Washing Machine Multi-Pipe Water Inlet for Precise Flow Rate Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional washing machines face issues with accurately controlling water flow rates during washing cycles, leading to insufficient cleaning or machine damage due to incorrect water delivery, often caused by malfunctioning devices like encoders under high pressure.
Innovation Solution
A washing machine with a pipe arrangement of multiple pipes of different diameters and a controller that selectively allows water flow through these pipes based on parameters like washing cycle stage, type, and load weight, ensuring precise water delivery to the drum.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional water supply systems are used with single pipe and basic valve control, then the device complexity is low, but the water flow rate control precision is insufficient leading to incorrect water delivery
Solution Approach 1:
The water supply system is segmented into multiple parallel pipes (first pipe, second pipe, third pipe) with different diameters, where each pipe can be independently controlled by its own inlet valve. This segmentation allows precise control of water flow rates by selectively opening specific pipes or combinations of pipes, resolving the contradiction between control precision and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical parameter of pipe diameter to create different flow capacity levels. By providing pipes with different diameters (first pipe with larger diameter, second pipe with intermediate diameter, third pipe with smaller diameter), the system can deliver different water flow rates through parameter variation rather than using a single complex variable flow valve, thus improving control precision while managing device complexity.
2Reliability
If water delivery is not precisely controlled, then the washing machine can operate with simpler control mechanisms, but insufficient or excessive water delivery causes cleaning problems or machine damage
Solution Approach 1:
The water supply system is divided into multiple controllable segments (parallel pipes with individual valves), allowing reliable water delivery control through selective activation of specific segments based on washing cycle requirements. This segmentation provides redundant control paths and improves reliability without requiring a single complex high-precision valve.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller receives feedback about washing cycle stage, type, and load weight to determine the appropriate water flow rate, then selectively activates specific pipes and valves based on this feedback. This closed-loop feedback control ensures reliable water delivery matching actual washing needs while keeping the physical hardware relatively simple.
Data Source
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AI summary
There is disclosed a washing machine (102) comprising a water inlet (216) constructed and arranged to supply water to the washing machine. The washing machine comprises a pipe arrangement (246) comprising two or more pipes (248, 250, 252, 254, 256), the pipe arrangement (246) being located between the water inlet (216) and a component (270) of the washing machine. Each of the two or more pipes (248, 250, 252, 254, 256) has a respective inlet valve (258, 260, 262, 264, 266), and each of the two or more pipes (248, 250, 252, 254, 256) being of a different diameter. There is further provided a controller (230), the controller configured to control the inlet valves (258, 260, 262, 264, 266) of the two or more pipes (248, 250, 252, 254, 256) so as to selectively allow water to flow through one or more of the two or more pipes, to control a flow rate of water to the component (270).