Clothes treatment device and method for controlling the clothes treatment device

Abstract

The object of the present invention is to provide a clothing treatment device and a control method thereof for solving the problems of the conventional washing machine, which are expected to significantly improve the effect of removing stains on clothing and dissolving detergent. To this end, the clothing treatment device includes an inner drum (1) provided with an air vent (11), a ventilation member (3) including an air inlet (31) and an exhaust port (32), and a gas generator (4) including a gas outlet (41) communicating with the air inlet (31), and the generated gas passes through the air vent (11) from the exhaust port (32) into the water storage area of ​​the inner drum (1). The above-mentioned installation method efficiently removes stains on clothing, reduces the amount of detergent used and its residue, and significantly improves the effect of removing stains and dissolving detergent.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese patent applications filed on January 20, 2022, with application numbers CN202210068158.7, CN202210068148.3, and CN202210066935.4, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to the field of clothing treatment devices, and in particular provides a clothing treatment device and a method for controlling the clothing treatment device. [Background technology]

[0003] In conventional washing machines, detergents are generally added to remove stains from laundry. Detergents mainly remove stains through their chemical components, and whether the detergent is sufficiently soluble affects the washing effect of the laundry. If the detergent is not sufficiently soluble, it will remain on the laundry and cause damage to the clothes.

[0004] In the prior art, a gas generator is usually introduced to promote the dissolution of detergents and the removal of stains from clothes, and the gas outlet of the gas generator is installed between the inner drum and the outer drum. For example, the gas generator is installed directly on the inner wall of the outer drum, and the bubbles generated at the gas outlet are directly injected between the inner drum and the outer drum. Alternatively, the gas generator is installed outside the outer drum, and introduces bubbles between the inner drum and the outer drum through a pipe, and the bubbles then enter the inner drum through the water-permeable holes in the inner drum. However, the above installation methods have limited effectiveness in dissolving detergents and removing stains from clothes.

[0005] To solve the above problems, conventional improvements have been made to the gas generator or related piping to generate a sufficient number of bubbles at the gas outlet or to generate fine bubbles. Although these improvements have somewhat improved the effectiveness of removing stains from clothes and dissolving detergents, the effects are not enough to satisfy users.

[0006] Therefore, there is a need in the art for a new type of laundry treatment device and a method for controlling the same that can significantly improve the effectiveness of conventional washing machines in removing laundry stains and dissolving detergents. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The present invention is intended to solve the above technical problems, that is, to solve the problems that are expected to significantly improve the effect of removing stains from clothes and dissolving detergents in conventional washing machines. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a clothing treatment device comprising: an inner drum provided with an air vent; a ventilation member including an air intake port and an exhaust port; and a gas generating device including a gas outlet communicating with the air intake port, the generated gas passing from the exhaust port through the air vent and into a water storage area of ​​the inner drum.

[0009] In a preferred technical solution of the above-mentioned clothing treatment device, the clothing treatment device further includes a drive device, the drive device is connected to the ventilation member, and the ventilation member can be extended and retracted on both the inside and outside of the ventilation hole under the drive of the drive device, and when the ventilation member is inserted inside the ventilation hole, the exhaust port is located in the water storage area.

[0010] In a preferred technical solution of the above-mentioned clothing treatment device, a lift rib is provided on the inner wall of the inner drum, a first through hole is provided in the lift rib, the lift rib and the inner wall surround each other to form a chamber, and the air vent is provided in the chamber.

[0011] In a preferred technical solution of the above-mentioned clothing treatment device, the ventilation member is a rod body, an air flow channel is formed inside the rod body along its axial direction, the air intake port and the air exhaust port are both connected to the air flow channel, the driving device includes a motor and a transmission assembly, and the motor is connected to the rod body via the transmission assembly.

[0012] In a preferred technical solution of the above-mentioned clothing treatment device, a first mounting hole is provided on the outer drum of the clothing treatment device, and the clothing treatment device further includes a sealing member, the sealing member including a flexible cover, the bottom end of the flexible cover being an open portion, the open portion being sealingly connected to the first mounting hole, the top end of the flexible cover being provided with a second mounting hole, the first end of the rod body being connected to the transmission assembly, the second end of the rod body extending from the second mounting hole through the inside of the flexible cover, the second mounting hole being fixedly and sealingly connected to the rod body, and when the driving device drives the rod body to insert into the inside of the air vent hole, the flexible cover can form a seal with the air vent hole.

[0013] In a preferred technical solution of the above-mentioned clothing treatment device, the sealing member further includes a case having an open top end, the bottom end of the case is hermetically attached to the first mounting hole, the bottom end of the flexible cover is connected to the inner bottom wall of the case, and the top end of the flexible cover is hermetically connected to the opening, a second through hole is further formed in the bottom wall of the case, the second through hole is located in the flexible cover, the rod body passes through the second through hole, leaving a movable gap between the rod body and the second through hole, and / or the transmission assembly is a cam link mechanism.

