CN116121997A - Laundry treatment apparatus and control method in laundry treatment apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a laundry treatment apparatus and a control method in the laundry treatment apparatus. The clothes treating apparatus comprises: a washing tank for storing the object to be washed and washing water; a pressing part for pressing the object to be cleaned in the cleaning tank; a suction unit for performing a suction operation for sucking the inside of the cleaning tank; and a control unit that controls the pressing unit and the suction unit to dewater the object to be cleaned, and controls the suction unit to perform a suction operation on the object to be cleaned in the cleaning tank in accordance with information of the object to be cleaned when dewatering.

Description

Laundry treatment apparatus and control method in laundry treatment apparatus

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a laundry treatment apparatus that washes laundry and the like, and a control method in the laundry treatment apparatus.

Background

In a conventional laundry machine, there are a pulsator type washing machine that agitates laundry and the like in a spin basket to wash the laundry, and a drum type washing machine that lifts the laundry in the spin basket in a spin direction of the spin basket and drops the laundry from above to perform a beat washing. In any of the laundry treatment apparatuses, the laundry is washed by applying mechanical force to the laundry in addition to chemical force of the detergent. In addition, in the dehydration of the washed laundry, the centrifugal force for separating the water from the laundry is generally utilized by the centrifugal force generated by the high-speed rotation of the rotary tub.

Pulsator washing machines and drum washing machines are prone to damage to cloth of an object to be washed, to cause the object to be washed to be wound and pulled, to cause the object to be washed to be deformed, and to cause the hand feeling of the object to be washed to be deteriorated.

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

The purpose of the present disclosure is to provide a laundry treatment apparatus that is not likely to damage an object to be cleaned and that is capable of performing dehydration suitable for the object to be cleaned.

Solution for solving the problem

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a laundry treating apparatus. The clothes treatment device comprises: a washing tank for storing the object to be washed and washing water; a pressing part for pressing the object to be cleaned in the cleaning tank; a suction unit for performing a suction operation for sucking the inside of the cleaning tank; and a control unit that controls the pressing unit and the suction unit to dewater the object to be cleaned, and controls the suction unit to perform a suction operation on the object to be cleaned in the cleaning tank in accordance with information of the object to be cleaned when dewatering.

The cleaning water is sucked from the object to be cleaned to suck and dewater the object to be cleaned, thereby dewatering can be effectively performed without damaging the object to be cleaned. Further, since the suction unit is caused to perform the suction operation in accordance with the information of the object to be cleaned during the dehydration, the object to be cleaned can be dehydrated more suitably.

In an exemplary embodiment, the suction unit includes a suction path that communicates the suction unit with the washing tub, and suction means for sucking the washing water and air, and the control unit controls the suction means so that the fluid in the washing tub flows through the suction path at a predetermined flow rate set in accordance with the information of the object to be washed at the time of dehydration.

By setting the suction device of the suction unit at the time of dehydration to cause the fluid to flow through the suction path at different flow rates according to the information of the object to be washed, the suction unit can perform the suction operation according to the information of the object to be washed instead of always performing the suction operation with a fixed high suction performance, the dehydration more suitable for the object to be washed can be performed, the energy consumption of the suction unit can be reduced, and the service life of the suction unit can be prolonged.

In one exemplary embodiment, the suction device is an electrically driven air pump device, and the control unit controls at least one of an output voltage, an output current, and an output frequency of the air pump device to control an output power of the air pump device, so that the fluid in the cleaning tank flows through the suction path at a predetermined flow rate set in accordance with the information of the object to be cleaned.

According to the information of the object to be cleaned, the output voltage, the output current, the output frequency and the like of the air pump device as the suction device of the suction part are set correspondingly to enable the fluid to flow through the suction path at different flow rates during the dehydration, so that the dehydration more suitable for the object to be cleaned can be performed, the energy consumption of the suction part can be reduced, and the service life of the suction part can be prolonged.

In one exemplary embodiment, the suction unit further includes a flow rate detection device provided in the suction path, the flow rate detection device detecting a flow rate of the fluid flowing through the suction path, and the control unit performs feedback control of the output power based on a detection result of the flow rate detection device so that the flow rate of the fluid flowing through the suction path is maintained at the predetermined flow rate.

By feedback-controlling the suction unit based on the flow rate of the fluid in the suction path, the suction unit can be stably operated to suck the object to be cleaned during the dehydration, and the object to be cleaned can be stably dehydrated.

In an exemplary embodiment, the suction unit includes a suction path that communicates the suction unit with the washing tub, and a suction device that sucks the washing water and air, and the control unit controls a diameter size of the suction path so that the fluid in the washing tub flows through the suction path at a predetermined flow rate set in accordance with the information of the object to be washed when the washing tub is dehydrated.

By controlling the diameter size of the suction path connected to the cleaning tank based on the information of the object to be cleaned, even when the suction device sucks the object to be cleaned with the same performance, the fluid can be caused to flow through the suction path at different flow rates according to the information of the object to be cleaned, and dehydration more suitable for the object to be cleaned can be performed. In addition, the suction device can not always perform the suction operation with a fixed high suction performance, and the energy consumption of the suction device can be reduced, and the service life of the suction device can be prolonged.

In one exemplary embodiment, an electronically controllable valve capable of opening and closing the suction path and having a controllable opening is provided in the suction path, and the control unit controls the opening of the electronically controllable valve provided in the suction path so that the fluid in the cleaning tank flows through the suction path at a predetermined flow rate set in accordance with the information of the object to be cleaned during dehydration.

By providing an electronically controllable valve whose opening is controllable in the suction path and controlling the opening of the electronically controllable valve based on the information of the object to be cleaned, the aperture of the suction path can be controlled, and the fluid can be caused to flow through the suction path at different flow rates according to the information of the object to be cleaned.

In one exemplary embodiment, the suction path includes a plurality of suction branches communicating with the cleaning tank, and a plurality of mechanical switching valves provided to the suction branches, respectively, and the control unit controls opening and closing of the mechanical switching valves of the suction branches at the time of dehydration so that the fluid in the cleaning tank flows through the suction path at a predetermined flow rate set in accordance with the information of the object to be cleaned.

With this configuration, the diameter of the suction path can be controlled so that the fluid flows through the suction path at a different flow rate according to the information of the object to be cleaned.

In an exemplary embodiment, the cleaning apparatus further includes a cleaning object information acquiring unit that acquires information of the cleaning object; and the control unit sets the predetermined flow rate based on the information of the object to be cleaned acquired by the object to be cleaned information acquisition unit.

The laundry treatment apparatus can perform the suction operation according to the information of the object to be cleaned by acquiring the information of the object to be cleaned by the object to be cleaned information acquiring unit provided in the laundry treatment apparatus itself and setting the predetermined flow rate at which the suction unit causes the fluid to flow in the suction path based on the acquired information of the object to be cleaned.

In one exemplary embodiment, the control unit reads and sets a predetermined flow rate corresponding to the information of the object to be cleaned acquired by the object to be cleaned information acquisition unit, from a storage unit storing a correspondence relationship between the information of the object to be cleaned and the predetermined flow rate, based on the information of the object to be cleaned acquired by the object to be cleaned information acquisition unit.

