EP2085507B1

EP2085507B1 - Laundry treatment method and electrical appliance implementing the same

Info

Publication number: EP2085507B1
Application number: EP09100049.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Aifen Chen; Chaoyang Wang; Min Wu
Original assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
Current assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
Priority date: 2008-01-31
Filing date: 2009-01-20
Publication date: 2019-06-26
Anticipated expiration: 2029-01-20
Also published as: CN101498089A; EP2085507A1; CN101498089B

Description

The present invention relates to a method for treating laundry. The method comprises a step performing a spinning process by using a washing machine, and a step performing a drying process, wherein the washing machine comprises a tub, a drum rotatably positioned within the tub, and a blower for blowing airflow into the tub, wherein the drum comprises a plurality of through holes formed in walls thereof.
The present invention also relates to an electrical appliance for treating laundry, comprising: a tub; a drum positioned within the tub and having plurality of through holes formed on walls thereof; a motor for driving the drum to rotate; a blower for blowing airflow into the tub; and a control device; wherein the control device is configured that it is operable to be programmed to control implementing of a spinning process and a drying process.
A method and an appliance as defined thus are disclosed in DE 22 33 698 A1 .
A further method and washing and drying machine are disclosed in JP 2007-236459 A . Said document discloses a supplement process step for releasing laundry from an inner wall of a drum rotatable mounted with in the washing machine wherein the supplemental process step is implemented between a spinning process and process for drying and a a blower is activated for blowing warm air into the drum during the supplement process.
A method for drying textiles is also disclosed in EP 1 852 542 A1 . Said method comprises a steam treatment sub-sequence for removing crinkles or crease of the laundry whereby during the sub-sequence hot steam is directly applied to the laundry in a drum and/or the laundry is agitated during a tumbling-mode.
A washer dryer comprising a heating device for heating air and a condensing device, a condensing device and a device for blowing air to a drum is disclosed in EP 344 549 A1 . Further, EP 0 344 549 A1 discloses a heating apparatus for a combined clothes washing and drying machine, including a housing removably joined with an opening in the upper part of the wash tub and forming part of the wall of the tub.
In addition, CH 527 950 A discloses a drum washing machine provided for washing and drying laundry, wherein parts of a tub surrounding the drum containing laundry to be treated are provided to be heat exchangers. In addition, this document discloses to warm up laundry after washing and rinsing while cooling machine parts, to improve drying of the laundry.
People usually use washing machines to wash, dehydrate, and dry laundry. It is well known that the process of washing laundry usually comprises washing, rinsing, and spinning processes. A washing machine having a function of drying, sometimes called a washer-dryer, also comprises a process for drying the laundry. That process is optional to be selected by the user.
A drum type washing machine typically comprises a tub and a drum for containing laundry. The drum is positioned within the tub, and is operable to be driven by a motor to rotate around a shaft. Rotation of the drum drives the laundry to rotate therewith. Meanwhile lifters which are positioned on inner wall of the drum continually lift the laundry and water to a certain height, and then throw them down, thereby to clean the laundry. Hereafter, a rinsing process, and subsequently a spinning process are implemented. To obtain a good dehydrating rate, the drum should rotate at a relatively high speed in the spinning process. As a result, the laundry usually sticks on inner wall of the drum after the spinning process, which results in deformation and wrinkles of the laundry. To reduce the deformation and wrinkles, it is known to rotate the drum at a lower speed, to reduce the spinning time, or to divide the spinning process into several portions. But those methods will result in reduction of the dehydrating rate, or need more time.
In case of a washing machine having a drying feature where a drying process is selected, since the laundry sticks on inner wall of the drum after the spinning process, in the beginning of the drying process, only a portion of the laundry is released from the inner wall of the drum with rotation of the drum, the rest portion still sticks on the inner wall. During the drying process, the hot air contacts a surface portion of the laundry that still sticks on the drum, and cannot reach the inside portion thereof, which influences drying efficiency. Furthermore, the surface portion of the laundry which sticks on inner wall of the drum is continuously heated by the hot air, and thus damages will be caused. To release the laundry from the inner wall of the drum, it is known to rotate the drum before drying process. But this method only releases a surface portion of the laundry; there is still some laundry sticking on the inner wall of the drum. And even the released laundry usually sticks and twists to each other, which influences drying efficiency.
Moreover, even with a washing machine which has a drying function, users may sometimes not select a drying process, and dry the laundry by airing after the spinning process. And sometimes they even leave the dehydrated laundry in the drum for a long time, which causes serious wrinkles. And the deformation that has been caused due to high rotation speed of the drum during the spinning process will not be eliminated automatically after maintained for a long time.
An object of the present invention is to provide a laundry treatment method which reduces wrinkles that have been created after a spinning process of a washing machine.
Another object of the present invention is, when a washing machine having a drying function is used during treatment of laundry, and when drying process is selected, to enhance the drying efficiency, and meanwhile to avoid damage to the laundry from heating.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an electrical appliance which reduces wrinkles created after a spinning process, enhances drying efficiency, and avoids heating damages caused to the laundry.