[0014] In a preferred technical solution of the above-mentioned clothing treatment device, the ventilation member is a bellows, a pressure chamber is formed in the tubular wall of the bellows, a pressure port is provided in the tubular wall, and the pressure port is connected to the pressure chamber; the driving device is a pneumatic device or a hydraulic device, an outlet of the driving device is connected to the pressure port, and one end of the bellows is connected to the gas outlet.

[0015] In a preferred technical solution of the above-mentioned clothing treatment device, the clothing treatment device further includes a position sensor device, which is configured to be triggered when the inner drum rotates to a set position so as to control the inner drum to stop rotation, so that after the inner drum stops rotating, the gas generated by the gas generating device can pass through the exhaust port and the air vent and enter the water storage area of ​​the inner drum.

[0016] In a preferred technical solution of the above-mentioned clothing treatment device, the exhaust port is located between the inner drum and the outer drum of the clothing treatment device, and is provided corresponding to the air vent.

[0017] According to another aspect, the present invention further provides a control method for a clothing treatment device, the clothing treatment device including an inner drum provided with an air vent, a ventilation member including an air inlet and an air outlet, and a gas generator including a gas outlet communicating with the air inlet, the generated gas passing through the air vent from the air outlet into the water storage area of ​​the inner drum, the control method including controlling the inner drum to rotate during the washing process, controlling the inner drum to stop rotation when the inner drum rotates to a set position, and controlling the gas generator to start up.

[0018] As can be understood, the clothing treatment device of the present invention includes an inner drum provided with an air vent, a ventilation member including an air intake port and an exhaust port, and a gas generating device including a gas outlet communicating with the air intake port, and the generated gas passes from the exhaust port through the air vent and into the water storage area of ​​the inner drum. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] In this application, the inner drum is provided with a vent hole, so that the gas generated by the gas generator can directly enter the water storage area of ​​the inner drum through the vent hole, forming high-energy bubbles in the wash water / rinse water, and further forming a large number of cavitation bubbles in the water, which burst into hundreds of billions of rigid air bubbles and immediately generate a powerful impact force, which can efficiently remove dirt from clothes, reduce the amount of detergent used and residue, and significantly improve the effects of dirt removal and detergent dissolution. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. [Figure 1] 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a clothing treatment device and a control method for the clothing treatment device of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a structural schematic diagram (1) of one possible embodiment of a clothing treatment device and a clothing treatment device control method of the present invention; [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a partial enlarged view of a portion A in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 2 is a structural schematic diagram (2) of one possible embodiment of the clothing treatment device and the clothing treatment device control method of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a partial enlarged view of a portion B in FIG. [Figure 6] 2 is a flowchart showing the main steps of a method for controlling a clothing processing device of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Those skilled in the art should understand that these embodiments are only for illustrating the technical principles of the present invention and are not intended to limit the protection scope of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can adjust them as necessary to suit specific applications.

[0022] It should be explained that in describing the present invention, directional or positional terms such as "top," "bottom," etc., are based on the directional or positional relationships shown in the drawings, and are merely for ease of explanation and do not indicate or imply that the device must have a particular orientation or be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation of the present invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc. are merely for explanation and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance.

[0023] It should be further explained that in the description of the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified or limited, the terms "attached," "coupled," "connected," and "communicating" should be understood in a broad sense, and may refer to, for example, a fixed connection, a detachable connection, an integral connection, a direct connection, or an indirect connection via an intermediate member. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the present invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 1, in order to solve the problems of conventional washing machines that are expected to significantly improve the removal of clothing stains and the dissolving effect of detergents, the clothing treatment device of the present invention includes an inner drum 1 provided with an air vent 11, a ventilation member 3 including an air inlet 31 and an exhaust port 32, and a gas generator 4 including a gas outlet 41 communicating with the air inlet 31, and the generated gas passes through the air vent 11 from the exhaust port 32 and enters the water storage area of ​​the inner drum 1.

[0025] The gas generator 4 may take various forms. For example, the gas generator 4 may be an air pump, a fan, or a compressor. It may be mounted on the inner wall of the housing of the laundry treatment device or on the outer wall of the outer drum 2 of the laundry treatment device. Preferably, the gas generator 4 is mounted at a position higher than the liquid level in the water storage area, for example, at the top of the inner wall of the housing to prevent liquid from flowing back into the gas generator 4. Of course, a water-proof and air-permeable membrane may be provided at the exhaust port 32 of the ventilation member 3, so that the wash water cannot enter the ventilation member 3 through the exhaust port 32 and gas can be discharged from the exhaust port 32. The water-proof and air-permeable membrane may be a polytetrafluoroethylene membrane or a PTFE membrane. In this case, the installation position of the gas generator 4 on the housing and the outer drum 2 is not limited. The gas outlet 41 of the gas generator 4 may be connected to the intake port 31 of the ventilation member 3 via a connecting pipe 7, or may be directly connected to the intake port 31 of the ventilation member 3. There are various methods for the gas generator 4 to introduce gas. For example, when the gas generator 4 is provided on the outer wall of the outer drum 2, the gas inlet of the gas generator 4 may be connected via a pipe to a hole provided in the housing of the clothing treatment device. When the gas generator 4 is provided on the inner wall of the housing, the gas inlet of the gas generator 4 may be directly connected to a hole opened in the housing.

