Washing Powder Drawer Ozone Filtration for Vented Washers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Washing machines face challenges in using ozone for improved laundry treatment without allowing ozone to escape into the environment, as a gas-tight design is not feasible due to electrical components and ozone escape is undesirable.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an ozone filter device that absorbs or chemically decomposes ozone in the gas flow, which is placed along the gas path and can be adjusted to ensure ozone is not released, using materials like activated carbon to break down ozone into harmless carbon dioxide.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the washing machine is designed to be gas-tight to prevent ozone escape, then ozone containment is improved, but ventilation for electrical components and operational integrity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by placing an ozone filter specifically at the dispensing bowl region where ozone escape occurs, rather than making the entire washing machine gas-tight. This localized filtering approach prevents ozone escape from the dispensing bowl while maintaining ventilation elsewhere in the machine for electrical components and operational integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The ozone filter acts as an intermediary element between the ozone-containing gas flow and the external environment. The filter mediates by allowing gas flow to pass through while simultaneously removing ozone through absorption or chemical reaction, thus preventing ozone escape without blocking ventilation.
2Ease of operation
If the dispensing bowl is made easily accessible for user operation, then ease of operation is improved, but ozone containment deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The ozone filter is installed in advance in the path of the gas flow from the dispensing bowl, so that whenever the dispensing bowl is accessed or ozone is generated, the filter is already in position to prevent ozone escape. This preliminary placement ensures both user accessibility and ozone containment without requiring additional actions during operation.
3Productivity
If ozone is used for improved laundry treatment, then washing performance is improved, but environmental harm deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the potentially harmful ozone that would escape into a beneficial filtering process. The ozone filter captures or decomposes escaping ozone through absorption or chemical reaction, transforming what would be environmental pollution into a controlled decomposition process that produces harmless substances like oxygen and carbon dioxide.
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
Effectively prevents ozone escape while allowing ventilation, ensuring ozone is used within the washing machine without harming the environment, maintaining operational integrity by using ozone-depleting materials like activated carbon.
Implementation Method 1
the ozone filter filters an ozone contained in the gas flow by absorption and/or chemical reaction
Implementation Method 2
the ozone filter filters an ozone contained in the gas flow by absorption and/or chemical reaction, in particular by decomposition
Implementation Method 3
The activated carbon is broken down by reaction with the ozone to form gaseous carbon dioxide, which is harmless to this extent
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A water-bearing domestic appliance 1, which is used in particular as a laundry treatment appliance for washing and/or drying laundry, comprises a housing 2, a dispensing bowl 3 which can be pushed into the housing 2, and a treatment area. A gas flow of gases from the treatment area via the flushing bowl 3 out of the housing 2 is made possible. Furthermore, the flushing bowl 3 has a filter device 10 through which the gas flow is guided. The filter device 10 is arranged on a bowl handle 6 of the flushing bowl 3 . In this case, the filter device 10 has, for example, an ozone filter 12 in order to prevent ozone from escaping from the housing 2 .