Induction-Heated Drum Motion Cycles for Uniform Laundry Drying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional laundry treating apparatuses with hot-air drying functions suffer from inefficiencies such as drying imbalance, mechanical force-induced shrinkage, and incomplete drying of large or bulky loads due to inadequate drum motion and heat transfer.
Innovation Solution
A laundry treating apparatus utilizing an induction heater with controlled drum motion cycles, including space securing, rearrangement, and conductive accelerating motions, to ensure uniform drying and minimize mechanical stress on the laundry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If hot air drying is used with conventional drum motion, then drying function is added to the washing apparatus, but drying imbalance and incomplete drying of large loads occur due to insufficient heat transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The drum motion is changed from conventional tumbling to a dynamic motion pattern consisting of forward rotation, reverse rotation, and pause phases. This dynamic motion enhances laundry redistribution and improves heat transfer uniformity, solving the drying imbalance problem while maintaining the drying function
Solution Approach 2:
The drum operates in periodic cycles of forward rotation, reverse rotation, and pausing. This periodic action allows hot air to penetrate different portions of the laundry repeatedly, ensuring uniform drying across the entire load including large items
2Productivity
If tumbling operation is performed to dry laundry, then drying is achieved, but mechanical force causes shrinkage and deformation of the laundry
Solution Approach 1:
The drum pauses periodically during the drying cycle, eliminating continuous mechanical tumbling. This reduces friction and mechanical stress on laundry fibers while still achieving drying through hot air exposure during the rotation phases
Solution Approach 2:
The conventional mechanical tumbling drying mechanism is replaced with a hybrid system combining limited drum rotation and stationary hot air heating. This substitution reduces mechanical damage while maintaining drying effectiveness
3Productivity
If drum rotates continuously at high speed to improve drying speed, then drying efficiency increases, but laundry mixing value decreases and heat transfer becomes inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The drum speed is dynamically adjusted through three phases: forward rotation at moderate speed, reverse rotation at moderate speed, and pause at zero speed. This dynamic speed variation ensures both adequate laundry movement for heat transfer and sufficient exposure time for efficient drying
Solution Approach 2:
The drum operates in periodic cycles of forward rotation, reverse rotation, and pausing. This periodic action allows hot air to penetrate different portions of the laundry repeatedly, ensuring uniform drying across the entire load including large items
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 apparatus achieves uniform and efficient drying of large or bulky loads by optimizing drum motion cycles, reducing shrinkage and deformation, and ensuring thorough drying across all parts of the laundry.
Implementation Method 1
an induction heater disposed on the tub and configured to heat an outer circumferential face of the drum contacting the heater
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are an object treating apparatus, and more particularly, an object treating apparatus for heating a drum using an induction heater and a control method thereof. The object treating apparatus includes a tub; a drum rotatably disposed within the tub and accommodating an object therein; an induction heater disposed on the tub and configured to heat an outer circumferential face of the drum contacting the heater; a motor to rotate the drum; and a processor configured to control an operation of the induction heater to dry the object, wherein the processor is configured to: control revolution per minute (RPM) of the drum to perform at least two drum motions having at least two different target RPMs respectively when drying the object.