Method for controlling washing machine
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional washing machines face challenges in uniformly dissolving detergent in wash water, leading to incomplete detergent dissolution and inefficient washing performance, especially at low water levels and in areas away from the drum rotation.
Innovation Solution
A method for controlling a washing machine that involves operating a circulation pump at varying speeds, accelerating and braking the washing motor to lift and drop laundry, and using nozzles to spray water effectively, ensuring detergent is uniformly dissolved and applied to laundry without incompletely dissolved detergent residues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If water is supplied to a certain level in the drum to dissolve detergent through drum rotation, then detergent dissolution is achieved, but the water concentration level decreases due to absorption and additional water supply is required
Solution Approach 1:
The circulation pump operates before the drum rotation to dissolve detergent in advance by circulating water through the detergent solution. This preliminary dissolution action ensures that when water is later supplied to the drum, the detergent is already well-dissolved, preventing concentration loss from additional water supply needed to compensate for absorption.
2Speed
If the circulation pump rotates at high speed to spray circulating water into the drum, then water reaches deep inside the drum, but it is difficult to form highly detergent concentrated wash water
Solution Approach 1:
The circulation pump operates in periodic cycles: first at high speed to spray water deep into the drum for wetting laundry, then stops to allow detergent dissolution in the remaining water, creating highly concentrated wash water. This periodic alternation between high-speed spraying and stopping enables both deep water penetration and high detergent concentration formation.
3Area of stationary object
If water is circulated to spray into the drum region, then deep inside the drum is reached, but areas away from the drum such as drain bellows and pump housing are not influenced by drum rotation and detergent cannot be dissolved well
Solution Approach 1:
The circulation pump acts as an intermediary device that independently circulates water through dedicated flow paths to reach areas not influenced by drum rotation, such as the drain bellows and pump housing. This separate circulation system ensures detergent dissolves uniformly in all areas including those away from the drum, without relying on drum rotation influence.
4Productivity
If the circulation pump operates continuously at high speed, then water circulation is maintained, but energy consumption increases and detergent dissolution efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The circulation pump operates periodically rather than continuously: high-speed operation for water circulation and spraying, followed by stopping periods for detergent dissolution. This periodic operation reduces energy consumption compared to continuous high-speed operation while maintaining water circulation efficiency through alternating functional phases.
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 method achieves uniform detergent dissolution and improved washing performance by maintaining high detergent concentration in wash water, ensuring effective cleaning and reducing contamination from incompletely dissolved detergent.
Implementation Method 1
a circulation pump configured to circulate water discharged from the tub to the at least one nozzle
Implementation Method 2
at least one nozzle disposed in front of the drum to spray water toward the drum
Implementation Method 3
accelerating and braking the washing motor to lift and drop laundry
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Disclosed is a method of controlling a washing machine having a tub for containing water, a drum rotatably provided in the tub, at least one nozzle disposed in front of the drum to spray water toward the drum, a washing motor configured to rotate the drum, and a circulation pump configured to circulate water discharged from the tub to the at least one nozzle, the method including: a step (a) of supplying water with detergent into the tub to a first water level; a step (b) of operating the circulation pump at a first speed such that the washing motor is repeatedly accelerated and braked while the circulation pump is operating at the first speed, causing laundry in the drum to be stuck to an inner circumferential surface of the drum in response to the acceleration of the washing motor and causing the laundry to fall from the inner circumferential surface of the drum in response to the deceleration of the washing motor, wherein the first speed is set within a range in which the water discharged from the circulation pump is not allowed to reach the at least one nozzle or, even if the water reaches the at least one nozzle, the sprayed water is not allowed to reach an inner circumferential surface of the drum; a step (c) of supplying water into the tub such that a level of water in the tub rises from the first water level to a second water level; and a step (d) of repeating acceleration and deceleration of the washing motor such that the circulation pump is accelerated in response to the acceleration of the washing moto, and the circulation pump is decelerated in response to the deceleration of the washing motor.