Patent Application
20250019892
The invention relates to a method and a device for carrying out a cleaning process for a cleaning device, and a cleaning device.
Some laundry is not visually dirty, but is contaminated with odors and pollutants. In general, laundry is therefore washed after a certain time or use and subsequently dried in the dryer or on the clothesline. Washing and subsequent drying requires a lot of time, energy, and manual activities on the part of the user.
Discussed in more detail below is an improved approach (e.g., an improved method and an improved device) for carrying out a cleaning process for a cleaning device.
In the following description, various exemplary aspects of the disclosure are described with reference to the following drawings, which are merely schematic and non-limiting examples, in which:
The approach presented herein creates a possibility for gently removing and transporting off pollutants and, additionally or alternatively, odorous substances from the articles to be cleaned, and thereby also improving, for example, a device's hygiene. Furthermore, the approach presented here creates a time-saving and energy-saving option for cleaning the articles to be cleaned.
A method for carrying out a cleaning process for a cleaning device is presented. The cleaning device has a treatment chamber or drum for receiving articles to be cleaned, a heating device with a heat pump and an auxiliary heater, and a fan for propelling process air through a circuit leading through the drum and the heating device. The method comprises a step of providing an additional heating signal for activating the auxiliary heater during a heating process and during a steam generation process following the heating process, to heat the auxiliary heater to a temperature suitable for evaporating water. Furthermore, the method comprises a step of providing a supply signal to an interface to a supply device during the steam generation process, wherein the supply signal causes water to be supplied to the auxiliary heater, to generate steam. In a step of the provision, a heat pump signal is provided for activating the heat pump during an air washing process following the steam generation process. The method further comprises a step of providing a fan signal for activating the fan during the air washing process to deliver the steam for cleaning the articles to be cleaned into the treatment chamber or drum, and to deliver it from the drum into the evaporator of the heat pump for cleaning the steam.
The cleaning device may be designed, for example, as a dryer or washer-dryer or drying cabinet. In the following, the treatment chamber is also referred to as a drum, wherein the drum comes into use, when it is rotated, during the treatment of the product to be cleaned, for agitating the articles to be cleaned. In a drying cabinet, the treatment chamber is the treatment space into which the articles to be cleaned are suspended, wherein the treatment space is not moved during the treatment process. Articles to be cleaned can mean, for example, textiles. The cleaning process may, for example, represent a cleaning program that a user of the cleaning device can select and accordingly adjust. The cleaning process may be performed automatically using devices of the cleaning device. The drum may be formed as a rotatable receiving container. The auxiliary heater may be an electrical heating device which can be activated independently of the heat pump, and comprises, for example, at least one heating resistor. The feed device may be formed, for example, as a controllable valve or as a pump, so that the amount of water to be supplied can be supplied to the auxiliary heater in a controlled manner.
According to one embodiment, the method may comprise a step of providing the heat pump signal for activating the heat pump during the heating process, to be able to heat the process air. The heat pump signal can thus be provided in different partial processes of the cleaning process, to activate the heat pump. Optionally, the heat pump signal may additionally contain a target temperature value which can be used to regulate a heating output of the heat pump. If both the heat pump and the auxiliary heater are active during the heating process, the process can be heated very quickly.
According to one embodiment, the heat pump signal may be provided in the step of provision, to heat the process air to at least 45° C. The process air may advantageously be heated to 50 degrees. If the process air heated to such an extent is guided through the drum, this can lead to a separation of odor and pollutants via thermal desorption.
According to one embodiment, in the step of provision, during the steam generation process, the supply signal can be provided to an interface to the supply device designed as a pump, to pump the water for applying the auxiliary heater to the auxiliary heater. Advantageously, the water can be removed from a storage container using the pump and evaporated using the auxiliary heater.
For example, the supply signal can be provided to effect pumping of the water at intervals during the steam generation process. Advantageously, a uniform evaporation of the water can thereby be effected.
