Laundry Detergent Dosing Interface for Accurate Washer Metering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laundry treatment devices, such as washing machines, often result in overdosing or underdosing of laundry treatment agents due to the inability to accurately meter the required amounts for optimal washing results.
Innovation Solution
A water-conducting household appliance with a dosing device, treatment agent container, control system, and input device that allows users to directly select and adjust the basic dosage amount of treatment agents using a feeler element, ensuring precise metering based on the type of treatment agent and water hardness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If fixed predetermined amounts are metered by the metering units, then the metering process is simple, but the dosage accuracy is insufficient leading to overdosing or underdosing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements adjustable metering units that can be dynamically configured to dispense different predetermined amounts. The metering units allow users to select from multiple dosage levels (e.g., 1/4, 1/2, full container) and can be repositioned along the dispensing path, transforming a static fixed-dosage system into a dynamic adjustable one that adapts to different washing needs while maintaining the simplicity of predetermined metering.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of dosage amount by providing metering units with multiple selectable dispensing levels. Each metering unit can be set to release different quantities of treatment agent based on the selected position, allowing the same physical device to deliver variable dosages (e.g., 25ml, 50ml, 100ml) without requiring different hardware components for each dosage level.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple metering units with different predetermined amounts are provided, then dosage flexibility is improved, but the device complexity and user configuration effort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The dispensing system is segmented into multiple independent metering units, each capable of delivering a specific predetermined amount. Each metering unit operates autonomously and can be individually positioned or activated, allowing the system to provide diverse dosage options (different volumes, different treatment agents) without requiring a single complex centralized control mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The metering units are pre-configured with predetermined dosage amounts during manufacturing or initial setup. This preliminary configuration eliminates the need for users to manually adjust or calibrate each unit during operation - the units are ready-to-use with fixed metering characteristics, providing dosage flexibility while minimizing user configuration effort.
3Ease of operation
If the treatment agent container is always accessible in an extended position, then the user can easily refill, but the device occupies more space and may be less compact
Solution Approach 1:
The treatment agent container is designed with movable, retractable support that can extend to an accessible position during refilling operations and retract to a compact position during normal operation. This dynamic positioning allows the system to achieve both goals: easy refilling when needed and compact form factor during use, as the container transitions between extended and retracted states based on operational requirements.
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A water-conducting household appliance (1), which is used in particular as a laundry treatment appliance for washing laundry, comprises a dosing device (11), a receptacle (6) that is used for storing at least one treatment substance, a treatment zone (16), a controller (14), and an input device (26). The input device (26) allows a basic dosed amount of the treatment substance that is stored in the receptacle (6) to be adjusted. Furthermore, the controller (14) controls the dosing device (11) during the program cycle in order to dose the treatment substance for the treatment zone (16) on the basis of at least the basic dosed amount of treatment substance. The input device (26) allows the receptacle (6) in which the treatment substance is stored to be directly selected in order to adjust the basic dosed amount of treatment substance, thus making it possible for a user to comfortably operate the water-conducting household appliance (1).