Appliance for drying laundry with enhanced operation flexibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laundry dryers with fixed-speed drying air fans compromise on drying performance in terms of energy efficiency and time to maintain acceptable noise levels, which are inflexible and user-unfriendly, as they do not allow for dynamic adjustment based on user preferences or varying conditions.
Innovation Solution
A laundry drying appliance with a variable-speed drying air fan motor that can be controlled by the user through a dedicated input means, allowing for changes in drying air flow rate during a cycle to optimize drying performance and flexibility, using a control unit to manage the speed of the drying air propeller motor and potentially the refrigerant fluid compressor, with options for different drying cycles and speeds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the drying air fan operates at fixed speed to maintain acceptable noise levels, then noise is controlled, but drying performance and energy efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by transitioning from a fixed-speed drying air fan to a variable-speed fan that can dynamically adjust its rotation speed. The control unit enables the fan to operate at different speeds (e.g., first rotation speed for normal drying, second higher rotation speed for fast drying mode) based on user selection and drying conditions, thereby resolving the contradiction between noise control and drying performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by modifying the rotation speed parameter of the drying air fan. The control unit adjusts the fan's operational parameters (rotation speed) to optimize performance under different conditions, allowing the system to achieve both noise reduction at lower speeds and improved drying performance at higher speeds when needed.
2Device complexity
If the drying air fan operates at fixed speed, then device simplicity is maintained, but operational flexibility and user control deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the fan speed adjustable through electronic control while maintaining relatively simple device architecture. The control unit provides operational flexibility by allowing users to select different drying modes (normal and fast drying) which automatically adjust fan speed, thus achieving adaptability without significantly increasing device complexity.
3Loss of time
If higher drying air flow rate is used to improve drying performance, then drying time is reduced, but noise level increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by enabling dynamic adjustment of fan speed. The system can operate at lower rotation speeds during normal drying to minimize noise, and switch to higher rotation speeds when fast drying is required, allowing users to trade off between drying time and noise level based on their needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameter (rotation speed) of the drying air fan to optimize the balance between drying time and noise level. By adjusting this parameter, the system can achieve faster drying when needed while maintaining noise control during normal operation.
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 drying performance by allowing users to adjust drying air flow rates for faster drying and energy savings, improving operational flexibility and efficiency, while maintaining acceptable noise levels.
Implementation Method 1
the drying air passes through a moisture condensing system, where the humid, moisture-laden air is at least partially dehydrated
Implementation Method 2
the moisture condensing system comprises an air-air heat exchanger, exploiting cooling air taken in from the outside the appliance for cooling down the drying air
Implementation Method 3
the dried air flow is heated up by means of a heating arrangement; the heated drying air flow then re-enters into, and passes again through the drum
Data Source
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AI summary
An appliance for drying laundry (100) comprises an appliance cabinet (110), a laundry treatment chamber (105) inside the cabinet, a drying air recirculation path for causing recirculation of the drying air into/out from the laundry treatment chamber, a drying air propeller (225) driven by a drying air propeller motor (240;340f;440;440f) for causing the drying air to recirculate along the drying air recirculation path, a drying air moisture condensing and heating system (205- 220,270;405,270) located in the drying air recirculation path for dehydrating the moisture-laden drying air leaving the laundry treatment chamber and heating the dehydrated drying air before it re- enters into the laundry treatment chamber. The appliance comprises a user interface (121) comprising a laundry drying cycle selector (205) operable by a user for selecting one out of a number of default laundry drying cycles, and a control unit (245) adapted to control the machine operation, said controlling the machine operation comprising commanding the drying propeller motor to work at a default average speed corresponding to the selected drying cycle. The user interface comprises a command input means (255) operable by the user for imparting to the appliance a command by which the control unit cause a change in an average working speed of the drying air propeller motor with respect to a default drying air propeller motor average working speed corresponding to the selected laundry drying cycle.