Blockage detection method and apparatus for dish-washing machine, and dish-washing machine

Abstract

Provided in the present disclosure are a blockage detection method and apparatus for a dish-washing machine, and a dish-washing machine. A dish-washing machine (100) comprises a controller (101), a driving motor (102), a washing cavity (106), and a water circulation loop, wherein the water circulation loop is provided with a washing water pump; the controller (101) controls the driving motor (102) to drive, at a constant rotational speed, the washing water pump to draw water outside the washing cavity (106) into a washing pipe (104) so as to spray the water from a water spray port (105); the controller (101) acquires a circuit operation parameter of the driving motor (102); the controller (101) extracts, every first preset duration, the maximum circuit operation parameter and the minimum circuit operation parameter within a first preset duration; on the basis of the maximum circuit operation parameter and the minimum circuit operation parameter, the controller (101) determines the maximum parameter variation of the driving motor (102) within the first preset duration; and when the maximum parameter variation is greater than a preset parameter threshold value, the controller (101) determines that the water circulation loop is blocked.

Description

Dishwasher blockage detection method and device and dishwasher

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This disclosure claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 202410374320.7 filed on March 29, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of dishwashers, and in particular to a dishwasher blockage detection method and device, and the dishwasher. Background Art

[0004] With the advancement of technology, dishwashers have become ubiquitous in households, bringing convenience to people's lives. To wash dishes, a dishwasher places the dishes in the washing chamber, controls the flow of water through the inlet of the dishwasher's water circulation circuit, and controls the flow of water out of the water outlet of the water circulation circuit into the washing chamber to rinse the dishes. However, during the rinsing process, food residue on the dishes may cause congestion in the water circulation circuit, preventing the dishwasher from effectively cleaning the dishes. Therefore, it is necessary to detect whether the water circulation circuit is clogged so that the user can clear the clogged water circulation circuit.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] By utilizing one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, the problem in the prior art that the water pressure sensor is easily corroded by dishwashing water in the water circulation loop, the accuracy of the detected water pressure is easily reduced, the reliability of determining whether the water circulation loop is blocked is also low, and the cost is additionally increased is solved.

[0007] In a first aspect, the present disclosure provides a method for detecting blockage in a dishwasher. The dishwasher includes a controller, a drive motor, a washing chamber, and a circulating water circuit. The controller is electrically connected to the drive motor. The circulating water circuit is provided with a washing water pump. The drive motor is used to drive the washing water pump. The circulating water circuit includes a washing pipe located within the washing chamber, and the washing pipe is provided with a water spray port. The method provided by the present disclosure includes: the controller controls the drive motor to drive the washing water pump at a constant speed to draw water outside the washing chamber into the washing pipe and spray it out from the water spray port; the controller obtains circuit operating parameters of the drive motor; the controller extracts the maximum and minimum circuit operating parameters within a first preset time period at intervals; the controller determines, based on the maximum and minimum circuit operating parameters, a maximum parameter change of the drive motor within the first preset time period; and the controller determines that the circulating water circuit is blocked when the maximum parameter change exceeds a preset parameter threshold.

[0008] In one possible embodiment, the circulating water circuit includes a water inlet, the water inlet is provided with an electromagnetic valve, and the controller is electrically connected to the electromagnetic valve. When the maximum parameter change is greater than a preset threshold value, the controller determines that the circulating water circuit is blocked, including: when the maximum parameter change is greater than the preset parameter threshold value, the controller controls the electromagnetic valve located at the water inlet to open for a second preset time and then close it to add water to the circulating water circuit through the water inlet; the controller records the number of times water is added to the circulating water circuit through the water inlet; and when the recorded number of water additions reaches a preset number threshold, the controller determines that the circulating water circuit is blocked.

[0009] In one possible embodiment, when the recorded number of water additions does not reach a preset number threshold and the maximum parameter change is greater than a preset parameter threshold, the controller determines that the factor causing the maximum parameter change of the drive motor to be greater than the preset parameter threshold is the normal fluctuation of water in the circulating water circuit.

