CN113774629A

CN113774629A - Washing machine and control method thereof

Info

Publication number: CN113774629A
Application number: CN202111044668.2A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 张跃栋; 周琦; 何渺
Original assignee: Gree Electric Appliances Inc of Zhuhai
Current assignee: Gree Electric Appliances Inc of Zhuhai
Priority date: 2021-09-07
Filing date: 2021-09-07
Publication date: 2021-12-10
Anticipated expiration: 2041-09-07
Also published as: CN113774629B

Abstract

The invention provides a washing machine and a control method thereof, wherein the washing machine comprises an air duct, an air inlet and an air outlet of the air duct are both communicated with an inner barrel of the washing machine, a plasma sterilization part and an adsorption and collection part positioned on one side of the plasma sterilization part are arranged in the air duct, and the adsorption and collection part can adsorb bacterial and viral debris carried in circulating air flow in the air duct. According to the invention, the plasma sterilization component can form gas flowing through the plasma sterilization component into plasma through corona discharge, so that bacteria and viruses in the space and clothes in the washing machine can be destroyed, and the bacteria and viruses lose activity, thereby realizing the sterilization and disinfection effects, and the adsorption and collection component can timely collect harmful substances such as generated bacteria and virus remains, thereby effectively solving the hidden danger of secondary pollution caused by the fact that the germs remain are not collected in the prior art, and achieving more thorough sterilization and disinfection.

Description

Washing machine and control method thereof

Technical Field

The invention belongs to the technical field of washing machine manufacturing, and particularly relates to a washing machine and a control method thereof.

Background

Along with people's standard of living constantly improves, washing machine except can doing washing, need possess stoving, the sterile function of disinfecting, the disinfection of disinfecting not only needs to go on to washing clothing, still needs to go on to washing machine itself, for example washing machine is through long-time work, and the breeding of bacterium is being mingled with in the inside peculiar smell that gives off of machine, has the risk that causes secondary pollution to the clothing that will wash, not only influences user and uses experience, still further influences user's health.

In the prior art, a technical scheme of additionally arranging a plasma generating component in an airflow channel is provided based on the problems, the plasma generating component can be used for generating plasma to sterilize and disinfect the washing machine and clothes in the washing machine, but bacterial debris formed after sterilization is not collected and treated, so that the viruses and the bacterial debris are dispersed in the inner space of the washing machine, and secondary pollution is easily caused.

Disclosure of Invention

Therefore, the invention provides a washing machine and a control method thereof, which can overcome the defect of potential hidden danger of secondary pollution caused by collecting the remains after virus and bacteria are killed in the related technology.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a washing machine, which includes an air duct, an air inlet and an air outlet of the air duct are both communicated with an inner cylinder of the washing machine, a plasma sterilization component and an adsorption and collection component located on one side of the plasma sterilization component are arranged in the air duct, and the adsorption and collection component can adsorb bacterial and viral debris carried in a circulating air flow in the air duct.

Preferably, the adsorption and collection member is located on a downstream side in an airflow direction of the plasma sterilization member.

Preferably, an ozone reduction part is further arranged in the air duct.

Preferably, a filter screen is further arranged in the air duct, and the plasma sterilization part, the adsorption and collection part and the ozone reduction part are all positioned on the downstream side of the filter screen in the airflow flowing direction; and/or the ozone reduction part is arranged at the downstream side of the airflow flowing direction of the adsorption and collection part.

Preferably, a first slot is formed in the wall body of the air duct, and the plasma sterilization component is inserted into the first slot; and/or a second slot is formed in the wall body of the air duct, and the adsorption and collection component is inserted into the second slot.

Preferably, when an ozone reduction component is further arranged in the air duct, a third slot is further formed in the wall body of the air duct, and the ozone reduction component is inserted into the third slot; and/or when a filter screen is further arranged in the air duct, a fourth slot is further formed in the wall body of the air duct, and the filter screen is inserted into the fourth slot.

