CN115142236A - Washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides a washing machine, which comprises a clothes processing barrel with a water outlet and a water drainage device arranged below the water outlet, wherein the water drainage device comprises a sealing element, a driving mechanism and a limiting element; the driving mechanism drives the first sealing part to move and open and close the water outlet; the limiting part comprises a first limiting structure and a second limiting structure, the first limiting structure moves synchronously with the driving mechanism, and the second limiting structure is static relative to the first limiting structure; when the first limiting structure and the second limiting structure are separated, the driving mechanism drives the first sealing part to move; when the first limiting structure is contacted with the second limiting structure, the driving mechanism is limited to continue moving, so that the problem that the sealing part is damaged due to over-stroke of the driving mechanism is solved; the peripheral side of the positioning part is coated with a metal shell, so that the frictional resistance between the positioning part and the blocking piece is reduced; and a labyrinth sealing structure is formed between the second sealing part of the sealing element and the second fixing part as well as between the second sealing part and the sealing groove, so that the sealing effect is good.

Description

Washing machine

Technical Field

The invention belongs to the technical field of clothes treatment equipment, and particularly relates to a washing machine.

Background

With the development of economic society, washing machines gradually become indispensable household appliances in people's daily life; the washing machine with a single-barrel structure gradually receives wide attention of people, when clothes need to be washed, a water outlet of the washing barrel is sealed through the water drainage device, and the washing barrel contains water and rotates to wash the clothes; when water needs to be drained, the drainage device opens a drainage port of the washing tub, and water in the washing tub is drained; however, when the driving mechanism drives the sealing element to move, the necessary travel limiting part is not available, so that the sealing element is easily damaged when the driving mechanism is over-traveled.

Disclosure of Invention

In view of this, the present invention provides a washing machine, so as to solve the problem that the sealing member is easily damaged due to the lack of a necessary stroke limiting member in the drainage device of the washing machine with a single tub structure in the prior art.

The present invention provides a washing machine including a laundry treating tub having a drain port formed at a tub bottom thereof and a drain device disposed below the drain port, the drain device including:

a sealing member having a first sealing portion for opening and closing engagement with the drain port;

the driving mechanism acts together with the first sealing part and can drive the first sealing part to move so that the first sealing part opens and closes the water outlet;

the limiting part comprises a first limiting structure and a second limiting structure, the first limiting structure is arranged on the driving mechanism and can synchronously move along with the driving mechanism, and the second limiting structure is arranged on a movement path of the driving mechanism;

the first limiting structure is matched with the second limiting structure, so that the driving mechanism can move or is limited to continue moving.

Further optionally, the drive mechanism comprises a drive motor; the driving motor is provided with an output shaft, and the output shaft is provided with the first limiting structure; the drainage device also comprises a first bracket capable of fixing the driving motor, wherein the first bracket is provided with a second limiting structure, and the second limiting structure is positioned on a rotating path of the first limiting structure;

when the driving motor is started, the first limiting structure and the second limiting structure are separated, and the output shaft and the first limiting structure can synchronously rotate; the first limit structure is in contact with the second limit structure, and the output shaft is limited to continue rotating.

Further optionally, the first limiting structure is formed with a shaft portion and a first limiting portion, the shaft portion is sleeved on the output shaft and is fixedly connected with the output shaft, and the first limiting portion is formed on the outer peripheral side of the shaft portion; the first limiting part is provided with an upper stop position A and a lower stop position B in the moving direction;

the second limiting structure comprises a second limiting structure A and a second limiting structure B, and the second limiting structure A and the second limiting structure B are arranged on the rotating path of the first limiting part at intervals;

when the output shaft rotates, the first limiting part is contacted with the second limiting structure A, the first limiting part rotates to an upper stop position A, the output shaft is limited to continue rotating, and the first sealing part and the water outlet are in a contact state of closing the water outlet;

the first limiting part is contacted with the second limiting structure B, the first limiting part rotates to a lower stop position B, the output shaft is limited to continue rotating, and the first sealing part and the water outlet are in a separated state of opening the water outlet.

Further optionally, the drainage device further comprises a blocking member disposed at a bottom of the laundry treating tub; the sealing element is provided with a positioning part matched with the blocking piece, the positioning part is positioned at the side part of the first sealing part, the outer peripheral side of the positioning part is coated with a positioning shell, and the positioning shell is made of metal;

the driving mechanism drives the first sealing part to move, and when the positioning shell is in contact with the blocking piece, the first sealing part is positioned below the water outlet.

Further optionally, the washing machine further comprises a water collecting member disposed below the water discharge port; an installation position is formed at the bottom of the water collecting piece, and the drainage device is arranged at the installation position; a first fixing part is formed at the bottom of the mounting position;

the drainage device further comprises a second support arranged at the bottom of the mounting position, a mounting plate is formed on the second support, the bottom of the sealing element is arranged between the first fixing portion and the mounting plate, and a labyrinth sealing structure is formed between the first fixing portion and the mounting plate.

Further optionally, a plurality of second fixing portions are formed on one side, facing the mounting position, of the mounting plate, and a sealing groove is formed between two adjacent second fixing portions; the bottom of sealing member is formed with the second sealing, the structure of second sealing and the structure looks adaptation of seal groove, second sealing and first fixed part inlay to be established in the seal groove, make form between second sealing and second fixed part and the seal groove labyrinth seal structure.

Further optionally, the mounting plate is formed with one of a positioning hole or a positioning column at the sealing groove, and the second sealing portion is formed with the other of the positioning hole or the positioning column; when the second sealing part is embedded in the sealing groove, the positioning column is matched with the positioning hole to position the sealing element on the mounting plate.