[0010] In one possible embodiment, after the controller obtains the circuit operating parameters of the drive motor at the target constant speed, the method provided by the present disclosure also includes: the controller determines whether the circuit operating parameters of the drive motor are lower than a preset parameter threshold; and when the circuit operating parameters of the drive motor are lower than the preset parameter threshold, determines that the circulating water circuit is blocked.

[0011] In a possible embodiment, the dishwasher further includes an alarm, and the controller is electrically connected to the alarm. After determining that the circulating water circuit is blocked, the method provided by the present disclosure further includes: the controller controlling the drive motor to stop running and controlling the alarm to sound an alarm.

[0012] In a possible implementation, the circuit operating parameter is the operating power of the drive motor, the current flowing through the drive motor, or the voltage across the drive motor.

[0013] In a possible implementation, after determining that the circulating water circuit is clogged, the method provided by the present disclosure further includes: determining the degree of congestion of the circulating water circuit of the dishwasher according to the maximum parameter change and a preset relationship table.

[0014] In a second aspect, the present disclosure further provides a blockage detection device for a dishwasher, the dishwasher comprising a controller, a drive motor, a washing chamber, and a circulating water circuit, the controller being electrically connected to the drive motor, the circulating water circuit being provided with a washing water pump, the drive motor being used to drive the washing water pump, the circulating water circuit comprising a washing pipe located within the washing chamber, the washing pipe being provided with a water spray port. The device provided by the present disclosure comprises: a motor control unit for controlling the drive motor to drive the washing water pump at a constant speed to draw water outside the washing chamber into the washing pipe and spray it out from the water spray port; a parameter acquisition unit for acquiring circuit operating parameters of the drive motor; a parameter extraction unit for extracting the maximum and minimum circuit operating parameters within a first preset time period at intervals; a change determination unit for determining a maximum parameter change of the drive motor within the first preset time period based on the maximum and minimum circuit operating parameters; and a blockage determination unit for determining that the circulating water circuit is blocked when the maximum parameter change is greater than a preset parameter threshold.

[0015] In a third aspect, the present disclosure further provides a dishwasher, which includes a controller, a drive motor, a washing chamber, and a circulating water circuit. The controller is electrically connected to the drive motor. The circulating water circuit is provided with a washing water pump. The drive motor is used to drive the washing water pump to operate. The circulating water circuit includes a washing pipe located in the washing chamber. The washing pipe is provided with a water spray nozzle. The controller is used to execute the blockage detection method of the dishwasher provided in the first aspect of the present disclosure.

[0016] In a fourth aspect, the present disclosure further provides a storage medium comprising computer program instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a controller of a dishwasher, enable the controller to execute the blockage detection method for a dishwasher as provided in the first aspect of the present application.

[0017] In a fifth aspect, the present disclosure further provides a computer program product, comprising a computer program, which, when executed, enables a computer to execute the blockage detection method for a dishwasher provided in the first aspect.

[0018] The present disclosure provides a method, device, and dishwasher for detecting blockage of a dishwasher. It is understandable that when the controller controls the drive motor to maintain a constant speed, the circuit operating parameters of the drive motor depend on the amount of load (i.e., the amount of water that the washing pump can pump). It is understandable that when the water circulation loop of the dishwasher is blocked, it will completely or intermittently cause the washing pump to be unable to pump enough water, which will cause the circuit operating parameters of the drive motor to vary greatly. Therefore, the controller can obtain the circuit operating parameters of the drive motor; the controller extracts the maximum circuit operating parameters and the minimum circuit operating parameters within the first preset time period every first preset time period; the controller determines the maximum parameter change of the drive motor within the first preset time period based on the maximum circuit operating parameters and the minimum circuit operating parameters; when the maximum parameter change is greater than the preset parameter threshold, the controller determines that the circulating water circuit is blocked with high reliability, and no additional sensor needs to be installed, which is low in cost. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present disclosure or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be derived from these drawings without inventive effort.