The laundry treatment apparatus can set a predetermined flow rate corresponding to the information of the object to be washed based on the correspondence between the information of the object to be washed and the predetermined flow rate stored in the storage unit, and control the suction unit, thereby enabling the suction unit to perform a suction operation corresponding to the information of the object to be washed.

In one exemplary embodiment, the apparatus further comprises an air introduction unit for introducing air into the cleaning tank during dehydration, and the control unit controls the air introduction unit to perform an operation of introducing air into the cleaning tank in accordance with an operation of sucking the suction unit during dehydration.

The air introduction portion performs the air introduction operation in accordance with the suction operation of the suction portion, thereby assisting in the dehydration more suitable for the object to be cleaned.

In one exemplary embodiment, the control unit controls the pressing unit and the suction unit to dewater the object while the pressing unit presses the object.

The object to be cleaned is dehydrated while the pressing portion presses the object to be cleaned, whereby the object to be cleaned can be dehydrated more rapidly.

In an exemplary embodiment, the object information acquiring unit is configured to acquire the information of the object by at least one of: the method comprises the steps that information of an object to be cleaned, which is input by a user through a man-machine interaction module, is acquired through the man-machine interaction module arranged on a clothes treatment device; detecting and acquiring information of the object to be washed by a sensor provided to the laundry treatment apparatus; and receiving the information of the washed object through a communication module arranged on the clothes processing device.

The laundry treatment apparatus can acquire information of the object to be cleaned in various ways, and can flexibly acquire the information of the object to be cleaned.

In an exemplary aspect, the information of the object to be cleaned includes at least one of object feature information including at least one of a weight, a volume, a kind, a material, a color, and a degree of dirt of the object to be cleaned, and user demand information including at least one of a washing mode, a dehydration intensity, a care intensity, a reservation time, a duration, a water consumption amount, a power consumption amount, and a sterilization demand.

The information of the object to be cleaned can include at least one of feature information of the object to be cleaned and user demand information, thereby flexibly coping with various demands and combinations thereof.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control method of a laundry treatment apparatus, the laundry treatment apparatus including: a washing tank for storing the object to be washed and washing water; a pressing part for pressing the object to be cleaned in the cleaning tank; a suction unit for performing a suction operation for sucking the inside of the cleaning tank; and a control unit that controls the pressing unit and the suction unit, the control method including: the control unit controls the pressing unit and the suction unit to dewater the object to be cleaned, and controls the suction unit to perform a suction operation on the object to be cleaned in the cleaning tank in accordance with the information of the object to be cleaned when dewatering.

According to this control method, the cleaning water is sucked from the object to be cleaned to perform suction dehydration, and thus dehydration can be performed effectively without damaging the object to be cleaned. Further, since the suction unit is caused to perform the suction operation in accordance with the information of the object to be cleaned during the dehydration, the object to be cleaned can be dehydrated more suitably.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION

According to the above aspects, the present disclosure provides a laundry treatment apparatus that is less likely to damage an object to be washed and is capable of performing dehydration suitable for the object to be washed.

Other features and aspects of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Drawings

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments, features and aspects of the present disclosure and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the disclosure.

Fig. 1 is a main part sectional view of a laundry treating apparatus of embodiment 1 of the present disclosure.

Fig. 2 is a main part sectional view of the laundry treating apparatus according to the present embodiment in a state in which the cover is opened.

Fig. 3A is a diagram showing the washing operation of the laundry treatment apparatus according to the present embodiment.

Fig. 3B is a diagram showing the washing operation of the laundry treatment apparatus according to the present embodiment.

Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the action of the dewatering operation of the laundry treatment apparatus according to the present embodiment.

Fig. 5 is a diagram showing functional blocks related to the dewatering operation of the laundry machine according to the present embodiment.

Fig. 6 is a graph showing performance characteristics of the suction device of the laundry treatment apparatus according to the present embodiment.

Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of control of the suction operation of the suction unit in the dewatering operation of the laundry treatment apparatus according to the present embodiment.

Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing another example of control of the suction operation of the suction unit in the dewatering operation of the laundry treatment apparatus according to the present embodiment.

Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram showing still another example of control of the suction operation of the suction unit in the dewatering operation of the laundry treatment apparatus according to the present embodiment.

Description of the reference numerals

1. A laundry treatment apparatus; 2. an object to be cleaned; 4. a cleaning tank; 7 (7 a, 7 b), pressurizing and depressurizing unit; 8 (8 a, 8 b), a pressing portion; 9. a pressurization path; 90. a pressure reducing path; 10. pumps (pressurizing unit, suction device); 10a, an exhaust port; 10b, a suction inlet; 11 (11 a, 11 b), an opening/closing section; 26a, 1 st switching part; 26b, a 2 nd switching unit; 27. suction paths (suction sections); 27a, a suction path opening/closing section (suction section); 28. an air introduction part; 29. an air volume control valve (air volume control unit); 30. a gas-liquid separation unit; 39. and a control unit.

Detailed Description

Various exemplary embodiments, features and aspects of the disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements. Although various aspects of the embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale unless specifically indicated.

The word "exemplary" is used herein to mean "serving as an example, embodiment, or illustration. Any embodiment described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments.

In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in the following detailed description in order to provide a better understanding of the present disclosure. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present disclosure may be practiced without some of these specific details. In some instances, methods, means, elements, and circuits well known to those skilled in the art have not been described in detail in order not to obscure the present disclosure.

Furthermore, for the sake of clarity in describing the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present disclosure, "first" and "second" and the like described in the embodiments of the present disclosure are used to distinguish between different objects or to distinguish between different processes on the same object, and are not used to describe a specific order of objects.

Fig. 1 is a main part sectional view of a laundry treating apparatus according to embodiment 1 of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a main part sectional view of the laundry treating apparatus according to the present embodiment in a state in which the cover is opened. Fig. 3A and 3B are action diagrams showing the washing operation of the laundry treatment apparatus according to the present embodiment. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the action of the dewatering operation of the laundry treatment apparatus according to the present embodiment.

In fig. 1 and 2, the laundry treating apparatus 1 includes a lower tub portion 6 and an upper cover 5. The water tank portion 6 includes a cleaning tank 4 formed in a square shape having a predetermined depth. An opening 3 is formed in the upper surface of the washing tub 4, and the opening 3 serves as an opening for placing laundry 2 such as clothes therein. The lid 5 is rotatably attached to the rear edge of the upper side of the water tank 6 by a hinge 6 a. And the lid 5 has a lid portion 5b for opening and closing the opening 3 of the cleaning tank 4.

It should be noted that, any suitable washing tank in the prior art may be adopted in the laundry treatment apparatus 1, and therefore, the present embodiment is not limited to this specific information regarding the installation position, structure, size, etc. of the washing tank 4, and in practical application, any suitable installation position, structure, or size may be selected according to the practical application requirement, which is limited by the space and will not be described herein.

