System for dispensing substances for the treatment of laundry in a washing machine equipped with an automatic dosage device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laundry washing machines with multi-dose detergent systems require electrical wiring and sensors to determine residual detergent levels, which is costly and restricts the positioning of multi-dose tanks, and are not adaptable for opaque disposable cartridges.
Innovation Solution
A system using volumetric dosing pumps and an electronic control unit to determine residual detergent levels by counting pumping quantities, eliminating the need for sensors and allowing free positioning of multi-dose tanks, and enabling the use of different concentration cartridges and single-dose dispensing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If optical sensors are used to determine residual detergent levels, then measurement accuracy is improved, but device complexity and cost increase due to electrical wiring requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the measurement function from the multi-dose tank zone by using the central control unit's existing processor to calculate residual levels based on pumping quantity data. This removes the need for electrical sensors and wiring in the tank area, resolving the contradiction between measurement capability and wiring complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the optical sensor-based measurement system with a calculation-based system using pumping quantity data. The control unit calculates residual levels by subtracting dispensed quantities from initial volumes, eliminating the need for complex electrical wiring and optical sensors in the tank zone.
2Measurement precision
If optical sensors are installed in multi-dose tanks, then residual quantity determination is enabled, but ease of manufacture deteriorates due to restricted positioning and complex wiring
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement functionality is extracted from the tank assembly and relocated to the central control unit. The control unit determines residual quantities by calculating from pumping data rather than using sensors attached to tanks, allowing free positioning of multi-dose tanks without wiring constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The central control unit is given the additional function of calculating residual detergent levels from pumping quantity data. This universal approach allows the same control unit to manage multiple tanks with different positions and configurations without requiring dedicated sensors for each tank.
3Measurement precision
If electrical wiring is extended to movable door zones for sensor placement, then measurement capability is improved, but reliability decreases due to mechanical stress on cables
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement function is extracted from the movable door zone by using the central control unit's processor to calculate residual levels. This eliminates the need for electrical cables in the movable door area, removing the source of mechanical stress and improving system reliability.
4Measurement precision
If optical sensor systems are used, then residual quantity monitoring is achieved, but adaptability deteriorates for opaque disposable cartridges
Solution Approach 1:
The optical measurement system is replaced with a calculation-based system using pumping quantity data. Since this method relies on volumetric measurements rather than optical detection, it works equally well with opaque disposable cartridges, significantly improving adaptability.
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 solution provides a cost-effective and versatile method for managing detergent levels without electrical wiring, allowing flexible tank positioning and supporting various detergent concentrations, while generating warnings for exhaustion and reserve quantities.
Implementation Method 1
one or more volumetric dosing pumps (5) connected in flow communication with said one or more multi-dose tanks (4) and which can be activated to selectively extract said liquid treatment substance (2) from said one or more multi-dose tanks (4)
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A system (1) for dispensing a liquid treatment substance (2) in a laundry washing machine (3) comprises: one or more multi-dose tanks (4) adapted to contain each an initial volume (V_init) of a liquid treatment substance (2), one or more volumetric dosing pumps (5) which can be activated to selectively extract said liquid treatment substance (2) from said one or more multi-dose tanks (4) and to dispense it, as well as an electronic control unit (6) which: - activates said one or more dosing pumps (5), - determines a total dispensable quantity (Q_tot_init) value according to the initial volume (V_init) for each of the one or more multi-dose tanks (4), - counts a pumping quantity (t_p) of the respective dosing pump (5) during the activation of the one or more dosing pumps (5), for each of the one or more multi-dose tanks (4), - determines a total dispensed quantity (Q_tot_disp) value according to the counted pumping quantity (t_p) for each of the one or more multi-dose tanks (4), - selectively generates a warning of liquid treatment substance exhaustion or residual quantity for each of the one or more multi-dose tanks (4), according to the total dispensable quantity (Q_tot_init) value and on the total dispensed quantity (Q_tot_disp) value.