Laundry machine and method for controlling the same
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Solution Overview
Problem
Laundry machines face performance degradation due to foreign matter deposition on filters, which reduces air condensing efficiency and introduces lint back into the drum, overheating the heater and decreasing fan reliability.
Innovation Solution
A method and structure for a laundry machine that includes a filter cleaning unit to spray cleaning water onto the filter, with the fan turned off and the drum rotated to prevent water film formation, allowing effective removal of foreign matter from the filter without interfering with air circulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the fan operates continuously to circulate air for drying, then air circulation efficiency is improved, but foreign matter accumulates on the filter reducing its performance
Solution Approach 1:
The system alternates between fan operation modes: during normal drying, the fan operates at high speed to maintain air circulation; during filter cleaning intervals, the fan speed is reduced or stopped to allow cleaning water to effectively remove lint from the filter without being dispersed by strong air currents. This periodic adjustment resolves the contradiction between maintaining air circulation and preventing filter contamination.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter cleaning function is integrated into the existing drying system, using the fan's own motor and the drying water supply system to clean the filter. The controller automatically initiates filter cleaning based on operational timing, allowing the system to maintain itself without external intervention, thus preserving filter performance while minimizing disruption to drying productivity.
2Reliability
If cleaning water is sprayed to the filter to remove foreign matter, then filter cleanliness is improved, but water may interfere with air circulation in the duct
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning water spray is directed specifically at the filter surface where lint accumulates, using targeted nozzles positioned to spray only on the filter mesh. The water application is localized to the filter area rather than the entire duct, minimizing water interference with air circulation in the main duct while effectively cleaning the filter surface.
Solution Approach 2:
Filter cleaning is performed at specific intervals during the drying cycle rather than continuously. The controller activates the spray mechanism only during designated cleaning periods when air circulation requirements are temporarily reduced, allowing effective filter cleaning without sustained interference with the air circulation necessary for drying productivity.
3Productivity
If the fan operates at high speed to maintain air flow, then drying efficiency is improved, but lint removal from the filter becomes less effective
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic fan speed modulation: during normal drying phases, the fan operates at high speed to maintain drying efficiency; during filter cleaning phases, the fan speed is reduced or stopped to allow cleaning water to effectively remove lint without being blown away by strong air currents. This temporal separation resolves the contradiction between drying efficiency and lint removal effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller monitors drying cycle progress and automatically adjusts fan speed based on the phase of operation. When the cleaning phase is detected, the controller reduces fan speed to create favorable conditions for lint removal. This feedback-based control ensures optimal fan speed for the current operational requirement, balancing drying efficiency with effective filter maintenance.
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 enhances air condensing efficiency by preventing foreign matter buildup on filters, maintaining fan reliability, and avoiding overheating, thus improving overall laundry machine performance.
Implementation Method 1
a filter cleaning unit for supplying cleaning water to the filter for removing the foreign matter from the filter
Implementation Method 2
spraying cleaning water to the filter for removing foreign matter from the filter
Implementation Method 3
the drum is rotated in a direction the cleaning water introduced to the housing space through the filter is dropping
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
A method for controlling a laundry machine is provided, including an air supply cycle in which heated or unheated air is supplied to items received in a holding space. The air supply cycle may include initiating operation of a fan for circulating the air in the holding space, the fan being provided in a duct that forms a flow passage for circulating the air in the holding space, and spraying cleaning water onto a filter for removing foreign matter from the filter, the filter being positioned under the fan for removing foreign matter from air being introduced into the duct from the holding space. Spraying cleaning water onto the filter for removing foreign matter from the filter is not performed at the same time as initiating operation of the fan.