Laundry Dryer Imaging Control for Motion-Adaptive Cycle Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Laundry treating appliances, such as clothes dryers, often face inefficiencies due to pre-programmed cycles that do not adapt to the specific motion state of laundry, leading to incomplete drying and non-uniform treatment application, as they rely on manual user input or default settings rather than real-time condition assessment.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an imaging device within the laundry treating chamber to capture images and determine the motion state of laundry, allowing the controller to adjust operational parameters such as drum speed, temperature, and air flow to optimize drying and treatment processes based on the detected motion state.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If pre-programmed cycles with default settings are used, then device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but adaptability to specific laundry motion states deteriorates leading to incomplete drying and non-uniform treatment
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses an imaging device to automatically capture images of the laundry and determine motion state without user input. The controller then autonomously adjusts operational parameters based on the detected motion state, enabling the system to serve itself by eliminating the need for manual user assessment and input.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback loop where the imaging device continuously monitors the laundry motion state, and the controller adjusts operational parameters based on this real-time information. This closed-loop control ensures the system adapts to changing conditions while maintaining ease of operation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If manual user input for cycle selection is used, then adaptability to user preferences is improved, but loss of time occurs due to manual selection and setup
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically determines the laundry motion state using the imaging device and selects appropriate operational parameters without requiring user input. This eliminates the time users would spend manually assessing and selecting cycles while maintaining adaptability through automated detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary assessment of the laundry motion state automatically at the start of the cycle, preparing the optimal treatment parameters in advance without user intervention, thus saving time while ensuring adaptability to the specific load conditions.
3Device complexity
If fixed operational parameters are used, then device complexity is reduced, but manufacturing precision of drying uniformity deteriorates due to inability to adapt to motion state variations
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts operational parameters such as drum speed, temperature, and air flow based on real-time imaging data of the laundry motion state. This dynamic adaptation ensures uniform drying and treatment while maintaining relatively simple device architecture through software-based control.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller changes operational parameters including drum rotation speed, heating temperature, and air circulation based on the detected motion state from images. This parameter adaptation improves drying uniformity and treatment precision without requiring complex hardware modifications.
4Adaptability or versatility
If real-time imaging and analysis are implemented, then adaptability to laundry motion state is improved, but device complexity and use of energy increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces complex mechanical sensors and physical motion detection mechanisms with an optical imaging-based detection system. The imaging device captures visual information about laundry motion state, and image processing algorithms analyze this data, substituting mechanical complexity with optical and computational approaches.
5Adaptability or versatility
If real-time imaging and analysis are implemented, then adaptability to laundry motion state is improved, but use of energy increases due to continuous operation of imaging device and processing
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging device operates periodically rather than continuously, capturing images at strategic intervals during the drying cycle. The controller processes these periodic images to determine motion state and adjusts parameters accordingly, reducing energy consumption while maintaining adaptability to motion state changes.
Data Source
AI summary
A laundry treating appliance having a rotatable drum defining a laundry treating chamber, where the laundry in the laundry treating chamber may be imaged and a condition of the laundry determined based on the imaging of the laundry. A notification can be provided to a user based on the determined motion condition.