Washing and sanitizing machine

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing washing and sanitizing machines consume high energy for drying due to the need to filter, heat, and circulate air in the washing chamber.

Innovation Solution

A washing and sanitizing machine equipped with a suction fan to extract sanitizing fluids by suction, reducing the need for hot air drying, and a ventilation circuit with a control valve to compensate for the extraction with clean air, thereby minimizing energy expenditure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If hot and dry air is introduced to dry objects after thermodisinfection, then drying is achieved, but energy consumption increases due to filtering, heating and circulating air

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrying energy costVSAvoiddrying efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the sanitizing vapour from the treatment chamber using a suction fan after the thermodisinfection cycle, rather than introducing hot dry air for drying. This extraction of vapour achieves the drying effect while avoiding the energy-intensive process of filtering, heating and circulating large amounts of air, thus resolving the contradiction between energy consumption and drying efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system discards the used sanitizing vapour from the chamber through the suction fan, and the ventilation circuit recovers and replaces it with clean air from the environment. This approach eliminates the need to generate and circulate hot dry air, significantly reducing energy consumption while maintaining effective drying

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

2Loss of energy

If sanitizing vapour is extracted by suction, then drying energy cost is reduced, but the chamber requires compensation with clean air

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrying energy expenditureVSAvoidventilation circuit complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The ventilation circuit acts as an intermediary system that introduces clean air from the environment into the treatment chamber to compensate for the extracted sanitizing vapour. This mediator system balances the pressure and composition changes caused by vapour extraction, enabling energy-efficient drying without creating a vacuum or compromising chamber integrity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 machine effectively reduces energy costs for drying by eliminating the need for hot air drying, while maintaining efficient sanitization and drying processes.

Implementation Method 1

a suction fan associated with the containment body and configured to extract, by suction, the sanitizing fluids from the treatment chamber

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSuction: Suction

Implementation Method 2

Said ventilation circuit is provided with a control valve configured to control the incoming air flow

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectValve control: Valve

Data Source

PatentEP4552658A1Washing and sanitizing machine
Publication Date: 2025.05.14 STEELCO
  • EP4552658A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4552658A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4552658A1 patent drawing

AI summary

Washing and sanitizing machine (10) comprising a containment body (16) that internally delimits a treatment chamber (11) of objects (12), as well as a first circuit (17) for supplying washing and/or sanitizing fluids and a second circuit (18) for discharging said washing and/or sanitizing fluids.