1. The front sealing door of the clothes treatment equipment is characterized in that the width direction of the front sealing door extends along the left and right directions, the height direction of the front sealing door extends along the up and down directions, and the thickness direction of the front sealing door extends along the front and back directions;

the front sealing door is provided with a first clothes taking and placing opening, the front side surface of the front sealing door is provided with a first mounting concave part which is concave backwards, and the distance from the first clothes taking and placing opening to the upper edge of the first mounting concave part is smaller than the distance from the first clothes taking and placing opening to the lower edge of the first mounting concave part.

2. The front cover door of a laundry treating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first mounting recess surrounds the first laundry access opening.

3. The front-sealing door of a laundry treating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the front-sealing door has a detergent box insertion opening, and a dimension of a region of the front-sealing door in a front-rear direction where the detergent box insertion opening is located is larger than a dimension of a left end portion and/or a right end portion of the front-sealing door in the front-rear direction.

4. The front door according to claim 3, wherein a detergent box insertion opening is opened to a front side surface of the front door, and a detergent box is adapted to be inserted into the detergent box insertion opening in a front-rear direction.

5. The front seal door of a laundry treating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a dimension of a region of the front seal door where the detergent box insertion opening is located in a front-rear direction is H, a dimension of a left end portion of the front seal door and a right end portion of the front seal door in the front-rear direction is H, and a ratio of H to H is 1.2-2.5.

6. The front cover door of a laundry treating apparatus according to claim 3, comprising in order from left to right:

the washing machine comprises a first side plate, a main body section and a second side plate, wherein the detergent box is inserted into the main body section; the first side plate, the main body section and the second side plate are connected in sequence.

7. The front sealing door of laundry processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a front side surface of each of the first and second side panels gradually extends rearward in a direction away from the main body section in a left-right direction.

8. The front cover door of a laundry treating apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a dimension of the main body section in the left-right direction is larger than a dimension of any one of the first side panel and the second side panel in the left-right direction.

9. The front cover door of a laundry treating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the front cover door is further provided with a second laundry access opening, the second laundry access opening being located below the first laundry access opening,

the detergent box inserting opening is positioned between the first clothes taking and placing opening and the second clothes taking and placing opening, and the distance between the detergent box inserting opening and the first clothes taking and placing opening is smaller than the distance between the detergent box inserting opening and the second clothes taking and placing opening.

10. The front sealing door of clothes treating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the detergent box insertion opening is located directly below the first clothes access opening.

11. The front seal door of a clothes treating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first mounting recess is used for assembling a door body for opening and closing the first clothes access opening, the detergent box insertion opening is provided in the first mounting recess, and the door body covers the detergent box insertion opening in a state that the door body is in a state of closing the first clothes access opening.

12. The front seal door of a laundry treating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first mounting recess is formed as a circular ring-shaped region extending along a circumferential direction of the first laundry access opening, the detergent box insertion opening is formed below the first laundry access opening, and a lower edge of the detergent box insertion opening is formed in a circular arc shape.

13. The front sealing door of a laundry treating apparatus according to claim 12, wherein a lower edge of the detergent box insertion opening is close to or coincident with a lower edge of the first mounting recess.

14. The front seal door of a laundry treating apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 13, wherein a rear side surface of the front seal door has a positioning rib extending in a circumferential direction of the detergent box insertion port.

15. A laundry treating apparatus, comprising a front sealing door of the laundry treating apparatus according to any one of claims 1-14.

Background

In the prior art, the front sealing door of the clothes treatment device is usually a plane plate, however, if the plane plate is too thick, the aesthetic property of the structure is affected, and if the plane plate is too thin, the strength of the structure is affected, the problems of unreliable matching and poor stability during assembly can be caused, and an improved space exists.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention is directed to solving at least one of the problems of the prior art. To this end, an object of the present invention is to propose a front sealing door of a laundry treating apparatus, which is aesthetically elegant while facilitating the installation of a detergent box.

The invention also provides a clothes treatment device.

According to the front sealing door of the clothes processing equipment, the width direction of the front sealing door extends along the left and right direction, the height direction of the front sealing door extends along the up and down direction, and the thickness direction of the front sealing door extends along the front and back direction; the front sealing door is provided with a detergent box inserting opening, wherein the size of the area of the front sealing door where the detergent box inserting opening is located in the front-back direction is larger than the size of the left end part and/or the right end part of the front sealing door in the front-back direction.

According to the front sealing door of the clothes treatment equipment, the front sealing door is designed to be thick at the detergent box insertion opening and thin at the end part, so that the detergent box can be conveniently installed and inserted on the front sealing door, the size of the detergent box in the front and back direction can be increased, the capacity of the detergent box can be improved, the interference with other parts of the clothes treatment equipment can be reduced, and the installation of the detergent box is facilitated; in addition, the end part of the front sealing door is thinner, so that the whole thickness is smaller when the front sealing door is observed from the side surface, the whole structure is more attractive, and the visual experience of a user is improved.

According to the front-sealing door of the clothes treating device, the detergent box inserting opening is arranged on the front side surface of the front-sealing door, and the detergent box is suitable for being inserted into the detergent box inserting opening along the front-back direction.

According to the front sealing door of the clothes treatment equipment, the size of the area where the detergent box inserting opening of the front sealing door is located in the front-back direction is H, the size of the left end portion of the front sealing door and the size of the right end portion of the front sealing door in the front-back direction are H, and the ratio of H to H is 1.2-2.5.

According to the front sealing door of the clothes processing equipment provided by the embodiment of the invention, the front sealing door sequentially comprises the following components from left to right: the washing machine comprises a first side plate, a main body section and a second side plate, wherein the detergent box is inserted into the main body section; the first side plate, the main body section and the second side plate are connected in sequence.

Optionally, in the left-right direction, a front side surface of each of the first side plate and the second side plate extends gradually rearward in a direction away from the main body section.

Optionally, a dimension of the main body segment in the left-right direction is larger than a dimension of any one of the first side plate and the second side plate in the left-right direction.

According to the front sealing door of the clothes treating equipment, the front sealing door is provided with at least one clothes taking and placing opening, and the detergent box inserting opening is arranged at a position close to the at least one clothes taking and placing opening.

Specifically, the clothes taking and placing opening comprises a first clothes taking and placing opening and a second clothes taking and placing opening located below the first clothes taking and placing opening, wherein the detergent box inserting opening is located between the first clothes taking and placing opening and the second clothes taking and placing opening, and the distance between the detergent box inserting opening and the first clothes taking and placing opening is smaller than the distance between the detergent box inserting opening and the second clothes taking and placing opening.

Optionally, the detergent box insertion opening is located directly below the first laundry access opening.

Optionally, the front side surface of the front sealing door has a first mounting recess extending in a circumferential direction of the first laundry access opening for mounting a door body for opening and closing the first laundry access opening, and the detergent box insertion opening is provided in the first mounting recess.

Optionally, the first mounting recess is formed as an annular region extending along a circumferential direction of the first laundry access opening, the detergent box insertion opening is formed below the first laundry access opening, and a lower edge of the detergent box insertion opening is formed in an arc shape.

Optionally, a lower edge of the detergent box insertion opening is close to or coincides with a lower edge of the first mounting recess.

According to the front sealing door of the clothes treating device, the rear side surface of the front sealing door is provided with the positioning convex rib extending along the circumferential direction of the detergent box inserting opening.

According to the clothes treatment equipment provided by the embodiment of the second aspect of the invention, the front sealing door of the clothes treatment equipment provided by the embodiment of the invention is adopted, so that the installation of a detergent box is facilitated, the visual experience of a user is improved, the structure of the whole machine is stable, and the market competitiveness of the clothes treatment equipment is improved.

Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.

