EP4560063A1

EP4560063A1 - Fresh air washing machine

Info

Publication number: EP4560063A1
Application number: EP23841915.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Yanfen LV; Sheng Xu; Kai Liu
Original assignee: Qingdao Haier Washing Machine Co Ltd; Haier Smart Home Co Ltd
Current assignee: Qingdao Haier Washing Machine Co Ltd; Haier Smart Home Co Ltd
Priority date: 2022-07-21
Filing date: 2023-05-30
Publication date: 2025-05-28
Also published as: AU2023310293A1; EP4560063A4; CN117488517A; WO2024016847A1; JP2025522109A

Abstract

The present invention relates to the technical field of washing machines, and specifically provides a fresh air washing machine, aiming to solve the problem of a poor ventilation effect inside the existing washing machines. For this purpose, the fresh air washing machine in the present invention comprises a box body, and a drum body and a fan assembly mounted in the box body; the fresh air washing machine further comprises a fresh air system used for supplementing fresh air into the drum body; an air inlet and an air outlet are formed in the box body; the fresh air system supplements the fresh air into the drum body by means of the air inlet, and discharges the air in the drum body by means of the air outlet; the air outlet and the air inlet are adjacently arranged; and the air outlet and the air inlet are at an open angle from inside to outside. High-humidity airflow flowing out of the air outlet flows to a direction distant from the air inlet, the fresh air is pumped in at the air inlet from a direction distant from the air outlet, and the airflow at the air inlet is distant from the airflow at the air outlet, such that the high-humidity air flowing out of the air outlet can be prevented from entering the drum body again by means of the air inlet, thereby improving the fresh air effect of the fresh air system.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the technical field of washing machines, and specifically provides a fresh air washing machine.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A washing apparatus is a clothing treatment apparatus that is capable of washing, rinsing, spinning and/or drying the clothing. Functions such as air washing, disinfection, sterilization and fragrance enhancement are also added in some washing apparatuses. There are many types of washing apparatuses, such as the most common drum washing machines, pulsator washing machines, and washing-drying integrated machines.
After the washing machine completes the washing program, it is required for the user to take the clothing out of the washing machine timely; otherwise, the washed clothing will produce a peculiar odor after being placed in a sealed humid environment for a long time, resulting in poor cleaning effect. Correspondingly, existing washing machines are provided with a fresh air system to promote the circulation of airflow inside and outside the washing machine, avoiding the production of bacteria and peculiar odor inside the washing machine. However, the fresh air systems of some existing washing machines have their air inlet and/or air outlet located on a front or top panel of the washing machine, which will affect the visual effect and user experience. In addition, the fresh air systems of some washing machines have their air inlet and air outlet located on a rear panel. Although this type of fresh air system hardly affects the visual effect and user experience, part of the humid air discharged from the air outlet will re-enter the washing machine through the air inlet when the fresh air system is working since the air inlet and the air outlet are arranged on the same panel, resulting in poor effect of the fresh air system.
Accordingly, there is a need for a new fresh air washing machine in the art to solve the above problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention aims to solve the above technical problem, that is, to solve the problem of poor ventilation effect inside existing washing machines.
For this purpose, the present invention provides a fresh air washing machine, which includes a cabinet, as well as a cylinder and a fan assembly that are installed inside the cabinet;
the fresh air washing machine further includes a fresh air system for supplementing fresh air to the cylinder, an air inlet and an air outlet are provided on the same panel of the cabinet, and the fresh air system supplements fresh air into the cylinder through the air inlet, and discharges air in the cylinder through the air outlet; the air outlet and the air inlet are arranged adjacent to each other, and the air outlet and the air inlet are arranged in such a way that they form an angle expanding from inside to outside.
Through the above technical solution, after the washing machine completes the washing program and before the user takes out the clothing, the fresh air system discharges high-humidity air in the interior of the cylinder out of the cylinder through the air outlet, and supplements low-humidity air into the cylinder through the air inlet, so that the air inside the cylinder circulates with the outside to avoid production of peculiar odor inside the cylinder. The angle expanding from inside to outside between the air outlet and the air inlet can prevent the airflow flowing out of the air outlet from re-entering the interior of the cylinder through the air inlet, which is advantageous for improving the fresh air effect of the fresh air system.
In a preferred technical solution of the washing machine described above, the included angle between the air outlet and the air inlet is within a range of 60-120 degrees.
In a preferred technical solution of the washing machine described above, both the air inlet and the air outlet are arranged on a rear panel of the cabinet.
In a preferred technical solution of the washing machine described above, the fan assembly includes an air duct that is circulated and communicated with the cylinder to deliver fresh air into the cylinder.
Through the above technical solution, after the cylinder completes the washing program, the fan assembly delivers the air in the cabinet into the interior of the cylinder through the air duct.
In a preferred technical solution of the washing machine described above, the fresh air system includes an air inflow pipeline and an air outflow pipeline that are installed inside the cabinet; the air duct is communicated with the air inlet through the air inflow pipeline, and the cylinder is communicated with the air outlet through the air outflow pipeline.
Through the above technical solution, when a drying system blows hot air into the cylinder through a drying pipeline, it will cause the air pressure inside the cylinder to rise and the air pressure inside the cabinet to drop. At this time, the high-humidity air inside the cylinder is discharged through the air outlet, and the outside low-humidity air is supplemented as fresh air into the cabinet through the air inlet. The fresh air enters the interior of the cylinder for drying operation when heated and driven by the drying system. The fresh air system can extract fresh air from the outside under the driving of the drying system without the need for a separate driving unit, which is advantageous for simplifying the structure and reducing cost.
In a preferred technical solution of the washing machine described above, the fresh air system includes a valve installed inside the cabinet, and the air inflow pipeline and the air outflow pipeline each include a first section and a second section; the air inlet is communicated with the valve through the first section of the air inflow pipeline, and the valve is communicated with the air duct through the second section of the air inflow pipeline; the cylinder is communicated with the valve through the first section of the air outflow pipeline, and the valve is communicated with the air outlet through the second section of the air outflow pipeline.
Through the above technical solution, when driven by the drying system, the outside fresh air enters the air inlet and is guided by the first section of the air inflow pipeline before entering into the valve; after flowing out of the valve, it enters the air duct through the second section of the air inflow pipeline. The heated airflow enters the first section of the air outflow pipeline through the air duct, and is guided by the first section of the air outflow pipeline before entering the cylinder for drying the clothing. The high-humidity air in the cylinder is discharged through the second section of the air outflow pipeline and the air outlet.
In a preferred technical solution of the washing machine described above, the valve is a double opening and double closing valve, and the valve is provided with two inlets and two outlets; the first section of the air inflow pipeline connects one of the inlets of the valve with the air inlet, and the second section of the air inflow pipeline connects one of the outlets of the valve with the air duct; the first section of the air outflow pipeline connects the other inlet of the valve with the cylinder, and the second section of the air outflow pipeline connects the other outlet of the valve with the air outlet.
In a preferred technical solution of the washing machine described above, the fan assembly further includes a circulating fan arranged in the air duct, and the circulating fan is used to drive fresh air through the cylinder.
When the above technical solutions are adopted, the present invention has the following technical effects.
After the washing program is completed, the fresh air system discharges the high-humidity air in the interior of the cylinder out of the cylinder through the air outlet, and supplements dry outside air into the cylinder through the air inlet, so that the air inside the cylinder circulates with the outside to avoid production of peculiar odor inside the cylinder. At the same time, the air outlet and the air inlet are arranged on the same panel of the cabinet, and the angle expanding from inside to outside between the air outlet and the air inlet can prevent the airflow flowing out of the air outlet from re-entering the interior of the cylinder through the air inlet, which is advantageous for improving the fresh air effect of the fresh air system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an overall structure of the fresh air washing machine provided in this embodiment; and
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional top view of the fresh air washing machine provided in this embodiment, showing an internal structure of the fresh air washing machine of the present invention.

