JP7633400B2 - Additive automatic injection module and washing machine - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a dosing module for dosing additives, in particular to a dosing module applicable to a washing machine and capable of automatically dosing additives, and further to a washing machine equipped with the above-mentioned additive dosing module.

There are two types of additive dosing methods commonly used in conventional washing machines, especially pulsator-type washing machines:

One method is for the user to add the additive directly into the washing machine's tub. With this method, because the user manually adds the additive directly, it is difficult to control the amount of additive added, and it is easy to add too much or too little. Also, because the additive is added directly into the tub, the undiluted additive comes into contact with the clothes in the tub, which can easily cause problems such as fading of the clothes.

The other method is to install a liquid storage case in the washing machine. The user puts the additive into the liquid storage case structure of the washing machine in advance, and uses the water supply of the washing machine to pour the additive into the washing machine tub. However, because the structure of the conventional liquid storage case is an open structure, after the additive is put inside, it comes into contact with external gas or the water flow scattered during the operation of the washing machine, causing problems such as contamination and deterioration of the additive. In addition, the liquid storage case is generally attached to the washing machine in a removable manner, and needs to be removed when cleaning. This leads to the problem that it is difficult to clean the liquid storage case. Therefore, how to install an input module equipped with an additive liquid storage case that is suitable for a washing machine and has a sealed container structure is a technical issue that needs to be solved as soon as possible.

In addition, in conventional additive dosing devices, the groove structure for pulling out the liquid storage case is generally integrally installed in the casing of the washing machine. Therefore, unless the mold is modified according to the different washing machine model numbers and the groove is installed appropriately for the casing of washing machines of different model numbers, compatible installation of the sealed liquid storage case cannot be achieved. Therefore, how to install the additive dosing device as an independent module and achieve versatility that can be adapted to washing machines of different model numbers is a technical challenge that needs to be solved as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, conventional additive dosing devices with an integrated water channel generally have the integrated water channel integrated into the upper cover of the ceiling of the dosing device. A dosing device using the above structure must first make the additive located in the central liquid storage case flow upward to the integrated water channel in the upper cover, and then flow downward to the outlet at the bottom to be discharged. The dosing device described above must change the direction of the water flow twice, so a complex water channel structure must be installed in the dosing device. This is disadvantageous for dosing additives, as it makes it easy for additives to remain, and also increases the cost of the dosing device.

Furthermore, conventional dosing devices generally require the addition of an external pipeline to connect the liquid storage case to the dosing water channel, pump body, valve body, and other structures through the external pipeline. This requires that the dosing device be connected to the pipeline separately during assembly, which significantly limits the production efficiency of washing machines. In view of the above problems, the present invention is proposed.

The object of the present invention is to provide a dosing module that realizes the objective of independent and integrated installation of the dosing module. Furthermore, another object of the present invention is to provide a dosing module that realizes a rational layout of the water channels integrated on the module and simplifies the module structure, thereby achieving the objective of enabling direct dosing of additives without externally connecting the dosing module to the water channels. And, another object of the present invention is to provide a washing machine equipped with the dosing module in order to realize the objective of modularizing and assembling the washing machine.

The specific solutions adopted by the present invention to achieve the above object of the invention are as follows:

The present invention provides an automatic additive dispensing module. The automatic additive dispensing module includes a main body having an insertion groove therein, a liquid storage case that constitutes a sealed storage chamber for storing an additive and is attached to the insertion groove in a removable manner, a water supply channel that is integrally installed in the main body, and a suction device that sucks the additive stored in the liquid storage case into the water supply channel and dispenses it with the passing water flow.

The main body further has an outlet on one side and a suction device attached to the other opposing side. The outlet is used to connect the insertion groove to the outside of the main body and form an opening for pulling the liquid storage case out of the insertion groove and/or for pushing it into the insertion groove. The liquid storage case has a liquid discharge port at one end that is inserted into the insertion groove, and the liquid discharge port is connected to the water supply channel via the suction device.

The suction device further includes a suction pump. The suction pump is attached to the main body. The suction pump has an inlet that communicates with the liquid discharge port of the liquid storage case and an outlet that communicates with the water supply channel.

Preferably, the main body is provided with a temporary storage chamber through which the water supply channel passes, and the outlet of the suction pump is connected to the temporary storage chamber.

More preferably, the suction pump can be opened in only one direction, from the inlet to the outlet.

In addition, a liquid suction channel is integrally provided in the main body. One end of the liquid suction channel communicates with the inlet of the suction pump, and the other end communicates with the liquid discharge port of the liquid storage case via a liquid guide structure.

Preferably, the liquid guide structure includes a liquid guide connection part that is installed in the insertion groove of the main body and communicates with the liquid suction channel. A container connection part that fits and opens to the liquid guide connection part is provided at the liquid discharge port of the liquid storage case. The container connection part is provided with a valve body that opens the liquid discharge port when the liquid guide connection part abuts against the liquid guide connection part and closes the liquid discharge port in a normal state.

Furthermore, the water supply channel is integrally installed inside the bottom wall of the main body. Both ends of the water supply channel are connected to the water inlet and water discharge structure provided in the main body, respectively. In addition, the center of the water supply channel is connected to the liquid storage case via a suction device.

The inside of the main body is further divided into a number of spaced apart insertion grooves. A liquid storage case that can be pulled out is attached to each insertion groove. The liquid outlet of each liquid storage case is connected to the water supply channel via a one-to-one corresponding suction device.

