Drum Washing Control With Spiral Nozzle Pressure Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional washing machines with spray nozzles suffer from inefficient water distribution, leading to uneven wetting of laundry and sanitation issues due to water being sprayed in undesired areas, with low water pressure resulting in no spray at all.

Innovation Solution

A washing method that includes a turbo wash setting for spraying water through a spiral nozzle during drum rotation, a continuous water supply, and a regular washing step that cancels turbo wash if the water level takes longer than expected to reach a target, ensuring water is not sprayed when low pressure is detected, and informing the user of the cancellation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If water is sprayed through nozzles in conventional washing machines, then water distribution should improve laundry wetting, but spray performance is rapidly lowered and water is not sprayed directly to the laundry when water pressure is low

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelaundry wetting efficiencyVSAvoidspray function reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the water delivery mechanism from pressure-dependent spray nozzles to gravity-dependent water guide holes. By changing the parameter of water delivery from pressurized spray to gravity-driven flow, the system maintains reliable operation across varying water pressure conditions while still achieving effective laundry wetting.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The water guide member is divided into multiple water guide holes distributed across its surface. This segmentation allows water to be delivered to multiple locations simultaneously, improving overall wetting efficiency while each individual hole operates reliably without requiring high water pressure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If water is sprayed through nozzles, then laundry wetting should be enhanced, but water is distributed in undesired places causing sanitation issues

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelaundry wetting efficiencyVSAvoidsanitation contamination
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The water guide holes are strategically positioned and oriented to deliver water locally and directly to the laundry. The local quality of water delivery is optimized by ensuring water flows only where needed (onto the laundry) rather than being dispersed to undesired locations, thus preventing sanitation contamination while maintaining wetting efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of manufacture

If water is sprayed in one place or direction, then spray mechanism is simple, but there is a limitation in getting the laundry evenly wet

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenozzle structure simplicityVSAvoiduniform laundry wetting
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The water guide member is segmented into multiple water guide holes positioned at different locations and orientations. This segmentation enables water to be delivered in multiple directions simultaneously, achieving uniform laundry wetting while keeping each individual hole simple in structure and easy to manufacture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The water guide holes are arranged in multiple dimensions (different positions and orientations) on the water guide member. This multi-dimensional arrangement allows water to reach laundry across the entire drum surface uniformly, transitioning from single-direction spray to multi-directional water distribution without complicating the basic hole structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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 method effectively measures water pressure and ensures water is not sprayed when pressure is low, maintaining efficient laundry wetting and sanitation by adjusting the washing process accordingly.

Implementation Method 1

calculating a first water supply time required to initially supply water to a setup water level... sensing a laundry weight according to a ratio of the first water supply time to the second water supply time

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHydraulic pressure measurement through flow rate timing:

Implementation Method 2

a turbo wash setting step of setting turbo wash for spraying water into a drum through a spiral nozzle

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid spray: Fluid Spray

Data Source

PatentEP2698464B1Method for washing
Publication Date: 2016.09.21 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP2698464B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2698464B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2698464B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method for washing of the present invention, comprises: a turbo wash setting step of setting turbo wash for spraying water into a drum through a spiral nozzle, when laundry rotates while being attached to the drum by a rotation of the drum; a continuous water supply step of supplying water into a tub; and a regular washing step of canceling the turbo wash when a time taken for a water level inside the tub to reach a target level is longer than a target time so that the water is not sprayed through the spiral nozzle when the laundry rotates while being attached to the drum by the rotation of the drum.