Top-Loading Washer Drum Funnel Design for Direct Detergent Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Top-loading laundry washing machines inefficiently distribute detergent, leading to low detergent concentration during the initial washing steps due to detergent sliding off the drum's outer surface into the tub, resulting in high water and detergent consumption and energy usage.
Innovation Solution
A detergent or water-detergent mixture supply system featuring a funnel-shaped circumferential wall with through holes on the laundry drum, positioned to direct the mixture directly into the drum, combined with a control system to align the funnel under the outlet openings and generate a pressurized jet for efficient detergent transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If detergent is poured from the detergent basin on the circumferential wall of the laundry drum, then the detergent can be supplied to the drum, but most of the detergent slides away from the circumferential wall and falls into the tub, resulting in low detergent concentration in the laundry
Solution Approach 1:
The circumferential wall acts as an intermediary structure with through-holes that mediates the transfer of detergent from the detergent basin to the drum interior. The through-holes force the detergent to pass through a controlled path, preventing it from sliding away and ensuring direct delivery to the laundry, thereby reducing detergent loss and increasing effective concentration.
Solution Approach 2:
The circumferential wall is designed with through-holes, creating a porous structure that allows selective passage of detergent. This porous design ensures that detergent flows through the wall material rather than sliding along the external surface, directly delivering it to the drum interior and preventing waste in the tub.
2Productivity
If detergent is poured on the circumferential wall of the laundry drum, then the detergent can be distributed, but it builds up before being mixed and poured again onto the drum, leading to high water and detergent consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The through-holes in the circumferential wall enable the detergent to skip directly from the detergent basin through the wall and into the drum interior, bypassing the intermediate step of building up on the external surface. This direct path eliminates the need for multiple mixing and repouring cycles, reducing water and detergent consumption while maintaining washing efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The detergent is delivered directly to the drum interior through the through-holes before the washing cycle fully begins, ensuring immediate availability for action on the laundry. This preliminary direct delivery eliminates the delay caused by building up and gradual transfer, improving productivity while reducing resource consumption.
3Quantity of substance
If detergent is poured on the circumferential wall of the laundry drum, then the detergent can be supplied, but only a minimum part passes through the small holes and enters directly into the drum, resulting in low detergent concentration during the first washing steps
Solution Approach 1:
The circumferential wall with through-holes serves as an effective intermediary that forces the majority of detergent to pass through directly into the drum. This intermediary structure ensures that most of the detergent (not just a minimum part) reaches the drum interior directly, increasing detergent concentration during the first washing steps and reducing the energy required for mixing and dilution.
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
Enhances detergent distribution directly into the drum, increasing washing efficiency, reducing water and detergent consumption, and simplifying the washing process while improving overall washing performance.
Implementation Method 1
generate a pressurized jet for efficient detergent transfer
Implementation Method 2
funnel-shaped circumferential wall with through holes on the laundry drum
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~8
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A top-loading laundry washing machine (1) comprises a perforated drum (6) rotatably located within a washing tub (7), a detergent basin (10) in connection with a water loading system (9) and having one or more outlet openings (11, 11') arranged above a circumferential wall (12) of the drum (6) so as to be able to dispense a water-detergent flow (30) onto the circumferential wall (12) of the drum (6), in which the circumferential wall (12) forms a funnel (21) for receiving and transferring at least one part of the water-detergent flow (30) into the drum (6).