Drawings

The above and/or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

fig. 1 is a schematic structural view of a laundry treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which a door assembly is located at a closed position;

fig. 2 is a schematic structural view of a laundry treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which a door assembly is located at an open position;

FIG. 3 is a schematic structural diagram of a case assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of an assembled structure of a front cover door and a support frame according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a front cover door according to an embodiment of the present invention at a viewing angle;

FIG. 6 is a front view of a front sealing door according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a top view of a front seal door according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a schematic structural view of a front cover door according to an embodiment of the present invention at another viewing angle;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of the structure A of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of the structure B of FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a schematic structural view of a support frame according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of the structure C of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged view of the structure D of FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged view of structure E of FIG. 11;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged view of the F structure of FIG. 11;

FIG. 16 is a schematic view of an assembled structure of a side panel and a support frame according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 17 is an enlarged view of the O-structure of FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is a structural schematic view of a mounting beam according to an embodiment of the invention at one perspective;

FIG. 19 is a structural schematic view of a mounting beam according to an embodiment of the invention at another perspective;

fig. 20 is a schematic structural view of a detergent box according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 21 is an exploded view of a detergent box according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 22 is an enlarged view of the structure G of FIG. 21;

FIG. 23 is an enlarged view of the N structure of FIG. 21;

fig. 24 is a schematic structural diagram of a dispensing device according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 25 is a schematic structural diagram of a dispensing assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

figure 26 is an exploded view of a dispensing assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 27 is a schematic partial structural view of a dispensing assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 28 is a top view of the structure shown in FIG. 27;

fig. 29 is a sectional view taken along line I-I of fig. 28, in which the liquid discharge flow path is in a disconnected state;

fig. 30 is a sectional view taken along line I-I of fig. 28, in which a liquid discharge flow path is in a conducting state;

fig. 31 is a schematic structural view of a dispensing cap according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 32 is an assembly view of a dosing cartridge and a dosing pump according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 33 is a cross-sectional view taken along line J-J of FIG. 32;

FIG. 34 is a cross-sectional view taken along line K-K of FIG. 32;

figure 35 is an assembly view of a drop box and a mounting base according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 36 is a sectional view taken along line L-L of FIG. 35;

FIG. 37 is a side view of the structure shown in FIG. 35;

FIG. 38 is a cross-sectional view taken along line M-M of FIG. 37;

fig. 39 is a schematic configuration diagram of a laundry treating apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Reference numerals:

a laundry treating apparatus 100, a cabinet assembly 200, a loading device 300, a door assembly 400, a tub assembly 500,

a front sealing door 10, a first clothes taking and placing port 101, a second clothes taking and placing port 102, a detergent box inserting port 103, an upper edge 1031 of the detergent box inserting port, a lower edge 1032 of the detergent box inserting port, a first edge plate 11, a main body segment 12, a second edge plate 13, a first mounting concave part 141, a second mounting concave part 142, a third mounting concave part 143, a positioning convex rib 15, a first connecting flange 16, a first connecting hole 161, a second connecting flange 17, a mounting flange 18, a matching part 181, a second connecting hole 182,

the support frame 20 is supported on the frame,

a base 21, a first vertical beam 221, a stopper 2211, a second vertical beam 222, a third vertical beam 223, a fourth vertical beam 224,

connecting beam 23, connecting beam body 231, support ramp 2311, beam projection 2312, beam projection top wall 23121, beam projection side wall 23122, beam recess 2313, reinforcement recess 2314, support seat 232, second mounting through-hole 233,

a first link frame 241, a fixing portion 2411, a first fixing hole 2412, a reinforcing protrusion 2413, a second fixing hole 2414, a second link frame 242, a third link frame 243, a fourth link frame 244,

a mounting beam 25, a mounting beam body 251, a detergent box mounting region 2511, a first mounting portion 2512, a second mounting portion 2513, a transition flange 2514, a second through hole 2515, a fourth recess 2516, a reinforcing protrusion 25161, a support plate 252, a positioning hole 2521,

a detergent box 30, a positioning protrusion 301, a coupling lug 302, a first penetration hole 303,

the fixed cavity 31, the accommodating cavity 310, the rear wall 3101, the lower side wall 3103, the transition wall 3104, the first port 311, the second port 312, the effusion groove 313, the guide rail 314, the guide rib 3141, the connecting rib 3142, the support table 315, the first annular rib 316, the second annular rib 317,

a movable cavity 32, a window 321, a mounting cavity 322, a holding part 323, a cover body 324, a supporting convex part 325,

the placement component 40 is provided with a placement device,

a throwing box 41, a throwing box body 4101, a main matching port 41011, a first matching port 41012, a second matching port 41013, a water inlet 41014, a liquid inlet 41015, a liquid passing port 41016, a first limit seat 41017,

a projection cover 4102, a through hole 41021, an annular convex rib 41022, a protection convex rib 41023, a lateral opening 41024,

a main flow passage 411, a first extension segment 4111, a second extension segment 4112, an intermediate connection segment 4113, a first flow passage 412, a second flow passage 413, a liquid inlet flow passage 414, a liquid discharge flow passage 415, a temporary storage cavity 416, a liquid discharge recess 417,

a first throwing portion 418, a second throwing portion 419, a first throwing port 4191, a second throwing port 4192,

a liquid discharge part 42, a moving part 421, a moving rod 4211, a retaining protrusion 4212, a second limit seat 4213, a blocking part 422, an elastic part 423,

a switching valve 43, a main switching port 431, a first switching port 432, a second switching port 433, a valve body 434,

the dosing pump 44, the pump inlet 441, the pump outlet 442, the pump inlet 443,

a mounting seat 45, a mounting cavity 451, a liquid passage port 452, a pump mounting portion 453,

the liquid level detection section 46, the positive pole 461, the negative pole 462,

a side plate 50, a mounting groove 51, a bottom wall 5101 of the mounting groove, a first mounting through hole 511, a mounting opening 512,

a first door body 61, a second door body 62, a first washtub 63, a second washtub 64,

handle 70, handle shell 71, cover 72.

Detailed Description

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like or similar reference numerals refer to the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar function throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are illustrative only for the purpose of explaining the present invention, and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention.

In the description of the present invention, it is to be understood that the terms "central," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "axial," "radial," "circumferential," and the like are used in the indicated orientations and positional relationships based on the drawings for ease of description and simplicity of description, and do not indicate or imply that the referenced device or element must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. The features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. "plurality" means two or more unless otherwise specified.

In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" are to be construed broadly, e.g., as meaning either a fixed connection, a removable connection, or an integral connection; can be mechanically or electrically connected; they may be connected directly or indirectly through intervening media, or they may be interconnected between two elements. The specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood in specific cases to those skilled in the art.

The front sealing door 10 of the laundry treating apparatus 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to fig. 1 to 39.

As shown in fig. 1 to 10, in the front-sealing door 10 of the laundry treating apparatus 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the width direction of the front-sealing door 10 extends in the left-right direction, the height direction of the front-sealing door 10 extends in the up-down direction, the thickness direction of the front-sealing door 10 extends in the front-back direction, the front-sealing door 10 has a detergent box insertion opening 103, the front-back direction dimension of a region where the detergent box insertion opening 103 of the front-sealing door 10 is located is larger than the front-back direction dimension of the left end of the front-sealing door 10, or the front-back direction dimension of a region where the detergent box insertion opening 103 of the front-sealing door 10 is located is larger than the front-back direction dimension of the right end of the front-sealing door 10, or the front-back direction dimension of the region where the detergent box insertion opening 103 of the front-sealing door 10 is located is larger than the front-back direction dimensions of the left end and the right end of the front-sealing door 10.

According to the front-sealing door 10 of the clothes processing device 100 provided by the embodiment of the invention, the front-sealing door 10 is designed to be thick at the detergent box insertion opening and thin at the end part, so that the detergent box 30 can be conveniently installed and inserted on the front-sealing door 10, the size of the detergent box 30 in the front-back direction can be increased, the capacity of the detergent box 30 can be improved, the interference with other parts of the clothes processing device 100 can be reduced, and the installation of the detergent box 30 is facilitated; in addition, the end of the front sealing door 10 is thinner, so that the whole thickness is smaller when the front sealing door is observed from the side, the whole structure is more attractive, and the visual experience of a user is improved.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a detergent box insertion opening 103 is opened at a front side surface of the front sealing door 10, the detergent box insertion opening 103 penetrates through a front-rear direction of the front sealing door 10, and the detergent box 30 is adapted to be inserted into the detergent box insertion opening 103 in the front-rear direction, thereby achieving the installation of the detergent box 30. Wherein the detergent box insertion port 103 is located at the middle of the front door 10 in the width direction of the front door 10.

As shown in fig. 7, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the front-back direction dimension of the region where the detergent box insertion opening 103 of the front-sealing door 10 is located is H, the front-back direction dimension of the left end portion of the front-sealing door 10 is H, and the front-back direction dimension of the right end portion of the front-sealing door 10 is H, when H is too large or too small, the aesthetic property of the whole structure is poor, the visual experience of the user is affected, and the manufacturing and assembling process is complicated; when H is too small, the thickness at the detergent box insertion port 103 is too small, which easily affects the installation of the detergent box 30, and thus the inventors have experimentally analyzed that the ratio of H to H is limited to 1.2-2.5, i.e., the H ratio H may be 1.2, 1.5, 2.1, 2.5, etc., thereby improving the convenience and stability of assembly while ensuring the beauty.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the front sealing door 10 has a projection on a horizontal plane (the horizontal plane is a plane perpendicular to the up-down direction) with different sizes in the front-back direction, specifically, the size of the middle of the projection in the front-back direction is larger than the size of the end of at least one end of the projection, that is, the middle of the projection may be larger than the size of the end of one end, or larger than the size of the ends of two ends, and the sizes of the ends of the two ends may be the same or different.

In some examples, the size of the middle of the projection is larger than the size of the end of the two ends of the projection in the front-back direction, the ratio of the size H of the middle of the projection to the size H of the left end of the projection is 1.2-2.5, and the ratio of the size H of the middle of the projection to the size H of the right end of the projection is 1.2-2.5, wherein the sizes of the left end and the right end can be the same or different. In some preferred examples, the left end of the projection has the same size as the right end, thereby facilitating the manufacturing and molding of the front sealing door 10 and further improving the aesthetic appearance of the structure.

