Laundry Drum Finishing Application for Uniform Low-Waste Deposition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laundry finishing methods, such as dipping and spraying, suffer from low exhaustion rates of finishing compositions, leading to inefficiencies and environmental pollution, with uneven distribution and high waste water contamination, especially when using microcapsules and cyclodextrins.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a laundry treatment appliance with a rotatably mounted drum that sets a predetermined residual moisture content and applies a finishing composition in two rotations, using a spraying mechanism to ensure uniform distribution and firm binding of substances to the laundry, reducing waste and enhancing the finish quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If dipping or spraying methods are used to apply finishing composition to laundry, then the finishing substances can be applied to the laundry items, but the exhaustion rate is low and waste water contamination is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state parameter of the finishing composition from liquid to solid microcapsules or cyclodextrin complexes. This transformation allows the finishing substances to be applied in a form that adheres better to laundry during the drying cycle, significantly improving exhaustion rate and reducing waste water contamination while maintaining effective fragrance delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transition by enclosing liquid fragrance in solid microcapsules or cyclodextrin complexes. During the drying cycle, heat causes the microcapsules to rupture or cyclodextrins to release their guests, transitioning from solid encapsulated state to liquid vapor state, enabling effective fragrance distribution while improving retention and reducing waste.
2Manufacturing precision
If spraying method is used to apply finishing composition, then application can be achieved, but the distribution is non-uniform especially with higher drum load
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the application method from liquid spraying to using solid microcapsules or cyclodextrin complexes that are distributed with the laundry during drum rotation. This parameter change in physical state and application timing ensures uniform distribution regardless of drum load, as the solid particles are carried along with the laundry items throughout the drying cycle.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies the finishing composition in the form of microcapsules or cyclodextrin complexes before or during the drying cycle, allowing the substances to be distributed uniformly with the laundry as it tumbles. This preliminary application ensures even coverage across all laundry items regardless of drum filling level, eliminating the non-uniform distribution problem of spray methods.
3Quantity of substance
If liquid finishing substances are used with membrane enclosure, then evaporation and distribution can occur, but large volumes do not get onto the laundry and not all substances are suitable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite material structures: microcapsules consisting of a shell material (polymer, wax, or other encapsulating agents) containing liquid fragrance, or cyclodextrin complexes where hydrophobic fragrance molecules are trapped within the hydrophilic cyclodextrin ring structure. These composite forms enable a wide range of finishing substances to be effectively applied and retained on laundry, significantly improving both deposition quantity and substance versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms liquid finishing substances into solid encapsulated forms (microcapsules or cyclodextrin complexes). This parameter change in physical state allows substantially all finishing substances to be effectively applied and retained on laundry during the drying cycle, overcoming the limitation of liquid evaporation methods where large volumes fail to deposit and not all substances are suitable.
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 approach significantly improves the distribution and retention of finishing substances on laundry items, reducing waste and environmental impact while achieving higher exhaustion rates and uniformity, making it suitable for household use with cyclodextrins and microcapsules.
Implementation Method 1
an atomizing device which transforms a liquid product into fine droplets or aerosol
Implementation Method 2
rotating the drum for the first time... rotating the drum a second time
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for applying a processing composition (3) to an item of laundry (7) in a laundry treatment device (1), having a drum (2) which is mounted in a rotatable manner, wherein (a) a prespecified residual moisture content is achieved in the item of laundry by the addition of water and a first rotation of the drum (2); and (b) a processing composition (3) is applied to the item of laundry. The invention also relates to a laundry treatment device which is particularly suited to carrying out the method.