Color sensor for washing machines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laundry washing machines often fail to effectively separate clothes by color, leading to reduced washing effectiveness and potential damage, especially for users with vision impairments who struggle to sort laundry properly.
Innovation Solution
A laundry washing machine equipped with a sensor positioned outside the door opening to identify the color of clothes before they are loaded, coupled with a control system that confirms compatibility with the selected washing program and alerts the user if the colors are not suitable, allowing for presorting and ensuring like colors are washed together.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a sensor is positioned inside the washing machine to detect cloth color, then the color detection can be performed, but the user cannot sort clothes by color before loading and users with vision impairments cannot identify colors
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is positioned outside the door opening to detect cloth color before the clothes are loaded into the washing machine. This allows users to sort clothes by color in advance based on sensor feedback, and provides color information to users with vision impairments before the washing cycle begins.
2Ease of operation
If the sensor is positioned outside the door opening, then users can sort clothes by color before loading, but the sensor may not accurately detect the color due to environmental factors
Solution Approach 1:
A dedicated sensing area is provided outside the door opening where clothes can be placed for color detection. This intermediary space allows the sensor to detect colors in a controlled environment before clothes enter the washing machine, enabling presorting while maintaining detection accuracy.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the control system denies washing when color compatibility is not met, then color damage is prevented, but the washing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The control system receives color information from the sensor and automatically determines color compatibility with the selected washing program. It provides feedback to the user about color compatibility and can deny washing if colors are not suitable, preventing color transfer while maintaining relatively simple control logic.
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 solution ensures that clothes are washed with appropriate cycles, preventing color transfer and damage, and facilitates easy sorting for users with disabilities by providing audible, visual, or haptic alarms for proper color separation.
Implementation Method 1
A sensor is positioned so that the sensor senses color of the cloth prior to passing the cloth through the door opening
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
A laundry washing machine (10) includes a housing (12) with conventional washing elements within the housing (12). A door (16) on a door opening (14) of the housing (12) enables access inside the housing (12) to the conventional washing elements. A sensor (20) senses color of cloth (24) prior to passing the cloth (24) through the door opening (14). The sensor (20) is positioned so that it senses the cloth (24) in a dedicated area outside of the machine (10) adjacent to the door (16) or door opening (14).