture from the moist air. However, dehumidifying the moist air solely with the help of the dehumidifier in the drying module places a heavy load on the dehumidifier, resulting in insufficient dehumidification and longer drying times.

[0064] Referring to Figure 4, the air outlet duct 4 is further provided with a condensation mechanism 9 for guiding cooling water against the inner wall of the air outlet duct 4 to cool and liquefy the air flowing therethrough. The condensation mechanism 9 may be provided at the air outlet end 44 of the air outlet duct 4 adjacent to the filter mesh self-cleaning device 7. In another embodiment, the air outlet duct 4 may be provided with a condensation mechanism for guiding cooling water against the outer wall of the air outlet duct 4 to cool and liquefy the air flowing therethrough. These two different condensation mechanisms may be used alone or in combination.

[0065] FIG. 17 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of an air outlet duct and a cooling passageway of an integrated washer-dryer washing machine according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 17, the air outlet duct 4 includes a first half housing 41 and a second half housing 42, forming an air flow cavity Q1 between them for air flow F, with the direction of air flow F indicated by an arrow. The air outlet duct 4 has an air inlet end 43 and an air outlet end 44, with the air inlet end 43 connected to the air outlet 21 of the drum 2 and the air outlet end 44 connected to the air inlet 31 of the drying module 3. The cooling passage 8 includes an inner housing 81 and an outer housing 82, forming an air flow cavity Q2 between them for cooling water flow W, with the direction of water flow W indicated by an arrow. The direction of water flow W is opposite to the direction of air flow F, which is beneficial for cooling and liquefying the air. The cooling passage 8 is used to cool the air flow that has passed through the air outlet duct 4. The cooling passage 8 guides cooling water to the outer wall of the air outlet duct 4 to cool and liquefy the air flowing therethrough, and the moist air discharged from the drum 2 is pre-dehumidified before entering the drying module 3, thereby reducing the load on the dehumidifying device in the drying module and improving the dehumidifying effect.

[0066] In some embodiments, the first half housing 41 and the second half housing 42 of the air outlet duct 4 at least partially constitute the inner housing 81 of the cooling passage 8, i.e., the cooling passage 8 completely covers the first half housing 41 and the second half housing 42 of the air outlet duct 4 in the circumferential direction. In other embodiments, the cooling passage 8 may cover at least a portion of the first half housing 41 of the air outlet duct 4 in the circumferential direction without covering the second half housing 42 of the air outlet duct 4.

[0067] In some embodiments, the outer housing 82 of the cooling passage 8 also comprises the air outlet duct 4, in which case at least a portion of the first half housing 41 or the second half housing 42 of the air outlet duct 4 has two layers of walls, and an air flow cavity Q2 is formed between the two layers of walls for the flow of cooling water in the cooling passage 8. In other embodiments, the outer housing 82 of the cooling passage 8 comprises a single outer tube, in which case the outside of the air outlet duct 4 is fitted onto the outer housing 82, the air outlet duct 4 is sealably connected to the outer housing, and an air flow cavity Q2 is formed between the outer wall of the air outlet duct 4 and the inner wall of the outer housing for the flow of cooling water in the cooling passage 8.

[0068] Referring to FIG. 17 , a condensing mechanism 9 is provided at a first end 83 of the cooling passage 8 near the drying module 3. The condensing mechanism 9 includes a second fluid supply pipe 91 and a water injection nozzle 92 connected to the second fluid supply pipe 91. The second fluid supply pipe 91 is sealably fixed to the first end 83 of the cooling passage 8, for example, by a combination of threaded fitting and a sealant. The second fluid supply pipe 91 is connected to the water pipe 12 of the combined washer-dryer washing machine 1 via, for example, a solenoid valve. In some embodiments, the second fluid supply pipe 91 of the condensing mechanism 9 also constitutes the first water inlet 91 of the air outlet duct 4 or the cooling passage 8. The water injection nozzle 92 is configured to inject cooling water onto the outer wall of the air outlet duct 4, improving the cooling effect of the cooling water on the outer wall. The water injection nozzle 92 includes a second tapered extension 921 that widens along its length, thereby forming a second flat opening at its free end, which increases the injection range, increases water pressure, and further improves the cooling effect on the outer wall of the air outlet duct 4.

[0069] In some embodiments, the cooling passage 8 may be provided with multiple water injection nozzles 92, for example, multiple water injection nozzles 92 spaced apart along the outer wall of the air outlet duct 4 in the circumferential direction of the cooling passage 8, which is particularly advantageous when the cooling passage 8 completely covers the first and second half housings 41, 42 of the air outlet duct 4 in the circumferential direction. Furthermore, the water injection nozzles 92 may be provided as 360° auto-rotating nozzles, which can increase the injection range and improve the cooling effect on the outer wall of the air outlet duct. The cooling water is discharged from a second end 84 of the cooling passage 8 near the drum 2.

