Laundry Chamber Airflow Control to Prevent Sour Laundry Odors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Laundry treating appliances face issues with moisture retention leading to mold and mildew formation, causing unpleasant odors, as users are often unable to immediately remove moisture-laden laundry after a cycle, risking prolonged humidity exposure.
Innovation Solution
A remote-controlled anti-sour cycle is initiated by sending an alert signal from the appliance to a remote electronic device, authorizing the energization of a fan to circulate air through the treating chamber, reducing humidity and preventing mold and mildew growth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the washing machine completes a cycle and waits for user removal of laundry, then the cycle operation is finished, but moisture remains in the laundry and treating chamber causing mold and mildew formation
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by automatically initiating an anti-sour cycle with air circulation before the user can remove the laundry. The controller detects when the user has not removed the laundry within a predetermined time after cycle completion and proactively starts the fan to circulate air through the treating chamber, preventing mold and mildew formation before it occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback by monitoring whether laundry is removed after cycle completion and adjusting its behavior accordingly. The controller tracks the time since cycle completion and, upon detecting that laundry remains beyond a predetermined threshold, automatically triggers the anti-sour air circulation function to eliminate excess moisture and prevent odors.
2Ease of operation
If the user is away from home during cycle completion, then the user cannot immediately remove laundry, but prolonged humidity exposure causes mold growth and unpleasant odors
Solution Approach 1:
The washing machine performs self-service by automatically monitoring whether laundry has been removed after cycle completion and autonomously initiating the anti-sour air circulation function when needed. The system does not require user intervention or presence to detect the situation or activate the moisture-removal function, making it particularly useful when users are away from home.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors the treating chamber conditions and user behavior patterns, using this feedback to automatically activate protective functions. When the controller detects that laundry remains in the chamber beyond the predetermined time threshold, it triggers the fan and air circulation system to maintain hygiene standards without requiring user presence or manual input.
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
This solution effectively reduces the growth of odor-causing microorganisms and unpleasant smells by decreasing humidity and temperature within the appliance, ensuring cleaner laundry and extending the appliance's hygiene.
Implementation Method 1
An anti-sour cycle comprising the energizing of a fan to flow air through a laundry treating chamber may be automatically initiated
Data Source
AI summary
The souring of wet laundry in a laundry treating appliance may be retarded by sending an alert signal indicative of an ending of a cycle of operation from the laundry treating appliance to a remote electronic device. The appliance may receive an authorization signal from the electronic device indicative of an instruction to execute an anti-sour cycle. An anti-sour cycle comprising the energizing of a fan to flow air through a laundry treating chamber may be automatically initiated for the laundry treating appliance.