EP2714981B1

EP2714981B1 - Laundry drying apparatus and control method thereof

Info

Publication number: EP2714981B1
Application number: EP12723475.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Wenfeng Pang; Yanhong Chen; Yanglei Zhu
Original assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
Current assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
Priority date: 2011-05-27
Filing date: 2012-05-24
Publication date: 2015-12-09
Anticipated expiration: 2032-05-24
Also published as: CN102797140A; EP2714981A1; CN103748278A; WO2012163772A1; CN103748278B; PL2714981T3; CN103748278B8

Description

The present invention relates to a laundry drying apparatus, comprising a laundry processing space and a drying air passage in communication with the laundry processing space, wherein a detection device is mounted on the drying air passage and has a head extending into the drying air passage, and wherein a cleaning device is mounted close to the detection device for cleaning the head.
The present invention also relates to a control method of such laundry drying apparatus, wherein the laundry drying apparatus comprises a laundry processing space and a drying air passage in communication with the laundry processing space, wherein a detection device is mounted on the drying air passage and has a head extending into the drying air passage, and wherein a cleaning device is mounted close to the detection device for cleaning the head, and a control device, and the control device is able to control the laundry drying apparatus to execute a drying procedure, the drying procedure comprising a detection device cleaning procedure of cleaning lint accumulated on the head of the detection device by the cleaning device.
A laundry drying apparatus and a control method of the respective generic type specified above are disclosed in each of prior art documents US 2009/0165330 A1 and GB 1 554 036 A . In each document there is disclosed a cleaning device having a dry tool like a brush for cleaning a detection device.
A laundry drying apparatus generally has a laundry accommodating space and a drying air passage connected thereto. A fan for facilitating circular air flow in the laundry accommodating space and the drying air passage, a heating device for heating air, and a condensing device for condensing wet air from the laundry accommodating space are disposed in the passage. A sensor for detecting parameters, such as temperature or humidity, of circulated air is generally further disposed in the drying air passage, with a head of the sensor being exposed to drying air. Therefore, when the drying air passes through the position where the sensor is located, hair, fluff from laundry, and other sweeps carried by the drying air are easily adhered to the sensor. In the long run, the accumulation of the adhered matters will cause serious influence on accuracy of the detection result of the sensor, thereby affecting control of the laundry drying apparatus.
The phenomenon that the detection accuracy of the sensor is affected due to the adhered matters easily occurs in various laundry drying apparatuses. For example, in a simple drying apparatus, if a drying manner without water is adopted, that is, no condensate water is sprayed for condensation, there will be a large amount of adhered matters on the sensor. In a drying apparatus adopting water condensation, in order to prevent the condensate water from affecting the accuracy of the detection result, the sensor is generally disposed at a position where the sensor does not contact the condensate water, so the condensate water does not rinse the sensor. In some cloths washing and drying apparatuses, the sensor is immerged in washing water during cloths washing and the adhered matters can be brought away by the washing water, but foam left after cloths washing may cover the sensor. Furthermore, when a user use the washing and drying machine not to perform a washing operation but only to perform a drying operation for a long time, the adhered matters on the sensor also cannot be washed away.
An objective of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages in the prior art, rinse adhered matters such as lint adhered to a detection device of a laundry drying apparatus in time, and improve accuracy of a control device.
In view of the objective, the invention provides a laundry drying apparatus and a related control method in accordance with the features of the respective independent claim attached. Preferred embodiments of the invention are specified in the subsequent written disclosure or dependent claims, as well as in the attached drawing. In any case a preferred embodiment of the inventive apparatus corresponds to a preferred embodiment if the inventive method, and vice versa, even if not expressly declared so herein.
Accordingly, a technical solution of the present invention is as follows. A laundry drying apparatus, comprising a laundry processing space and a drying air passage in communication with the laundry processing space, wherein a detection device is mounted on the drying air passage and has a head extending into the drying air passage, and wherein a cleaning device is mounted close to the detection device for cleaning the head. Said cleaning device is provided for rinsing the head, and includes a rinsing device, the rinsing device includes a water outlet, and the water outlet faces the head of the detection device.
Since the cleaning device is disposed for rinsing the detection device, adhered matters on the detection device can be rinsed away, thereby ensuring an accurate and reliable detection result. Further, water can intensively rinse the detection device.
As a further improvement, the water outlet is disposed around the head of the detection device. Therefore, the rinsing device is able to fully rinse the detection device, to avoid residual adhered matters.
As a further improvement, the rinsing device includes a ring-shaped passage disposed around the head of the detection device, and the water outlet is disposed on a bottom of the ring-shaped passage. The rinsing device of this structure is able to enable the water to be distributed uniformly, thereby cleaning the detection device more effectively.
As a further improvement, the cleaning device includes a water introduction passage, the rinsing device is mounted on one end of the water introduction passage, a spraying device for rinsing the drying air passage is disposed on the drying air passage and has an inlet pipe, and the other end of the water introduction passage of the cleaning device is in communication with the inlet pipe of the spraying device. The laundry drying apparatus of this structure is able to effectively clean the detection device while cleaning the drying air passage, so as to ensure the cleaning of the drying air passage and the detection device.
As a further improvement, an upstream of the water introduction passage of the cleaning device and the inlet pipe of the spraying device is connected to an anti-backflow device, and is further connected to an inlet valve through the anti-backflow device. Therefore, the washing water is prevented from entering a public water source.
As a further improvement, the cleaning device includes a rinsing device, and the rinsing device and a wall of the drying air passage are integrally formed. Therefore, assembly is not required and no additional part needs to be provided, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost and simplifying the manufacturing procedure.
Preferably, the detection device is a temperature sensor or a humidity sensor.
Preferably, the laundry drying apparatus is a washing and drying machine.
The present invention further provides a control method of a laundry drying apparatus, wherein the laundry drying apparatus comprises a laundry processing space and a drying air passage in communication with the laundry processing space, wherein a detection device is mounted on the drying air passage and has a head extending into the drying air passage, and wherein a cleaning device is mounted close to the detection device for cleaning the head, and a control device, and the control device is able to control the laundry drying apparatus to execute a drying procedure, the drying procedure comprising a detection device cleaning procedure of cleaning lint accumulated on the head of the detection device by the cleaning device. In addition, the detection device cleaning procedure comprises rinsing the head by the rinsing device, and the cleaning device comprises a water introduction passage, the rinsing device is mounted on one end of the water introduction passage, a spraying device for rinsing a drying air passage is disposed on the drying air passage and has an inlet pipe, the other end of the water introduction passage of the cleaning device is in communication with the inlet pipe of the spraying device, the drying procedure comprises a drying air passage cleaning procedure of controlling the spraying device to spray water to the drying air passage, and the detection device cleaning procedure and the drying air passage cleaning procedure are performed at the same time.
The cleaning device rinses the detection device, thereby ensuring an accuracy and reliable detection result.
As a further improvement, the detection device cleaning procedure is in a later stage of the whole drying procedure.
As a further improvement, the detection device cleaning procedure is in a final stage of the whole drying procedure.
As a further improvement, the detection device cleaning procedure is performed after the control device finishes calling a detection result of the detection device.
As a further improvement, the control device is able to control the laundry drying apparatus to execute a washing procedure.
As a further improvement, the cleaning device includes a water introduction passage, the rinsing device is mounted on one end of the water introduction passage, a spraying device for rinsing the drying air passage is disposed on the drying air passage and has an inlet pipe, the other end of the water introduction passage of the cleaning device is in communication with the inlet pipe of the spraying device, the drying procedure includes a drying air passage cleaning procedure of controlling the spraying device to spray water to the drying air passage, and the detection device cleaning procedure and the drying air passage cleaning procedure are performed at the same time.
Preferred embodiments of the invention are also shown in the attached drawing, and described in detail subsequently. In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a washing and drying machine; and
FIG. 2 is a cutaway view of a sensor and a rinsing device.