The method may comprise a step of providing the supply signal during a reheating process following the air washing process, and a step of providing the fan signal for activating the fan during the reheating process, to heat the articles to be cleaned. Advantageously, residual moisture caused by the water vapor in the articles to be cleaned can be removed by the reheating process.
Furthermore, the method may comprise a step of providing a fragrance signal for activating a delivery device for introducing a fragrance into the process air during the reheating process. The delivery device may be realized, for example, as an atomizer or as a feed device for delivering the fragrance to the auxiliary heater. Alternatively, the evaporation of perfume from an open system may be facilitated via an additional increase in the process air temperature. Advantageously, a fresh feeling of the articles to be cleaned can be delivered to the user by using the fragrance.
According to one embodiment, the method may comprise a step of providing the fan signal for activating the fan during a fan process preceding the heating process. Solids can thereby be loosened from the articles to be cleaned, using the process air. For example, the solids may be formed as dust particles which may be loosened from the articles to be cleaned. The solids may, for example, be animal hair or dust.
According to one embodiment, the fan signal may be provided, to specify a rotational speed and/or a direction of rotation of the fan. The fan can thus be activated and regulated via the fan signal. For example, the rotational speed in the fan process can be alternately increased and decreased. An air flow of the process air can advantageously be changed by changing the rotational speed such that stuck-on solids are also loosened.
According to one embodiment, the fan signal during the steam generation process may specify a direction of rotation of the fan reversed with respect to the fan process. A formation of steam during the steam generation process can thereby be optimized.
Furthermore, the method may comprise a step of providing a pumping signal for activating a condensate pump during a pump process, following the air washing process, to be able to pump off particles, filtered from the steam and condensed at the evaporator, after cleaning the steam. Advantageously, the steam can condense at the evaporator, so that the corresponding particles, e.g., dirt particles, can be filtered out and subsequently pumped off.
The approach presented herein furthermore creates an apparatus which is designed to carry out, control, or implement, in corresponding devices, the steps of a variant of a method presented herein. The object upon which the invention is based can also be achieved quickly and efficiently by this embodiment variant of the invention in the form of an apparatus. The apparatus may be formed, for example, as a control device.
The apparatus can be designed to read input signals and to determine and provide output signals using the input signals. An input signal can, for example, represent a sensor signal that can be read via an input interface of the apparatus. An output signal can represent a control signal or a data signal that can be provided at an output interface of the apparatus. The apparatus can be designed to determine the output signals using a processing rule implemented in hardware or software. For example, the apparatus can comprise a logic circuit, an integrated switching circuit, or a software module for this purpose and can, for example, be realized as a discrete component or can be comprised by a discrete component.
A computer program product or computer program with program code, which can be stored on a machine-readable carrier or storage medium, such as a semiconductor memory, a hard disk memory, or an optical memory, is also advantageous. If the program product or program is executed on a computer or an apparatus, the program product or program can be used to carry out, implement, and/or control the steps of the method according to one of the embodiments described above.
Furthermore, a cleaning device is presented which has a drum for receiving articles to be cleaned and a heating device with an auxiliary heater and a heat pump. The auxiliary heater is designed to evaporate water during a steam generation process following the heating process. The heat pump is designed to clean the steam using an evaporator of the heat pump during an air washing following the steam generation process. The cleaning device furthermore has a fan for propelling process air through a circuit leading through the drum and the heating device during the air washing process, to clean the articles to be cleaned, and for propelling the steam from the drum into the evaporator of the heat pump for cleaning the steam. In addition, the cleaning device has an apparatus in a variant presented above.
The cleaning device may, for example, be formed as a domestic appliance, but can also be used accordingly in connection with a commercial or professional device, e.g., a medical device, such as a cleaning or disinfecting device, a small sterilizer, a large-space disinfector, or a container washing system. The articles to be cleaned can thus also be dishes or medical devices, for example.
According to one embodiment, the evaporator of the heat pump may have a hydrophilic surface. Advantageously, the surface may be coated to be able to better filter out the particles from the steam. The process air can thereby be cleaned very well.
