Device for installation on an inner circumferential surface of a washing machine drum

Abstract

A device for installation on an inner circumferential surface-of a washing machine drum, comprising a housing, a voltage source and at least one electrode which is connected to the positive terminal of the voltage source and acts as an anode, it being possible for a washing liquor to flow through the device and said device comprising at least one inlet for introducing washing liquor into the device and at least one outlet for discharging washing liquor from the device. The inlet and the outlet are arranged on the device such that, when the device is in use position, said inlet and outlet are directly above the inner circumferential surface of the washing machine drum and the inlet is in a plane of which the surface normal extends. Use of this device and a related method are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A device configured to be installed on an inner circumferential surface of a washing machine drum, the device comprising: a housing extending from a first end face to a second end face along a longitudinal direction, the housing defining a first receiving space and a second receiving space; a voltage source received in the second receiving space; at least one electrode received in the first receiving space and that extends from the first end face to the second end face, the at least one electrode being connected to a positive terminal of the voltage source; at least one inlet defined in the first end face and configured to receive a washing liquor into the device, the at least one inlet being in fluid communication with the at least one electrode in the first receiving space; and at least one outlet defined in the second end face and configured to discharge the washing liquor from the device, the at least one outlet being in fluid communication with the at least one electrode in the first receiving space, wherein an outer surface of the housing that at least partially defines the second receiving surface is convex such that, when the device is installed on the inner circumferential surface of the washing machine drum, the at least one inlet and the at least one outlet are directly above the inner circumferential surface of the washing machine drum.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first receiving space is separated from the second receiving space in a liquid-tight manner such that no washing liquor enters the second receiving space.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrode comprises two or more electrodes that are each connected to the positive terminal of the voltage source.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrode is in the form of a hollow tube defining a lumen in fluid communication with the at least one inlet and the at least one outlet, wherein the washing liquor is configured to flow into the at least one inlet, through the lumen, and out of the at least one outlet.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the hollow tube has a circular, elliptical, or polygonal cross section.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein a diameter of the hollow tube varies over the length of the hollow tube from the first end face to the second end face.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the diameter of the hollow tube is greater at the at least one inlet and/or the at least one outlet than in between the at least one inlet and the at least one outlet.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the device further comprises at least one sensor configured to measure at least one of conductivity, temperature, motion, acceleration, or sound.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the device further comprises a controller configured to receive measurements from the at least one sensor and to control the voltage source based on the measurements.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the voltage source is a battery.

11. The device of claim 1, further comprising a generator.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the generator is a pendulum, a flywheel, or a turbine configured to generate energy.

13. The device of claim 1, further comprising at least one interface for optical, acoustic, and/or radio communication.

14. The device of claim 1, further comprising a fastener configured to detachably fasten the housing to the inner circumferential surface of the washing machine drum.

15. A method for activating a mediator species while a washing machine is in operation, the method comprising: installing the device of claim 1 on the inner circumferential surface of the washing machine drum of the washing machine such that the at least one inlet and the at least one outlet are directly above the inner circumferential surface of the washing machine drum; providing the mediator species in the washing liquor; and operating the device and the washing machine.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein, when the device is installed on the inner circumferential surface of the washing machine drum, the at least one inlet and the at least one outlet are substantially orthogonal to the axis of rotation of the washing machine drum.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrode acts as an anode.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein an outer surface of the housing that at least partially defines the first receiving space is flat, and the at least one electrode extends from the first end face to the second end face of the housing in a plane parallel to the flat outer surface of the housing that at least partially defines the first receiving space.

19. A device configured to be installed on an inner circumferential surface of a washing machine drum, the device comprising: a housing extending from a first end face to a second end face along a longitudinal direction; at least one inlet defined in the first end face; at least one outlet defined in the second end face; at least one hollow tube defining a first lumen in fluid communication with the at least one inlet and the at least one outlet such that washing liquor in configured to flow through the first lumen; a voltage source received in the housing, a positive terminal of the voltage source being electrically connected to the at least one hollow tube; and a fastener configured to detachably fasten the housing to the inner circumferential surface of the washing machine drum, wherein, when the device is installed on the inner circumferential surface of the washing machine drum, the at least one inlet and the at least one outlet are substantially orthogonal to the axis of rotation of the washing machine drum.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein, when the device is installed on the inner circumferential surface of the washing machine drum, the at least one inlet and the at least one outlet are directly above the inner circumferential surface of the washing machine drum.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention is explained in greater detail in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the device according to the invention,

(3) FIG. 2 is a schematic exploded view of the device from FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a device according to the invention in its use position, installed on an inner circumferential surface of a washing machine drum.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) FIGS. 1 and 2 are schematic views of a device according to the invention, denoted as a whole by reference sign 1. The device 1 comprises a housing 2 made of a plastics material, which in turn comprises three housing components 2a, 2b and 2c. The housing component 2b is arranged between the housing components 2a and 2c.

(6) The device 1 comprises, in the region of an end face 5, nine inlets 6 for introducing washing liquor into the device 1. The inlets 6 are in a common plane E formed by the end face 5. In the embodiment of the device 1 according to FIGS. 1 and 2, the end face 5 is formed by the housing components 2b and 2c. On a side which is opposite the end face 5 and is the remote side in the views of FIGS. 1 and 2, the device 1 comprises nine outlets (not visible) for discharging washing liquor from the device 1, with each inlet 6 being arranged in alignment with one outlet.