Preferably, any one of the plasma sterilization part, the adsorption and collection part, the ozone reduction part and the filter screen is provided with a plate body facing the outer side of the washing machine, a groove is formed on the plate surface of the plate body facing the outer side of the washing machine, and/or a part mark is arranged on the plate body facing the plate surface of the outer side of the washing machine.

The present invention also provides a washing machine control method for controlling the above washing machine, the washing machine control method comprising:

acquiring a user instruction;

when a user instruction is a sterilization and disinfection instruction, detecting whether any one of the plasma sterilization part, the adsorption and collection part, the ozone reduction part and the filter screen needs to be cleaned or replaced;

if any one of the plasma sterilization part, the adsorption and collection part, the ozone reduction part and the filter screen needs to be cleaned or replaced, sending prompt information to instruct a user to clean or replace the corresponding part;

and if any one of the plasma sterilization component, the adsorption and collection component, the ozone reduction component and the filter screen does not need to be cleaned or replaced, controlling the washing machine to enter a sterilization and disinfection treatment process.

Preferably, the first and second electrodes are formed of a metal,

the sterilization treatment process comprises the following steps:

and controlling the plasma sterilization part, the adsorption and collection part, the airflow driving part in the air duct and the electric heating part to be electrified and operated for preset time.

Preferably, whether any one of the plasma sterilization part, the adsorption and collection part, the ozone reduction part and the filter screen needs to be cleaned or replaced is realized by the following method:

acquiring the plasma concentration of an area between the plasma sterilization part and the adsorption collection part, wherein the plasma sterilization part does not need to be cleaned when the corresponding plasma concentration is higher than a preset plasma concentration value, and the plasma sterilization part is prompted to be cleaned when the corresponding plasma concentration is not higher than the preset plasma concentration value; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

acquiring the plasma concentration of the downstream position of the adsorption and collection component, wherein the adsorption and collection component does not need to be cleaned when the corresponding plasma concentration is higher than the preset plasma concentration value, and the adsorption and collection component is prompted to be cleaned when the corresponding plasma concentration is not higher than the preset plasma concentration value; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

acquiring the ozone concentration of a downstream area of the ozone reduction component, wherein the ozone reduction component does not need to be replaced when the corresponding ozone concentration is not higher than the preset ozone concentration value, and the ozone reduction component is prompted to be replaced when the corresponding ozone concentration is higher than the preset ozone concentration value; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

obtain the filter screen with plasma sterilization part between the plasma concentration in region, when corresponding plasma concentration is higher than when predetermineeing the plasma concentration value, the filter screen need not the clearance, when corresponding plasma concentration is not higher than when predetermineeing the plasma concentration value, the suggestion the filter screen needs the clearance.

According to the washing machine and the control method thereof provided by the invention, the plasma sterilization component can form gas flowing through the plasma sterilization component into plasma through corona discharge, so that bacteria and viruses in the space and clothes in the washing machine can be destroyed, and the bacteria and viruses lose activity, thereby realizing the sterilization and disinfection effects, and the adsorption and collection component can timely collect harmful substances such as generated bacteria and virus debris, thereby effectively solving the hidden danger of secondary pollution caused by the fact that the bacteria and virus debris are not collected in the prior art, and achieving more thorough sterilization and disinfection.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of an internal structure of a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention (components such as a casing are omitted);

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a partial external structure of a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 3 is a control flow diagram illustrating a control method of a washing machine according to another embodiment of the present invention.

The reference numerals are represented as:

1. an air duct; 2. an inner barrel; 31. a plasma sterilizing part; 32. an adsorption collection member; 33. an ozone reduction component; 34. filtering with a screen; 35. a groove; 4. an airflow driving part; 5. a housing.