[0020] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a dishwasher according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0021] FIG2 is a flow chart of a method for detecting blockage in a dishwasher according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0022] FIG3 is a flow chart of step S105 in FIG2 ; and

[0023] FIG4 is a functional module block diagram of a blockage detection device for a dishwasher according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it should be understood that these descriptions are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, in the following description, descriptions of well-known structures and technologies are omitted to avoid unnecessary confusion of the concepts of the present disclosure.

[0025] The accompanying drawings illustrate various schematic diagrams of structures according to embodiments of the present disclosure. These figures are not drawn to scale, and for the purpose of clarity, certain details are exaggerated and certain details may be omitted. The shapes of the various regions and layers shown in the figures, as well as their relative sizes and positional relationships, are merely exemplary and may deviate in practice due to manufacturing tolerances or technical limitations. Those skilled in the art may design regions / layers with different shapes, sizes, and relative positions as needed.

[0026] In the context of the present disclosure, when a layer / element is referred to as being "on" another layer / element, it can be directly on the other layer / element or an intervening layer / element may be present therebetween. In addition, if a layer / element is "on" another layer / element in one orientation, it may be "below" the other layer / element when the orientation is reversed.

[0027] Below, the technical solution of the present disclosure and how the technical solution of the present disclosure solves the above-mentioned technical problems are described in detail with specific embodiments. The following specific embodiments can be combined with each other, and the same or similar concepts or processes may not be repeated in some embodiments. The embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0028] Currently, water circulation circuit blockage detection involves installing a water pressure sensor within the circuit. A blockage is determined when the water pressure detected by the sensor is abnormal. However, the water pressure sensor is susceptible to corrosion from dishwashing water within the circuit, which can reduce the accuracy of the detected water pressure and reduce the reliability of blockage detection. Furthermore, the need to install an additional water pressure sensor within the circuit increases costs.

[0029] As shown in FIG1 , an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method for detecting blockage in a dishwasher. The method is applied to a dishwasher 100. The dishwasher 100 includes a controller 101, a drive motor 102, a washing chamber 106, and a circulating water circuit. The controller 101 is electrically connected to the drive motor 102. In some embodiments, the controller 101 may be, but is not limited to, a single-chip microcomputer. The drive motor 102 may be, but is not limited to, a brushless DC motor. The circulating water circuit is provided with a wash water pump, which is driven by the drive motor 102. The circulating water circuit includes a wash pipe 104 located within the wash chamber 106, which is provided with a water spray port 105. In some embodiments, the wash pipe 104 may include multiple pairs of water spray ports 105. In some embodiments, the wash pipe 104 may include three, four, or five pairs of water spray ports 105, etc., without limitation. Each pair of water spray ports 105 is arranged opposite each other on the same horizontal plane. In some embodiments, when the wash pipe 104 includes three pairs of water spray ports 105, the three pairs of water spray ports 105 may be arranged sequentially from top to bottom. In some embodiments, the washing chamber 106 is provided with a drain outlet, and the drain outlet is provided with a filter screen for filtering food residues.

[0030] As shown in FIG2 , the method provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure includes steps S201 to S205:

[0031] Step S201 : the controller 101 controls the driving motor 102 to drive the washing water pump at a constant speed to draw water outside the washing chamber 106 into the washing pipe 104 and spray it out from the water spray port 105 .

[0032] It is understood that when the dishwasher 100 is washing dishes, multiple different washing modes can be used to better clean the dishes while also conserving energy. In some embodiments, the multiple different washing modes can include a high-pressure rinse mode and a low-pressure rinse mode. The controller 101 can sequentially control the dishwasher 100 to operate in different washing modes according to preconfigured washing strategies to effectively clean the dishes in the washing chamber 106. It is understood that when the dishwasher 100 is in different washing modes, the constant rotational speed of the rotor of the drive motor 102 varies.

[0033] Step S202 : the controller 101 obtains circuit operating parameters of the drive motor 102 .

