Washer Basket Drain Valve for Small-Load Water Saving
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional laundry treating appliances, such as vertical axis washing machines, require excessive water volume during wash and rinse cycles due to water flowing freely through perforations in the basket, even with small laundry loads, leading to inefficient water usage.
Innovation Solution
A centrifugally-actuated valve assembly with a weighted object and compression spring is used to close and open drain holes in the rotatable basket, preventing water from draining into the tub during lower speeds and allowing drainage during higher spin speeds, thereby reducing the required water volume.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If drain holes are provided in the rotatable basket to allow water drainage, then water can flow freely through the basket during wash and rinse cycles, but this causes excessive water volume to be required to fill both the basket and the surrounding tub
Solution Approach 1:
The valve assembly is pre-configured with a weighted object and compression spring to automatically close the drain holes before the wash/rinse cycles begin. This preliminary closing action prevents water from draining into the tub during these cycles, eliminating the need to fill the tub with excessive water while still maintaining the drainage capability when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve assembly transitions from a static open-drain configuration to a dynamic system where the valve automatically opens and closes based on rotational speed. During low-speed wash/rinse cycles, the valve remains closed to conserve water. During high-speed spin cycles, centrifugal force automatically opens the valve to enable drainage. This dynamic behavior resolves the contradiction by adapting the drainage function to the operational requirements of each cycle phase.
2Reliability
If the basket has perforations along the full height for water flow, then water can freely exit the basket, but this requires the tub to be filled to the same level as the basket, increasing total water usage
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of having uniform drainage capability throughout the basket, the invention applies selective drainage control at specific locations. The valve assembly is positioned at the bottom of the basket to control water flow locally at the drain holes. This localized control allows water to flow freely through the perforations during spin cycles while preventing drainage during wash/rinse cycles, eliminating the need to fill the tub to match basket water levels.
3Quantity of substance
If a valve assembly with weighted object and compression spring is added to control drain holes, then water usage is reduced by preventing unnecessary drainage, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The valve assembly is designed to be self-regulating using the weighted object and compression spring mechanism that automatically responds to centrifugal force. No external control system, sensors, or actuators are needed - the valve opens and closes based purely on the physical principles of centrifugal force and spring tension. This self-service approach minimizes the complexity increase while achieving the water conservation goal.
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 solution reduces the overall water volume needed for a cycle by preventing unnecessary drainage during wash and rinse cycles, optimizing water usage and efficiency, especially for smaller loads.
Implementation Method 1
A centrifugally-actuated valve comprising a weighted object is configured to close the drain hole while rotation of the rotatable basket is below a first rotational speed
Implementation Method 2
move away from and open the drain hole as rotation of the rotatable basket approaches a second rotational speed greater than the first rotational speed
Implementation Method 3
A valve assembly for a rotatable basket in a laundry treating appliance includes a housing, a compression spring within the housing, and a weighted object adjacent the compression spring
Data Source
AI summary
A laundry treating appliance for treating laundry according to a cycle of operation includes a rotatable basket defining a laundry treating space and having a bottom wall and a side wall. The bottom wall of the rotatable basket includes at least one drain hole. A centrifugally actuated valve comprising a weighted ball is positioned to selectively open and close the at least one drain hole as the basket rotates.