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 employing an induction module with a coil and base housing configuration that heats a drum via induction, featuring a coil with a high density of wire wound in a single layer on the tub's outer surface, and a magnetic field focused towards the drum to enhance heating efficiency and safety.
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 patent introduces an induction heating module as an intermediary device that heats the drum indirectly through electromagnetic induction. The coil generates a magnetic field that induces eddy currents in the drum, which then heats the drum surface and subsequently the wash water and laundry, avoiding direct contact between the heating element and contaminants in the wash water.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the conventional electric heater (mechanical/thermal contact system) with an induction heating system that uses electromagnetic fields. This substitution eliminates the need for direct thermal contact between the heating element and the wash water, thereby preventing scale and foreign substance accumulation.
2Productivity
If a heat pump is used to heat air for drying, then drying efficiency is improved, but the structure becomes complicated and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential heating function from the complex heat pump system and implements it through a simpler induction heating module. By removing the evaporator, condenser, expansion valve, and compressor components, the patent achieves air heating through direct electromagnetic induction of the drum, significantly simplifying the structure while maintaining drying efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical refrigeration cycle system (heat pump) with an electromagnetic induction system. The induction heating module directly converts electrical energy to thermal energy through electromagnetic fields, eliminating the need for mechanical compressors and phase change components, thus reducing structural complexity.
3Use of energy by moving object
If induction heating is used to heat the drum, then heating efficiency is improved and safety is enhanced, but concrete implementation details for optimizing efficiency and ensuring safety were lacking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality optimization by positioning the induction heating module at specific locations on the drum surface and designing the coil geometry to concentrate magnetic flux where needed. The coil is configured with optimal turn density and spacing to maximize magnetic field strength at the drum interface, thereby improving heating efficiency locally where it is most needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes heating efficiency and safety by carefully selecting and adjusting key parameters including coil wire diameter, turn density, spacing between coil turns, distance from the drum surface, and operating frequency. These parameter optimizations ensure maximum magnetic coupling while preventing overheating and maintaining safe operating temperatures.
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 improves washing and drying efficiency by heating the drum without heating wash water directly, ensuring even drying, reducing drying time, and preventing coil overheating and short circuits, while maintaining safety and stability of the induction module.
Implementation Method 1
an induction module provided at an outer surface of the tub and configured to heat a surface of the drum within the tub via induction, the induction module comprising: a coil that comprises a wire through which an electric current is configured to pass so as to generate a magnetic field
Implementation Method 2
heating means, which can be selectively controlled, able of heating the liquor contained in said drum, and which comprises at least an induction coil placed outside said tub
Data Source
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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 a surface of the drum within the tub via induction, the induction module comprising: a coil that comprises a wire through which an electric current is configured to pass so as to generate a magnetic field; and a base housing configured to accommodate the coil by defining a coil slot in which the wire of the coil is received, the coil slot having a width that is less than a diameter of the wire.