Unit Dose Detergent Dispenser Compartment to Reduce Residual Spots
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Solution Overview
Problem
The use of unit dose detergent pods in laundry washing machines often results in residual undissolved detergent, leading to spots or stains on laundry, inefficient rinsing, and incomplete detergent utilization due to pod breakage or delay in detergent release, causing issues with detergent distribution and drainage.
Innovation Solution
A method for operating a laundry washing machine that involves introducing a unit dose detergent package into a compartment of a treating agents dispenser, where it is broken and dissolved using water jets or flushing water, ensuring the detergent is released and distributed uniformly during the wash cycle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a unit dose detergent pod is inserted into the drum together with laundry, then the detergent is pre-measured and easy to use, but the pod may remain trapped in the middle of the load causing residual undissolved detergent and spots on laundry
Solution Approach 1:
The detergent pod is extracted from the drum and placed in a dedicated compartment of the treating agents dispenser. This separates the pod from the laundry load, allowing it to be dissolved and distributed through water supply lines before contact with clothes, preventing trapped residual detergent and spots.
Solution Approach 2:
Water acts as an intermediary medium to dissolve the pod in the compartment and transport the detergent solution through supply lines to the tub. This ensures complete dissolution and uniform distribution before detergent contacts laundry, eliminating spots and stains.
2Ease of operation
If the pod is inserted into the drum, then it is simple to load, but residual product may be found inside the bellows and not used during the washing cycle
Solution Approach 1:
The pod is taken out of the drum and placed in the dispenser compartment, where it is completely dissolved and flushed through water supply lines to the tub. This ensures 100% detergent utilization with no residual product remaining in the bellows or other machine components.
Solution Approach 2:
Water continuously flows through the compartment containing the pod, dissolving it completely and flushing the detergent solution through the supply lines to the tub. This continuous action ensures complete detergent transfer and utilization, eliminating waste.
3Reliability
If the pod breaks down before the washing cycle begins, then the detergent is released early, but the detergent may fall down on the bottom of the tub and be drained to the outside
Solution Approach 1:
The pod is placed in the compartment before the washing cycle starts, but it is held in place by a stopping device. Water is supplied to dissolve the pod preliminarily, and the stopping device prevents the dissolved detergent from falling to the tub bottom and being drained, ensuring it is released at the correct time.
Solution Approach 2:
The stopping device acts as an intermediary barrier that holds the dissolved detergent in the compartment until the appropriate release time. Water supplies the dissolving action, while the stopping device controls the timing of detergent release to the tub, preventing premature drainage.
4Reliability
If the washing cycle begins with a draining phase for safety and hygiene, then contamination is prevented, but detergent from the bottom of the tub is drained to the outside
Solution Approach 1:
The detergent is extracted from the pod in the compartment and delivered through water supply lines directly to the tub, bypassing the drainage path. This ensures detergent is introduced after the draining phase or in a manner that prevents it from being drained away, maintaining safety while preserving detergent.
Solution Approach 2:
The draining phase is completed preliminarily for safety and hygiene before detergent is released from the compartment to the tub. This timing sequence ensures the tub is ready to receive detergent without risk of immediate drainage, preventing detergent loss.
5Adaptability or versatility
If the pod is inserted into the drum with time delay option, then the user can load and start later, but the pod may break down or dissolve before the washing cycle begins
Solution Approach 1:
The pod is placed in the compartment during time delay loading, but the stopping device prevents premature dissolution or breakage. Water supply is controlled to dissolve the pod only when the washing cycle actually begins, ensuring reliable timing regardless of time delay settings while maintaining user flexibility.
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
This method ensures complete detergent utilization, reduces the risk of spots and stains, and guarantees efficient rinsing by ensuring the detergent is released at the correct time, eliminating residual detergent issues and improving the overall cleaning performance.
Implementation Method 1
conveying water to said first compartment from one of said one or more water conveying lines so that the unit dose package and the water reaches said washing tub through said supply line
Implementation Method 2
conveying water to said first compartment from one of said one or more water conveying lines so that the unit dose package and the water reaches said washing tub through said supply line
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for operating a laundry washing machine using a unit dose package comprising a pre-measured amount of treating agent incorporated into a water-soluble pouch, wherein the method comprises introducing the unit dose package into a compartment of a treating agents dispenser of the laundry washing machine and breaking the unit dose package inside the compartment.