Washer Basket Deceleration Sensing for Load Size Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Washing machines lack an efficient method to determine wash load size and water retention, leading to improper water and detergent usage, resulting in energy inefficiencies and waste.
Innovation Solution
A method and system where a rotatable basket in the washing machine is accelerated and then decelerated to measure the time taken, correlating this time to the load size and water retention by determining the weight of the wash load, allowing for precise control of water and detergent usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If wash load size is not accurately detected, then water and detergent usage cannot be optimized, but this leads to energy waste and improper washing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical load detection systems with a simplified method using the existing drum rotation mechanism. By measuring deceleration time of the drum after rotation, the system determines load size without additional mechanical sensors or complex detection hardware, thus improving measurement precision while maintaining device simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the washing machine's own operational characteristics (drum deceleration) to detect load size. The natural deceleration of the drum after rotation provides the measurement signal, eliminating the need for separate active sensing systems and reducing overall device complexity while achieving accurate load detection
2Reliability
If water and detergent usage is increased for larger loads, then washing effectiveness is improved, but energy consumption and waste increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback control by using detected load size information to automatically adjust water and detergent dosage. The controller receives load size data from deceleration measurement and adjusts dispensing amounts accordingly, ensuring optimal washing effectiveness for each load size while preventing energy waste from excessive water heating and detergent usage
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts water and detergent usage based on real-time load size detection. Rather than using fixed dosage settings, the system adapts resource consumption to the actual load conditions, optimizing the balance between washing effectiveness and energy efficiency for each specific washing cycle
3Measurement precision
If the drum is rotated at high speed to detect load size, then measurement accuracy is improved, but the detection time and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic rotation of the drum at controlled speeds to generate measurable deceleration patterns. By rotating the drum in controlled cycles and measuring the deceleration characteristics during each cycle, the system achieves accurate load size measurement without requiring continuous high-speed operation, thus reducing overall detection time and energy consumption while maintaining measurement precision
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
Enables accurate determination of wash load size and water retention, optimizing water and detergent usage, reducing energy consumption and waste, and allowing for automatic adjustment of washing machine operations.
Implementation Method 1
The rotatable basket is rotated to urge the wash load radially outwardly in the basket
Implementation Method 2
An amount of time from initial deceleration of the rotatable basket until the rotatable basket is at or below the predetermined threshold speed is measured. The measured amount of time is used to determine a parameter of the wash load
Data Source
AI summary
A washing system and method for load size and water retention detection includes a cabinet, a tub position within the cabinet, a basket with a wash load received therein rotatably supported within the tub, and a drive system for rotating the basket. A controller is operatively coupled to the drive system. The controller rotates the rotatable basket to urge the wash load radially outwardly in the basket and then decelerates the rotatable basket with the wash load urged radially outwardly to or below a predetermined threshold speed. An amount of time from initial deceleration of the rotatable basket until the rotatable basket is at or below the predetermined threshold speed is measured and the measured amount of time is used to determine a parameter of the wash load.