Induction-Heated Laundry Drum Control for Low-RPM Heat Spinning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional laundry machines with washing and drying functions lack flexibility in drying options, efficiency in spinning performance, especially at low RPM, and stability, leading to suboptimal performance and user dissatisfaction due to limited heater output and noise issues during midnight operations.
Innovation Solution
A laundry machine with a convection heating method using an induction heater that allows users to select between heat-spinning and normal spinning modes, featuring a user interface for diverse drying course selection, automatic sequential washing, rinsing, and drying, and adaptive heater output control for optimal spinning and drying performance, even at low RPM, while minimizing noise and vibration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the spinning RPM is increased to improve water separation efficiency, then the centrifugal force increases and more water is separated, but the power consumed by the motor increases and system deformation risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter of the system by heating the drum during spinning. This temperature increase reduces water viscosity and enhances water separation efficiency without requiring high spinning RPM, thereby reducing motor power consumption while maintaining productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an induction heater as an intermediary component that heats the drum during spinning. This mediator enables thermal-assisted spinning, where heat acts as an auxiliary mechanism to improve water separation without relying solely on mechanical centrifugal force from high-speed rotation
2Productivity
If the heater output is increased to improve heat-spinning efficiency, then water content reduction improves, but the maximum momentary power limit is exceeded and system stability is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic control of the induction heater output based on real-time motor power consumption. The heater power is adjusted dynamically to complement motor power, ensuring the total momentary power remains within the maximum allowable limit while optimizing heat-spinning efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs feedback control where the actual motor power consumption is monitored in real-time during spinning, and the induction heater output is adjusted accordingly. This feedback mechanism ensures system stability by preventing exceedance of the maximum momentary power limit while maximizing heat-spinning performance
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the spinning RPM is reduced to decrease noise and vibration during midnight operations, then noise levels decrease, but water separation efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter by activating the induction heater during low-RPM spinning operations. This thermal parameter change compensates for the reduced mechanical centrifugal force, maintaining water separation efficiency even at lower spinning speeds that produce less noise and vibration
4Device complexity
If a fixed heater output is used to simplify control, then device complexity is reduced, but heat-spinning effectiveness deteriorates under varying spinning conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control where the induction heater output is dynamically adjusted based on real-time monitoring of motor power consumption and spinning conditions. This feedback mechanism enables adaptive optimization of heat-spinning effectiveness without requiring overly complex control systems
Solution Approach 2:
The patent integrates the induction heater control to serve multiple functions: it optimizes heat-spinning effectiveness under varying spinning conditions while also ensuring system stability by coordinating with motor power consumption. This multi-functionality approach enhances productivity without proportionally increasing device complexity
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 enhances spinning and drying efficiency, allows for diverse user-selected drying conditions, and ensures stable operation with adaptive heater output, effectively reducing water content and meeting performance requirements in low-noise and low-vibration environments, including midnight operations.
Implementation Method 1
an induction heater that is provided in the tub and configured to heat an outer circumferential surface of the drum located in opposite
Data Source
AI summary
A laundry machine includes a tub, a drum that is rotatably mounted in the tub, and an induction heater that is provided in the tub and configured to heat an outer circumferential surface of the drum. The laundry machine also includes a motor that is configured to rotate the drum, a user interface comprising a course selection unit that is configured to allow a user to select a course, and an option selection unit that is configured to allow the user to select option information that is related with the course selected. The laundry machine further includes a processor that is configured to control the drum rotation speed and the induction heater. The course selection unit comprises a wash-drying course that performs heat-spinning by default, the heat-spinning being configured to heat the drum by driving the induction heater when the drum rotates.