Detailed Description

Referring to fig. 1 to 3 in combination, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a washing machine is provided, which includes an air duct 1, an air inlet and an air outlet of the air duct 1 are both communicated with an inner drum 2 of the washing machine, a plasma sterilization part 31 and an adsorption and collection part 32 located at one side of the plasma sterilization part 31 are disposed in the air duct 1, and the adsorption and collection part 32 can adsorb bacteria and virus debris carried in a circulating air flow in the air duct 1. In the technical scheme, the plasma sterilization part 31 can form gas flowing through the plasma sterilization part into plasma through corona discharge (the airflow formed by the plasma is very mild and does not damage clothes), can damage the space in the washing machine and bacteria and viruses of the clothes, and can make the bacteria and the viruses lose activity, so that the sterilization and disinfection effects are realized, the adsorption and collection part 32 can timely collect generated harmful substances such as bacteria and virus debris, the hidden danger of secondary pollution caused by the fact that the pathogen debris is not collected in the prior art is effectively solved, and the sterilization and disinfection are more thorough. It should be noted that, in some implementations, the adsorptive collection member 32 may also incorporate a collection function for PM2.5 particulate matter.

It should be noted that, the plasma sterilization part 31 and the adsorption collection part 32 can adopt commercially available related mature parts to achieve their corresponding functions, as described above, the plasma sterilization part 31 can ionize the airflow flowing through it when being powered on, and the adsorption collection part 32 can adsorb particles (PM2.5 or germ debris) in the airflow flowing through it when being powered on.

In some embodiments, the adsorption and collection part 32 is located at the downstream side of the plasma sterilization part 31 in the airflow flowing direction, that is, the airflow enters the adsorption and collection part 32 after flowing through the plasma sterilization part 31, so that the pathogen debris can be collected more efficiently.

In some embodiments, an ozone reduction component 33 is further disposed in the air duct 1 for reducing ozone components formed during the plasma generation process, and preferably, the ozone reduction component 33 is disposed on a downstream side of the airflow flowing direction of the adsorption and collection component 32, so as to effectively prevent ozone generated during the sterilization process of the washing machine from possibly damaging human bodies.

The air duct 1 is further provided with a filter screen 34 for physically filtering relatively large particles and substances such as hair and cotton wool in the air flow, and preferably, the plasma sterilization part 31, the adsorption and collection part 32 and the ozone reduction part 33 are all located on the downstream side of the filter screen 34 in the air flow direction, so that the function and the performance efficiency of each subsequent part can be improved.

The plasma sterilization part 31, the adsorption collection part 32, and the filter 34 are preferably lossless devices, which can be recycled by cleaning and cleaning to improve the service life, the ozone reduction part 33 is a lossy device, which can be replaced after losing the corresponding reduction function, and it should be noted that the lossless device is different from the lossy device in that whether the service life is damaged after use, specifically, the lossless device can be used repeatedly for a long time, and the lossy device needs to be replaced with a new one due to the loss of the reaction material after being used for a certain time. In view of the foregoing, in some embodiments, a first slot (not labeled) is formed on the duct wall of the duct 1, and the plasma sterilization part 31 is inserted into the first slot; and/or, a second slot (not referenced in the figure) is configured on the duct wall body of the duct 1, and the adsorption and collection component 32 is inserted into the second slot; a third slot (not referenced in the figure) is also formed in the air duct wall body of the air duct 1, the ozone reduction component 33 is inserted into the third slot, a fourth slot (not referenced in the figure) is also formed in the air duct wall body of the air duct 1, and the filter screen 34 is inserted into the fourth slot. When the corresponding parts need to be cleaned, cleaned or replaced, any one of the plasma sterilization part 31, the adsorption collection part 32, the ozone reduction part 33 and the filter screen 34 can be respectively pulled out from the first slot, the second slot, the third slot and the fourth slot in a one-to-one correspondence manner, and the structure is similar to a drawer structure, so that the independent dimension of each part can be ensured, and the service life of the washing machine and the sterilization and disinfection effects are improved.