As shown in FIG. 1, a washing and drying machine 1 includes a box 2. A water barrel 3 is mounted in the box 2. A rotary drum 4 is rotatably mounted in the water barrel 3 or tub 3. The rotary drum 4 is disposed with through holes (not shown), so as to be in spatial communication with the water barrel 3, to allow exchange of liquid between within and without the drum 4. Laundry to be processed is placed into the rotary drum 4 through a door component 5 mounted on the box 2, and is washed and/or dried in the rotary drum 4.
The water barrel 3 is connected to two ends of a drying air passage 6 respectively. Air for drying the laundry circularly flows in a space formed by the water barrel 3 and the drying air passage 6. The drying air passage 6 includes an air condensing passage 7 and an air heating passage 8. An air blowing device 9 is disposed between the air condensing passage 7 and the air heating passage 8 to facilitate air circulation.
A detection device 10, for example, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and/or another sensor, for detecting air parameter characteristics in the passage is further disposed in the drying air passage 6. A control device 22 controls the washing and drying machine 1 according to a detection result of the detection device 10. In a specific implementation shown in FIG. 1, the detection device 10 is disposed near an inlet of the air condensing passage 7. The detection device 10 has a head 11 extending into the drying air passage 6. A cleaning device 12 for rinsing the head 11 of the detection device is mounted close to the detection device. The cleaning device 12 includes a water introduction passage 13 and a rinsing device 14 mounted on one end of the water introduction passage 13. A spraying device 15 for rinsing the air condensing passage 7 is disposed on the air condensing passage 7. The spraying device 15 has an inlet pipe 16. The other end of the water introduction passage 13 of the cleaning device 12 is in communication with the inlet pipe 16 of the spraying device 15. An upstream of the water introduction passage 13 of the cleaning device and the inlet pipe 16 of the spraying device is connected to an anti-backflow device 17, and is further connected to an inlet valve 18 through the anti-backflow device 17.
As shown in FIG. 2, the rinsing device 14 and a wall 23 of the drying air passage 6 are integrally formed, the rinsing device 14 has a ring-shaped passage 19 disposed around the head 11 of the detection device, and a water outlet 20 is disposed on a bottom of the ring-shaped passage 19. The water outlet 20 faces the head 11 of the detection device and has an oblique plane structure 21, so that water flowing out of the water outlet 20 obliquely sprays towards the head 11 of the detection device to wash dirt and other adhered matters on the surface of the head 11.
The washing and drying machine 1 of the foregoing structure can perform a washing and/or drying procedure under control of the control device 22. In a later stage of the drying procedure, especially a final stage of the drying procedure, for example, after the control device 22 finishes calling a detection result of the detection device, a detection device cleaning procedure of rinsing lint accumulated on the head 11 of the detection device by the cleaning device 12 is performed.
The drying procedure further includes a drying air passage cleaning procedure of controlling the spraying device 15 to spray water to the air condensing passage 7. In this specific implementation, since the water introduction passage 13 of the cleaning device 12 is in communication with the inlet pipe 16 of the spraying device 15, the detection device cleaning procedure and the drying air passage cleaning procedure are performed at the same time.
In another implementation, the cleaning device 12 and the spraying device 15 are separately connected to a water source, and the detection device cleaning procedure and the drying air passage cleaning procedure may be separately performed. In this case, the spraying device 15 may also be used to condense drying air. Furthermore, the spraying device 15 may be not disposed.
In another implementation, a simple laundry drying apparatus may also have the foregoing features. The laundry processing space in the apparatus may be a space formed by a rotary drum and an outer drum or a laundry suspending or laying space.

