Air duct housing, heat pump drying system and washing appliance

Abstract

An air duct housing (10), a heat pump drying system (1200) and a washing appliance (1000). The air duct housing (10) is used for the heat pump drying system (1200) of the washing appliance (1000). The air duct housing (10) has a ventilation duct formed therein and comprises a main body portion (12) and two connector portions (13), wherein the two connector portions (13) are both in communication with the main body portion (12); the two connector portions (13) are both connected to the same side of the main body portion (12) and are spaced apart; one connector portion (13) is used for air intake, and the other connector portion (13) is used for air output; and the main body portion (12) is used for accommodating an evaporator (20) and a condenser (30).

Description

Air duct housing, heat pump drying system and washing appliance

[0001] Priority information

[0002] The present application claims priority to and the benefit of Chinese Patent Application No. 202411046721.6, 202421843640.4, filed on July 31, 2024, to the Chinese National Intellectual Property Office, and which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] The present application relates to the technical field of household appliances, in particular to an air duct housing, a heat pump drying system and a washing appliance. BACKGROUND

[0004] In the related art, a washing appliance includes an inner container and a heat pump drying system, and the washing appliance has a drying mode for drying tableware. However, the installation of various components of the heat pump drying system is complex, which is not conducive to reducing the manufacturing cost of the washing appliance. SUMMARY

[0005] The present application provides an air duct housing, a heat pump drying system and a washing appliance, which at least solve the technical problem that the installation of various components of the heat pump drying system in the washing appliance is complex, which is not conducive to reducing the manufacturing cost of the washing appliance.

[0006] The present application provides an air duct housing for a heat pump drying system of a washing appliance, the air duct housing is formed with an air duct and includes a main body part and two interface parts, the two interface parts are both connected to the main body part, the two interface parts are both connected to the same side of the main body part and are spaced apart, one of the interface parts is used for air inlet, and the other interface part is used for air outlet, and the main body part is used for accommodating an evaporator and a condenser.

[0007] In this way, the air duct housing forms the main body part and the interface part according to different functions, so that the air duct housing can meet the needs of installing the evaporator and the condenser, and can realize the function of ventilation. In addition, the two interface parts are both connected to the same side of the main body part, so that the air inlet and the air outlet of the air duct housing are both located on the same side, which is conducive to the assembly of the air duct housing and other components, reduces the interference between the air duct housing and the surrounding components, and has a simple structure.

[0008] In some embodiments, the interface part is formed with an air vent, and the air vents of the two interface parts have the same orientation.

[0009] In some embodiments, the air duct extends downward from one of the air vents to the main body part, and extends upward from the main body part to the other interface part.

[0010] In some embodiments, the main body part comprises a first shell and a second shell detachably connected with the first shell, and both of the interface parts are integrated with the first shell.

[0011] In some embodiments, one of the interface parts is provided with a fan mounting position and communicates with a fan, and the other interface part is directly connected with the main body part.

[0012] In some embodiments, a water pan is arranged in the air duct shell, the water pan is located below the evaporator, and the air duct shell is provided with a water outlet communicating with the water pan.

[0013] The present application provides a heat pump drying system, comprising:

[0014] The air duct shell of any of the above embodiments;

[0015] An evaporator and a condenser are arranged in the air duct, and along the air flow direction of the air duct, the evaporator is located upstream of the condenser, the evaporator is used to cool the gas flowing out of the inner container of the washing appliance, and the condenser is used to heat the gas flowing into the inner container, and the heat pump drying system is configured to cool and dehumidify the gas flowing out of the inner container of the washing appliance by the evaporator first, and then heat the gas by the condenser and return the gas to the inner container of the washing appliance.

[0016] In some embodiments, the evaporator and / or the condenser each comprises a plurality of fins, and an air flow channel is formed between the plurality of fins.

[0017] In some embodiments, the air flow direction of the air flow channel is consistent with the air flow direction of the air flow channel.

[0018] In some embodiments, the thickness direction of the fin is the same as the horizontal direction, and the height of the fin is greater than the width of the fin.

[0019] In some embodiments, the heat pump drying system comprises an air inlet pipe and an air outlet pipe, both of which communicate with the air duct shell, and the air inlet pipe and the air outlet pipe both communicate with the inner container.

[0020] In some embodiments, the heat pump drying system comprises a first fan and a second fan, the first fan is used to form an air flow in the air duct, and the second fan is used to draw the gas in the inner container into the air inlet pipe.

[0021] In some embodiments, the second fan is arranged at the air inlet end of the air inlet pipe.

[0022] In some embodiments, the first fan is mounted on the outside of the air duct shell.

[0023] In some embodiments, the heat pump drying system further comprises a tray, a compressor, and a throttling device, the compressor, the condenser, the throttling device, and the evaporator constituting a closed refrigerant circuit, the compressor and the air duct housing are both mounted on the tray.

[0024] In some embodiments, the compressor and the air duct housing are spaced apart along a depth direction of the inner tub.

[0025] In some embodiments, the heat pump drying system comprises an air inlet pipe and an air outlet pipe, the air inlet pipe and the air outlet pipe are in communication with the two interface portions respectively.

