Method of controlling washing machine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing washing machines face challenges in tub cleaning for hygiene, water efficiency, rinse performance, maintaining sufficient water flow during high-pressure circulation, foaming reduction, and uniform laundry wetting, particularly when using variable speed pumps.
Innovation Solution
A method of controlling a washing machine that includes spin-dry rinse, rotational water supply, and hygiene cleaning phases, utilizing both direct and circulation nozzles to manage water flow and drum speed for effective tub cleaning and rinse cycles, ensuring sufficient water supply and reducing foaming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a variable speed pump is used to spray circulating water with high pressure, then rinse performance is improved, but water consumption increases and pump idling occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The pump operates intermittently rather than continuously. The control unit turns the pump on during periods when water supply is needed (during water supply and rinse phases) and turns it off during other periods (drainage phase), creating a periodic operation pattern that reduces water consumption and prevents pump idling.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump speed is dynamically adjusted based on operational phase. During water supply phase, the pump operates at high speed to circulate water efficiently; during rinse phase, it operates at medium speed; during drainage phase, it is turned off. This parameter change optimizes both rinse performance and water efficiency.
2Reliability
If water is supplied to the tub during rinse cycle, then rinse performance is improved, but water consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Water is supplied locally through nozzles positioned at specific locations (front, rear, left, right sides of the drum) rather than filling the entire tub. This targeted water supply improves rinse performance at the laundry while minimizing overall water consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
Water supply to the tub is performed periodically during specific phases (water supply phase and rinse phase) rather than continuously, reducing total water consumption while maintaining effective rinse performance.
3Productivity
If the drum rotates at high speed for spin-dry rinse, then water drainage is improved, but laundry may fall from drum
Solution Approach 1:
The drum operates at different speeds during different phases: high speed during spin-dry rinse for efficient water drainage, then decelerates to lower speed during rotational water supply and hygiene cleaning phases to maintain laundry adherence while performing cleaning functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The drum speed is dynamically adjusted based on the operational phase. The control unit increases drum speed to spin-dry rinse speed for water drainage, then decreases it to rotational water supply speed or hygiene cleaning speed as needed, optimizing both drainage efficiency and laundry adherence.
4Reliability
If the drum rotates at low speed for hygiene cleaning, then tub cleaning is effective, but water circulation is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
During hygiene cleaning phase, the pump operates periodically to circulate water while the drum rotates at lower speed for effective tub cleaning. The periodic pump operation maintains sufficient water circulation even at lower drum speeds.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump speed is increased during hygiene cleaning phase to compensate for the lower drum speed, maintaining sufficient water circulation power while allowing the drum to rotate at speeds optimal for tub cleaning effectiveness.
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
The method enhances tub cleaning hygiene, improves rinse performance, reduces water consumption, maintains adequate water flow during high-pressure circulation, and achieves uniform laundry wetting, effectively addressing foaming issues while optimizing water usage.
Implementation Method 1
a circulation nozzle for spraying circulating water
Implementation Method 2
a direct water nozzle for directly spraying water supplied from the water source
Implementation Method 3
rotating the drum at a spin-dry rinse speed, where the laundry in the drum is able to rotate along with the drum while adhered to and not falling from the drum
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3
AI summary
Disclosed is a method of controlling a washing machine, the method comprising: a step a of, while water is sprayed into a drum (32) through a direct water nozzle (42), rotating the drum at a spin-dry rinse speed, where laundry in the drum is able to rotate along with the drum while adhered to and not falling from the drum even when the laundry is lifted to a highest point inside the drum, and draining the tub (31) while the drum is rotated at the spin-dry rinse speed; a step b of increasing a water level of the tub by providing a water supply to the tub, and circulating water in the tub to be sprayed into the drum through a circulation nozzle, wherein, while the water is sprayed through the circulation nozzle (610), the drum is rotated at a laundry adherence speed that is set to be lower than the spin-dry rinse speed within a range where the laundry is able to rotate along with the drum without falling from the highest point inside the drum; and a step c of, while the draining of the tub and the spraying of the water through the circulation nozzle are stopped and at least a portion of the drum is submerged in water contained in the tub, accelerating the drum from the laundry adherence speed to a first tub cleaning speed.