Preferably, the outlets for each insertion groove are located on the same side of the main body.

In addition, the water supply passage passes through the outlet of each suction device in sequence, and the additives sucked out by each suction device are introduced via the same water supply passage.

Alternatively, the water supply channel is divided into multiple branches connected in parallel, and each branch is connected to the outlet of each suction device in a one-to-one correspondence.

Alternatively, multiple branch passages are connected to the main water supply passage, and each branch passage is connected to the outlet of each suction device in a one-to-one correspondence.

The present invention further provides an additive dosing module in which a water supply channel is integrally installed inside the bottom wall of the main body of the dosing module, and a dosing unit provided in the main body doses additives into the water supply channel.

The bottom wall of the main body is composed of upper and lower parts that are opposed and engage with each other. The outer peripheries of the upper and lower parts are connected in a sealed manner, and a sealed gap space is formed between the opposed surfaces of the upper and lower parts. The opposed surfaces of the upper and/or lower parts are provided with protruding ribs that protrude relatively, and the protruding ribs divide the gap space between the upper and lower parts into water supply channels.

Preferably, the upper and lower connection points are hermetically connected using cladding technology.

Furthermore, both ends of the water supply channel are connected to the water inlet and water discharge structure provided in the main body, respectively. A suction port is provided in the center of the water supply channel, and the suction port is connected to the input unit.

Furthermore, a water inlet chamber is provided on the side wall of the main body, extending vertically from top to bottom. The water inlet chamber communicates at its top with a water inlet opening on the side wall of the main body, and at its bottom with the water inlet end of the water supply channel.

Furthermore, a temporary storage chamber is provided on the bottom wall of the main body, and the water supply channel passes through the temporary storage chamber. The temporary storage chamber is provided with a suction port that communicates with the input unit.

Preferably, the water supply channel portions upstream and downstream of the temporary storage chamber have at least one bend that changes the direction of the water flow.

The discharge structure is a discharge chamber provided in the bottom wall of the main body. The discharge chamber has a discharge port on one side, and the other opposite side communicates with the discharge end of the water supply channel.

Preferably, a water equalizing rib is provided in the discharge chamber. The water equalizing rib divides the discharge chamber into a first portion that communicates with the discharge port and a second portion that communicates with the discharge end of the water supply channel. The water equalizing rib has a plurality of gaps spaced apart, each of which connects the first portion to the second portion.

More preferably, the discharge chamber is a cone-shaped chamber whose height gradually increases in the direction of discharge toward the discharge port.

The water supply channel further has multiple branches connected in parallel. Each branch passes through the input outlet of the input unit and inputs the additive sucked out by the corresponding input unit.

Preferably, each branch passage passes through a temporary storage chamber. The temporary storage chamber is provided with a suction port, and each suction port is connected to a corresponding input unit.

Furthermore, the water supply passage includes a main passage. The main passage has a water inlet end communicating with the water inlet chamber and a water outlet end communicating with the water outlet structure.

A number of branch passages are connected in parallel to the main passage. Both ends of each branch passage are connected to the main passage, and the connection point between the inlet end of the branch passage and the main passage is located upstream of the connection point between the outlet end and the main passage. Each branch passage passes through the inlet outlet of the inlet unit.

The input unit further includes a liquid storage case and a suction device. The suction device has an inlet connected to the liquid storage case via a liquid suction channel and an outlet connected to a water supply channel. The liquid suction channel is integrally installed inside the bottom wall of the main body.

The present invention further provides a washing machine including a casing. Any of the automatic additive dispensing modules described above is attached to the casing. The casing has an opening that faces the outlet of the automatic additive dispensing module. The water inlet of the automatic additive dispensing module is connected to the water inlet pipe of the washing machine, and the water flowing out of the water discharge structure flows into the tub of the washing machine.

The casing further includes a control panel base that is attached to the ceiling. The automatic additive dispensing module is mounted inside the control module. The control panel base has an opening that faces the withdrawal port in the insertion groove of the automatic additive dispensing module.

Preferably, the control panel base is annular, and the center of the annular control panel base forms the clothing insertion port. The inside of the annular control panel base is hollow to form an attachment chamber, and the automatic additive insertion module is attached within the attachment chamber. An opening is provided in the inner peripheral wall of the annular control panel base for inserting the liquid storage case therethrough.

Furthermore, the main body of the additive automatic dosing module is assembled to the inner wall of the control panel base. The insertion groove for properly inserting and mounting the liquid storage case is directly surrounded by the main body, or is surrounded jointly by the main body and the inner wall of the control panel base. The opening of the insertion groove is located on the outer surface of the main body and forms a withdrawal opening for inserting the liquid storage case.

Compared to the prior art, the present invention has the following notable technical advances:

By installing as described above, the removable liquid storage case is directly attached to the body of the input module, and the entire input module is installed in an integrated manner to directly form an integrated module. This allows the module to be directly installed in washing machines of different models, realizing a modular design of the input device and reducing the design and development costs of the washing machine. This also greatly improves the assembly speed of the washing machine. Furthermore, by installing as described above and adopting an ink cartridge-type independent sealed container design for the liquid storage case of the input module, the additives can be stored in a sealed state. This not only allows the liquid storage case to be pulled out and replaced separately, but also allows the additives to be stored in a sealed environment, avoiding the possibility of contamination due to contact with the outside.