Claims

A laundry drying apparatus (1), comprising a laundry processing space (3, 4) and a drying air passage (6) in communication with the laundry processing space (3, 4), wherein a detection device (10) is mounted on the drying air passage (6) and has a head (11) extending into the drying air passage (6), and wherein a cleaning device (12) is mounted close to the detection device (10) for cleaning the head (11), characterized in that said cleaning device (12) is provided for rinsing the head (11), and comprises a rinsing device (14), the rinsing device (14) comprises a water outlet (20), and the water outlet (20) faces the head (11) of the detection device (10).
The laundry drying apparatus (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the water outlet (20) is disposed around the head (11) of the detection device (10).
The laundry drying apparatus (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the rinsing device (14) comprises a ring-shaped passage (19) disposed around the head (11) of the detection device (10), and the water outlet (20) is disposed on a bottom of the ring-shaped passage (19).
The laundry drying apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the cleaning device (12) comprises a water introduction passage (13), the rinsing device (14) is mounted on one end of the water introduction passage (13), a spraying device (15) for rinsing the drying air passage (6) is disposed on the drying air passage (6) and has an inlet pipe (16), and the other end of the water introduction passage (13) of the cleaning device (12) is in communication with the inlet pipe (16) of the spraying device (15).
The laundry drying apparatus (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that upstream of the water introduction passage (13) of the cleaning device (12) the inlet pipe (16) of the spraying device (15) is connected to an anti-backflow device (17), and is further connected to an inlet valve (18) through the anti-backflow device (17).
The laundry drying apparatus (1) according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the detection device (10) is a temperature sensor (10) or a humidity sensor. (10)
The laundry drying apparatus (1) according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the laundry drying apparatus (1) is a washing and drying machine (1).
The laundry drying apparatus (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the rinsing device (14) and a wall (23) of the drying air passage (6) are integrally formed.
A control method of the laundry drying apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein the laundry drying apparatus (1) comprises a laundry processing space (3, 4) and a drying air passage (6) in communication with the laundry processing space (3, 4), wherein a detection device (10) is mounted on the drying air passage (6) and has a head (11) extending into the drying air passage (6), and wherein a cleaning device (12) is mounted close to the detection device (10) for cleaning the head (11), and a control device (22), and the control device (22) is able to control the laundry drying apparatus (1) to execute a drying procedure, the drying procedure comprising a detection device cleaning procedure of cleaning lint accumulated on the head (11) of the detection device (10) by the cleaning device (12), characterized in that the detection device cleaning procedure comprises rinsing the head (11) by the rinsing device (14), and the cleaning device (12) comprises a water introduction passage (13), the rinsing device (14) is mounted on one end of the water introduction passage, a spraying device (15) for rinsing a drying air passage is disposed on the drying air passage (6) and has an inlet pipe (16), the other end of the water introduction passage (13) of the cleaning device (12) is in communication with the inlet pipe (16) of the spraying device (15), the drying procedure comprises a drying air passage cleaning procedure of controlling the spraying device (15) to spray water to the drying air passage (6), and the detection device cleaning procedure and the drying air passage cleaning procedure are performed at the same time.
The control method according to claim 9, characterized in that the detection device cleaning procedure is in a later stage of the whole drying procedure.
The control method according to claim 10, characterized in that the detection device cleaning procedure is in a final stage of the whole drying procedure.
The control method according to claim 9, characterized in that the detection device cleaning procedure is performed after the control device finishes calling a detection result of the detection device (10).
The control method according to claim 9, characterized in that the control device (22) is able to control the laundry drying apparatus (1) to execute a washing procedure.