Top-Load Washer Detergent Tray Rotation for Complete Emptying

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing detergent dispensing systems in top-loading washing machines are bulky and inefficient, with counterweight mechanisms that can spill water and fail to completely empty detergent compartments, leading to incomplete dispensing and potential clogging due to powder detergents becoming waterlogged.

Innovation Solution

A detergent dispensing device mounted on the washing machine door, where water from the washing tank is projected tangentially onto the detergent container during rotation, ensuring effective cleaning and emptying, and a trigger mechanism driven by water level in a receptacle to rotate the container independently of detergent quantity, facilitating reliable dispensing of powders, liquids, or semi-liquids.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a counterweight water accumulation pocket is used to balance the detergent compartment, then the compartment can be tilted into emptying position, but the counterweight water spills out instantaneously during rotation and cannot produce continuous counterweight effect

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveemptying reliabilityVSAvoidcounterweight effect loss

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a spring mechanism to provide continuous counterweight effect instead of relying on water accumulation. The spring is pre-compressed to store potential energy that continuously balances the detergent compartment weight during rotation, eliminating the water spilling problem while maintaining reliable emptying function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #8Anti-weight (Counterweight)

Solution Approach 2:

The spring is pre-compressed before operation to store the necessary potential energy for counterbalancing. This preliminary action ensures that the counterweight effect is immediately available and continuously maintained throughout the rotation cycle, without requiring water accumulation that could spill.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the detergent compartment is designed with large volume to accommodate detergent accumulation, then complete emptying is achieved, but the device becomes bulky

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomplete emptyingVSAvoidcompartment volume

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of designing a large-volume compartment and relying on gravity alone for emptying, the patent inverts the approach by using a spring-driven mechanism to actively rotate the compartment to the emptying position. This allows for a more compact compartment design while ensuring complete detergent discharge through controlled rotational movement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Quantity of substance

If powder detergent accumulates in the compartment, then it can be stored, but it becomes waterlogged and heavier, preventing the compartment from turning over

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetergent storageVSAvoidtorque for rotation

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The spring mechanism provides sufficient counterweight force to overcome the increased weight of waterlogged powder detergent. By storing elastic potential energy in the pre-compressed spring, the system generates enough torque to rotate the compartment even when containing heavy, waterlogged detergent, ensuring complete emptying.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #8Anti-weight (Counterweight)

4Volume of moving object

If the detergent dispensing device is mounted on the door, then space is saved in the main body, but the device is exposed to water projection during drum rotation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemain body volumeVSAvoidwater exposure

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful effect of water projection during drum rotation into a beneficial cleaning function. The water jets that would otherwise damage or contaminate the detergent dispensing device are directed to clean the compartment and trigger the emptying mechanism, eliminating the need for separate cleaning systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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 improves the efficiency and reliability of detergent dispensing, reduces bulkiness, and prevents detergent agglomeration by ensuring complete emptying and easy cleaning, accommodating variations in detergent type and flow rates.

Implementation Method 1

when the drum is driven in rotation at a speed of orbiting the water contained in the washing tank, the water contained in said tank of washing is projected in the direction of said detergent dispensing device so as to clean said at least one detergent tank

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCentrifugal force: Centrifugal Force

Implementation Method 2

at least one trigger device, said at least one detergent container being rotatably mounted in said detergent dispensing device... said at least one trigger device being set in motion by means of a water level reached in said at least one receptacle

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBuoyancy: Archimedes' Principle (Buoyancy)

Data Source

PatentEP2535452B1Top-loading laundry washing machine comprising a detergent dispensing device

Publication Date: 2018.11.28 GRP BRANDT

Figure 1
Figure 2a~2b
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AI summary

The device (6) has a detergent tray (7) for containing detergent in the form of powder, liquid or semi-liquid e.g. gel, and a receptacle (8) for containing water. The detergent tray is rotated after water is filled in the receptacle. A trigger (9) is moved when water level in the receptacle exceeds a threshold value, so as to rotate the detergent tray independent of the quantity of the detergent contained in the detergent tray. The trigger includes a float (18) that is placed partly in the receptacle, where the float rotates about an axle (11). An independent claim is also included for a washing machine.