Method for determining foam during the treatment of laundry articles and washing machine for carrying out the method
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current laundry care machines cannot accurately and quantitatively measure foam levels during the washing process due to the movement of laundry and liquid, which affects washing efficiency and rinsing processes.
Innovation Solution
A method and laundry care machine that utilize a virtual sensor to determine foam levels indirectly through measurable operating data, such as power consumption, drum rotation, and liquid composition, allowing for continuous quantitative measurement and forecasting of foam presence and development.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If optical beam reflection method is used to measure foam, then foam content can be determined, but the liquid surface must be calm and undisturbed which is not suitable for laundry care machines
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces direct optical measurement with indirect measurement through a virtual sensor that processes operating data (power consumption, drum rotation, liquid composition) to determine foam levels. This substitution allows foam measurement in the dynamic laundry environment without requiring a calm liquid surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a virtual sensor as an intermediary that indirectly determines foam content by processing multiple operating parameters. Instead of directly measuring foam with an optical beam that requires calm surfaces, the virtual sensor uses power consumption data, drum rotation data, and liquid composition data as mediators to infer foam levels.
2Use of energy by stationary object
If foam is measured during drum rotation and liquid pumping, then continuous foam monitoring is achieved, but measurement accuracy is affected by liquid and laundry movement
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual sensor acts as an intermediary that processes multiple operating parameters (power consumption, drum rotation, liquid composition) to indirectly determine foam levels. This approach enables continuous monitoring during drum rotation and pumping while maintaining measurement accuracy by using correlated operating data rather than direct foam measurement in the disturbed environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit continuously receives operating data from sensors and uses this feedback to update the virtual sensor's foam determination in real-time. This feedback mechanism allows the system to adapt to changing conditions during drum rotation and liquid pumping, maintaining accurate foam monitoring throughout the washing process.
3Ease of operation
If qualitative foam detection methods are used (fuzzy logic clusters), then foam presence can be determined, but quantitative foam measurement is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual sensor serves as an intermediary that transforms multiple operating parameters into a quantitative foam measurement. Rather than using simple qualitative detection, the virtual sensor processes power consumption data, drum rotation data, and liquid composition data to calculate precise foam volume or height values.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the measurement parameters from direct optical properties to operational parameters (power consumption, rotation speed, liquid composition). By measuring how these operational parameters change in response to foam formation, the system achieves quantitative foam measurement while maintaining ease of operation using existing sensors.
4Adaptability or versatility
If drain pump power consumption is monitored to detect foam, then foam presence can be inferred, but the method is imprecise and limited to specific operating conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple measurement approaches by combining power consumption monitoring with drum rotation data and liquid composition analysis in the virtual sensor. This combination overcomes the limitations of using drain pump power alone, providing both broader adaptability and improved precision through multi-parameter correlation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent expands from monitoring a single parameter (drain pump power consumption) to analyzing multiple parameters simultaneously (power consumption, drum rotation, liquid composition). This parameter expansion transforms the imprecise single-indicator method into a precise multi-indicator system that works across various operating conditions.
Data Source
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AI summary
Laundry care machine 4 and a method for determining foam 3 during the treatment of laundry items 1 with a liquid 2 in the laundry care machine 4, wherein sensors 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 29 continuously record operating data of the laundry care machine 4 and supply this data to a control unit 15 connected to the sensors 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 29 for controlling the laundry care machine 4 according to the operating data, wherein the control unit 15 determines the foam 3 from the operating data. In this method, the control unit 15 includes a virtual sensor 16, to which the operating data are continuously supplied and which continuously determines a measure of the foam 3 present in the washing container 6 from the supplied operating data.