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EP-4328370-B1 - WASHING MACHINE AND CONTROL METHOD AND DEVICE THEREOF

EP4328370B1EP 4328370 B1EP4328370 B1EP 4328370B1EP-4328370-B1

Inventors

  • ZHANG, YING
  • ZHANG, WEI
  • ZHOU, ZHENDONG
  • MIAO, Yulai

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20211116

Claims (12)

  1. A control method of a washing machine (2, 4), the washing machine (2, 4) comprising an inner tub (5), a heating device (7), an outer tub (6) arranged outside the inner tub (5), and a drying system (9) in communication with a space between the inner tub (5) and the outer tub (6), the heating device (7) being configured to heat water entering the outer tub (6), the method comprising: in response to a predetermined steam program being started, feeding (S101, S201) water into the outer tub (6), and controlling the inner tub (5) of the washing machine (2, 4) to rotate at a first rotational speed r1; stopping (S102, S202) the feeding of water in response to a water level in the outer tub (6) rising to a first predetermined water level; controlling (S103) the heating device (7) to perform heating to generate steam, and treating clothes in the inner tub (5) with the steam; and characterised in that the method further comprises: introducing, during the generation of the steam, the steam into the drying system (9) to heat the steam by the drying system (9).
  2. The control method according to claim 1, further comprising: controlling, during the heating of the heating device (7) to generate the steam, the inner tub (5) to rotate at a second rotational speed r2 to disperse the clothes in the inner tub (5).
  3. The control method according to claim 2, wherein the second rotational speed r2 is smaller than the first rotational speed r1.
  4. The control method according to claim 2, further comprising: detecting, from beginning of the heating to expiry of a predetermined steam generation duration, whether the water level in the outer tub (6) drops to a second predetermined water level; and feeding water into the outer tub (6) again in response to the water level in the outer tub (6) dropping to the second predetermined water level, and increasing, in response to the feeding of water into the outer tub (6) again, the rotational speed of the inner tub (5) to a third rotational speed greater than the second rotational speed.
  5. The control method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a height of the first predetermined water level is smaller than a vertical distance between a bottom of the inner tub (5) and a bottom of the outer tub (6).
  6. The control method according to claim 1, wherein: the washing machine (2, 4) further comprises a connection structure (8) having an air outlet (81), a water inlet (82), and a water outlet (83); the drying system (9) has a drying channel (91) connected to the inner tub (5), a drying fan (92) being disposed in the drying channel (91); the connection structure (8) is constructed to connect the space between the inner tub (5) and the outer tub (6) with the drying channel (91) through the water outlet (83) and the air outlet (81), and be connected to a water inlet pipeline (10) through the water inlet (82) and to the outer tub (6) through the water outlet (83); and said introducing the steam into the drying system (9) to heat the steam by the drying system (9) comprises: starting the drying fan (92) during the generation of the steam to allow the drying fan (92) to suck the steam into the drying channel (91) through the water outlet (83) and the air outlet (81) and heat the steam in the drying channel (91).
  7. The control method according to claim 6, further comprising: blowing the heated steam into the inner tub (5) by the drying fan (92).
  8. A control device (1) of a washing machine (2, 4), the control device (1) comprising: a first processor (11); and a first computer readable storage medium (12) having instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions implement, when executed by the first processor (11), the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.
  9. A washing machine (2, 4), comprising: an inner tub (5) having a through hole; an outer tub (6) arranged outside the inner tub (5) and connected to a water inlet port; a heating device (7) configured to heat water entering the outer tub (6) to generate steam, the through hole being configured to provide a passage for allowing the stem to enter the inner tub (5); and the control device (1) according to claim 8.
  10. The washing machine (2, 4) according to claim 9, wherein the heating device (7) is disposed between the inner tub (5) and the outer tub (6).
  11. The washing machine (2, 4) according to claim 9 or 10, further comprising: a connection structure (8) having an air outlet (81), a water inlet (82), and a water outlet (83), the water outlet (83) serving as the water inlet port; and a drying system (9) having a drying channel (91) connected to the inner tub (5), wherein: the connection structure (8) connects a space between the inner tub (5) and the outer tub (6) with the drying channel (91) through the water outlet (83) and the air outlet (81), and is connected to a water inlet pipeline (10) through the water inlet (82) and to the outer tub (6) through the water outlet (83).
  12. The washing machine (2, 4) according to claim 11, wherein the drying system (9) further comprises a drying fan (92) disposed in the drying channel (91), the drying fan (92) being configured to suck the steam into the drying channel (91) and blow the heated steam into the inner tub (5).

