Optimized Washer/Dryer Design for Selective Article Removal
Here’s PatSnap Eureka !
Summary
Problems
Current combined washer/dryer appliances face challenges in allowing selective removal of articles before the drying cycle, particularly for delicate items or those that need air drying, as users often struggle to prevent wrinkles, mildew, or foul smells due to the lack of direct user interaction between wash and dry cycles.
Innovation solutions
A combination washer/dryer appliance with a rotatable laundry basket and a controller that initiates a wash/dry operation, including a tumble cycle, allows for user preference adjustments, enabling selective article removal and preventing heat exposure to ensure proper drying and prevent issues like wrinkles or mildew.
TRIZ Analysis
Specific contradictions:
General conflict description:
Principle concept:
If the appliance automatically transitions from wash cycle to dry cycle without user interaction, then productivity is improved, but the user cannot selectively remove articles for air drying or stain evaluation
Why choose this principle:
The system dynamically adjusts the drying cycle based on user input received during the tumble cycle. The controller monitors user preferences entered during the intermediate tumble phase and modifies the subsequent drying operation accordingly, allowing selective treatment of different article types within the same load.
Principle concept:
If users closely monitor the progress of washing or drying operations to evaluate stains and prevent wrinkles, then adaptability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to the cumbersome monitoring requirement
Why choose this principle:
The system performs a preliminary tumble cycle after washing and before drying, during which articles are tumbled without heat application. This preliminary action allows users to evaluate stain removal and assess wrinkle formation in a controlled, cool environment before the articles are exposed to drying heat that would make further evaluation difficult.
Application Domain
Data Source
AI summary:
A combination washer/dryer appliance with a rotatable laundry basket and a controller that initiates a wash/dry operation, including a tumble cycle, allows for user preference adjustments, enabling selective article removal and preventing heat exposure to ensure proper drying and prevent issues like wrinkles or mildew.
Abstract
A combination washer/dryer appliance may include a cabinet, a tub, a laundry basket, a heater, and a controller. The laundry basket may be rotatably mounted within the tub and define a chamber for receipt of articles for washing or drying. The controller may be operably coupled to the heater and configured to initiate a wash/dry operation. The wash/dry operation may include initiating a wash/dry operation for articles within the laundry basket. The wash/dry operation may include a wash cycle and a dry cycle. The wash/dry operation may further include determining completion of the wash cycle and directing a tumble cycle of the laundry basket in response to determining completion of the wash cycle. The wash/dry operation may still further include determining a user drying preference during the tumble cycle of the laundry basket and adjusting the wash/dry operation based on the determined user drying preference.