Further optionally, a guide portion is formed on one side of the mounting plate facing the sealing member, and a guide hole is formed on the guide portion; the driving mechanism also comprises a mandril, a traction rope, a cam and an elastic piece; the cam is in driving connection with the output shaft; one end of the traction rope is connected with the cam, and the other end of the traction rope is connected with the bottom of the ejector rod; the top of the ejector rod penetrates through the guide hole and is connected with the first sealing part; the elastic piece is sleeved outside the ejector rod, one end of the elastic piece is connected with the guide part, and the other end of the elastic piece is connected with the top of the ejector rod;

the driving motor rotates forwards, one end of the traction rope is wound on the cam, the ejector rod drives the first sealing part to move towards the direction far away from the water outlet, and the elastic part is compressed to store energy;

the driving motor rotates reversely, the elastic piece releases energy, one end of the traction rope is unfolded by the cam, and the ejector rod drives the first sealing portion to move towards the direction close to the water outlet.

Further optionally, the first bracket forms a mounting cavity, and a first positioning switch and a second positioning switch are oppositely arranged at the top of the mounting cavity; a third trigger position, a first trigger position and a second trigger position are sequentially formed at one end of the ejector rod, and the first trigger position and the second trigger position are oppositely arranged; the first positioning switch corresponds to a first trigger position and a third trigger position, and the second positioning switch corresponds to a second trigger position and a third trigger position;

the driving motor is arranged at the bottom of the mounting cavity, a third positioning switch and a fourth positioning switch are respectively arranged on two sides of the cam, and the remote end of the cam can be in contact with the third positioning switch or the fourth positioning switch; the first positioning switch, the second positioning switch, the third positioning switch and the fourth positioning switch are electrically connected with a controller of the washing machine;

when the washing machine is switched from a washing mode to a dewatering mode, the drainage device has the following working relation:

the driving motor rotates forwards, the traction rope drives the ejector rod to move downwards, when the first positioning switch is in contact with a third trigger position and enables the first positioning switch to be closed, and the second positioning switch is in contact with the third trigger position and enables the second positioning switch to be closed, the water outlet is opened, the remote end of the cam is in contact with a fourth positioning switch and enables the fourth positioning switch to be closed, the controller controls the driving motor to stop rotating, and the clothes treatment barrel can drain water;

when the fourth positioning switch has a fault, the output shaft drives the first driving part to continue rotating until the first limiting part rotates and contacts with the second limiting structure B, and the output shaft is limited to continue rotating.

Further optionally, when the washing machine is switched from the dewatering mode to the washing mode, the drainage device has the following working relationship:

the driving motor rotates reversely, the elastic piece drives the ejector rod to move upwards, when the first positioning switch is in contact with a third trigger position and enables the first positioning switch to be closed, and the second positioning switch is in contact with a second trigger position and enables the second positioning switch to be disconnected, the clothes processing barrel rotates, the positioning shell is in contact with the blocking piece, and the first sealing part is positioned below the water outlet;

the driving motor continues to rotate reversely, the elastic piece drives the ejector rod to continue to move upwards, when the first positioning switch is in contact with the first trigger position and enables the first positioning switch to be disconnected, and the second positioning switch is in contact with the second trigger position and enables the second positioning switch to be disconnected, the first sealing part seals the water outlet, the remote end of the cam is in contact with the third positioning switch and enables the third positioning switch to be closed, the controller controls the driving motor to stop rotating, and the clothes treatment barrel can wash clothes;

when the third positioning switch has a fault, the output shaft drives the first driving part to continue rotating until the first limiting part is contacted with the second limiting structure A, and the output shaft is limited to continue rotating.

Further optionally, the top of the top rod forms a skirt; the seal is formed with a bellows between the first seal portion and a bottom of the seal; the first sealing part and the corrugated section are enclosed to form a sealing cavity, and the sealing cavity, the guide hole and the mounting cavity are communicated in sequence; the top of the ejector rod sequentially penetrates through the mounting cavity and the guide hole, upwards extends into the sealing cavity, and is connected with the first sealing part through the skirt edge;

when the first sealing part moves along with the ejector rod, the corrugated section extends or contracts.

Compared with the prior art, the invention has the following beneficial effects:

(1) The drainage device comprises a first limiting structure and a second limiting structure, the first limiting structure is arranged on the driving mechanism, the second limiting structure is arranged on a motion path of the driving mechanism, and when the first limiting structure is separated from the second limiting structure, the driving mechanism can drive the first sealing part to move; when the first limiting structure is contacted with the second limiting structure, the driving mechanism is limited to continue moving, so that the problems that the sealing element is damaged due to over-travel of the driving mechanism and the water outlet is not tightly closed by the first sealing part are solved, and the driving mechanism is ensured to operate reliably;

(2) When the first limiting part is contacted with the second limiting structure A, the first limiting part rotates to an upper stop position A, the output shaft is limited to continue rotating, the water outlet is closed, and the clothes treatment barrel can store water to wash clothes; when the first limiting part is contacted with the second limiting structure B, the first limiting part rotates to a lower stop position B, the output shaft is limited to continue rotating, the water outlet is opened, the driving motor is controlled to stop moving, and the problem that the sealing part is damaged due to the fact that the driving motor travels is solved;

(3) The periphery side of the positioning part is coated with a positioning shell, the first sealing part moves, and when the positioning shell is contacted with the blocking part, the first sealing part is positioned below the water outlet; the positioning precision of the water outlet is improved, the positioning is accurate, and the problem that the existing drainage device is inaccurate in positioning is solved; the positioning shell is made of metal, so that the frictional resistance between the positioning part and the blocking piece is reduced, and the problems that a positioning mechanism of the conventional drainage device is easy to wear and generates a positioning error after being worn are solved;

(4) The structure of the drainage device is simplified, and the control process of opening and sealing the drainage port is optimized; the water outlet is quickly opened and drained in time, and the installation is convenient and quick; the motors required by the positioning device are reduced, and the opening, positioning and sealing of the water outlet are integrated; the problems that the existing drainage device needs different structures for positioning and sealing, so that the drainage device is high in cost and complex in installation process are solved; in the washing mode, no water is stored between the clothes treatment barrel and the water collecting part, so that the problem that dirt and scale are stored on the outer side wall and the outer side of the bottom of the clothes treatment barrel is solved, and the water consumption for washing is reduced; the problems of complex structure and complex control process of the existing drainage device are solved;