Description

FIELD The present invention relates to, but is not limited to, the field of electrical appliances, and more particularly to, but not limited to, a washing machine and a control method and apparatus thereof. BACKGROUND Some washing machines have a steam washing mode. In the steam washing mode, when the washing machine runs a steam program, water needs to be firstly fed into the washing machine. However, during the feeding of water into the washing machine, water flows into an inner tub through a through hole at the inner tub of the washing machine to wet clothes, causing the clothes to be aggregated, which is unfavorable for absorption of the steam by the clothes. WO 2019/007489 A1 discloses a method that comprises: supplying water into the tub from the external water source till a level at which water does not enter into the drum; heating the water supplied in the tub to a temperature between 60°C and 95°C to produce steam; supplying steam to the drum while keeping the water temperature between 60°C and 95°C; and rotating the drum at a speed at which laundry inserted in the drum at least partially remains attached to the inner wall of the drum for the majority of the time during which the steam is supplied to the drum. WO 2006/129912 A1 discloses a washing machine that has an improved structure adapted to generate steam in order to improve washing effect and enable sterilization of laundry using the steam. The washing machine comprises a tub to contain water, a heater installed in the tub, and a controller to control the heater to heat the water contained in the tub and to generate steam. CN 112 239 935 A discloses a method for removing wrinkles of dry clothes by using the washing and drying integrated machine. The method comprises the following steps: injecting water into an outer barrel, wherein the water level of the injected water is lower than that of an inner barrel; heating the water in the outer barrel through a heating pipe and generating steam so as to wet the clothes in the inner barrel; and blowing hot air into the inner barrel to remove the wrinkles of the clothes. SUMMARY The invention is defined by the appended claims. In the following, apparatus and/or methods referred to as embodiments that nevertheless do not fall within the scope of the claims should be understood as examples useful for understanding the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The drawings are used for providing a further understanding of technical solutions of the present invention, and constitute a part of the specification. In addition, the drawings and embodiments of the present invention are used for explaining the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than constituting limitations to the technical solutions herein. FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a control method of a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a control method of a washing machine according to another embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 3 is a schematic structural right view of a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 4 is a schematic structural rear view of a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 5 is a composition block diagram of a control device of a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 6 is a composition block diagram of a first washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 7 is a composition block diagram of a second washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 8 is a partial schematic structural view of a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present Description of Reference Numerals: 1-control device, 11-first processor, 12-first computer readable storage medium, 2-washing machine, 5-inner tub, 6-outer tub, 7-heating device, 8-connection structure, 81-air outlet, 82-water inlet, 83-water outlet, 9-drying system, 91-drying channel, 92-drying fan, 10-water inlet pipeline. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, the embodiments in the present disclosure and the features in the embodiments may be combined arbitrarily without mutual contradiction. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a control method of a washing machine. The washing machine may include an inner tub, a heating device, and an outer tub arranged outside the inner tub. The heating device is configured to heat water entering the outer tub. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the method may include operations at blocks S101 to S103. At block S101, in response to a predetermined steam program being started, water is fed into the outer tub, and the inner tub of the washing machine is controlled to rotate at a first rotational speed r1. At block S102, the feeding of water is stopped in response to a water feeding level in the outer tub reachi