The shape of the object 2 to be cleaned is set by the user and stored in the bottom 4a of the cleaning tank 4. In the laundry treatment apparatus according to the present embodiment, laundry or the like that is likely to be removed or broken is particularly effective when washing is performed by a normal laundry treatment apparatus that applies mechanical force to the object 2 to be washed. Examples of such an object 2 to be cleaned include a sweater and a woolen textile such as a placket sweater, and a scarf made of a delicate material made of very fine fibers.

A handle 5a is provided on the front surface of the cover 5. The user holds the handle 5a to rotate the lid 5 in the direction of arrow R1, thereby opening and closing the opening 3. Further, the opening 3 is configured to be held in an opened state. When the opening 3 is closed, the cover 5 is locked by a locking device (not shown) to hold the cover 5 in a closed state. When the opening 3 is opened, the locking device is unlocked by the operation of the handle 5a.

A pressing portion 8 and a pressurizing and depressurizing portion 7 are provided inside the lid body 5. In the present embodiment, the pressing portion 8 includes two sets, that is, the pressing portion 8a and the pressing portion 8b, and the pressure increasing and reducing portion 7 includes two sets, that is, the 1 st pressure increasing and reducing portion 7a and the 2 nd pressure increasing and reducing portion 7b.

The 1 st pressurizing/depressurizing unit 7a includes a pump 10, a pressurizing path 9 connecting the pressing unit 8a to the discharge port 10a of the pump 10, a 1 st switching unit 26a, a depressurizing path 90 connecting the pressing unit 8a to the suction port 10b of the pump 10, a 2 nd switching unit 26b, and an opening/closing unit 11a.

The 2 nd pressurizing/depressurizing unit 7b includes a pump 10, a pressurizing path 9 connecting the pressing unit 8b to the discharge port 10a of the pump 10, a 1 st switching unit 26a, a depressurizing path 90 connecting the pressing unit 8b to the suction port 10b of the pump 10, a 2 nd switching unit 26b, and an opening/closing unit 11b.

Here, the path from the pump 10 to the 1 st switching portion 26a and the path from the pump 10 to the 2 nd switching portion 26b are shared by the two pressure increasing and reducing portions 7.

The pump 10 is a pressurizing portion that supplies air to the pressing portions 8 (8 a, 8 b) to pressurize the air, and is also a depressurizing portion that sucks air from the pressing portions 8 (8 a, 8 b) to depressurize the air. In addition, as will be described later, the pump 10 also has the following functions: by switching the paths, the suction device sucks the cleaning water contained in the object 2 to be cleaned in the cleaning tank 4 and the air in the cleaning tank 4. The pump 10 serves as the pressurizing unit, the depressurizing unit, and the suction unit.

The pressing portions 8 (8 a, 8 b) have a bellows shape, are formed in a bag shape, and have flexibility. The material of the pressing portion 8 (8 a, 8 b) is, for example, rubber or synthetic resin.

The reference numerals a and b of the pressurizing/depressurizing portions 7 (7 a and 7 b), the pressing portions 8 (8 a and 8 b), and the opening/closing portions 11 (11 a and 11 b) denote a plurality of units, respectively, and are omitted unless a distinction between the plurality is particularly required.

The pressing portion 8 and the discharge port 10a of the pump 10 are connected to the pressurizing path 9, and a 1 st switching portion 26a is provided midway. The 1 st path 9a constitutes a connection portion between the 1 st switching unit 26a and the pressing unit 8 a. The 2 nd path 9b constitutes a connection portion between the 1 st switching portion 26a and the pressing portion 8 b.

The pressure reducing path 90 is connected to the pressing portion 8 and the suction port 10b of the pump 10, and the 2 nd switching portion 26b is provided midway. The 3 rd path 9c constitutes a connection portion between the 2 nd switching portion 26b and the pressing portion 8 a. The 4 th path 9d constitutes a connection portion between the 2 nd switching portion 26b and the pressing portion 8 b.

The 1 st switching unit 26a provided in the pressurizing path 9 is configured to be capable of switching to communicate the discharge port 10a of the pump 10 with either one of the pressing units 8a, 8b or to communicate the discharge port 10a with all of the pressing units 8 (8 a, 8 b). The 2 nd switching unit 26b is configured to be capable of switching to connect the suction port 10b of the pump 10 to either one of the pressing units 8a and 8b or to disconnect the suction port 10b from all the pressing units 8 (8 a and 8 b).

The opening/closing parts 11 (11 a, 11 b) are provided in the pressing parts 8 (8 a, 8 b), respectively. The opening/closing unit 11 is controlled to be opened and closed by a control unit 39 described later, and when opened, communicates the inside of the pressing unit 8 with the outside air to discharge the air supplied to the pressing unit 8 by the pump 10 to the outside or to introduce the outside air.

The pressing portions 8 (8 a, 8 b) are provided with constant-pressure opening valves (not shown). When the inside of the pressing portion 8 becomes a predetermined pressure, the constant pressure opening valve opens to exhaust the air to the outside, thereby preventing the inside of the pressing portion 8 from being pressurized beyond the predetermined pressure. The pressing portion 8 is maintained at a predetermined value set by the constant pressure opening valve, and the object 2 to be cleaned is pressurized by the pressing portion 8 at a constant pressure. The constant pressure opening valve may be configured to have a function of the opening/closing portion 11.

In the present embodiment, the pressurizing/depressurizing unit 7 (7 a, 7 b) is composed of two groups. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be constituted by one or more groups.

The two pressurizing and depressurizing portions 7 are arranged in a row inside the cover 5. The pressing portion 8 is attached to the cleaning tank 4 side of the cover 5.

The pressing portion 8 is configured to be retractable by expanding and contracting, and to be retractable with respect to the object 2 stored in the bottom portion 4a of the cleaning tank 4. The pressing portion 8 has a pressing surface 8c for pressing the object 2 to be cleaned and a bellows-like expansion and contraction portion 8d. The pressing portion 8 extends to such an extent that the pressing surface 8c reaches the bottom 4a of the cleaning tank 4.

A hollow pad 12 which can be deformed is provided annularly outside the pressing portion 8 in the lid portion 5b facing the cleaning tank 4. When the lid 5b is closed together with the lid 5, the gasket 12 is brought into close contact with the sealing portion 13, and the sealing portion 13 is formed in a concave shape along the peripheral edge portion of the opening 3 of the cleaning tank 4. Thus, when the lid 5b is closed, the inside of the cleaning tank 4 becomes a liquid-tight and airtight space. Therefore, water and air do not leak from the opening 3 to the outside when washing, rinsing, and dehydrating steps are performed.

The cover 5 is provided with a water supply path 16 for supplying the cleaning water to the cleaning tank 4. A water supply valve 14 is provided in the middle of the water supply path 16, and the water supply path 16 communicates with the inside of the washing tub 4 via a detergent box 15. The supply of tap water (cleaning water) into the cleaning tank 4 is performed by opening the water supply valve 14, and the supply of tap water (cleaning water) into the cleaning tank 4 is stopped by closing the water supply valve 14.

