Clothes Dryer Filter Assembly with Automatic Cleaning and Compression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional clothes treating apparatuses face challenges in removing foreign substances like lint from discharged air, leading to reduced drying efficiency and potential accumulation in heat exchangers, and require manual filter cleaning, which is inconvenient.
Innovation Solution
A clothes treating apparatus equipped with a filter assembly that includes a substance removal unit and a compression unit, where the filter assembly automatically cleans itself and compresses foreign substances for easy disposal, utilizing a rotating brush and compression plate mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a filter unit is installed to remove foreign substances from discharged air, then drying efficiency is maintained, but the filter unit requires manual cleaning and maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-cleaning mechanism where a rotating brush automatically removes accumulated foreign substances from the filter unit surface during or after the drying cycle, eliminating the need for manual filter cleaning and maintenance by the user
Solution Approach 2:
The patent includes a collection part that captures foreign substances removed by the rotating brush and a compression unit that compresses these substances into a compact form for easy disposal, enabling automatic discard of waste material
2Device complexity
If foreign substances are not removed from discharged air, then device complexity is reduced, but drying efficiency decreases and heat exchangers accumulate lint
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the filter assembly into distinct functional modules: a filter unit for capturing foreign substances, a rotating brush for cleaning the filter surface, a collection part for gathering removed substances, and a compression unit for compacting waste, allowing each component to be optimized independently
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary cleaning action by using the rotating brush to remove foreign substances from the filter unit before they can significantly accumulate and impair drying efficiency, maintaining optimal performance throughout the dryer's operation
3Device complexity
If manual filter cleaning is required, then device complexity is reduced, but user maintenance time and effort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-cleaning mechanism where a rotating brush automatically removes accumulated foreign substances from the filter unit surface during or after the drying cycle, eliminating the need for manual filter cleaning and maintenance by the user
Solution Approach 2:
The patent includes a collection part that captures foreign substances removed by the rotating brush and a compression unit that compresses these substances into a compact form for easy disposal, enabling automatic discard of waste material
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
Effectively removes foreign substances from discharged air, maintains drying efficiency, and allows for automatic filter cleaning, reducing user intervention and maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
a Hall Effect sensor positioned in the collection unit, a first magnet coupled to the compression unit and a second magnet coupled to the substance removal unit. The first magnet is coupled to the compression unit such that movement of the compression unit can be sensed by the Hall Effect sensor.
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus for treating clothes includes an accommodating space, an air supply unit, a duct unit, a filter unit, a substance removal unit and a collection unit that is separate from the filter unit and the substance removal unit. The accommodating space is configured to receive one or more clothing articles. The air supply unit is configured to supply air to the accommodating space. The duct unit is configured to guide discharge of air from the accommodating space. The filter unit is positioned to filter substances from air discharged from the accommodating space through the duct unit. The substance removal unit is configured to move substances remaining on a portion of the filter unit. The collection unit is configured to collect substances moved from the filter unit by the substance removal unit.