Dryer Filter Airflow Reversal for Automatic Lint Clog Clearing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional clothes treatment apparatuses, such as combined drying and washing machines, face challenges in reducing treatment time and electric power consumption, and require frequent maintenance due to lint accumulation, which can lead to efficiency losses and potential failures in the blower and heater systems.
Innovation Solution
A control method that reverses the air flow direction through the filter to clear lint clogs, using pressure and temperature sensors to detect clogging and adjust the blower fan's rotation direction or utilize a bypass to redirect air flow, thereby facilitating easy maintenance and reducing treatment time and energy usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a filter is installed to remove lint from hot air, then lint accumulation in the condensing duct and blower is reduced, but the filter itself becomes clogged and requires maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically cleans the filter by reversing airflow through it using the blower motor, eliminating the need for manual intervention. The control unit detects filter clogging and autonomously initiates the reverse airflow cleaning process, allowing the filter to self-maintain during dryer operation.
2Productivity
If the blower motor runs continuously at high speed to maintain drying efficiency, then drying speed is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blower motor operates in alternating cycles of forward and reverse directions. During forward operation, it performs the primary drying function; during reverse operation, it cleans the filter. This periodic reversal maintains filter efficiency without requiring continuous high-speed operation, reducing overall energy consumption while sustaining drying productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of the blower motor by reversing its rotation direction. This parameter change allows the same motor to perform two functions: forward rotation for drying and reverse rotation for filter cleaning, optimizing energy usage across different operational phases.
3Ease of repair
If the filter is cleaned manually by disassembling the dryer, then filter maintenance is achieved, but treatment time is lost and complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filter cleaning function is integrated into the normal drying operation. The control unit automatically detects when filter cleaning is needed and initiates reverse airflow through the filter without requiring user intervention or dryer shutdown. This eliminates maintenance downtime and simplifies the cleaning process to an automated function.
Solution Approach 2:
The dryer maintains continuous operation during filter cleaning by switching the blower to reverse mode while the drum continues rotating. This allows filter maintenance to occur without interrupting the drying cycle, eliminating downtime and maintaining productive action throughout the process.
4Device complexity
If lint is not removed from the condensing duct, then device complexity is reduced, but condensing efficiency decreases and harmful factors increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system converts the harmful accumulation of lint in the condensing duct into a beneficial cleaning process. By reversing the blower airflow, the system actively removes lint from the condensing duct and filter, transforming what would be a harmful accumulation into a controlled cleaning operation that maintains condensing efficiency without adding complex mechanical cleaning mechanisms.
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 approach effectively reduces treatment time and energy consumption while simplifying filter maintenance by automatically detecting and addressing lint clogs, ensuring efficient operation and extending the lifespan of the apparatus.
Implementation Method 1
a blower fan that blows air having passed through the filter in a first direction, wherein air flow passing through the filter in the second direction opposite to the first direction is fed
Implementation Method 2
a filter that removes lint from air passing through the filter
Implementation Method 3
a pair of pressure sensors that are arranged respectively at left and right sides of the drying duct between one end and the other end of the drying duct... sensing means for sensing clogging of the filter... measures a pressure differential between front and rear sides of the filter
Implementation Method 4
a heater that heats air in the drying duct
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A control method of a clothes treatment apparatus is disclosed, the clothes treatment apparatus having a drying duct (1210), a first blower fan (1230) located in the drying duct (1210) to enable circulation of interior air of the drying duct (1210) and a filter (1250) located in the drying duct (1210), wherein the method includes the steps of sensing clogging of the filter (1250); and switching a flow of air passing through the filter (1250) from a first direction to an opposite second direction if clogging of the filter is sensed. Moreover, the control method may include a washing cycle (200) for washing clothes, and a drying cycle (300) for drying the clothes. The implementation time of the washing cycle (200) is less than the implementation time of the drying cycle (300).