Steam Generator Drain Valve for Automatic Scale Flushing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Steam generators for laundry care appliances face issues with scale accumulation, particularly in compact designs like those for clothes dryers, where manual discharge is impractical, leading to bulkiness and safety concerns due to accumulated mineral residues.
Innovation Solution
A steam generator with a controllable drain valve that automatically flushes out scale, operated by a liquid level or pressure sensor, allowing for compact design and enhanced safety features like overflow protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a trash area is provided to store scale during the lifetime of the steam generator, then scale accumulation is managed, but the steam generator becomes relatively bulky
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful scale accumulation problem by providing a separate drainage path. The drain outlet communicates with the exterior of the housing, allowing scale and water to be discharged outside the main steam generator body. This eliminates the need for a large internal trash area, thus reducing the overall volume of the steam generator while effectively managing scale.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary drainage system consisting of a drain outlet and optionally a collection container. This intermediary structure mediates between the steam generator interior and the external environment, providing a pathway for scale removal without requiring large internal storage space. The collection container acts as a temporary intermediary storage that can be easily emptied.
2Ease of repair
If a discharge plug or bottom drain is provided for manual draining, then scale can be removed, but it is only useful for transportable appliances and requires manual operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by providing a drain outlet that enables automatic or facilitated drainage. The system can utilize the steam generator's own operational processes (such as pressure differentials or heating cycles) to drive water and scale through the drain outlet without requiring manual disassembly or external intervention. This makes scale removal as easy as operating the appliance itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical operation of removing a discharge plug with a more convenient drainage system. The drain outlet may be配合d with a collection container that uses gravity or pressure-driven flow to automatically collect and store drained water and scale, eliminating the need for manual pouring and cleaning operations.
3Volume of moving object
If the steam generator is designed to be compact, then it is suitable for laundry care appliances, but scale accumulation cannot be effectively managed without a trash area
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the scale management function from the internal volume of the steam generator by providing an external drainage path. The drain outlet communicates with the exterior, allowing scale to be removed from the system rather than stored internally. This maintains compact dimensions while ensuring effective scale management throughout the appliance's lifetime.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a discarding mechanism where scale and water are continuously or periodically removed through the drain outlet. Optionally, a collection container may be used to temporarily hold the discarded material for later disposal. This approach allows compact design by eliminating the need for large permanent internal storage, instead using minimal temporary external storage.
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 prevents scale accumulation, enabling a compact and safe steam generator design by automatically removing scale, reducing the need for bulky storage areas and enhancing operational safety against overpressure and overflow.
Implementation Method 1
a heater for heating the liquid
Implementation Method 2
operated by a liquid level or pressure sensor
Implementation Method 3
operated by a liquid level or pressure sensor
Implementation Method 4
a controllable drain for draining the liquid from the tank
Data Source
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AI summary
The steam generator 11 is intended and adapted for use in a laundry care appliance D1, D2 and comprises a heated tank 12. The tank 12 at least comprises: an inlet 3 for filling the tank 12 with liquid L; a heater 14 for heating the liquid L; a steam outlet 4; and a controllable drain 8 for draining the liquid L from the tank 12 wherein an opening and closing of the drain 8 is controllable by a valve 9. The valve (9) is controllable according to a liquid level of liquid (L) present in the tank (2; 12) and/or is adapted to act as a pressure relief valve. The laundry care appliance D1, D2 according to the invention comprises such steam generator 11, wherein the valve 9 is connected for operation to a control unit C of the laundry care appliance D1, D2.