Laundry treating appliance with removable basket
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional laundry treating appliances often operate with a single-speed basket rotation, regardless of laundry item characteristics or system changes, which can lead to inefficient treatment cycles.
Innovation Solution
A dual-basket system with a removable basket assembly and a transmitter that couples the first clothes mover to the second clothes mover, allowing for rotational force transmission and adaptive basket operation within the laundry treating appliance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single-speed basket rotation is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the productivity and treatment efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The laundry treating appliance is divided into two separate baskets that can operate independently with different rotation speeds and cycles. Each basket has its own clothes mover and can be controlled separately, allowing simultaneous treatment of different laundry loads with optimized parameters for each load type.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from fixed single-speed rotation to variable speed rotation control. The controller can adjust rotation speeds dynamically based on the selected cycle and laundry characteristics, enabling optimized treatment efficiency for different fabric types and soil levels.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a removable basket assembly is added, then the adaptability and versatility are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The removable basket assembly is nested within the main basket structure. The second basket can be selectively inserted into and removed from the first basket, allowing the system to accommodate different laundry loads and treatment requirements while maintaining a compact overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The dual-basket system provides multiple functions: treating different fabric types simultaneously, handling different load sizes, and offering various cycle options. The removable basket allows the appliance to adapt to diverse laundry needs without requiring separate machines.
3Productivity
If a transmitter is used to couple clothes movers, then the productivity is improved through simultaneous treatment, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The transmitter acts as an intermediary mechanical coupling between the first clothes mover and the second clothes mover. It transfers rotational motion from the first basket's clothes mover to drive the second basket's clothes mover, enabling simultaneous treatment of multiple loads without requiring separate motors.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for a laundry treating appliance including a first basket defining a first treating chamber for receiving laundry for treatment according to a selected cycle of operation. A first clothes mover can be provided in the first treating chamber. A removable basket assembly can include a second basket with a second clothes mover. A transmitter can be included in the removable basket assembly for operably coupling the second clothes mover to the first clothes mover.