Washing Machine Steam and Wetting Water Control for Delicate Laundry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional washing machines require large amounts of water and energy to heat water for washing, which can damage delicate clothes when using steam, and the high temperature of steam can cause staining and damage to poor heat-resistant materials like wool and silk.
Innovation Solution
A washing machine with a rotary drum, water supply unit, and steam generating unit, controlled by a controller that sets the necessary amount of wetting water and supplies steam and water simultaneously to prevent damage and staining, especially for delicate items.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If hot steam is used to wash laundry, then water consumption is reduced, but the laundry may be damaged or stained due to high temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by wetting the laundry with water before introducing steam. The controller supplies a predetermined amount of water to the laundry prior to steam injection, ensuring the fabric is pre-moistened. This preliminary wetting prevents direct contact with high-temperature steam, thereby preventing damage and staining while still allowing steam to effectively clean the laundry with reduced water consumption overall.
2Loss of substance
If steam is used to wash poor heat-resistant laundry, then water consumption is reduced, but the laundry is easily damaged due to high temperature
Solution Approach 1:
For poor heat-resistant laundry, the controller performs preliminary wetting by supplying water to the laundry before steam injection. This ensures that heat-sensitive fabrics like wool and silk are protected from direct high-temperature steam exposure, maintaining their integrity while still benefiting from steam cleaning efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses water as an intermediary substance between the steam and the poor heat-resistant laundry. The water layer acts as a thermal buffer, absorbing excess heat from the steam before it contacts the sensitive fabric, thereby protecting the laundry from thermal damage while allowing the steam cleaning process to proceed effectively.
3Loss of substance
If steam is used to wash laundry, then water consumption is reduced, but detergent sticks to clothes causing stains
Solution Approach 1:
The controller supplies water to the laundry before steam injection, creating a moisture barrier that prevents detergent from adhering directly to the fabric. This preliminary wetting ensures that detergent remains dissolved in the water layer rather than sticking to the clothes, preventing stains while maintaining effective cleaning.
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 damage and staining by ensuring delicate items are adequately wetted and protected from high steam temperatures, reducing water and energy consumption while maintaining effective cleaning.
Implementation Method 1
Water is heated by a heater disposed in a water tub of the washing machine so that the heated water is used as wash water
Implementation Method 2
the controller sets the amount of wetting water necessary to wet the laundry, controls the water supply unit so that the set amount of wetting water is supplied
Data Source
AI summary
A washing machine in which the poor heat-resistance laundry is sufficiently wet so that a plurality of water curtain layers are formed at the laundry, thereby preventing the laundry from being stained and damaged when the laundry contacts the steam. According to the present invention, cold water is supplied simultaneously with injection of the steam so that the real temperature of the steam contacting the surfaces of the laundry is lowered, thereby preventing the laundry from being stained and damaged when the laundry contacts the steam.