By installing it as described above, the water channel structure of the loading module is installed integrally on the bottom wall of the loading module, realizing an integrated installation of the entire loading module. Furthermore, by installing the water supply water channel integrally on the bottom wall of the loading module and installing the water channel below the loading unit, the loading water channel allows direct outflow from below the loading module and loading into the washing tub. This realizes a rational layout of the loading module and a significant technological advancement is achieved in that the water discharge pressure of the loading module is increased.

In addition, the present invention has a simple structure, is highly effective, and is suitable for widespread use.

Specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The drawings are used as part of the present invention for further understanding of the present invention. Furthermore, the schematic embodiments of the present invention and their explanations are used for interpreting the present invention, but do not unduly limit the present invention. Needless to say, the drawings described below are only a part of the embodiments, and a person skilled in the art can derive further drawings from these drawings without requiring creative labor.

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of the present invention when an input module is assembled from one angle. FIG. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of the input module when assembled from another angle in the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention showing an injection module in an assembled and disassembled state from one angle. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the injection module in an assembled and disassembled state from another angle in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a planar structure of an input module in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a cross-sectional structure taken along line AA of FIG. 5 in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of an exploded input module according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of the bottom structure of the input module in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a schematic exploded view of an input module in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

It should be noted that these drawings and written descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the inventive concept in any manner, but are intended to explain the inventive concept to those skilled in the art with reference to specific embodiments.

In order to clarify the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention, the defect management method in the embodiments will be described in detail below in combination with the drawings related to the embodiments of the present invention.

As shown in Figures 1 to 9, in this embodiment, an additive injection module will be described. The injection module 100 includes a main body 1 composed of an independent member. The main body 1 is provided with at least one insertion groove 3 inside. The opening of the insertion groove 3 is provided on the outer wall of the main body 1 to form an outlet 19. A liquid storage case 2 that can be pulled out to the outside and pushed inward from the outlet is attached inside the insertion groove 3. The liquid storage case 2 forms a sealed storage chamber for storing the additive. Preferably, the liquid storage case 2 is an ink cartridge type sealed container and directly forms the sealed storage chamber. This makes the ink cartridge type liquid storage case 2 an independent container for storing the additive. The above ink cartridge type sealed container is a container in a form similar to the ink cartridge of a printer. In addition, a water supply channel 5 is integrally installed in the main body 1 of the injection module 100. The water supply channel 5 is configured to allow a water flow to pass through. A suction device is further attached to the main body 1 of the injection module. The suction device has an inlet communicating with the liquid storage case 2 and an outlet communicating with the water supply channel 5. The suction device is used to suck the additive stored in the liquid storage case 2 into the water supply channel 5 and to introduce it along with the water flow passing through the water supply channel 5.

By installing as described above, the removable liquid storage case is directly attached to the body of the input module, and the entire input module is installed in an integrated manner to directly form an integrated module. This allows the module to be directly installed in washing machines of different models, realizing a modular design of the input device and reducing the design and development costs of the washing machine. This also greatly improves the assembly speed of the washing machine. Furthermore, by installing as described above and adopting an ink cartridge-type independent sealed container design for the liquid storage case of the input module, the additives can be stored in a sealed state. This not only allows the liquid storage case to be pulled out and replaced separately, but also allows the additives to be stored in a sealed environment, avoiding the possibility of contamination due to contact with the outside.

In this embodiment, the main body 1 of the input module 100 has an outlet 19 on one side for pulling out the ink cartridge type liquid storage case 2 attached in the insertion groove 3 to the outside, and a suction device is attached to the other opposite side. The ink cartridge type liquid storage case 2 has a liquid discharge port 16 at one end inserted into the insertion groove 3. The liquid discharge port 16 is connected to the water supply channel 5 via the suction device.

In this embodiment, the main body 1 of the input module is surrounded by a housing. The inside of the housing is hollow, and the hollow area forms the insertion groove 3 located inside the main body 1. The housing also has an opening that connects the insertion groove 3 to the outside. The opening forms a withdrawal port 19 for inserting the liquid storage case 2 into the insertion groove 3 and withdrawing it from the insertion groove 3.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 9, in this embodiment, the suction device includes a suction pump 4. The suction pump 4 is attached to the main body 1. Preferably, the suction pump 4 is located inside the main body 1 and fixedly attached to a housing constituting the main body 1. In this embodiment, the suction pump 4 has an inlet communicating with the liquid discharge port 16 of the ink cartridge type liquid storage case 2 and an outlet communicating with the water supply channel 5. As a result, the suction pump 4 provides power to the fluid after operation, causing the additive stored in the ink cartridge type liquid storage case 2 to flow toward the water supply channel 5. Preferably, in this embodiment, the axial directions of the inlet and outlet of the suction pump 4 are installed parallel to each other. Moreover, the inlet and outlet of the same suction pump 4 are installed parallel to or perpendicular to the drawing direction of the liquid storage case 2. This makes it easier to assemble the suction pump 4 and improves the smoothness of adding the additive.

Of course, in the present embodiment, the suction device may be any other driving device capable of providing a driving force to the liquid to achieve the addition of the additive, such as a Venturi tube (not shown in the drawings) that uses the passing water flow to generate a negative pressure suction force.

