Moving Steam Nozzle Control for Targeted Clothes Refreshing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cabinet type clothes treatment apparatuses are ineffective in refreshing clothes due to limitations in steam and heated air distribution, leading to incomplete wrinkle removal, deodorization, sanitization, and static electricity prevention.
Innovation Solution
A clothes treatment apparatus with a combination of a fixed nozzle device for supplying steam, heated air, and detergent, and a moving nozzle device that selectively provides steam and heated air, allowing for targeted treatment and improved efficiency through controlled motion and sensing of contaminated areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a fixed nozzle device is used to supply steam and heated air to clothes, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the steam and heated air distribution is ineffective and incomplete
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a moving nozzle device that can reciprocate along the clothes within the accommodation space, transforming the static fixed nozzle system into a dynamic one. This allows the nozzle to deliver steam and heated air to different locations along the clothes, ensuring comprehensive and effective distribution throughout the garment.
Solution Approach 2:
The moving nozzle device enables localized treatment by targeting specific areas of clothes with steam and heated air. The system can focus treatment on contaminated or wrinkled areas, providing non-uniform but appropriate treatment intensity at different locations, which improves overall effectiveness.
2Reliability
If steam and heated air are supplied to all areas of clothes, then comprehensive treatment is achieved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The contamination sensing part detects specific contaminated areas on clothes, and the control unit directs the moving nozzle device to supply steam and heated air only to those detected areas. This localized treatment approach maintains comprehensive coverage of contaminated regions while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to treating the entire garment uniformly.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the clothes themselves to guide the treatment process. The contamination sensing part detects contaminants on the clothes, and this information is used to automatically control the nozzle movement and steam/heated air supply, making the system adapt to the actual needs of each garment without human intervention.
3Reliability
If a moving nozzle device is added to improve steam and heated air distribution, then treatment effectiveness is enhanced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The moving nozzle device incorporates a reciprocating mechanism that allows the nozzle to move back and forth along the clothes. This dynamic component, while adding complexity, enables comprehensive steam and heated air distribution to all areas of the garments, significantly improving treatment effectiveness for wrinkle removal, deodorization, and sanitization.
Solution Approach 2:
The moving nozzle device serves multiple functions: it supplies both steam and heated air, moves to different locations along the clothes, and works in coordination with the contamination sensing system. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by providing comprehensive treatment capabilities that a simple fixed nozzle cannot achieve.
4Use of energy by moving object
If the nozzle moves to target only contaminated areas, then energy consumption is reduced, but the device complexity and control difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates a contamination sensing part that continuously monitors the clothes for contaminants. This sensing feedback is transmitted to the control unit, which then directs the moving nozzle device to supply steam and heated air only to the detected contaminated areas. This feedback loop enables energy-efficient targeted treatment while managing control complexity through automated decision-making.
Solution Approach 2:
The clothes themselves provide the guidance information through the contamination sensing part, which automatically identifies areas needing treatment. The system serves itself by using the actual state of the clothes to control the treatment process, eliminating the need for complex manual control or pre-programming of treatment patterns.
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 apparatus effectively refreshes clothes by ensuring thorough steam and heated air distribution, enhancing wrinkle removal, deodorization, sanitization, and static electricity prevention, while reducing energy consumption by targeting only contaminated areas.
Implementation Method 1
a steam generating device configured to generate steam
Implementation Method 2
a heated air generating device configured to generate heated air
Data Source
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AI summary
A clothes treatment apparatus and a control method thereof are disclosed. The clothes treatment apparatus includes a fixed nozzle device and a moving nozzle device to supply at least one of steam and heated air to clothes. As a result, the clothes may be washed effectively or refreshed.