Arcuate Mica Support Plates for Dryer Heater Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
The assembly of electrical heating elements in clothes dryers is labor-intensive and prone to uneven heat distribution due to inconsistent coil rotations between brackets, leading to inefficiencies in air heating and drying processes.
Innovation Solution
An electric heater assembly featuring arcuate shaped support plates with notches and tab members that align and engage with a housing support wall, allowing for simple and efficient mounting of zigzag configured heating elements, which are supported by mica or ceramic materials to ensure stable and consistent heat distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If metal brackets with insulators or ceramic brackets are used to mount heating coils, then the heating element can be securely mounted, but the assembly process becomes labor-intensive and prone to uneven heat distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The support plate is divided into multiple segments that can be independently positioned and secured to the housing support wall. Each segment can be separately attached using tabs and flaps, allowing for modular assembly that reduces labor intensity while maintaining mounting stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The support plate acts as an intermediary component between the housing support wall and the heating coils. It provides a standardized interface with tabs and flaps that simplify the mounting process, eliminating the need for direct bracket installation and ensuring consistent heat distribution.
2Adaptability or versatility
If manual stretching of heater coils onto brackets is performed, then the heating element can be customized, but inconsistent coil rotations result in uneven heat distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The support plate is pre-formed with notches and tabs at predetermined positions and orientations. This preliminary configuration ensures that the heating coils are automatically positioned at consistent intervals, eliminating manual stretching variations and ensuring uniform heat distribution while maintaining design flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The support plate design transforms the variable manual stretching process into a fixed geometric parameter system. The notches and tabs create predetermined positions that standardize coil placement, changing the process from human-dependent variable parameters to engineered constant parameters for consistent heat distribution.
3Reliability
If traditional bracket mounting methods are used, then heating elements can be installed, but the process requires multiple steps and is time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The support plate combines multiple mounting functions into a single integrated component. The tabs and flaps are merged with the plate structure itself, eliminating the need for separate brackets and insulators. This consolidation reduces the number of assembly steps while maintaining secure mounting through the integrated design.
Solution Approach 2:
The support plate serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support, electrical insulation, coil positioning, and mounting attachment. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for multiple separate components and assembly steps, significantly reducing assembly time while ensuring reliable mounting.
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 solution simplifies the assembly process and enhances heat distribution consistency, reducing labor and ensuring efficient drying by securely mounting heating elements with arcuate support plates that align with tab members on the housing support wall, providing a stable and efficient heating solution for clothes dryers.
Implementation Method 1
The air is warmed by passing over energized electrical heating elements supported within a heater housing
Implementation Method 2
The support plate comprises an electrical insulation material for supporting the electrical heating element
Data Source
AI summary
An electric heater assembly for mounting in an electric clothes dryer supports an electrical heating element. The heater assembly has overlapping arcuate shaped support plates of mica for supporting a zig-zag shaped electrical heating element. The support plates have inner and outer concentrically curved side edge portions having inner and outer notches. A support wall mounted in the clothes dryer supports the support plates by series of inner and outer arcuate spaced apart tab members. The tab members each have a flap member. The flap members are positioned so that the notches of the support plates align with the flaps to permit the support plates to be positioned relative to the housing support wall, and then rotated, so that the flap members overlappingly engage at least one of the support plates to hold the support plates relative to the housing support wall.