In this embodiment, in order to ensure the direction of liquid flow and prevent the liquid in the waterway from flowing back into the liquid storage case 2, the suction pump 4 may be a one-way suction pump that can only be opened in one direction from the inlet to the outlet. Of course, to achieve the above purpose, check valves may be installed in the water supply waterway and the liquid storage case 2 to ensure that the liquid in the entire waterway flows in one direction and prevent backflow from occurring.

As shown in Figures 1 to 9, in this embodiment, in order to improve the smoothness of additive injection, a temporary storage chamber 12 through which the water supply channel 5 passes may be provided in the main body 1 of the injection module, and the outlet of the suction pump 4 may be connected to the temporary storage chamber 12. In this way, the additive sucked out by the suction pump 4 is held in the temporary storage chamber 12 and then washed away by the passing water flow. This makes it possible to inject all of the additive, provided that the smoothness of additive injection is guaranteed. In addition, the capacity of the temporary storage chamber 12 may be measured, and the amount of additive injected may be obtained from the number of injections into the temporary storage chamber 12. This achieves the effect of measuring and estimating the additive sucked out by the suction pump 4.

As shown in Figures 1 to 9, in this embodiment, a liquid suction channel 6 is integrally provided in the main body 1. One end of the liquid suction channel 6 communicates with the inlet of the suction pump 4, and the other end communicates with the liquid discharge port 16 in the ink cartridge type liquid storage case 2 via a liquid guide structure. As a result, the suction pump 4 communicates with the liquid storage case 2 via the liquid suction channel that is integrally provided in the main body 1 of the input module.

In this embodiment, the liquid guide structure includes a liquid guide connection part 9 that is installed in the insertion groove 3 of the main body 1 and communicates with the liquid suction channel 6. The liquid discharge port 16 in the ink cartridge type liquid storage case 2 is provided with a container connection part 10 that is compatible with the liquid guide connection part 9 and opens. The container connection part 10 is provided with a valve body 21 that opens the liquid discharge port 16 when the liquid guide connection part 9 abuts against it and closes the liquid discharge port 16 in a normal state. Preferably, the container connection part 10 is provided on the end cover. The end cover is removably attached to the liquid discharge port 16 of the liquid storage case 2, for example, by screwing. As a result, when the liquid storage case 2 is pulled out, the container connection part 10 appropriately closes the liquid discharge port 16, and the liquid storage case 2 directly constitutes a sealed storage chamber, thereby achieving the purpose of appropriately storing the additive.

As shown in Figures 1 to 9, in this embodiment, the liquid guide connection part 9 installed in the insertion groove of the main body 1 has a rod-shaped structure extending from the sealed end of the insertion groove 3 along the pull-out direction of the liquid storage case 2. In addition, the container connection part installed in the liquid discharge port 16 of the ink cartridge type liquid storage case 2 extends along the pull-out direction of the liquid storage case 2 and forms a sleeve structure protruding toward the sealed end of the insertion groove 3. The sleeve structure has a valve body 21 at one end and the other end communicating with the inside of the liquid storage case 2 via the liquid discharge port 16. A compressed spring 22 is also provided within the sleeve structure. Both ends of the spring 22 abut against the valve body 21 and the sleeve structure, respectively. The valve body 21 abuts against one end of the sleeve structure facing the sealed end of the insertion groove 3 due to the action of the elastic force of the spring 22, appropriately sealing the passage formed inside the sleeve structure. This seals the liquid discharge port 16 in the ink cartridge type liquid storage case 2, and the ink cartridge type liquid storage case 2 forms a sealed container. Furthermore, when the ink cartridge type liquid storage case 2 is properly inserted into the insertion groove 3, the liquid guide connection part 9 comes into contact with the valve body 21, and the valve body 21 moves toward the inside of the liquid storage case 2 against the elastic force applied by the spring 22. This makes it possible to achieve the effect of opening the liquid discharge port 16 of the liquid storage case 2 and introducing an additive.

As shown in Figures 1 to 9, in this embodiment, the water supply channel 5 is integrally installed inside the bottom wall of the main body 1. The main body 1 of the input module 100 is composed of a housing. The main body 1 is installed horizontally, covers the bottom, and has a bottom wall for supporting the liquid storage case 2. A water channel for causing water to flow is provided inside the bottom wall, and at least a part of the water channel constitutes the water supply channel 5. Both ends of the water supply channel 5 are respectively connected to the water inlet 7 and the water discharge structure 8 provided in the main body 1. The center of the water supply channel 5 is connected to the ink cartridge type liquid storage case 2 via the suction pump 4.

In this embodiment, in order to realize the introduction of additives of different categories, the inside of the main body 1 of the input module 100 may be divided into a plurality of insertion grooves 3 arranged at intervals. An ink cartridge type liquid storage case 2 that can be pulled out is attached to each insertion groove 3. By storing additives of different categories in each liquid storage case 2, the effect of introducing additives of different categories appropriately is realized. In addition, in this embodiment, the liquid discharge port 16 of each ink cartridge type liquid storage case 2 is connected to the water supply channel 5 via a corresponding suction device. As a result, the additives introduced from the different liquid storage cases 2 all enter the water supply channel 5 and are then swept away through the water supply channel 5, thereby realizing the purpose of introducing additives together with the supply of water to the input module 100.

Preferably, in this embodiment, in order to ensure the convenience of pulling out each liquid storage case 2, the pull-out openings 19 of each insertion groove 3 provided in the main body 1 may be opened on the same side of the main body 1. This allows the user to easily pull out any one or a combination of liquid storage cases 2 from the same side as appropriate.

