Additive Dispenser Drawer Water Injection for Residue-Free Dilution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automated washing machines often fail to sufficiently mix additives with water, leading to residue buildup in compartments due to water inflow primarily from above, which can result in incomplete dilution and additive residue.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of water inflow tubes attached to or integrated with the additive drawer or compartment cover, which inject water into the additive region below the surface, combined with water delivery through openings in the cover, ensures more even dilution and prevents residue buildup by enhancing the siphoning effect.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If water is delivered only from above into the additive drawer, then the structure is simple, but additive residue builds up in the compartment
Solution Approach 1:
The water delivery system is segmented into multiple injection points: water is delivered from above the drawer and also through inflow tubes positioned at the bottom of the drawer. This segmentation of the water delivery function ensures comprehensive coverage of additives throughout the drawer, preventing residue buildup while maintaining structural simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
Inflow tubes act as intermediaries to deliver water directly to the bottom region of the additive drawer. These tubes serve as a mediating structure that enables dual-directional water delivery (from above and from below) without significantly complicating the overall system design
2Device complexity
If water inflow is only from above, then the device complexity is low, but mixing efficiency of water and additives is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The water delivery approach transitions from a single-directional (vertical from above) system to a multi-dimensional system by adding bottom injection through inflow tubes. This dimensional expansion of water delivery paths significantly improves mixing efficiency and additive dilution without substantially increasing device complexity
3Reliability
If water is delivered through dual injection (above and below), then additive dilution is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The water delivery system merges the overhead water delivery function with bottom injection through inflow tubes into a unified dual-directional system. This merging of functions achieves comprehensive additive dilution and residue prevention while integrating the complexity into a coordinated system rather than separate components
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 dual injection method effectively prevents additive residue in the washing machine compartments, ensuring thorough dilution and a cleaner operation after each wash cycle.
Implementation Method 1
Water inflow tubes may be positioned within a predefined proximity of siphon posts and siphon caps to improve the siphoning effect and to prevent unwanted residue buildup in the vicinity of the base of the siphon post and cap
Data Source
AI summary
A washing apparatus such as an automatic laundry washing machine includes a wash agent dispenser drawer including an additive compartment for storing various additives such as detergent, bleach and fabric softener. One or more water inflow tubes may extend downwardly into the additive compartment and may be configured to deliver water for diluting the additives contained in the compartment. The inflow tubes are of sufficient length to reach a sub-surface portion of additive held in the compartment. Water may simultaneously be delivered to the surface of the additive. Furthermore, inflow tubes have their outlets positioned adjacent to the base(s) of one or more siphon post/cap assemblies located in the additive compartments, such that a churning effect is produced from the injection of water through the tubes and the siphoning action of the siphon post, whereby mixing is enhanced and additive buildup may be avoided and/or removed.