Angled Door Washing Machine Design for Compact Space and Easy Loading
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional washing machines, particularly front-loading ones, require significant space for door opening and involve cumbersome loading and unloading, making them less user-friendly and unsuitable for installation under kitchen counters or in compact spaces.
Innovation Solution
An automatic washing machine design featuring a door that swings out at an angle, allowing easy access to the drum without bending, combined with RFID-enabled software for customizable washing programs based on clothing or net identifiers, ensuring comfortable operation and minimal space usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the door opens fully outward in a front-loading washing machine, then the loading aperture becomes completely accessible, but a large amount of space is required for door opening
Solution Approach 1:
The door opening movement is changed from a purely horizontal arc (requiring lateral space) to a combined horizontal and vertical movement. The door swings outward and simultaneously tilts upward, utilizing the vertical dimension to reduce the horizontal space footprint while maintaining aperture accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The door system employs a dynamic mechanism with multiple degrees of freedom, allowing the door to transition between different angular positions. The door can swing outward for loading/unloading and then tilt upward to a vertical or near-vertical position, adapting its configuration based on operational needs to minimize space occupation.
2Ease of operation
If a traditional front-loading door mechanism is used, then the loading aperture opens completely, but the door requires significant horizontal space to swing open
Solution Approach 1:
The door mechanism utilizes vertical space by tilting the door upward during opening. This transfers part of the opening movement from the horizontal plane to the vertical plane, significantly reducing the horizontal sweep radius and the lateral space required for door operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The door system dynamically adjusts its position through a two-stage movement: first swinging outward on a horizontal axis, then tilting upward on a vertical axis. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the door to occupy minimal horizontal space when not in active loading/unloading mode.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The patent application relates to an automatic washing machine with a door opening at an angle, for household and community use, the door (19) of which, when opened, swings out at an angle from the machine frame (1) of the washing machine around a horizontal shaft towards the user, thereby the loading opening of the drum (6) becomes easily accessible. The essence of the solution according to the invention is that the tub (5) containing the drum (6) is connected to a tub frame (3), the tub frame (3) is connected to the lower part of the machine frame (1) by a shaft, the door (19) of the washing machine is above the shaft connection, fixed to the outer side of the tub frame (3), thus when the door (19) is opened, the door (19), the tub frame (3) and the drum (6) swing out together from the machine frame (1). The operation of the washing machine is controlled by an electronic panel (12).