As shown in fig. 6 and 7, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the front sealing door 10 includes, from left to right: a first side plate 11, a main body section 12 and a second side plate 13, wherein one end of the first side plate 11 forms one end (left end as shown in fig. 6) of the front sealing door 10, one end of the main body section 12 is connected with the other end of the first side plate 11, one end of the second side plate 13 forms the other end (right end as shown in fig. 6) of the front sealing door 10, the other end of the second side plate 13 is connected with the other end of the main body section 12, the main body section 12 is located at the middle of the front sealing door 10, a detergent box insertion opening 103 is located at the main body section 12, and the size of the main body section 12 in the front-back direction is larger than that of the left end or right end of the front sealing door 10, thereby facilitating the matching of the main body section 12 and the detergent box 30 without affecting the aesthetic property of the whole structure.

As shown in fig. 7, in some examples, the front side surface of each of the first side plate 11 and the second side plate 13 extends gradually rearward from the direction close to the main body section 12 to the direction away from the main body section 12 in the left-right direction, that is, the front side surface of the first side plate 11 may be an inclined surface or an arc surface; the front side surface of the second side plate 13 is an inclined surface, and may also be an arc surface, so that the front sealing door 10 presents a shape with a thick middle and two thin sides, and the front side surface of the front sealing door 10 is a smooth plane, thereby improving the aesthetic property of the front sealing door 10.

As shown in fig. 6 and 7, in some examples, the width dimension of the main body section 12 in the left-right direction is s, and if the width s is too small, the dimension of the detergent box insertion opening 103 is reduced, and at the same time, the front side surface of the front sealing door 10 is made to have a large inclined surface, which affects the visual effect, so that the dimension of the main body section 12 in the left-right direction is larger than the dimension of the first side plate 11 in the left-right direction, and the dimension of the main body section 12 in the left-right direction is larger than the dimension of the second side plate 13 in the left-right direction at the time of design.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the front door 10 has at least one laundry access opening, and the detergent box insertion opening 103 is disposed at a position close to the at least one laundry access opening, thereby making the overall structure compact, facilitating the detergent in the detergent box 30 to be put into the laundry treatment chamber, reducing the length of the detergent putting path, and improving the putting efficiency.

As shown in fig. 5 and 6, in some examples, the laundry access opening includes a first laundry access opening 101 and a second laundry access opening 102, the second laundry access opening 102 is located below the first laundry access opening 101, and a detergent box insertion opening 103 is located between the first laundry access opening 101 and the second laundry access opening 102, wherein, since the detergent in the detergent box 30 can flow into the laundry processing chamber corresponding to the second laundry access opening 102 under the action of gravity, the detergent needs to be put into the laundry processing chamber corresponding to the first laundry access opening 101 under the action of the putting-in pump 44, in order to reduce the pumping force of the putting-in pump 44 to reduce the cost, the distance between the detergent box insertion opening 103 and the first laundry access opening 101 is defined to be smaller than the distance between the detergent box insertion opening 103 and the second laundry access opening 102, thereby further conforming to the layout of the overall structure, so that the front sealing door 10 and the laundry processing apparatus 100 are more compact, the user can use the device more conveniently.

As shown in fig. 6, in some specific examples, the detergent box insertion opening 103 is located right below the first laundry receiving opening 101, and the detergent box 30 is located at the middle position of the front sealing door 10, so that the front sealing door 10 has a good structural appearance and is convenient for a user to operate.

As shown in fig. 5, in some examples, the front side surface of the front-sealing door 10 has a first mounting recess 141 recessed rearward, the first mounting recess 141 is used for mounting the first door body 61 for opening and closing the first laundry entrance 101, the first mounting recess 141 extends along the circumferential direction of the first laundry entrance 101, the detergent box insertion port 103 is disposed in the first mounting recess 141, by disposing the first mounting recess 141, the detergent box 30 is not protruded out of the front side surface of the front-sealing door 10 after being inserted, the front side of the front-sealing door 10 forms a smooth plane, and the aesthetic property of the whole structure is improved.

In a further example, a portion of the first mounting recess 141 is recessed rearward to form a second mounting recess 142, the second mounting recess 142 is located above the detergent box insertion port 103, and a portion of the first door body 61 is adapted to be mounted at the second mounting recess 142, so that the mounted door body does not protrude excessively out of the front side surface of the front sealing door 10, improving the aesthetic appearance of the structure; a part of the second mounting recess 142 is recessed backwards to form a third mounting recess 143, and a rotating shaft of the door body is mounted in the third mounting recess 143, so that the door body is convenient to close, meanwhile, the door body is ensured to be abutted against the second mounting recess 142 when the door body is closed, the matching reliability is improved, and other parts of the door body can be assembled in the first mounting recess 141, so that the front side surface of the detergent box 30 is covered by the first door body 61, the detergent box 30 is hidden, and the outer surface of the clothes treatment device 100 is more attractive and tidy.

In some examples, the first mounting recess 141 is formed as a circular ring-shaped region extending along the circumferential direction of the first laundry input/output port 101, the detergent box insertion port 103 is formed below the first laundry input/output port 101, and the lower edge of the detergent box insertion port 103 is formed in a circular arc shape, thereby making full use of the structural shape of the first mounting recess 141 to increase the size of the detergent box insertion port 103, and thus the size of the detergent box 30, to accommodate more detergent.

In some examples, the lower edge 1032 of the detergent box insertion port 103 is close to the lower edge of the first mounting recess 141, i.e., the distance between the lower edge 1032 of the detergent box insertion port 103 and the lower edge of the first mounting recess 141 is small, to increase the size of the detergent box insertion port 103; or the lower edge 1032 of the detergent box insertion opening 103 is overlapped with the lower edge of the first installation recess 141, so that the detergent box insertion opening 103 can be formed by punching along with the first installation recess 141, the manufacturing and forming of the structure are convenient, the size of the detergent box insertion opening 103 can be maximized, the storage amount of detergent can be increased, and the use convenience of a user is improved.

As shown in fig. 8, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the rear side surface of the front door 10 has a positioning rib 15 extending along the circumferential direction of the detergent box insertion opening 103, and the positioning rib 15 protrudes from the rear side surface of the front door 10 and extends rearward, so that when the detergent box 30 is installed, the positioning rib 15 can guide the detergent box 30, and simultaneously support the detergent box 30 after the detergent box 30 is installed in place, thereby improving the structural strength at the detergent box insertion opening 103, and furthermore, the positioning rib 15 prevents the detergent box insertion opening 103 from being unsmooth or having burrs, etc., and preventing the risk of being scratched during operation.

A laundry treating apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to fig. 1 to 39.

The laundry treating apparatus 100 includes a cabinet assembly 200, a door assembly 400, a loading device 300 and a tub assembly 500, the loading device 300 includes a detergent box 30, the door assembly 400 includes a first door 61 and a second door 62, the tub assembly 500 includes a first washing tub 63 and a second washing tub 64, the first washing tub 63 is located above the second washing tub 64, the first door 61 is located above the second door 62, the first door 61 corresponds to the first washing tub 63 for opening or closing the first washing tub 63, and the second door 62 corresponds to the second washing tub 64 for opening or closing the second washing tub 64.

The cabinet assembly 200 includes a front cover door 10, which is described below in conjunction with fig. 4-10, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in fig. 4 to 10, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the width direction of the front sealing door 10 extends in the left-right direction, the height direction of the front sealing door 10 extends in the up-down direction, the thickness direction of the front sealing door 10 extends in the front-rear direction, the front sealing door 10 has a detergent box insertion opening 103, the detergent box insertion opening 103 penetrates through the front-rear direction of the front sealing door 10, and the detergent box insertion opening 103 is located at the middle of the front sealing door 10 in the width direction of the front sealing door 10.

Wherein, the front-sealing door 10 has different projected sizes in the front-back direction on the horizontal plane (the horizontal plane is a plane perpendicular to the up-down direction), specifically, the projected size in the front-back direction in the middle of the projection (i.e. the size of the area where the detergent box insertion opening 103 is located in the front-back direction) is larger than the projected sizes of the ends of the two ends (i.e. the sizes of the left end and the right end of the front-sealing door 10 in the front-back direction), the size of the area where the detergent box insertion opening 103 is located in the front-back direction is H, the sizes of the left end and the right end of the front-sealing door 10 in the front-back direction are both H, the ratio of H to H is limited between 1.2 and 2.5, i.e. the H ratio H can be 1.2, 1.6, 2.0, 2.4, etc., so as to avoid that the H is too large or H, which would result in poor aesthetic property of the whole structure, and influence the visual experience of the user, and at the same time avoid H, the thickness of the detergent box insertion opening 103 being too small, affecting the installation of the detergent box 30.

