Patent Publication Number: US-2019194860-A1

Title: Washing and drying integrated machine and control method

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a washing and drying integrated machine, and belongs to the field of washing and drying integrated machines. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     In the existing washing and drying integrated machine, a dryer requires hot wind to heat its internal clothes, so as to evaporate water to achieve the purpose of drying. However, a heating device which supplies hot wind to the dryer has a single function, and can only heat the inside of the dryer. The heating device in the washing machine provides hot wind to the washing machine, and the discharged drying hot wind in the dryer is wasted. 
     In addition, in the existing washing and drying integrated machine, a dryer requires heat to heat its internal clothes, so as to evaporate water to achieve the purpose of drying. However, the quantity and water content of clothes inside the dryer are different, therefore, a washing and drying integrated machine which can adjust power of the heating devices is required, so as to accommodate to actual requirements. Meanwhile, the discharged drying heat in the dryer is wasted. 
     In view of this, the present disclosure is hereby proposed. 
     SUMMARY 
     The technical problem to be solved in the present disclosure is to overcome shortcomings of the prior art, and to provide a washing and drying integrated machine to realize multiple purposes of the heating device, and another objective of the present disclosure is to realize reutilization of hot wind used for drying clothes. 
     In order to solve the above technical problem, a basic conception of the technical solution adopted in the present disclosure is as follows: 
     A washing and drying integrated machine includes a housing; and a drying drum assembly configured to dry clothes and a washing drum assembly configured to wash clothes, which are respectively arranged inside the housing and operate independently. And the washing and drying integrated machine further includes a heating device capable of supplying hot wind to a drying drum and a washing drum separately or simultaneously. 
     Further, a same heating device or a same set of heating devices is respectively connected with the drying drum in the drying drum assembly and the washing drum in the washing drum assembly via ventilating ducts. 
     Further, the heating device includes a heater and a fan. The heater includes a case and a heater strip arranged inside the case. The case of the heater is respectively connected with the drying drum and the washing drum via two ventilating ducts. And the case of the heater is further connected with the fan via a duct. 
     Further, the heating device is connected with the washing drum via two branch ventilating ducts, respectively supplying hot wind to water and air in the washing drum. 
     Further, a valve is arranged on each ventilating duct. 
     Further, the drying drum and the washing drum are arranged up and down, and the heating device is arranged between the drying drum and the washing drum. 
     Further, the drying drum assembly configured to dry clothes is arranged above the washing drum assembly configured to wash clothes. The drying drum assembly includes a drying drum arranged in the housing in a rotatable manner. And the washing drum assembly includes an outer drum arranged inside the housing and an inner drum arranged inside the outer drum in a rotatable manner. 
     Further, according to requirements of hot wind for the drying drum and the washing drum, the washing and drying integrated machine opens or closes the valve on the ventilating duct via which hot wind is supplied to the drying drum, or opens or closes the valve on the ventilating duct via which hot wind is supplied to the washing drum. 
     Further, the same set of heating devices arranged inside the washing and drying integrated machine includes two or more heating devices, and the two or more heating devices are combined to be opened or closed based on a heating power set by a system and a real-time heating power, so as to form a heating device combination with different powers, and to supply hot wind to the drying drum and the washing drum separately or simultaneously. 
     After adopting the above technical solution, the present disclosure has the following beneficial effects compared with the prior art. 
     A washing and drying integrated machine of the present disclosure includes a drying drum assembly configured to dry clothes and a washing drum assembly configured to wash clothes, which are respectively arranged inside the housing and can operate independently. Through a same heating device or a same set of heating devices which provides hot wind to the drying drum and the washing drum, and through the opening or closing of valves on the ventilating ducts between the heating device and the drying drum as well as the washing drum, separate supply of hot wind or simultaneous supply of hot wind to the drying drum and the washing drum can be realized. Since the same heating device or the same set of heating devices is taken as a heat source to supply hot wind, the device has lowered cost and reduced weight, meanwhile, separate supply of heat or simultaneous supply of heat to the drying drum and the washing drum can be realized, and multiple purposes of the heating device can be realized. In the present disclosure, hot wind used for drying clothes is reutilized, such that the hot wind of damp and hot air inside the drying drum can provide hot wind to the washing drum, thereby improving reutilization rate of energy. 
     A technical problem to be solved in the present disclosure is to overcome shortcomings of the prior art, and provide a washing and drying integrated machine and a control method, which can realize collaborated use of powers of a heating device to accommodate actual requirements, meanwhile, operation failure caused by an overlarge actual power will be avoided. Another objective of the present disclosure is to realize reutilization of heat used for drying clothes. 