[0026] In some embodiments, the two interface portions extend upward from the main body portion toward a side wall direction of the inner tub.

[0027] In some embodiments, the two interface portions, the air inlet pipe, and the air outlet pipe are located on the same side of the inner tub.

[0028] In some embodiments, the main body portion comprises a bottom plate and a side plate connected with the main body portion, the bottom plate and the side plate are used to enclose the air duct.

[0029] In some embodiments, the bottom plate is provided with a support protruding toward the air duct, the evaporator and the condenser are both abutted on the support.

[0030] The washing electric appliance of the embodiments of the present application comprises an inner tub and the heat pump drying system of any one of the above embodiments, the air duct housing is in communication with the inner tub.

[0031] Additional aspects and advantages of the present application will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0032] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present application will become apparent and be readily appreciated from the following description, including the appended drawings, wherein:

[0033] Fig. 1 is a structural schematic view of a washing electric appliance according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0034] Fig. 2 is a structural schematic view of a washing electric appliance according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0035] Fig. 3 is a perspective schematic view of a heat pump drying system according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0036] Fig. 4 is a partial perspective sectional schematic view of a heat pump drying system according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0037] FIG. 5 is an exploded schematic view of a heat pump drying system according to certain embodiments of the present application;

[0038] FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional schematic view of a heat pump drying system according to certain embodiments of the present application;

[0039] FIG. 7 is another partial cross-sectional schematic view of a heat pump drying system according to certain embodiments of the present application;

[0040] FIG. 8 is a schematic view of a fin according to certain embodiments of the present application;

[0041] FIG. 9 is a partial schematic view of a main body according to certain embodiments of the present application.

[0042] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 1000 - washing appliance, 1100 - inner tub, 1101 - washing chamber, 1200 - heat pump drying system, 1300 - water cup, 1400 - base, 10 - air duct housing, 11 - ventilation duct, 12 - main body, 121 - first shell, 122 - second shell, 123 - bottom plate, 124 - side plate, 125 - support, 126 - limiting rib, 13 - interface part, 131 - air vent, 14 - water tray, 15 - drain, 20 - evaporator, 21 - fin, 22 - airflow passage, 30 - condenser, 40 - first fan, 41 - second fan, 50 - tray, 60 - compressor, 61 - pipeline, 70 - air inlet pipe, 80 - air outlet pipe, 81 - air outlet, 82 - first air outlet section, 83 - second air outlet section, 90 - throttling device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] Embodiments of the present application are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein the same or like reference numerals and letters in the drawing and the description below are to be understood as having a consistent meaning unless otherwise specified. The embodiments described below are examples of implementations of the present application, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present application, as claimed.

[0044] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise" and the like indicate the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings based on the orientation or positional relationship, and are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the embodiments of the present application. In addition, the terms "first", "second" are only for the purpose of description and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the technical features indicated. Therefore, the features defined with "first", "second" can explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the meaning of "a plurality of" is two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited.

[0045] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "mounting", "connecting", "connection" should be understood broadly, for example, it can be fixedly connected, or detachably connected, or integrally connected; it can be mechanically connected, or electrically connected or can communicate with each other; it can be directly connected, or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication or interaction relationship of two elements. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of the present application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0046] In the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the "upper" or "lower" of the first feature to the second feature can include that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are not in direct contact but are in contact through another feature between them. Moreover, the "upper", "above" and "on" of the first feature to the second feature includes that the first feature is directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or only indicates that the horizontal height of the first feature is higher than that of the second feature. The "under", "below" and "under" of the first feature to the second feature includes that the first feature is directly below and obliquely below the second feature, or only indicates that the horizontal height of the first feature is less than that of the second feature.

[0047] The following disclosure provides many different embodiments, or examples, for implementing different structures of the present application. For the purpose of simplification, the elements and arrangements of the particular examples are described in the following disclosure. Of course, they are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present application. The elements of the embodiments of the present application can be repeated with reference numerals and / or reference letters in different examples, which are for the purpose of simplification and clarity, and do not indicate the relationship between the various embodiments and / or arrangements discussed. In addition, the embodiments of the present application provide examples of various specific processes and materials, but those of ordinary skill in the art can realize the application of other processes and / or the use of other materials.

[0048] Referring to FIG. 1, the washing appliance 1000 of the embodiments of the present application includes an inner container 1100 and a heat pump drying system 1200 connected with the inner container 1100. The washing appliance 1000 is mainly used for washing various tableware, wherein the inner container 1100 can be used as the main structure of the washing appliance 1000, and the inner container 1100 is formed with a washing chamber 1101 having an opening, and the tableware and the like can be put into the washing chamber 1101 from the opening of the washing chamber 1101. The washing chamber 1101 can be provided with a bracket for carrying and fixing the tableware, and a water cup 1300 placed below the bracket. The water cup 1300 is used to collect and discharge the water flow generated in the washing and condensing process. The washing appliance 1000 is, for example, a dishwasher.