[0070] In another embodiment, the outer wall of the air outlet duct 4 may be provided with obstacles such as protrusions, pits, ribs, or kerfs, or the roughness of the outer wall may be directly increased, in order to reduce the flow rate of the cooling water on the outer wall of the air outlet duct 4 and thereby extend the contact time between the cooling water and the outer wall of the air outlet duct 4 and improve the cooling effect. In another embodiment, the cooling passage 8 is a spiral passage provided on the outer wall of the air outlet duct 4.

[0071] FIG. 18 is a schematic perspective view of an air outlet duct and a cooling passageway of a combined washer-dryer washing machine according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure. The embodiment of FIG. 18 differs from the embodiment of FIG. 17 in that thin ribs 86 are further provided on the outer surface of the cooling passageway 8, and the airflow blown by the blower 87 flows toward the thin ribs 86. In some embodiments, the wet airflow flowing through the air outlet duct 4 is cooled not only by water but also by air, thereby improving the efficiency of liquefying the wet airflow. For example, multiple spiral thin ribs 86 are provided at intervals on the outer surface of the cooling passageway 8, with multiple spiral thin ribs 86 in each layer arranged circumferentially, and adjacent two layers of spiral thin ribs 86 are offset from each other circumferentially. It should be noted that if the cooling passageway 8 is not provided, the thin ribs 86 may be provided directly on the outer wall of the air outlet duct 4, thereby cooling and liquefying the airflow flowing through the air outlet duct 4 using air cooling instead of water cooling.

[0072] Referring to FIG. 10, in some embodiments, a temperature sensor 13 and / or a humidity sensor 14 may be provided in the air outlet duct 4 to detect the temperature and / or humidity of the air flowing through the air outlet duct 4, and the water flow rate and / or water flow velocity in the cooling passage 8 may be controlled based on the detected temperature and / or humidity, thereby enabling accurate control of the intensity of pre-dehumidification.

[0073] As shown in FIG. 17, by installing a filter wire 6 at an angle in the air outlet duct 4 with the aid of an arc-shaped bracket 63, the air flowing through the air outlet duct 4 can be filtered, thereby reducing or preventing foreign matter such as lint caught in the air flow from entering the drying module 3.

[0074] A filter wire self-cleaning device 7 for showering the filter wire 6 is further provided in the air outlet duct 4. The filter wire self-cleaning device 7 includes a first fluid supply pipe 71 and a nozzle 72 connected to the first fluid supply pipe 71. The first fluid supply pipe 71 of the filter wire self-cleaning device 7 is connected to the water pipe 12 of the combined washer-dryer washing machine 1, for example, via a solenoid valve. In some embodiments, the first fluid supply pipe 71 of the filter wire self-cleaning device 7 also constitutes the second water inlet 71 of the air outlet duct 4. The nozzle 72 of the filter wire self-cleaning device 7 is used to spray a water flow onto the actual filtering surface of the filter wire 6, making it easier to remove foreign matter such as lint adhering to the filter wire. The tap water used to clean the filter wire and condensed water from the airflow that has flowed through the air outlet duct 4 can be discharged through the air outlet duct 4 and the drainage passage of the drum 2.

[0075] In another embodiment, as an alternative or supplement to the cooling passage 8 and condensing mechanism 9, a cold water pipe is provided in the air outlet duct 4 upstream and / or downstream of the filter screen 6 to condense and pre-dehumidify the wet airflow exiting the drum 2 before entering the drying module 3. Additionally, a condenser 30, described below, is provided between the drum 2 and the air outlet duct 4, or between the drying module 3 and the air outlet duct 4.

[0076] Fig. 19 is a schematic diagram of a combined water circuit system of an integrated washer-dryer washing machine according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and Fig. 20 is a schematic enlarged view of a pipe assembly of the combined water circuit system of Fig. 19. Referring to Figs. 19 and 20, the integrated washer-dryer washing machine 1 includes a drum 2, a drying module 3, an air outlet duct 4 provided between the drum 2 and the drying module 3, a detergent drop box 15, and a pipe assembly 10. The drying module 3 includes a condenser 30 used to cool and liquefy wet airflow in the drying module 2. The air outlet duct 4 is used to guide airflow from the drum 2 to the drying module 3. The pipe assembly 10 includes a fluid supply pipe 101, a first water outlet pipe 103, a second water outlet pipe 105, and a third water outlet pipe 104. One end of the fluid supply pipe 101 is connected to a first outlet pipe 103, a second outlet pipe 105, and a third outlet pipe 104. is connected to the water pipe, and the other end of the fluid supply pipe 101 is respectively connected to one end of the first water outlet pipe 103, one end of the second water outlet pipe 105 and one end of the third water outlet pipe 104, the other end of the first water outlet pipe 103 is connected to the water inlet 301 of the condenser 30, the other end of the second water outlet pipe 105 is connected to the washing water inlet 151 of the detergent dropping box 15, and the other end of the third water outlet pipe 104 is connected to the water inlet 71 of the air outlet duct 4, and such a composite pipeline system allows water from the water pipes to be transported to the condenser 30, the detergent dropping box 15 and the air outlet duct 4 respectively to meet the water demand.

