Washing Machine Anti-Flood Valve With Membrane Leak Trigger
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing anti-flooding safety devices for washing machines, particularly those using sponge or dissolvable materials, are not reusable, prone to malfunction due to environmental moisture, and only activate with significant leaks, making them costly, non-versatile, and inefficient for early leak detection.
Innovation Solution
An anti-flooding safety device utilizing a flexible membrane as a reaction element, which is sensitive to pressure changes, allowing repeated testing and activation without damage, unaffected by moisture, and capable of detecting small leaks by responding to increased pressure within a hollow space formed between supply and secondary tubes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a sponge or dissolvable material is used as a reaction element, then the device can detect liquid leakage, but the device cannot be reused and is prone to malfunction due to environmental moisture
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state and material properties of the reaction element from absorbent materials (sponge) to a flexible membrane that responds to pressure changes. This parameter change enables the reaction element to be reused multiple times without degradation, as the membrane returns to its original state after each activation cycle, solving the reusability problem while maintaining detection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive, single-use sponge materials with a durable, reusable flexible membrane. This inversion of the disposable approach reduces long-term costs and improves reliability by eliminating the need to replace the reaction element after each use, while also preventing malfunction from environmental moisture exposure.
2Measurement precision
If a sponge reaction element is used, then liquid leakage can be detected, but the device only activates with significant leaks and cannot detect small leaks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs pneumatic pressure transmission through the hollow space to amplify small pressure changes caused by minor leaks. The flexible membrane responds to these amplified pressure variations, enabling detection of small leaks that would be insufficient to activate sponge-based systems. This pneumatic mechanism enhances measurement precision while lowering the activation threshold.
3Ease of manufacture
If sponge material is used as a reaction element, then the device can be manufactured, but automated production is difficult and costs are high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible membrane instead of sponge material, which can be manufactured using standard thin-film fabrication techniques suitable for automated production. This replacement enables consistent quality control, faster manufacturing cycles, and lower costs, while the membrane's simple structure facilitates integration into automated assembly lines compared to the complex handling required for sponge materials.
4Reliability
If sponge reaction element is used, then the device can respond to liquid contact, but it is adversely affected by moisture in the installation environment causing undesired activation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the reaction mechanism from direct contact with liquid to a pressure-based system. The flexible membrane responds only to pressure changes within the hollow space caused by actual leaks, not to environmental moisture. This separation of the reaction element from direct liquid exposure eliminates false activations from ambient humidity while maintaining reliable detection of genuine leakage events.
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
The flexible membrane-based device enables reliable, cost-effective, and automated installation, preventing flooding even with small leaks, and operates without undesired activations, ensuring proper function and reducing damage from minor leaks.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible membrane, which is sensitive to pressure changes, allowing repeated testing and activation without damage, unaffected by moisture, and capable of detecting small leaks by responding to increased pressure within a hollow space
Implementation Method 2
the second magnet in a manner such as to repel the first magnet with opposite polarization and preload the shut-off device by means of the first magnet
Implementation Method 3
the second magnet to turn about an axis substantially perpendicular to the direction of motion of the shut-off device, so as to attract the first magnet and move the shut-off device in the closing direction
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to an anti-flooding safety device (1) for a washing machine, in particular for household use, said device (1) comprising a valve body (10) in which a duct (10C) is defined for the passage of a liquid, comprising: - an inlet section (11), for connecting the device (1) to a liquid supply source; - an outlet section (12) for connecting the device (1) to a supply tube (Tl) for supplying said liquid into a washing machine, wherein a second tube (T2) surrounds the supply tube (Tl), thereby forming a hollow space (SC); - an intermediate section (13) having a passage (14) for the liquid and connecting said inlet section (11) to said outlet section (12), wherein the anti-flooding device (1) comprises: - a shut-off device (20) comprising a closing element (20A) movably arranged in said intermediate section (13) for opening and/or closing said passage (14), said closing element (20A) comprising a first magnet (21); - an actuation device (30) positioned, at least partially, in a chamber (15) of the valve body (10) in fluidic communication with the hollow space (SC), said actuation device (30) comprising a second magnet (31) mounted on a rotary holder (32), wherein the holder (32) is associated with a blocking element (33) arranged to retain the holder (32) and the second magnet (31) in a first position, so as to repel the first magnet (21) with opposite polarization and preload the shut-off device (20) by means of the first magnet (21) in order to keep the passage (14) open; - a reaction element, which reacts with the leakage liquid entering the chamber (15) of the valve body (10) through the hollow space (SC). The peculiar feature of the present invention lies in the fact that said reaction element consists of a flexible membrane (34) associated with the blocking element (33), said flexible membrane (34) being sensitive to the increased pressure in the chamber (15) caused by a leakage from the first tube (Tl) and being adapted to produce a movement of the blocking element (33) to allow the rotation of the holder (32) and move the second magnet (31) from said first position to a second position, in which the second magnet (31) exerts attraction on the first magnet (21) in order to close the passage (14).