[0049] The heat pump drying system 1200 is used to dry the wet and hot air flowing out of the inner container 1100, and heat the dried air to make the heated dried air flow into the inner container 1100 again, so as to realize the effect of drying the tableware and the like. The washing appliance 1000 is, for example, a dishwasher. It should be pointed out that the dried air mentioned above is relative to the wet and hot air in the inner container 1100, and does not mean that the air does not contain water vapor at all.

[0050] Referring to FIGS. 1-4, the air duct shell 10 of the embodiments of the present application is used for the heat pump drying system 1200 of the washing appliance 1000, and the air duct shell 10 is formed with an air duct and includes a main body part 12 and two interface parts 13, both of which are communicated with the main body part 12, and both of which are connected to the same side of the main body part 12 and are spaced apart, wherein one of the interface parts 13 is used for air inlet, and the other interface part 13 is used for air outlet, and the main body part 12 is used for accommodating the evaporator 20 and the condenser 30.

[0051] In this way, the air duct housing 10 is formed with the main body part 12 and the interface parts 13 according to different functions, so that the air duct housing 10 can meet the requirements of installing the evaporator 20 and the condenser 30, and can realize the function of ventilation. In addition, the two interface parts 13 are connected to the same side of the main body part 12, so that the air inlet and the air outlet of the air duct housing 10 are located on the same side, which is beneficial to the assembly of the air duct housing 10 with other components, reduces the interference between the air duct housing 10 and the surrounding components, and the structure is simple.

[0052] Specifically, the air duct housing 10 is used for ventilation. The air duct housing 10 can be made of a material such as plastic that is easy to form, so that the air duct housing 10 is easy to manufacture. The ventilation duct 11 formed by the air duct housing 10 is used to realize the effect of ventilation, so that the gas can circulate between the inner container 1100 of the washing appliance 1000 and the ventilation duct 11 to realize the effect of drying tableware and the like.

[0053] The volume of the main body part 12 is greater than that of the interface part 13, so that the main body part 12 can accommodate the evaporator 20 and the condenser 30, and the interface part 13 is more easily connected with other pipes. The main body part 12 is generally square in shape. The evaporator 20 and the condenser 30 can be fixed in the interior of the main body part 12 by means of clamping, threaded connection or the like.

[0054] The interface part 13 protrudes from the surface of the main body part 12. The interface part 13 is similar to a flat tube. The interface part 13 can be located on one side of the length direction or the width direction of the main body part 12. The shape, structure and size of the two interface parts 13 can be the same, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the air duct housing 10.

[0055] It can be understood that the main body and the two interface parts 13 all form part of the ventilation duct 11, and when the air duct housing 10 is ventilated, the gas passes through one of the interface parts 13, the main body part 12 and the other interface part 13 in turn.

[0056] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, in some embodiments, the interface part 13 is formed with an air inlet 131, and the two air inlets 131 have the same orientation. In this way, the air inlet 131 can be used for the gas to enter the air duct housing 10 or flow out of the air duct housing 10. The two air inlets 131 have the same orientation, so that the other pipes connected with the interface part 13 extend in the same direction, which is beneficial to the assembly of the heat pump drying system 1200.

[0057] As shown in the embodiment of FIG. 6, the ventilation duct 11 extends downward from one of the air inlets 131 into the main body part 12, and extends upward from the main body part 12 to the other interface part 13. In this way, the gas enters the air duct housing 10 from top to bottom, and then flows out of the air duct housing 10 upward.

[0058] Referring to FIGS. 5-7, in some embodiments, the main body 12 includes a first shell 121 and a second shell 122 detachably connected with the first shell 121, and the two interface portions 13 are integrated with the first shell 121. In this way, the first shell 121 and the second shell 122 are detachably connected, so that the evaporator 20 and the condenser 30 can be more conveniently loaded into the main body 12, which is conducive to improving the assembly efficiency of the heat pump drying system 1200. In addition, the interface portions 13 are integrated with the first shell 121, so that the sealing performance of the connection between the interface portions 13 and the first shell 121 can be improved, and the risk of air leakage of the air duct 11 can be reduced.

[0059] Specifically, the first shell 121 is located above the second shell 122, so the first shell 121 can be referred to as an upper shell, and the second shell 122 can be referred to as a lower shell. The first shell 121 and the second shell 122 can be connected by buckling, screws or the like. The interface portions 13 and the first shell 121 can be formed into an integrated structure by a process of injection molding.

[0060] In some embodiments, one of the interface portions 13 is provided with a fan mounting position and communicates with a fan, and the other interface portion 13 is directly connected with the main body 12. In this way, the fan can provide power for the gas flow in the air duct 11. Specifically, the fan can be an axial fan or a centrifugal fan. The fan can be installed at the connection between the main body 12 and one of the interface portions 13 by screws. In this way, the fan and the air duct shell 10 form an integral whole, so that the heat pump drying system 1200 is easy to assemble.

[0061] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, in some embodiments, the air duct shell 10 is provided with a water pan 14, and the water pan 14 is located below the evaporator 20. The evaporator 20 can condense water vapor in the air to form condensed water, and the condensed water can drip under the action of gravity. Therefore, the water pan 14 can collect the condensed water formed by the evaporator 20, and reduce the risk of adverse effects caused by the condensed water remaining in other positions.

