Shoe care device and control method thereof
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Solution Overview
Problem
Shoe care apparatuses face challenges in efficiently cooling and dehumidifying air due to continuous heat accumulation in closed circulation systems, leading to reduced dehumidification performance and potential malfunction during high outside temperatures.
Innovation Solution
The shoe care apparatus incorporates a heat pump cycle with a condenser cooling flow path and a second blower fan to dissipate heat, along with a control method that adjusts the operation of blower fans and dampers based on temperature and compressor operation rates to prevent heat accumulation and enhance dehumidification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If air is continuously circulated through a closed heat pump system, then the shoe care apparatus can maintain a controlled environment for shoe drying and cooling, but continuous heat accumulation occurs making it difficult to cool and dehumidify air supplied to the care room
Solution Approach 1:
The air circulation system is segmented into multiple independent loops: a first circulation loop for shoe drying (heating), a second circulation loop for shoe cooling (cooling), and a third circulation loop for heat pump condenser cooling. This segmentation allows each loop to independently control temperature and humidity without heat accumulation interfering with the others, resolving the contradiction between environmental stability and temperature control.
Solution Approach 2:
A third blower fan acts as an intermediary to introduce outside air into the heat pump condenser cooling circulation loop. This outside air serves as a heat sink to absorb heat from the condenser, enabling effective heat dissipation without relying solely on the closed circulation system, thus preventing heat accumulation while maintaining overall system stability.
2Productivity
If a closed circulation method is used to dry and cool shoes, then the apparatus can efficiently utilize heat pump cycle, but heat accumulation occurs reducing dehumidification performance and causing potential malfunction at high outside temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between different circulation modes based on operational requirements and outside temperature conditions. The controller activates different blower fans and circulation loops as needed: the first blower fan for drying, the second blower fan for cooling, and the third blower fan for condenser cooling when outside temperatures are high. This dynamic adaptation maintains high productivity while preventing heat accumulation that could cause malfunction.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters (which blower fans are active, which circulation loops are engaged) based on outside temperature conditions. When outside temperatures are high, the controller activates the third blower fan to introduce cooler outside air for condenser cooling, changing the thermal parameters of the heat pump system to maintain reliability under varying environmental conditions.
3Temperature
If outside air is introduced to cool the condenser, then heat dissipation is improved, but the system complexity increases with additional flow paths and control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The third blower fan and associated circulation loop are designed with multi-functionality: they can introduce outside air for condenser cooling, and the same loop can potentially serve other thermal management functions. This universal component approach adds minimal complexity while achieving effective condenser temperature control through outside air introduction.
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 solution effectively cools and dehumidifies air, maintaining performance even at high outside temperatures and preventing heat pump malfunctions by actively managing air flow and heat dissipation within the system.
Implementation Method 1
air in a care room may be cooled and dehumidified by flowing out of the care room and passing through an evaporator and condenser
Implementation Method 2
a first heat exchange fin configured to exchange heat between the air flowing through the circulation flow path by being blown by the first blower fan and the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe
Implementation Method 3
a second blower fan disposed in the machine room configured to blow air in the machine room in a second direction so that the air in the machine room passes through the condenser
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a shoe care apparatus including: a main body, a care room provided in the main body configured to accommodate shoes, a machine room provided in the main body configured to accommodate a heat pump device including an evaporator and a condenser, a circulation flow path configured to communicate with the care room so that air discharged from the care room passes through the evaporator and the condenser and is supplied to the care room, a first blower fan disposed on the circulation flow path configured to blow air in the circulation flow path in a first direction so that the air in the circulation flow path passes through the machine room from the care room and circulates back to the care room, and a second blower fan disposed in the machine room configured to blow air in the machine room in a second direction so that the air in the machine room passes through the condenser.