In this embodiment, the water supply channel 5 passes through the outlets of each suction device in sequence, and the additives sucked out by each suction device are introduced via the same water supply channel 5. Alternatively, the water supply channel 5 is divided into multiple branches connected in parallel, and each branch is connected to the outlet of each suction device in a one-to-one correspondence. Alternatively, multiple branches are connected to the main channel 23 of the water supply channel 5, and each branch is connected to the outlet of each suction device in a one-to-one correspondence. By connecting all the water supply channels together in the above manner, when an additive is introduced, the incoming water flow washes the entire introduction channel 5, reducing the amount of additive remaining in the channel.

As shown in Figures 1 to 9, in this embodiment, an additive dosing module is described. A water supply channel 5 is integrally installed inside the bottom wall of the main body 1 of the dosing module 100, and a dosing unit installed in the main body 1 dos the additive into the water supply channel 5. By installing as described above, the water channel structure of the dosing module 100 is integrally installed on the bottom wall of the dosing module 100, and an integrated installation of the entire dosing module 100 is realized. In addition, by integrally installing the water supply channel 5 on the bottom wall of the dosing module 100 and installing the channel below the dosing unit, the additive is dosing through the lower channel, so the number of times the channel needs to be changed direction is reduced and the length of the channel is shortened. In addition, the dosing channel 5 allows direct outflow from the bottom of the dosing module 100 and dosing into the washing tub. This realizes a rational layout of the dosing module 100, and a significant technical advance is achieved in that the water discharge pressure of the dosing module 100 is increased.

As shown in Figures 1 to 9, in this embodiment, the bottom wall of the main body 1 is composed of an upper part 17 and a lower part 18 that are engaged oppositely. The outer peripheries of the upper part 17 and the lower part 18 are connected in a hermetically sealed manner, and a hermetically sealed gap space is formed between the opposing surfaces of the upper part 17 and the lower part 18. The opposing surfaces of the upper part 17 and/or the lower part 18 are provided with protruding ribs that protrude relatively, and the protruding ribs divide the gap space between the upper part 17 and the lower part 18 into water supply channels 5. As a result, after the upper part 17 and the lower part 18 are hermetically engaged, a bottom wall structure of the input module 100 is formed that has a channel therein through which water flows.

Preferably, in this embodiment, the connection points of the upper portion 17 and the lower portion 18 are hermetically connected by cladding technology. This ensures the hermeticity of the corresponding connection points of the upper portion 17 and the lower portion 18, and forms a flow path that is sealed and allows water to pass through after engagement.

As shown in Figures 1 to 9, in this embodiment, both ends of the water supply channel 5 are connected to the water inlet 7 and the water discharge structure 8 provided in the main body 1, respectively. In addition, a suction port is provided in the center of the water supply channel 5, and the suction port is connected to the input outlet of the input unit. The input outlet of the input unit is a discharge end that sucks out the additive stored in the liquid storage case 2 of the input unit. In this way, the sucked out additive is input into the water supply channel 5 via the suction port, thereby achieving the effect of inputting the additive.

In this embodiment, the side wall of the main body 1 is provided with a water inlet chamber 11 that extends vertically up and down. The upper part of the water inlet chamber 11 communicates with the water inlet port 7 opened on the side wall of the main body 1, and the bottom part communicates with the water inlet end of the water supply channel 5. By installing the water inlet chamber 11 and buffering the inlet water flow, the stability of the water inlet is guaranteed. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the cross-sectional area of the water inlet chamber 11 is equal to or greater than the cross-sectional area of the water supply channel 5. This increases the water pressure of the water flow injected into the water supply channel through the water inlet chamber 11, improving the effect of the water flow washing away the additives introduced and the inner wall of the water supply channel 5.

As shown in Figures 1 to 9, in this embodiment, a temporary storage chamber 12 is provided on the bottom wall of the main body 1, and the water supply channel 5 passes through the temporary storage chamber 12. The temporary storage chamber 12 is provided with a suction port that communicates with the input outlet of the input unit. This allows the additive input by the input unit to be directly input into the temporary storage chamber 12, so that quantitative measurement of the additive input can be achieved by using the number of suctions of the temporary storage chamber 12. Preferably, in order to link with the measurement, the amount input by the input unit in one operation is set to an amount that just fills the temporary storage chamber 12 or an amount that reaches a predetermined liquid level. This makes it possible to achieve the effect of quantitatively measuring the additive input simply by measuring the number of operations of the input unit and the number of times the temporary storage chamber 12 is flushed.

In this embodiment, the water supply channel 5 portions upstream and downstream of the temporary storage chamber 12 are provided with at least one bend that changes the direction of the water flow, and the bend can be used to adjust the flow rate of the water flow passing through the temporary storage chamber 12. This reduces the flow rate of the water flow passing through the temporary storage chamber, improving the flushing effect of the passing water flow on the additive being added, reducing the amount of additive remaining in the channel and improving the degree of mixing of the additive with the passing water flow.