Therefore, the front door 10 is designed to be thick in the middle, so that the detergent box 30 can be conveniently inserted into the middle of the front door 10, the size of the detergent box 30 in the front-back direction can be increased, the capacity of the detergent box 30 can be improved, the interference with other parts of the clothes treatment device 100 can be reduced, and the installation of the detergent box 30 can be facilitated; in addition, the end of the front sealing door 10 is thinner, so that the whole thickness is smaller when the front sealing door is observed from the side, the whole structure is more attractive, and the visual experience of a user is improved.

As shown in fig. 6 and 7, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the front cover door 10 includes, in order in the left-right direction: a first side plate 11, a main body section 12 and a second side plate 13, wherein one end of the first side plate 11 forms one end (left end as shown in fig. 6) of the front sealing door 10, one end of the main body section 12 is connected with the other end of the first side plate 11, one end of the second side plate 13 forms the other end (right end as shown in fig. 6) of the front sealing door 10, the other end of the second side plate 13 is connected with the other end of the main body section 12, the main body section 12 is located at the middle of the front sealing door 10, a detergent box insertion opening 103 is located at the main body section 12, and the size of the main body section 12 in the front-back direction is larger than that of the left end or right end of the front sealing door 10, thereby facilitating the matching of the main body section 12 and the detergent box 30 without affecting the aesthetic property of the whole structure.

As shown in fig. 7, in some examples, the front side surface of each of the first side plate 11 and the second side plate 13 extends gradually rearward from the direction close to the main body section 12 to the direction away from the main body section 12 in the left-right direction, that is, the front side surface of the first side plate 11 may be an inclined surface or an arc surface; the front side surface of the second side plate 13 is an inclined surface, and may also be an arc surface, so that the front sealing door 10 presents a shape with a thick middle and two thin sides, and the front side surface of the front sealing door 10 is a smooth plane, thereby improving the aesthetic property of the front sealing door 10.

As shown in fig. 6 and 7, in some examples, the width dimension of the main body section 12 in the left-right direction is s, s is larger than the dimension of the first side plate 11 in the left-right direction, and s is also larger than the dimension of the second side plate 13 in the left-right direction, so as to avoid s being too small, resulting in a reduction in the dimension of the detergent box insertion opening 103, and resulting in a large inclined surface on the front side surface of the front sealing door 10, which affects the visual effect.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the front door 10 has at least one laundry access opening, and the detergent box insertion opening 103 is disposed at a position close to the at least one laundry access opening, thereby making the overall structure compact, facilitating the detergent in the detergent box 30 to be put into the laundry treatment chamber, reducing the length of the detergent putting path, and improving the putting efficiency.

As shown in fig. 5 and 6, in some examples, the laundry loading/unloading opening includes a first laundry loading/unloading opening 101 and a second laundry loading/unloading opening 102, the second laundry loading/unloading opening 102 is located below the first laundry loading/unloading opening 101, a detergent box insertion opening 103 is located between the first laundry loading/unloading opening 101 and the second laundry loading/unloading opening 102, and a detergent box insertion opening 103 is located directly below the first laundry loading/unloading opening 101, wherein, since the detergent in the detergent box 30 can flow into the laundry processing chamber corresponding to the second laundry loading/unloading opening 102 under the action of gravity, the detergent needs to be put into the laundry processing chamber corresponding to the first laundry loading/unloading opening 101 under the action of the loading pump 44, and in order to reduce the pumping force of the loading pump 44 to reduce the cost, the distance between the detergent box insertion opening 103 and the first laundry loading/unloading opening 101 is defined to be smaller than the distance between the detergent box insertion opening 103 and the second laundry loading/unloading opening 102, thereby also conforming to the layout of the whole structure, so that the front sealing door 10 and the clothes treatment device 100 are more compact and more convenient for the user to use.

As shown in fig. 5 and 6, in some examples, the front side surface of the front sealing door 10 has a first mounting recess 141 recessed rearward, the first mounting recess 141 extends along the circumferential direction of the first laundry access opening 101, and the first mounting recess 141 forms a circular ring-shaped region, the first laundry access opening 101 is also arranged in a circular shape, the center of the first laundry access opening 101 is higher than the center of the first mounting recess 141, that is, the first laundry access opening 101 is arranged more upward relative to the first mounting recess 141, which allows a larger space below the first laundry access opening 101 for detergent box mounting; the detergent box insertion port 103 is disposed in the first mounting recess 141, a lower edge 1032 of the detergent box insertion port 103 is formed in a circular arc shape, and preferably, the lower edge 1032 of the detergent box insertion port 103 is close to a lower edge of the first mounting recess 141, that is, a distance between the lower edge 1032 of the detergent box insertion port 103 and the lower edge of the first mounting recess 141 is small, so as to increase the size of the detergent box insertion port 103; or the lower edge of the detergent box insertion opening 103 coincides with the lower edge of the first mounting recess 141, the upper edge 1031 of the detergent box insertion opening 103 extends in the left-right direction, and by providing the first mounting recess 141, the detergent box 30 is not protruded out of the front side surface of the front sealing door 10 after being inserted, the front side of the front sealing door 10 forms a smooth plane, the aesthetic property of the whole structure is improved, the size of the detergent box insertion opening 103 is increased, and the size of the detergent box 30 can be increased to accommodate more detergent.

As shown in fig. 5, in a further example, a portion of the first mounting recess 141 is recessed rearward to form a second mounting recess 142, the second mounting recess 142 is located above the detergent box insertion port 103, and a portion of the door body of the laundry treating apparatus 100 is adapted to be mounted at the second mounting recess 142, so that the mounted door body does not protrude excessively out of the front side surface of the front sealing door 10, improving the aesthetic appearance of the structure; a part of the second mounting recess 142 is recessed backwards to form a third mounting recess 143, a rotating shaft of the door body is mounted in the third mounting recess 143, so that the door body is convenient to close, meanwhile, the door body is enabled to be abutted against the second mounting recess 142 when the door body is closed, the matching reliability is improved, and other parts of the door body can be assembled in the first mounting recess 141, so that the front side surface of the detergent box 30 is covered by the door body of the clothes treatment device, the detergent box 30 is hidden, and the outer surface of the clothes treatment device is more attractive and tidy.

As shown in fig. 8, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the rear side surface of the front door 10 has a positioning rib 15 extending along the circumferential direction of the detergent box insertion opening 103, and the positioning rib 15 protrudes from the rear side surface of the front door 10 and extends rearward, so that when the detergent box 30 is installed, the positioning rib 15 can guide the detergent box 30, and simultaneously support the detergent box 30 after the detergent box 30 is installed in place, thereby improving the structural strength at the detergent box insertion opening 103, and furthermore, the positioning rib 15 prevents the detergent box insertion opening 103 from being unsmooth or having burrs, etc., and preventing the risk of being scratched during operation.

As shown in fig. 8 and 9, in some examples, the rear side of the upper end of the front cover door 10 is provided with a first connection flange 16 extending downward, the first connection flange 16 extends along the width direction of the front cover door 10, the first connection flange 16 is provided with a plurality of first connection holes 161 arranged at intervals, and the plurality of first connection holes 161 are arranged at intervals along the length direction of the first connection flange 16.

As shown in fig. 9, in some examples, the front door 10 is provided with mounting flanges 18 at left and right sides thereof, and the two mounting flanges 18 are located at a rear side of the front door 10, and the two mounting flanges 18 extend toward a direction close to each other, for example, the mounting flange 18 at the left side of the front door 10 extends rightward, and the mounting flange 18 at the right side extends leftward.

The mounting flange 18 has a fitting portion 181 and a second connecting hole 182, the fitting portion 181 is formed as a limiting hole, the size of the upper portion of the limiting hole is smaller than the size of the lower portion of the limiting hole, and the second connecting hole 182 is located at the upper end of the mounting flange 18.

As shown in fig. 8 and 10, in some examples, the rear side of the lower end of the front door 10 is provided with a second connecting flange 17, the second connecting flange 17 extends downward, and the second connecting flange 17 has a fixing hole for fixing the lower end of the front door 10.

The case assembly 200 further includes a support frame 20, and the support frame 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to fig. 11 to 18.

As shown in fig. 11, the support frame 20 includes a base 21, a plurality of vertical beams (a first vertical beam 221, a second vertical beam 222, a third vertical beam 223, and a fourth vertical beam 224 shown in fig. 11) extending upward from the base 21, and a link (a first link 241, a second link 242, a third link 243, and a fourth link 244 shown in fig. 11) located at the top, the first vertical beam 221 and the second vertical beam 222 are arranged at intervals in the left-right direction, the third vertical beam 223 and the fourth vertical beam 224 are arranged at intervals in the left-right direction, an upper end of the first vertical beam 221, an upper end of the second vertical beam 222, an upper end of the third vertical beam 223, and an upper end of the fourth vertical beam 224 are connected to the link, respectively, and a lower end of the first vertical beam 221, a lower end of the second vertical beam 222, a lower end of the third vertical beam 223, and a lower end of the fourth vertical beam 224 are connected to the base 21, respectively.

