Laundry-care appliance comprising a metering system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional laundry care appliances require separate drives and motors for each liquid substance metering system, leading to inefficiencies and increased complexity, while existing solutions like peristaltic pumps are not economical or compact enough for effective dual-duct metering.
Innovation Solution
A metering system with a common drive mechanism that operates two pump heads in parallel mechanically and antiparallel hydraulically, allowing for efficient metering of two liquid substances using a single drive motor and reducing cross-contamination by selecting the rotation direction of the drive motor to control which storage container is accessed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate drives and motors are used for each liquid substance metering system, then each pump can operate independently, but the device complexity and operational inefficiency increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines two separate drive mechanisms into a single common drive that mechanically operates both pump heads through a shared transmission system. The common drive includes a single motor coupled to a transmission mechanism that distributes rotational motion to both pump heads, thereby reducing the total number of drives and motors while maintaining the ability to independently meter different liquid substances
2Device complexity
If a common drive is used for both pump heads, then the device becomes more economical and compact, but controlling which storage container is accessed becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamic transmission mechanism that can redirect the rotational motion from the common drive to different pump heads based on operational requirements. The transmission system includes movable or reconfigurable elements that allow the single motor to selectively engage with either the first or second pump head, enabling flexible selection of which storage container to access without requiring separate fixed drives for each pump
3Device complexity
If pump heads are connected hydraulically in parallel manner, then the system structure is simplified, but cross-contamination between liquid substances may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the hydraulic system into separate, isolated circuits for each pump head while maintaining a common mechanical drive. Each pump head has its own dedicated suction line from its respective storage container and discharge line to its designated liquid substance outlet. This segmentation ensures that liquid substances from different storage containers remain hydraulically isolated, preventing cross-contamination while allowing both pump heads to be driven by the same motor through the transmission mechanism
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 provides an economical, compact, and effective metering system for laundry care appliances, allowing for efficient dispensing of liquid substances with reduced risk of cross-contamination and operational complexity, while preventing air from entering the storage containers to maintain liquid substance integrity.
Implementation Method 1
a common drive (129) for driving the first pump head (113) and the second pump head (115), the common drive (129) being able to be driven in a first drive direction (137) and a second drive direction (139)
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a laundry-care appliance (100) comprising a metering system (105) for metering a first liquid substance and a second liquid substance, wherein the metering system (105) comprises a first storage container (107) for providing the first liquid substance, a second storage container (109) for providing the second liquid substance, and a pump unit (112) which comprises a first pump head (113) and a second pump head (115). The metering system (105) comprises a common drive (129) for driving the first pump head (113) and the second pump head (115), wherein the common drive (129) can be driven in a first drive direction (137) and in a second drive direction (139). The first pump head (113) is designed in the case of the first drive direction (137) of the common drive (129) to convey the first liquid substance in a first conveying direction (149) from the first storage container (107). The second pump head (115) is designed in the case of the second drive direction (139) of the common drive (129) to convey the second liquid substance in a second conveyor direction (153) from the second storage container (109).