Bubble Washing Control for Functional Clothes Care
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional washing machines often damage the fiber structures of functional clothes like hiking and ski wear during washing, leading to deterioration in their functionality and washing performance, as existing methods either rely too heavily on mechanical force or unsuitable techniques such as steam and hot water.
Innovation Solution
A control method for a washing machine that generates bubbles using detergent dissolved water, with a stepwise motor operation rate to apply mechanical force gently, while maintaining the temperature below 30°C to prevent damage, ensuring effective cleaning without compromising the fabric's functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If mechanical force is increased to improve washing performance, then washing performance is improved, but damage to fiber structures of functional clothes increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical washing action with bubble washing. Bubbles are generated by injecting air into detergent solution, creating numerous small bubbles that rise and burst on the fabric surface, providing gentle mechanical action through bubble collapse rather than direct drum friction. This substitutes harsh mechanical force with a softer bubble-based cleaning mechanism that achieves washing performance without damaging functional clothing fibers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and properties of the washing medium by controlling temperature (maintaining below 30°C to protect heat-sensitive functional coatings) and generating bubbles through air injection. By adjusting these parameters - temperature, bubble size, bubble density - the washing system achieves effective cleaning while controlling the intensity of mechanical action to prevent fiber damage.
2Productivity
If temperature is increased to improve washing performance, then washing performance is improved, but damage to functional coating increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent explicitly controls the temperature parameter by maintaining washing temperature below 30°C. This temperature control prevents damage to heat-sensitive functional coatings on sportswear while still achieving effective washing through bubble action. The patent notes that functional coatings may be damaged by high temperature, so this parameter constraint is essential for preserving clothing functionality.
3Reliability
If mechanical force is reduced to maintain functionality of functional clothes, then functionality is maintained, but washing performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical washing with bubble washing to achieve gentle cleaning. Bubbles provide cleaning action through their collapse on fabric surfaces rather than through strong mechanical friction, thereby maintaining the functionality of functional clothes while still achieving washing performance through the chemical and gentle physical action of bubbles.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses parameter changes including temperature control (below 30°C), bubble generation through air injection, and detergent concentration optimization to achieve effective washing with reduced mechanical force. These parameter adjustments enable the system to maintain clothing functionality while preserving washing performance through alternative cleaning mechanisms.
4Productivity
If steam and hot water are used to improve washing performance, then washing performance is improved, but suitability for heat-sensitive functional coating decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes steam and hot water washing with bubble washing using controlled temperature water (below 30°C). This replacement eliminates the harmful high-temperature effect on heat-sensitive functional coatings while maintaining washing performance through the bubble cleaning mechanism, thereby increasing adaptability to different types of functional clothing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method effectively removes sweat and contaminants from functional clothes while maintaining their surface and fiber structures, achieving high washing performance and preserving the clothes' functionality by using bubble washing with controlled mechanical force and temperature.
Implementation Method 1
generating bubbles of detergent dissolved water to apply the bubbles to the clothes
Data Source
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AI summary
A washing machine and a control method thereof to achieve washing performance using bubbles without damage to fiber structures of functional clothes. When a washing course of functional clothes is selected, a motor is frequently rotated at a period of a predetermined time or less, causing the clothes to uniformly adsorb the water. Thereafter, bubbles are generated and applied to the clothes. A drive operation rate of the motor is raised stepwise to wash the clothes to which the bubbles have been applied, so as to effectively remove sweat, contaminants, or the like contained in the clothes.