Patent Description:
The washing procedure of a clothes processing device generally adopts a conventional washing heating mode, in which a washing heating tube arranged between a drum and a tub is used for heating enough water to transfer heat to a load to achieve the purpose of heating the load.

However, such a single washing heating mode cannot be adapted to different application scenarios of the clothes processing device, and thus has lower efficiency in aspects such as heating energy consumption and washing time.

A method for washing laundry in a laundry washing machine and such washing machine are disclosed in <CIT>. The method comprises at least the steps for providing a first quantity of water to for a washing solution, introducing the washing solution into a washing tub, recirculating the washing solution inside the washing tub until the washing solution is absorbed by the laundry and heating the wetted laundry inside the drum with hot air.

<CIT> discloses a further washing machine that performs washing of clothes. An objective of embodiments of the present invention is to provide an improved clothes washing method, a clothes processing device and a control apparatus comprising a storage medium.

<CIT> discloses a washing machine configured to implement different modes of drum motions dependent on the determined laundry quantity The objective of the present invention is solved by the features of independent claims. The preferred embodiments are defined by dependent claims.

The present invention provides a clothes washing method, including:
providing a certain volume of water to a clothes processing device; increasing a rotational speed of a drum to a set rotational speed; turning on a circulating pump to spray water onto a load in the clothes processing device to wet the load; determining whether the load is fully wetted, and if not, replenishing water and repeating the spraying step until the load is completely wetted; turning on a draining pump to drain free water; opening an air heating tube to heat air; turning on a fan to make the heated air flow to form hot air, and make the hot air pass through and heat the load; and washing the load; detecting mass of a load before providing a certain volume of water to a clothes processing device; and determining whether the mass of the load is greater than a threshold, if yes, executing a first sub-mode, and if not, executing a second sub-mode.

Optionally, a ratio of the threshold, in particular the second threshold, to a rated capacity of the clothes processing device is within a range of greater than or equal to <NUM>% and less than or equal to <NUM>%.

Optionally, the threshold, in particular the second threshold, is within a range of greater than or equal to <NUM> and less than or equal to <NUM>.

The executing the first sub-mode includes: providing the first sub-mode volume of water to the clothes processing device; increasing the rotational speed of the drum to a first rotational speed to form a load ring; turning on the circulating pump to spray water onto the load ring to wet the load; determining whether the load is fully wetted; if not, replenishing water and repeating the spraying and determining steps until the load is completely wetted; turning on the draining pump to drain free water; opening the air heating tube to heat air; turning on the fan to make the heated air flow to form hot air, and make the hot air pass through and heat the load; and washing the load.

Optionally, the first rotational speed is a minimum rotational speed that enables the load to reach and maintain in a centrifugal state.

Optionally, the first rotational speed is within a range of greater than or equal to <NUM> r/min and less than or equal to <NUM> r/min.

The executing the second sub-mode includes: providing the second sub-mode volume of water to the clothes processing device; increasing the rotational speed of the drum to a second rotational speed that is less than a centrifugal rotational speed; turning on the circulating pump to spray water onto the load to wet the load; determining whether the load is fully wetted; if not, replenishing water and repeating the spraying and determining steps until the load is completely wetted; turning on the draining pump to drain free water; opening the air heating tube to heat air; turning on the fan to make the heated air flow to form hot air, and make the hot air pass through and heat the load; and washing the load.

Optionally, the second rotational speed is within a range of less than or equal to <NUM> r/min.

The present invention provides a clothes processing device, including a drum configured to accommodate a load and a tub sleeved outside the drum and in fluid communication with the drum, and further including: a circulating pump, adapted to circularly spray water from the bottom of the tub onto the load; an air heating tube, adapted to heat air; a fan, adapted to make the heated air flow to form hot air, and make the hot air pass through and heat the load; and the control apparatus, including the readable storage medium and a processor, where the at least one program instruction stored in the readable storage medium is executable on the processor, and steps of the clothes washing method are executed when the processor runs the program instruction.

Optionally, the other clothes processing device is a drum washing machine.

To make the objectives, features, and beneficial effects of the embodiments of the present invention more comprehensible, the specific embodiments of the present invention are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

<FIG> is an overall flowchart of a clothes washing method <NUM> according to an embodiment being not part of present invention, and <FIG> is a detailed flowchart <NUM> of a clothes washing method also not being part of the present invention, where a second heating washing mode includes a sub-mode.

The method <NUM> not being part of the present invention includes:
detecting mass of a load put in a clothes processing device (S110); determining whether the mass of the load is greater than a first threshold (S120); if yes, executing a first heating washing mode (S130); and if not, executing a second heating washing mode (S140). The clothes processing device may include a rotatable drum configured to accommodate the load and a tub sleeved outside the drum.