Preferably, any one of plasma sterilization part 31, absorption collecting part 32, ozone reduction part 33, filter screen 34 has the orientation the plate body in the outside of washing machine, the plate body orientation be constructed recess 35 (handle position) on the face in the outside of washing machine, be convenient for the user to the pull of corresponding part, and/or, the plate body orientation be provided with the part sign (not index in the figure) on the face in the outside of washing machine, specifically for example can identify plasma sterilization part 31, absorption collecting part 32, ozone reduction part 33, filter screen 34 as filter screen 1, filter screen 2, filter screen 3, filter screen 4 respectively or directly indicate with

number

1, 2, 3, 4 all can, make the user can directly discern the user state of each filter screen.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is also provided a washing machine control method for controlling the above-mentioned washing machine, the washing machine control method including:

acquiring a user instruction;

when the user command is a sterilization and disinfection command, detecting whether any one of the plasma sterilization part 31, the adsorption and collection part 32, the ozone reduction part 33 and the filter screen 34 needs to be cleaned or replaced, wherein the cleaning or replacement comprises a cleaning operation for the plasma sterilization part 31, the adsorption and collection part 32, a replacement operation for the ozone reduction part 33 and a cleaning operation for the filter screen 34;

if any one of the plasma sterilization part 31, the adsorption and collection part 32, the ozone reduction part 33 and the filter screen 34 needs to be cleaned or replaced, a prompt message is sent to instruct a user to clean or replace the corresponding part;

and if any one of the plasma sterilization part 31, the adsorption and collection part 32, the ozone reduction part 33 and the filter screen 34 does not need to be cleaned or replaced, controlling the washing machine to enter a sterilization and disinfection treatment process.

In the technical scheme, before entering the sterilization and disinfection process flow, whether any one of the plasma sterilization part 31, the adsorption and collection part 32, the ozone reduction part 33 and the filter screen 34 needs to be cleaned or replaced is detected and judged, and when the plasma sterilization part, the adsorption and collection part, the ozone reduction part and the filter screen are not cleaned or replaced, the subsequent sterilization and disinfection process flow is entered, so that the effectiveness of the sterilization and disinfection operation can be ensured, the invalid operation of a machine is prevented, and the use efficiency of equipment is improved.

It should be noted that, the detection methods for detecting whether the plasma sterilization part 31, the adsorption collection part 32, the ozone reduction part 33, and the filter screen 34 need to be cleaned or replaced may be various, for example, the size relationship between the difference between the inlet airflow and the outlet airflow at the corresponding position and the preset difference (i.e. the wind resistance), the size relationship between the content or ratio of the preset marker substance in the inlet airflow or the outlet airflow and the corresponding preset value, and the like may be detected, in one embodiment, whether the plasma sterilization part 31, the adsorption collection part 32, the ozone reduction part 33, and the filter screen 34 need to be cleaned may be detected and determined in the following manner,

specifically, when the washing machine enters the sterilization mode, the washing machine firstly enters the filter screen detection mode, and first obtains the plasma concentration of the region between the plasma sterilization part 31 and the adsorption collection part 32 (specifically, by using the plasma collector arranged in the corresponding region), when the corresponding plasma concentration is higher than a preset plasma concentration value (the preset plasma concentration value is a minimum effective concentration value with a sterilization and disinfection effect), the plasma sterilization part 31 does not need to be cleaned, and when the corresponding plasma concentration is not higher than the preset plasma concentration value, the plasma sterilization part 31 is prompted to be cleaned (for example, cleaned); then acquiring the plasma concentration at the downstream position of the adsorption and collection part 32 (such as the area between the adsorption and collection part 32 and the ozone reduction part 33, the area adjacent to the downstream of the ozone reduction part 33), when the corresponding plasma concentration is higher than the preset plasma concentration value, the adsorption and collection part 32 does not need to be cleaned, and when the corresponding plasma concentration is not higher than the preset plasma concentration value, the adsorption and collection part 32 is prompted to need to be cleaned (such as cleaned); acquiring the ozone concentration of the downstream area of the ozone reduction part 33 (specifically by an ozone detector), wherein when the corresponding ozone concentration is not higher than the preset ozone concentration value, the ozone reduction part 33 does not need to be replaced, and when the corresponding ozone concentration is higher than the preset ozone concentration value, the ozone reduction part 33 is prompted to need to be cleaned (for example, replaced); and finally, acquiring the plasma concentration of an area between the filter screen 34 and the plasma sterilization part 31, wherein when the corresponding plasma concentration is higher than the preset plasma concentration value, the filter screen 34 does not need to be cleaned, and when the corresponding plasma concentration is not higher than the preset plasma concentration value, the filter screen 34 is prompted to be cleaned (for example, cleaned).

