Laundry Washing Machine Rinse Control After Skipped Intermediate Spins

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Solution Overview

Problem

Laundry washing machines often skip or modify intermediate spins due to unbalanced loads or excessive foam, leading to inadequate removal of dirty water, which can impair the rinsing performance of subsequent rinsing phases.

Innovation Solution

A method for controlling a laundry washing machine that detects the status of previous spins and adjusts the rinse phase accordingly, either by increasing water supply or adding additional rinse phases, to maintain high rinsing performance even if intermediate spins are skipped or modified.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If intermediate spins are skipped or modified due to unbalanced loads or excessive foam, then the risk of drum damage or washing performance degradation is reduced, but the removal of dirty water from laundry becomes inadequate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewashing machine operation reliabilityVSAvoiddirty water removal efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The control system monitors the execution status of intermediate spins and uses this feedback information to adaptively adjust subsequent rinsing parameters. When intermediate spins are skipped or modified, the system detects this condition and automatically increases rinse water quantity or adds supplementary rinse phases to compensate for inadequate dirty water removal.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically changes rinsing parameters (water quantity, rinse phase duration, number of rinse phases) based on the actual execution status of intermediate spins. This parameter adaptation ensures that rinsing performance remains high even when intermediate spins are skipped or modified due to unbalanced loads or excessive foam.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Quantity of substance

If intermediate spins are performed in standard way, then dirty water is effectively removed from laundry, but the washing machine may suffer from unbalanced loads or excessive foam causing operational issues

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedirty water removal efficiencyVSAvoidwashing machine operation reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system prepares compensatory rinsing measures in advance based on the detection of risky conditions (unbalanced loads, excessive foam). When intermediate spins need to be skipped or modified to avoid operational issues, the rinsing phase is pre-adjusted to ensure adequate dirty water removal, cushioning against the potential negative impact of skipped spins.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Solution Approach 2:

The system converts the harmful effect of skipped or modified intermediate spins (inadequate dirty water removal) into a beneficial outcome by using the detection information to optimize rinsing parameters. The control system uses the knowledge of skipped spins to enhance rinsing effectiveness, turning a potential problem into an opportunity for improved overall washing performance.

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

3Quantity of substance

If rinse phase parameters are increased to compensate for skipped intermediate spins, then rinsing performance is maintained, but washing time and water consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverinsing performanceVSAvoidwashing cycle time
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies partial compensation rather than full compensation for skipped intermediate spins. Instead of always adding complete supplementary rinse phases, the control system adjusts rinsing parameters proportionally to the actual need, using only the necessary amount of additional rinsing to maintain performance while minimizing time and water consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The rinsing phase parameters are dynamically adjusted based on real-time detection of intermediate spin execution status. The system flexibly modifies rinse water quantity, phase duration, or number of phases only when and to the extent that skipped intermediate spins require compensation, rather than using fixed conservative parameters for all cycles.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2746444B1Method for controlling a laundry washing machine and laundry washing machine
Publication Date: 2015.12.09 ELECTROLUX HOME PROD CORP NV
  • EP2746444B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2746444B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2746444B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a method for controlling a laundry washing machine (1) comprising: a casing (2), a washing tub (3) arranged within said casing (2), a rotatable laundry drum (4) which is mounted inside the washing tub (3) and is designed to contain laundry (10), a water-detergent supply system (5,6) designed to supply wash water and detergent into the washing tub (3), and a motor assembly to rotate the laundry drum (4);the method comprising the step of: performing a wash phase, in which a predetermined intermediate spin is performed in a standard way, or skipped, or performed in a modified way, based on one or more detected phase conditions; performing at least a rinse phase, in which a predetermined intermediate spin is performed in a standard way, or skipped, or performed in a modified way, based on one or more detected phase conditions; performing a detection of whether, in a previous wash phase or rinse phase, a predetermined intermediate spin was performed in a standard way, or skipped, or performed in a modified way and, based on said detection, performing a following rinse phase adapted to said detection and/or adding a rinse phase to be performed.