Method for the determination of a laundry weight in a laundry treatment appliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current laundry treatment appliances lack an accurate and efficient method to determine the weight of laundry without using expensive sensors, relying on indirect and time-consuming methods that provide uncertain weight estimates.
Innovation Solution
A data-driven soft sensor method is implemented in laundry treatment appliances to predict the weight of laundry based on operating conditions, using existing sensors and algorithms to provide a reliable and fast estimation within a minute, without adding new sensors or significantly increasing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a real weight sensor is used to obtain accurate laundry weight, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical weight sensor system with an electrical parameter-based measurement system. It uses motor current, voltage, and power consumption data to infer laundry weight through computational models, eliminating the need for direct mechanical sensing while achieving comparable or superior measurement accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces computational algorithms and data processing systems as intermediaries between the electrical parameters and the final weight measurement. These algorithms process motor current, voltage, and power data to derive laundry weight indirectly, serving as a mediator that transforms readily available electrical signals into accurate weight information without requiring direct mechanical contact sensors.
2Device complexity
If indirect water absorption method is used to estimate laundry quantity, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision and speed deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the water absorption-based indirect measurement method with an electrical parameter-based system. Instead of measuring water uptake over time, it uses real-time motor current, voltage, and power consumption data that directly correlate with laundry weight, providing both high accuracy and rapid measurement without the time delays and material variability issues of water absorption methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the measurement parameters from water absorption volume to electrical parameters (current, voltage, power). This parameter transformation enables real-time weight estimation during the washing cycle rather than requiring post-washing water measurement, significantly improving both measurement speed and accuracy while maintaining system simplicity.
3Device complexity
If water absorption algorithm is used to determine laundry weight, then device complexity is minimized, but measurement time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the time-consuming water absorption algorithm with real-time electrical parameter monitoring. By continuously measuring motor current, voltage, and power consumption during the washing cycle, the system determines laundry weight instantly without waiting for water absorption processes to complete, reducing measurement time from minutes to seconds while keeping the system simple and integrated into existing appliance electronics.
4Adaptability or versatility
If different textiles absorb different water quantities, then measurement adaptability is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to variability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the water absorption method with electrical parameter-based measurement that is independent of textile material properties. Since motor current, voltage, and power consumption directly reflect the mechanical load regardless of what the laundry is made of, the system achieves consistent weight measurements across different fabric types without the variability inherent in water absorption methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes from measuring water absorption (which varies by textile composition) to measuring electrical parameters (which directly correlate with mechanical load). This parameter shift eliminates the confounding variable of textile absorbency, providing uniform and consistent weight measurements across cotton, synthetic, wool, and other fabric types.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for the determination of a laundry weight in a laundry treatment appliance. The method includes selecting a laundry program in the laundry treatment appliance; starting the selected laundry program; sensing a plurality of parameters indicating operating conditions of the laundry treatment appliance during the laundry program; and predicating a weight of the laundry present within the laundry treatment appliance based on said plurality of parameters by means of a data-driven soft sensor.