The sterilization treatment process comprises the following steps: the plasma sterilization part 31, the adsorption and collection part 32, the airflow driving part 4 in the air duct 1 and the electric heating part are controlled to operate for a preset time, wherein the airflow driving part 4 is, for example, a circulating fan in the air duct 1, so that airflow can efficiently circulate in the washing machine, and the electric heating part can heat the airflow, so that the circulating power of the airflow is improved by utilizing the characteristic that the density of hot airflow is small and easy to rise, and the efficiency of the sterilization and disinfection treatment process is effectively improved.

The technical solution of the present invention is further explained with reference to fig. 3 as follows:

when the washing machine enters a disinfection mode, states of the filter screen 1 (namely the plasma sterilization part 31), the filter screen 2 (namely the adsorption and collection part 32), the filter screen 3 (also the ozone reduction part 33) and the filter screen 4 (namely the filter screen 34) are sequentially checked, when the washing machine detects that the washing machine needs to be cleaned or replaced, a display screen of the washing machine respectively displays cleaning 1 and cleaning 2, cleaning 3 and replacing 4, and a user can take out the corresponding filter screen from the air duct 1 to clean or replace the corresponding filter screen according to corresponding prompts. If the four filter screens do not need to be replaced and cleaned, an electric heating part (such as an electric heating pipe) in the washing machine is turned on, gas in the inner barrel 2 is heated, the gas enters the air duct 1 under the action of the circulating fan and passes through the four filter screens respectively, the first filter screen filters large granular substances such as hair and human body dander, the second filter screen forms plasma to generate ion wind, the plasma is generated through corona discharge, the plasma can destroy bacteria and viruses, the activity is lost, and the lost bacteria and harmful substances such as virus debris are collected by the third filter screen. PM2.5 particulate matters can also be collected to the third layer filter screen, and the fourth layer filter screen is ozone reduction net, can purify remaining ozone, prevents that ozone concentration is too high to cause harm to the user. Then the hot gas containing the plasma is condensed, and then the gas containing the plasma is sent into the inner drum 2 of the washing machine to be heated again, so that a thermal cycle is formed, and the effect of sterilization is achieved. The disinfection time t can be preset according to the weight of the clothes obtained by weighing, if the preset time t is reached, the disinfection and sterilization are stopped, and if the preset time t is not reached, the thermal cycle process is repeated all the time. The method avoids secondary pollution caused by bringing bacteria and viruses in the air into the washing machine when the traditional sterilization method is used for drying, does not damage clothes and residual objects to damage human bodies due to very mild plasma wind, solves the problems that large ion particles cannot be removed and small ion object remains cannot be thoroughly removed by using a sterilization technology, and also solves the problems that a user cannot clean the plasma sterilization technology by himself, replace a filter screen and cannot use the plasma sterilization technology in a recycling way.

It is readily understood by a person skilled in the art that the advantageous ways described above can be freely combined, superimposed without conflict.

The present invention is not limited to the above preferred embodiments, and any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principle of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention. The above is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and it should be noted that, for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the technical principle of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be regarded as the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. The washing machine is characterized by comprising an air duct (1), wherein an air inlet and an air outlet of the air duct (1) are communicated with an inner barrel (2) of the washing machine, a plasma sterilization component (31) and an adsorption and collection component (32) positioned on one side of the plasma sterilization component (31) are arranged in the air duct (1), and the adsorption and collection component (32) can adsorb bacteria and virus debris carried in circulating air flow in the air duct (1).

2. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the adsorption collection member (32) is on a downstream side in an airflow flowing direction of the plasma sterilization member (31).

3. Washing machine according to claim 2, characterized in that an ozone reduction member (33) is also provided in the air duct (1).