In accordance with the invention, a laundry treatment method is provided which comprises a step performing a spinning process by using a washing machine, and a step performing a process for drying the laundry, wherein said washing machine comprises a tub, a drum rotatably positioned within the tub, and a blower for blowing airflow into the tub, wherein the drum comprises plurality of through holes formed in walls thereof; a supplemental process is implemented after the spinning process, the supplemental process being provided for releasing the laundry from an inner wall of the drum and loosen the pieces of laundry from sticking to each other, and the supplemental process comprises a step that activates the blower to blow airflow into the tub and subsequently into the drum through the through holes.
The airflow that is blown by the blower during the supplemental step will impact on the laundry through the through holes, thereby to release the laundry from the inner wall of the drum. The airflow will then release and loosen the pieces of the laundry from sticking to each other. The wrinkles and deformation are thereby reduced.
The supplemental process is separate of the drying process. Distinct from the drying process the supplemental process is scheduled to release the laundry from sticking to the drum after the spinning process having completed the washing step, and to loosen tight folds imparted to the laundry during the spinning process.
According to the invention, the washing machine comprises a heating device and a condensing device, the drying process comprises a step that activates the heating device to heat air, a step that activates the blower to blow the heated air into the tub and the drum, and a step that activates the condensing device to condense steam carried by the air flows from the tub and the drum.
The supplemental process is separate of the drying process.
The condensing device is not activated in the supplemental process.
In accordance with the invention, the laundry released and loosened during the supplemental process will make it easy for hot air to contact each portion of the laundry during the subsequent drying process, thus to enhance drying efficiency. Moreover, since the laundry tumbles with rotating of the drum after being released from sticking, each portion thereof contacts with the hot air alternately, which results in that there is not any portion of the laundry will contact the hot air for a long time, and therefore no heating damage will be caused.
Preferably, a supplemental process is implemented between the spinning process and the process for drying the laundry.
Preferably, in the supplemental process, during the step when the blower blows airflow into said tub and said drum, the drum is rotating at a predetermined speed. Rotating of the drum facilitates releasing and loosening of the laundry.
Preferably, in the supplemental process, said drum rotates alternatingly forwardly and reversely, which facilitates releasing and loosening of the laundry.
Preferably, said predetermined speed is between 35 rotations per minute and 60 rotations per minute.
Preferably, said washing machine comprises a heating device, and said method comprises a step for activating the heating device to heat the air which is being supplied to the tub and the drum by the blower during the supplemental process. The heated air facilitates reducing of the wrinkles, and is propitious to drying of the laundry at the same time.
Preferably, to avoid damages that may caused to the laundry and washing machine by excessively high temperature, the air that heated by the heating device has a temperature not higher than 50 °C.
Preferably, in the supplemental process, the blower supplies air into said tub and said drum for a period of time t which is 3 to 15 minutes.
In accordance with the present invention, an electrical appliance for treating laundry is provided, which appliance comprises a tub, a drum positioned within the tub and having a plurality of through holes formed on walls thereof, a motor for driving the drum to rotate, a blower for blowing airflow into the tub, and a control device, wherein the control device is configured such that it is operable to be programmed to control implementing of a spinning process and a drying process. The control device controls implementing of a supplemental process after the spinning process, said supplemental process being separate of the drying process, the supplemental process being provided for releasing the laundry from an inner wall of the drum and loosen the pieces of laundry from sticking to each other, and during the supplemental process, the control device activates the blower to blow airflow into the tub and subsequently into the drum through the through holes.
According to the invention, the said appliance comprises a heating device and a condensing device, the drying process comprises a step that activates the heating device to heat air, a step that activates the blower to blow the heated air into the tub and the drum, and a step that activates the condensing device to condense steam carried by the air flows from the tub and the drum.
The control device is programmed that during the supplemental process, the condensing device is not activated.
With such an electrical appliance, the airflow that is blown by the blower will impact on the laundry through the through holes, and thereby release the laundry from inner wall of the drum. The airflow will then release and loosen the pieces of laundry from sticking to each other. The wrinkles and deformation are thereby reduced. On the other hand, the released and loosened laundry makes it easy for hot air to contact each portion of the laundry, thus to enhance drying efficiency. Moreover, since the laundry tumbles with the rotation of the drum after being released from sticking, each portion thereof contacts the hot air alternately, which results in that there is not any portion of the laundry that will contact the hot air for a long time, and therefore no heating damage will be caused.
Preferably, the supplemental process is implemented between the spinning process and the drying process.
Preferably, said control device is programmed that during the supplemental process, the control device controls the motor to drive the drum to rotate.
Preferably, said control device is programmed that during the supplemental process, the control device controls the motor to drive said drum to rotate alternatingly forwardly and reversely.
Preferably, said control device is programmed that during the supplemental process, the blower is controlled by the control device to supply airflow into said tub and said drum for a period of time t which is 3 to 15 minutes.
Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention will be specified hereinafter accompanied with reference to the drawing as illustrated, wherein:

Fig.1 is a schematic view of a washing machine.
Fig.2 is a flow chart of a control method of a washing machine.

A washing machine accompanied with a drying function is introduced. Referring to Fig. 1, the washing machine 1 comprises a tub 2, a drum 3 positioned within the tub 2, and is driven by a motor 12 to rotate at a high speed. A heating device 5 is positioned above the tub 2 with one end introducing the heated air into the tub 2 and the drum 3, and another end being disposed with a blower 4 for providing air into the heating device 5. A condensing device 6 is disposed at the backside of the tub 2. The condensing device 6 has a first side connecting to an exhaust opening 7 of the tub 2, and a second side connecting to the blower 4. The blower 4, the heating device 5, the tub 2, the drum 3, and the condensing device 6 form a closed air cycling loop 8. The washing machine 1 further comprises a control device 11, which electrically connects to and is programmed to control the motor 12, the blower 4, the heating device 5 and the condensing device 6.
Generally, the blower 4, the heating device 5 and the condensing device 6 are used only for a drying process of the washing machine 1. In other embodiments, the air cycling loop 8 may not comprise a heating device 5 and/or a condensing device 6.
Referring to Fig. 1 and 2, the portion in dotted lines is those steps which may not be performed. The control method for the washing machine 1 is as set forth below: The control device 11 implements washing, rinsing, and spinning processes, or implements a spinning process separately according to the instruction inputted by the user. During the spinning process, the control device 11 controls the motor 12 to drive the drum 3 to rotate at a high speed. Following the spinning process, a supplemental process is implemented. During the supplemental process, the blower 4 is activated under control of the control device 11 to blow airflow into the tub 2, and subsequently onto the pieces of laundry which are sticking on inner wall of the drum 3, through through-holes 10 formed on wall 9 of the drum 3. Impacted by the airflow, the pieces of laundry are released from inner wall of the drum 3, and are loosened from each other. Generally, in the supplemental process, the condensing device 6 is not activated.
During the supplemental process when the blower 4 is activated to blow airflow into the tub 2 and the drum 3, the motor 12 is controlled by the control device 11 to drive the drum 3 to rotate at a predetermined speed which is between 35 rotations per minute and 60 rotations per minute. Preferably, the drum 3 rotates alternatingly forwardly and reversely.
The heating device 5 is activated under control of the control device 11 to heat the air provided to the tub 2 and the drum 3. The air heated by the heating device 5 is suitable to have a temperature not higher than a predetermined temperature which is 50 °C such that it may improve the effect of removing wrinkles and meanwhile prevents damage that may be caused to the laundry and the washing machine 1 due to excessively high temperature.
Rotation of the drum 3, operation of the heating device 5, and operation of the blower 4 may proceed at the same time, or operation of the blower 4 proceeds with any one of the operation of the heating device 5 and rotation of the drum 3.
As a preferred embodiment in the supplemental process, the blower 4 blows airflow into the tub 2 and the drum 3 for a period of time t which is 3 to 15 minutes.
After the supplemental process, the laundry in the drum 3 is still wet, such that a process for drying the laundry should be induced to dry the laundry. The process for drying laundry has many different manners, for instance, users may take the laundry out of the drum 3 to dry them by airing, or to select a drying process of the washing machine 1.
The drying process of the washing machine 1 comprises the following operations: The control device 11 is programmed to control the motor 12 to drive the drum 3 to rotate; the control device 11 activates the heating device 5 to heat air; the control device 11 activates the blower 4 to blow the heated air into the tub 2 and the drum 3; and the control device 11 activates the condensing device 6 to condense steam carried by the air flows from the tub 2 and the drum 3.
The supplemental process is separate of the drying process. And in case a drying process is selected, the supplemental process is implemented after the spinning process and before the drying process.
During the supplemental process, the heated air is blown under promotion of the blower 4 into the tub 2 and the drum 3. Due to the impact of the airflow, the laundry which sticks on inner wall of the drum 3 is released, and such as to reduce the wrinkles and deformation of the laundry which are created during the spinning process, whatever after being dried by airing or by the washing machine. And if the pieces of laundry are dried by the washing machine in the drying process, since the pieces laundry have been released from inner wall of the drum 3 and loosened from each other, each portion thereof contacts with the hot air alternately and relatively equal, which results in high drying efficiency, and heating damage is avoided.