[0026] The specific form of the clothing treatment device of the present invention may vary, and may be, for example, a drum washing machine, a bobbin washing machine, or a combined washer-dryer. The water storage area is an area of ​​the inner drum 1 for storing washing water. When the clothing treatment device is a drum washing machine, the water storage area is located on the radial bottom side of the inner drum 1, and when the clothing treatment device is a bobbin washing machine, the water storage area is located on the axial bottom side of the inner drum 1.

[0027] As can be understood, the air vent 11 is different from the water permeable holes in the inner drum 1, and its hole diameter is much larger than that of the water permeable holes, so that all or most of the gas generated by the gas generator 4 can enter the water storage area of ​​the inner drum 1 through this air vent 11. Furthermore, the air vent 11 is not a clothing discharging port in the inner drum 1, so the generated gas enters the water storage area of ​​the inner drum 1 through the air vent 11, and there is no problem of interference when putting clothes in or taking them out, compared to entering the water storage area of ​​the inner drum 1 through the clothing discharging port.

[0028] The bubbles generated at the gas outlet 41 of the gas generator 4 of the prior art are directly released between the inner drum 1 and the outer drum 2, which limits the effectiveness of dissolving detergents and removing stains from clothes. Improvements are usually made by increasing the amount of gas in the gas generator 4 or improving the gas generator 4 to generate fine bubbles, but the final usage effect has not been significantly improved.

[0029] As a result of research by the applicant, it was found that there is a low probability that air bubbles will enter the inner drum 1 from the outer drum 2 through the water-permeable holes in the inner drum 1. Furthermore, experiments have proven that it is difficult for not only large bubbles but also very small bubbles to effectively enter the inner drum 1. In other words, the present application has found that the main reason for the poor effectiveness of dissolving laundry agents and removing stains from clothes is not the amount or size of the bubbles generated, but rather the inability of air bubbles to efficiently enter the inner drum 1 due to the water-permeable holes in the inner drum 1.

[0030] Based on the above-mentioned problem that has not been discovered by those skilled in the art, in this application, an air vent 11 is provided in the inner drum 1, so that the gas generated by the gas generator 4 can directly enter the water storage area of ​​the inner drum 1 through this air vent 11, forming high-energy bubbles in the wash water / rinse water, and further forming a large number of cavitation bubbles in the water, which then burst into hundreds of billions of rigid air bubbles, instantly generating a powerful impact force, which can efficiently remove dirt from clothes, reduce the amount of detergent used and its residue, and significantly improve the effects of dirt removal and detergent dissolution.

[0031] In order to prevent the ventilation member 3 from interfering with the rotation of the inner drum 1 and further affecting the washing operation, the present invention adopts the following two possible embodiments.

[0032] In a first possible embodiment, the clothing treatment device further includes a drive unit 5 connected to the ventilation member 3, which is extendable on both the inside and outside of the ventilation hole 11 under the driving of the drive unit 5. When the ventilation member 3 is inserted into the water storage area of ​​the inner drum 1 through the ventilation hole 11, the exhaust port 32 of the ventilation member 3 is located in the water storage area of ​​the inner drum 1. That is, when gas needs to be introduced into the water storage area of ​​the inner drum 1, the drive unit 5 drives the ventilation member 3 to insert it into the water storage area of ​​the inner drum 1, so that the gas discharged from the exhaust port 32 can be directly introduced into the water storage area, making full use of the energy generated by the bubbles to improve the washing effect. When gas does not need to be introduced into the water storage area of ​​the inner drum 1, the drive unit 5 drives the ventilation member 3 to retract from the water storage area of ​​the inner drum 1 to the outside of the inner drum 1 so as not to interfere with the rotation of the inner drum 1.