The cleaning device 100 has a drum 102, e.g., a washing drum, for receiving articles to be cleaned, and a heating device 104. The heating device 104 comprises an auxiliary heater 106 and a heat pump 108. The auxiliary heater is designed, for example, as a resistance heater, and the heat pump 108 as a heat pump device known from washer-dryers. By using the heating device 104, process air can be temperature-controlled prior to being introduced into the drum 102.
According to this exemplary embodiment, the auxiliary heater 106 is further designed to evaporate water. The water is supplied to the auxiliary heater 106 using a supply device 109 of the cleaning device 100. The resulting steam can be entrained by the process air and conducted through the drum 102. The articles to be cleaned can thereby be cleaned.
According to one exemplary embodiment, an evaporator 110 of the heat pump 108 is used to clean the steam conducted together with the process air through the drum 102. For this purpose, the cleaning device 100 has a fan 112 for propelling the process air through a circuit 114 leading through the drum 102 and the heating device 104. For example, the circuit 114 comprises pipes and/or hoses which connect the elements of the heating device 104 to one another and to the drum 102.
Furthermore, the cleaning device 100 has an apparatus 116 which can also be referred to as a control unit, and which is designed to control an operation of the cleaning device 100. In particular, the apparatus 116 is designed to control or carry out a sequence of a cleaning process of the cleaning device 100, as is described in one of the figures below. For this purpose, the apparatus 116 is designed to control at least the heating device 104 and the fan 112 using electrical signals. For example, the apparatus 116 is designed to control an operation of the auxiliary heater 106 using an additional heating signal 150, an operation of the heat pump 108 using a heat pump signal 152, an operation of the supply device 109 using a supply signal 154, and an operation of the fan 112 using a fan signal 156.
According to one exemplary embodiment, the supply device 109 is realized as a pump or, alternatively, as a controllable valve. Using the supply device 109, the water can be obtained by pumping or by gravity from a liquid container 118 and delivered to the auxiliary heater 106. The liquid container 118 is used to store the water to be evaporated.
Only optionally does the cleaning device 100 have a delivery device 119 which is designed to effect an introduction of a fragrance into the process air in a controlled manner by a fragrance signal 158 provided by the apparatus 116.
According to one exemplary embodiment, condensed liquid, which optionally comprises particles 122 to be removed from the circuit 114, is removed from the circuit 114 into a collection container 124 at the evaporator 110. According to one exemplary embodiment, the cleaning device 100 additionally has a condensate pump 120. The condensate pump 120 is here formed to pump water from the collection container 124 in a controlled manner by a pump signal 160 provided by the apparatus 116. If water located in the collection container 124 is cleaned of the particles 122, the water can be pumped into the liquid container 118 using the condensate pump 120. For example, the condensate pump 120 is arranged in the region of the collection container 124 of the cleaning device 100.
As explained in more detail below, the cleaning device 100 makes it possible to carry out a cleaning program within a dryer on the basis of the heat pump 108, steam, and the auxiliary heater 106. Said cleaning program, which is also referred to as a cleaning process, can be used, for example, when the articles to be cleaned are, visually, not dirty, yet have, for example, odorous substances and/or pollutants, but complete washing is not possible for reasons of time, for example.
The evaporator 110 is designed to extract heat from ambient air and thereby evaporate the refrigerant within the heat pump circuit 200. In contrast, the condenser 206 is designed to liquefy the evaporated refrigerant, as a result of which heat is released to the surroundings, so that the heat pump 108 can, for example, be used for cooling depending upon the application, or is used according to this exemplary embodiment for heating the process air. According to this exemplary embodiment, the heat pump 108 and the circuit 114 guided through the heat pump 108 have a plurality of temperature meters 212 which are designed to be able to detect a temperature development and/or a temperature change within the circuit 114 and/or within the heat pump circuit 200. The temperature meters 212 thus enable a measurement of the temperature of the process air upstream of the drum 102, downstream of the drum 102, and a temperature measurement of the refrigerant downstream of the compressor unit 208. According to this exemplary embodiment, the circuit 114 runs through the evaporator 110 and the compressor 206 of the heat pump 108.