(5) The ejector rod is matched with the guide hole through a bearing, so that the friction between the ejector rod and the guide hole is reduced; the top of the ejector rod forms a skirt edge, so that the contact area of the ejector rod and the first sealing part is enlarged, and the positioning accuracy and the sealing reliability are improved; the ejector rod is provided with a plurality of trigger positions, the drainage device is correspondingly provided with a plurality of positioning switches, so that the movement of the ejector rod is controlled, the position of the sealing part is accurately controlled, the washing mode and the dehydration mode of the washing machine are optimized, and the problem of inaccurate position control of the sealing part is solved;

(6) A labyrinth sealing structure is formed among the second sealing part, the second fixing part and the sealing groove of the sealing element, the sealing effect is good, and the problem that water discharged by the clothes treatment barrel enters the mounting cavity through the second sealing part to cause the fault of the traction motor is avoided; when the first sealing part moves up and down along with the ejector rod, the corrugated section can stretch or contract, so that the sealing element can continuously and reliably seal various parts in the sealing cavity and at the bottom of the sealing element, and the problem of traction motor failure caused by untight sealing is solved.

Drawings

In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly described below. It should be apparent that the drawings in the following description are merely exemplary, and that other embodiments can be derived from the drawings provided by those of ordinary skill in the art without inventive effort.

The structures, ratios, sizes, and the like shown in the present specification are only used for matching with the contents disclosed in the specification, so as to be understood and read by those skilled in the art, and are not used to limit the conditions that the present invention can be implemented, so that the present invention has no technical significance, and any structural modifications, changes in the ratio relationship, or adjustments of the sizes, without affecting the effects and the achievable by the present invention, should still fall within the range that the technical contents disclosed in the present invention can cover.

FIG. 1a is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of a washing machine provided by the present invention when a carrier rod is in a first working position;

FIG. 1b is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of the washing machine provided by the present invention when the carrier rod is in the second working position;

FIG. 1c is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of the washing machine provided by the present invention when the carrier rod is in a third working position;

FIG. 2a is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of a drainage device provided in the present invention;

fig. 2b is a schematic structural diagram of a first limiting structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 3a is a schematic structural view of the drainage device according to the embodiment of the present invention when the first position-limiting portion rotates to the upper stop position a;

FIG. 3B is a schematic structural view of the drainage device of the present invention when the first position-limiting portion rotates to the lower stop position B;

fig. 4a is a schematic structural view of an embodiment of the first bracket and the first limiting structure provided by the present invention when the first limiting portion rotates to the upper limit position a;

fig. 4B is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of the first bracket and the first limiting structure provided by the present invention when the first limiting portion rotates to the lower stop position B;

FIG. 5a is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of a drainage device provided by the present invention when a remote end of a cam contacts a third position switch;

FIG. 5b is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of a drainage device provided by the present invention when the remote end of the cam contacts a fourth position switch;

FIG. 6 is a schematic structural view of an embodiment of a flange according to the present invention;

in the figure:

1-a laundry treatment tub; 11-a water outlet; 12-a flange; 13-a barrier;

2-a water collecting member; 21-mounting position; 22-a first fixed part;

31-a seal; 311-a first seal; 312 — a second seal; 313-a positioning section; 314-a corrugated section; 315-a sealed cavity; 316-positioning post; 317-a positioning shell; 32-a top rod; 321-a first trigger bit; 322-a second trigger bit; 323-third trigger bit; 324-skirt edge; 33-a second scaffold; 331-a mounting plate; 332-a second fixed part; 333-sealing groove; 334-a guide; 335-a guide hole; 34-a first support; 341-installation cavity; 351-a first positioning switch; 352-second positioning switch; 353-a third positioning switch; 354-fourth position switch; 361-an elastic member; 362-a drive motor; 3621-output shaft; 363-a cam; 364-a hauling rope; 371-the bearing; 372-bracket back cover;

41-a first limit structure; 411-shaft part; 412-a first stop; 42-a second limit structure; 421-a second limiting structure a; 422-second limit structure B.

Detailed Description

The present invention is described in terms of specific embodiments, and other advantages and benefits of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following disclosure. All other embodiments, which can be derived by a person skilled in the art from the embodiments given herein without making any creative effort, shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

The terminology used in the embodiments of the invention is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used in the examples of the present invention and the appended claims, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, and "a" and "an" generally include at least two, but do not exclude at least one, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

It should be understood that the term "and/or" as used herein is merely one type of association that describes an associated object, meaning that three relationships may exist, e.g., a and/or B may mean: a exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. In addition, the character "/" herein generally indicates that the former and latter related objects are in an "or" relationship.

It is also noted that the terms "comprises," "comprising," or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a good or system that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such good or system. Without further limitation, an element defined by the phrases "comprising one of \8230;" does not exclude the presence of additional like elements in an article or system comprising the element.

The washing machine with a single-tub structure gradually receives wide attention of people, when clothes need to be washed, a water discharge port of the washing tub is sealed through a water discharge device, and the washing tub contains water and rotates to wash the clothes; when the water needs to be drained, the drainage device opens a drainage port of the washing tub, and the water in the washing tub is drained; however, the washing tub rotates in the washing process, so that the position of the water outlet of the washing tub is uncertain, and in order to ensure the accurate sealing and opening of the water outlet, the washing tub needs to be locked to the determined position by means of a locking mechanism, so that the structure of the drainage device is complicated, and the control process is complicated; furthermore, the lack of a necessary travel stop results in inaccurate and fragile position control of the sealing member.