As shown in Figures 1 to 9, in this embodiment, the water discharge structure is a water discharge chamber 13 provided in the bottom wall of the main body 1. The water discharge chamber 13 has a water discharge port 15 provided on one side, and the opposite side communicates with the water discharge end of the water supply channel 5. Preferably, in this embodiment, a water equalization rib 14 is provided in the water discharge chamber 13. The water equalization rib 14 divides the water discharge chamber 13 into a first part that communicates with the water discharge port 15 and a second part that communicates with the water discharge end of the water supply channel 5. The water equalization rib 14 has multiple gaps at intervals, and each gap connects the first part and the second part. As a result, the water discharge water flow is evenly diverted to various places by the action of the water equalization rib 14 and flows out evenly from different positions of the water discharge port 15, improving the uniformity of the water discharge of the input module.

In this embodiment, the discharge chamber 13 is a cone-shaped chamber whose height gradually increases toward the water outlet along the water discharge direction. This increases the water discharge cross-sectional area, improving the diffusion of the discharged water flow and expanding the coverage area of the discharged water flow.

In this embodiment, the water supply channel 5 has a number of branches connected in parallel. Each branch passes through the input outlet of the input unit to input the additive sucked out by the corresponding input unit. Preferably, each branch passes through the temporary storage chamber 12. The temporary storage chamber 12 is provided with a suction port, and each suction port is connected to the corresponding input unit. In this way, after each input unit inputs the additive into the corresponding temporary storage chamber in a one-to-one correspondence, the passing water flow pushes it into the water supply channel 5.

As shown in Figures 1 to 9, in this embodiment, the water supply channel 5 includes a main channel 23. The main channel 23 has a water inlet end that communicates with the water inlet chamber 11 and a water outlet end that communicates with the water outlet structure 8. A plurality of branch channels are connected in parallel to the main channel 23. Both ends of each branch channel are connected to the main channel 23, and the connection point between the water inlet end of the branch channel and the main channel 23 is located upstream of the connection point between the water outlet end and the main channel 23. Each branch channel passes through a temporary storage chamber 12 that communicates with the input outlet of the input unit.

By installing as described above and merging the additives sucked out from the input outlets of each input unit into the same water channel, the objective of inputting different additives is realized. Also, by installing as described above and connecting the entire water supply channels to each other, the objective of the water flow passing through when inputting different additives can simultaneously wash out the entire water supply channel and the branch channel into which the different additives are input is realized, thereby achieving the effect of reducing the amount of additive remaining in the channel.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 9, in this embodiment, three branch passages are preferably connected in parallel to the main passage 23. The first branch passage 24 has a water inlet end communicating with the water inlet chamber 11 and a water outlet end communicating with a location in the main passage 23 close to the water inlet end. The center of the first branch passage 24 passes through the first temporary storage chamber 27. The first temporary storage chamber 27 is provided with a first suction port, which communicates with the first input unit. As a result, the additive stored in the first liquid storage case 36 of the first input unit is sucked into the first temporary storage chamber 27 via the first suction water passage 33 by the drive of the first suction pump 30, and is then swept into the main passage 23 by the water flow passing through the first branch passage 24. In this way, the purpose of inputting the first type of additive is achieved.

The inlet end and the outlet end of the second branch passage 25 are installed close to each other and communicate with the center of the main passage 23. Both the inlet end and the outlet end of the second branch passage 25 are located downstream of the outlet end of the first branch passage 24. The center of the second branch passage 25 passes through the second temporary storage chamber 28. The second temporary storage chamber 28 is provided with a second suction port, which communicates with the second input unit. As a result, the additive stored in the second liquid storage case 37 of the second input unit is sucked into the second temporary storage chamber 28 via the second suction water passage 34 by the drive of the second suction pump 31, and is swept into the main passage 23 by the water flow passing through the second branch passage 25. In this way, the purpose of inputting the second type of additive is realized.

The inlet end and the discharge end of the third branch passage 26 are installed close to each other and are connected to the discharge end of the main passage 23. The center of the third branch passage 26 passes through the third temporary storage chamber 29. The third temporary storage chamber 29 is provided with a third suction port, which is connected to the third input unit. As a result, the additive stored in the third liquid storage case 38 of the third input unit is sucked into the third temporary storage chamber 29 via the third suction water passage 35 by the drive of the third suction pump 32, and is then swept into the main passage 23 by the water flow passing through the third branch passage 26. In this way, the purpose of inputting a third type of additive is achieved.

In this embodiment, the input unit may be any conventional device capable of realizing an additive input function, such as the input unit structure described in the above embodiment 1. As shown in Figures 1 to 9, the input unit includes a liquid storage case 2 and a suction pump 4. The suction pump 4 has an inlet connected to the liquid storage case 2 via a liquid suction channel 6 and an outlet connected to a water supply channel 5. The liquid suction channel 6 can be integrally installed inside the bottom wall of the main body 1, similar to the water supply channel 5. The outlet of the suction pump 4 constitutes the additive input outlet of the input unit, and may be directly connected to the water supply channel 5 or may be connected to a temporary storage chamber 12 through which the water supply channel 5 passes. By installing as described above and making it possible to suck the additive stored in the liquid storage case 2 into the water supply channel 5 by the suction device, the purpose of sucking and inputting the stored additive can be realized.