     In order to solve the above technical problem, the basic conception of the technical solution adopted in the present disclosure is as follows: 
     A washing and drying integrated machine includes a housing; a drying drum assembly configured to dry clothes and a washing drum assembly configured to wash clothes, which are respectively arranged inside the housing and operate independently. And the washing and drying integrated machine further includes a heating device group. The heating device group includes two or more heating devices, and the heating devices in the heating device group are combined to be opened or closed to form a heating power combination with different powers. Further, a first heating device group is connected with a drying drum in the drying drum assembly. And a second heating device group is connected with the washing drum in the washing drum assembly. 
     As to a control method of a washing and drying integrated machine, a first and a second heating device group are arranged inside the washing and drying integrated machine. Based on the heating power set by a system and the real-time heating power, each heating device group controls the corresponding heating devices to combine to be opened or closed, so as to form a heating power combination with different powers. And a highest heating efficiency is realized on the basis of not exceeding a maximum heating power allowed by a washing and drying integrated machine system. 
     Further, the maximum heating power allowed by the washing and drying integrated machine system is a maximum power corresponding to a maximum current allowed by the washing and drying integrated machine system. 
     Further, when the first or the second heating device group needs to operate, according to an actual power of the heating device group which is opened, a power of the heating device group to-be-opened, and the maximum heating power allowed by the washing and drying integrated machine system, it is determined whether or not the heating devices of the heating device group to-be-opened are completely opened, partially opened or closed, so as to ensure that the actual power of the washing and drying integrated machine after opening does not exceed the maximum heating power allowed by the washing and drying integrated machine system. 
     Further, a sum of the power corresponding to the heating device group to-be-opened and the actual power of the heating device group which is opened is judged. If the sum is smaller than or equal to the maximum heating power allowed by the washing and drying integrated machine system, then the heating devices of the heating device group to-be-opened are completely opens its heating devices. And if the sum is greater than the maximum heating power allowed by the washing and drying integrated machine system, then the heating devices of the heating device group to-be-opened are partially opened. 
     Further, when the heating device group to-be-opened partially opens its heating devices, the sum of the power of the heating devices opened and the power of the heating device group which is actually opened is smaller than or equal to the maximum heating power allowed by the washing and drying integrated machine system. 
     Further, when the heating device group to-be-opened is opened, and after the heating device group which is opened finishes heating, or after the washing and drying integrated machine initiatively lowers the power of the heating device group which is opened, it is detected whether or not the sum of the power of the heating device group to-be-opened and the actual power of the heating device group which is opened is smaller than the maximum heating power allowed by the washing and drying integrated machine system is detected, so as to judge whether or not the heating devices of the heating device group to-be-opened are completely opened, partially opened or closed, until heating is finished. After the above technical solution is adopted, the present disclosure has the following beneficial effects compared with the prior art. 
     A washing and drying integrated machine in the present disclosure includes a housing; and a drying drum assembly configured to dry clothes and a washing drum assembly configured to wash clothes, which are respectively arranged inside the housing and operate independently. And the washing and drying integrated machine further includes a heating device group. The heating device group includes two or more heating devices, and the heating devices in the heating device group are combined to be opened or closed to form a heating power combination with different powers. Since the combination of heating devices is realized, when the quantity and water content of clothes inside the drying drum and inside the washing drum are different, the power of the heating device can be changed by adjusting the combination quantity of the heating devices, thereby improving drying efficiency and improving clothes washing efficiency. In the present disclosure, reutilization of the heat used for drying clothes is realized, such that the heat of damp and hot air inside the drying drum can provide heat to the washing drum, thereby improving reutilization rate of energy. As to a control method of a washing and drying integrated machine in the present disclosure, multiple heating device groups are arranged inside the washing and drying integrated machine, and the multiple heating device groups can be combined to be opened or closed based on of a heating power set by a system and a real-time heating power, so as to form a heating power combination with different powers. The maximum heating efficiency is realized on the basis of not exceeding a maximum heating power allowed by the washing and drying integrated machine system, thereby providing heat to the drying drum and the washing drum. Whether or not the sum of the actual power of the heating device which is opened and a rated power of a heating device to-be-opened exceeds a preset maximum heating power allowed by the washing and drying integrated machine is judged, so as to determine whether or not the heating device to-be-opened is allowed to open, thereby avoiding failure of the washing and drying integrated machine caused by an overlarge actual power. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a structural schematic diagram of a washing and drying integrated machine in embodiment 1 in the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a structural schematic diagram of a washing and drying integrated machine in embodiment 2 in the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a structural schematic diagram of a washing and drying integrated machine in embodiment 3 in the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a structural schematic diagram of a washing and drying integrated machine in embodiment 4 in the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a structural schematic diagram of a washing and drying integrated machine in embodiment 5 in the present disclosure.  1 , drying drum  2 , washing drum  3 , heater  4 , fan  5 , valve. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     A detailed description will be given below on a washing and drying integrated machine and a control method of the present disclosure in combination with accompanying drawings: 
     Embodiment 1 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a washing and drying integrated machine in the present disclosure includes a housing; a drying drum assembly configured to dry clothes and a washing drum assembly configured to wash clothes, which are respectively arranged inside the housing and can operate independently. And the washing and drying integrated machine further includes a heating device, wherein a same heating device or a same set of heating devices is respectively connected with a drying drum in the drying drum assembly and a washing drum in the washing drum assembly via two ventilating ducts. The heating devices can provide hot wind to the drying drum and the washing drum separately or simultaneously. 
