Laundry treatment machine and control method thereof
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laundry treatment machines face challenges in accurately balancing the drum during rotation due to eccentric load distribution, leading to vibration issues, and require separate control of multiple balancers which can result in errors from communication and operation discrepancies.
Innovation Solution
A laundry treatment machine with a balancer unit comprising a main balancer and two sub-balancers that actively move to compensate for eccentricity, using a balancer guide and motors to adjust their positions and gaps based on the current value applied to the actuator, allowing for precise balancing without the need for additional sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If two balancers are used to reduce vibration, then vibration reduction capability is improved, but device complexity increases due to separate control requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple balancers (first balancer and second balancer) into a single integrated balancer unit that can be controlled by one controller. This merging approach maintains the vibration reduction capability of multiple balancers while eliminating the complexity of separate control systems, communication protocols, and coordination mechanisms between multiple independent balancers.
Solution Approach 2:
The single balancer unit is designed to perform multiple functions: it can operate independently or in coordination with other balancers, adapt to different loading conditions, and provide both active and passive balancing modes. This multi-functionality allows one balancer to replace what would otherwise require multiple specialized balancers with separate control systems.
2Device complexity
If ball balancer or liquid balancer is used, then device complexity is reduced, but drum must be kept rotating to reduce unbalance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs active balancers with motors that can dynamically adjust their positions and movements in real-time during drum rotation. This dynamic control allows the balancers to actively counterbalance eccentric loads at any rotation speed, eliminating the requirement to maintain continuous rotation for unbalance reduction while providing precise control over the balancing process.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If separate control of two balancers is implemented, then vibration reduction capability is improved, but error generation increases due to communication and operation discrepancies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple balancer control functions into a single controller that manages one integrated balancer unit. This eliminates communication interfaces, data transmission protocols, and coordination mechanisms between multiple controllers, thereby removing the sources of communication errors and operational discrepancies while maintaining effective vibration reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The single controller implements a unified feedback system that monitors the vibration state and automatically adjusts the balancer position in real-time. This closed-loop control ensures high reliability by continuously adapting to changing conditions without the errors that would arise from multiple independent control systems attempting to coordinate their actions.
Data Source
AI summary
A laundry treatment machine may include: a tub; a drum that is rotatably disposed in the tub; an actuator that provides power for rotating the drum; and a balancer device that is disposed at an end where the inlet hole of the drum is formed, and adjusts the center of gravity of the drum that is rotating. The balancer device may include: a main balancer that reduces vibration of the drum by moving in the opposite direction to eccentricity that is generated when the drum is rotated; a first sub-balancer of which an arrangement gap from the main balancer is adjusted in accordance with the degree of eccentricity of the drum; and a second sub-balancer of which an arrangement gap from the main balancer is adjusted in the opposite direction of the first sub-balancer with respect to the main balancer.