Method for washing and washing machine

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Solution Overview

Problem

Drum-type washing machines often experience unbalancing of laundry during spinning, leading to noise and vibration due to tangling, which existing methods fail to effectively address during wash or rinse cycles.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a washing machine that supplies wash water mixed with detergent to the tub, rotates the drum to repeatedly accelerate and decelerate the laundry, and drains the water, allowing for balancing during wash or rinse cycles, enabling direct main-spinning if the unbalanced condition is within an allowable value.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the drum is rotated at high speed for spinning, then the washing efficiency is improved, but the laundry becomes unbalanced causing noise and vibration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewashing efficiencyVSAvoidnoise and vibration
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by performing a balancing operation before the high-speed spin cycle. The drum rotates at a low speed (e.g., 5-15 rpm) for a predetermined time (e.g., 5-10 minutes) to redistribute the laundry evenly, preventing unbalance during subsequent high-speed spinning. This preliminary low-speed rotation eliminates the cause of noise and vibration before they can occur during efficient high-speed washing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Object-generated harmful factors

If the drum is rotated slowly to balance laundry, then noise and vibration are reduced, but the washing cycle time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenoise and vibrationVSAvoidwashing cycle time
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic action by using intermittent or oscillating rotation of the drum during the balancing phase. Instead of continuous slow rotation, the drum rotates back and forth or alternates direction in periodic intervals, achieving effective laundry redistribution in a shorter time period. This periodic motion pattern reduces the total balancing time while maintaining the noise and vibration reduction benefits.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

3Stability of the object's composition

If the drum is rotated repeatedly to disperse laundry, then balancing is improved, but the energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelaundry distribution uniformityVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by varying the rotation speed and direction of the drum during the balancing phase. The drum alternates between forward and reverse rotation at different speeds, creating dynamic motion patterns that effectively disperse laundry clusters. This dynamic approach achieves better balancing uniformity with fewer rotation cycles compared to static single-direction rotation, thereby reducing overall energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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 effectively disperses laundry, reduces noise and vibration, shortens the spin cycle time, and conserves energy by allowing direct main-spinning when the laundry is balanced, thus improving overall washing efficiency and reducing cycle duration.

Implementation Method 1

repeatedly falling laundry within a drum provided in the tub containing the wash water by rotating the drum

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGravitation: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentEP2478142B1Method for washing and washing machine
Publication Date: 2021.09.01 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP2478142B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2478142B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2478142B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method for washing laundry and a washing machine, in which balancing of the laundry load is effectively carried out. The method for washing includes supplying wash water mixed with a detergent, spinning or rinsing the laundry by rotating the washing machine drum in which the laundry is located, thereby causing the laundry to be repeatedly lifted within and then fall towards the bottom of the drum. The method further involves balancing the laundry by repeatedly accelerating and decelerating the drum. The wash water is then drained.