According to one exemplary embodiment, the cleaning device 100 has a drive 215 connected between the fan 112 and the drum 102, which drive is designed, for example, to set the drum 102 and/or the fan 112 in motion.
Optionally, the cleaning device 100 has a base module 214. According to this exemplary embodiment, several collection containers 124 are arranged within the base module 214, which collection containers, for example, only optionally have different volumes. Only optionally is the base module 214 connected or connectable to a wastewater line. Furthermore, at least one of the collection containers 124 is optionally coupled to the liquid container 118, wherein liquid can be pumped from the collection container 124 into the liquid container 118 using the condensate pump. The base module 214 is, for example, arranged or can be arranged on a base of the cleaning device 100. According to this exemplary embodiment, the base module 214 has a float switch 216, which is designed to detect a maximum fill-level of the collection container 124.
According to one exemplary embodiment, the auxiliary heater 106 comprises a heating element, e.g., a PCT heating element, with a humidifying unit for humidifying the process air.
According to one exemplary embodiment, the cleaning process comprises a heating process, a steam generation process, and an air washing process, and optionally a fan process, a pumping process, and a reheating process. These sub-processes are described in detail below with reference to
The method 300 comprises a step 302 of providing an additional signal, a step 304 of providing a supply signal, a step 306 of providing a heat pump signal, and a step 308 of providing a fan signal.
In step 302 of provision, an additional heating signal for activating the auxiliary heater during a heating process and during a steam generation process following the heating process is provided, to heat the auxiliary heater to a temperature suitable for evaporating water.
In step 304 of provision, a supply signal is provided to an interface to a supply device during the steam generation process, wherein the supply signal causes water to be supplied to the auxiliary heater to generate the steam. The steam is designed, for example, to loosen volatile organic compounds from the articles to be cleaned.
In step 306 of provision, a heat pump signal for activating the heat pump is provided during an air washing process following the steam generation process, to use an evaporator of the heat pump for cleaning the steam.
In step 308 of provision, a fan signal for activating the fan is provided during the air washing process to propel the steam for cleaning the articles to be cleaned into the drum and to propel the steam from the drum into the evaporator of the heat pump. In this case, for example, the process air is moved into the drum.
Optionally, the step 308 of providing a fan signal for activating the fan during a fan process preceding the heating process is further carried out, to loosen, using the process air, solids from the articles to be cleaned.
Optionally, the method 300 comprises, according to one exemplary embodiment, a step 312 of providing a pumping signal for activating a condensate pump during a pumping process, following the air washing process, to pump off particles, filtered from the steam and condensed at the evaporator, from the circuit, after the steam has been cleaned, and optionally a step 314 of providing a fragrance signal for activating a delivery device for introducing a fragrance into the process air during a reheating process that can be carried out after the air washing process.
According to this exemplary embodiment, in step 308 of the provision,
the fan signal is provided which specifies a rotational speed or a direction of rotation of the fan.
Only optionally is the heat pump activated in step 306 of providing the heat pump signal during the heating process, to heat the process air to at least 45° C. and preferably to 50° C.
The supply signal is, further, optionally provided during the steam generation process to an interface to the supply device designed as a pump, to pump the water to supply the auxiliary heater to the auxiliary heater.
According to one exemplary embodiment, the water is pumped to the auxiliary heater by pumping at intervals. Optionally, during a reheating process, following the air washing process, the supply signal is provided in a renewed step of provision. Likewise, the articles to be cleaned are heated by renewed activation of the fan during the reheating process.