In execution of step S110, mass of a load put in a clothes processing device is detected. Detecting the mass of the load is a conventional measure in the art. For example, the mass of the load is calculated by detecting a signal of a motor (e.g., a signal of electric energy consumed to drive the load).

In execution of step S120, whether the mass of the load is greater than a first threshold is determined. In one embodiment, the first threshold is within a range of greater than or equal to <NUM> and less than or equal to <NUM>. In another embodiment, a ratio of the first threshold to a rated capacity of the clothes processing device is within a range of greater than or equal to <NUM>% and less than or equal to <NUM>%, where the rated capacity is a maximum mass of dry clothes that may be washed by the clothes processing device.

In execution of step S130, a first heating washing mode is executed. The first heating washing mode may be a conventional heating washing mode, that is, a load and free water are heated by means of a washing heating tube in water in a state where free water is provided in a tub and the load is in contact with the free water, and then washing is carried out. The free water is water freely flowing in the drum or the tub of the clothes processing device.

In execution of step S140, a second heating washing mode is executed. The second heating washing mode may be a steam thermal washing mode, that is, the wetted load is heated with hot air in a state where no free water is provided in the tub, and then washing is carried out.

In the technical solutions of the embodiments not being part of the invention, but having an illustrative purpose, the first heating washing mode or the second heating washing mode can be selectively executed according to comparison between the detected mass of the load and the first threshold, where the first heating washing mode may be a conventional washing heating mode, and the second heating washing mode may be a steam thermal washing mode. For example, it is automatically switched to the steam thermal heating mode of higher heating efficiency when the detected mass of the load is less than or equal to the first threshold, that is, the hot air only heats the fully wetted load, without heating excess free water, and a state without free water in the subsequent washing process is maintained, so that the wet and hot load is fully contacted and beaten with the drum, thereby completing the heating washing process more efficiency. In a case where the detected mass of the load is greater than the first threshold, the conventional washing heating mode is still used, thereby ensuring the washing effect. These two heating washing modes are automatically switched according to the mass of the load, so that a more efficient mode is always adopted for washing, which not only improves the washing performance, but also saves energy consumption and time.

The conventional washing heating mode has a simple mechanical structure design, mature technology and a simple control program, and it is a washing mode commonly used in almost all drum washing machines. However, when a small amount of load (for example, a load whose washing mass is less than or equal to the first threshold) needs to be washed, if the conventional washing heating mode is used, in a case where the temperature is heated to a high temperature (for example, <NUM> or more), the energy consumption for heating is higher and the washing time is longer; and if the steam thermal washing mode described in the embodiment of the present invention is adopted, the higher the temperature (for example, <NUM> or more) is, the more energy consumption saved is, and the washing time may be saved.

For a washing scene of <NUM> of standard cotton load and an ultra-high temperature of <NUM>, it is found through experiment that compared with the conventional heating washing mode, the steam thermal washing mode improves the washing performance (clean ratio) by <NUM>%, in addition to saving <NUM>% of washing energy consumption and <NUM>% of washing time.

For each mass of load, the same existing design such as drainage, dehydration, and rinsing may be adopted after the washing process, and a drying stage may be included as well.

The executing the first heating washing mode S130 may include providing a first volume of water to the clothes processing device. The first volume of water may be obtained on the basis of the mass of the load, for example, <NUM>, for rinsing washing powder or laundry detergent.

The executing the first heating washing mode S130 may include replenishing water. For example, water is replenished by means of the conventional pressure value or water level control method until the load is completely wetted, and free water in contact with the load is provided in the tub. The conventional pressure value control method controls a pressure value within a range, for example, of <NUM>-<NUM> Pa (Pascal). The water level control method is a method adopted in most of the conventional washing procedures at present, that is, the pressure value in a drum is fixed (for example, maintained at <NUM> Pa), and the water level (e.g., <NUM>) in the drum is always unchanged. After the water level drops due to water absorption of the load, a water inlet valve automatically opens to replenish water, so that the water level does not drop, which ensures that there is always water available for the load to absorb; the water level does not drop when the load is completely wetted and no longer absorbs water after a certain period of time, and the water inlet valve does not open to replenish water.

The executing the first heating washing mode S130 may include: maintaining a certain amount of the free water, and heating the free water by means of the washing heating tube to heat the load.

The executing the first heating washing mode S130 may further include washing the load. In the washing process, a certain amount of free water is always maintained by means of water level control.

