Laundry treatment apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laundry treatment apparatuses using electric heaters or heat pumps face inefficiencies and safety concerns, with induction heating technologies lacking concrete implementations for improving efficiency and safety in laundry treatment processes.
Innovation Solution
A laundry treatment apparatus utilizing an induction module with a coil wound around a base housing on the outer surface of a tub, where the coil is sectioned into specific portions with varying lengths and radii of curvature, and magnets are used to focus the magnetic field for even heating of the drum, enhancing efficiency and safety by preventing overheating and short circuits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If an electric heater is used to heat wash water, then washing performance is improved through increased temperature, but foreign substances accumulate on the heater leading to performance deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the heater from direct contact with wash water by mounting it on the outer surface of the tub. The heating element is separated from the contaminated environment, allowing it to heat the tub which in turn heats the wash water indirectly, preventing scale accumulation while maintaining heating functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The tub acts as an intermediary between the heater and the wash water. The heater heats the tub surface, which then transfers heat to the wash water. This intermediary approach allows heating without direct exposure to foreign substances in the water.
2Productivity
If a heat pump is used to heat air for drying, then drying efficiency is improved, but the structure becomes complicated with multiple components
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts only the essential heating function from the complex heat pump system. By using a simple heater mounted on the tub outer surface to heat air, it achieves drying functionality without requiring evaporators, condensers, expansion valves, and compressors.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the expensive, complex heat pump system with a simpler, more affordable heating solution. While the simple heater may have shorter lifespan, it provides cost-effective drying functionality without the high manufacturing costs of heat pump components.
3Productivity
If induction heating is used to heat the drum, then washing and drying efficiency are improved with direct heating, but safety concerns arise from potential overheating and short circuits
Solution Approach 1:
The tub acts as an intermediary protective layer between the induction heater and the drum. The induction heater generates electromagnetic fields that heat the tub, which then transfers heat to the drum. This intermediary approach enables efficient induction heating while preventing direct electromagnetic exposure and reducing safety risks.
4Use of energy by moving object
If the coil is wound tightly to improve heating efficiency, then energy transfer is improved, but the coil becomes vulnerable to overheating and deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The tub serves as a thermal intermediary that distributes heat evenly across the drum surface. This allows the coil to be wound efficiently for energy transfer while the tub's thermal mass and surface area prevent localized overheating and deformation of the coil.
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 enables improved washing and drying efficiency, even heating of the drum, reduced drying time, and enhanced safety by preventing coil overheating and disengagement, while maintaining a stable induction module during tub vibration.
Implementation Method 1
an induction module provided at an outer surface of the tub and configured to heat the drum via induction using a magnetic field generated by applying current to a coil formed by a wire that is wound within the induction module
Implementation Method 2
magnets are used to focus the magnetic field for even heating of the drum
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
Disclosed is a laundry treatment apparatus configured to directly heat a drum containing laundry therein. The laundry treatment apparatus comprising: a tub; a drum configured to rotate within the tub and to contain laundry therein, the drum being formed of a metallic material; and an induction module provided at an outer surface of the tub and configured to heat the drum via induction using a magnetic field generated by applying current to a coil formed by a wire that is wound within the induction module, wherein the induction module comprises a base housing configured to accommodate the coil therein, the base housing being mounted on the outer surface of the tub, and wherein the coil is formed with the wire being wound around within the base housing, and comprising a straight portion and a curved portion, with a first radius of curvature of an inner coil portion of the curved portion of the coil being the same as a second radius of curvature of an outer coil portion of the curved portion of the coil.