[0077] Condenser 30, detergent drop box 15, water inlet 71 of air outlet duct 4, and pipe assembly 10 are all disposed above drum 2, which allows full use of the space above drum 2 and makes the overall layout of combined washer-dryer washing machine 1 very compact, and this arrangement also contributes to the location of the pipes from pipe assembly 10 to the water inlets of each assembly, minimizing the overall pipe length. Specifically, condenser 30, detergent drop box 15, water inlet 71 of air outlet duct 4, and pipe assembly 10 may be disposed at the four corners of combined washer-dryer washing machine 1, respectively. In another embodiment, the condenser 30, the detergent drop box 15, the water inlet 71 of the air outlet duct 4, and the pipe assembly 10 are respectively arranged at the three corners of the combined washer-dryer washing machine 1. In this case, the air outlet duct 4 is arranged to the right rear of the drum 2, and the water inlet 71 of the air outlet duct 4 and the pipe assembly 10 are arranged at the right rear corner of the combined washer-dryer washing machine 1, thereby shortening the length of the pipe line from the third water outlet pipe 104 of the pipe assembly 10 to the water inlet 71 of the air outlet duct 4. The fluid supply pipe 101, and / or the first water outlet pipe 103, and / or the second water outlet pipe 105, and / or the third water outlet pipe 104 are provided with solenoid valves for controlling the on / off and / or flow rate of the water pipes. In some embodiments, the pipe assembly 10 is configured integrally with the solenoid valves.

[0078] The fluid supply pipe 101 is connected to a water pipe via a hose, and / or the first water outlet pipe 103 is connected to the water inlet 301 of the condenser 30 via a hose, and / or the second water outlet pipe 105 is connected to the cleaning water inlet 151 of the detergent drop box 15 via a hose, and / or the third water outlet pipe 104 is connected to the water inlet 71 of the air outlet duct 4 via a hose, and the use of hoses allows the pipes to be flexibly arranged in the gaps between each component.

[0079] A filter is provided in the fluid supply pipe 101 to filter the water that has flowed through the fluid supply pipe 101. The filter filters out impurities and other harmful substances in the tap water, thereby ensuring the quality of the water supplied to the combined washer-dryer washing machine, thereby improving the washing performance and protecting each component that uses water.

[0080] 10 , the drying module 3 includes, in addition to the drum 2 and the moisture absorption passage 32 through which the airflow circulates, a moisture absorption and dehumidification member for absorbing moisture in the airflow flowing from the drum 2 to the drying module 3, and a regeneration passage 33. The regeneration passage 33 is used to discharge the moisture absorbed by the moisture absorption and dehumidification member through the dehumidified airflow. The condenser 30 is provided in the regeneration passage 33 and is configured to cool the dehumidified airflow in the regeneration passage 33 to dry the dehumidified airflow. The condenser 30 may be disposed in the air inlet section of the regeneration passage 33 or in the air outlet section of the regeneration passage 33.

[0081] The water outlet of detergent drop box 15 is connected to the water inlet of drum 2, and the water outlet of drum 2 is connected to a drain pipe. As a result, when the wash starts, tap water first reaches detergent drop box 15, and then the tap water containing detergent is showered onto drum 2, and after the wash is finished, waste water is discharged from the water outlet of drum 2 through the drain pipe.

[0082] Referring to FIG. 17 , the air outlet duct 4 includes a first half housing 41 and a second half housing 42, forming an airflow cavity Q1 between them for airflow F, the direction of which is indicated by an arrow. The air outlet duct 4 has an air inlet end 43 and an air outlet end 44. The air inlet end 43 is connected to the air outlet 21 of the drum 2, and the air outlet end 44 is connected to the air inlet 31 of the drying module 3. A filter wire 6 is inclined in the air outlet duct 4 with the aid of an arc-shaped bracket 63 and is used to filter the airflow passing through the air outlet duct 4, thereby reducing or preventing foreign matter such as lint from being caught in the airflow and entering the drying module 3. A filter wire self-cleaning device 7 for showering the filter wire 6 is further provided in the air outlet duct 4. The filter wire self-cleaning device 7 includes a first fluid supply pipe 71 and a nozzle 72 connected to the first fluid supply pipe 71. The nozzle 72 of the filter wire self-cleaning device 7 is used to spray a water flow onto the actual filtering surface of the filter wire 6, making it easier to remove foreign matter such as lint attached to the filter wire from the filter wire. In this embodiment, the first fluid supply pipe 71 of the filter wire self-cleaning device 7 also constitutes the second water inlet 71 of the air outlet duct 4, and the second water inlet 71 is connected to the third water outlet pipe 104 of the pipe assembly 10.