The water level detection unit 17 is provided in communication with the inside of the washing tank 4. The water level detection unit 17 includes a water level detection tank 18, a float 19, and a water level switch 20, the water level detection tank 18 having an opening in an upper portion thereof, the float 19 moving up and down in accordance with a fluctuation in the water level detection tank 18, and the water level switch 20 detecting when the float 19 rises to a predetermined position.

A drain hole 21 for draining the cleaning water used in the cleaning process and the like is formed in the bottom 4a of the cleaning tank 4. The drain hole 21 communicates with a drain path 23 provided with a drain valve 22. The drain of the washing water in the washing tub 4 is performed by opening the drain valve 22, and the drain of the washing water in the washing tub 4 is stopped by closing the drain valve 22.

The water tank 6 is provided with an overflow path 24, and the overflow path 24 is used to discharge the cleaning water in the cleaning tank 4 to the outside when the water level in the cleaning tank 4 is equal to or higher than a predetermined level. The overflow path 24 has an overflow hole 24a in an upper portion of the cleaning tank 4, and is connected to the drain path 23 on a downstream side of the drain valve 22.

The overflow path 24 is provided with a check valve (not shown). The check valve is configured to open the overflow path 24 in the discharge direction and close the overflow path 24 in the inflow direction. That is, the check valve is configured to pass the washing water flowing out from the overflow hole 24a and discharge the washing water to the outside in the washing process and the rinsing process. In the dehydration step, when the air in the washing tank 4 is sucked by the pump 10, which will be described later, the check valve prevents the inflow of outside air into the washing tank 4.

A suction port 25 is provided at a substantially central portion of the bottom portion 4a of the cleaning tank 4, and the suction port 25 is covered with the object 2 to be cleaned when the object 2 to be cleaned is placed in the cleaning tank 4.

The suction path 27 is provided in communication with the suction port 25. The suction path 27 connects the cleaning tank 4 to the suction port 10b of the pump 10 via the suction port 25. The pump 10 sucks the cleaning water from the air in the cleaning tank 4 and the object 2 to be cleaned via the suction path 27. As described above, the pump 10 functions as a suction device at this time.

When the pump 10 sucks the cleaning water from the object 2, the air in the cleaning tank 4 is also sucked. Here, an air introduction portion 28 for introducing outside air from outside the cleaning tank 4 to inside the cleaning tank 4 is provided. The air introduction portion 28 may be provided with an opening at a position above the water level of the cleaning water stored in the cleaning tank 4. In the present embodiment, the opening is provided in the water level detecting portion 17 communicating with the inside of the washing tub 4.

The air introduction portion 28 includes an air introduction path communicating with the inside of the cleaning tank 4, and an air quantity control valve 29 is provided in the air introduction path as an air quantity control portion capable of controlling the quantity of air introduced. The air volume control valve 29 is, for example, an electronically controllable valve, and can control the amount of air sucked by the pump 10. The sucked outside air may be directly introduced from the outside of the laundry treating apparatus 1 or may be introduced through the internal space of the laundry treating apparatus 1.

The suction path 27 is provided with a gas-liquid separation portion 30, and the gas-liquid separation portion 30 is configured to separate air in the cleaning tank 4 from the cleaning water sucked from the object 2 to be cleaned and to accumulate the sucked cleaning water. The gas-liquid separation portion 30 is constituted by a pressure-resistant vessel. Further, a secondary communication port 31 communicating with the suction path 27 and a primary communication port 33 communicating with the suction port 10b of the pump 10 are provided above the gas-liquid separation portion 30. A suction path opening/closing portion 27a for opening/closing the suction path 27 is provided between the primary side communication port 33 of the gas-liquid separation portion 30 and the suction port 10b of the pump 10.

A blocking wall 34 is provided between the primary side communication port 33 and the secondary side communication port 31. The blocking wall 34 is formed to protrude downward from the top surface of the gas-liquid separation portion 30. Thereby preventing the wash water sucked into the gas-liquid separation portion 30 from the secondary side communication port 31 from entering the primary side communication port 33.

A dehydration drain 35 is provided at the bottom of the gas-liquid separation portion 30. The dewatering outlet 35 communicates with a dewatering outlet channel 37 having a dewatering outlet valve 36 which can be opened and closed.

An overflow detecting section 38 is provided at a predetermined height of the inner wall of the gas-liquid separation section 30. The overflow detecting section 38 is constituted by, for example, a pair of electrodes or the like, and detects that the amount of the cleaning water accumulated in the gas-liquid separating section 30 reaches a predetermined amount. When the overflow detecting section 38 detects the washing water, the dewatering drain valve 36 is opened to drain the washing water. The overflow detecting section 38 is provided so that a certain space exists between the lower end of the blocking wall 34 and the water surface when the washing water is detected.

The control unit 39 is disposed on the side surface of the inside of the cover 5. The operation display unit 40 is provided on the upper surface of the control unit 39. The control unit 39 controls the pump 10, the opening/closing unit 11, the water supply valve 14, the drain valve 22, the 1 st switching unit 26a, the 2 nd switching unit 26b, the suction path opening/closing unit 27a, the air volume control valve 29, the dewatering drain valve 36, and the like. The control unit 39 controls the washing step, the rinsing step, and the dehydrating step in this order, thereby executing the washing operation.

Hereinafter, the operation and operation of the laundry treatment apparatus 1 configured as described above will be described.

The user inputs selection of an operation program, time of each process, and the like from an operation display unit 40 provided in front of the upper surface of the lid 5. The control unit 39 executes the steps from washing to dewatering as a series of operations based on the setting contents. The setting operation may be performed after the object 2 to be cleaned is placed, which will be described later.

After the user operates the handle 5a and unlocks it, the user opens the cover 5, sorts the shape of the object 2 to be cleaned, and places it on the bottom 4a of the cleaning tank 4. Depending on the size of the object 2 to be cleaned, the object may be folded. When the cover 5 is closed and locked after the object 2 is placed, the control unit 39 starts the operation according to the operation program set by the operation display unit 40.

In the first washing step of the operation program, the control unit 39 first performs a water supply operation. The control unit 39 opens the water supply valve 14 to supply tap water and detergent as washing water from the water supply path 16 into the washing tub 4. At this time, the air volume control valve 29 is opened, and the drain valve 22, the suction path opening/closing portion 27a, and the dewatering drain valve 36 are closed. The supplied cleaning water gradually permeates the object 2 to be cleaned, and is contained between the fibers of the object 2 to be cleaned. The control unit 39 supplies the cleaning water to the inside of the cleaning tank 4 to a predetermined water level, and closes the water supply valve 14 when the predetermined water level is detected by the water level switch 20 of the water level detection unit 17.

When the water supply is completed, the control unit 39 closes the opening/closing unit 11 and the air volume adjusting valve 29. The control unit 39 switches the 1 st switching unit 26a to communicate only the discharge port 10a and the pressing unit 8a via the 1 st path 9a, and switches the 2 nd switching unit 26b to communicate only the suction port 10b and the pressing unit 8b via the 4 th path 9 d.

