US20200216999A1

US20200216999A1 - Drying structure and method of laundry treatment device, laundry treatment device

Info

Publication number: US20200216999A1
Application number: US16/632,982
Authority: US
Inventors: Yonghong Xu; Xueli ZHAO; Lijun Zhang; Tao Li
Original assignee: Qingdao Haier Drum Washing Machine Co Ltd; Qingdao Haier Washing Machine Co Ltd
Current assignee: Qingdao Haier Drum Washing Machine Co Ltd
Priority date: 2017-07-26
Filing date: 2018-07-26
Publication date: 2020-07-09
Also published as: CN109306597B; WO2019020077A1; JP6994561B2; CN109306597A; JP2020528321A

Abstract

Provided are a drying structure and a method of a laundry treatment device, and a laundry treatment device. The drying structure of a laundry treatment device includes a drying assembly, configured to generate airflow for drying; a drying air passage, configured to deliver the airflow for drying; and at least one window gasket air passage pipe, where a first end of the at least one window gasket air passage pipe is connected to the drying air passage, and a second end of the at least one window gasket air passage pipe extends into a fold groove formed by a window gasket fold, and is configured to dry the window gasket fold.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is United States National Stage Application of co-pending International Patent Application Number PCT/CN2018/097233, filed on Jul. 26, 2018, which claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 201710616598.0 filed on Jul. 26, 2017, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to the technical field of laundry treatment, for example, a drying structure and method of a laundry treatment device, and a laundry treatment device.

BACKGROUND

After the laundry is washed in a drum washing machine or a drum washer-dryer, limescale is easily retained at positions such as a position between an outer drum and an inner drum, a window gasket, an observation bowl and the like, and bacteria, mildew and the like are easily bred in such humid environments. Odor will be generated and secondary pollution may be caused to the washed laundry over time, seriously threatening physical health of a user.
In the related art, a drying structure is usually used to dry positions where the limescale is easily retained, such as the position between the outer drum and the inner drum, the window gasket, and the observation bowl. The test proves that by employing the drying structure in the related art, the position between the outer drum and the inner drum, and the window gasket may be dried. Due to a fold at the observation bowl, when the existing drying structure is employed for drying, hot air is difficult to enter the window gasket fold, resulting in unsatisfactory drying effect for the window gasket fold. After the drying, there will still be residual water, which is easy to breed bacteria.
In view of the above-mentioned problems, in the related art, the window gasket of the observation bowl is set to be an anti-mildew and antibacterial window gasket to suppress the bacteria breeding. However, the cost of adopting the method is high, and after using for a period of time, the anti-mildew and anti-bacterial function of the window gasket is easily invalidated, and the bacteria will still be bred at the window gasket.

SUMMARY

The following is a summary of the subject matter described herein in detail. This summary is not intended to limit the scope of the claims. Provided is a drying structure of a laundry treatment device, including:
a drying assembly, configured to generate airflow for drying; a drying air passage, configured to deliver the airflow for drying; and at least one window gasket air passage pipe, where a first end of the at least one window gasket air passage pipe is connected to the drying air passage, and a second end of the at least one window gasket air passage pipe extends into a fold groove formed by a window gasket fold, and is configured to dry the window gasket fold.
Provided is a laundry treatment device, including a window gasket and a drying structure of a laundry treatment device; where the window gasket includes a window gasket fold arranged on the window gasket and a fold groove formed by the window gasket fold.
Provided is a drying method of a laundry treatment device, including: delivering the airflow for drying by a drying air passage of the laundry treatment device; and controlling the airflow for drying to flow through the window gasket air passage pipe and enter the fold groove, so as to dry the window gasket fold. The laundry treatment device includes the drying air passage; the window gasket, including the window gasket fold arranged on the window gasket and the fold groove formed by bending the window gasket fold; and at least one window gasket air passage pipe, where an end of the at least one window gasket air passage pipe extends into the fold groove to dry the window gasket fold.
Other aspects can be understood after the drawings and the detailed description are read and understood.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an axonometric view illustrating a drying structure of a laundry treatment device according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a front view illustrating the drying structure of the laundry treatment device according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view illustrating the drying structure of the laundry treatment device according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a front view illustrating a drying air outlet joint according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view illustrating the drying air outlet joint according to the present disclosure; and

FIG. 6 is a partial enlarged diagram of part I of FIG. 3.