List of reference signs:
1: cabinet; 11: air inlet; 12: air outlet; 2: cylinder; 3: fresh air system; 31: air inflow pipeline; 311: first section of air inflow pipeline; 312: second section of air inflow pipeline; 32: air outflow pipeline; 321: first section of air outflow pipeline; 322: second section of air outflow pipeline; 33: valve; 4: fan assembly; 41: air duct; 42: circulating fan.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT(S) OF THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that these embodiments are only used to explain the technical principles of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make adjustments as needed to adapt to specific application scenes. For example, although the description is based on a heat pump drying system, this is not limiting. Obviously, various other forms of drying systems can be adopted in the present invention, as long as they can heat the air and deliver it into the cylinder of the washing machine.
It should be noted that in the description of the present invention, terms indicating directional or positional relationships, such as "interior" and the like, are based on the directional or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only used for ease of description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element must have a specific orientation, or must be constructed or operated in a specific orientation; therefore, they should not be considered as limitations to the present invention. In addition, terms "first" and "second" are only used for descriptive purpose, and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.
In addition, it should also be noted that in the description of the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and defined, terms "install", "connect" and "connection" should be understood in a broad sense; for example, the connection may be a fixed connection, or a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it may be a mechanical connection, or an electrical connection; it may be a direct connection, or an indirect connection implemented through an intermediate medium, or internal communication between two elements. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the present invention can be interpreted according to specific situations.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the fresh air washing machine provided in this embodiment includes a cabinet 1, as well as a cylinder 2 and a fan assembly 4 that are installed inside the cabinet 1. The cabinet 1 is provided with an air inlet 11 and an air outlet 12, which are arranged adjacent to each other. A distance between the air inlet 11 and the air outlet 12 is 3-10cm. The fan assembly 4 includes an air duct 41 which is communicated with the cylinder 2 for delivering fresh air into the cylinder 2. The fresh air system 3 supplements fresh air into the cylinder 2 through the air inlet 11, and discharges air in the cylinder 2 through the air outlet 12. The air outlet 12 and the air inlet 11 form an angle expanding from inside to outside. Preferably, an included angle between an axis of the air outlet 12 and an axis of the air inlet 11 is within a range of 60-120 degrees, and both the air inlet 11 and the air outlet 12 are arranged on a rear panel of the cabinet 1.
After the washing program of the washing machine is completed, the fan assembly 4 blows fresh air into the interior of the cylinder 2 through the air duct 41. Humid air inside the cylinder 2 is discharged from the air outlet 12, and the outside fresh air enters the fresh air system 3 through the air inlet 11. Setting the included angle of 60 to 120 degrees between the air inlet 11 and the air outlet 12 can avoid interference between the airflows at the air inlet 11 and the air outlet 12. The high-humidity airflow flowing out of the air outlet 12 flows in a direction away from the air inlet 11, and the fresh air is drawn at the air inlet 11 in a direction away from the air outlet 12. The distance between the airflows at the air inlet 11 and the air outlet 12 is relatively large, so that the high-humidity air flowing out of the air outlet 12 can be prevented from re-entering the interior of the cylinder 2 through the air inlet 11, which is advantageous for improving the fresh air effect of the fresh air system 3.
In a preferred embodiment, the fan assembly 4 includes a circulating fan 42 arranged inside the air duct 41, and the circulating fan 42 drives fresh air to pass through the cylinder 2. The fresh air system 3 includes an air inflow pipeline 31, an air outflow pipeline 32 and a valve 33, all of which are installed inside the cabinet 1. The air inflow pipeline 31 and the air outflow pipeline 32 each include a first section and a second section. The air inlet 11 is communicated with the valve 33 through the first section of the air inflow pipeline 31, and the valve 33 is communicated with the air duct 41 through the second section of the air inflow pipeline 31; the cylinder 2 is communicated with the valve 33 through the first section of the air outflow pipeline 32, and the valve 33 is communicated with the air outlet 12 through the second section of the air outflow pipeline 32.
The valve 33 is a double opening and double closing valve, on which two inlets and two outlets are provided; the first section of the air inflow pipeline connects one of the inlets of the valve 33 with the air inlet 11, and the second section of the air inflow pipeline connects one of the outlets of the valve 33 with the air duct 41; the first section of the air outflow pipeline connects the other inlet of the valve 33 with the cylinder 2, and the second section of the air outflow pipeline connects the other outlet of the valve 33 with the air outlet 12.
