Steam Dryer Water Container Control for Crease Removal
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional drying machines fail to completely remove creases from laundry, necessitating additional steps like ironing, and require complex installations for steam suppliers to achieve smooth operation and durability.
Innovation Solution
A drying machine equipped with a steam generator, a detachable water container, a sensor, and a controller that manages the water supplier pump to control steam supply, preventing residual water leakage and ensuring efficient crease removal without ironing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a steam generator is installed to remove creases from laundry, then crease removal capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The water supply system is segmented into a detachable water container and a fixed steam generator. This allows the water container to be easily removed and replaced by the user, while the complex steam generation components remain fixed and integrated into the machine structure, reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The water container is extracted as a separate, detachable component from the steam generator. This extraction allows users to easily refill water without dealing with the complex steam generation system, simplifying the user interface while maintaining effective crease removal functionality.
2Ease of operation
If a detachable water container is used to simplify water refilling, then ease of operation is improved, but water leakage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor detects water container detachment before actual water leakage can occur. The controller activates the pump in advance to drain residual water from the supply line, preventing leakage before it becomes a problem. This preliminary action ensures both ease of operation and reliable leakage prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
A sensor provides real-time feedback on the water container's attachment state to the controller. This feedback mechanism allows the system to automatically adjust pump operation based on whether the container is attached or detached, ensuring water is drained before detachment to prevent leakage while maintaining simple container replacement operations.
3Reliability
If a sensor and controller are added to manage water container detachment, then water leakage is prevented, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the existing pump that is already part of the steam generator to drain water automatically when detachment is detected. This self-service approach prevents leakage without requiring additional complex drainage mechanisms, minimizing the increase in device complexity while ensuring reliable leakage prevention.
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 solution effectively prevents and removes creases on clothes without ironing, while preventing water leakage and maintaining the drying machine's operational integrity.
Implementation Method 1
a steam generator to supply steam to the drum
Implementation Method 2
a sensor to sense whether the water container is detached or attached
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An apparatus for treating clothes and a method for controlling the same, which are capable of controlling or preventing formation of creases on clothes, are disclosed. The disclosed apparatus includes a drum (20), a steam generator (200) to supply steam to the drum (20), a water container (300) to store water to be supplied to the steam generator (200), the water container (300) detachable, a sensor (500) to sense whether the water container (300) is detached or attached, a water supplier (400) to supply the water stored in the water container (300) to the steam generator (200), and a controller to control an operation of the water supplier (400) based on a sensing result of the sensor (500).