Next, the control unit 39 drives the pump 10 for a predetermined time or until the pressing unit 8a reaches a predetermined pressure. Thereby, the air in the pressing portion 8b is sucked through the 4 th path 9d, and the air is supplied into the pressing portion 8a through the 1 st path 9 a. Then, as shown in fig. 3A, the pressing portion 8B contracts (arrow B1), and the pressing portion 8a expands (arrow A1).

Specifically, the expansion and contraction portion 8d of the pressing portion 8a is extended, and the pressing portion 8a is extended in the direction of the arrow A1 toward the object 2 to be cleaned. Thereby, the portion of the object 2 to be cleaned below the pressing portion 8a pressed by the pressing surface 8c is compressed, and the thickness is reduced. As the object 2 is compressed and changes its volume, a part of the washing water contained in the object 2 is pushed out of the object 2. In this way, a water flow is generated inside the object 2, and dirt adhering to the object 2 is separated from the fibers by the water flow, thereby removing the dirt.

In addition, a part of the cleaning water contained in the object 2 moves in the direction indicated by the arrow C1 from the lower side of the pressing portion 8a to the lower side of the pressing portion 8b in the object 2. The cleaning water thus moved pushes up the pressing surface 8c of the pressing portion 8b while expanding the object 2 under the pressing portion 8 b.

Next, the control unit 39 switches the 1 st switching unit 26a to communicate only the discharge port 10a and the pressing unit 8b via the 2 nd path 9b, and switches the 2 nd switching unit 26b to communicate only the suction port 10b and the pressing unit 8a via the 3 rd path 9c, with the opening/closing unit 11 and the air volume adjusting valve 29 being closed.

Next, the control unit 39 drives the pump 10 for a predetermined time or until the pressing unit 8b reaches a predetermined pressure. Thereby, the air in the pressing portion 8a is sucked through the 3 rd path 9c, and the air is supplied into the pressing portion 8b through the 2 nd path 9 b. Then, as shown in fig. 3B, the pressing portion 8a contracts (arrow A2), and the pressing portion 8B expands (arrow B2).

Specifically, the expansion and contraction portion 8d of the pressing portion 8B is extended, and the pressing portion 8B is extended in the direction of the arrow B2 toward the object 2 to be cleaned. Thereby, the portion of the object 2 to be cleaned below the pressing portion 8b pressed by the pressing surface 8c is compressed, and the thickness is reduced. As the object 2 is compressed and changes its volume, a part of the washing water contained in the object 2 is pushed out of the object 2. In this way, a water flow is generated inside the object 2, and dirt adhering to the object 2 is separated from the fibers by the water flow, thereby removing the dirt.

In addition, a part of the cleaning water contained in the object 2 moves in the direction indicated by the arrow C2 from below the pressing portion 8b to below the pressing portion 8a in the object 2. The cleaning water thus moved pushes up the pressing surface 8c of the pressing portion 8a while expanding the object 2 under the pressing portion 8 a.

In this way, in the washing step, the pressing portion 8a and the pressing portion 8b are repeatedly inflated and deflated at alternately different timings for a predetermined time (for example, 10 minutes) (for example, the pressurization by inflation of the pressing portion 8a is performed for 1 second, and the depressurization by deflation of the pressing portion 8b is performed for 1 second).

Thus, the object 2 to be cleaned is pressed and washed, and the cleaning effect is exhibited. That is, the dirt can be removed by generating a multidirectional water flow inside the object 2 without applying mechanical force generated by stirring, beating, or the like to the object 2. In addition, in addition to the expansion and contraction of the pressing portions 8a and 8b being alternately performed at predetermined times as described above, the expansion and contraction of the pressing portions 8a and 8b may be alternately performed at a predetermined pressure.

When the washing process from the washing process to the dehydrating process is set, the control unit 39 sequentially executes the rinsing process and the dehydrating process following the washing process.

In the rinsing step, for example, after the draining operation and the intermediate dehydrating operation are performed, the water storage rinsing operation is performed.

In the draining operation, the drain valve 22 is opened, and the washing water in the washing tub 4 is discharged to the outside through the drain hole 21 and the drain path 23. At this time, the control unit 39 opens the air volume control valve 29 to communicate the cleaning tank 4 with the outside air, thereby promoting air replacement and smoothly discharging the cleaning water.

In the intermediate dehydration operation, the control unit 39 opens the opening/closing unit 11 and the suction path opening/closing unit 27a in a state where the drain valve 22 is closed. The control unit 39 switches the 1 st switching unit 26a so that the discharge port 10a and the pressing unit 8a communicate via the 1 st path 9a and the discharge port 10a and the pressing unit 8b communicate via the 2 nd path 9 b. That is, the air supply to all the pressing portions 8 is switched. Further, the control unit 39 closes the 2 nd switching unit 26b so as to cut off the communication between the suction port 10b and all the pressing units 8.

Next, the control unit 39 drives the pump 10. The pump 10 sucks the air in the cleaning tank 4 and the cleaning water in the object 2 to be cleaned from the suction port 25 through the suction path 27. The suctioned cleaning water flows out from the suction port 25 to the suction path 27 from the cleaning tank 4 as indicated by an arrow C3, and moves and is stored in the gas-liquid separation portion 30.

The air in the suctioned cleaning tank 4 is supplied to the pressing portions 8a and 8b through the 1 st path 9a and the 2 nd path 9b via the gas-liquid separation portion 30 and the pump 10. Thereby, as shown in fig. 4, the pressing portion 8a is inflated (arrow A3), and the pressing portion 8B is inflated (arrow B3). The intermediate dehydration operation is performed for a predetermined time (for example, 1 minute).

The air sucked together with the cleaning water passes through the suction path 27 from the suction port 25 and enters the gas-liquid separation portion 30 through the secondary communication port 31. Then, the air is sucked into the pump 10 from the primary communication port 33 and discharged to the pressing portion 8. The cleaning water falls from the secondary side communication port 31 by gravity. The cleaning water is stored in the gas-liquid separator 30 by the blocking wall 34 provided between the primary communication port 33 and the secondary communication port 31, and does not enter the primary communication port 33.

In the water storage rinsing operation, the water supply valve 14 is opened to supply a predetermined amount of washing water into the washing tub 4. Then, the pump 10 is driven in the same manner as in the washing step. The expansion and contraction of the pressing portions 8a and 8b are alternately repeated, and the detergent concentration of the cleaning water in the object 2 to be cleaned is diluted. The rinsing process is repeated a plurality of times (for example, twice).

The control unit 39 executes the rinsing step and then the dehydrating step. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the operation of the laundry machine according to the present embodiment in the dehydration step. In the dehydration step, a water discharge operation and a final dehydration operation are performed.

First, the control unit 39 performs a water discharge operation. That is, the drain valve 22 is opened, and the washing water in the washing tub 4 is discharged to the outside through the drain hole 21 and the drain path 23. At this time, the air volume control valve 29 is opened to communicate the inside of the washing tub 4 with the outside, thereby smoothly discharging the washing water. The air volume control valve 29 is opened, all the opening and closing portions 11 are closed, and the dewatering drain valve 36 is closed.