The invention creatively provides a washing machine, which comprises a clothes treatment barrel and a drainage device, wherein the clothes treatment barrel is provided with a drainage outlet, the drainage device is arranged below the drainage outlet and comprises a sealing element, a driving mechanism and a limiting piece, and the sealing element is provided with a first sealing part; the driving mechanism can drive the first sealing part to move and open and close the water outlet; the limiting part comprises a first limiting structure and a second limiting structure, the first limiting structure can synchronously move along with the driving mechanism, and the second limiting structure is static relative to the first limiting structure; when the first limiting structure is separated from the second limiting structure, the driving mechanism can drive the first sealing part to move; when first limit structure and second limit structure contact, actuating mechanism is restricted and continues the motion, avoids actuating mechanism overstroke to lead to the problem of sealing member damage, guarantees actuating mechanism reliable operation.

< position limiting Member >

As shown in fig. 2a, 2b, 3a and 3b, the present embodiment provides a washing machine including a laundry treating tub 1 and a drainage device, the bottom of the laundry treating tub 1 is formed with a drainage outlet 11, the drainage device is disposed below the drainage outlet 11, the drainage device includes a sealing member 31, a driving mechanism and a limiting member; the seal 31 is formed with a first sealing portion 311, in particular, the laundry treating tub 1 is a washing tub, and an axis of the washing tub extends in a vertical direction; the sealing member 31 is made of an elastic material, and a first sealing portion 311 is formed at one end close to the water discharge opening 11, the first sealing portion 311 is in open-close fit with the water discharge opening 11, and can open or close the water discharge opening 11; the driving mechanism acts with the first sealing part 311 and can drive the first sealing part 311 to move, so that the first sealing part 311 opens and closes the water outlet 11; the limiting part comprises a first limiting structure 41 and a second limiting structure 42, the first limiting structure 41 is arranged on the driving mechanism and can move synchronously with the driving mechanism, and the second limiting structure 42 is arranged on the moving path of the driving mechanism and is static relative to the first limiting structure 41;

when the first limiting structure 41 and the second limiting structure 42 are separated, the driving mechanism can drive the first sealing part 311 to move; when the first limiting structure 41 and the second limiting structure 42 are contacted, the driving mechanism is limited to continue moving, and the driving mechanism is ensured to operate reliably.

Further, as shown in fig. 4a and 4b, the driving mechanism includes a driving motor 362; an output shaft 3621 is formed on the driving motor 362, the output shaft 3621 is provided with a first limiting structure 41, and the first limiting structure 41 can synchronously rotate along with the output shaft 3621; the drainage device also comprises a first bracket 34 capable of fixing the driving motor 362, wherein the first bracket 34 is provided with a second limiting structure 42, the second limiting structure 42 is positioned on the rotating path of the first limiting structure 41, and the first limiting structure 41 is separated from or contacted with the second limiting structure 42 when rotating;

when the driving motor 362 is started, the first limiting structure 41 and the second limiting structure 42 are separated, and the output shaft 3621 and the first limiting structure 41 can rotate synchronously; first limit structure 41 and second limit structure 42 contact, and output shaft 3621 is restricted from continuing to rotate.

Preferably, the first position-limiting structure 41 is formed with a shaft portion 411 and a first position-limiting portion 412, the shaft portion 411 is sleeved on the output shaft 3621 and is fixedly connected with the output shaft 3621, the first position-limiting portion 412 is formed on the outer peripheral side of the shaft portion 411, and specifically, the first position-limiting portion 412 is a projection extending along the radial direction of the shaft portion 411; the first position-limiting portion 412 has an upper stop position a and a lower stop position B in the moving direction thereof, the upper stop position a is the maximum stroke position of the first position-limiting portion 412 in the forward direction of movement, the lower stop position B is the maximum stroke position of the first position-limiting portion 412 in the reverse direction of movement, and the forward direction and the reverse direction are two opposite moving directions of the first position-limiting portion 412;

the second limit structure 42 may be two separate members or may be a different portion of one member; the second limit structure 42 in this embodiment is two separate members; the second limiting structure 42 comprises a second limiting structure a 421 and a second limiting structure B422, and the second limiting structure a 421 and the second limiting structure B422 are alternately arranged on the rotation path of the first limiting part 412;

when the output shaft 3621 rotates, the first limiting part 412 contacts with the second limiting structure a 421, the first limiting part 412 rotates to the stop position a, the output shaft 3621 is limited to continue rotating, the first sealing part 311 and the water outlet 11 are in a contact state of closing the water outlet 11, and the laundry processing tub 1 can store water to wash laundry;

when the first limiting part 412 contacts with the second limiting structure B422, the first limiting part 412 rotates to the lower stop position B, the output shaft 3621 is limited to continue rotating, the first sealing part 311 and the water discharge opening 11 are in a separation state of opening the water discharge opening 11, the driving motor 362 is controlled to stop moving, and the problem that the sealing element 31 is damaged due to the fact that the driving motor 362 travels over the process is solved.

< sealing Member >

As shown in fig. 6, the drain device further includes a blocking member 13 provided at the bottom of the laundry treating tub 1; the sealing member 31 is formed with a positioning portion 313 engaged with the stopper 13, the positioning portion 313 is located at a side portion of the first sealing portion 311 and an outer peripheral side of the positioning portion 313 is wrapped with a positioning case 317; specifically, a flange 12 is arranged at the bottom of the laundry processing barrel 1, a blocking member 13 is arranged on the flange 12, the blocking member 13 is an arc segment and is positioned at the outer peripheral side of the water outlet 11, and is used for positioning the water outlet 11 and preparing for subsequently closing the water outlet 11; the driving mechanism drives the first sealing part 311 to move, and when the positioning shell 317 is in contact with the barrier 13, the first sealing part 311 is positioned below the water outlet 11; the positioning precision of the water outlet 11 is improved, the positioning is accurate, and the problem that the existing drainage device is inaccurate in positioning is solved;

the positioning shell 317 is made of metal, so that the frictional resistance between the positioning part 313 and the blocking part 13 is reduced, and the problems that a positioning mechanism of the existing drainage device is easy to wear and generates a positioning error after being worn are solved;

the top of the top rod 32 forms a skirt 324; the sealing member 31 is formed with a bellows 314 between the first sealing portion 311 and the bottom of the sealing member 31, the bellows 314 extending in the moving direction of the first sealing portion 311; the first seal portion 311 and the bellows 314 enclose a sealed cavity 315; the top of the mandril 32 extends upwards into the sealing cavity 315 and is connected with the first sealing part 311 through the skirt 324; the skirt 324 increases the contact area between the mandril 32 and the first sealing part 311, and the positioning part 313 and the first sealing part 311 have certain rigidity, so that the positioning accuracy and the sealing reliability are improved; when the first sealing part 311 moves along with the ejector rod 32, the corrugated section 314 extends or contracts, so that the sealing element 31 forms continuous and reliable sealing on various parts in the sealing cavity 315 and at the bottom of the sealing element 31, and the problem of failure of the driving motor 362 caused by sealing tightness is solved.

