Method of controlling laundry treatment apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional drawer-type laundry treatment apparatuses face issues with accidental drawer disengagement during operation, leading to potential accidents, inefficiencies, and user safety hazards due to improper locking mechanisms, especially when handling water, steam, or drum rotation.
Innovation Solution
A control method for a drawer-type laundry treatment apparatus that includes a sensing unit to ensure the drawer is fully inserted before operation, locks the drawer during critical operations, and releases the lock when safe conditions are met, such as temperature and water levels being below thresholds, and allows user input for intentional disengagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the drawer is made separable from the cabinet to improve space utilization and user convenience, then the drawer can be easily removed for maintenance or reconfiguration, but the drawer may accidentally discharge during operation causing safety hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The locking unit is activated before the washing operation begins, securing the drawer to the cabinet in advance. The control unit prevents the locking unit from operating during the washing process, ensuring the drawer remains firmly locked throughout the cycle. This preliminary locking action resolves the contradiction by establishing stability before operation while maintaining ease of removal after operation completes.
2Reliability
If manual locking is required to prevent drawer discharge, then safety during operation is improved, but user autonomy is reduced and operation becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The locking unit operates automatically based on signals from the control unit. When the washing operation begins, the control unit automatically activates the locking unit to secure the drawer. When the operation completes, the control unit automatically releases the locking unit. This self-service automation eliminates the need for manual intervention, reducing operational complexity while maintaining reliability throughout the washing process.
3Reliability
If the drawer is locked during operation to prevent accidents, then safety is improved, but user ability to intervene for additional laundry or detergent is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism operates periodically - locked during the washing operation to ensure safety, and unlocked when the operation completes to allow user intervention. The control unit manages this periodic locking and unlocking cycle, enabling users to add laundry or detergent after the wash cycle finishes. This periodic action pattern resolves the contradiction by providing safety during operation while maintaining flexibility for user needs at appropriate times.
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is a control method of a laundry treatment apparatus (100) including a cabinet (2) defining an external appearance and having a front opening, a drawer (3) provided to be discharged through the opening, a tub (4) accommodated in the drawer (3) to accommodate wash water therein, a drum (5) rotatably provided inside the tub (4) to accommodate laundry therein, a fastening unit (300) configured to separably couple the drawer (3) to the cabinet (2), and a sensing unit (400) configured to sense whether the drawer (3) is discharged from the cabinet (2), the method including receiving a control command to operate the laundry treatment apparatus, sensing whether insertion of the drawer into the cabinet is completed by controlling the sensing unit, locking the drawer to the cabinet by controlling the fastening unit, performing the control command, and releasing a locked state so as to separate the drawer from the cabinet by controlling the fastening unit when the control command is completely performed.