Washing machine for automatically feeding additives and method thereof

Abstract

Disclosed are a washing machine for automatically feeding additives and a method thereof. The washing machine includes an additive automatic feeding apparatus and at least one additive accommodating box for accommodating at least one liquid additive. Each additive accommodating box is of a structure of an independently sealed cartridge-type box. A washing machine casing is provided with at least one opening. Each additive accommodating box is disposed inside its corresponding opening in a pull and push manner and operably is or is not in communication with the additive automatic feeding apparatus.

1 . A washing machine for automatically feeding additives, comprising an additive automatic feeding apparatus and at least one additive accommodating box for accommodating at least one liquid additive, wherein each additive accommodating box is of a structure of an independently sealed cartridge-type box, wherein a washing machine casting is provided with at least one opening, and wherein each additive accommodating box is disposed inside its corresponding opening in a pull and push manner and operably is or is not in communication with the additive automatic feeding apparatus. 
     
     
         2 . The washing machine for automatically feeding additives according to  claim 1 , wherein the washing machine is provided with at least two openings, the at least one additive accommodating box configured to accommodate the at least one liquid additive is disposed inside the at least one opening, a powder detergent accommodating box configured to accommodate a solid detergent is disposed inside one of the at least two openings, and preferably, the washing machine is provided with a powder detergent accommodating box for accommodating a powder detergent and a corresponding opening, and multiple additive accommodating boxes for respectively accommodating a liquid detergent, a liquid softener, and a liquid disinfectant and their corresponding openings. 
     
     
         3 . The washing machine for automatically feeding additives according to  claim 1 , wherein the washing machine is provided with a base, the base is provided with at least one additive accommodating box opening, each opening is an independent chamber, or multiple openings are chambers having interiors in communication with each other, and a positioning slideway of the additive accommodating box is disposed inside the opening. 
     
     
         4 . The washing machine for automatically feeding additives according to  claim 3 , wherein the base is further provided with at least one powder detergent accommodating box opening, an upper part of the opening is in communication with a water inlet of the washing machine, a lower part of the opening is provided with a water outlet in communication with a washing drum, and the powder detergent accommodating box opening is an independent sealed chamber and is isolated from the additive accommodating box opening. 
     
     
         5 . The washing machine for automatically feeding additives according to  claim 3 , wherein a side, provided with an opening, of the base is provided with a decorative baffle, a side edge of the decorative baffle plate is hingedly connected to the washing machine and/or base, or the decorative cover plate is connected to the washing machine and/or base in a push and pull manner. 
     
     
         6 . The washing machine for automatically feeding additives according to  claim 1 , wherein the washing machine is further provided with an additive stock warning apparatus, the additive accommodating box is provided with a liquid level detecting apparatus, the liquid level detecting apparatus controls, according to a detected liquid level signal, the warning apparatus to issue an alarm, and the additive stock warning apparatus is an additive stock display lamp and/or a buzzer. 
     
     
         7 . The washing machine for automatically feeding additives according to  claim 1 , wherein the additive accommodating box is provided with a liquid outlet, the liquid outlet is provided with a pressure opening/closure valve, a press pop-out switch is disposed inside the opening, when the additive accommodating box is completely pushed into an interior of the opening, the pressure opening/closure valve is opened, and the liquid outlet is in communication with the additive automatic feeding apparatus, and when the additive accommodating box is further pressed forcefully, the additive accommodating box is popped out by specific displacement, the pressure opening/closure valve is closed, and the additive accommodating box can be pulled out from the opening. 
     
     
         8 . The washing machine for automatically feeding additives according to  claim 7 , wherein the liquid outlet is located on an end surface, facing the opening, of the additive accommodating box and is located at a bottom of the end surface, the liquid outlet is provided with a one-way valve merely provided for an additive to flow out, the one-way valve is provided with a sealing member for controlling whether a liquid detergent can flow out, a control module capable of controlling the sealing member to move to enable the liquid detergent to flow out from the additive accommodating box is disposed at a position, corresponding to the sealing member, inside the opening, the control module comprises an electromagnetic module and a piston rod connected to the electromagnetic module, another end of the piston rod is located on the sealing member, and the electromagnetic module drives the piston rod to move to actuate the sealing member to move to control the one-way valve to open and close. 
     
     
         9 . The washing machine for automatically feeding additives according to  claim 1 , wherein the opening is located on a side wall of the washing machine, and the additive accommodating box is horizontally disposed, or the opening inclines downward from outside to inside, and the additive accommodating box is inclinedly disposed, or the opening is located on a top surface of the washing machine, and the additive accommodating box is vertically disposed. 
     
     
         10 . The washing machine for automatically feeding additives according to  claim 1 , wherein the additive automatic feeding apparatus is an apparatus that generates negative pressure by using an inlet water flow to extract a liquid additive and performs quantitative feeding, the apparatus comprises a negative pressure generator located on an water inlet pipeline of the washing machine, a negative pressure region of the negative pressure generator is in communication with a metering apparatus, the negative pressure generator is further provided with a discharge liquid circulation passage, and the metering apparatus is also separately in communication with a first opening of an ink cartridge-type additive box and the discharge liquid circulation passage of the negative pressure generator. 
     
     
         11 . The washing machine for automatically feeding additives according to  claim 10 , wherein the metering apparatus comprises a liquid passing chamber, at least two inlets and at least one outlet that are in communication with the liquid passing chamber and, a rotatable impeller disposed inside the liquid passing chamber, and a counting sensor disposed outside the liquid passing chamber to detect an impeller rotation angle, liquid throughput is calculated by means of measuring the impeller rotation angle, one of the inlets is in communication with a liquid outlet of the ink cartridge-type additive box, another inlet is in communication with the discharge liquid circulation passage, and the outlet is in communication with the washing drum. 
     
     
         12 . A method of the washing machine for automatically feeding additives according to  claim 1 , wherein the washing machine is started, a main control board determines, according to a program, whether an additive needs to be fed, if the additive is a liquid additive, the main control board controls an electromagnetic module corresponding to an additive accommodating box that accommodates the liquid additive to be powered on to drive a corresponding piston rod to squeeze a sealing member, a gap is generated around the sealing member, and the additive is extracted out by using negative pressure that is generated when the washing machine intakes water, and after the additive inside the additive accommodating box is used up, the additive accommodating box is pressed, the additive accommodating box is popped out, the additive accommodating box is pulled out from the opening, the one-way valve and sealing member are taken off to pour a corresponding additive into the interior thereof, and then the additive accommodating box is inserted into the corresponding opening. 
     
     
         13 . The method of The washing machine for automatically feeding additives according to  claim 12 , wherein the pulled-out additive accommodating box is replaceable with a portable additive accommodating box containing the additive of the type.