Airtight Laundry Hamper with Active Deodorizing to Trap Malodors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional laundry hampers do not effectively trap malodors, allowing them to spread into the surrounding area and contaminate other items, especially when used for extended periods.
Innovation Solution
A laundry hamper with an airtight body and lid, equipped with a deodorizing arrangement that can actively or passively release deodorizing media to neutralize odor-causing agents, ensuring an airtight seal and controlled deodorization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional laundry hampers are used without airtight sealing, then ease of operation is improved, but malodors escape into the surrounding area contaminating other items
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a gasket or sealing structure made of flexible material between the hamper body and lid to create an airtight seal. This flexible sealing element conforms to the mating surfaces, preventing malodors from escaping while maintaining ease of lid opening and closing operations.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If an airtight seal is implemented in the laundry hamper, then malodors are trapped effectively, but device complexity increases due to sealing structures
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of complex rigid sealing mechanisms, the patent uses a simple flexible gasket or sealing film that naturally conforms to the hamper body and lid surfaces. This approach achieves effective malodor containment while minimizing structural complexity and maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If deodorizing media are released continuously, then odor neutralization is improved, but loss of substance increases due to media consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The deodorizing media are released in periodic cycles rather than continuously. A controller activates the deodorizing arrangement at scheduled intervals or based on sensor input (such as detecting malodor presence), thereby maintaining effective odor neutralization while significantly reducing consumption of deodorizing media compared to continuous release.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates sensors that detect malodor levels or other conditions within the hamper, providing feedback to the controller. The controller adjusts deodorizing media release based on this feedback, releasing media only when and where needed. This feedback-controlled approach optimizes odor neutralization effectiveness while minimizing unnecessary media consumption.
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 airtight design effectively traps malodors within the hamper, while the deodorizing arrangement continuously releases freshening agents, maintaining a clean and odor-free environment for stored laundry.
Implementation Method 1
Neither the lid nor the body of the laundry hamper has any gaps or openings to permit airflow therethrough. In addition, the lid and/or the rim of the body includes a sealing structure to produce an airtight seal between the lid and the body when the lid is closed.
Implementation Method 2
The deodorizing arrangement can be designed to either actively or passively release deodorizing media, such as fragrances and/or fresheners and/or sterilization media to kill odor-causing bacteria and other biological agents
Data Source
AI summary
A deodorizing laundry hamper includes a body and a lid pivotably attached thereto, each of which comprises an airtight material. A seal arrangement is positioned between the lid and the body to seal the deodorizing laundry hamper in an airtight manner. The hamper further includes a deodorizing arrangement that delivers deodorizing media into the interior of the body to deodorize the body and/or laundry articles therein.