The first vertical beam 221 may be a structural form formed by combining two vertical beams so as to facilitate manufacturing and molding, the first vertical beam 221 may also be a structural form of one vertical beam so as to facilitate assembly, the specific structural form is determined specifically according to actual conditions, and the second vertical beam 222, the third vertical beam 223 and the fourth vertical beam 224 are the same, and are not described herein again.

As shown in fig. 11, the support frame 20 further includes a connecting beam 23, the connecting beam 23 includes a connecting beam body 231 and a support base 232, wherein both ends of one connecting beam body 231 are connected to the first vertical beam 221 and the fourth vertical beam 224, and both ends of one connecting beam body 231 are connected to the second vertical beam 222 and the third vertical beam 223.

As shown in fig. 11 and 15, in some examples, a portion of the connecting beam body 231 is recessed toward the inside of the connecting beam body 231 to form a beam protrusion 2312 at an inside surface of the connecting beam body 231 and a beam recess 2313 at an outside surface of the connecting beam body 231.

As shown in fig. 15, the beam protrusion 2312 protrudes rightward, the beam protrusion 2312 has a top wall 23121 and side walls 23122 located on both sides of the top wall 23121, the top wall of the beam protrusion 2312 is a vertical surface, one side wall 23122 of the beam protrusion 2312 is located above the top wall 23121 of the beam protrusion 2312, one side wall 23122 of the beam protrusion 2312 is located below the top wall 23121 of the beam protrusion 2312, the top wall 23121 and the side wall 23122 of the beam protrusion 2312 extend in the length direction of the connecting beam body 231, respectively, the surface of the side wall 23122 of the beam protrusion 2312 located above the top wall 23121 thereof forms a support slope 2311, the support slope 2311 extends obliquely from top to bottom toward a side closer to the center of the support frame 20, the angle between the support slope 2311 and the vertical surface is 25 °, and the support seat 232 is supported on the support slope 2311.

Further, as shown in fig. 15, at least a part of the beam protrusion 2312 is recessed outward of the connecting beam body 231 to form a reinforcing recess 2314 in the inner side surface of the connecting beam 23 and a reinforcing protrusion 2413 in the outer side surface of the connecting beam 23, thereby further improving the structural strength of the connecting beam 23.

As shown in fig. 15-17, in some examples, the lower portion of the connecting beam body 231 is a vertical plane, and the lower edge of the connecting beam body 231 is provided with a second mounting through hole 233, the box body assembly 200 further comprises a side plate 50, the outer side surface of the side plate 50 is recessed inwards to form a mounting groove 51, the bottom wall 5101 of the mounting groove 51 is provided with a first mounting through hole 511 and a mounting opening 512, the first mounting through hole 511 is positioned above the mounting opening 512 and is arranged at a distance from the mounting opening 512, the first mounting through hole 511 corresponds to the second mounting through hole 233, therefore, the connecting beam 23 can be fixedly connected with the side plate 50 by penetrating the fasteners through the first mounting through holes 511 and the second mounting through holes 233, the front part and the rear part of the side plate 50 are also fixedly connected with the vertical beam, and the upper part and the lower part of the side plate 50 are respectively fixedly connected with the connecting frame and the base 21, so that the side plate 50 is firmly fixed; in addition, the mounting opening 512 is used to mount the handle 70 for the user to carry, and a part of the force applied to the handle 70 is transmitted to the connection beam 23 when carrying, so that the side plate 50 can be prevented from being deformed.

The support frame 20 further comprises a mounting cross-member 25, the construction of the mounting cross-member 25 and the assembly of the mounting cross-member 25 according to embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to fig. 18-19.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the mounting beam 25 includes: the detergent box is characterized in that the beam body 251 and the support plate 252 are installed, the top of the beam body 251 is provided with an installation notch, the installation notch forms a detergent box installation area 2511 for installing the detergent box 30, the support plate 252 is arranged at the bottom edge of the installation notch, the support plate 252 corresponds to the detergent box installation area 2511 in position, and when the detergent box 30 is installed in the detergent box installation area 2511, the support plate 252 is used for supporting the detergent box 30.

As shown in fig. 18 and 19, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the length direction of the mounting beam body 251 extends in a transverse direction (left-right direction as shown in fig. 18), the width direction of the mounting beam body 251 extends in a longitudinal direction (up-down direction as shown in fig. 18), the length direction of the support plate 252 extends in left-right direction, and the width direction of the support plate 252 extends in front-back direction and backward direction, where backward is a direction from the mounting beam body 251 to the inside of the support frame 20, so that the support plate 252 forms a horizontally extending plate, and after the detergent box 30 is mounted in place, the support plate 252 can better support the detergent box 30, thereby improving the stability of the detergent box 30.

As shown in fig. 18, in some examples, the front side of the support plate 252 is connected to the mounting beam body 251, and the rear side of the support plate 252 is away from the mounting beam body 251, thereby preventing the support plate 252 from protruding out of the front side of the mounting beam body 251 to affect the mounting of the front sealing door 10; the supporting plate 252 has a plurality of positioning holes 2521, and the positioning holes 2521 are disposed at intervals along the length direction of the supporting plate 252.

As shown in fig. 18, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the mounting beam body 251 is provided with a first mounting portion 2512 and a second mounting portion 2513, the first mounting portion 2512 and the second mounting portion 2513 are provided at the top of the side edges of the mounting notches, the first mounting portion 2512 and the second mounting portion 2513 are arranged at intervals in the length direction of the bearing plate 252, the bearing plate 252 is located between the first mounting portion 2512 and the second mounting portion 2513, and a second through hole 2515 is provided in each of the first mounting portion 2512 and the second mounting portion 2513.

As shown in fig. 18, in some examples, in the width direction of the support plate 252, the first mounting portion 2512 forms a mounting convex portion extending in a direction away from the support plate 252 (front side as shown in fig. 18), and the second mounting portion 2513 also forms a mounting convex portion extending in a direction away from the support plate 252 (front side as shown in fig. 18), and by providing the mounting convex portions, it is possible to improve the structural strength of the joint, avoid deformation of the mounting portions due to stress, and the like, on the one hand, and on the other hand, the mounting convex portions are different from the extending direction of the support plate 252, so that the front and rear portions of the detergent box 30 can be fixed at the same time, and the stability of mounting the detergent box 30 can be improved.

As shown in fig. 19, in some examples, transition flanges 2514 are respectively disposed at two side edges of the mounting notch, and the transition flanges 2514 are in transition connection with the supporting plate 252, wherein the transition flanges 2514 and the supporting plate 252 are located at the same side of the mounting beam body 251, and the mounting notch is smooth and burr-free by disposing the transition flanges 2514, so as to avoid scratching an operator; on the other hand, the structural strength of the mounting notch can be improved, on the other hand, the transition flanging 2514 can play a guiding role in mounting the detergent box 30, and the transition flanging 2514 can also play a supporting role in the detergent box 30 after the detergent box 30 is mounted in place, so that the mounting reliability and stability are improved.

As shown in fig. 18, in some examples, a portion of the mounting beam body 251 is recessed rearward to form a fourth recess 2516, the fourth recess 2516 includes a plurality of recesses, a portion of the fourth recess 2516 is located at the lower side of the mounting beam body 251 and extends in the horizontal direction (the left-right direction shown in fig. 18), another portion of the fourth recess 2516 is located at the left side of the mounting beam body 251, a portion of the fourth recess 2516 is located at the right side of the mounting beam body 251, the fourth recesses 2516 at the left and right sides extend in the up-down direction, the fourth recess 2516 has a fixing hole or a positioning flange, the first vertical beam 221 and the second vertical beam 222 have a fitting hole corresponding thereto, and thus the mounting beam body 251 and the vertical beams are fixedly connected, and the support plate 252 is integrally formed with the mounting beam body 251, thereby realizing the mounting of the mounting beam 25.

In addition, fourth recess 2516 also has a forwardly projecting reinforcing protrusion 25161 thereon to increase the structural strength of fourth recess 2516. In the extending direction thereof, the fixing holes or positioning beads are arranged alternately with the reinforcing protrusions 25161.

After the mounting cross member 25 is mounted in place, the front door 10 and the support frame 20 can be fixedly connected, and the assembly of the support frame 20 and the front door 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to fig. 4 to 14.

As shown in fig. 11, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a fixing portion 2411 is disposed on the first connecting frame 241, the fixing portion 2411 forms a fixing flange extending upward, a plurality of first fixing holes 2412 are disposed on the fixing flange at intervals, the plurality of first fixing holes 2412 are disposed at intervals along the length direction of the fixing flange, and the positions of the plurality of first fixing holes 2412 and the plurality of first connecting holes 161 are in one-to-one correspondence.

As shown in fig. 12, in some examples, the two ends of the fixing portion 2411 are provided with second fixing holes 2414, two portions of the middle portion of the fixing flange are protruded forward to form a reinforcing protrusion 2413, the reinforcing protrusion 2413 is located between two adjacent first fixing holes 2412, and by providing the reinforcing protrusion 2413 between two adjacent first fixing holes 2412, on one hand, the structural strength of the fixing flange is improved, the stability after fitting is improved, on the other hand, the alignment and positioning of the first fixing holes 2412 and the first connecting holes 161 are facilitated, and the assembling efficiency of the front sealing door 10 and the fixing flange is improved.

