Embossed Washer Drum Structure for Water Extraction and Load Balance

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional laundry treating appliances face inefficiencies in cycle performance, water extraction, and load balancing during dehydration, as well as potential damage to clothing due to inadequate agitation and interaction with the drum.

Innovation Solution

A laundry treating appliance featuring a rotatable container with oblong embossments and strategically arranged holes on its peripheral wall, which imparts mechanical agitation and enhances water extraction through high turbulence and centrifugal force, while allowing for balanced loading and gentler interaction with clothing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If conventional smooth drum surfaces are used, then manufacturing is simple, but cycle performance and water extraction are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecycle performanceVSAvoiddrum surface complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The drum surface is segmented into multiple embossments distributed across the peripheral wall, each creating localized turbulence zones. This segmentation allows the system to achieve superior cycle performance and water extraction without requiring a completely redesigned drum structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The embossments add a third dimension to the otherwise two-dimensional drum surface, creating protrusions that extend into the treating chamber. This dimensional change enables enhanced mechanical agitation and water extraction capabilities while maintaining the basic drum geometry.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Productivity

If high motor speed is used for dehydration, then water extraction improves, but clothing damage increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewater extraction efficiencyVSAvoidclothing damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The embossed surfaces create controlled mechanical vibrations and turbulence during rotation, enhancing water extraction through centrifugal force and improved agitation. This allows effective dehydration at lower speeds by maximizing the mechanical interaction between clothing and drum surface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #18Mechanical vibration

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the physical parameters of the drum surface from smooth to embossed, altering the interaction characteristics between drum and laundry. This parameter change enables superior water extraction at reduced motor speeds, thereby preventing clothing damage from excessive centrifugal forces.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If inadequate agitation is provided, then clothing is protected from damage, but cleaning effectiveness decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning effectivenessVSAvoidclothing damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The embossments create localized zones of enhanced agitation at specific points on the drum surface, providing intense cleaning action where needed while maintaining gentler interaction in other areas. This local quality enhancement achieves effective cleaning without requiring uniformly high agitation throughout.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The oblong shape of embossments with curved surfaces creates more gentle yet effective agitation compared to sharp or angular features. The curved geometry provides improved clothing interaction that enhances cleaning effectiveness while reducing mechanical stress and potential damage to fabric structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

4Productivity

If load balancing is poor, then dehydration performance suffers, but load distribution control becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedehydration performanceVSAvoidload distribution control

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The embossed surfaces create periodic agitation patterns during rotation that help distribute laundry items more uniformly throughout the drum. This periodic mechanical action promotes better load balancing over time, improving dehydration performance without requiring complex active control systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

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

The described configuration improves cycle performance, water extraction efficiency, and load balancing, reducing motor speed requirements and overall cycle duration, while providing effective cleaning agitation and increased clothing longevity.

Implementation Method 1

imparts mechanical agitation and enhances water extraction through high turbulence

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectTurbulence: Turbulence

Implementation Method 2

enhances water extraction through high turbulence and centrifugal force

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCentrifugal force: Centrifugal Force

Data Source

PatentUS10036113B2Laundry treating appliance with embossed container

Publication Date: 2018.07.31 WHIRLPOOL CORP

AI summary

A laundry treating appliance for treating laundry according to a cycle of operation, includes a container rotatable about a rotational axis and having a peripheral wall, a plurality of arranged embossments, and a plurality of arranged holes, wherein the plurality of embossments may be oriented at an angle to both of the rotational axis and the plurality of arranged holes.