[0062] In one example, the water pan 14 can be formed on the inner surface of the air duct shell 10, or in other words, the water pan 14 and the air duct shell 10 are integrated. For example, the surface of the air duct shell 10 is recessed downward to form the water pan 14.

[0063] In another example, the water pan 14 and the air duct shell 10 are detachable, so that the air duct shell 10 and the water pan 14 can be independently formed and then assembled together, so that the shape of the air duct shell 10 is simpler, so as to reduce the manufacturing cost of the air duct shell 10. It can be understood that when the water pan 14 and the air duct shell 10 are detachably connected, the water pan 14 can be detached from the air duct shell 10 to pour out the condensed water in the water pan 14.

[0064] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, in some embodiments, the air duct housing 10 is provided with a drain 15 that is in communication with the water pan 14. In this way, the drain 15 facilitates the discharge of the condensed water received by the water pan 14. In one example, the drain 15 can be connected to a water cup 1300 (shown in FIG. 1) of the washing appliance 1000, and the condensed water of the water pan 14 can be discharged to the water cup 1300 of the washing appliance 1000, and then discharged to the outside of the washing appliance 1000 through the water cup 1300 of the washing appliance 1000. For example, the drain 15 can be connected to a drain pipe, and a drain pump can be installed on the drain pipe to pump the condensed water in the water pan 14 through the drain pipe.

[0065] In one example, in order to facilitate the drainage of the drain 15, the drain 15 can be arranged at a low position of the water pan 14.

[0066] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4, the heat pump drying system 1200 of the embodiments of the present application includes the air duct housing 10 of any of the above embodiments, the evaporator 20 and the condenser 30, which are arranged in the air duct 11 in a spaced manner, and along the air flow direction of the air duct 11, the evaporator 20 is arranged upstream of the condenser 30, the evaporator 20 is configured to cool the gas flowing out of the inner tub 1100 of the washing appliance 1000, and the condenser 30 is configured to heat the gas flowing into the inner tub 1100, and the heat pump drying system 1200 is configured to cool and dehumidify the air flowing out of the inner tub 1100 of the washing appliance 1000 by the evaporator 20 first, and then heat the air by the condenser 30 and return the air to the inner tub 1100 of the washing appliance 1000.

[0067] In the heat pump drying system 1200 of the embodiments of the present application, the evaporator 20 and the condenser 30 are arranged in the air duct 11 of the air duct housing 10, so that the air duct housing 10, the evaporator 20 and the condenser 30 can form an integral whole, facilitating the assembly of the washing appliance 1000 and reducing the manufacturing cost of the washing appliance 1000.

[0068] Specifically, the heat pump drying system 1200 is a module with heat exchange function. The heat pump drying system 1200 has at least part of the components of the heat pump drying system 1200 of the washing appliance 1000, so that the washing appliance 1000 can achieve the effect of drying dishes and the like by the heat pump drying system 1200.

[0069] The air duct housing 10 can be arranged in a specific shape according to the position where the heat pump drying system 1200 is installed, so that the heat pump drying system 1200 can be more compactly matched with the surrounding components. The air duct housing 10 is in communication with the inner tub 1100.

[0070] The ventilation channel 11 can be provided in a curved shape or the like to meet the flow requirements of the air flow. The cross-sectional area of the ventilation channel 11 at different positions can be different. For example, the cross-sectional area of the ventilation channel 11 at the positions for accommodating the evaporator 20 and the condenser 30 is larger, and the cross-sectional area at other positions is smaller.

[0071] The evaporator 20 is a heat exchanger in the heat pump drying system 1200. The evaporator 20 can generate cooling when the heat pump drying system 1200 is working, thereby absorbing heat from the air around the evaporator 20 to lower the temperature of the air around the evaporator 20, so that the air flowing through the evaporator 20 is condensed to form condensed water, thereby achieving the effect of drying the air.

[0072] The evaporator 20 is generally flat. The evaporator 20 can be placed vertically, or in other words, the thickness direction of the evaporator 20 is generally horizontally arranged, and the thickness direction of the evaporator 20 is generally parallel to the central axis of the ventilation channel 11, so that the contact area between the air in the ventilation channel 11 and the evaporator 20 is increased, which is beneficial to improve the effect of drying the air flowing through the evaporator 20.

[0073] The condenser 30 is also a heat exchanger in the heat pump drying system 1200. The condenser 30 can generate heat when the heat pump drying system 1200 is working, thereby absorbing heat from the air around the condenser 30 to increase the temperature of the air around the condenser 30, so that the air flowing through the condenser 30 can be heated again after entering the inner container 1100 of the washing appliance 1000, thereby achieving the effect of drying the dishes and the like.

[0074] The condenser 30 is generally flat. The condenser 30 can be placed vertically, or in other words, the thickness direction of the condenser 30 is generally horizontally arranged, and the thickness direction of the condenser 30 is generally parallel to the central axis of the ventilation channel 11, so that the contact area between the air in the ventilation channel 11 and the condenser 30 is increased, which is beneficial to improve the effect of heating the air flowing through the condenser 30.