As shown in fig. 13, in some examples, the first vertical beam 221 and the second vertical beam 222 are respectively provided with a limiting member 2211, wherein the limiting member 2211 is a limiting screw, the size of the lower part of the limiting hole is larger than that of the head of the limiting screw, the size of the upper part of the limiting hole is smaller than that of the head of the limiting screw rod, a mounting hole is provided on the first vertical beam 221 or the second vertical beam 222, the screw rod of the limiting screw is fixed at the mounting hole, and the head of the limiting screw is spaced apart from the vertical beam.

During installation, the front sealing door 10 is hung on the fixed turnup edge through the first connecting turnup 16, a first fastener penetrates through the first fixing hole 2412 and the first connecting hole 161 at the rear side of the front sealing door 10 after the front sealing door 10 is hung, the first fastener can be a bolt to realize the connection of the fixed turnup and the first connecting turnup 16, the fixed turnup is positioned between the first connecting turnup 16 and the front side of the front sealing door 10, and the fixed turnup limits the downward movement of the front sealing door 10, so that the stability of the front sealing door 10 after the front sealing door 10 is hung is improved; and the first fastening piece can not be seen from the front side of the front sealing door 10, so that the aesthetic property of the whole structure is improved.

When the front sealing door 10 is hung, the limiting screw on the vertical beam is firstly inserted into the lower part of the limiting hole, the limiting hole moves downwards relative to the limiting screw along with the downward movement of the front sealing door 10, after the front sealing door 10 is hung in place, the limiting screw is inserted into the upper part of the limiting hole, and the edge of the limiting hole is clamped between the head of the limiting screw and the corresponding vertical beam.

Further, wear to establish second fixed orifices 2414 and second connecting hole 182 through the second fastener, the second fastener here can be the bolt for fixed part 2411 links to each other with installation turn-ups 18, and from this fixed part 2411 assembles with first connection turn-ups 16 and installation turn-ups 18 simultaneously, and the both sides and the upper end of preceding door 10 all are fixed with the upper end of braced frame 20 promptly, can improve the stability of preceding door 10 installation, and then improve holistic structural strength.

Finally, the second connecting flange 17 of the lower portion of the front door 10 is connected to the base 21 by a third fastening member, which may be a bolt, and the third fastening member may include a plurality of connecting flanges 17 arranged at intervals along the length direction thereof, so as to improve the reliability of fixing the lower end of the front door 10.

After the front door 10 is assembled in place, the detergent box insertion opening 103 of the front door 10 corresponds in position to the detergent box mounting region 2511 of the mounting cross member 25 for mounting the detergent box 30. The structure of the detergent box 30 and the specific installation of the detergent box 30 according to the embodiment of the present invention are described below with reference to fig. 20 to 23.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the detergent box 30 includes: the fixed cavity 31 defines a containing cavity 310, the movable cavity 32 is arranged in the containing cavity 310, an opening is formed in the front side of the containing cavity 310, and the movable cavity 32 can be pushed and pulled in the containing cavity 310. The fixed cavity 31 has a first interface 311 and a second interface 312, the movable cavity 32 defines two dispensing cavities (the dispensing cavities may be storage spaces for laundry treatment agents), and the two dispensing cavities are in one-to-one correspondence communication with the two interfaces in a state where the movable cavity 32 and the fixed cavity 31 are mounted in place.

As shown in fig. 21, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a throwing port and a cover 324 are disposed at the top of the movable cavity 32, the throwing port is communicated with the throwing cavity, and the cover 324 is used for opening and closing the throwing port; the front part of the movable cavity 32 is provided with a window 321, and a user can observe the liquid level in the feeding cavity through the window 321, so that the detergent can be supplemented in time, and the use experience of the user is improved; the front side of the movable cavity 32 is provided with an installation concave cavity 322, a holding part 323 is arranged in the installation concave cavity, wherein the holding part 323 can rotate in the installation concave cavity, when the holding part 323 is not needed, the holding part 323 is hidden in the installation concave cavity to improve the visual experience of a user, and when the movable cavity 32 needs to be pushed and pulled, the holding part 323 is rotated out to be operated and used.

As shown in fig. 21, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the fixing cavity 31 has a rear wall 3101 and a peripheral wall extending along a circumferential direction of the rear wall 3101, the peripheral wall of the fixing cavity 31 includes an upper side wall, a lower side wall 3103 and a transition wall 3104, both ends of the upper side wall and both ends of the lower side wall 3103 are respectively connected by the transition wall 3104, the lower side wall 3103 forms an arc-shaped surface, the rear wall 3101 of the fixing cavity 31 and the peripheral wall of the fixing cavity 31 define the accommodation cavity 310, and the interface is disposed on the rear wall 3101 of the fixing cavity 31 and extends forward.

As shown in fig. 22, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the lower sidewall 3103 of the fixed cavity 31 has a liquid accumulation groove 313, the liquid accumulation groove 313 is located below the first connector 311 and the second connector 312, the liquid accumulation groove 313 can receive the detergent flowing out from the connectors, and the detergent flows downwards under the action of gravity and is collected in the liquid accumulation groove 313.

As shown in fig. 22, the lower sidewall 3103 of the fixed cavity 31 further has a guide rail 314, the guide rail 314 includes two guide ribs 3141, the two guide ribs 3141 are arranged in parallel and spaced apart, each guide rib 3141 extends along the front-rear direction, the front ends of the two guide ribs 3141 are in circular-sliding transition connection, a plurality of connecting ribs 3142 arranged at spaced apart intervals are disposed between the two guide ribs 3141, the outer wall surface of the movable cavity 32 has a guide groove, the guide groove is in sliding fit with the guide rail 314, thereby playing a role of guiding the installation of the movable cavity 32, avoiding the installation dislocation of the movable cavity 32 from affecting the fit of the interface and the release cavity, and facilitating the forward-rear movement of the push-pull cavity 32 through the sliding fit of the guide groove and the guide rail 314. Of course, the guide rail 314 may be provided on the outer wall surface of the movable chamber 32, the guide groove may be provided on the inner wall surface of the fixed chamber 31, and the guide groove may be slidably fitted to the guide rail 314.

As shown in fig. 23, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the transition wall 3104 of the fixed cavity 31 is provided with a support table 315, the outer wall surface of the movable cavity 32 is provided with a support protrusion 325, the support protrusion 325 is supported on the support table 315, the support table 315 extends in the front-rear direction, and the support table 315 can also guide the movable cavity 32 when the movable cavity 32 is pushed or pulled, so as to prevent the movable cavity 32 from swaying or rotating in the accommodating cavity 310.

As shown in fig. 23, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the front side of the fixed cavity 31 has a first annular rib 316 and a second annular rib 317, the first annular rib 316 extends along the circumferential direction of the front side opening, the second annular rib 317 also extends along the circumferential direction of the front side opening, the second annular rib 317 is located inside the first annular rib 316, an annular groove is defined between the second annular rib 317 and the first annular rib 316, and in a state where the movable cavity 32 and the fixed cavity 31 are installed in place, the edge of the movable cavity 32 is located in the annular groove.

As shown in fig. 20, in some examples, the outer side of the fixing cavity 31 has a positioning protrusion 301, the positioning protrusion 301 protrudes from the lower side surface of the fixing cavity 31 and extends downward, and both ends of the outer side of the fixing cavity 31 are respectively provided with a connection lug 302, wherein the connection lug 302 is provided with a first through hole 303.

When the detergent box 30 is installed, the positioning protrusions 301 are adapted to be inserted into the positioning holes 2521 of the mounting beam 25, the plurality of positioning holes 2521 are matched with the positioning protrusions 301 to prevent the detergent box 30 from rotating, and fasteners are inserted through the first through holes 303 and the second through holes 2515, so that two ends of the fixing cavity 31 are connected with the first mounting portion 2512 and the second mounting portion 2513, thereby realizing the firm fixation of the detergent box 30 and preventing the detergent box 30 from moving upwards and falling out of the detergent box mounting region 2511; the lower part of the detergent box 30 is supported on the supporting plate 252, and both ends of the detergent box 30 can be fixedly connected with the mounting beam body 251, so that the detergent box 30 can be fixed in multiple directions, and the stability of the detergent box 30 is improved.

As shown in fig. 24, the dispensing device 300 further includes a dispensing assembly 40, and after the detergent box 30 is installed in place, the first interface 311 and the second interface 312 of the detergent box 30 are communicated with the dispensing assembly 40 through a connecting pipe, wherein, as shown in fig. 39, there may be two detergent boxes 30, and the two detergent boxes 30 are arranged at intervals so as to facilitate different detergents; of course, the detergent box 30 may be one, and different storage areas are partitioned in the movable cavity 32 of a single detergent box 30, and different kinds of detergents are stored in the different storage areas. A launch assembly 40 according to an embodiment of the present invention is described below in conjunction with fig. 25-38.