[0034] Specifically, the circuit operating parameter may be, but is not limited to, the operating power of the drive motor 102, the current flowing through the drive motor 102, or the voltage across the drive motor 102. In some embodiments, when the circuit operating parameter is a current acquisition module, the drive motor 102 may be provided with a current acquisition module, which may acquire the current flowing through the motor and transmit it to the controller 101. In some embodiments, when the circuit operating parameter is the current flowing through the drive motor 102, the drive motor 102 may be provided with a current acquisition module, which may acquire the current flowing through the drive motor 102 and transmit it to the controller 101. When the circuit operating parameter is the voltage of the drive motor 102, the drive motor 102 may be provided with a voltage acquisition module, which may acquire the voltage of the drive motor 102 and transmit it to the controller 101. When the circuit operating parameter is the power of the drive motor 102, the drive motor 102 may be provided with a current acquisition module and a voltage acquisition module. The current acquisition module may acquire the current flowing through the drive motor 102 and transmit it to the controller 101, and the voltage acquisition module may acquire the voltage of the drive motor 102 and transmit it to the controller 101. Furthermore, the controller 101 may determine the power of the drive motor 102 based on the received current and voltage.

[0035] Step S203 : the controller 101 extracts the maximum circuit operating parameter and the minimum circuit operating parameter within the first preset time period at intervals of the first preset time period.

[0036] In some embodiments, the first preset time duration may be 1 minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, etc., which is not limited herein. In some embodiments, the controller 101 may extract the maximum operating power and minimum operating power of the drive motor 102 within 2 minutes every 2 minutes. In some embodiments, the controller 101 may extract the maximum current and minimum current flowing through the drive motor 102 within 2 minutes every 2 minutes.

[0037] Step S204 : the controller 101 determines the maximum parameter variation of the drive motor 102 within the first preset time period according to the maximum circuit operating parameter and the minimum circuit operating parameter.

[0038] In some embodiments, when the circuit operating parameter drives the operating power of the motor 102, the controller 101 can determine the maximum parameter change of the driving motor 102 within the first preset time according to the formula P0=P1-P2, wherein P1 is the maximum circuit operating parameter, P2 is the minimum circuit operating parameter, and P0 is the maximum parameter change of the driving motor 102 within the first preset time.

[0039] Step S205: When the maximum parameter change is greater than a preset parameter threshold, the controller 101 determines that the circulating water channel is blocked.

[0040] In some embodiments, the controller 101 may determine that the dishwasher 100 is operating normally when the maximum parameter change is less than or equal to a preset parameter threshold. In some embodiments, the cause of the blockage of the circulating water circuit may be a blockage of the filter, a blockage of the washing pump 103, or a blockage of the washing pump 103, etc., which are not limited here.

[0041] In summary, the disclosed embodiments provide a method for detecting blockage in a dishwasher. When the controller 101 controls the drive motor 102 to maintain a constant speed, the circuit operating parameters of the drive motor 102 depend on the load (i.e., the amount of water that the wash pump 103 can pump). As can be understood, when the water circulation loop of the dishwasher 100 becomes clogged, the wash pump 103 may be completely or intermittently unable to pump sufficient water, causing the circuit operating parameters of the drive motor 102 to vary significantly.

[0042] Therefore, the controller 101 can obtain the circuit operating parameters of the drive motor 102; the controller 101 extracts the maximum circuit operating parameters and the minimum circuit operating parameters within the first preset time period every first preset time period; the controller 101 determines the maximum parameter change of the drive motor 102 within the first preset time period based on the maximum circuit operating parameters and the minimum circuit operating parameters; when the maximum parameter change is greater than the preset parameter threshold, the controller 101 determines that the circulating water circuit is blocked with high reliability, and no additional sensor needs to be installed, which is low cost.

[0043] Specifically, the circulating water circuit includes a water inlet, which is provided with a solenoid valve, and the controller 101 is electrically connected to the solenoid valve. As shown in FIG3 , step S205 can be specifically implemented as steps S301 to S305.

[0044] Step S301: When the maximum parameter change is greater than a preset parameter threshold, the controller 101 controls the electromagnetic valve at the water inlet to open for a second preset time and then close, so as to add water into the circulating water circuit through the water inlet.