As shown in Figures 1 to 9, a washing machine will be described in the embodiments of the present invention. The washing machine includes a casing. The loading module 100 described in any of the above embodiments is attached to the casing. The casing has an opening 20 that faces the outlet 19 of the loading module 100. The water inlet 7 of the loading module 100 is connected to the water inlet pipe of the washing machine, and the water flowing out from the water discharge structure 8 flows into the tub of the washing machine.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the washing machine may be a clothes washing machine of any conventional structure, such as a pulsator washing machine or a drum washing machine. The washing machine described in the embodiment of the present invention may be a normal washing machine in which the tub is a water tank that only functions as an outer tub for storing water in the washing machine, or may be a hole-less inner tub washing machine in which the tub combines the functions of an inner tub and an outer tub, does not have a spin hole, and has only a water tank whose drain opening and closing can be controlled, and does not require cleaning. In addition, other washing units, such as a pulsator or stirring rod, for stirring the water flow to wash clothes may be installed in the tub.

As shown in Figures 1 to 9, in this embodiment, the washing machine is a pulsator type washing machine, and includes a tub installed in the casing. The axis of the tub is vertical, and the tub mouth is opened upward. In this embodiment, the casing of the washing machine includes a control panel base 200 installed in the ceiling, and the input module 100 is installed inside the control module 200. The control panel base 200 has an opening 20 that faces the outlet 19 in the insertion groove 3 of the input module 100. In this embodiment, the control panel base 200 of the washing machine is annular, and the center of the annular control panel base 200 constitutes the clothing input port. The inside of the annular control panel base 200 is hollow to form an installation chamber. The additive automatic input module 100 is installed in the installation chamber. The inner wall of the annular control panel base 200 has an opening 20 for inserting the liquid storage case 2. Preferably, the opening 20 is located on the rear side of the inner peripheral wall of the annular control panel base 200 so that the user can easily pull out and attach the liquid storage case 2.

In this embodiment, the main body 1 of the input module 100 is assembled to the inner wall of the control panel base 200. The main body 1 may directly surround the insertion groove 3, or the main body 1 and the inner wall of the control panel base 200 may jointly surround the insertion groove 3 for properly pulling out and attaching the liquid storage case 2. The opening of the insertion groove 3 is located on the outer surface of the main body 1 of the input module and forms an outlet 19 for inserting the liquid storage case 2. The opening 20 of the control panel base 200 is opened to correspond one-to-one to the outlet 19 in the main body 1 of the input module 100. The liquid storage case 2 is inserted into the opening 20 and the outlet 19 in order, and then inserted into the insertion groove 3 and attached.

In this embodiment, the input module 100 is provided with three ink cartridge-type liquid storage cases 2. Each ink cartridge-type liquid storage case 2 can accommodate additives of different categories, such as detergent, fragrance, fabric softener, disinfectant, etc. In this way, additives of different categories can be appropriately input separately or in combination, so that when the washing machine is executing different category programs, the additives of different categories can be used to appropriately treat the clothes. In addition, in this embodiment of the present invention, detergents of different concentrations, such as super concentrated, concentrated, normal, low foam, etc., can be stored in each ink cartridge-type liquid storage case 2 of the input module 100. In this way, when the washing machine is executing different washing programs, detergents of the corresponding categories can be appropriately input to appropriately wash different clothes, thereby achieving the purpose of improving the washing effect of the washing machine.

The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention in any form. Although the present invention has been disclosed above through a preferred embodiment, this is not intended to limit the present invention. Within the scope of the technical solution of the present invention, slight changes or modifications that can be implemented by a person skilled in the art using the technical content presented above are equivalently modified equivalent embodiments, none of which deviate from the content of the technical solution of the present invention. In addition, any simple modifications, equivalent variations and modifications made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention all fall within the scope of the solution of the present invention.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 Input module 200 Control panel base 1 Main body 2 Liquid storage case 3 Insertion groove 4 Suction pump 5 Water supply channel 6 Liquid suction channel 7 Water inlet 8 Water discharge structure 9 Liquid guide connection part 10 Container connection part 11 Water inlet chamber 12 Temporary storage chamber 13 Water discharge chamber 14 Water equalization rib 15 Water discharge port 16 Liquid discharge port 17 Upper part 18 Lower part 19 Extraction port 20 Opening 21 Valve body 22 Spring 23 Main channel 24 First branch channel 25 Second branch channel 26 Third branch channel 27 First temporary storage chamber 28 Second temporary storage chamber 29 Third temporary storage chamber 30 First suction pump 31 Second suction pump 32 Third suction pump 33 First liquid suction channel 34 Second liquid suction channel 35 Third liquid suction channel 36 First liquid storage case 37 Second liquid storage case 38 Third liquid storage case

Claims (18)