The executing a second heating washing mode S140 may include supplying water to the tub and the drum and fully wetting the load. For example, a second volume of water is provided to the clothes processing device. The second volume of water may be obtained based on the mass of the load, for example, <NUM>-<NUM>, for rinsing washing powder or laundry detergent.

The executing the second heating washing mode S140 may include increasing a rotational speed of the drum to a first rotational speed to form a load ring, and turning on a circulating pump to spray water onto the load ring to wet the load. The first rotational speed is a minimum rotational speed that maintains the load in a centrifugal state, where the first rotational speed should not be too high, so that as little water as possible in the load is thrown out, that is, as much water as possible is maintained in the load. In one embodiment, the first rotational speed is within a range of greater than or equal to <NUM> r/min and less than or equal to <NUM> r/min. The formation of the load ring enables the load that is located in a load pile and close to a rear wall of the drum to be fully wetted.

The executing the second heating washing mode S140 may include determining whether the load is fully wetted, and if not, replenishing water and repeating the spraying and determining steps until the load is completely wetted. For example, water replenishing is controlled in a mode of determining whether the load is fully wetted by detecting a pressure value, until the load is completely wetted.

The executing the second heating washing mode S140 may include draining the free water in the tub after the load is completely wetted.

The executing the second heating washing mode S140 may include heating the wetted load with hot air. In one embodiment, an air heating tube is opened to heat air, a fan is turned on to make the heated air flow to form hot air, and make the hot air pass through and heat the load. The air heating tube may be located in a drying channel of the clothes processing device.

The executing a second heating washing mode S140 may further include washing the load. In the washing process, water replenishing is stopped, and the wetted load is always washed.

In some embodiment, the executing a second heating washing mode S140 includes determining whether the mass of the load is less than or equal to a second threshold, and if yes, executing a sub-mode, where the second threshold is less than the first threshold. In one embodiment, the second threshold is within a range of greater than or equal to <NUM> and less than or equal to <NUM>. In another embodiment, a ratio of the second threshold to a rated capacity of the clothes processing device is within a range of greater than or equal to <NUM>% and less than or equal to <NUM>%, where the rated capacity is a maximum mass of dry clothes that can be washed by the clothes processing device.

The executing the sub-mode, in particular the second sub-mode, may include providing a third volume of water to the clothes processing device. The third volume of water may be obtained on the basis of the mass of load, for example <NUM>, for rinsing washing powder or laundry detergent.

The executing the sub-mode, in particular the second sub-mode, may include increasing the rotational speed of the drum to a second rotational speed that is less than a centrifugal rotational speed, and turning on the circulating pump to spray water onto the load to wet the load. The rotational speed is a minimum rotational speed that maintains the load in a centrifugal state. In one embodiment, the second rotational speed is within a range of less than or equal to <NUM> r/min.

The executing the sub-mode, in particular the first and/or second sub-mode, may include determining whether the load is fully wetted, and if not, replenishing water and repeating the spraying and determining steps until the load is completely wetted. For example, water replenishing is controlled in a mode of determining whether the load is fully wetted by detecting a pressure value, until the load is completely wetted.

The executing the sub-mode, in particular the first and/or second sub-mode, may include turning on a draining pump to drain free water in the tub after the load is completely wetted. The free water is water freely flowing in the drum or the tub of the clothes processing device.

The executing the sub-mode, in particular the first and/or second sub-mode, may further include opening the air heating tube to heat air; turning on the fan to make the heated air flow to form hot air, and make the hot air pass through and heat the load; and washing the load.

In an embodiment not being part of the present invention, the second threshold is further provided on the basis of the first threshold, so that the sub-mode is executed when the mass of the load is less than the second threshold, thereby saving energy consumption and time more efficiently.

The embodiments of the present invention further disclose a readable storage medium or a control apparatus comprising the readable storage medium, which is a non-volatile storage medium or a non-transient storage medium, having a program instruction stored thereon.

The embodiments of the present invention further disclose a clothes processing device <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>, including, in a housing <NUM>, a drum <NUM> configured to accommodate a load <NUM> and a tub <NUM> sleeved outside the drum <NUM> and in fluid communication with the drum <NUM>; a washing heating tube <NUM> located at the bottom of the tub <NUM> and adapted to heat free water in the tub <NUM>; a circulating pump <NUM> adapted to circularly spray water (for example, by means of a water circulating channel <NUM>) from the bottom of the tub <NUM> onto the load <NUM>; an air heating tube <NUM> located in a drying channel <NUM> and adapted to heat air; and a fan <NUM> adapted to make the heated air flow to form hot air and make the hot air pass through and heat the load <NUM>.