[0083] Referring to FIG. 17 , the air outlet duct 4 is further provided with a cooling passage 8. The cooling passage 8 includes an inner housing 81 and an outer housing 82, forming an airflow cavity Q2 between them for a cooling water flow W. The direction of the water flow W is indicated by the arrow. The direction of the water flow W is opposite to the direction of the air flow F, contributing to cooling and liquefying the airflow. The cooling passage 8 guides the cooling water to the outer wall of the air outlet duct 4 to cool and liquefy the airflow passing through it. This allows the moist air discharged from the drum 2 to be pre-dehumidified before entering the drying module 3, reducing the load on the dehumidifier in the drying module and improving the dehumidification effect. A condensing mechanism 9 is provided at a first end 83 of the cooling passage 8 near the drying module 3. The condensing mechanism 9 includes a water injection nozzle 92 connected to a second fluid supply pipe 91 and a water inlet pipe 91. The water injection nozzle 92 is configured to inject cooling water onto the outer wall of the air outlet duct 4, enhancing the cooling effect of the cooling water on the outer wall. In some embodiments, the second fluid supply pipe 91 of the condensing mechanism 9 simultaneously constitutes the first water inlet of the air outlet duct 4 , which is also connected to the third water outlet pipe 104 of the pipe assembly 10 .

[0084] Although preferred embodiments of the present application have been described, those skilled in the art may change or modify these embodiments once they understand the basic inventive concept. Therefore, it is intended that the appended claims be interpreted to include not only the preferred embodiments but also all changes and modifications that fall within the scope of the present application.

[0085] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to the present application without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application. Therefore, the present application is intended to cover such modifications and variations as long as they fall within the scope of the claims of the present application and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A washing machine with an integrated washing and drying mechanism, comprising: a drum; a drying module; and an air outlet duct provided between the drum and the drying module, the air outlet duct being used to guide airflow flowing from the drum to the drying module, the air outlet duct extending along an outer surface of the drum, and a filter mesh provided in the air outlet duct for filtering the airflow flowing through the air outlet duct.

2. the air outlet duct is located on the rear side of the drum; and / or the air outlet duct is flexibly connected to the air inlet of the drying module; and / or The filter is installed in the air outlet duct at an angle and / or detachably. The washing machine with a dryer according to claim 1.

3. 3. The washing machine and drying machine according to claim 2, wherein an angle α between the filter mesh and the longitudinal axis of the air outlet duct is 15° to 80°.

4. 2. The combined washing and drying machine according to claim 1, wherein the filtering mesh traverses the entire cross section of the air outlet duct to filter all airflow flowing through the air outlet duct.

5. The washing machine according to claim 1 , further comprising a filter mesh self-cleaning device for guiding the cleaning fluid to the filter mesh to clean it.

6. 6. The washing machine and drying machine according to claim 5, wherein the mesh filter self-cleaning device is provided at one end of the air outlet duct away from the air outlet of the drum.

7. 6. The washing machine according to claim 5, wherein the filter mesh self-cleaning device includes a first fluid supply pipe and a nozzle connected to the first fluid supply pipe, the nozzle configured to dispense cleaning fluid onto the air inlet surface of the filter mesh.

8. The washing and drying combination washing machine according to claim 7, wherein the first fluid supply pipe and the nozzle, which are connected to each other, form a Venturi tube shape.

9. The combined washing and drying machine according to claim 7, wherein the free end of the nozzle forms a flat opening.

10. 10. The washing and drying machine according to claim 9, wherein the width of the flat opening is the same as the width of the filter mesh or is at least 90% of the width of the filter mesh.

11. The washing and drying combination washing machine according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein an angle between the nozzle and the filter wire is 0° to 80°.

12. The washing and drying combination washing machine according to any one of claims 9 to 10, wherein a plurality of passages are formed in the nozzle, and the cleaning fluid is distributed in a width direction of the flat opening.

13. The washing machine-drying combination washing machine according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the filter wire self-cleaning device is further used to vibrate, blow air and / or scrub the filter wire.

14. 8. The washing machine according to claim 7, wherein the first fluid supply pipe extends along the inner surface of the air outlet duct to a middle portion of the filter mesh.

15. 8. The washing machine with integrated washing and drying system according to claim 7, wherein the first fluid supply pipe extends along the length of the inner surface of the air outlet duct and is fixed to the inner surface, and the nozzles are a plurality of rotatable nozzles spaced apart from one another on the first fluid supply pipe to spray the fluid onto the air inlet surface of the filter net.

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