In the drawings:
1. outer drum; 2. window gasket; 21. window gasket outer side; 22. window gasket inner side; 23. window gasket fold; 231. fold groove; 3. drying assembly; 30. drying housing; 301. upper drying housing; 302. lower drying housing; 31. heating pipe; 32. drying fan; 33. drying air outlet joint; 331. lower drying housing joint end; 332. window gasket joint end; 333. guide rib; 334. window gasket air passage pipe interface; 4. window gasket air passage pipe; 10. drying air passage.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present embodiment provides a drying method of a laundry treatment device, and the laundry treatment device described in the present embodiment mainly refers to a drum washing machine or an integrated drum washing and drying machine. The present embodiment is described by taking the drum washing machine as an example.
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the drying method of a laundry treatment device of the present embodiment includes delivering airflow for drying by using a drying air passage 10 of the laundry treatment device; and drying the window gasket fold 23 by controlling the airflow for drying to flow through a window gasket air passage pipe 4 and into a fold groove 231. The laundry treatment device includes the drying air passage 10; the window gasket, including the window gasket fold 23 arranged on the window gasket and the fold groove 231 formed by bending the window gasket fold 23; and at least one window gasket air passage pipe 4, where an end of the at least one window gasket air passage pipe 4 extends into the fold groove 231 to dry the window gasket fold 23.
In the present embodiment, the window gasket air passage pipe 4 is provided, and an end of the window gasket air passage pipe 4 extends into the fold groove 231 formed by the window gasket fold 23, so as to facilitate drying the fold groove 231. Therefore, the drying cost is reduced, the residual water in the window gasket fold 23 is dried, the bacteria breeding in the window gasket fold 23 is suppressed, and the problem of secondary pollution to the washed laundry due to the unsatisfactory drying effect for the window gasket fold 23 is avoided.
In the present embodiment, after a dehydration process is executed and completed, the window gasket fold 23 is dried by employing the drying method of the laundry treatment device. In an embodiment, the drum washing machine is provided with a self-cleaning program. In the self-cleaning program, the window gasket fold 23 is dried by employing the drying method of the laundry treatment device. For the integrated drum washing and drying machine, the window gasket fold 23 may be dried in a drying process by employing the drying method.
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, in an embodiment, a drying structure of a laundry treatment device is further provided, and the drying structure of a laundry treatment device includes a drying assembly 3 for generating hot air and the drying air passage 10 for delivering the hot air. The dry air passage 10 is connected to at least one window gasket air passage pipe 4, and an end of the at least one window gasket air passage pipe 4 extends into the fold groove 231 formed by the window gasket fold 23, and is configured to dry the window gasket fold 23 during drying. And the hot air is airflow for drying with a preset temperature.
In an embodiment, the window gasket air passage pipe 4 is further provided, and an end of the window gasket air passage pipe 4 extends into the fold groove 231 formed by the window gasket fold 23, so as to dry the window gasket fold 23. The window gasket air passage pipe 4 is used to dry the window gasket fold 23 separately, improving the drying effect and suppressing the bacteria breeding in the window gasket fold 23. At the same time, since heated air is used for drying and the heated air has a function of disinfection and sterilization, the drying structure also has the function of disinfection and sterilization for the window gasket fold 23.
One or more window gasket air passage pipes 4 may be provided. In an embodiment, one window gasket air passage pipe 4 is provided.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the window gasket 2 includes a window gasket outer side 21, a window gasket inner side 22, and a window gasket fold 23 disposed between the window gasket inner side 22 and the window gasket outer side 21, where the window gasket fold 23 is bent to form the fold groove 231. The drying structure is used for drying the fold groove 231. A structure of a side of the window gasket 2 facing towards a door body of the washing machine is the window gasket outer side 21, which is fitted with a front panel of the washing machine. And a structure of a side of the window gasket 2 facing toward an outer drum 1 of the drum washing machine is the window gasket inner side 22, which is fitted with a front flange of the outer drum 1 of the washing machine.
