Washing Machine Spray Wetting for Faster Load Turnover
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vertical axis washing machines struggle to impart a rollover action quickly to the wash load, leading to increased wear on clothes due to prolonged contact with the pulsator, which is not efficiently addressed by varying agitating profiles or using random stroke profiles.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus where an initial amount of water is sprayed onto the wash load, and the rotatable basket is rotated to redistribute the load radially outward, promoting more rapid turnover through centrifugal forces and controlled rotation speeds, including a spray device and drive system operated by a controller to enhance the rollover action.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a pulsator is used to agitate the wash load, then washing action is provided, but the rollover action is delayed causing increased wear on clothes
Solution Approach 1:
The spray device applies water to the wash load before the main washing action begins, preparing the clothes for faster rollover by reducing friction and facilitating movement. This preliminary action of wetting the load enables the subsequent rapid redistribution and rollover to occur more quickly, reducing wear time.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a hydraulic spray device to introduce water onto the wash load. This hydraulic action facilitates the redistribution of clothes by reducing static friction between garments and between garments and the pulsator, enabling faster rollover and reducing wear time without compromising washing effectiveness.
2Productivity
If a vigorous pulsator stroke profile is used, then turnover is promoted, but clothes are subjected to rougher treatment increasing wear
Solution Approach 1:
The spray device uses hydraulic action to gently wet the wash load, facilitating rollover through fluid mechanics rather than mechanical force. This allows turnover to occur through the lubricating effect of water reducing friction,而非 through vigorous mechanical agitation, thus maintaining high turnover speed while minimizing mechanical stress and wear on clothes.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the mechanical agitation approach with a hydraulic/spray-based system. Instead of relying on the pulsator's mechanical strokes to force rollover, the spray device uses water application to facilitate natural redistribution and rollover, substituting mechanical stress with a gentler hydraulic mechanism that achieves the same turnover effect with less wear.
3Productivity
If random stroke profiles are used, then turnover is enhanced, but washing uniformity is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The spray device applies water uniformly to the wash load in advance, creating consistent conditions across all garments. This preliminary uniform wetting ensures that when redistribution and rollover occur, all items experience similar friction reduction and movement characteristics, maintaining washing uniformity while enabling enhanced turnover through the consistent hydraulic facilitation.
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 approach reduces wear on clothes by promoting faster turnover and better wash performance by ensuring that individual items of the wash load begin turning over sooner, resulting in improved wash and wear outcomes.
Implementation Method 1
an initial amount of water is sprayed onto the wash load from a spray device of the washing machine
Implementation Method 2
the rotatable basket is rotated to redistribute the wash load radially outwardly in the basket
Data Source
AI summary
A washing machine includes a cabinet, a tub positioned within the cabinet, a basket rotatably supported within the tub, and a spray device mounted within the cabinet and positioned to introduce water into the basket. The spray device sprays an initial amount of water onto a wash load received in the basket. The rotatable basket is rotated to redistribute the wash load radially outwardly in the basket. The wash load within the basket is washed after the rotatable basket is rotated to redistribute the wash load.