[0045] When the maximum parameter change exceeds the preset parameter threshold, it may be due to a blockage in the water circulation circuit, which may completely or intermittently cause the wash pump 103 to be unable to pump enough water, resulting in unstable operating power of the drive motor 102. It may also be due to insufficient water in the dishwasher 100. In this case, the controller 101 can control the solenoid valve at the water inlet to open for a second preset time and then close to add water to the circulating water circuit through the water inlet.

[0046] Step S302: The controller 101 records the number of water additions.

[0047] Step S303: The controller 101 determines whether the recorded number of water additions is less than a preset threshold number. If yes, the process returns to step S301; if not, the process goes to step S304.

[0048] Step S304: the controller 101 determines whether the maximum parameter variation of the driving motor 102 is greater than a preset parameter threshold value. If yes, step S305 is executed; if not, step S306 is executed.

[0049] Step S305: The controller 101 determines that the circulating water path is blocked.

[0050] It should be noted that the above steps S302 to S305 can be understood as: the controller 101 records the number of times water is added to the circulating water circuit through the water inlet; and when the recorded number of water additions reaches a preset threshold, the controller 101 determines that the circulating water circuit is blocked.

[0051] Understandably, when the recorded number of water additions exceeds a preset threshold, it indicates that the dishwasher 100 has sufficient water. At this point, if the maximum parameter change of the drive motor 102 exceeds the preset threshold, it indicates that the cause of the unstable operating parameters of the drive motor 102 circuit is a blockage in the water circulation circuit. This increases the reliability of the controller 101's determination that the water circulation circuit is blocked.

[0052] Step S306 : the controller 101 determines that the factor causing the maximum parameter variation of the driving motor 102 to be greater than the preset parameter threshold is the normal fluctuation of the water in the circulating water circuit.

[0053] It can be understood that when the recorded number of water additions is less than the preset number threshold, if the maximum parameter change of the drive motor 102 is less than the preset parameter threshold, it means that the cause of the unstable operating power of the drive motor 102 is: insufficient water or normal fluctuation of water in the circulating water circuit.

[0054] In some embodiments, the method provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure may further include: the controller 101 determines whether the circuit operating parameters of the drive motor 102 are lower than a preset parameter threshold; when the circuit operating parameters of the drive motor 102 are lower than the preset parameter threshold, it is determined that the circulating water circuit is blocked.

[0055] When the circuit operating parameters of the drive motor 102 fall below a preset parameter threshold, the amount of water that the washing pump 103 can pump is far from sufficient. This is caused by a blockage in the circulating water circuit. In this case, the controller 101 has a high degree of reliability in determining that the circulating water circuit is blocked.

[0056] In some embodiments, the dishwasher 100 further includes an alarm, and the controller 101 is electrically connected to the alarm. Upon determining that the circulating water circuit is clogged, the method provided by the disclosed embodiment further includes: the controller 101 controlling the drive motor 102 to stop operation to prevent wear of the drive motor 102 due to idling, and controlling the alarm to sound an alarm to prompt the user to clear the congestion in the circulating water circuit. In some embodiments, the alarm may provide a voice alarm such as "Please clear the circulating water circuit" or "The circulating water circuit is clogged," etc., without limitation herein.

[0057] In a possible implementation, after determining that the circulating water circuit is clogged, the method provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure further includes: the controller 101 determining the degree of congestion of the circulating water circuit of the dishwasher 100 according to the maximum parameter change and a preset relationship table.

[0058] In some embodiments, the degree of congestion in the dishwasher 100's circulating water circuit is determined to be "mild" based on the maximum parameter change A, "moderate" based on the maximum parameter change B, and "severe" based on the maximum parameter change C. The dishwasher 100 may be provided with a display screen on the outside, and the controller 101 may display the severity of the circulating water circuit on the display screen for the user's reference when cleaning the dishwasher 100's circulating water circuit.

