Induction-Heated Laundry Drum With Airflow for Uniform Drying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional laundry machines face inefficiencies in heating laundry without heating wash water, leading to energy and water waste, and struggle to dry large or entangled loads uniformly, resulting in reduced efficiency and potential damage to laundry.
Innovation Solution
A laundry apparatus with a rotatable metal drum and an induction unit that generates an electromagnetic field to heat the drum, combined with an air passage system for efficient air flow, allowing for effective sterilization and drying without submerging laundry in water and minimizing energy consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If an auxiliary heater is provided to heat wash water indirectly, then the temperature of laundry is raised, but energy consumption increases and wash water must be supplied to submerge laundry
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the heating function from the wash water heating system and applies it directly to the drum. Instead of heating wash water that must submerge laundry, the auxiliary heater directly heats the drum, eliminating the need for wash water supply and reducing energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The drum serves as an intermediary heat transfer medium. The auxiliary heater heats the drum, which then transfers heat to the laundry through contact and air circulation, eliminating the need to heat wash water while still achieving effective laundry heating.
2Productivity
If heated air is consistently supplied to partially wet laundry to dry it completely, then drying is achieved, but completely-dried laundry is damaged due to excessive heating
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a humidity sensor to detect the moisture level of laundry and provides feedback to the control unit. The control unit adjusts the air circulation and heating based on the detected humidity, stopping the drying process when laundry reaches appropriate dryness to prevent damage from excessive heating.
Solution Approach 2:
The drying system dynamically adjusts air circulation speed and heating intensity based on real-time humidity detection. The system transitions from high-intensity drying for wet laundry to low-intensity or stopped drying for nearly-dried laundry, preventing damage while maintaining efficiency.
3Quantity of substance
If a large amount of laundry or entangled laundry is exposed to heated air, then drying capacity is increased, but uniformity of drying deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses air circulation through ducts and fans to force heated air to penetrate through and around the laundry load. The air flow pattern ensures that even entangled or large-volume laundry receives uniform heat exposure, maintaining drying uniformity while increasing drying capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces multi-directional air circulation through strategically positioned ducts that supply heated air from multiple directions. This three-dimensional air flow pattern ensures uniform heat distribution throughout the laundry load, regardless of its volume or entanglement state.
4Temperature
If wash water is supplied to submerge all laundry for heating, then heating effectiveness is improved, but water consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the heating function from the wash water and applies it directly to the drum. This eliminates the need to supply wash water for heating purposes, completely removing water consumption associated with heating while maintaining heating effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The drum serves dual functions: containing laundry during washing and serving as a heat transfer medium during drying. The drum's thermal mass and direct contact with heated air allow it to self-regulate heat transfer to laundry without requiring wash water as an intermediary.
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 efficient soaking, sterilization, and drying of laundry without heating wash water, maintaining high energy and water efficiency, and ensuring uniform drying of large or entangled loads, while maintaining the stiffness of the tub.
Implementation Method 1
an induction unit provided to the tub and heating the drum by generating an electromagnetic field
Implementation Method 2
a fan for generating air flow, wherein the air drawn into the tub via the second duct is supplied to an internal space of the drum via a penetrating hole provided in a circumferential surface of the drum by the fan
Implementation Method 3
the air drawn into the tub via the second duct is supplied to an internal space of the drum via a penetrating hole provided in a circumferential surface of the drum by the fan and then exhausted to the first duct after passing through a drum opening provided in a front portion of the drum
Data Source
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AI summary
There is disclosed a laundry apparatus comprising a drum rotatable on a shaft and comprising at least predetermined region made of metal; a tub holding the drum; an induction unit provided in the tub and heating the drum by generating an electromagnetic field; and an air passage unit comprising a first duct provided as a passage for exhausting air outside the tub, a second duct provided as a passage for sucking air into the tub and a fan for generating air flow, wherein the air drawn into the tub via the second duct is supplied to an internal space of the drum via a penetrating hole provided in a circumferential surface of the drum by the fan and then exhausted to the first duct after passing through a drum opening provided in a front portion of the drum.