Claims

A laundry treatment method, comprising
a step performing a spinning process by using a washing machine,

a step performing a supplemental process and

a step performing a process for drying the laundry,
wherein said washing machine (1) comprises

a tub (2),

a drum (3) rotatably positioned within the tub (2),

a blower (4) for blowing airflow into the tub (2),

a heating device (5) and

a condensing device (6),
wherein the drum (3) comprises plurality of through holes (10) formed in walls (9) thereof,
whereby the drying process comprises

a step that activates the heating device (5) to heat air,

a step that activates the blower (4) to blow the heated air into the tub (2) and the drum (3), and

a step that activates the condensing device (6) to condense steam carried by the air flows from the tub (2) and the drum (3), and
whereby the supplemental process is implemented after the spinning process and said supplemental process is separate of the drying process, the supplemental process being provided for releasing the laundry from an inner wall (9) of the drum (3) and loosen the pieces of laundry from sticking to each other, and the supplemental process comprises a step that activates the blower (4) to blow airflow into the tub (2) and subsequently into the drum (3),
characterized in that:
in the supplemental process, the condensing device (6) is not activated and

the airflow is blown by the blower (4) during the supplemental process into the drum (3) through the through holes (10) and is impacting on the laundry through the holes (10) to release the laundry from an inner wall of the drum (3).
A method according to claim 1, characterized in that, the supplemental process is implemented between the spinning process and the process for drying the laundry.
A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, in the supplemental process, during the step when the blower (4) blows airflow into said tub (2) and said drum (3), the drum (3) is rotating at a predetermined speed.
A method according to claim 3, characterized in that, in the supplemental process, said drum (3) rotates alternatingly forwardly and reversely.
A method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that, said predetermined speed is between 35 rotations per minute and 60 rotations per minute.
A method according to any preceding claim, characterized in that, said method comprises a step for activating the heating device (5) to heat the air which is being supplied to the tub (2) and the drum (3) by the blower (4) during the supplemental process.
A method according to claim 6, characterized in that, the air that is heated by the heating device (5) has a temperature not higher than 50 °C.
A method according to any preceding claim, characterized in that, in the supplemental process, the blower (4) supplies air into said tub (2) and said drum (3) for a period of time t which is 3 to 15 minutes.
An electrical appliance for treating laundry, comprising:
a tub (2),

a drum (3) positioned within the tub (2) and having plurality of through holes (10) formed on walls (9) thereof,

a motor (12) for driving the drum (3) to rotate,

a blower (4) for blowing airflow into the tub (2),

a condensing device (6),

a heating device (5) and

a control device (11),

wherein the control device (11) is configured that it is operable to be programmed to control implementing of a spinning process and a drying process,

whereby during the drying process, the control device (11) activates the heating device (5) to heat air, the blower (4) to blow the heated air into the tub (2) and the drum (3), and the condensing device (6) to condense steam carried by the air flows from the tub (2) and the drum (3) and

whereby the control device (11) controls implementing of a supplemental process after the spinning process, said supplemental process being separate of the drying process, and during the supplemental process, the control device (11) activates the blower (4) to blow airflow into the tub (2) and subsequently into the drum (3),

characterized in that

during the supplemental process, the control device (11) is programmed that the condensing device (6) is not activated and activates the blower (4) to blow airflow into the drum (3) through the through holes (10) and to impact on the laundry through the holes (10) to release the laundry from an inner wall of the drum (3).
An electrical appliance according to claim 9, characterized in that, the supplemental process is implemented between the spinning process and the drying process.
An electrical appliance according to one of claims 9 to 10, characterized in that, said control device (11) is programmed that during the supplemental process, the control device (11) controls the motor (12) to drive the drum (3) to rotate.
An electrical appliance according to claim 11, characterized in that, said control device (11) is programmed that during the supplemental process, the control device (11) controls the motor (12) to drive said drum (3) to rotate alternatingly forwardly and reversely.
An electrical appliance according to one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that, said control device (11) is programmed that during the supplemental process, the blower (4) is controlled by the control device (11) to supply airflow into said tub (2) and said drum (3) for a period of time t which is 3 to 15 minutes.