[0059] In addition, the embodiment of the present disclosure further provides a blockage detection device 400 for a dishwasher, which is configured in the dishwasher 100. The dishwasher 100 includes a controller 101, a drive motor 102, a washing chamber 106, and a circulating water circuit. The controller 101 is electrically connected to the drive motor 102. The circulating water circuit is provided with a washing water pump. The drive motor 102 is used to drive the washing water pump to operate. The circulating water circuit includes a washing pipe 104 located in the washing chamber 106. The washing pipe 104 is provided with a water spray port 105. It should be noted that the basic principle and technical effects of the blockage detection device 400 for a dishwasher provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure are the same as those in the above-mentioned embodiment. For the sake of brief description, for parts not mentioned in this embodiment, please refer to the corresponding content in the above-mentioned embodiment. The device 400 provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure includes a motor control unit 401, a parameter acquisition unit 402, a parameter extraction unit 403, a change determination unit 404, and a blockage determination unit 405, wherein,

[0060] The motor control unit 401 is used to control the driving motor 102 to drive the washing water pump at a constant speed to draw water outside the washing chamber 106 into the washing pipe 104 and spray it out from the water spray port 105 .

[0061] The parameter acquisition unit 402 is used to acquire circuit operating parameters of the drive motor 102 .

[0062] In some embodiments, the circuit operating parameter is the operating power of the drive motor 102 , the current flowing through the drive motor 102 , or the voltage across the drive motor 102 .

[0063] The parameter extraction unit 403 is configured to extract the maximum circuit operation parameter and the minimum circuit operation parameter within the first preset time period at intervals of the first preset time period.

[0064] The variation determination unit 404 is configured to determine a maximum parameter variation of the drive motor 102 within a first preset time period according to the maximum circuit operating parameter and the minimum circuit operating parameter.

[0065] The blockage determination unit 405 is configured to determine that the circulating water channel is blocked when the maximum parameter change is greater than a preset parameter threshold.

[0066] In one possible embodiment, the blockage determination unit 405 is also used to determine that the factor causing the maximum parameter change of the drive motor 102 to be greater than the preset parameter threshold is the normal fluctuation of water in the circulating water circuit when the recorded number of water additions does not reach the preset number threshold and the maximum parameter change is greater than the preset parameter threshold.

[0067] In a possible embodiment, the blockage determination unit 405 is also used to determine whether the circuit operating parameters of the drive motor 102 are lower than the preset parameter threshold; when the circuit operating parameters of the drive motor 102 are lower than the preset parameter threshold, it is determined that the circulating water circuit is blocked.

[0068] In a possible embodiment, the dishwasher 100 further includes an alarm, and the controller 101 is electrically connected to the alarm. The device 400 provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure may further include: an alarm unit for controlling the drive motor 102 to stop running and controlling the alarm to sound an alarm.

[0069] In a possible implementation, the apparatus 400 provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure further includes:

[0070] The congestion level determination unit is configured to determine the congestion level of the circulating water path of the dishwasher 100 according to the maximum parameter change and a preset relationship table.

[0071] Still referring to Figure 1, the embodiment of the present disclosure further provides a dishwasher 100, which includes a controller 101, a drive motor 102, a washing chamber 106 and a circulating water circuit. The controller 101 is electrically connected to the drive motor 102. The circulating water circuit is provided with a washing water pump. The drive motor 102 is used to drive the washing water pump to operate. The circulating water circuit includes a washing pipe 104 located in the washing chamber 106. The washing pipe 104 is provided with a water spray port 105. The controller 101 is used to execute the blockage detection method for the dishwasher provided in the above embodiment.

[0072] Specifically, the controller may be an integrated circuit chip with signal processing capabilities. In the implementation process, each step of the above method can be completed by an integrated logic circuit of the hardware in the controller or an instruction in the form of software. The above controller can be a general processor (for example, a microprocessor or a conventional processor), a digital signal processor (digital signal processing, DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (application specific integrated circuit, ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate, transistor logic device or discrete hardware component, and the controller can implement or execute the disclosed methods, steps and logic block diagrams in the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0073] In addition, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a storage medium. When instructions in the storage medium are executed by a controller of a dishwasher, the controller is enabled to execute the blockage detection method for the dishwasher provided by the above embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0074] In addition, embodiments of the present disclosure further provide a computer program product, including a computer program. When executed, the computer program causes a computer to execute the dishwasher blockage detection method described in any of the implementations of the aforementioned embodiments. The computer program product may be pre-written in a memory or downloaded and installed in the memory in software form. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, the processes or functions according to the embodiments of the present disclosure are fully or partially executed.