[0075] In the present application, the evaporator 20 is located upstream of the condenser 30, so that the evaporator 20 and the condenser 30 cooperate with each other to cool and dry the air in the ventilation channel 11 first and then heat it, thereby enabling the washing appliance 1000 to utilize the heat pump drying system 1200 to achieve the effect of drying the dishes and the like.

[0076] In the present application, the heat pump drying system 1200 is modularly designed, so that when the washing appliance 1000 is assembled, the number of parts that need to be assembled for the washing appliance 1000 can be reduced, the assembly effect of the washing appliance 1000 is improved, and the manufacturing cost of the washing appliance 1000 is reduced.

[0077] Referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 8, in some embodiments, the evaporator 20 and / or the condenser 30 each comprises a plurality of fins 21, and airflow channels 22 are formed between the plurality of fins 21, and the airflow direction of the airflow channels 22 is consistent with the airflow direction of the air duct 11.

[0078] In this way, the fins 21 can increase the contact area between the evaporator 20 and / or the condenser 30 and the air, so that the refrigerant can quickly absorb and release heat, and the heat exchange efficiency is improved.

[0079] Specifically, the evaporator 20 can be provided with a plurality of fins 21, or the condenser 30 can be provided with a plurality of fins 21, or both the evaporator 20 and the condenser 30 can be provided with a plurality of fins 21. The plurality of fins are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the airflow direction of the air duct 11, and the temperature of the refrigerant is reduced to below the ambient temperature after being controlled by the throttling device 143. Therefore, when the air flow entering the evaporator 20 has a high humidity, the water vapor in the air flow is easy to condense on the evaporator 144 to form condensed water and flow down through the airflow channels 22.

[0080] The shape of the fin 21 can be a square sheet shape, and the material of the fin 21 can be a metal material with high thermal conductivity, such as copper. It can be understood that the shape of the fin 21 can also be other shapes, which are not limited in particular.

[0081] In some embodiments, the thickness direction of the fin 21 is the same as the horizontal direction, and the height of the fin 21 is greater than the width of the fin 21.

[0082] In this way, the width of the fin 21 is small, which can reduce the area occupied by the evaporator 20 and / or the condenser 30 in the air duct 11, and further reduce the area occupied by the air duct component 100 on the heat pump drying system 1200, so as to make the washing appliance 1000 compact in structure.

[0083] Specifically, the width direction of the fin 21 is the airflow direction of the air duct 11, the thickness direction of the fin 21 is the horizontal direction perpendicular to the width direction of the fin 21, and the height direction of the fin 21 is the vertical direction perpendicular to the thickness and width directions of the fin 21.

[0084] Referring to FIG. 3-FIG. 6, in some embodiments, the heat pump drying system 1200 comprises an air inlet pipe 70 and an air outlet pipe 80 which are both in communication with the air duct shell 10, and the air inlet pipe 70 and the air outlet pipe 80 are both in communication with the inner container 1100. The heat pump drying system 1200 comprises a first fan 40 and a second fan 41, the first fan 40 is used to form an air flow in the air duct 11, and the first fan 40 is installed on the outer side of the air duct shell 10. The second fan 41 is arranged at the air inlet end of the air inlet pipe 70, and is used to draw the gas in the inner container 1100 into the air inlet pipe 70.

[0085] Thus, the first fan 40 and the second fan 41 can provide power for the gas flow in the air duct 11, and the first fan 40 can be connected with the air duct housing 10 to form a flow path of the gas.

[0086] Specifically, the first fan 40 can be an axial fan or a centrifugal fan. The first fan 40 can be installed on the outer side of the air duct housing 10 in a screwing manner. Thus, the first fan 40 and the air duct housing 10 form an integral whole, so that the heat pump drying system 1200 is easy to assemble.

[0087] The first fan 40 is installed on the main body part 12 of the air duct housing 10, so that the air duct housing 10 can provide more space for the installation of the first fan 40. For example, the first fan 40 can be installed on the outer side of the air duct housing 10, or can be installed on the installation position inside the air duct housing 10. For another example, the first fan 40 is partially located in the air duct 11 and is located downstream of the condenser 30. After the first fan 40 is started, negative pressure can be formed on the side facing the condenser 30, so as to suck the air around the condenser 30, so as to drive the gas flow.

[0088] Since the air duct 11 between the main body part 12 and the interface part 13 is not straight, in order to reduce the resistance of the gas flow, the first fan 40 is a centrifugal fan, and the air outlet of the first fan 40 faces the interface part 13, so that the gas can be directly discharged to the interface part 13.

[0089] Referring to FIGS. 3-5, the second fan 41 is arranged at the air inlet end of the air inlet pipe 70, and the second fan 41 can provide power for the gas flow in the inner container 1100. The second fan 41 can be an axial fan or a centrifugal fan.

[0090] The second fan 41 can be installed at the air inlet end of the air inlet pipe 70 in a screwing manner. Thus, the second fan 41 and the air inlet pipe 70 form an integral whole, so that the heat pump drying system 1200 is easy to assemble. At least a part of the second fan 41 is located in the air inlet pipe 70 and is located upstream of the evaporator 20. After the second fan 41 is started, negative pressure can be formed on the side facing the inner container 1100, so as to drive the air in the inner container 1100, so as to drive the gas flow.