[0033] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the ventilation member 3 may be a rod 33, an airflow channel formed inside the rod 33 along its axial direction, the air intake port 31 and the air exhaust port 32 both communicating with the airflow channel, the drive device 5 including a motor 51 and a transmission assembly (e.g., a cam link mechanism 52 described later), the motor 51 connected to the rod 33 via the transmission assembly and driving the rod 33 to contract on both the inside and outside of the ventilation hole 11. The outer drum 2 of the clothing treatment device is provided with a first mounting hole 21, and the clothing treatment device further includes a sealing member 6, which includes a flexible cover 61, the bottom end of which is an open portion, and the open portion 612 is sealingly connected to the first mounting hole 21, the top end of the flexible cover 61 is provided with a second mounting hole 611, the first end of the rod body 33 is connected to the transmission assembly, and the second end of the rod body 33 extends from the second mounting hole 611 through the inside of the flexible cover 61, and the second mounting hole 611 is fixedly and sealingly connected to the rod body 33, and when the driving device 5 drives the rod body 33 to insert into the inside of the air vent 11 (i.e., the inside of the inner drum 1), the flexible cover can form a seal with the air vent 11. As can be seen, the flexible cover 61 is a flexible cover body having a cavity formed therein, its bottom end being an open part, this open part 612 communicating with the cavity, this open part 612 being sealedly connected to the first mounting hole 21, its top end being the side away from the open part 612, the cover wall of the flexible cover 61 preferably being corrugated but of course not being corrugated, the material of the flexible cover 61 may be rubber or silica gel, etc., and the fastening and sealing method between the second mounting hole 611 and the rod body 33 may be various, such as sealing by interference fit between the second mounting hole 611 and the rod body 33 or sealing by a sealing pad, etc. The intake port 31 of the rod body 33 may be provided at its first end or at its side wall, and the exhaust port 32 is preferably provided at its second end but of course may be provided at its side wall. In this case, to effectively ensure that the rod body 33 is extendable, the connecting pipe 7 connected to the gas outlet 41 of the gas generator 4 may be a bellows or a deformable hose.

[0034] When gas needs to be introduced into the water storage area of ​​the inner drum 1, the driving device 5 drives the rod body 33 to be inserted into the water storage area of ​​the inner drum 1 through the vent hole 11. At this time, the rod body 33 is fixed and sealed to the second mounting hole 611, so that when the rod body 33 moves linearly to be inserted into the vent hole 11, the flexible cover 61 moves toward the vent hole 11 until the flexible cover 61 abuts against the vent hole 11, so that the flexible cover 61 forms a seal with the vent hole 11, and further the gas to be introduced into the water storage area can be guided through the vent hole 11. This prevents the loss of air bubbles due to leakage between the inner drum 1 and the outer drum 2, and therefore prevents a deterioration in the washing effect, especially when there is a large amount of laundry in the inner drum 1. Furthermore, the bottom end of the flexible cover 61 forms a seal with the first mounting hole 21, preventing wash water from leaking out of the first mounting hole 21. The above installation method allows the flexible cover 61 to simultaneously form a seal at two locations, the air vent 11 and the first mounting hole 21, allowing one part to be used for various purposes and reducing usage costs.

[0035] The sealing member 6 further includes a case 62 having an opening 621 at its top end, the bottom end of which is hermetically attached to the first mounting hole 21, and the sealing connection may be achieved in various ways, such as by tightly fitting the case 62 and the first mounting hole 21 together, or by using a sealing pad. The bottom end of the flexible cover 61 is connected to the inner bottom wall of the case 62, and the top end of the flexible cover 61 is hermetically connected to the opening 621, for example, by connecting via a corrugated rubber body or a flat silica gel body. A second through-hole 622 is further formed in the inner bottom wall of the case 62, and the second through-hole 622 is disposed in the flexible cover 61. The rod 33 passes through the second through-hole 622, with a movable gap remaining between the rod 33 and the second through-hole 622 so that the rod 33 can move within the second through-hole 622.

[0036] The bottom end of flexible cover 61 is sealed to first mounting hole 21 via the bottom wall of case 62, thereby preventing wash water from leaking out through first mounting hole 21. Its top end is sealed to opening 621, preventing wash water from entering the case 62. This ensures that internal components are not in contact with wash water for long periods of time, protecting them from damage and extending their service life. The second through-hole 622 in the bottom wall of case 62 restricts rod 33 to linear movement and ensures accurate insertion of rod 33 into vent hole 11. The overall design of sealing member 6 requires minimal structural modification of inner drum 1 and outer drum 2, and is easy to remove. A spring is further provided within flexible cover 61. One end of the spring is connected to the inner top wall of flexible cover 61, and the other end is connected to the inner bottom wall of case 62, thereby supporting flexible cover 61.

[0037] The transmission assembly may be a cam linkage 52, i.e., the motor 51 is connected to the first end of the rod 33 via the cam linkage 52. As can be seen, the cam linkage 52 includes a cam and a link, the output shaft of the motor 51 is connected to the cam, the cam is hinged to the link, and the link is hinged to the first end of the rod 33, so that the rod 33 can move linearly during rotation of the output shaft of the motor 51, allowing the rod 33 to contract on both the inside and outside of the ventilation hole 11. The air inlet 31 of the ventilation member 3 may be provided on the side wall of the rod 33, and the end of the rod 33 remote from the inner drum 1 may have no opening and be hinged to the link. The motor 51 may be fixed in various ways. For example, a holder may be provided on the outer wall of the outer drum 2 or on the housing, and the motor 51 may be fixed to the holder. Alternatively, the motor 51 may be directly installed on the inner wall of the housing or the outer wall of the outer drum 2.

[0038] Note that the embodiment in which the drive device 5 drives the ventilation member 3 so as to expand and contract on both the inside and outside of the ventilation hole 11 is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 , it is possible that the ventilation member 3 is a bellows 34, a pressure chamber 341 is formed in the pipe wall of the bellows 34, a pressure port 342 is provided in the pipe wall, and the pressure port 342 communicates with the pressure chamber 341, the drive device 5 is a pneumatic or hydraulic device, an outlet of the drive device 5 communicates with the pressure port 342, and one end of the bellows 34 communicates with the gas outlet 41, and in this case the other end of the bellows 34 is its exhaust port 32.