The drying assembly 3 includes a drying housing 30, a heating pipe 31 arranged inside the drying housing 30, and a drying fan 32, where the drying fan 32 is arranged on a side of the heating pipe 31 facing away from the window gasket air passage pipe 4 and arranged in the drying housing 30. The drying housing 30 includes an upper drying housing 301 and a lower drying housing 302. The lower drying housing 302 is connected to the upper drying housing 301, and the lower drying housing 302 and the upper drying housing 301 form the drying air passage 10, namely, an inner cavity of the drying housing 30 formed by the upper drying housing 301 and the lower drying housing 302 is the drying air passage 10, where the drying air passage 10 refers to a pipe for delivering the hot air, and the window gasket air passage pipe 4 may be connected to any position of the drying air passage 10. In an embodiment, the window gasket air passage pipe 4 is connected to an air outlet of the drying air passage 10 via a drying air outlet joint 33.
The drying air outlet joint 33 is provided with a window gasket air passage pipe interface 334, and an inner wall of the drying air outlet joint 33 is provided with a guide rib 333. The guide rib 333 is arranged opposite to the window gasket air passage pipe interface 334, so that the hot air in the drying air passage 10 may enter the window gasket air passage pipe 4 via the window gasket air passage pipe interface 334.
The drying air outlet joint 33 is provided with a lower drying housing joint end 331 and a window gasket joint end 332, where the lower drying housing joint end 331 is connected to the air outlet of the drying housing 30, and the window gasket joint end 332 is connected to the window gasket 2. The hot air enters the drying air outlet joint 33 via the lower drying housing joint end 331 and flows out of the window gasket joint end 332 into the outer drum 1 or the inner drum of the washing machine, so as to dry the window gasket 2, the inner drum and the outer drum 1.
The drying air outlet joint 33 is provided with the window gasket air passage pipe interface 334, and the window gasket air passage pipe interface 334 is connected to the window gasket air passage pipe 4, so that the hot air is blown into the fold groove 231 formed by the window gasket fold 23 through the window gasket air passage pipe 4. The hot air is difficult to directly enter the window gasket air passage pipe 4 due to pressure and inertia when the drying air outlet joint 33 of the structure is employed. In an embodiment, the inner wall of the drying air outlet joint 33 is provided with the guide rib 333, and the guide rib 333 is arranged opposite to the window gasket air passage pipe interface 334, so that the hot air in the drying air passage 10 may enter the window gasket air passage pipe 4 via the window gasket air passage pipe interface 334.
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, an end of the guide rib 333 is connected to an end on the inner wall of the drying air outlet joint 33 facing towards the window gasket joint end 332, and another end of the guide rib 333 extends towards the lower drying housing joint end 331, so that the guide rib 333 and the inner wall of the drying air outlet joint 33 form a groove. The window gasket air passage pipe interface 334 is located on an inner wall of the groove formed by the inner wall of the drying air outlet joint 33 and the guide rib 333, so that the hot air entering the groove enters the window gasket air passage pipe 4.
The end of the window gasket air passage pipe 4 extending into the fold groove 231 is arranged along an extending direction of the fold groove 231, so that the hot air may flow along the fold groove 231. By adopting the above-mentioned setting manners, the hot air entering the window gasket fold 23 has an initial velocity in a tangential direction, so that the hot air may flow along the fold groove 231 to completely dry the residual water in the window gasket fold 23 and effectively suppress the bacteria breeding, and at the same time, the hot air with high temperature may sterilize the window gasket fold 23.
In an embodiment, further provided is a laundry treatment device, including a window gasket and the drying structure of the laundry treatment device. The window gasket includes the window gasket fold 23 arranged on the window gasket and the fold groove 231 formed by bending the window gasket fold 23. By adopting the drying structure of the laundry treatment device, the production cost is reduced, the drying effect for the window gasket fold 23 is improved, secondary pollution to the washed laundry due to the bacteria breeding in the window gasket fold 23 is avoided, and user satisfaction is improved.
In an embodiment, a laundry treatment device is also provided, and the laundry treatment device adopts the drying method of the laundry treatment device described above.
According to the present disclosure, an end of the window gasket air passage pipe 4 extends into the fold groove 231 formed by bending the window gasket fold 23, so as to facilitate drying the fold groove 231. Therefore, processing cost of the drying structure is reduced, the residual water in the window gasket fold 23 is dried, the bacteria breeding in the window gasket fold 23 is suppressed, and the problem of secondary pollution to the washed laundry due to the bacteria breeding in the window gasket fold 23 is avoided, in a case that the residual water exists due to incomplete drying for the window gasket fold 23.

