Washing machine and methods for operating a washing machine
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Washing machines face issues with suds formation during spinning, which reduces pump efficiency and disrupts the washing process, making it difficult to pump out washing liquor effectively.
Innovation Solution
A washing machine design with a non-circular drum-receiving container shape, featuring a varying radial distance from the drum, a breakaway edge for water collection and drainage, and a system of valves and filters to manage water and suds, along with an air inlet for suds evacuation, ensures efficient operation and reduced suds formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional round cylindrical drum-receiving container is used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but suds form during spinning which reduces pump efficiency and disrupts the washing process
Solution Approach 1:
The drum-receiving container is designed with a non-circular cross-section, specifically with flat sides and curved portions, creating an asymmetric shape that prevents suds formation during drum rotation. This asymmetric geometry disrupts the uniform centrifugal forces that would otherwise promote suds formation in a conventional circular container, thereby maintaining pump efficiency without requiring complex additional components.
2Productivity
If water is pumped out during spinning, then washing liquor is removed, but suds formation reduces pump efficiency and makes pumping difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the harmful effect of suds formation into a beneficial outcome by using the asymmetric drum-receiving container geometry to prevent suds formation in the first place. The non-circular shape creates flow patterns during spinning that prevent air entrapment and suds generation, transforming what would be a problematic condition into a smooth pumping operation that maintains high efficiency without energy loss to suds-related pump inefficiency.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the drum-receiving container has a uniform radial distance from the drum, then the structure is simple, but suds form between the drum and container during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The drum-receiving container employs local quality variations in its geometry, with different radial distances from the drum at different angular positions. The container features flat sides with smaller radial clearances and curved portions with larger radial clearances. This localized variation in geometry creates different flow characteristics in different regions, preventing suds formation by ensuring proper water drainage paths while maintaining overall structural simplicity.
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 design effectively collects and drains water and suds, reducing their contribution to suds formation, maintaining pump efficiency and ensuring a smooth washing process by strategically managing water and air flow.
Implementation Method 1
the inner shape of the drum-receiving container is not round cylindrical or is not round, such that, along a circumferential direction of the drum, the drum has a radial distance from the drum-receiving container, wherein the drum-receiving container is configured such that this distance continuously varies in places
Implementation Method 2
a breakaway edge for water collection and drainage
Implementation Method 3
the breakaway edge, preferably as a separately formed and fastened part
Implementation Method 4
a pump which is connected by way of water lines on the one hand to the container drain(s) and on the other hand to the input device
Implementation Method 5
an air inlet for suds evacuation
Data Source
AI summary
A washing machine has a drum-receiving container with a round drum therein, wherein the inner shape of the drum-receiving container is not round cylindrical. The drum accordingly has a radial distance along the circumferential direction thereof from the drum-receiving container, wherein the latter is configured such that this distance continuously varies in places and/or has no discontinuity. The distance is smaller in the uppermost region of the drum than at the mid-vertical height of the drum, and the distance is at its greatest in a lower region of the drum between a lowermost point of drum and one third of the vertical height of the drum. At the lowermost region, a breakaway edge may be formed below the drum to enable removal of externally adhering water.