As shown in fig. 25-28, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the launch assembly 40 includes a launch box 41, the launch box 41 including: the washing machine comprises a throwing box body 4101 and a throwing cover body 4102, wherein the throwing cover body 4102 is arranged above the throwing box body 4101 in a covering mode, a main flow passage 411, a first flow passage 412 and a second flow passage 413 are defined between the throwing box body 4102 and the throwing box body 4101, the first flow passage 412 is communicated with a first washing barrel 63, the second flow passage 413 is communicated with a second washing barrel 64, the main flow passage 411 is communicated with one of the first flow passage 412 and the second flow passage 413 in a switching mode, the throwing box body 4101 and the throwing cover body 4102 can be manufactured and molded by adopting a welding process, and the relative sealing performance of the main flow passage 411, the first flow passage 412 and the second flow passage 413 is guaranteed.

Wherein, the main runner 411 includes: a first extending section 4111, an intermediate connecting section 4113 and a second extending section 4112, wherein the first extending section 4111 extends along the length direction of the second flow passage 413, the first extending section 4111 is located between the first flow passage 412 and the second flow passage 413, the second extending section 4112 extends along the length direction of the second flow passage 413 and is located on the side of the second flow passage 413 away from the first flow passage 412, two ends of the intermediate connecting section 4113 are respectively communicated with the first extending section 4111 and the second extending section 4112, thus, the water inlet 41014, the pump inlet 443 communicating with the pump outlet 442 may be located on the second extending section 4112, and the external water source connecting pipe, the water inlet valve, the feeding pump 44, etc. may be disposed at one side of the second extending section 4112, avoiding disposing it at one end of the first extending section 4111, therefore, the length of the launching assembly 40 in the extending direction of the first extending section 4111 can be reduced, the occupied space during installation is reduced, and the whole structure is more compact.

As shown in fig. 27 and 33, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the dispensing box 4101 has a water inlet 41014, a liquid inlet 41015, a temporary storage chamber 416, a liquid passing port 41016 and a liquid inlet channel 414, the water inlet 41014 is communicated with the main channel 411, an external water source enters the main channel 411 through the water inlet 41014, the liquid inlet 41015 and the liquid inlet channel 414 respectively include two liquid inlet ports 41015, one end (front end shown in fig. 28) of each of the two liquid inlet ports 41015 is correspondingly communicated with the first interface 311 and the second interface 312 of the detergent box 30, the other ends (rear end shown in fig. 28) of the two liquid inlet ports 41015 are respectively communicated with the two temporary storage chambers 416 and the two liquid inlet channels 414 one by one, that is, the temporary storage chamber 416 is communicated with the liquid inlet port 41015 and the temporary storage chamber 416 is communicated with the liquid inlet channel 414, as shown in fig. 33, the liquid passing port 41016 is located at the bottom wall of the temporary storage chamber 416, that is communicated with the liquid inlet channel 414 through the liquid passing port 41016, the temporary storage chamber 416 is located between the liquid inlet port 15 and the liquid inlet channel 414 in the liquid flow direction, this causes the liquid to first enter the buffer chamber 416, and the pump 44 is activated to suck the liquid in the buffer chamber 416.

As shown in fig. 27 and 33, in some examples, the main flow passage 411, the first flow passage 412, the second flow passage 413, and the temporary storage cavity 416 are arranged in the same plane, and the liquid inlet flow passage 414 is located below the main flow passage 411, the first flow passage 412, the second flow passage 413, and the temporary storage cavity 416, so that the space of the feeding box 41 in the vertical direction can be fully utilized, and the space utilization rate can be improved.

As shown in fig. 33-34, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the projection cover 4102 has a through hole 41021, an annular rib 41022 is provided at an edge of the through hole 41021, and the annular rib 41022 protrudes from an upper surface of the projection cover 4102 and also protrudes from a lower surface of the projection cover 4102. The upper surface of the projection lid 4102 is provided with a protection rib 41023, the protection rib 41023 extends in the circumferential direction of the annular rib 41022, and a lateral opening 41024 is defined between both ends of the protection rib 41023.

As shown in fig. 31, the dispensing assembly 40 further includes two liquid level detecting elements 46, each liquid level detecting element 46 has a positive post 461 and a negative post 462, the positive post 461 and the negative post 462 are inserted into the through hole 41021 and are respectively tightly connected to the annular ribs 41022 at corresponding positions, a protection rib 41023 is surrounded around the positive post 461, a protection rib 41023 is surrounded around the negative post 462, and the lower ends of the positive post 461 and the negative post 462 extend into the temporary storage cavity 416.

When having liquid in the chamber 416 of keeping in, positive post 461 and negative pole 462 are all in the liquid contact for positive post 461 and negative pole 462 can switch on, thereby can detect current information, when no liquid in the chamber 416 of keeping in, can't switch on between positive post 461 and the negative pole 462, thereby can't detect current information, in view of the above, can judge the liquid level of liquid in the chamber 416 of keeping in according to whether can detecting current information, guaranteed the accuracy and the reliability of testing result.

In addition, the temporary storage cavity 416 cannot move, so that the risk of wiring obstacle or wiring fracture is avoided, the accuracy and reliability of detection results are ensured, and the service life of the throwing device 300 is prolonged; by arranging the protection convex rib 41023, the liquid level detection component can be protected, and the liquid level detection component is prevented from touching or being affected with damp with other structures to influence the detection effect; the protection convex rib 41023 can also limit the liquid level detection part, and the detection effect is prevented from being influenced by the movement of the liquid level detection part, so that the use experience of the releasing device 300 is improved, and the market competitiveness of a product is improved.

As shown in fig. 31, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the input box 41 has a first input portion 418 and a second input portion 419, the first input portion 418 is communicated with the first flow passage 412, and the first input portion 418 is communicated with the first washing tub 63, that is, the first input portion 418 is located between the first flow passage 412 and the first washing tub 63, for inputting the detergent or the washing water in the first flow passage 412 into the first washing tub 63.

As shown in fig. 36 and 38, the second input portion 419 is communicated with the second flow passage 413, the second input portion 419 is communicated with the second washing tub 64, the second input portion 419 includes a first input port 4191 and a second input port 4192, the first input port 4191 is disposed on the input cover 4102 and is communicated with the spraying port of the second washing tub 64, and the second input port 4192 is disposed on the input box 4101 and is communicated with the water inlet bellows of the second washing tub 64, so that the second washing tub 64 can realize double water inlet, a multi-directional three-dimensional water flow can be formed in the second washing tub 64, the washing effect is improved, and the washing efficiency and the laundry cleanliness can be improved.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the bottom of the dispensing box 41 further has a liquid drainage recess 417 and a liquid drainage channel 415, the liquid drainage recess 417 is located below the main channel 411, and an upper end of the liquid drainage channel 415 is communicated to a bottom wall of the liquid drainage recess 417, and the liquid drainage channel 415 is used for draining the residual liquid in the main channel 411, so as to avoid the risk of freezing the residual liquid and causing frost crack damage to the dispensing box 41.

In some examples, the flow rate of the liquid drainage channel 415 is small, for example, the radial dimension of the liquid drainage channel 415 is about 1.5mm, when the main channel 411 supplies liquid to the first channel 412 or the second channel 413, only a small amount of liquid flows out through the liquid drainage channel 415 due to the large flow rate of the liquid, and most of the liquid flows into the first channel 412 or the second channel 413 through the switching of the switching valve 43; when the main flow passage 411 stops supplying liquid to the first flow passage 412 or the second flow passage 413, the remaining liquid cannot flow out through the switching valve 43 without the action of pressure, and is left in the liquid discharge flow passage 415 to be discharged by the action of gravity, so that the risk of freezing the remaining liquid and causing frost crack damage to the dispensing box 41 is avoided.

As shown in fig. 27, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the dispensing assembly 40 further includes a liquid discharge member 42, the liquid discharge member 42 is disposed in the dispensing box 41, and the liquid discharge member 42 is configured to control the opening and closing of the liquid discharge flow passage 415, specifically, in a state that the dispensing assembly 40 dispenses liquid into the first washing tub 63 or the second washing tub 64, the liquid discharge member 42 cuts off the liquid discharge flow passage 415, and the liquid in the main flow passage 411 can only flow into the first flow passage 412 or the second flow passage 413; in a state where the feeding unit 40 stops feeding the liquid into the first and second washtubs 63 and 64, the liquid discharge part 42 communicates with the liquid discharge flow passage 415, and the liquid in the main flow passage 411 may be discharged through the liquid discharge flow passage 415.

Therefore, when no liquid is put in, the liquid drainage channel 415 is conducted, and the liquid in the main channel 411 can be drained through the drainage channel, so that the liquid is prevented from remaining, and the risks of freezing due to too low temperature, frost crack damage of the putting box 41 and the like are avoided.

