Laundry Humidity Control with Steam Cycles for Gentle Drying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional laundry treatment apparatuses, particularly cabinet type dryers, are inefficient in drying laundry and lack effective methods for sanitization beyond basic drying and refreshing.
Innovation Solution
A control method for a laundry treatment apparatus that supplies steam and heated air to an accommodating space, incorporating a water supplying step, steam generating device, cooling step, and drying step with target relative humidity control, along with a moving hanger mechanism to enhance drying efficiency and sanitization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high temperature is used for drying laundry, then drying efficiency is improved, but laundry deformity and damage occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter from high temperature to low temperature drying, while compensating for drying efficiency through extended time duration and improved air circulation patterns. This resolves the contradiction by finding an alternative parameter combination that achieves the same drying effect without the harmful high temperature.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic air circulation and steam injection cycles during the drying process. By alternating between different operational phases (air circulation, steam injection, resting periods), the system maintains effective moisture removal while preventing localized overheating that causes laundry damage.
2Reliability
If steam is supplied to laundry for sanitization, then sanitization effect is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies steam injection in controlled, partial amounts rather than continuous excessive steam supply. By timing the steam injection to coincide with specific phases of the drying cycle and limiting the duration and intensity, the system achieves sufficient sanitization effect while minimizing energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent integrates steam injection as a continuous or periodically recurring element throughout the drying process rather than as a separate, energy-intensive step. This allows the sanitization function to be performed concurrently with drying operations, eliminating wasted energy and improving overall system efficiency.
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
The method efficiently dries laundry by supplying air or steam, improving drying efficiency and sanitization processes, while preventing deformity and damage from high temperatures.
Implementation Method 1
a steam generating device configured to supply steam
Implementation Method 2
heating the water to supply steam
Implementation Method 3
a cooling step cooling the accommodating space
Implementation Method 4
supplying heated air to the accommodating space
Data Source
AI summary
A control method of a laundry treatment apparatus configures to supply steam and/or heated air to an accommodating space accommodating laundry therein is disclosed. The method includes a water supplying step (S100) supplying water to a steam generating device configured to supply steam, a preheating step (S120), a steam supplying/applying a predetermined motion to the laundry step (S140) heating the water to supply steam to the accommodating space and applying a motion to the laundry for a predetermined time period simultaneously, a cooling step (S160) cooling the accommodating space, and a drying step setting a target relative humidity according to a selected course and supplying heated air to the accommodating space (S180).