[0091] Referring to FIGS. 1-5, in some embodiments, the heat pump drying system 1200 further comprises a tray 50, a compressor 60, and a throttling device 90, the compressor 60, the condenser 30, the throttling device 90, and the evaporator 20 are sequentially connected to form a closed refrigerant circuit, the compressor 60 and the air duct housing 10 are both mounted on the tray 50, and the compressor 60 and the air duct housing 10 are spaced apart along the depth direction X of the inner container 1100. In this way, the compressor 60 and the air duct housing 10 form a whole through the tray 50, which is conducive to the installation of the heat pump drying system 1200 as a whole and improves the assembly efficiency of the washing appliance 1000.

[0092] Specifically, the condenser 30 and the evaporator 20 can be in communication with the compressor 60 through a pipeline 61. The compressor 60, the condenser 30, the throttling device 90, and the evaporator 20 are the main components of the heat pump drying system 1200 of the washing appliance 1000, and are sequentially connected to form a closed refrigerant circuit, so that the refrigerant as a refrigerant can circulate in the closed refrigerant circuit formed by the compressor 60, the condenser 30, the throttling device 90, and the evaporator 20. The four cooperate with each other to enable the heat pump drying system 1200 to achieve the effect of drying objects such as tableware. When the heat pump drying system 1200 is in the drying stage, the compressor 60 works to pump the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant to the condenser 30 to heat the air. After the refrigerant and the air complete heat exchange, the refrigerant flows out of the condenser 30, then becomes low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant after throttling by the throttling device 90, and then flows into the evaporator 20 to exchange heat with the air and evaporate, and then returns to the compressor 60 to complete the entire heat pump heating cycle. The dried air is heated by the condenser 30 and then enters the inner container 1100 of the washing appliance 1000 again. The throttling device 90 can be an expansion valve. Further, the throttling device 90 can be an electronic expansion valve.

[0093] The tray 50 can be mounted on the base 1400 of the washing appliance 1000. Since the depth direction X of the inner container 1100 has more installation space, the compressor 60 and the air duct housing 10 are spaced apart along the depth direction X of the inner container 1100, which can reasonably utilize the space of the washing appliance 1000 and reduce the interference between the compressor 60, the air duct housing 10, and other components. The depth direction X of the inner container 1100 is the direction in which the opening of the washing chamber 1101 extends inwardly.

[0094] Referring to FIGS. 2-5, in some embodiments, the heat pump drying system 1200 comprises an air inlet pipe 70 and an air outlet pipe 80, both of which are in communication with the two interface portions 13, the two interface portions 13 extend upwardly from the body portion 12 toward the side wall of the inner container 1100, and the two interface portions 13, the air inlet pipe 70, and the air outlet pipe 80 are located on the same side of the inner container 1100.

[0095] In this way, the air inlet pipe 70 can guide the gas in the inner container 1100 into the air duct shell 10, and the air outlet pipe 80 can guide the gas sequentially passing through the evaporator 20 and the condenser 30 into the inner container 1100, and the air inlet pipe 70, the air duct shell 10 and the air outlet pipe 80 together form an air duct component to realize the circulation of the gas between the air duct shell 10 and the inner container 1100. Meanwhile, the two interface portions 13 extend upward from the main body portion 12 toward the side wall of the inner container 1100, which is conducive to the gas entering the main body portion 12 from the inner container 1100 from top to bottom, and the two interface portions 13, the air inlet pipe 70 and the air outlet pipe 80 are located on the same side of the inner container 1100, which can reduce the interference between the inner container 1100 and the surrounding components and facilitate assembly.

[0096] Specifically, the air inlet pipe 70 and the air outlet pipe 80 are connected with the inner container 1100 of the washing appliance 1000. One end of the air inlet pipe 70 is connected with one of the interface portions 13, and the other end of the air inlet pipe 70 is connected with the inner container 1100. One end of the air outlet pipe 80 is connected with the other interface portion 13, and the other end of the air outlet pipe 80 is connected with the inner container 1100. The air inlet pipe 70 and the air outlet pipe 80 can each be a flat pipe, thereby facilitating the installation of the air inlet pipe 70 and the air outlet pipe 80 on the outer wall of the inner container 1100.

[0097] The air inlet pipe 70 and the air duct shell 10 can be an integrally formed structure or a split detachable structure. Similarly, the air outlet pipe 80 and the air duct shell 10 can be an integrally formed structure or a split detachable structure.

[0098] Optionally, the interface portion 13 is formed with an air vent 131, and the air vents 131 of the two interface portions 13 are both upward, and the lower ends of the air inlet pipe 70 and the air outlet pipe 80 are connected with the two interface portions 13 through the two air vents 131, respectively. In this way, the air vent 131 can supply the gas to enter the air duct shell 10 from the air inlet pipe 70 from top to bottom, and then flow out from the air duct shell 10 upward to the air outlet pipe 80.