The clothes processing device <NUM> further includes a control apparatus <NUM>, including the readable storage medium and a processor, where the readable storage medium stores a program instruction running on the processor, and steps of the method as shown in <FIG> and <FIG> are executed when the processor runs the program instruction.

The clothes processing device <NUM> may further include a pressure sensor <NUM>, a material box <NUM>, and a draining pump <NUM>. The pressure sensor <NUM> is provided at the bottom of the tub <NUM> for detecting pressure of the free water. The material box <NUM> is adapted to provide washing powder or laundry detergent. A water supply tube <NUM> supplies water to the material box <NUM>. A water inlet valve <NUM> is provided on the water supply tube <NUM>. The draining pump <NUM> is connected to a draining channel <NUM> for draining the free water. In some embodiments, the clothes processing device <NUM> may be a drum washing machine.

<FIG> is a flowchart of a clothes washing method <NUM> using a steam thermal washing mode according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The method <NUM> includes: providing a certain volume of water to a clothes processing device (S410); increasing a rotational speed of a drum to a set rotational speed (S420); turning on a circulating pump to spray water onto a load in the clothes processing device to wet the load (S430); determining whether the load is fully wetted (S440); if not, replenishing water and repeating step S430 until the load is completely wetted; if yes, turning on a draining pump to drain free water (S450); opening an air heating tube to heat air (S460); turning on a fan to make the heated air flow to form hot air, and make the hot air pass through and heat the load (S470); and washing the load (S480).

The technical solution of the embodiment of the present invention may be based on a steam thermal washing mode. When clothes are washed in this mode, the hot air only heats the fully wetted load, without heating excess free water, and a state without free water in the subsequent washing process is maintained, so that the wet and hot load is fully contacted and beaten with the drum, thereby completing the heating washing process more efficiency. Moreover, when the steam thermal washing mode described in the embodiment of the present invention is adopted, the higher the temperature (for example, <NUM> or more) is, the more energy consumption saved is, and the washing time may be saved.

The mass of the load is detected before providing a certain volume of water to a clothes processing device S410, and whether the mass of the load is greater than a threshold, in particular is greater than the second threshold, is determined, if yes, a first sub-mode is executed, and if not, a second sub-mode is executed. In one embodiment, the threshold is within a range of greater than or equal to <NUM> and less than or equal to <NUM>. In another embodiment, a ratio of the threshold to a rated capacity of the clothes processing device is within a range of greater than or equal to <NUM>% and less than or equal to <NUM>%, where the rated capacity is a maximum mass of dry clothes that can be washed by the clothes processing device. Detecting the mass of the load is a conventional measure in the art. For example, the mass of the load is calculated by detecting a signal of a motor (e.g., a signal of electric energy consumed to drive the load).

The technical solution of the embodiment of the present invention selectively executes the first sub-mode or the second sub-mode according to the comparison of the detected mass of the load and the threshold, so as to save energy consumption and time more efficiently.

The executing the first sub-mode may include providing a first sub-mode volume of water to the clothes processing device. The first sub-mode volume of water may be obtained on the basis of the mass of the load, for example, <NUM>, for rinsing washing powder or laundry detergent.

The executing the first sub-mode may include increasing a rotational speed of the drum to a first rotational speed to form a load ring, and turning on a circulating pump to spray water onto the load ring to wet the load. The first rotational speed is a minimum rotational speed that enables the load to reach and maintain in a centrifugal state to form a load ring, where the first rotational speed should not be too high, so that as little water as possible in the load is thrown out, that is, as much water as possible is maintained in the load. In one embodiment, the first rotational speed is within a range of greater than or equal to <NUM> r/min and less than or equal to <NUM> r/min. The formation of the load ring enables the load that is located in a load pile and close to a rear wall of the drum to be fully wetted.

The executing the first sub-mode may include determining whether the load is fully wetted, and if not, replenishing water and repeating the spraying and determining steps until the load is completely wetted. For example, water replenishing is controlled in a mode of determining whether the load is fully wetted by detecting a pressure value, until the load is completely wetted.

The executing the first sub-mode may include draining free water after the load is completely wetted, for example, turning on a draining pump to drain free water in the tub.

The executing the first sub-mode may include opening the air heating tube to heat air; and turning on the fan to make the heated air flow to form hot air, and make the hot air pass through and heat the load. The air heating tube may be located in a drying channel of the clothes processing device.

The executing the first sub-mode may further include washing the load. In the washing process, water replenishing is stopped, and the wetted load is always washed.

The executing the second sub-mode may include providing a second sub-mode volume of water to the clothes processing device. The second sub-mode volume of water may be obtained on the basis of the mass of load, for example <NUM>, for rinsing washing powder or laundry detergent.