     In the present embodiment, the heating device includes a heater and a fan. The heater includes a case and a heater strip arranged inside the case. The case of the heater is respectively connected with the drying drum and the washing drum via two ventilating ducts, and the case of the heater is further connected with the fan via a duct. The fan sends the heat generated by the heater to the drying drum and the washing drum respectively via two ventilating ducts. 
     A valve is arranged on each of the two ventilating ducts. According to requirements of hot wind for the drying drum and the washing drum, the washing and drying integrated machine opens or closes the valve on the ventilating duct via which hot wind is supplied to the drying drum, or opens or closes the valve on the ventilating duct via which hot wind is supplied to the washing drum. Through controlling the opening and closing of the valves, the heating devices can provide hot wind to the drying drum and the washing drum separately or simultaneously. 
     Hot wind is supplied to the drying drum through the heating device, so as to dry clothes inside the drying drum. Hot wind is supplied to the washing drum, such that temperature of water inside the washing drum is increased, thereby being beneficial for removing stains. 
     In other embodiments, a wind inlet of the ventilating duct, which is connected with the washing drum, on the washing drum is above the water surface, then air inside the washing drum can be heated. 
     In the present embodiment, the same heating device is utilized to provide hot wind to the drying drum and the washing drum respectively. 
     In order to save the occupied area, the drying drum and the washing drum are arranged up and down, and the heating device is arranged between the drying drum and the washing drum. 
     As to the washing and drying integrated machine in the present disclosure, through a heating device which provides hot wind to the drying drum and the washing drum, and through the opening or closing of the valves on the ventilating ducts between the heating device and the drying drum as well as the washing drum, separate supply of heat or simultaneous supply of heat to the drying drum and the washing drum can be realized. Since one heating device is taken as a heat source to supply hot wind, the device has lowered cost and reduced weight, meanwhile, separate supply of heat or simultaneous supply of heat to the drying drum and the washing drum can be realized. 
     Embodiment 2 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the present embodiment differs from embodiment 1 as follows: the ventilating duct which connects the heating device and the washing drum includes two branch ventilating ducts. Wherein a wind inlet of one branch ventilating duct is arranged below the water surface of the washing drum, so as to heat water in the washing drum, meanwhile, the blowing of air flow can be utilized to shake and loosen clothes. A wind inlet of another branch ventilating duct is arranged above the water surface of the washing drum, so as to heat the air inside the washing drum. 
     Valves are arranged on the two branch ventilating ducts. Through controlling the opening and closing of the valves, the heating device can separately or simultaneously provide hot wind to the water inside the washing drum and to the air inside the washing drum, so as to improve washing and decontamination effects. 
     Embodiment 3 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the present embodiment differs from embodiment 2 as follows: a wind outlet of the washing drum is connected with a wind-exhausting duct. And the wind-exhausting includes two branch wind-exhausting ducts, wherein one branch wind-exhausting duct is connected with the outside, or is connected to the heating device after being connected to a condenser so as to form recirculating air. Another branch wind-exhausting duct is connected to the washing drum, and this branch wind-exhausting duct is respectively connected with two wind inlets of the washing drum. Wherein one wind inlet is arranged above the water surface inside the washing drum, and the other wind inlet is arranged below the water surface inside the washing drum. Through the opening and closing of two valves (not shown in the figure) arranged at the two wind inlets, hot wind can be separately or simultaneously provided to the water in the washing drum and to the air in the washing drum. In the present disclosure, reutilization of hot wind used for drying clothes is realized, such that hot wind of damp and hot air inside the drying drum can provide hot wind to the washing drum, thereby improving reutilization rate of energy. 