The control unit 39 performs the final dewatering operation after the water discharge operation is completed. The control unit 39 opens the opening/closing unit 11 and the suction path opening/closing unit 27a in a state where the drain valve 22 is closed. The control unit 39 switches the 1 st switching unit 26a so that the discharge port 10a and the pressing unit 8a communicate via the 1 st path 9a and the discharge port 10a and the pressing unit 8b communicate via the 2 nd path 9 b. That is, all the pressing portions 8 are communicated to supply air. Thus, the pressing portion 8 communicates with the outside air, and the inside is at the atmospheric pressure. The control unit 39 closes the 2 nd switching unit 26b to shut off the communication between the suction port 10b and all the pressing units 8.

Next, the control unit 39 drives the pump 10. The pump 10 sucks the air in the cleaning tank 4 and the cleaning water in the object 2 to be cleaned from the suction port 25 through the suction path 27. The suctioned cleaning water flows out from the suction port 25 to the suction path 27 from the cleaning tank 4 as indicated by an arrow C3, and moves and is stored in the gas-liquid separation portion 30.

The air in the suctioned cleaning tank 4 is supplied to the pressing portions 8a and 8b through the 1 st path 9a and the 2 nd path 9b via the gas-liquid separation portion 30 and the pump 10. Thereby, as shown in fig. 4, the pressing portion 8a is inflated (arrow A3), and the pressing portion 8B is inflated (arrow B3).

When sucking the air in the cleaning tank 4, the control section 39 controls the air introduction section 28 to introduce the outside air into the interior of the cleaning tank 4. Although outside air is introduced into the cleaning tank 4, the pressure inside the cleaning tank 4 is also lower than the pressure of the outside air. Therefore, the outside air flows into the pressing portion 8 from the opened opening/closing portion 11 due to the pressure difference between the outside air and the inside of the cleaning tank 4, and the pressing portion 8 expands to press the object 2 to be cleaned.

By the structure and action of the pressing portion 8, the pressing surface 8c can be pressed in close contact with the object 2 to be cleaned. The cleaning water contained in the object 2 to be cleaned can be forcibly squeezed out.

The outside air flowing into the cleaning tank 4 from the air introduction portion 28 extrudes the cleaning water retained between the fibers of the object 2 to be cleaned, and moves the water to the suction port 25. The cleaning water sent to the suction port 25 is sent from the suction port 25 to the gas-liquid separation portion 30 through the suction path 27, and is effectively dehydrated from the object 2 to be cleaned.

The control unit 39 sucks the cleaning water together with the outside air introduced into the cleaning tank 4 by the pump 10. When a predetermined time (for example, 4 minutes) elapses, the driving of the pump 10 is stopped, and the dehydration step is terminated.

In the dehydration step, when the purge water flows into the gas-liquid separation portion 30 beyond a predetermined amount, the control portion 39 detects this at the overflow detection portion 38, and stops the pump 10. Then, the closed drain valve 36 is opened to drain the washing water to the outside.

Next, the dewatering operation of the laundry treatment apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described in detail.

Fig. 5 is a diagram showing functional blocks related to the dewatering operation of the laundry machine according to the present embodiment.

As shown in fig. 5, when the operation program input by the user through the operation display unit 40 (corresponding to the man-machine interaction module) includes a dehydration step, the control unit 39 controls the pressing unit 8, the suction unit (including the pump 10 (air pump device) and the suction path 27 as suction means), and the air introduction unit 28 so as to suck the inside of the cleaning tank 4 to dehydrate the object while the pressing unit 8 presses the object.

Specifically, for example, during the dewatering operation, the control unit 39 first activates the suction device 10 to suck the cleaning water and air in the cleaning tank 4. With the suction by the suction device 10, the air pressure in the cleaning tank 4 becomes a negative air pressure lower than the external atmospheric pressure. At this time, the inside of the pressing portion 8 is at atmospheric pressure, and an air pressure difference is generated with the inside of the cleaning tank 4, and the pressing portion 8 presses the cleaning object due to the air pressure difference. When the negative air pressure in the cleaning tank 4 reaches a predetermined pressure value as the suction continues, the control unit 39 activates the air introduction unit 28 to introduce air, and maintains the pressure in the cleaning tank 4 at the predetermined negative air pressure to continue the suction until the dewatering operation is completed. Thus, the water in the cleaned object is taken away by the air flow so as to achieve the purpose of dehydration.

The dewatering effect achieved when the suction unit sucks the object to be cleaned with the same suction performance is different depending on the object to be cleaned. For example, in the case where the object to be cleaned is a thick coat, the pressure loss of the air flow passing through the object to be cleaned is larger and the flow rate is decreased, and a longer period of time for dehydration is required to achieve the target dehydration, as compared with the case where the object to be cleaned is a shirt.

The suction performance of the suction device 10 required to achieve the target dehydration is also different depending on the object to be washed. Fig. 6 is a graph showing Q-P characteristics (air volume-air pressure characteristics) of the suction device 10 of the laundry treating apparatus according to the present embodiment. In the drawing, the horizontal axis represents the pressure inside the cleaning tank, and the horizontal axis represents the negative pressure inside the cleaning tank from right to left, that is, the absolute value of the negative pressure increases, and the vertical axis represents the air volume generated by suction of the suction device 10, and the vertical axis represents the air volume generated from bottom to top. As shown in fig. 6, the darker region is a region where the combination of the air volume and the pressure of the dehydration target of the thick coat can be achieved, and the lighter region is a region where the combination of the air volume and the pressure of the dehydration target of the shirt can be achieved, and it is clear that a larger air volume is required for dehydration of the thick coat in the case of the same pressure. It is also known that as the absolute value of the negative air pressure in the cleaning tank 4 increases, the maximum air volume that can be generated by suction by the suction device 10 decreases.

Based on the above, in the present disclosure, in the dewatering operation, as shown in fig. 5, the control unit 39 controls the suction operation of the suction unit accordingly based on the information of the object to be cleaned acquired from the laundry sensor 412 by the information acquisition unit 392 (corresponding to the object to be cleaned information acquisition unit), or based on the information of the object to be cleaned input by the user by the information acquisition unit 392 from the operation display unit 40, or based on the information of the object to be cleaned acquired from the external device 413 by the information acquisition unit 392 via the communication unit 391 (corresponding to the communication module), so as to perform dewatering suitable for the object to be cleaned.

The information of the object to be cleaned includes, for example, at least one of object feature information and user demand information, and the object feature information includes, for example, at least one of a weight, a volume, a type, a material, a color, and a degree of dirt of the object to be cleaned, and the user demand information includes, for example, at least one of a washing pattern, a dehydration intensity, a care intensity, a reservation time, a time period, a water consumption amount, a power consumption amount, and a sterilization demand.

Next, an example of control of the suction operation of the suction unit in the dewatering operation of the laundry treatment apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 6 and 7.

Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of control of the suction operation in the dewatering operation of the laundry treatment apparatus according to the present embodiment. The dewatering time is set to be constant, and the suction operation of the suction device in an ideal case is controlled.

As shown in fig. 7, when the dewatering operation is started, the control unit 39 selects a predetermined air volume for dewatering the object to be cleaned based on the type of the object to be cleaned (step S1). For example, based on fig. 6, when the object to be cleaned is a shirt, the air volume to be dehydrated is set to aL/min, and when the object to be cleaned is a thick coat, the air volume to be dehydrated is set to bL/min.

After the predetermined air volume is selected, the control unit 39 causes the suction device to operate with a preset parameter to generate the selected predetermined air volume, and starts the dewatering operation (step S2). The preset parameter is, for example, a parameter for causing the suction device to generate a selected predetermined air volume at atmospheric pressure, and is at least one of an output voltage, an output current, an output frequency, an output power, and the like of the suction device.

After the start of the dewatering operation, the flow rate flowing through the suction path 27, here, the air volume flowing through the suction path 27 is detected by a flow rate detecting device (not shown) provided in the suction path 27. The control unit 39 determines whether or not the air volume has changed by a predetermined amount Δl based on the air volume detected by the flow rate detection device (step S3).

If the air volume has not changed by a predetermined amount (no in step S3), the process proceeds to step S4. When the air volume is reduced by a predetermined amount from the predetermined air volume, the process proceeds to step S5.

In step S5, the control unit 39 determines whether or not the air pressure in the cleaning tank 4 detected by the air pressure sensor 411 is smaller than a set value. For example, if the object to be cleaned is a shirt, it is determined whether the air pressure in the cleaning tank 4 is lower than Pg, and if the object to be cleaned is a thick coat, it is determined whether the air pressure in the cleaning tank 4 is lower than Pf.

When it is determined in step S5 that the air pressure in the cleaning tank 4 is not less than the set value (step S5: no), the control unit 39 changes the parameters of the suction device 10 to raise the air volume in the suction path 27 and return the air volume to the predetermined air volume (step S6).

When it is determined in step S5 that the air pressure in the cleaning tank 4 is smaller than the set value (yes in step S5), the control unit 39 opens the air volume control valve 29 (for example, electronically controllable valve) of the air introduction unit 28 to introduce air from the air introduction unit 28 into the cleaning tank 4 and control the parameters of the suction device 10, thereby maintaining the air pressure in the cleaning tank 4 at the set value and raising the air volume in the suction path 27 to return to the predetermined air volume (step S7).

When it is determined in step S3 that the air volume has risen by a predetermined amount from the predetermined air volume, the process proceeds to step S8.

In step S8, the control unit 39 changes the parameters of the suction device 10 to reduce the air volume in the suction path 27 and return the air volume to the predetermined air volume.

After step S3, step S6, step S7, or step S8, the control unit determines whether or not the predetermined time period set for the dehydration operation has elapsed (step S4). If the predetermined time has not elapsed (step S4: NO), the process returns to step S3, and if the predetermined time has elapsed (step S4: YES), the dewatering operation is ended.

In this way, at the time of dehydration, the suction unit is caused to perform the suction operation according to the information of the object to be washed, so that it is possible to perform dehydration more suitable for the object to be washed.

Next, another example of control of the suction operation of the suction unit in the dewatering operation of the laundry treatment apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 8. The suction operation is controlled by setting the dehydration time to be constant and setting the control parameter for the suction device to be constant.

In this example, when the dewatering operation is started, the control unit 39 selects a predetermined air volume for dewatering the object to be cleaned based on the type of the object to be cleaned, as in the flowchart of fig. 7 (step S11).

After the predetermined air volume is selected, the control unit 39 sets the diameter size of the suction path to a preset size, and causes the suction device to operate with preset parameters to generate the selected predetermined air volume, thereby starting the dewatering operation (step S12). The preset parameter is, for example, at least one of an output voltage, an output current, an output frequency, and an output power of the suction device (for example, the pump 10) that is electrically driven. Regarding the aperture size of the suction path 27, for example, an electronically controllable valve (not shown) may be provided in the suction path 27, and the aperture of the electronically controllable valve may be controlled by the control unit 39 to set the aperture size of the suction path 27 to a predetermined size.

After the start of the dewatering operation, the flow rate flowing through the suction path 27, here, the air volume flowing through the suction path 27 is detected by a flow rate detecting device (not shown) provided in the suction path 27. The control unit 39 determines whether or not the air volume has changed by a predetermined amount Δl based on the air volume detected by the flow rate detection device (step S13). The predetermined amount of the change may be arbitrarily set as needed.

If the air volume has not changed by a predetermined amount (no in step S13), the process proceeds to step S14. When the air volume is reduced by a predetermined amount from the predetermined air volume, the process advances to step S15.

In step S15, the control unit 39 determines whether or not the air pressure in the cleaning tank 4 detected by the air pressure sensor 411 is smaller than a set value. For example, if the object to be cleaned is a shirt, it is determined whether the air pressure in the cleaning tank 4 is lower than Pg, and if the object to be cleaned is a thick coat, it is determined whether the air pressure in the cleaning tank 4 is lower than Pf.

When it is determined in step S15 that the air pressure in the cleaning tank 4 is not less than the set value (step S15: no), the control unit 39 controls the opening degree of the electronically controllable valve to change the aperture size of the suction path 27, for example, increases the opening degree of the electronically controllable valve to increase the aperture size of the suction path 27, thereby increasing the air volume in the suction path 27 to return to the predetermined air volume (step S16).

When it is determined in step S15 that the air pressure in the cleaning tank 4 is smaller than the set value (yes in step S15), the control unit 39 opens the air volume control valve 29 (for example, electronically controllable valve) of the air introduction unit 28 to introduce air from the air introduction unit 28 into the cleaning tank 4, controls the opening degree of the electronically controllable valve to control the aperture size of the suction path 27, thereby maintaining the air pressure in the cleaning tank 4 at the set value, and increases the air volume in the suction path 27 to return to the predetermined air volume (step S17).

When it is determined in step S13 that the air volume has risen by a predetermined amount from the predetermined air volume, the process proceeds to step S18.

In step S18, the control unit 39 controls the opening degree of the electronically controllable valve to change the aperture size of the suction path 27, for example, reduces the opening degree of the electronically controllable valve to reduce the aperture size of the suction path 27, thereby reducing the air volume in the suction path 27 to return to a predetermined air volume.

After step S13, step S16, step S17, or step S18, the control unit determines whether or not the predetermined time period set for the dewatering operation has elapsed (step S14). If the predetermined time has not elapsed (step S14: NO), the process returns to step S13, and if the predetermined time has elapsed (step S14: yes), the dewatering operation is terminated.

In this example, the suction unit can be caused to perform a suction operation according to the information of the object to be cleaned, depending on the type of the object to be cleaned, and the object to be cleaned can be dehydrated more suitably.