The executing a second sub-mode includes increasing the rotational speed of the drum to a second rotational speed that is less than a centrifugal rotational speed, and turning on the circulating pump to spray water onto the load to wet the load. The rotational speed is a minimum rotational speed that maintains the load in a centrifugal state. In one embodiment, the second rotational speed is within a range of less than or equal to <NUM> r/mi. Since the mass of the load in the second sub-mode is relatively small, a problem that water cannot reach the load wrapped inside usually does not occur, and thus the formation of the load ring is not required.

The executing a second sub-mode includes determining whether the load is fully wetted, and if not, replenishing water and repeating the spraying and determining steps until the load is completely wetted. For example, water replenishing is controlled in a mode of determining whether the load is fully wetted by detecting a pressure value, until the load is completely wetted.

The executing a second sub-mode includes turning on the draining pump to drain free water, for example, turning on the draining pump to drain free water in the tub.

The executing a second sub-mode includes opening the air heating tube to heat air; and turning on the fan to make the heated air flow to form hot air, and make the hot air pass through and heat the load. The air heating tube may be located in a drying channel of the clothes processing device.

The executing the second sub-mode may further include washing the load. In the washing process, water replenishing is stopped, and the wetted load is always washed.

The embodiments of the present invention further disclose another readable storage medium or a control apparatus comprising the readable storage medium, which is a non-volatile storage medium or a non-transient storage medium, having a program instruction stored thereon, where steps of the method as shown in <FIG> are executed when running the program instruction.

The embodiments of the present invention further disclose another clothes processing device <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>, including, in a housing <NUM>, a drum <NUM> configured to accommodate a load <NUM> and a tub <NUM> sleeved outside the drum <NUM> and in fluid communication with the drum <NUM>; a washing heating tube <NUM> located at the bottom of the tub <NUM> and adapted to heat free water in the tub <NUM>; a circulating pump <NUM> adapted to circularly spray water (for example, by means of a water circulating channel <NUM>) from the bottom of the tub <NUM> onto the load <NUM>; an air heating tube <NUM> located in a drying channel <NUM> and adapted to heat air; and a fan <NUM> adapted to make the heated air flow to form hot air and make the hot air pass through and heat the load <NUM>.

The clothes processing device <NUM> further includes a control apparatus <NUM>, including the readable storage medium and a processor, where the readable storage medium stores a program instruction running on the processor, and steps of the method as shown in <FIG> are executed when the processor runs the program instruction.

Claim 1:
A clothes washing method (<NUM>), wherein the method is comprising:
providing a certain volume of water to a clothes processing device (<NUM>, <NUM>) (S410); and increasing a rotational speed of a drum (<NUM>, <NUM>) to a set rotational speed (S420);
turning on a circulating pump (<NUM>, <NUM>) to spray water onto a load (<NUM>, <NUM>) in the clothes processing device (<NUM>, <NUM>) to wet the load (<NUM>, <NUM>) (S430);
determining whether the load (<NUM>, <NUM>) is fully wetted (S440), and if not, replenishing water and repeating the spraying step (S430) until the load (<NUM>, <NUM>) is completely wetted;
wherein the method is further comprising:
detecting mass of a load before providing a certain volume of water to the clothes processing device (<NUM>, <NUM>) (S410);
determining whether the mass of the load is greater than a threshold, if yes, executing a first sub-mode, and if not, executing a second sub-mode;
wherein the executing the first sub-mode comprises: providing a first sub-mode volume of water to the clothes processing device (<NUM>, <NUM>); increasing the rotational speed of the drum (<NUM>, <NUM>) to a first rotational speed to form a load ring;
turning on the circulating pump (<NUM>, <NUM>) to spray water onto the load ring to wet the load (<NUM>, <NUM>);
and wherein the executing the second sub-mode comprises: providing a second sub-mode volume of water to the clothes processing device (<NUM>, <NUM>); increasing the rotational speed of the drum (<NUM>, <NUM>) to a second rotational speed that is less than a centrifugal rotational speed, in particular the second rotational speed is within a range of less than or equal to <NUM> r/min; turning on the circulating pump (<NUM>, <NUM>) to spray water onto the load (<NUM>, <NUM>) to wet the load (<NUM>, <NUM>);
turning on a draining pump (<NUM>, <NUM>) to drain free water after the load is completely wetted; opening the air heating tube (<NUM>, <NUM>) to heat air; turning on the fan (<NUM>, <NUM>) to make the heated air flow to form hot air, and make the hot air pass through and heat the load (<NUM>, <NUM>); and washing the load (<NUM>, <NUM>).