[0039] The specific form of the pneumatic device may be various, for example, it may be an air pump or any conventional or future device capable of suction and blowing; the hydraulic device may include a two-way hydraulic pump and a hydraulic tank, the outlet of the hydraulic tank is connected to the first opening of the two-way hydraulic pump, and the second opening of the hydraulic pump is connected to the pressure port 342, that is, when hydraulic oil needs to be injected, the two-way hydraulic pump operates to allow the hydraulic oil in the hydraulic tank to flow into the pressure chamber 341 through the first opening, the second opening and the pressure port 342; when hydraulic oil needs to be discharged, the two-way hydraulic pump operates to return the hydraulic oil to the hydraulic tank through the pressure chamber 341, the pressure port 342, the second opening and the first opening in order; or the hydraulic device may be a piston-type hydraulic cylinder, that is, it includes a cylinder body, a piston, a link and a driving member, the cylinder body is provided with an oil hole and an attachment hole, the oil hole is connected to the pressure port 342, the piston is provided in the cylinder body, and the piston is The link slides sealably in the axial direction of the cylinder body, dividing the cavity within the cylinder body into a first chamber and a second chamber. The oil hole is located in the first chamber, and the mounting hole is located in the second chamber and is provided at an end of the cylinder body. One end of the link is connected to the piston, and the other end passes through the mounting hole and is connected to a driving member outside the cylinder body. Hydraulic oil is provided in the first chamber. The driving member may be any device that linearly moves the piston via the link, such as a combination of a motor and a gear rack. When the driving member moves the piston to the first chamber, the volume of the first chamber decreases, and hydraulic oil is discharged from the oil hole to the pressure chamber 341. When the driving member moves the piston to the second chamber, the volume of the first chamber increases, and the hydraulic oil in the pressure chamber 341 is returned to the first chamber through the oil hole. Alternatively, the hydraulic device may be any conventional or future device that can discharge and suction oil.

[0040] It should be understood that the pipe wall of the bellows 34 of the present invention may be entirely corrugated or partially corrugated, for example, with a corrugated middle section and flat end surfaces. The bellows 34 may be sealed in the first mounting hole 21 in various ways. For example, one end of the bellows 34 may not be corrugated, but may be covered by a ring-shaped metal sheet fastened around the end, and the first mounting hole 21 of the outer drum 2 may be sealed to the metal sheet via a sealing pad. Alternatively, the bellows 34 may be directly glued to the first mounting hole 21 with a waterproof adhesive or the like. The bellows 34 may protrude from the first mounting hole 21, and the pressure port 342 may be located on the pipe wall outside the first mounting hole 21, thereby facilitating connection of the pressure port 342 with the outlet of the drive unit 5.

[0041] When gas needs to be introduced into the water storage area of ​​the inner drum 1, the pneumatic or hydraulic device operates to introduce gas or hydraulic oil into the pressure chamber 341 of the bellows 34 through the pressure port 342, thereby pressurizing the pressure chamber 341, and thereby starting to stretch the bellows 34, and allowing the bellows 34 to be inserted into the air vent 11. When gas does not need to be introduced into the water storage area of ​​the inner drum 1, the pneumatic or hydraulic device performs a pressure relief operation to discharge the gas or hydraulic oil in the pressure chamber 341 through the pressure port 342, thereby relieving the pressure in the pressure chamber 341 and allowing the bellows 34 to return to the outside of the inner drum 1, thereby avoiding interference.

[0042] In this case, a flexible cover may be further installed, namely, the bottom end of the flexible cover is open and is hermetically connected to the first mounting hole 21, one end of the bellows 34 is hermetically connected to the first mounting hole 21, and the other end of the bellows 34 extends through the inside of the flexible cover and out of the second mounting hole 611 at the top end of the flexible cover, which is hermetically connected to the bellows 34, so that when the driving device 5 drives the bellows 34 to insert into the air hole 11, the flexible cover can form a hermetic seal with the air hole 11. Furthermore, this prevents the loss of air bubbles caused by gas introduced into the water storage area escaping through the air hole 11 to between the inner drum 1 and the outer drum 2.

[0043] In one preferred embodiment, the inner wall of the inner drum 1 of the present invention is provided with lift ribs 12, which are provided with first through holes, and the lift ribs 12 and the inner wall form a surrounding chamber, and the air vents 11 are provided in the chamber. As can be seen, the lift ribs 12 serve to raise the clothes to a higher position during rotation of the inner drum 1 and slam them up and down to wash the laundry.