According to one exemplary embodiment, steps 302, 304, 306, 308, 312, 314 are carried out in such a sequence, and optionally also repeatedly, that the heat pump, and in particular the compressor of the heat pump, is off during the fan process, on during the heating process, off during the steam generation process, on during the air washing process, off during the pumping process, and off during the reheating process. The fan, e.g., in the form of a process air blower, rotates, in the fan process, at maximum, in the heating process, at 90%, in the steam generation process, at minimum, in the air washing process, at maximum, in the blowing process, at 70%, and in the reheating process, to 70%. The auxiliary heater is on during the fan process, on during the heating process, on during the steam generation process, off during the air washing process, off during the pump process, and on during the reheating process. The supply device, also referred to as a pump for steam generation, is off during the fan process, off during the heating process, on during the steam generation process, off in the air washing process, off during the pumping process, and off during the reheating process.
According to this exemplary embodiment, the cleaning process 400 comprises a fan process 402, a heating process 404, a steam generation process 406, an air washing process 408, a pumping process 410, and a reheating process 412, in which the individual steps of the method are carried out. Said sub-processes 402, 404, 406, 408, 410, 412 are carried out consecutively in time.
After preparation 414 for the cleaning process 400 by a user, the cleaning device is ready, for example, to carry out the cleaning process 400.
Such preparation 414 comprises, for example, putting the articles to be cleaned into the cleaning device and selecting a desired cleaning program, such as the cleaning process 400 described in
In the fan process 402, the articles put in to be cleaned are aerated using the process air to remove solids, such as dust particles, crumbs, or stones. For this purpose, the process air is propelled through the drum of the cleaning device with a maximum velocity that can be achieved by the fan. According to this exemplary embodiment, the heat pump and the supply device are deactivated in the fan process 402. In so doing, the solids are separated by aeration at maximum volume flow.
In the heating process 404, the articles to be cleaned are heated using the heat pump and/or the auxiliary heater. The feed device is here deactivated. According to this exemplary embodiment, the fan is activated, but it no longer runs at its maximum output, as previously in the fan process 402, but with a slightly reduced output—for example, at 90% of its output. By means of the heating process 404, volatile organic compounds (VOC's) are loosened from the articles to be cleaned. A separation of odorous substances and pollutants takes place via thermal desorption. For this purpose, the temperature of the articles to be cleaned is increased to 50° C. or more by means of the heat pump and the auxiliary heater. The higher this temperature is, the faster the odorous substances are loosened from the articles to be cleaned. The holding time and/or temperature is adjusted in response to the degree of soiling, the type of laundry, and/or energy consumption. High temperatures enable, for example, a short treatment time, but high energy consumption is to be expected.
In the steam generation process 406, steam is then generated using the auxiliary heater, for example, to bind the VOC's loosened from the articles to be cleaned. The heat pump is deactivated, and the fan is reduced to a minimum output. The feed device is activated in the steam generation process 406 and delivers the water to the auxiliary heater. In the steam generation process 406, the steam is generated, to loosen semi-volatile substances by a principle of steam distillation from the articles to be cleaned and to improve the condensation in the evaporator of the heat pump. The steam is generated by delivering water, such as condensate or distilled water, to the auxiliary heater, where it evaporates. The steam is moved onto the laundry by means of the process air blower.
In the air washing process 408, the steam is condensed using the heat pump, and the VOC's are thus removed from the process air. According to this exemplary embodiment, the fan is activated at maximum output in the air washing process 408. During this time, the auxiliary heater and the feeding device are deactivated. In other words, a cleaning of the gaseous substances from the process air takes place in the air washing process 408. This takes place in an air washer—for example, the evaporator of the heat pump unit. The substances are separated from the process air by condensation and absorption of the gaseous substances on a lamella of the evaporator or on the water droplets adhering to the evaporator. A hydrophilic coating of the evaporator enables improved wetting, for example, and thereby improves absorption. By lowering the blower speed, the flow rate of the process air is reduced, thereby extending the contact time of the process air to the air washer. The evaporation temperature of the refrigerant can also be reduced by a controlled throttle, e.g., an expansion valve, to improve condensation.
