Washer Foreign Object Trap That Preserves Water Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automatic clothes washers face operational interference due to foreign objects like buttons, coins, and stones entering the wash chamber, which can obstruct water flow and lead to reduced flow rates, material deterioration, and odor issues.
Innovation Solution
A washing machine design featuring a foreign object trap with a passageway system that allows coins and other objects to be collected without obstructing water flow, ensuring that wash water can still pass through even when foreign objects are present, by using an elongated inlet opening and a smaller outlet opening to accommodate coins without contact with the agitator.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If foreign objects are collected and held in the wash chamber, then foreign objects are removed from the washing process, but water flow paths become obstructed and flow rates are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The wash basket is segmented into multiple zones: a foreign object collection zone at the bottom and a washing zone above it. This segmentation allows foreign objects to be collected in a dedicated area without blocking the water flow paths in the washing zone, resolving the contradiction between foreign object removal and water flow maintenance
Solution Approach 2:
A filter mesh acts as an intermediary between the foreign objects and the water flow paths. The mesh allows water to pass through while trapping foreign objects, enabling both foreign object removal and maintained water flow rates simultaneously
2Reliability
If foreign objects are collected in the wash chamber, then foreign objects are trapped, but collected materials deteriorate and are redistributed on clothing or cause odor
Solution Approach 1:
Foreign objects are extracted from the main washing environment and isolated in a separate collection zone at the bottom of the wash basket. This extraction prevents deteriorated materials from being redistributed on clothing and eliminates the source of odors, while still maintaining effective foreign object trapping
Solution Approach 2:
The collection zone converts the potentially harmful presence of foreign objects into a beneficial separation mechanism. By designing the zone to collect and contain foreign objects, the system prevents the harmful effects of material deterioration and odor generation while maintaining the trapping function
3Reliability
If foreign objects are collected in the wash chamber, then foreign objects are removed from circulation, but materials accumulate that might otherwise be pumped down the drain
Solution Approach 1:
The wash basket has different local qualities in different zones: the bottom collection zone is designed to trap and hold foreign objects, while the upper washing zone maintains open water flow paths that allow materials to be pumped down the drain. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between foreign object removal and preventing unwanted material accumulation
Data Source
AI summary
An automatic washing machine having a tub defining an interior, a sump in fluid communication with the interior of the tub, a wash basket located within the interior of the tub and defining a laundry treating space, and a foreign object trap located in a portion of the wash basket that defines a foreign object passageway for retaining foreign objects.