[0044] Referring to FIG. 1, the present invention utilizes lift ribs 12, which are a conventional structure for clothing treatment devices. After the ventilation element 3 is inserted into the water storage area of ​​the inner drum 1 through the ventilation hole 11, the ventilation hole 11 is located within a chamber formed by the lift ribs 12 and the inner wall of the inner drum 1, thereby preventing contact between the clothing and the ventilation element 3. This prevents interference between the ventilation element 3 and the clothing, and also prevents wear on the ventilation element 3 and damage to the clothing. Furthermore, the lift ribs 12 and the inner wall of the inner drum 1 form a small, enclosed space, which minimizes dissipation of bubble energy. Therefore, the bubbles can reach the clothing through the first through-holes in the lift ribs 12 and form cavitation bubbles, efficiently removing dirt from the clothing.

[0045] In a second possible embodiment, the exhaust port 32 of the ventilation member 3 is located between the inner drum 1 and the outer drum 2 and is provided corresponding to the ventilation hole 11, i.e., the gas passes directly from the exhaust port 32 of the ventilation member 3 through the ventilation hole 11 and enters the water storage area of ​​the inner drum 1.

[0046] The ventilation member 3 may take various specific forms. For example, it may be a hollow rod, one end of which (inlet port 31) is connected to the gas outlet 41 of the gas generator 4 and the other end is an exhaust port 32, which is located corresponding to the vent hole 11. Alternatively, the ventilation member 3 may be a connecting pipe 7 that is directly connected to the gas outlet 41 of the gas generator 4. One end of the exhaust port of the connecting pipe 7 is inserted directly through the first mounting hole 21 between the inner drum 1 and the outer drum 2 and is located corresponding to the vent hole 11. The ventilation member 3 and the first mounting hole 21 may be directly sealed and connected via a seal pad. Alternatively, the ventilation member 3 may be the first mounting hole 21, which is located corresponding to the vent hole 11. In this case, the first mounting hole 21 extends from the inner wall of the outer drum 2 to one side of the inner drum by a predetermined length, and the gas outlet 41 of the gas generator 4 is sealed and connected to the first mounting hole 21. When the ventilation member 3 is a connecting pipe 7 that is directly connected to the gas outlet 41 of the gas generating device 4, the connecting pipe 7 does not need to be inserted through the first mounting hole 21, but through a hole provided in a window packing connected to the housing of the outer drum mouth to form an effective seal, and the exhaust port 32 of the connecting pipe 7 is provided corresponding to the ventilation hole 11. In this case, the ventilation hole 11 may be installed on the front side of the inner drum 1, for example, at the inner drum mouth.

[0047] Although the above installation method slightly reduces the washing effect, it avoids interference between the ventilation member 3 and the clothes, and prevents wear on the ventilation member 3 and damage to the clothes. Furthermore, installation of the drive unit 5 is omitted, reducing operating costs. Furthermore, with this installation method, the gas generator 4 can be left running while the inner drum 1 is rotating without interfering with the rotation of the inner drum 1, and the ability to remove dirt from clothes is best when the exhaust port 32 of the ventilation member 3 and the vent hole 11 of the inner drum 1 face each other.

[0048] In one possible embodiment, the garment treatment device further includes a position sensor device, which is configured to be triggered when the inner drum 1 rotates to a set position so as to control the inner drum 1 to stop rotation, thereby allowing the gas generated by the gas generator 4 to pass through the exhaust port 32 and the vent 11 and enter the water storage area of ​​the inner drum 1 after the inner drum 1 stops rotating.

[0049] The set position may be the position when the air vent 11 and the exhaust port 32 face each other. In this case, the rotation speed of the inner drum 1 is required to be slow. The position sensor device sends a trigger signal after being triggered. The controller of the clothing processing device receives the trigger signal and controls the inner drum 1 to stop rotating upon receiving the trigger signal. At this time, because the rotation speed of the inner drum 1 is slow, the inner drum 1 can stop rotating almost immediately, thereby ensuring that the air vent 11 and the exhaust port 32 face each other, and further ensuring that the ventilation member 3 is inserted into the inner drum 1 through the air vent 11, or that the exhaust port 32 between the inner drum 1 and the outer drum 2 is aligned with the air vent 11 of the inner drum 1. When the rotation speed of the inner drum 1 is high, the set position is a predetermined distance from the point where the inner drum 1 rotates until the vent 11 and the exhaust port 32 face each other. That is, when the inner drum 1 rotates until the vent 11 and the exhaust port 32 face each other, the position sensor device is triggered to send a trigger signal. Upon receiving the trigger signal, the controller controls the inner drum 1 to stop rotating. After the inner drum 1 stops rotating, because the rotation speed of the inner drum 1 is high, the inner drum 1 continues to rotate a predetermined distance. After the inner drum 1 has rotated the predetermined distance, it stops rotating. At this time, the vent 11 and the exhaust port 32 are exactly opposite each other. This ensures that the ventilation member 3 can be inserted into the inner drum 1 through the vent 11, or that the exhaust port 32 between the inner drum 1 and the outer drum 2 is exactly opposite the vent 112 of the inner drum 1. This also ensures that gas can enter the water storage area of ​​the inner drum 1 through the vent 11.