< labyrinth seal Structure >

As shown in fig. 1a, 1b and 1c, the washing machine further includes a water collecting member 2, the water collecting member 2 being disposed below the water discharge port 11; the bottom of the water collecting piece 2 is provided with an installation position 21, and the drainage device is arranged at the installation position 21; the bottom of the mounting position 21 forms a first fixing part 22; specifically, the mounting location 21 is a cylindrical cavity; the first fixing part 22 is the bottom of the side wall of the cylindrical cavity; the water collecting piece 2 is a water receiving plate;

the drain device further includes a second bracket 33 disposed at the bottom of the mounting position 21, the second bracket 33 being formed with a mounting plate 331, the bottom of the sealing member 31 being disposed between the first fixing portion 22 and the mounting plate 331, and a labyrinth structure being formed between the first fixing portion 22 and the mounting plate 331; the sealing effect is good, the problem that the driving motor 362 is in failure caused by the fact that water discharged by the clothes processing barrel 1 enters the mounting cavity 341 through the bottom of the sealing part 31 is avoided, and the water is prevented from flowing out of the water collecting part 2;

in view of the problem of poor sealing effect between the bottom of the sealing member 31 and the second bracket 33, the present embodiment proposes that a plurality of second fixing portions 332 are formed on one side of the mounting plate 331 facing the mounting position 21, and a sealing groove 333 is formed between two adjacent second fixing portions 332; a second sealing part 312 is formed at the bottom of the sealing element 31, the structure of the second sealing part 312 is matched with that of the sealing groove 333, the second sealing part 312 and the first fixing part 22 are embedded in the sealing groove 333, and a labyrinth sealing structure is formed among the second sealing part 312, the second fixing part 332 and the sealing groove 333;

specifically, the mounting plate 331 is a circular plate, the second fixing portion a and the second fixing portion B are sequentially arranged from inside to outside along the radial direction of the mounting plate 331, the second fixing portion a and the second fixing portion B are arc-shaped structures or ring-shaped structures, and when the second fixing portion a and the second fixing portion B are arc-shaped structures, a plurality of second fixing portions a and second fixing portions B can be arranged along the circumferential direction of the mounting plate 331; correspondingly, the sealing groove 333 is an arc-shaped groove or an annular groove, a second sealing portion a, a second sealing portion B and a second sealing portion C are sequentially formed on the second sealing portion 312 from inside to outside along the radial direction of the mounting plate 331, the second sealing portion a, the second sealing portion B and the second sealing portion C are all of a bending structure, the second sealing portion a is matched with the second fixing portion a, the second sealing portion B is embedded in the sealing groove 333, the first fixing portion 22 is embedded in the second sealing portion B, and the second sealing portion C is matched with the second fixing portion B, so that a labyrinth sealing structure is formed among the first fixing portion 22, the bottom of the sealing member 31 and the second support 33, the sealing effect is good, and the problem that the driving motor 362 fails due to the fact that water discharged from the clothes treatment barrel 1 enters the mounting cavity 341 through the second sealing portion is effectively avoided.

< positioning hole and positioning post >

As shown in fig. 4a and 4b, in order to solve the problems of inaccurate positioning and easy shaking of the bottom of the sealing member 31, the present embodiment proposes that the mounting plate 331 is formed with a positioning hole at the sealing groove 333, and the second sealing portion 312 is formed with a positioning post 316; when the second sealing portion 312 is embedded in the sealing groove 333, the positioning post 316 is matched with the positioning hole to position the sealing member 31 on the mounting plate 331; the location is accurate, and the process is simple, and the installation is rapid, avoids sealing member 31 to rock in the use.

< detailed construction of drive mechanism >

As shown in fig. 4a and 4b, the first bracket 34 is detachably disposed at the bottom of the mounting plate 331, the first bracket 34 is formed with a mounting cavity 341, the mounting plate 331 is formed with a guide portion 334 toward one side of the sealing member 31, the guide portion 334 extends in the moving direction of the first sealing portion 311, and the guide portion 334 is formed with a guide hole 335; the driving mechanism further comprises a mandril 32, a traction rope 364, a cam 363 and an elastic piece 361; the driving motor 362 and the cam 363 are arranged at the bottom of the mounting cavity 341, and the cam 363 is in driving connection with the output shaft 3621; one end of the pulling rope 364 is connected with the cam 363, and the other end of the pulling rope 364 is connected with the bottom of the mandril 32; the sealing cavity 315, the guide hole 335 and the installation cavity 341 are communicated in sequence; the top of the top rod 32 sequentially passes through the installation cavity 341 and the guide hole 335, extends upwards to the sealing cavity 315, and is connected with the first sealing part 311 through the skirt edge 324;