Claims

1. A drying structure of a laundry treatment device, comprising:

a drying assembly, configured to generate airflow for drying;

a drying air passage, configured to deliver the airflow for drying; and

at least one window gasket air passage pipe, wherein a first end of the at least one window gasket air passage pipe is connected to the drying air passage, and a second end of the at least one window gasket air passage pipe extends into a fold groove formed by a window gasket fold, and is configured to dry the window gasket fold.

2. The drying structure of a laundry treatment device according to claim 1, further comprising a drying air outlet joint configured to connect the drying air passage and the at least one window gasket air passage pipe, wherein the drying air outlet joint comprises a window gasket air passage pipe joint and a guide rib, the window gasket air passage pipe joint is arranged on the drying air outlet joint, and the guide rib is arranged on an inner wall of the drying air outlet joint and is disposed opposite to the window gasket air passage pipe joint, so that the airflow for drying in the drying air passage enters the at least one window gasket air passage pipe via the window gasket air passage pipe joint.

3. The drying structure of a laundry treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the second end of the at least one window gasket air passage pipe is arranged along an extending direction of the fold groove, and the at least one window gasket air passage pipe is configured to enable the airflow for drying inside the at least one window gasket air passage pipe to flow along the fold groove.

4. The drying structure of a laundry treatment device according to claim 2, wherein the drying assembly comprises a drying housing, a heating pipe, and a drying fan; the heating pipe is arranged in the drying housing, and the drying fan is arranged on a side of the heating pipe facing away from the drying air outlet joint and in the drying housing; an inner cavity of the drying housing is configured to be the drying air passage, and the at least one window gasket air passage pipe is connected to an air outlet of the drying air passage via the drying air outlet joint.

5. A laundry treatment device, comprising a drying structure of a laundry treatment device and a window gasket, wherein the window gasket comprises a window gasket fold arranged on the window gasket and a fold groove formed by bending the window gasket fold;

wherein the drying structure comprises:

a drying assembly, configured to generate airflow for drying;

a drying air passage, configured to deliver the airflow for drying; and

at least one window gasket air passage pipe, wherein a first end of the at least one window gasket air passage pipe is connected to the drying air passage, and a second end of the at least one window gasket air passage pipe extends into the fold groove formed by the window gasket fold, and is configured to dry the window gasket fold.

6. A drying method of a laundry treatment device, comprising:

delivering airflow for drying by a drying air passage of a laundry treatment device; and

controlling the airflow for drying to flow through a window gasket air passage pipe and enter a fold groove, so as to dry a window gasket fold;

wherein the laundry treatment device comprises:

the drying air passage;

a window gasket, comprising the window gasket fold arranged on the window gasket and the fold groove formed by bending the window gasket fold; and

at least one window gasket air passage pipe, wherein an end of the at least one window gasket air passage pipe extends into the fold groove to dry the window gasket fold.

7. The drying method of a laundry treatment device according to claim 6, wherein after a dehydration process is performed, the window gasket fold is dried by employing the drying method of a laundry treatment device.

8. The drying method of a laundry treatment device according to claim 6, wherein the laundry treatment device is provided with a self-cleaning program, and in the self-cleaning program, the window gasket fold is dried by employing the drying method of a laundry treatment device.

9. The drying method of a laundry treatment device according to claim 6, wherein during a laundry drying process, the window gasket fold is dried by employing the drying method of a laundry treatment device.

10. The laundry treatment device according to claim 5, further comprising a drying air outlet joint configured to connect the drying air passage and the at least one window gasket air passage pipe, wherein the drying air outlet joint comprises a window gasket air passage pipe joint and a guide rib, the window gasket air passage pipe joint is arranged on the drying air outlet joint, and the guide rib is arranged on an inner wall of the drying air outlet joint and is disposed corresponding to the window gasket air passage pipe joint, so that the airflow for drying in the drying air passage enters the at least one window gasket air passage pipe via the window gasket air passage pipe joint.

11. The laundry treatment device according to claim 5, wherein the second end of the at least one window gasket air passage pipe is arranged along an extending direction of the fold groove, and the at least one window gasket air passage pipe is configured to enable the airflow for drying inside the at least one window gasket air passage pipe to flow along the fold groove.

12. The laundry treatment device according to claim 10, wherein the drying assembly comprises a drying housing, a heating pipe, and a drying fan; the heating pipe is arranged in the drying housing, and the drying fan is arranged on a side of the heating pipe facing away from the drying air outlet joint and in the drying housing; an inner cavity of the drying housing is configured to be the drying air passage, and the at least one window gasket air passage pipe is connected to an air outlet of the drying air passage via the drying air outlet joint.