[0050] There are various specific forms of the position sensor device. For example, the position sensor device includes a Hall sensor and a magnet, the Hall sensor is installed on the outer wall of the outer drum 2, the magnet is installed on the outer wall of the inner drum 1, and when the inner drum 1 rotates to a set position, the Hall sensor and the magnet face each other and trigger a signal; alternatively, the Hall sensor is installed on the outer bottom wall (bottom side in the axial direction of the outer drum) of the outer drum 2, and the magnet is installed on the outer rotor of the direct drive motor that rotates the inner drum 1, and when the inner drum 1 rotates to a set position, the Hall sensor and the magnet face each other and trigger a signal; alternatively, the position sensor includes a signal switch and a signal contact, the signal switch is installed at the outer drum opening, and the signal contact is installed at the inner drum opening, and when the inner drum 1 rotates to a set position, the signal switch comes into contact with the signal contact and triggers a signal.

[0051] The present invention also provides a method for controlling a clothes processing device, which includes the following steps.

[0052] Step S100: In the washing process, the inner drum is controlled to rotate.

[0053] Step S200: When the inner drum rotates to a set position, the inner drum is controlled to stop rotating.

[0054] Step S300: Control the gas generating device to start up.

[0055] A foaming program for introducing gas into the inner drum can be added to the washing program of the laundry treatment device. For example, in the washing program of the laundry treatment device, the motor that controls the inner drum to rotate rotates at a preset rotation-stop ratio. Therefore, in the washing program, when the motor operating at the preset rotation-stop ratio is in the rotation-stop section, the foaming program is executed, i.e., the inner drum is controlled to rotate, and when the inner drum reaches a preset position, the inner drum is controlled to stop rotating. After the inner drum stops rotating, the gas generator is controlled to start, introducing gas into the water storage area of ​​the inner drum to improve the washing effect. The preset position is the preset position introduced in the above embodiment. There are various ways to determine when the inner drum rotates to this preset position. For example, the position sensor device can be provided, and the time when the inner drum rotates to this preset position can be determined based on the rotation speed and time of the motor that drives the inner drum to rotate. That is, the rotation position of the inner drum is determined based on the rotation speed and time of the motor, and it can be determined that the inner drum rotates to this preset position when the rotation speed and time of the motor reach preset values.

[0056] When the exhaust port is located between the inner drum and the outer drum and is provided corresponding to the vent hole, the inner drum can be controlled to stop rotating and then the gas generator can be directly controlled to start, so that most of the gas passes through the exhaust port of the vent member and the vent hole of the inner drum in order and enters the water storage area of ​​the inner drum, improving the washing effect.

[0057] When the clothing treatment device further includes a drive device, the drive device is connected to the ventilation member, and the ventilation member is extendable on both the inside and outside of the ventilation hole under the drive of the drive device, after the step of "controlling the inner drum to stop rotation", the device further includes a step of "controlling the drive device that drives the ventilation member to insert it into the inside of the ventilation hole", and controls the gas generating device to start up, and introduces gas directly into the water storage area of ​​the inner drum through the exhaust port of the ventilation member, thereby improving the dirt removal ability and the washing effect. After the step of "controlling the gas generating device to activate it", the method further includes the step of "controlling the drive device to return the ventilation member to the outside of the ventilation hole after a preset time", where the preset time may be set by a user or may be obtained by converting it based on a preset time before the inner drum rotates when operating at a preset rotation stop ratio in a pre-set washing program of the washing machine. That is, the drive device is controlled to return the ventilation member to the outside of the ventilation hole within a preset time before the inner drum rotates when operating according to a pre-set washing program of the washing machine, thereby enabling the clothes to be washed efficiently without interfering with the rotation of the inner drum after the air bubble washing.

[0058] It should be noted that the above embodiments are merely for explaining the principles of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can adjust the above examples so that the present invention can be applied to more specific application scenarios without departing from the principles of the present invention.

[0059] For example, although the present invention introduces a flexible cover, this is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention, and the installation method can be adjusted, for example, the installation of the flexible cover can be omitted, and the first end of the rod body 33 can be connected to the first mounting hole via a flexible sealing pad, that is, the moving distance of the rod body 33 can be compensated by the flexible sealing pad, all of which do not deviate from the principle of the present invention and are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0060] For example, in the present invention, it is stated that the second through-hole 622 is formed in the bottom wall of the case 62, the second through-hole 622 is disposed in the flexible cover 61, and the rod body 33 passes through the second through-hole 622, leaving a movable gap between the second through-hole 622 and the second through-hole 622. However, this is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. For example, the installation of the case 62 may be omitted, the rod body 33 may pass through the first mounting hole 21, leaving a movable gap between the first mounting hole 21 and the rod body 33, and a sealing cover at the bottom end of the flexible cover 61 may be disposed around the first mounting hole 21, etc., all of which do not deviate from the principles of the present invention and are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0061] For example, in an alternative embodiment, the driving device 5 of the present invention is introduced as a motor 51 and a cam link mechanism 52. However, this is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention, and the installation manner can be adjusted. For example, the driving device 5 may be a motor 51 and a gear rack mechanism, the output shaft of the motor 51 is fixedly connected to a gear, the gear meshes with a rack, the rack is connected to a first end of a rod 33, and a guide member may be installed on the outer wall of the outer drum 2, the guide member is provided with a striped groove, and the rack is movably installed in the groove to guide the rack. In this case, the rod 33 may not be sealedly connected to the first mounting hole 21, or the rack may be sealedly connected to the first mounting hole 21, all of which are within the scope of protection of the present invention without departing from the principle of the present invention.

