Laundry apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional laundry apparatuses face inefficiencies in heating laundry and wash water, leading to uneven drying, energy waste, and increased water consumption, particularly when dealing with large or entangled loads.
Innovation Solution
The integration of an induction heater with a coil arranged on the outer circumferential surface of the tub, generating a magnetic field to directly heat the drum and laundry, allowing for uniform heating without submerging all laundry in water and reducing the need for heating wash water.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If wash water is supplied to submerge all laundry to raise temperature, then heating efficiency 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 containing the laundry. The heating element is positioned to heat the drum exterior surface, which then transfers heat to the laundry through contact, eliminating the need to heat large volumes of wash water while maintaining effective laundry heating.
Solution Approach 2:
The drum exterior surface acts as an intermediary between the heating element and the laundry. The heating element heats the drum surface, which then serves as a heat transfer medium to the laundry, enabling efficient heat transfer without requiring the laundry to be submerged in heated wash water.
2Productivity
If heated air is continuously supplied to dry laundry, then drying effectiveness is improved, but laundry damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs periodic action by rotating the drum to alternately expose different portions of the laundry to the heating element. This rotation creates cycles of heating and cooling as laundry items move in and out of the heating zone, preventing continuous overheating and damage while maintaining effective drying through repeated thermal exposure.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating drum introduces dynamic movement to the previously static heating process. This dynamic rotation ensures uniform heat distribution across all laundry items and prevents localized overheating, allowing continuous drying effectiveness while avoiding laundry damage through motion-controlled heat exposure.
3Reliability
If heated air is supplied to partially wet laundry, then drying is achieved, but uniform heating deteriorates when laundry is thick or entangled
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from volumetric heating (heating air that penetrates laundry) to surface heating (heating the drum exterior that contacts laundry). This dimensional change from 3D air heating to 2D surface contact heating ensures uniform heat distribution across all laundry items regardless of load thickness or entanglement, as the rotating drum surface maintains consistent contact with all laundry portions.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating drum dynamically brings all portions of the laundry into contact with the heating element over time, ensuring uniform heating even in thick or entangled loads. This continuous motion prevents stagnant heating zones and ensures reliable drying completion across the entire laundry load.
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 enhances energy efficiency, reduces water consumption, and ensures uniform heating and drying of laundry, even when loads are thick or entangled, while preventing coil overheating and short circuits.
Implementation Method 1
an induction heater or device (70) provided in or at an outer circumferential surface of the tub (20) and heating the drum (30) using an electromagnetic field
Implementation Method 2
The induction heater (70) may include a coil (71) and heating the drum (30) may include generating an eddy current in the drum (30) by generating a magnetic field using an electric current supplied to the coil (71)
Implementation Method 3
a coil loading portion (72) provided in or at the outer circumferential surface of the tub (20) and guiding the coil (71) to be wound around front and rear portions of the tub (20)
Data Source
AI summary
A laundry apparatus is provided. The laundry apparatus may include a cabinet, a tub provided in the cabinet and defining an internal space, the tub having an opening formed in a front of the tub, a drum rotatably provided in the internal space of the tub and being made of a conductor, and an induction heater provided at an outer circumferential surface of the tub. The induction heater may heat the drum by generating an electromagnetic field and may include a coil that uses a supplied electric current to generate an eddy current in the drum by generating a magnetic field, and a coil arranging portion provided at the outer circumferential surface of the tub. The coil may be arranged on the coil arranging portion such that coils of the coil are spaced a predetermined distance apart from each other while being wound from a front direction to a rear direction of the tub.