When the circulating fan 42 is working, fresh air is blown into the cylinder 2 through the air duct 41. At this time, the air pressure in the cylinder 2 is higher; the high-humidity air in the cylinder 2 enters one inlet of the valve 33 through the first section 321 of the air outflow pipeline 32, then flows out from one outlet of the valve 33 into the second section 322 of the air outflow pipeline 32, and finally flows out from the air outlet 12.
Under the driving of the circulating fan 42, a low pressure is formed in the area where the air duct 41 is connected with the second section 312 of the air inflow pipeline 31, so that the outside air flows into the fresh air system 3 through the air inlet 11 to supplement the fresh air. The fresh air enters the first section 311 of the air inflow pipeline 31 from the air inlet 11, enters the valve 33 through the first section 311 of the air inflow pipeline 31, and then enters the second section 312 of the air inflow pipeline 31 from the other outlet of the valve 33. Finally, the fresh air enters the air duct 41 through the second section 312 of the air inflow pipeline 31, and is heated by the drying system 22 before being guided into the cylinder 2 through the air duct 41.
The circulating fan 42 blows the fresh air into the cylinder 2, and the air pressure in the cylinder 2 increases. The high-humidity air in the cylinder 2 is discharged to the outside through the air outlet 12. Under the driving of the circulating fan 42, a low pressure is formed in the area where the air duct 41 is connected with the second section 312 of the air inflow pipeline 31, so that the air outside the cabinet 1 enters the fresh air system 3 to supplement fresh air to the cylinder 2. Due to the driving of the circulating fan 42, there is no need to provide additional driving units in the fresh air system 3, which is advantageous for simplifying the structure and reducing manufacturing and usage costs.
In another preferred embodiment, a drying system is provided in the cabinet 1, and the drying system is a heat pump drying system. The heat pump drying system includes a condenser arranged in the air duct and a compressor installed in the cabinet 1. The compressor is connected to the condenser through a pipeline and forms a refrigerant circulation circuit with the condenser. During the operation of the drying system, the compressor compresses a refrigerant inside it and delivers the compressed refrigerant into the condenser. After being compressed by the compressor, the temperature of the refrigerant increases. When the refrigerant flows out of the condenser and is cooled by pressure relief, it enters the compressor again for circulation and operation. After being compressed, the refrigerant enters the condenser, and the temperature of the condenser increases. When the airflow passes through the condenser, the condenser heats the airflow passing through it, and drives the airflow into the cylinder under the driving of the circulating fan.
In the preferred embodiment, the position where the second section 312 of the air inflow pipeline 31 is connected with the air duct 41 is located upstream of the condenser. After passing through the condenser, the temperature of the fresh air flow increases, and the fresh air flow finally enters the cylinder 2 under the driving of the circulating fan 42.
It should be noted that although the air inlet 11 and the air outlet 12 are both arranged on the rear panel of the cabinet 1 in the above description, this is not limiting, and those skilled in the art can make adjustments to this without departing from the principles of the present invention. For example, the air inlet 11 and the air outlet 12 of the fresh air system of the washing machine of the present invention can also be arranged on a top or side panel of the cabinet 1, as long as they form an angle expanding from inside to outside to avoid mixing of incoming and outgoing airflows. Specifically, whether the air inlet 11 and the air outlet 12 are arranged on the rear panel of the cabinet 1 or on the top or side panel depends on the usage environment of the washing machine. More specifically, if the washing machine is an embedded washing machine, since the rear, top and side panels are all invisible in use, the user experience and visual effect can be both taken into account regardless of which position is chosen. On the contrary, if the usage environment of the washing machine is an open position such as a balcony, when the air inlet 11 and the air outlet 12 are arranged on the top and side panels, they should be set as close to the rear panel as possible to maximally take both the user experience and visual effect into account, and avoid the adverse effects of humid air discharged from the air outlet 12 during the operation of the fresh air system on the user experience.
Hitherto, the technical solutions of the present invention have been described in connection with the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, but it is easily understood by those skilled in the art that the scope of protection of the present invention is obviously not limited to these specific embodiments. Without departing from the principles of the present invention, those skilled in the art can make equivalent changes or replacements to relevant technical features, and all the technical solutions after these changes or replacements will fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