An automatic additive supply module including a main body having an insertion groove therein,
a storage case that forms a sealed storage chamber for storing the additive and is retractably attached to the insertion groove;
A water supply channel that is integrally installed in the main body;
A suction device installed in the main body sucks the additive stored in the storage case into the water supply channel and introduces it along with the passing water flow ;
A liquid discharge port is provided at one end that is inserted into the insertion groove,
The suction device has an inlet communicating with the liquid discharge port of the liquid storage case and an outlet communicating with the water supply channel;
The liquid guide structure is composed of a rod-shaped liquid guide connector and a sleeve structure.
a liquid guide connecting portion disposed in the insertion groove and extending from a closed end of the insertion groove along a direction in which the liquid storage case can be pulled out;
An automatic additive dispensing module, characterized in that one end of a sleeve structure is connected to the discharge port of the liquid storage case, the sleeve structure extends toward the sealed end of the insertion groove along the direction in which the liquid storage case can be pulled out, a valve body is arranged on the other end of the sleeve structure, and a spring in a compressed state is provided inside the sleeve structure, and both ends of the spring abut against the valve body and the sleeve structure, respectively . The automatic additive dosing module of claim 1, characterized in that the main body has an outlet on one side and a suction device attached to the other opposite side, the outlet is used to connect the insertion groove to the outside of the main body and form an opening for pulling the liquid storage case out of the insertion groove and/or pushing it into the insertion groove, and the discharge port connects the sealed storage chamber of the liquid storage case to a water supply channel via the suction device. 2. The automatic additive supply module according to claim 1, wherein the main body is provided with a temporary storage chamber through which a water supply passage passes, and the outlet of the suction device is connected to the temporary storage chamber. The automatic additive dosing module as described in claim 3, characterized in that a liquid suction channel is integrally provided in the main body, one end of which is connected to the inlet of the suction device and the other end of which is connected to the discharge port of the liquid storage case via a liquid guide structure. The additive automatic dosing module according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the water supply channel is integrally installed inside the bottom wall of the main body, both ends of the water supply channel are connected to the water inlet and water discharge structure provided in the main body, respectively, and the center of the water supply channel is connected to the liquid storage case via a suction device. The automatic additive dosing module according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the inside of the main body is divided into a plurality of insertion grooves arranged at intervals, each insertion groove is fitted with a plurality of liquid storage cases that can be pulled out to the outside, and the liquid outlet of each liquid storage case is connected to a water supply channel via a one-to-one corresponding suction device. The water supply passage passes through the outlet of each suction device in sequence, and the additives sucked out by each suction device are introduced through the same water supply passage,
Alternatively, the water supply passage is divided into a plurality of branch passages connected in parallel, and each branch passage is connected to the outlet of each suction device in a one-to-one correspondence,
Alternatively, the automatic additive supply module according to claim 6, characterized in that a plurality of branch passages are connected to the main passage of the water supply channel, and each branch passage is connected to the outlet of each suction device in a one-to-one correspondence. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a water supply channel is integrally installed inside the bottom wall of the main body of the input module, and an input unit installed inside the main body inputs the additive into the water supply channel.
The additive automatic supply module according to claim 1. The additive automatic dosing module of claim 8, characterized in that the bottom wall of the main body is composed of upper and lower parts that are engaged opposite to each other, the outer peripheries of the upper and lower parts are connected in a sealed manner, a sealed gap space is formed between the opposing surfaces of the upper and lower parts, and the opposing surfaces of the upper and/or lower parts are provided with protruding ribs that protrude relatively, and the protruding ribs divide the gap space between the upper and lower parts into a water supply channel. The automatic additive dispensing module according to claim 9, characterized in that the side wall of the main body is provided with a water inlet chamber extending vertically up and down, the upper part of the water inlet chamber being connected to a water inlet port opened in the side wall of the main body, and the bottom part of the water inlet chamber being connected to the water inlet end of the water supply channel. A temporary storage chamber is provided on the bottom wall of the main body, and a water supply channel passes through the temporary storage chamber.
The additive automatic dosing module according to claim 10, characterized in that the temporary storage chamber is provided with a suction port, which is used to allow the additive sucked out by the dosing unit to flow into the temporary storage chamber. The additive automatic dosing module described in claim 10, characterized in that the water outlet structure is a water outlet chamber provided in the bottom wall of the main body, the water outlet chamber having a water outlet on one side and the opposite other side communicating with the water outlet end of the water supply channel. The additive automatic dosing module according to any one of claims 8 to 12, characterized in that the water supply channel has a plurality of branches connected in parallel, each of which passes through the dosing outlet of a corresponding dosing unit to dosing in the additive sucked out by the corresponding dosing unit. The water supply channel includes a main channel, the main channel having a water inlet end communicating with the water inlet chamber and a water outlet end communicating with the water outlet structure;
The additive automatic dosing module of claim 13, characterized in that a plurality of branch passages are connected in parallel to the main passage, both ends of each branch passage are connected to the main passage, and the connection point between the inlet end of each branch passage and the main passage is located upstream of the connection point between the outlet end of each branch passage and the main passage, and each branch passage passes through the dosing outlet of the dosing unit. The additive automatic dosing module according to any one of claims 8 to 12, characterized in that the dosing unit includes a liquid storage case and a suction device, the inlet of the suction device being connected to the liquid storage case via a liquid suction channel and the outlet being connected to a water supply channel, and the liquid suction channel being integrally installed inside the bottom wall of the main body. 1. A washing machine including a casing,
A washing machine comprising a casing having an automatic additive dispensing module according to any one of claims 1 to 15 attached thereto, the casing having an opening opposite the outlet of the automatic additive dispensing module, the water inlet of the dispensing module being connected to a water inlet pipe of the washing machine, and the water flowing out of the water discharge structure flowing into a tub of the washing machine. The washing machine according to claim 16, characterized in that the casing includes a control panel base provided on the ceiling, the supply module is mounted inside the control module, and the control panel base has an opening facing the withdrawal outlet of the insertion groove of the automatic additive supply module. The washing machine according to claim 17, characterized in that the main body of the additive automatic dosing module is assembled to the inner wall of the control panel base, the insertion groove for properly inserting and mounting the liquid storage case is directly surrounded by the main body or is surrounded jointly by the main body and the inner wall of the control panel base, and the opening of the insertion groove is located on the outer surface of the main body to form a withdrawal opening for inserting the liquid storage case.