[0099] Optionally, the air inlet pipe 70 and the air outlet pipe 80 are located above the two interface portions 13. In this way, the interface portion 13 can avoid the connection between the inner container 1100 and the air inlet pipe 70 and the air outlet pipe 80, which is conducive to the assembly of the inner container 1100 and other components, reduces the interference between the inner container 1100 and the surrounding components, and has a simple structure.

[0100] Since the hot and humid air in the inner container 1100 flows upward, and the tableware and other objects are located below the top of the inner container 1100, in order to achieve a good drying effect, in some embodiments, the end of the air inlet pipe 70 connected with the inner container 1100 is higher than the end of the air outlet pipe 80 connected with the inner container 1100, so that the air inlet pipe 70 can more easily draw the hot and humid air in the inner container 1100, and the air outlet pipe 80 can discharge the dry hot air to a position below the top of the inner container 1100, thereby better drying the tableware and other objects.

[0101] In some embodiments, the air inlet pipe 70 and the air outlet pipe 80 can be connected to the side wall of the inner tub 1100, for example, the air inlet pipe 70 and the air outlet pipe 80 can be connected to the left side wall, the right side wall or the rear side wall of the inner tub 1100, thereby reducing the interference between the air inlet pipe 70 and the air outlet pipe 80 and other components of the washing appliance 1000, and improving the reliability of the washing appliance 1000.

[0102] In some embodiments, the air inlet pipe 70 can be connected to the top wall of the inner tub 1100, and the air outlet pipe 80 can be connected to the side wall of the inner tub 1100.

[0103] Referring to FIG. 4, in some embodiments, the main body part 12 includes a bottom plate 123 and a side plate 124 connected to the main body part 12, the bottom plate 123 and the side plate 124 are used to enclose the ventilation channel 11, the bottom plate 123 is provided with a support 125 protruding towards the ventilation channel 11, and the evaporator 20 and the condenser 30 are abutted on the support 125. In this way, the support 125 provides support for the evaporator 20 and the condenser 30, and the bottom plate 123, the side plate 124 and the support 125 form a space around the evaporator 20 and the condenser 30, which is conducive to the smooth flow of air in the ventilation channel 11.

[0104] Specifically, the bottom plate 123 and the side plate 124 can be flat plate surfaces, or can be curved plate surfaces and the curvature of the plate surface matches the flow direction of the air flow. The bottom plate 123 is arranged at the bottom of the main body part 12, that is, on the side opposite to the interface part 13. The side plate 124 can surround the bottom plate 123 and form an included angle with the bottom plate 123, forming a space capable of accommodating components such as the evaporator 20 and the condenser 30.

[0105] The support 125 can be a strip-shaped protruding rib, a scattered dot-shaped protruding block or the like. The support 125 can be integrally formed with the bottom plate 123, thereby improving the stability of the support. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the support 125 is a straight plate, the top end of the support 125 abuts the evaporator 20 and the condenser 30, and the evaporator 20 and the condenser 30 are lifted up, so that a gap is formed between the bottom of the evaporator 20 and the condenser 30 and the bottom plate 123.

[0106] Referring to FIG. 5 and FIG. 9, in some embodiments, the main body part 12 includes a limiting rib 126 abutting the evaporator 20 and / or the condenser 30. The first shell 121 is arranged above the second shell 122, the bottom plate 123 constitutes the bottom of the second shell 122, and the limiting rib 126 can be arranged on the side plate 124, one end of the limiting rib 126 being connected to the bottom plate 123 and extending from the bottom plate 123 to the first shell 121. In this way, the limiting rib 126 and the first shell 121 jointly limit the freedom of movement of the evaporator 20 and the condenser 30, and to some extent prevent the evaporator 20 and the condenser 30 from shaking in the main body part 12.

[0107] Optionally, the number of the limiting ribs 126 is multiple, and the multiple limiting ribs 126 abut the evaporator 20 and / or the condenser 30 from multiple directions. For example, the side plate 124 is annular and substantially forms a square frame, the bottom plate 123 covers the bottom of the square frame side plate 124, and the multiple limiting ribs 126 are respectively arranged at the four corners of the side plate 124.

[0108] Referring to FIG. 5, in some embodiments, the exhaust pipe 80 has multiple exhaust openings 81, and the multiple exhaust openings 81 are arranged along the height direction of the inner container 1100. In this way, the multiple exhaust openings 81 of the exhaust pipe 80 are arranged along the height direction of the inner container 1100, so that the exhaust openings 81 can exhaust the dried hot air to different positions of the inner container 1100, thereby achieving a better drying effect.

[0109] The number of the exhaust openings 81 can be two, three, four, etc., and the application does not limit the specific number of the exhaust openings 81.

[0110] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, in some embodiments, the exhaust pipe 80 has a first exhaust section 82 and multiple second exhaust sections 83, the end of each second exhaust section 83 is formed with an exhaust opening 81, and the middle part of the second exhaust section 83 is curved and arched upward. In this way, the first exhaust section 82 can introduce gas to the second exhaust section 83, and the middle part of the second exhaust section 83 is curved and arched upward, so that the condensed water formed in the exhaust pipe 80 cannot re-enter the inner container 1100, which is beneficial to improve the drying efficiency of the washing appliance 1000. In addition, the middle part of the second exhaust section 83 is curved and arched upward, which can also block the water in the inner container 1100 from directly entering the exhaust pipe 80, thereby improving the reliability of the normal operation of the heat pump drying system 1200.