specifically, the guide portion 334 is a column-type or cone-type structure extending in the vertical direction; the top rod 32 is a straight rod and extends in the vertical direction, and under the action of the traction rope 364 and the elastic member 361, the top rod 32 slides up and down in the vertical direction, so that the water outlet 11 is opened, positioned and closed; the positioning accuracy of the first sealing part and the tightness of the water outlet 11 are improved; the mandril 32 is matched through the bearing 371, so that the friction between the mandril 32 and the guide hole 335 is reduced; the sealing member 31 is made of rubber, and the elastic member 361 is a spring; the guide hole 335 plays a role in guiding the ejector rod 32, so that the ejector rod 32 can stably run; the second bracket 33 improves the reliability of the whole drainage device; the elastic member 361 is sleeved outside the push rod 32, one end of the elastic member 361 is connected with the guide part 334, and the other end of the elastic member 361 is connected with the top of the push rod 32; the first bracket 34, the second bracket 33, the sealing element 31, the elastic element 361 and the mandril 32 are coaxially arranged;

the process of installing the drain is as follows:

the skirt 324 and the first sealing part 311 are mounted together by using rubber to generate certain deformation; the bearing 371 is installed in the guide hole 335, and the elastic member 361 passes through the lift pin 32; the carrier rod 32 is passed through the bearing 371, and the elastic member 361 is disposed between the guide portion 334 and the skirt 324; pressing the elastic member 361 so that the positioning posts 316 of the sealing member 31 are fitted into the corresponding positioning holes; the driving motor 362 is arranged at the bottom of the installation cavity 341, the first limiting structure 41 is arranged on the output shaft 3621, and the second limiting structure 42 is arranged on the first bracket 34 and corresponds to the first limiting structure 41; the first bracket 34 is arranged at the bottom of the mounting plate 331, and the mounting cavity 341 corresponds to the guide hole 335; one end of a pulling rope 364 is connected with the bottom of the mandril 32, and the other end of the pulling rope 364 is wound on the cam 363; connecting the cam 363 to the output shaft 3621 of the drive motor 362; the bottom of the sealing member 31 is disposed between the first fixing portion 22 and the mounting plate 331, and the second sealing portion 312 corresponds to the sealing groove 333; the mounting plate 331 is connected to the first fixing portion 22 with screws.

As shown in fig. 1a, 1b and 1c, under the action of the cam 363, the pulling rope 364 and the elastic member 361, the top bar 32 can move up and down, so as to open and close the water outlet 11, and switch between the washing mode and the dewatering mode of the washing machine; the mandril 32 is provided with a first working position, a second working position and a third working position in the movement direction;

the driving motor 362 rotates forward, one end of the pulling rope 364 winds around the cam 363, the other end of the pulling rope 364 drives the mandril 32 to move downwards, and then the first sealing part 311 moves towards the direction far away from the water outlet 11, and the elastic part 361 is compressed to store energy; when the plunger 32 moves to the third working position, the first sealing part 311 and the water discharge port 11 are in a state of opening the water discharge port 11, and the washing machine can operate a dehydration mode to discharge water in the laundry treating tub 1;

the driving motor 362 rotates reversely, the elastic member 361 releases energy, one end of the pulling rope 364 is unfolded by the cam 363, and the push rod 32 drives the first sealing part 311 to move towards the direction close to the water outlet 11; when the push rod 32 moves to the second working position, the laundry treating tub 1 is controlled to rotate, and when the positioning shell 317 contacts the blocking member 13, the first sealing part 311 is located below the water discharge opening 11, completing the positioning of the water discharge opening 11;

the driving motor 362 continues to rotate reversely, the elastic member 361 continues to release energy, and the push rod 32 drives the first sealing part 311 to continue to move towards the direction close to the water outlet 11; when the push rod 32 moves to the first working position, the first sealing part 311 and the water outlet 11 are in a state of closing the water outlet 11, and at this time, the washing machine can operate a washing mode to wash the laundry;

in conclusion, the structure of the drainage device is simplified, and the control process of opening and sealing the drainage port 11 is optimized; the water outlet 11 is opened quickly, drains water in time and is convenient and quick to install; the motors required by the positioning device are reduced, and the opening, positioning and sealing of the water outlet 11 are integrated; the problems that the existing drainage device needs different structures for positioning and sealing, so that the drainage device is high in cost and complex in installation process are solved; in the washing mode, no water is stored between the clothes treatment barrel 1 and the water collecting part 2, so that the problem that dirt and scale are stored on the outer side wall and the outer side of the bottom of the clothes treatment barrel 1 is solved, and the water consumption for washing is reduced; the problem of current drainage device structure complicacy and control process are loaded down with trivial details is solved.

The drain device further includes a bracket rear cover 372 covering the outside of the driving motor 362 for protecting the motor.

< trigger position and position switch >

As shown in fig. 5a and 5b, the top of the installation cavity 341 is oppositely provided with a first positioning switch 351 and a second positioning switch 352, and the first positioning switch 351 and the second positioning switch 352 are respectively located at two sides of the top rod 32; a third trigger position 323, a first trigger position 321 and a second trigger position 322 are formed at one end of the ejector rod 32, and the first trigger position 321 and the second trigger position 322 are oppositely arranged; specifically, the first trigger bit 321 is located above the second trigger bit 322; the ejector rod 32 is provided with a third triggering position 323 above the first triggering position 321 and the second triggering position 322, the first triggering position 321 and the second triggering position 322 are both single-side gaps formed along the radial direction of the ejector rod 32, and the third triggering position 323 is the structure of the ejector rod 32;

the first positioning switch 351 corresponds to the first trigger bit 321 and the third trigger bit 323, and the second positioning switch 352 corresponds to the second trigger bit 322 and the third trigger bit 323;

the bottom of the installation cavity 341 is provided with a driving motor 362, two sides of the cam 363 are respectively provided with a third positioning switch 353 and a fourth positioning switch 354, and the remote end of the cam 363 can be contacted with the third positioning switch 353 or the fourth positioning switch 354; the first positioning switch 351, the second positioning switch 352, the third positioning switch 353 and the fourth positioning switch 354 are electrically connected with a controller of the washing machine and respectively transmit signals to the controller; the state of the drainage device can be judged through the combination of signals transmitted by the positioning switches, so that the movement of the drainage device is accurately controlled;

when the washing machine is switched from the washing mode to the dewatering mode, the drainage device has the following working relation:

the driving motor 362 rotates forwards, the pulling rope 364 drives the ejector rod 32 to move downwards, and when the first positioning switch 351 is in contact with the third trigger position 323 and closes the first positioning switch 351 and the second positioning switch 352 is in contact with the third trigger position 323 and closes the second positioning switch 352, the controller judges that the ejector rod 32 is in the third working position and the water outlet 11 is in an open state according to signals transmitted by the first positioning switch 351 and the second positioning switch 352; the remote end of the cam 363 contacts with the fourth positioning switch 354 to close the fourth positioning switch 354, the controller determines the position of the cam 363 according to the signal transmitted by the fourth positioning switch 354, and controls the driving motor 362 to stop rotating, at which time the laundry treating tub 1 can operate the dehydration mode to drain the water in the laundry treating tub 1;

when the fourth positioning switch 354 fails, the output shaft 3621 drives the first driving part to continue rotating until the first limiting part 412 rotates and contacts with the second limiting structure B422, and the output shaft 3621 is limited to continue rotating;

if the driving motor 362 does not receive the stop signal within the allowable fault tolerance range, the second limiting part prevents the first limiting part 412 from continuing to rotate, the driving motor 362 blocks the rotation, and according to a protection mechanism, an alarm is directly given out when the temperature is too high after the blocking rotation is carried out for a certain time, at the moment, the driving motor 362 may be burnt out, but the traction rope 364, the ejector rod 32 and the sealing element 31 are reserved.

When the washing machine is switched from the dewatering mode to the washing mode, the drainage device has the following working relation:

the driving motor 362 rotates reversely, the elastic member 361 drives the push rod 32 to move upwards, and when the first positioning switch 351 is in contact with the third trigger position 323 and closes the first positioning switch 351, and the second positioning switch 352 is in contact with the second trigger position 322 and opens the second positioning switch 352, the controller judges that the push rod 32 is in the second working position according to signals transmitted by the first positioning switch 351 and the second positioning switch 352; the controller controls the laundry treating tub 1 to rotate, such that the positioning case 317 contacts the blocking member 13, and the first sealing part 311 is positioned below the water discharge opening 11;

the driving motor 362 continues to rotate reversely, the elastic member 361 drives the top rod 32 to continue to move upwards, when the first positioning switch 351 is in contact with the first trigger position 321 and turns off the first positioning switch 351, and the second positioning switch 352 is in contact with the second trigger position 322 and turns off the second positioning switch 352, the controller judges that the top rod 32 is at the first working position according to signals transmitted by the first positioning switch 351 and the second positioning switch 352, and the first sealing part 311 seals the water outlet 11; the remote end of the cam 363 contacts with the third positioning switch 353 and closes the third positioning switch 353, the controller determines the position of the cam 363 according to the signal transmitted by the fourth positioning switch 354 and controls the driving motor 362 to stop rotating, and the laundry processing tub 1 can wash laundry;

when the third positioning switch 353 fails, the output shaft 3621 drives the first driving part to continue rotating until the first limiting part 412 contacts with the second limiting structure a 421, and the output shaft 3621 is limited to continue rotating.

In conclusion, the controller controls the ejector rod 32 to move and accurately controls the position of the sealing component through the signal transmitted by the positioning switch, optimizes the washing mode and the dehydration mode of the washing machine, and solves the problem of inaccurate position control of the sealing component; when the positioning switch breaks down, the motor can't be at safe within range stop motion, leads to sealing member 31 to damage and haulage rope 364 fracture, through first limit structure 41 and second limit structure 42's cooperation, makes output shaft 3621 move at effectual stroke within range, avoids output shaft 3621 to lead to the problem of sealing member 31 loss through the stroke operation.

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are specifically illustrated and described above. It is to be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the precise arrangements, instrumentalities, or instrumentalities described herein; on the contrary, the disclosure is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims (11)

1. A washing machine including a laundry treating tub having a drain port formed at a bottom thereof and a drain device disposed below the drain port, the drain device comprising:

a sealing member having a first sealing portion for opening and closing engagement with the drain port;

the driving mechanism acts with the first sealing part and can drive the first sealing part to move so that the first sealing part opens and closes the water outlet;

the limiting structure comprises a first limiting structure and a second limiting structure, the first limiting structure is arranged on the driving mechanism and can synchronously move along with the driving mechanism, and the second limiting structure is arranged on a movement path of the driving mechanism;

when the first limiting structure and the second limiting structure are separated, the driving mechanism can drive the first sealing part to move; when the first limit structure and the second limit structure are contacted, the driving mechanism is limited to continue moving forwards.

2. The washing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the driving mechanism includes a driving motor; the driving motor is provided with an output shaft, and the output shaft is provided with the first limiting structure; the drainage device also comprises a first bracket capable of fixing the driving motor, wherein the first bracket is provided with a second limiting structure, and the second limiting structure is positioned on a rotating path of the first limiting structure;

when the driving motor is started, the first limiting structure and the second limiting structure are separated, and the output shaft and the first limiting structure can synchronously rotate; the first limit structure is in contact with the second limit structure, and the output shaft is limited to continue rotating.

3. The washing machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first stopper structure is formed with a shaft portion that is fitted over the output shaft and is fixedly connected to the output shaft, and a first stopper portion that is formed on an outer peripheral side of the shaft portion; the first limiting part is provided with an upper stop position A and a lower stop position B in the moving direction;

the second limiting structure comprises a second limiting structure A and a second limiting structure B, and the second limiting structure A and the second limiting structure B are arranged on the rotating path of the first limiting part at intervals;

when the output shaft rotates, the first limiting part is contacted with the second limiting structure A, the first limiting part rotates to an upper stop position A, the output shaft is limited to continue rotating, and the first sealing part and the water outlet are in a contact state of closing the water outlet;

the first limiting part is contacted with the second limiting structure B, the first limiting part rotates to a lower stop position B, the output shaft is limited to continue rotating, and the first sealing part and the water outlet are in a separation state of opening the water outlet.