As shown in fig. 28 and 29, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the liquid discharge member 42 conducts the liquid discharge flow passage 415 in a state where the liquid pressure in the main flow passage 411 is lower than a predetermined value, thereby ensuring that the liquid in the main flow passage 411 can be discharged through the liquid discharge flow passage 415 when the liquid pressure is low, and the liquid discharge member 42 disconnects the liquid discharge flow passage 415 in a state where the liquid pressure in the main flow passage 411 is higher than a predetermined value, that is, the liquid in the main flow passage 411 is not discharged through the liquid discharge flow passage 415 but is communicated with the first flow passage 412 or the second flow passage 413 by the switching valve 43 to supply the liquid to the first washtub 63 or the second washtub 64 in time.

As shown in fig. 28, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the drain member 42 includes: the movable member 421 includes a movable rod 4211, the movable rod 4211 extends in the vertical direction, the upper end of the movable rod 4211 is connected with the blocking portion 422, and the lower end of the movable rod 4211 is provided with an anti-falling protrusion 4212 to prevent the movable rod 4211 from falling out of the liquid discharge flow passage 415 in the moving process.

The upper end of the movable rod 4211 has a second limit seat 4213, the liquid drainage flow passage 415 has a first limit seat 41017 therein, the first limit seat 41017 is located at the bottom of the liquid drainage flow passage 415, the first limit seat 41017 is connected with the inner wall of the liquid drainage flow passage 415 through a rib, a liquid drainage gap is formed between the first limit seat 41017 and the inner wall of the liquid drainage flow passage 415, the second limit seat 4213 is arranged opposite to the first limit seat 41017, the elastic member 423 can be a spring, the elastic member 423 is sleeved on the movable rod 4211, two ends of the elastic member 423 are respectively abutted against the first limit seat 41017 and the second limit seat 4213, and the elastic member 423 is used for normally pushing the blocking part 422 to open the inlet of the liquid drainage flow passage 415.

As shown in fig. 29, in a state that the feeding assembly 40 feeds the liquid into the first washing tub 63 or the second washing tub 64, due to a large liquid flow pressure, the elastic member 423 is compressed under the liquid flow pressure, the blocking member closes the inlet of the liquid discharge flow passage 415, the liquid discharge flow passage 415 is disconnected, and the liquid in the main flow passage 411 can only flow into the first flow passage 412 or the second flow passage 413; as shown in fig. 30, in a state where the feeding module 40 stops feeding the liquid into the first washing tub 63 and the second washing tub 64, the liquid flow pressure is low and cannot compress the elastic member 423, the blocking member moves in a reverse direction by the elastic member 423 to open the inlet of the liquid discharge flow passage 415, the liquid discharge flow passage 415 is opened, and the liquid in the main flow passage 411 can be discharged through the liquid discharge flow passage 415, thereby preventing the liquid from remaining.

As shown in fig. 26 to 36, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the dispensing assembly 40 further includes a mounting seat 45, the mounting seat 45 is fixedly connected to the support frame 20, a dispensing pump mounting portion 453 is provided at a rear side of the mounting seat 45, the mounting seat 45 has a mounting cavity 451 and a liquid passing port 452, the liquid passing port 452 is communicated with the mounting cavity 451, and the liquid passing port 452 is communicated with the second washing tub 64.

The putting box 41 is installed in the installation cavity 451, the second putting opening 4192 is communicated with the installation cavity 451, the liquid drainage channel 415 of the putting box 41 is communicated with the installation cavity 451, and liquid flowing out of the putting opening, liquid overflowing from the putting box 41, or residual liquid in the putting box 41 can also flow into the installation cavity 451 and is led into the corrugated pipe of the second washing barrel 64 through the liquid through opening 452.

As shown in fig. 26-34, in some examples, the dosing assembly 40 further includes a dosing pump 44, the dosing pump 44 is disposed in the dosing pump mount 453, and the dosing pump 44 is communicatively mated with the dosing cartridge 41.

The throwing pump 44 is connected between the liquid inlet channel 414 and the main channel 411, specifically, corresponding to the detergent storage area, the number of the throwing pumps 44 may be multiple, for example, two detergent storage areas are provided for storing the detergent box softener, respectively, the number of the throwing pumps 44 is also two, each throwing pump includes a pump inlet 441 and a pump outlet 442, the two pump inlets 441 are in one-to-one communication with the two liquid inlet channels 414, so as to be in corresponding communication with the two throwing chambers, the two pump outlets 442 are in communication with the main channel 411 through two pump inlets 443, so as to pump the liquid entering from the liquid inlet 41015 into the main channel 411, the external water source enters the main channel 411 through the water inlet 41014, and the liquid pumped into the main channel 411 by the throwing pump 44 is flushed away, so as to flow into the first washing tub 63 and the second washing tub 64 along the main channel 411. Wherein two pump inlets 443 are located at the bottom wall of the main flow channel 411, and the two pump inlets 443 are arranged at intervals in the extending direction of the main flow channel 411.

In addition, the pump inlets 441 and the pump outlets 442 are respectively provided with a one-way valve to ensure one-way flow of liquid, so that one liquid can flow into the main flow passage 411 from one pump inlet 441 and flow to the corresponding pump outlet 442 through the control of the dosing pump 44, and the dosing pump 44 can also control the other liquid to flow into the main flow passage 411 from the other pump inlet 441 and flow to the corresponding pump outlet 442 through the control of the dosing pump 44.

As shown in fig. 37 and 38, according to one embodiment of the present invention, as described above, the feeding assembly 40 further includes a switching valve 43, the switching valve 43 is installed at the right side of the feeding cassette 41, the switching valve 43 has a main switching port 431, a first switching port 432, and a second switching port 433, the main switching port 431 can be communicated with the first switching port 432, or with the second switching port 433,

the dispensing box 41 further has a main matching port 41011, a first matching port 41012 and a second matching port 41013, the main matching port 41011 is located at the right end of the first extending section 4111, the first matching port 41012 is located at the right end of the first flow passage 412, the second matching port 41013 is located at the right end of the second flow passage 413, the three matching ports are all located on the right side wall of the dispensing box 41, the main matching port 41011 is communicated with the main flow passage 411 and the main switching port 431, the first matching port 41012 is communicated with the first flow passage 412 and the first switching port 432, the second matching port 41013 is communicated with the second flow passage 413 and the second switching port 433, that is, the switching valve 43 is disposed on the dispensing box 41, so that the main matching port 41011 corresponds to the main switching port 431, the first matching port 41012 corresponds to the first switching port 432, and the second matching port 41013 corresponds to the second switching port 410433, thereby realizing the flow-through of the water path by switching valve 43.

As shown in fig. 38, in some examples, the switching valve 43 may be a solenoid valve, and when the solenoid valve is energized, the valve body 434 moves to the left side to block the first switching port 432, and at this time, the main switching port 431 communicates with the second switching port 433, and the main fitting port 41011 may communicate with the second fitting port 41013, so that the main flow passage 411 communicates with the second flow passage 413, and detergent or wash water may be introduced into the second washing tub 64; when the electromagnetic valve is powered off, the valve core 434 moves to the initial position to plug the second switching port 433, at this time, the main switching port 431 is communicated with the first switching port 432, the main matching port 41011 can be communicated with the first matching port 41012, so that the main flow passage 411 is communicated with the first flow passage 412, detergent or washing water can be introduced into the first washing tub 63, the flow passage can be switched by switching on and off the electromagnetic valve, water supply or liquid supply to the first washing tub 63 can be realized when the electromagnetic valve is powered off, the structure is simplified, energy and electricity can be saved, and the market competitiveness of products is improved.

According to the clothes treatment device 100 of the embodiment of the invention, the first washing barrel 63 and the second washing barrel 64 can be used independently or synchronously, both washing barrels can realize the function of automatically putting in the washing agent, the putting component 40 adopts a water inlet valve for water inlet, and the washing agent in the two washing barrels can be put together through the ingenious design of the switching valve 43 and the inner flow passage of the washing agent box 30; the first washing tub 63 may be used for washing and treating babies, children, or special laundry; the upper part and the lower part are distinguished, the aim of healthy washing is achieved, the cross infection of bacteria on clothes between adults and infants is avoided, and the cross infection of underwear or coats can be reduced; the two washing barrels are arranged up and down, so that the occupied space is small and the operation is convenient.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the detergent is to be understood in a broad sense, and the detergent may be a detergent added to the laundry treatment chamber during the washing process, including but not limited to a detergent, such as a general detergent, a softener, a laundry detergent, a disinfectant, and the like. The specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood in specific cases to those skilled in the art.

Other configurations and operations of the laundry treating apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention are known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail herein.

In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the first feature "on" or "under" the second feature may comprise the first and second features being in direct contact, or may comprise the first and second features being in contact, not directly, but via another feature in between. Also, the first feature being "on," "above" and "over" the second feature includes the first feature being directly on and obliquely above the second feature, or merely indicating that the first feature is at a higher level than the second feature.

In the description herein, references to the description of the term "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "an illustrative embodiment," "an example," "a specific example," or "some examples" or the like mean that a particular feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the schematic representations of the terms used above do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

While embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that: various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.