Laundry Drum Preliminary Rotation for Accurate Load Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laundry treating apparatuses face challenges in accurately determining the laundry amount due to variations in the state of clothes, which affects the motor load and current applied, leading to unreliable measurements.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that includes a drum rotating at different speeds, with a motor control unit and current sensing unit to determine the laundry amount by sensing the current after the drum has changed the state of the clothes, minimizing the influence of initial clothing state on motor current and providing a reliable index for actual laundry amount.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the laundry amount is detected by sensing the motor current immediately after clothes are introduced to the drum, then the detection process is simple and quick, but the detected laundry amount shows variation due to the influence of the initial state of clothes
Solution Approach 1:
The drum is rotated at a first speed for a predetermined time before the laundry amount detection is performed. This preliminary rotation action changes the state of the clothes from their initial non-uniform distribution to a more uniform state, eliminating the influence of the initial clothes state on the motor current sensing. By performing this preliminary action before measurement, the system achieves more accurate laundry amount detection without adding complex detection equipment.
2Measurement precision
If the drum is rotated at a high speed to quickly change the state of clothes, then the detection accuracy is improved, but the energy consumption and mechanical stress increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of rotating the drum at very high speeds or for extended periods, the system uses a moderate first speed for a predetermined time that is sufficient to achieve the desired effect of uniforming the clothes state. This partial action approach achieves adequate detection accuracy without excessive energy consumption or mechanical stress, optimizing the balance between measurement precision and energy use.
3Productivity
If the laundry amount detection is performed before the drum rotation, then the process is faster, but the detected value is unreliable due to non-uniform clothes distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs a preliminary drum rotation at first speed for a predetermined time before conducting the laundry amount detection. This ensures that the clothes are in a uniform state during measurement, making the detection reliable. The predetermined time is optimized to be the minimum necessary to achieve uniform distribution, thus maintaining efficient detection speed while ensuring reliability.
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 allows for a more accurate determination of the laundry amount, even when clothes are introduced in a non-uniform state, by sensing the current after the drum has rotated, thus reflecting the actual load and ensuring precise operation settings for washing, rinsing, and drying.
Implementation Method 1
a motor control unit for applying a brake to stop the motor
Implementation Method 2
a current sensing unit for sensing a current being applied to the motor
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided for controlling a laundry treating apparatus. The method may include controlling the drum to accelerate the drum to rotate at a first speed, applying a brake to stop the drum, accelerating the drum to a second speed, sensing a current being applied to the motor while the drum is accelerated to the second speed, and determining a laundry amount based on the sensed current.