LED Wash Drum Lighting With Heat Dissipation and Focused Illumination

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing washing machine lighting devices consume high electric power, produce excessive heat, and inefficiently illuminate the wash drum due to the use of incandescent or halogen lamps, which also suffer from vibration damage and complex control circuits.

Innovation Solution

A wash drum lighting device utilizing LEDs with a heat-dissipating metal supporting rod and an electronic control unit that stabilizes LED temperature, concentrates light onto the drum using a lens, and allows for color-coded status indication through a PWM circuit and microprocessor control.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If incandescent or halogen lamps are used to illuminate the wash drum, then the drum interior is brightly illuminated, but electric power consumption is high and excessive heat is produced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrum interior illuminationVSAvoidelectric power consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the fundamental operating parameters of the lighting system by replacing incandescent/halogen lamps with LEDs, which operate at significantly lower power consumption levels and temperatures, thereby resolving the contradiction between illumination intensity and energy consumption

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent substitutes the thermal radiation mechanism of incandescent lamps with the electroluminescence mechanism of LEDs, replacing a heat-based illumination system with a cold-light emission system that achieves the same illumination function with minimal energy consumption and heat generation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Illumination intensity

If incandescent or halogen lamps are used to illuminate the wash drum, then the drum interior is brightly illuminated, but excessive heat is produced requiring complex control circuits

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrum interior illuminationVSAvoidlamp operating temperature
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the temperature parameter of the lighting system by using LEDs that operate at much lower temperatures than incandescent or halogen lamps, eliminating the need for complex temperature control circuits while maintaining effective illumination

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the harmful excessive heat generation of traditional lamps into a benefit by using LEDs that produce minimal heat, thereby simplifying the control system and eliminating the need for complex temperature management circuits

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Illumination intensity

If a light guide is used to direct light onto the drum, then light can be focused on the target area, but light loss occurs in the light guide

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelight concentration on drumVSAvoidlight loss in light guide
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates the light guide component from the system by positioning LEDs directly on the drum interior, thereby removing the source of light loss in the light guide while maintaining effective light concentration on the target area through direct LED placement and optical lenses

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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

Reduces electric power consumption, minimizes heat production, focuses light efficiently on the wash drum, and enables easy status monitoring via color-coded lighting, enhancing user experience and safety.

Implementation Method 1

one or more LEDs (9) for emitting one or more light beams towards the opening of said wash drum (7)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight Emitting Diode: Light Emitting Diode

Implementation Method 2

a lens (11) fitted inside said bellows (6) facing said wash drum (7), and designed to concentrate the light beam from said LED (9) onto the opening of said wash drum (7)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLens focusing: Lens

Implementation Method 3

a supporting rod (13), which has said LED (9) at one end (13a) and which is made of metal material having heat-dissipating properties

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP1918448B1Washing machine with a wash drum lighting device
Publication Date: 2011.03.09 ELECTROLUX HOME PROD CORP NV
  • EP1918448B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1918448B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP1918448B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

There is described a washing machine (1) having an outer casing (2); a wash chamber (5) housed inside the outer casing (2); a wash drum (7) housed inside the wash chamber (5) and which rotates about an axis of rotation (A); and a lighting device (8) located inside the outer casing (2) to light the wash drum (7), and having at least one LED (9).