(7) The housing 2 surrounds a first receiving space 3 and a second receiving space 4, the first receiving space 3 and the second receiving space 4 being separated from one another in a liquid-tight manner. The first receiving space 3 is delimited by the housing components 2b and 2c, while the second receiving space 4 is delimited by the housing components 2a and 2b The housing component 2b is thus used as a liquid-tight partition between the two receiving spaces 3 and 4.

(8) A plurality of electrodes is received in the first receiving space 3, which electrodes are not shown in the drawings for the sake of clarity. The electrodes are designed as tubes of a circular cross section, through which washing liquor can flow and the longitudinal extent of which extends substantially in parallel with the surface normal N of the plane E in which the inlets 6 are located. The surface normal N is orthogonal to the plane E. The electrodes, which are in the form of tubes, thus extend within the first receiving space 3 substantially in a direction indicated by the arrow R. During operation of the device 1, washing liquor can flow into the first receiving space 3 through the inlets 6. Within the receiving space 3, the washing liquor flows along the electrodes at which an electrochemical activation reaction, which is described in greater detail below, takes place. The activated washing liquor is then guided out of the device 1 again from the outlets and is available for the rest of the washing process. Due to the liquid-tight separation between the first receiving space 3 and the second receiving space 4 by the housing component 2b, no washing liquor can enter the second receiving space 4.

(9) A voltage source, which is also not shown for reasons of clarity, is arranged in the second receiving space 4. Here, the voltage source is in the form of a secondary battery having a positive terminal and a negative terminal. The electrodes in the first receiving space 3 are connected to the negative or the positive terminal of the voltage source by means of corresponding line connections, with substantially the same number of electrodes being connected to the positive terminal as to the negative terminal of the voltage source. The line connections are guided through the housing component 2b, said connections being guided therethrough such that no liquid can get from the first receiving space 3 into the second receiving space 4. The electrodes connected to the positive terminal of the voltage source act as anodes, while the electrodes connected to the negative terminal of the voltage source act as cathodes.

(10) In addition to the voltage source, an electronic control system (also not shown) is also received in the second receiving space 4, by means of which system the voltage supplied by the voltage source can be regulated.

(11) FIG. 3 is a purely schematic view of a device 1 in its use position, installed on an inner circumferential surface 7 of a washing machine drum 8 of a washing machine 9. As can also be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, the device 1 is convex on its outside in the region of the housing component 2a so that it can be inserted into the curvature of a washing machine drum 8 by said housing component 2a. The inlets 6 and also the outlets of the device 1 are arranged in such a way that, when the device 1 is in its use position, said inlets and outlets are directly above the inner circumferential surface 7 of the washing machine drum 8. Furthermore, the inlets 6 are in a plane E of which the surface normal N extends, when the device 1 is in its use position, substantially orthogonally to the axis of rotation W of the washing machine drum 8, as can be seen from FIG. 3. The device 1 is fastened in a fixed, but detachable, manner on the inner circumferential surface 7 of the washing machine drum 8 by means of a mechanical tensioning mechanism and thus moves together with the washing machine drum 8 while the washing machine 9 is in operation.

(12) As a result of the special structural design of the device 1, i.e. in particular as a result of the inlets 6 located directly above the inner circumferential surface 7 and their arrangement in a plane E of which the surface normal N extends, when the device 1 is in its use position, substantially orthogonally to the axis of rotation W of the washing machine drum 8, and as a result of the electrodes of which the longitudinal extent extends substantially in parallel with the surface normal N, particularly when passing through the sump which collects washing liquor in the lower region of the washing machine drum 8 while the washing machine 9 is in operation, the device 1 installed on the inner circumferential surface 7 of the washing machine drum 8 can scoop up a comparatively large amount of washing liquor from the sump, and this scooped-up washing liquor is then immediately guided along the anodes which extend as an extension of the inlets 6.

(13) If the washing machine 9 is operated using a washing liquor containing a mediator species, with a direction of rotation w assumed in FIG. 3, the device 1 scoops up a certain amount of washing liquor, particularly when passing through the sump which collects washing liquor in the lower region of the washing machine drum 8. The washing liquor passes through the inlets 6 into the first receiving space 3 of the device 1 and flows along the anodes which extend as an extension of the inlets 6. The mediator molecules initially present in reduced form in the washing liquor are oxidized at the anodes of the device 1. The washing liquor enriched in this way with oxidized mediator molecules exits again from the outlets of the device 1. The oxidized mediator molecules can in turn oxidize dye molecules in the washing liquor or on textiles, are therefore bleach-active, and are themselves returned to the reduced species so that they are available again for renewed oxidation.

(14) The design according to the invention of the device 1, which, when in its use position, uses the rotation of the washing machine drum (8) to scoop up washing liquor, thus provides for particularly efficient convection of the mediator species to the anode surfaces. In this way, sufficient activation of the mediator species and thus a corresponding bleaching effect can be ensured even with small amounts of mediator species.