     Embodiment 4 
     The present embodiment differs from embodiment 1 as follows: the same set of heating devices arranged inside the washing and drying integrated machine includes two or more heating devices. The two or more heating devices are combined to be opened or closed, based on a heating power set by a system and a real-time heating power, so as to form a heating device combination with different powers, and to provide hot wind to the drying drum and the washing drum separately or simultaneously. According to requirements of hot wind for the washing drum and the drying drum, through the adjustment of the valve on the ventilating duct, the size of hot wind supplied to the drying drum and the washing drum respectively is controlled, and a highest heating efficiency is realized on the basis of not exceeding a maximum heating power allowed by the washing and drying integrated machine system. Since the hot wind required by washing and drying at different times may not be the same when the washing drum and the drying drum are opened simultaneously, multiple heating devices with different powers need to be formed through combination, so as to satisfy requirements of hot wind for each washing and drying. Meanwhile, since the requirements of hot wind for the washing drum and the drying drum are different, the valve on the ventilating duct needs to be adjusted to control the size of hot wind provided to the drying drum and the washing drum respectively. 
     Embodiment 5 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , a washing and drying integrated machine includes a housing; and a drying drum assembly configured to dry clothes and a washing drum assembly configured to wash clothes, which are respectively arranged inside the housing and can operate independently. And the washing and drying integrated machine further includes a heating device group. The heating device group includes two or more heating devices, and the heating devices in the heating device group are combined to be opened or closed to form a heating device power combination with different powers. 
     In the present embodiment, the heating device groups which provide heat to the drying drum in the drying drum assembly and to the washing drum in the washing drum assembly are arranged separately. A first heating device group and a second heating device group are arranged inside the washing and drying integrated machine. The first heating device group is connected with the drying drum in the drying drum assembly, and the second heating device group is connected with the washing drum in the washing drum assembly. Multiple heating devices in the first heating device group which provide heat to the drying drum can be combined to open or close according to actual requirements to form the heating device combination with different powers, while multiple heating devices in the second heating device group which provide heat to the washing drum can be combined to open or close according to actual requirements to form the heating device combination with different powers. 
     In other embodiments, the heating device combinations with different powers formed by multiple heating devices all can provide heat to the inside of the drying drum and the inside of the washing drum respectively. 
     If the actual power of the heating device opened has reached or is close to a preset maximum heating power allowed by the washing and drying integrated machine system, at this time, if another heating device is opened, then the actual power of the overall equipment will exceed the preset maximum heating power allowed by the washing and drying integrated machine system, so this heating device is not allowed to be opened in order to protect operation safety of the washing and drying integrated machine. The maximum heating power allowed by the washing and drying integrated machine system is the maximum power corresponding to the maximum current allowed by the washing and drying integrated machine system. 
     A washing and drying integrated machine in the present disclosure includes the drying drum and the washing drum, and further includes the heating device group. The heating device group provides heat to the drying drum and the washing drum. Multiple heating devices in the heating device group can be combined to be opened or closed according to actual requirements to form the heating device combination with different powers. Since the combination of multiple heating devices is realized, the power of the heating device can be changed by adjusting the combination quantity of the heating devices when the quantity and water content of clothes inside the drying drum and inside the washing drum are different, thereby improving drying efficiency and improving clothes washing efficiency. 
     Embodiment 6 
     The present embodiment differs from embodiment 5 as follows: as shown in  FIG. 5 , the drying drum is provided with a wind outlet. A wind-exhausting duct connected with the wind outlet includes two branch wind-exhausting ducts, wherein one branch wind-exhausting duct is communicated to the outside, or is connected to a heating device group after being connected to a condenser and is finally connected to a wind inlet of the drying drum to form recirculating air. Another branch wind-exhausting duct is communicated with the washing drum. A branch wind-exhausting duct, connected with the washing drum, of the drying drum can separately or simultaneously exhaust wind to the water of the washing drum and to the air of the washing drum. 