4. The washing machine according to claim 3, wherein a filter screen (34) is further arranged in the air duct (1), and the plasma sterilization part (31), the adsorption and collection part (32) and the ozone reduction part (33) are all arranged on the downstream side of the filter screen (34) in the airflow flowing direction; and/or the ozone reduction part (33) is arranged at the downstream side of the airflow flowing direction of the adsorption and collection part (32).

5. The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a first slot is formed on the duct wall of the duct (1), and the plasma sterilization part (31) is inserted into the first slot; and/or a second slot is formed in the wall body of the air duct (1), and the adsorption and collection component (32) is inserted into the second slot.

6. The washing machine according to claim 5, characterized in that when an ozone reduction component (33) is further arranged in the air duct (1), a third slot is further formed on the wall body of the air duct (1), and the ozone reduction component (33) is inserted into the third slot; and/or when a filter screen (34) is further arranged in the air duct (1), a fourth slot is further formed in the wall body of the air duct (1), and the filter screen (34) is inserted into the fourth slot.

7. The washing machine according to claim 6, wherein any one of the plasma sterilization part (31), the adsorption collection part (32), the ozone reduction part (33) and the filter screen (34) has a plate body facing the outside of the washing machine, a groove (35) is formed on the plate surface of the plate body facing the outside of the washing machine, and/or a part mark is provided on the plate surface of the plate body facing the outside of the washing machine.

8. A control method of a washing machine for controlling the washing machine of any one of claims 4 to 7, the control method comprising:

acquiring a user instruction;

when a user instruction is a sterilization and disinfection instruction, detecting whether any one of the plasma sterilization part (31), the adsorption and collection part (32), the ozone reduction part (33) and the filter screen (34) needs to be cleaned or replaced;

if any one of the plasma sterilization part (31), the adsorption and collection part (32), the ozone reduction part (33) and the filter screen (34) needs to be cleaned or replaced, sending out prompt information to instruct a user to clean or replace the corresponding part;

and if any one of the plasma sterilization component (31), the adsorption and collection component (32), the ozone reduction component (33) and the filter screen (34) does not need to be cleaned or replaced, controlling the washing machine to enter a sterilization and disinfection treatment process.

9. The washing machine control method as claimed in claim 8,

the sterilization treatment process comprises the following steps:

and controlling the plasma sterilization part (31), the adsorption and collection part (32), the airflow driving part (4) in the air duct (1) and the electric heating part to be electrified and operated for preset time.

10. The washing machine control method as claimed in claim 8,

when any one of the plasma sterilization part (31), the adsorption and collection part (32), the ozone reduction part (33) and the filter screen (34) needs to be cleaned or replaced, the method is realized by the following steps:

acquiring the plasma concentration of an area between the plasma sterilization part (31) and the adsorption collection part (32), wherein the plasma sterilization part (31) does not need to be cleaned when the corresponding plasma concentration is higher than a preset plasma concentration value, and the plasma sterilization part (31) is prompted to be cleaned when the corresponding plasma concentration is not higher than the preset plasma concentration value; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

acquiring the plasma concentration of the downstream position of the adsorption and collection component (32), wherein when the corresponding plasma concentration is higher than the preset plasma concentration value, the adsorption and collection component (32) does not need to be cleaned, and when the corresponding plasma concentration is not higher than the preset plasma concentration value, the adsorption and collection component (32) is prompted to be cleaned; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

acquiring the ozone concentration of the downstream area of the ozone reduction component (33), wherein the ozone reduction component (33) does not need to be replaced when the corresponding ozone concentration is not higher than the preset ozone concentration value, and the ozone reduction component (33) is prompted to be replaced when the corresponding ozone concentration is higher than the preset ozone concentration value; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

the plasma concentration of an area between the filter screen (34) and the plasma sterilization part (31) is obtained, when the corresponding plasma concentration is higher than the preset plasma concentration value, the filter screen (34) does not need to be cleaned, and when the corresponding plasma concentration is not higher than the preset plasma concentration value, the filter screen (34) is prompted to be cleaned.