[0062] As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the garment processing device may include several other well-known structures, such as a processor, a controller, and a memory, including but not limited to random memory, flash, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, volatile memory, non-volatile memory, serial memory, parallel memory, or registers. The processor may include but not limited to a CPLD / FPGA, a DSP, an ARM processor, a MIPS processor, etc. These well-known structures are not shown in the drawings to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0063] Although the technical solutions of the present invention have been described above in conjunction with the preferred embodiments shown in the drawings, those skilled in the art can easily understand that the protection scope of the present invention is not obviously limited to these specific embodiments. Without departing from the principle of the present invention, those skilled in the art can make equivalent modifications or substitutions to the relevant technical features, and all of the technical solutions after such modifications or substitutions fall within the protection scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0064] 1 - inner drum, 11 - vent hole, 12 - lift rib, 2 - outer drum, 21 - first mounting hole, 3 - vent member, 31 - inlet port, 32 - outlet port, 33 - rod body, 34 - bellows, 341 - pressure chamber, 342 - pressure port, 4 - gas generator, 41 - gas outlet, 5 - drive unit, 51 - motor, 52 - cam linkage, 6 - sealing member, 61 - flexible cover, 611 - second mounting hole, 612 - opening, 62 - case, 621 - opening, 622 - second through hole, 7 - connecting pipe.

Claims

1. A clothing treatment device, an inner drum provided with a vent hole; a ventilation member including an intake port and an exhaust port; a gas generator including a gas outlet communicating with the intake port, wherein generated gas passes from the exhaust port through the vent hole and into the water storage area of ​​the inner drum; The clothing treatment device further includes a driving device connected to the ventilation member, the ventilation member being expandable on both the inside and outside of the ventilation hole under the driving of the driving device, and when the ventilation member is inserted into the ventilation hole, the exhaust port is located in the water storage area. A clothing processing device characterized by:

2. The clothing processing device of claim 1, wherein the inner wall of the inner drum is provided with a lift rib, the lift rib is provided with a first through hole, the lift rib and the inner wall surround each other to form a chamber, and the air vent is provided within the chamber.

3. 2. The clothing treatment device of claim 1, wherein the ventilation member is a rod, an airflow channel is formed inside the rod along the axial direction of the rod, the air intake port and the air exhaust port are both connected to the airflow channel, the driving device includes a motor and a transmission assembly, and the motor is connected to the rod via the transmission assembly.

4. 4. The clothing treatment device of claim 3, wherein the outer drum of the clothing treatment device is provided with a first mounting hole, the clothing treatment device further includes a sealing member, the sealing member includes a flexible cover, the bottom end of the flexible cover is an open portion, the open portion is sealingly connected to the first mounting hole, the top end of the flexible cover is provided with a second mounting hole, the first end of the rod body is connected to the transmission assembly, the second end of the rod body extends from the second mounting hole through the inside of the flexible cover, the second mounting hole is fixedly and sealingly connected to the rod body, and the flexible cover can form a seal with the air hole when the driving device drives the rod body to insert into the inside of the air hole.

5. the sealing member further includes a case having an open top end, the bottom end of the case being hermetically attached to the first mounting hole, the bottom end of the flexible cover being connected to an inner bottom wall of the case, and the top end of the flexible cover being hermetically connected to the opening, the bottom wall of the case further having a second through-hole formed therein, the second through-hole being disposed in the flexible cover, the rod member passing through the second through-hole, leaving a movable gap between the rod member and the second through-hole; and / or The clothing treatment device of claim 4, wherein the transmission assembly is a cam linkage.

6. The clothing processing device of claim 1, wherein the ventilation member is a bellows, a pressure chamber is formed in a tubular wall of the bellows, a pressure port is provided in the tubular wall, the pressure port is connected to the pressure chamber, the drive device is a pneumatic device or a hydraulic device, an outlet of the drive device is connected to the pressure port, and one end of the bellows is connected to the gas outlet.

7. 2. The clothing treatment device of claim 1, further comprising a position sensor device, the position sensor device being configured to be triggered when the inner drum rotates to a set position to control the inner drum to stop rotation, whereby after the inner drum stops rotating, the gas generated by the gas generating device can pass through the exhaust port and the air vent and enter the water storage area of ​​the inner drum.

8. The clothing treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the exhaust port is located between the inner drum and the outer drum of the clothing treatment device and is provided corresponding to the air vent.

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