Device for washing machine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional washing machines rely on harmful chemical additives that damage fabrics and fail to sanitize effectively, leading to increased energy consumption due to high operating temperatures, especially in single-inlet machines.
Innovation Solution
A device that reduces the need for chemical additives by treating water with ozone, UV irradiation, and silver ions, enhancing cleaning and sanitization while allowing lower washing temperatures, comprising connectors, a mixing portion, a magnetizer, a gas generator, and a control system to create a sanitizing and cleaning fluid for washing machines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If chemical additives are used to clean garments, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but fabric damage and wear increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs ozone, a strong oxidant, to generate reactive oxygen species that effectively break down organic stains and kill bacteria on fabrics. This oxidation-based cleaning mechanism replaces traditional chemical surfactants, achieving thorough cleaning while being gentler on fabric fibers and avoiding the accumulation of harmful chemical residues that cause fabric degradation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention substitutes chemical cleaning mechanisms with physical-chemical processes involving ozone generation, UV irradiation, and electrohydrodynamic spray delivery. This replacement eliminates the need for conventional chemical detergents while maintaining or enhancing cleaning performance through controlled ozone plasma and reactive oxygen species.
2Reliability
If high operating temperatures are used to sanitize garments, then sanitization effectiveness is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Ozone and reactive oxygen species generated in the system provide potent antimicrobial and sanitizing action at lower temperatures. The oxidative stress caused by these species effectively kills bacteria, viruses, and fungi without requiring the high thermal energy input traditionally needed for sanitization, thus dramatically reducing energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the sanitization mechanism from thermal-based to chemical-oxidation-based, allowing effective sanitization to occur at ambient or lower temperatures. This parameter change in the sanitization approach enables the same sanitization goal to be achieved with significantly reduced energy input.
3Productivity
If chemical additives are used for washing, then cleaning performance is improved, but environmental harm and health risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses ozone and naturally occurring reactive oxygen species as the primary cleaning agents, replacing synthetic chemical surfactants and additives. These oxidation-based cleaners effectively remove organic stains and kill pathogens while decomposing into oxygen, eliminating the environmental persistence and bioaccumulation problems associated with traditional chemical detergents.
Solution Approach 2:
The system generates ozone and reactive oxygen species on-demand through electrical discharge or UV irradiation of oxygen, eliminating the need for external chemical additive supply chains. This self-generated cleaning mechanism reduces reliance on manufactured chemicals and their associated environmental impacts from production, packaging, and disposal.
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
The treated fluid effectively cleans and sanitizes fabrics with reduced chemical additive use, minimizing fabric wear and energy consumption by enabling washing at lower temperatures, thus reducing operational costs and improving fabric longevity.
Implementation Method 1
a gas generator (7) arranged in fluidic through connection with said mixing portion (5) and suitable to generate ozone gas
Implementation Method 2
at least one UV lamp (91) arranged inside said outlet fitting (90) and suitable to irradiate the fluid (10, 11) passing in the vicinity of said at least one UV lamp (91)
Implementation Method 3
said first probe (6) being a silver ion probe and being suitable to introduce silver ions into the fluid (10, 11)
Implementation Method 4
a magnetizer (4) arranged in fluidic through connection with said inlet connector (20) and with said mixing portion (5)
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
There is provided a device (1) for a washing machine comprising connectors (2) including an inlet connector (20) suitable to introduce fluid (10) inside the device (1) and an outlet connector (21) suitable to allow the outflow of treated fluid (11) from the device (1), a first component (3) comprising a flow switch, a mixing portion (5) in fluidic through connection with the first component (3), fittings (9) comprising at least one outlet fitting (90) in fluidic through connection with the mixing portion (5), and a third component (7) in fluidic through connection with the mixing portion (5) and including a gas generator, wherein the mixing portion (5) is suitable to mix the fluid (10) with a gas generated by the third component (7), the outlet fitting (90) comprises at least a first probe (6) and at least a first auxiliary portion (91), and wherein the first probe (6) is suitable to enrich the fluid (10) or the treated fluid (11) with silver ions and the first auxiliary portion (91) is suitable to irradiate the fluid (10) or the treated fluid (11) with UV rays.