In the pumping process 410, the condensed steam is pumped off, and the VOC's bound therein are removed. During this process, the heat pump, the auxiliary heater, and the supply device are deactivated. The fan is activated, for example, at an output of 70%. The pumping process 410 thus allows removal of the impurities from the cleaning device. The substances are transported to the condensate pump with the resulting condensate and transported out of the appliance. This takes place, for example, directly in the wastewater line or alternatively in the collection container, also known as the condensate container, which is emptied after the cleaning process 400 and only optionally rinsed.
The pumping process 410 is only optionally to be considered a final sub- process. As an alternative, the reheating process 412 follows after the pumping process 410. This means that, according to this exemplary embodiment, the user is free to decide whether an end of the pumping process 410 means a removal 416 of the articles to be cleaned, or whether the merely optional reheating process 412 follows, in which the articles to be cleaned are heated again and/or scented before a removal 416 of the articles to be cleaned. During the process, the heat pump and the supply device are deactivated. However, the auxiliary heater is activated, and the fan is also active at a reduced output of, for example, 70%. In other words, the air washing unit is switched off, and only the auxiliary heater is activated, to evaporate the fragrances from, for example, a flacon.
In other words, the cleaning process 400 achieves a removal of solid substances and odorous substances without washing in a heat pump dryer with an auxiliary heater (QPD) and steam generation.
A control of actuators which are involved in the cleaning process 400 is
described below with reference to
Water is supplied to the auxiliary heater by means of the supply device, to generate steam. According to this exemplary embodiment, the feed device is activated only during the steam generation process 406—in this case, for example, at intervals.
In this way, the supply device, which is also referred to as a pump for steam generation, delivers water at intervals to a distribution device for applying to the auxiliary heater, according to one exemplary embodiment. The pump for the auxiliary heater is actuated only in the steam generation process—for example, using the supply signal described with reference to
According to this exemplary embodiment, the heat pump is accordingly activated in the heating process 404 and additionally in the air washing process. During the fan process 402, during the steam generation process 406, and during the pumping process 410 and during the reheating process 412, the heat pump according to this exemplary embodiment is deactivated.
The compressor of the heat pump is controlled, for example, for heating the process air up to a base temperature of 50° C. After a certain holding time, e.g., 20 minutes, the compressor is switched off during steam generation and distribution, and is put into operation again to activate the air washing.
According to this exemplary embodiment, the fan is activated at all times of the cleaning process 400. During the steam generation process 406, the fan according to this exemplary embodiment has a direction of rotation changed relative to the other sub-processes 402, 404, 408, 410, 412.
In other words, the motor of the fan is operated several times alternately
at a maximum speed at the beginning of the aeration phase, i.e., the fan process 402. In the heating phase of the heating process 404, the fan is constantly operated with the heating optimal for the heat pump. During steam generation in the steam generation process 406, the air volume flow of the process air is set to a minimum. This is done, for example, by rotating in the opposite direction at the minimum rotational speed. During air washing in the air washing process 408, the air is driven with the rotational speed optimal for the heat pump. Optionally, the rotational speed is lowered to improve the effect of the air washing. In the phase of pumping off during the pumping process 410, the fan is operated at a minimum rotational speed. In the optional reheating process 412, the air volume flow is increased again to achieve good heating with the heat pump.
For example, the fan signal, described with reference to
According to this exemplary embodiment, it is illustrated that the auxiliary heater is deactivated only during the air washing process 408 and during the pumping process 410. During the sub-processes 402, 404, 406 and during the reheating process 412, the auxiliary heater is activated.
In other words, the auxiliary heater is controlled as continuously as possible during the sub-processes 402, 404, 406. To achieve high temperatures with the auxiliary heater, the air volume flow is minimized. The auxiliary heater advantageously has a PTC base. This means that the output 5 can be reduced independently at high temperatures.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/5670 | Aug 2021 | BE | national |
This application is a national phase application of PCT/EP2022/070926, filed on Jul. 26, 2022, which claims priority to Belgium Patent Application BE20215670 filed on Aug. 23, 2021, the contents of both which are fully incorporated herein by reference.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2022/070926 | 7/26/2022 | WO |