A fresh air washing machine, comprising a cabinet, as well as a cylinder and a fan assembly that are installed inside the cabinet;
wherein the fresh air washing machine further comprises a fresh air system for supplementing fresh air to the cylinder, an air inlet and an air outlet are provided on the same panel of the cabinet, and the fresh air system supplements fresh air into the cylinder through the air inlet, and discharges air in the cylinder through the air outlet; the air outlet and the air inlet are arranged adjacent to each other, and the air outlet and the air inlet are arranged in such a way that they form an angle expanding from inside to outside.
The fresh air washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the included angle between the air outlet and the air inlet is within a range of 60-120 degrees.
The fresh air washing machine according to claim 1, wherein both the air inlet and the air outlet are arranged on a rear panel of the cabinet.
The fresh air washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the fan assembly comprises an air duct that is circulated and communicated with the cylinder to deliver fresh air into the cylinder.
The fresh air washing machine according to claim 4, wherein the fresh air system comprises an air inflow pipeline and an air outflow pipeline that are installed inside the cabinet; the air duct is communicated with the air inlet through the air inflow pipeline, and the cylinder is communicated with the air outlet through the air outflow pipeline.
The fresh air washing machine according to claim 5, wherein the fresh air system comprises a valve installed inside the cabinet, and the air inflow pipeline and the air outflow pipeline each comprise a first section and a second section; the air inlet is communicated with the valve through the first section of the air inflow pipeline, and the valve is communicated with the air duct through the second section of the air inflow pipeline; the cylinder is communicated with the valve through the first section of the air outflow pipeline, and the valve is communicated with the air outlet through the second section of the air outflow pipeline.
The fresh air washing machine according to claim 6, wherein the valve is a double opening and double closing valve, and the valve is provided with two inlets and two outlets; the first section of the air inflow pipeline connects one of the inlets of the valve with the air inlet, and the second section of the air inflow pipeline connects one of the outlets of the valve with the air duct; the first section of the air outflow pipeline connects the other inlet of the valve with the cylinder, and the second section of the air outflow pipeline connects the other outlet of the valve with the air outlet.
The fresh air washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the fan assembly further comprises a circulating fan arranged in the air duct, and the circulating fan is used to drive fresh air through the cylinder.