In this example, the description has been made taking the example in which the electronically controllable valve is provided in the suction path 27 and the aperture size of the suction path 27 is changed by controlling the opening degree of the electronically controllable valve, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the suction path 27 may include a plurality of suction branches communicating with the cleaning tank 4, and a plurality of mechanical switching valves provided in the respective suction branches, and the control unit 39 may control the opening and closing of the respective mechanical switching valves of the plurality of suction branches to change the diameter size of the suction path 27 so that the air volume flowing through the suction path 27 becomes a predetermined air volume during dehydration.

In the above example, the parameters of the suction device and the aperture size of the suction path were controlled individually as an example, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the control unit 39 may change the diameter size of the suction path 27, and when the air volume cannot be further changed by changing the diameter size of the suction path 27, change the control parameters of the suction device 10 so that the air volume flowing through the suction path 27 becomes a predetermined air volume according to the information of the object to be cleaned.

The control unit 39 may change the control parameter of the suction device 10 first, and when the air volume cannot be further changed by changing the control parameter of the suction device 10, change the aperture size of the suction path 27, thereby setting the air volume flowing through the suction path 27 to a predetermined air volume according to the information of the object to be cleaned. When the suction path 27 is made small-diameter and the air pressure in the cleaning tank 4 is reduced to a level at which the air volume cannot be further changed by the suction device 10 as shown in fig. 9 (a), for example, and when the air volume is reduced by a predetermined amount, the air volume is increased by increasing the aperture size of the suction path 27 as shown in fig. 9 (B), for example.

In the above examples, the air volume flowing through the suction path 27 was described as an example of a predetermined air volume, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. The flow rate of the fluid flowing through the suction path 27 may be set based on the information of the object to be cleaned, and for example, the total flow rate of the gas flow rate and the liquid flow rate may be set to a predetermined flow rate corresponding to the information of the object to be cleaned.

In the above examples, the laundry treatment apparatus has been described as having the communication unit 391, but the communication unit may not be provided.

In each of the above examples, the control unit 39 may set the predetermined flow rate by referring to the correspondence between the information of the object to be cleaned and the predetermined flow rate stored in the storage unit 393, based on the information of the object to be cleaned.

Industrial applicability

As described above, the present disclosure can be applied to a laundry treatment apparatus that is less likely to damage an object to be washed and that can perform dehydration suitable for the object to be washed.

Claims (14)

1. A clothes treatment device is provided with:

a washing tank for storing the object to be washed and washing water;

a pressing part for pressing the object to be cleaned in the cleaning tank;

a suction unit for performing a suction operation for sucking the inside of the cleaning tank; and

And a control unit that controls the pressing unit and the suction unit to dewater the object to be cleaned, and controls the suction unit to perform a suction operation on the object to be cleaned in the cleaning tank in accordance with information on the object to be cleaned when dewatering.

2. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein,

the suction part comprises a suction path communicating the suction part with the cleaning tank, and a suction device for sucking the cleaning water and air,

during dehydration, the control unit controls the suction device so that the fluid in the washing tank flows through the suction path at a predetermined flow rate set in accordance with the information of the object to be washed.

3. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein,

the suction means is an electrically driven air pump means,

the control unit controls at least one of an output voltage, an output current, and an output frequency of the air pump device to control an output power of the air pump device, so that the fluid in the cleaning tank flows through the suction path at a predetermined flow rate set in accordance with the information of the object to be cleaned.

4. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein,

the suction unit further includes a flow rate detection device provided in the suction path, the flow rate detection device detecting a flow rate of the fluid flowing through the suction path,

the control unit performs feedback control of the output power based on a detection result of the flow rate detection device so that a flow rate of the fluid flowing through the suction path is maintained at the predetermined flow rate.

5. The laundry treating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein,

the suction part comprises a suction path communicating the suction part with the cleaning tank, and a suction device for sucking the cleaning water and air,

during dehydration, the control unit controls the diameter size of the suction path so that the fluid in the cleaning tank flows through the suction path at a predetermined flow rate set in accordance with the information of the object to be cleaned.

6. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 5, wherein,

an electronically controllable valve capable of opening and closing the suction path and controllable in opening degree is arranged on the suction path,

in the dewatering, the control unit controls the opening degree of the electronically controllable valve provided in the suction path so that the fluid in the cleaning tank flows through the suction path at a predetermined flow rate set in accordance with the information of the object to be cleaned.

7. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 5, wherein,

the suction path comprises a plurality of suction branches respectively communicated with the cleaning tank and a plurality of mechanical switching valves respectively arranged on the suction branches,

at the time of dehydration, the control unit controls the opening and closing of each of the mechanical switching valves of the plurality of suction branches so that the fluid in the washing tank flows through the suction path at a predetermined flow rate set in accordance with the information of the object to be washed.

8. The laundry treating apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein,

the cleaning device further comprises a cleaning object information acquisition part, wherein the cleaning object information acquisition part acquires the information of the cleaning object; and

the control unit sets the predetermined flow rate based on the information of the object to be cleaned acquired by the object to be cleaned information acquisition unit.

9. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 8, wherein,

the control unit reads and sets a predetermined flow rate corresponding to the information of the object to be cleaned acquired by the object to be cleaned information acquisition unit, from a storage unit storing a correspondence relationship between the information of the object to be cleaned and the predetermined flow rate, based on the information of the object to be cleaned acquired by the object to be cleaned information acquisition unit.

10. The laundry treating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein,

and an air introduction part for introducing air into the cleaning tank,

during dehydration, the control part controls the air introduction part to perform the action of introducing air into the cleaning tank according to the suction action of the suction part.

11. The laundry treating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein,

in the dewatering, the control unit controls the pressing unit and the suction unit to dewater the object to be cleaned while the pressing unit presses the object to be cleaned.

12. The laundry treating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein,

the object information acquiring unit is configured to acquire information of the object by at least one of:

the method comprises the steps that information of an object to be cleaned, which is input by a user through a man-machine interaction module, is acquired through the man-machine interaction module arranged on a clothes treatment device;

detecting and acquiring information of the object to be washed by a sensor provided to the laundry treatment apparatus; and

The information of the washed object is received through a communication module arranged on the clothes processing device.

13. The laundry treating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein,

the information of the cleaned object comprises at least one of characteristic information of the cleaned object and user demand information,

the characteristic information of the cleaned object comprises at least one of the weight, the volume, the type, the material, the color and the dirt degree of the cleaned object,

the user demand information includes at least one of a washing mode, a dehydration intensity, a care intensity, a scheduled time, a time period, a water consumption amount, a power consumption amount, and a sterilization demand.

14. A control method in a laundry treating apparatus,

the laundry treatment apparatus includes: a washing tank for storing the object to be washed and washing water; a pressing part for pressing the object to be cleaned in the cleaning tank; a suction unit for performing a suction operation for sucking the inside of the cleaning tank; and a control unit that controls the pressing unit and the suction unit,

the control method comprises the following steps: the control unit controls the pressing unit and the suction unit to dewater the object to be cleaned, and controls the suction unit to perform a suction operation on the object to be cleaned in the cleaning tank in accordance with the information of the object to be cleaned when dewatering.

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