Laundry Treating Chemistry Dispensing Based on Load Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Laundry treating appliances often inefficiently dispense treating chemistries, such as detergents, due to fixed dosing at the beginning of cycles, leading to uneven distribution and reduced effectiveness, as the amount of laundry varies, and existing systems do not adapt dispensing parameters like dilution and delivery rate based on the laundry load.
Innovation Solution
A method to determine the amount of laundry and set dispensing parameters like dilution and delivery rate for treating chemistries, allowing the dispensing system to control the dispensing of treating chemistries according to these parameters, ensuring optimal distribution and utilization throughout the cycle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If treating chemistry is dispensed at a predetermined time (e.g., beginning of wash phase), then the dispensing system operates simply with fixed dosing, but the distribution becomes uneven and effectiveness is reduced when laundry amount varies
Solution Approach 1:
The dispensing system dynamically adjusts the delivery rate and timing of treating chemistry based on real-time detection of laundry amount. The controller modifies dispensing parameters during different phases of the cycle rather than using fixed predetermined dosing, enabling adaptation to varying laundry loads while maintaining effective distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses a sensor to detect the actual amount of laundry in the treating chamber and feeds this information back to the controller. The controller then adjusts the dispensing rate and timing accordingly, creating a closed-loop control system that ensures optimal treating chemistry distribution regardless of laundry load variations.
2Device complexity
If the dispensing system uses fixed dosing parameters, then the system complexity is low, but it cannot adapt to varying amounts of laundry leading to inefficient chemistry use
Solution Approach 1:
A sensor detects laundry amount and provides feedback to the controller, which automatically adjusts dispensing parameters. This feedback mechanism enables the system to adapt to varying laundry loads without requiring complex manual intervention or multiple pre-programmed modes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes dispensing parameters (delivery rate, timing, duration) based on detected laundry amount. By dynamically modifying these parameters rather than using fixed dosing, the system achieves adaptability to different load sizes while maintaining relatively simple hardware architecture.
3Loss of time
If treating chemistry is completely dispensed at the beginning of the cycle, then the dispensing time is short and operation is simple, but the chemistry may not distribute evenly throughout the laundry
Solution Approach 1:
The dispensing process is segmented into multiple phases rather than being delivered as a single batch. The controller dispenses treating chemistry at different rates during different phases of the cycle (e.g., higher rate during water filling, lower rate during washing), improving distribution uniformity while managing dispensing time efficiently.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses periodic dispensing action, delivering treating chemistry at specific intervals and phases throughout the cycle rather than all at once. This periodic delivery pattern ensures better distribution across the laundry load while maintaining efficient use of dispensing time.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of operating a laundry treating appliance having a treating chamber for receiving laundry for treatment and a dispensing system for dispensing treating chemistry for use in treating the laundry comprises, determining an amount of laundry in the treating chamber, setting at least one of a dilution and a delivery rate for the treating chemistry based on the determined amount of laundry to define a dispensing parameter and controlling the dispensing system to dispense the treating chemistry according to the dispensing parameter.