Operating method for clothes treating apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional clothes drying methods result in uneven drying, increased energy consumption, and wrinkle formation due to entangled clothes and friction with the drum during rotation.
Innovation Solution
A method that dynamically adjusts air flow rate and drum rotation speed to actively move clothes within the drum, ensuring uniform drying and minimizing wrinkles by varying air flow between predetermined rates and alternating the drum's speed, and using temperature and moisture sensors to optimize the drying process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If clothes are dried by rotating the drum with continuous hot air supply, then drying function is achieved, but clothes become entangled and pressed against the drum wall causing uneven drying and increased energy consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by alternating between hot air supply periods and hot air stop periods during drum rotation. The controller stops hot air supply at specific intervals when the drum rotates to a predetermined position, allowing clothes to be lifted and separated from the drum wall by gravity. This periodic interruption prevents clothes from being continuously pressed against the drum wall, enabling more uniform drying across all clothes surfaces while reducing energy consumption by not continuously heating air.
2Productivity
If hot air is continuously supplied into the drum, then drying speed is maintained, but clothes remain entangled and cannot be uniformly dried
Solution Approach 1:
The controller implements periodic action by stopping hot air supply at predetermined intervals during drum rotation. When the drum rotates to a specific position, hot air supply is interrupted, allowing clothes that were pressed against the drum wall to be lifted and separated by gravitational force. This periodic interruption creates opportunities for clothes to be uniformly exposed to hot air from different positions during subsequent rotation cycles, thereby achieving uniform drying while maintaining overall drying speed through continued periodic hot air supply.
3Duration of action of moving object
If the drum rotates continuously with clothes, then drying process proceeds, but friction between clothes and drum generates wrinkles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by stopping hot air supply at specific intervals during drum rotation. When hot air supply is stopped and the drum rotates to a predetermined position, clothes are no longer pushed against the drum wall by air pressure. Gravity then causes clothes to be lifted and separated from the drum wall, reducing friction and contact time between clothes and the drum surface. This periodic interruption significantly reduces wrinkle generation while the drum continues to rotate and the drying process proceeds through alternating hot air supply and stop cycles.
4Loss of time
If air flow rate is increased to improve drying, then drying time is reduced, but clothes are pressed more firmly against the drum wall causing more wrinkles
Solution Approach 1:
The controller implements periodic action by interrupting hot air supply at predetermined intervals during drum rotation. Even when hot air supply is resumed at high flow rates to maintain drying speed, the periodic stop periods allow clothes to be lifted and separated from the drum wall by gravity. This prevents clothes from being continuously pressed against the drum wall during high flow rate operation, thereby reducing wrinkle formation while still achieving reduced drying time through the alternating high flow rate supply periods.
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
This approach reduces drying time, minimizes energy consumption, and prevents wrinkle formation by ensuring uniform drying and reducing friction between clothes and the drum.
Implementation Method 1
a heating unit to heat air introduced into the drum
Implementation Method 2
a blowing fan to blow air into the drum
Implementation Method 3
supplying hot air into the drum, and evaporating moisture of the clothes
Data Source
AI summary
A method for operating a clothes treating apparatus comprising a hot air supplying unit provided with a heater and a blowing device, and having a drying function of drying clothes by supplying hot air into a drum by use of the hot air supplying unit, includes rotating the drum with the clothes introduced therein, and supplying hot air into the drum by using the heater and the blowing device while the drum is rotated, wherein an air flow rate supplied by the blowing device changes during the hot air supplying step.