[0075] In the several embodiments provided in the present disclosure, it should be understood that the disclosed devices and methods can also be implemented in other ways. The device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For example, the flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings show the possible architectures, functions and operations of the devices, methods and computer program products according to multiple embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each box in the flowchart or block diagram can represent a module, a program segment or a portion of code, and the module, program segment or a portion of code contains one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical functions. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions marked in the box can also occur in an order different from that marked in the accompanying drawings. For example, two consecutive boxes can actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they can sometimes be executed in the opposite order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each box in the block diagram and / or flowchart, and the combination of boxes in the block diagram and / or flowchart, can be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or action, or can be implemented using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0076] In addition, the functional modules in the various embodiments of the present invention may be integrated together to form an independent part, or each module may exist independently, or two or more modules may be integrated to form an independent part.

[0077] If the functions are implemented in the form of software function modules and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present invention, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or the part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. The computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions for enabling a computer device (which can be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to perform all or part of the steps of the method described in each embodiment of the present invention. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media that can store program code, such as a USB flash drive, a mobile hard disk, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a magnetic disk or an optical disk. It should be noted that, in this article, relational terms such as first and second are only used to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the terms "comprises," "comprising," or any other variations thereof are intended to encompass non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that includes a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. In the absence of further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising a ..." does not preclude the presence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes the element.

[0078] The foregoing description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Various modifications and variations are readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, and the like made within the spirit and principles of the present invention are intended to be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters denote similar items in the following figures. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it need not be further defined or explained in subsequent figures.

Claims

1. A method for detecting blockage in a dishwasher, the dishwasher comprising a controller, a drive motor, a washing chamber, and a circulating water circuit, the controller being electrically connected to the drive motor, the circulating water circuit being provided with a washing water pump, the drive motor being configured to drive the washing water pump, the circulating water circuit comprising a washing pipe located within the washing chamber, the washing pipe being provided with a water spray port, the method comprising: The controller controls the driving motor to drive the washing water pump at a constant speed to draw water outside the washing chamber into the washing pipe and spray it out from the water spray port; The controller obtains circuit operating parameters of the drive motor; The controller extracts the maximum circuit operation parameter and the minimum circuit operation parameter within the first preset time period at intervals of the first preset time period; The controller determines a maximum parameter change of the drive motor within the first preset time period according to the maximum circuit operating parameter and the minimum circuit operating parameter; as well as The controller determines that the circulating water circuit is blocked when the maximum parameter change is greater than a preset parameter threshold.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein The circulating water circuit includes a water inlet, the water inlet is provided with an electromagnetic valve, the controller is electrically connected to the electromagnetic valve, and the controller determines that the circulating water circuit is blocked when the maximum parameter change is greater than a preset threshold, including: When the maximum parameter change is greater than a preset parameter threshold, the controller controls the electromagnetic valve located at the water inlet to open for a second preset time and then close, so as to add water into the circulating water circuit through the water inlet; The controller records the number of times water is added into the circulating water circuit through the water inlet; and When the number of water additions reaches a preset threshold, the controller determines that the circulating water circuit is blocked.

3. The method according to claim 2 further includes the controller determining that the factor causing the maximum parameter change of the drive motor to be greater than the preset parameter threshold is the normal fluctuation of water in the circulating water circuit when the number of water additions does not reach the preset number threshold and the maximum parameter change is greater than the preset parameter threshold.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein After the controller obtains the circuit operating parameters of the drive motor at the target constant speed, the method further includes: The controller determines whether a circuit operating parameter of the drive motor is lower than a preset parameter threshold; and When the circuit operating parameter of the drive motor is lower than a preset parameter threshold, it is determined that the circulating water circuit is blocked.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein The dishwasher further includes an alarm, and the controller is electrically connected to the alarm. After determining that the circulating water circuit is blocked, the method further includes: The controller controls the driving motor to stop running and controls the alarm to sound an alarm.

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