Laundry Washing Machine Pre-Saturation for Rinse Additive Distribution
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laundry washing machines often result in inhomogeneous distribution of rinse additives, such as fabric softeners, leading to uneven treatment of laundry, which can prevent desired properties like softness and perfume retention.
Innovation Solution
A method where laundry is saturated with water before the addition of rinse additives, allowing for a slower chemical reaction and improved distribution, combined with recirculation circuits to enhance dissolution and distribution of additives throughout the laundry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If rinse additives are directly introduced into the drum and onto the fabrics, then the treatment process is simple and quick, but the distribution of the additive becomes inhomogeneous
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by saturating the laundry with water before introducing the rinse additive. This pre-wetting step ensures that the fabrics are fully saturated, which prevents rapid absorption and allows for more uniform distribution of the additive throughout the laundry load.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses water as an intermediary medium to facilitate the distribution of the rinse additive. By introducing water together with the additive and allowing circulation, the water acts as a carrier that helps distribute the additive more evenly across all fabric surfaces before absorption occurs.
2Speed
If the laundry is not saturated with water before additive introduction, then the chemical reaction proceeds quickly, but the additive attaches only to specific parts of the laundry
Solution Approach 1:
The laundry is pre-saturated with water before the rinse additive is introduced. This preliminary saturation slows down the absorption rate of the additive, allowing it to distribute more uniformly across all fabric surfaces rather than rapidly attaching to specific dry areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state parameter of the laundry from a partially saturated state to a fully saturated state before additive introduction. This parameter change (water saturation level) directly controls the absorption kinetics, slowing down the reaction speed to enable more uniform distribution.
3Manufacturing precision
If recirculation circuits are added to enhance additive distribution, then the distribution homogeneity improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The recirculation circuit is designed to serve multiple functions: it circulates water to distribute the rinse additive uniformly, removes excess water from the laundry, and can be integrated with existing washing machine drainage systems. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by providing several benefits from a single system addition.
Solution Approach 2:
The recirculation system utilizes the washing machine's existing pump and drainage infrastructure to achieve additive distribution. The system essentially uses the machine's own circulation capabilities, already present for water removal during the wash cycle, to also distribute the rinse additive, thereby reducing the need for entirely new components.
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
Ensures a homogeneous distribution of rinse additives, improving the quality of laundry treatment by preventing uneven softness and perfume retention, and reducing the risk of stains or halos.
Implementation Method 1
the laundry is provided with a saturation amount of water for saturating the laundry
Implementation Method 2
recirculation circuits to enhance dissolution and distribution of additives throughout the laundry
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided for treating laundry in a laundry washing machine. The method includes at least one washing phase during which the laundry is washed with introduction of water and the detergent into a washing tub and tumbled by rotation of a washing drum, at least one successive draining phase for draining liquid from the washing tub and following the draining phase at least one rinsing step in which the laundry is soaked with water, and a final rinsing step in which the laundry is treated by means of a rinse additive. An additive supply step is also included, where water is introduced into the tub together with the additive. Before the additive supply step, in a saturation step, the laundry is provided with a saturation amount of water for saturating said laundry.