[0111] In summary, referring to FIGS. 1 and 4, in one embodiment, after the washing appliance 1000 completes washing and enters the drying mode, the heat pump drying system 1200 starts to work, the first fan 40 and the second fan 41 make the gas circulate and flow in the inner container 1100, the air inlet pipe 70, the air duct shell 10, and the exhaust pipe 80. After the humid hot gas passes through the evaporator 20, the evaporator 20 can cool the humid hot air and form condensed water, which drops into the water collecting tray 14. The air dried by the evaporator 20 is heated after passing through the condenser 30 and then re-enters the inner container 1100 to dry the tableware, so as to achieve the effect of drying the tableware.

[0112] In the description of the specification, the description using the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "certain embodiments", "an example", "a specific example" or "some examples" etc. means that the particular feature, structure, material or characteristic being described is included in at least one embodiment or example of the application. The illustrative appearance of the above-mentioned terms in various places in the specification are not necessarily intended to refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the particular features, structures, materials or characteristics can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0113] Although the embodiments of the present application have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above-described embodiments are exemplary and are not to be interpreted as limiting the present application, and the ordinary skilled person in the art can make changes, modifications, replacements and variations to the above-described embodiments within the scope of the present application.

Claims

1. An air duct housing for a heat pump drying system of a laundry appliance, characterized in that, The air duct shell is formed with an air duct and comprises a main body and two interface parts, both of which are connected to the main body and are arranged at the same side of the main body and are spaced apart, one of which is used for air intake and the other is used for air outlet, and the main body is used for accommodating an evaporator and a condenser.

2. The air duct housing of claim 1, wherein, The interface parts are formed with air vents, and the air vents of the two interface parts are oriented in the same direction.

3. The air duct housing of claim 2, wherein, The air duct extends downward from one of the air vents to the main body and upward from the main body to the other interface part.

4. The air duct housing according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that The main body comprises a first shell and a second shell detachably connected to the first shell, and the two interface parts are in one-piece structure with the first shell.

5. The air duct housing according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, One of the interface parts is provided with a fan mounting position and is in communication with a fan, and the other interface part is directly connected to the main body.

6. The air duct housing according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein, A water pan is arranged in the air duct shell, the water pan is located below the evaporator, and the air duct shell is provided with a drain opening in communication with the water pan.

7. A heat pump drying system for a laundry appliance, characterized in that, The heat pump drying system comprises: The air duct shell of any one of claims 1-6; The evaporator and the condenser are arranged in the air duct and are spaced apart, and along the flow direction of the air duct, the evaporator is located upstream of the condenser, the evaporator is used for cooling the gas flowing out of the inner container of the washing appliance, and the condenser is used for heating the gas flowing into the inner container, and the heat pump drying system is configured to cool and dehumidify the gas flowing out of the inner container of the washing appliance by the evaporator first, and then heat the gas by the condenser and return it to the inner container of the washing appliance.

8. The heat pump drying system of claim 7, wherein, The evaporator and / or the condenser each comprises a plurality of fins, and airflow channels are formed between the fins, the flow direction of the airflow channels is consistent with the flow direction of the air duct, the thickness direction of the fins is the same as the horizontal direction, and the height of the fins is greater than the width of the fins.

9. Heat pump drying system according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that, The heat pump drying system comprises an air inlet pipe and an air outlet pipe connected to the air duct shell, the air inlet pipe and the air outlet pipe are in communication with the inner container, the heat pump drying system comprises a first fan and a second fan, the first fan is used to form an air flow in the air duct, the first fan is installed on the air duct shell, and the second fan is arranged at the air inlet end of the air inlet pipe and is used to suck the gas in the inner container into the air inlet pipe.

10. Heat pump drying system according to any of the claims 7-9, characterized in that, The heat pump drying system further comprises a tray, a compressor and a throttling device, the compressor, the condenser, the throttling device and the evaporator form a closed refrigerant circuit, the compressor and the air duct shell are both mounted on the tray, and along the depth direction of the inner container, the compressor and the air duct shell are spaced apart.

11. Heat pump drying system according to any of the claims 7-10, characterized in that, The heat pump drying system comprises an air inlet pipe and an air outlet pipe, the air inlet pipe and the air outlet pipe are in communication with the two interface parts, the two interface parts extend upward from the main body toward the side wall of the inner container, and the two interface parts, the air inlet pipe and the air outlet pipe are located at the same side of the inner container.

12. Heat pump drying system according to any of the claims 7-11, characterized in that, The main body part comprises a bottom plate and a side plate connected with the main body part, the bottom plate and the side plate are used for enclosing the ventilation channel, the bottom plate is provided with a support protruding towards the ventilation channel, and the evaporator and the condenser are both abutted on the support.

13. A washing appliance characterised in that, Comprising: An inner container; The heat pump drying system of any one of claims 7-12, wherein the air duct housing is in communication with the inner container.

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