Laundry Steam Cycle Extension to Prevent Crease Reformation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional laundry treatment methods using steam in washing machines and dryers face issues where the steam effect fades over time, leading to crease formation and potential wetting due to steam condensation, especially in refresh cycles, as the laundry is left in the machine for extended periods.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method where the steam cycle continues after an alarm signals completion, allowing the user to manually stop it, with options for automatic termination after a predetermined time, reduced steam flow, or reduced drum rotation speed to minimize energy consumption and prevent crease reformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the steam cycle is stopped at the end of the cooling cycle (as in prior art), then the machine operations are completed and the alarm signals completion, but the steam effect fades over time causing new creases to form and laundry to get wet due to steam condensation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the continuity of useful action principle by extending the steam cycle to continue after the alarm signal is given at the end of the cooling cycle. The steam supply is maintained until the drum rotation stops, ensuring continuous steam exposure to the laundry. This prevents the steam effect from fading and eliminates the harmful period where creases could reform or condensation could wet the laundry, directly resolving the technical contradiction between reliability of steam effect and prevention of harmful factors.
2Reliability
If the steam cycle continues until drum rotation stops (as in the invention), then crease smoothing effect is maintained and laundry remains dry, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control by using the drum rotation status as a trigger for steam cycle termination. The steam supply continues only as long as the drum is rotating, and automatically stops when the drum rotation ceases. This feedback mechanism ensures the steam effect is maintained during the useful period while preventing excessive energy consumption that would result from continuous steam supply beyond the necessary treatment time, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and energy use.
3Ease of operation
If the alarm signals at the end of all machine operations (as in prior art), then the user is informed of completion, but the laundry has been left in the machine too long causing steam effect to fade
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by giving the alarm signal earlier than the actual end of the steam cycle. The alarm is triggered at the end of the cooling cycle, before the steam cycle completely finishes. This allows the user to be notified in advance that the main treatment phase is complete, while the steam continues to operate for a short additional period to maintain the effect, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and duration of action.
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 ensures smoother laundry with reduced crease formation and prevents wetting, while optimizing energy use by allowing the user to control the steam cycle duration, ensuring efficient and effective crease smoothing and refresh treatments.
Implementation Method 1
a steam flow is generated and directed against the laundry as it is turning in the drum; as known, steam will smooth out laundry creases
Implementation Method 2
during the wash and spin cycles the wet laundry is subjected to centrifugal force exerted by the rotating drum
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for treating laundry loaded in a washing machine or washing/drying machine or clothes dryer. The laundry is subjected to a steam flow generated in the washing or washing/drying machine through evaporation means, and an alarm signal goes off in order to inform a user of the machine that the creases on the laundry have been sufficiently smoothed. After the alarm signal has gone off, the evaporation means are activated for at least a non- null time interval, thus generating additional steam and subjecting the laundry to a further steam flow following the alarm signal.