     The branch wind-exhausting duct which connects the heating device group and the washing drum includes two second-level branches, wherein a wind outlet of one second-level branch is arranged below the water surface of the washing drum, so as to heat water inside the washing drum, moreover, the blowing of air flow can be utilized to shake and loosen clothes. The wind outlet of another second-level branch is arranged above the water surface of the washing drum, so as to heat air inside the washing drum. 
     Valves are arranged on two second-level branches. Through controlling the opening and closing of valves, the heating devices can separately or simultaneously provide heat to the water in the washing drum and to the air in the washing drum, so as to improve washing and decontamination effects. 
     In the present disclosure, reutilization of heat used for drying clothes is realized, such that the heat of damp and hot air inside the drying drum can provide heat to the washing drum, thereby improving reutilization rate of energy. 
     Embodiment 7 
     The present embodiment provides a control method of a washing and drying integrated machine, and the control method is implemented on the washing and drying integrated machine described in embodiment 1 or embodiment 2. 
     The first heating device group and the second heating device group are arranged inside the washing and drying integrated machine. Each heating device group includes two or more heating devices. Each heating device group controls the corresponding heating device to combine to open or close based on the heating power set by the system and the real-time heating power, so as to form the heating power combination with different powers, and the highest heating efficiency is realized on the basis of not exceeding the maximum heating power allowed by the washing and drying integrated machine system. 
     The maximum heating power allowed by the washing and drying integrated machine system is the maximum power corresponding to the maximum current allowed by the washing and drying integrated machine system. 
     When the heating device groups which respectively and independently provide heat to the drying drum and the washing drum require to operate, it is determined whether or not the heating devices of the heating device group to-be-opened are completely opened, partially opened or closed, according to the actual power of the heating device group which is opened, the power of the heating device group to-be-opened, and the maximum heating power allowed by the washing and drying integrated machine system, so as to ensure that the actual power of the washing and drying integrated machine after opening does not exceed the maximum heating power allowed by the washing and drying integrated machine system. 
     A sum of the power corresponding to the heating device group to-be-opened and the actual power of the heating device group which is opened is judged. If the sum is smaller than or equal to the maximum heating power allowed by the washing and drying integrated machine system, the heating devices of the heating device group to-be-opened are completely opened. If the sum is greater than the maximum heating power allowed by the washing and drying integrated machine system, the heating devices of the heating device group to-be-opened are partially opened. 
     When the heating devices of the heating device group to-be-opened are partially opened, the sum of the power of the heating devices opened and the power of the heating device group which is opened is smaller than or equal to the maximum heating power allowed by the washing and drying integrated machine system. 
     A warning is given when a heating device which is not allowed to be opened is opened. 
     When the heating device group to-be-opened is opened, and after the heating device group which is opened finishes heating, or after the washing and drying integrated machine initiatively lowers the power of the heating device group which is opened, it is determined whether or not the sum of the power of the heating device group to-be-opened and the actual power of the heating device group which is opened is smaller than the maximum heating power allowed by the washing and drying integrated machine system, and it is determined whether or not the heating devices of the heating device group to-be-opened are completely opened, partially opened or closed, until heating is finished. 
     If any one of the washing drum or the drying drum needs to be heated, the power required during heating is obtained, and the number of heating devices which need to be opened during heating is obtained, based on requirements of drying efficiency or requirements of heating power of real-time washing, then the corresponding heating devices are opened. When the other drum needs to be heated, the power required during heating is obtained, based on requirements of drying efficiency or requirements of heating power of real-time washing. If the sum of the power required during heating and the power of the heating devices which is opened exceeds the preset maximum heating power allowed by the washing and drying integrated machine system, the washing and drying integrated machine should initiatively and gradually reduce the number of heating devices required during heating of another drum, until the power of all the heating devices opened does not exceed the preset maximum heating power allowed by the washing and drying integrated machine system, namely, the heating device of another drum can be opened. 
     When high-power heating devices are simultaneously opened, the power may exceed the preset maximum heating power allowed by the washing and drying integrated machine system, and the above control avoids such a possibility, thereby ensuring operation safety of the washing and drying integrated machine. 
     What is described above is merely preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, rather than a limitation to the present disclosure in any forms. Although the present disclosure has been disclosed as above through the preferred embodiments, however, the preferred embodiments are not for limiting the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art can make some variations or modify to equivalent embodiments with equivalent changes by utilizing the technical contents prompted above without departing from the scope of technical solutions of the present disclosure. Any simple modifications, equivalent changes and modifications made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present disclosure without departing from contents of the technical solutions of the present disclosure shall all fall within the scope of solutions of the present disclosure.