4. The washing machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein the drain device further includes a blocking member provided at a tub bottom of the laundry treating tub; the sealing element is provided with a positioning part matched with the blocking piece, the positioning part is positioned at the side part of the first sealing part, the outer peripheral side of the positioning part is coated with a positioning shell, and the positioning shell is made of metal;

the driving mechanism drives the first sealing part to move, and when the positioning shell is in contact with the blocking piece, the first sealing part is positioned below the water outlet.

5. The washing machine as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a water collecting member disposed below the drain opening; an installation position is formed at the bottom of the water collecting piece, and the drainage device is arranged at the installation position; a first fixing part is formed at the bottom of the mounting position;

the drainage device further comprises a second support arranged at the bottom of the mounting position, a mounting plate is formed on the second support, the bottom of the sealing element is arranged between the first fixing portion and the mounting plate, and a labyrinth sealing structure is formed between the first fixing portion and the mounting plate.

6. The washing machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein a plurality of second fixing portions are formed at a side of the mounting plate facing the mounting position, and a sealing groove is formed between two adjacent second fixing portions; the bottom of sealing member is formed with the second sealing portion, the structure of second sealing portion and the structure looks adaptation of seal groove, second sealing portion and first fixed part are inlayed and are established in the seal groove, make form between second sealing portion and second fixed part and the seal groove labyrinth seal structure.

7. The washing machine as claimed in claim 6, wherein the mounting plate is formed with one of a positioning hole or a positioning column at the sealing groove, and the second sealing part is formed with the other of a positioning hole or a positioning column; when the second sealing part is embedded in the sealing groove, the positioning column is matched with the positioning hole, and the sealing element is positioned on the mounting plate.

8. The washing machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein the mounting plate is formed with a guide part formed with a guide hole at a side thereof facing the sealing member; the driving mechanism further comprises a top rod, a traction rope, a cam and an elastic piece; the cam is in driving connection with the output shaft; one end of the traction rope is connected with the cam, and the other end of the traction rope is connected with the bottom of the ejector rod; the top of the ejector rod penetrates through the guide hole and is connected with the first sealing part; the elastic piece is sleeved outside the ejector rod, one end of the elastic piece is connected with the guide part, and the other end of the elastic piece is connected with the top of the ejector rod;

the driving motor rotates forwards, one end of the traction rope is wound on the cam, the ejector rod drives the first sealing part to move towards the direction far away from the water outlet, and the elastic part is compressed to store energy;

the driving motor rotates reversely, the elastic piece releases energy, one end of the traction rope is unfolded by the cam, and the ejector rod drives the first sealing portion to move towards the direction close to the water outlet.

9. The washing machine as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first bracket forms a mounting cavity, and a first positioning switch and a second positioning switch are oppositely arranged on the top of the mounting cavity; a third trigger position, a first trigger position and a second trigger position are sequentially formed at one end of the ejector rod, and the first trigger position and the second trigger position are oppositely arranged; the first positioning switch corresponds to the first trigger position and the third trigger position, and the second positioning switch corresponds to the second trigger position and the third trigger position;

the driving motor is arranged at the bottom of the mounting cavity, a third positioning switch and a fourth positioning switch are respectively arranged on two sides of the cam, and the remote end of the cam can be in contact with the third positioning switch or the fourth positioning switch; the first positioning switch, the second positioning switch, the third positioning switch and the fourth positioning switch are electrically connected with a controller of the washing machine;

when the washing machine is switched from a washing mode to a dewatering mode, the drainage device has the following working relation:

the driving motor rotates forwards, the pull rope drives the ejector rod to move downwards, when the first positioning switch is in contact with a third trigger position and enables the first positioning switch to be closed, and the second positioning switch is in contact with the third trigger position and enables the second positioning switch to be closed, the water outlet is opened, the remote end of the cam is in contact with a fourth positioning switch and enables the fourth positioning switch to be closed, the controller controls the driving motor to stop rotating, and the clothes treatment barrel can drain water;

when the fourth positioning switch has a fault, the output shaft drives the first driving part to continue rotating until the first limiting part rotates and contacts with the second limiting structure B, and the output shaft is limited to continue rotating.

10. The washing machine as claimed in claim 9, wherein the drain device is in the following operational relationship when the washing machine is switched from the spin-drying mode to the washing mode:

the driving motor rotates reversely, the elastic piece drives the ejector rod to move upwards, when the first positioning switch is in contact with a third trigger position and enables the first positioning switch to be closed, and the second positioning switch is in contact with a second trigger position and enables the second positioning switch to be disconnected, the clothes processing barrel rotates, the positioning shell is enabled to be in contact with the blocking piece, and the first sealing part is positioned below the water outlet;

the driving motor continues to rotate reversely, the elastic piece drives the ejector rod to continue to move upwards, when the first positioning switch is in contact with the first trigger position and enables the first positioning switch to be disconnected, and the second positioning switch is in contact with the second trigger position and enables the second positioning switch to be disconnected, the first sealing part seals the water outlet, the remote end of the cam is in contact with the third positioning switch and enables the third positioning switch to be closed, the controller controls the driving motor to stop rotating, and the clothes treatment barrel can wash clothes;

when the third positioning switch has a fault, the output shaft drives the first driving part to continue to rotate until the first limiting part is contacted with the second limiting structure A, and the output shaft is limited to continue to rotate.

11. The washing machine as claimed in claim 10, wherein a skirt is formed at a top of the top bar; the seal is formed with a bellows section between the first seal portion and a bottom of the seal; the first sealing part and the corrugated section are enclosed to form a sealing cavity, and the sealing cavity, the guide hole and the mounting cavity are communicated in sequence; the top of the ejector rod sequentially penetrates through the installation cavity and the guide hole, upwards extends into the sealing cavity, and is connected with the first sealing part through the skirt edge;

when the first sealing part moves along with the ejector rod, the corrugated section extends or contracts.

Images