Clothes treating apparatus and filter technology
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Solution Overview
Problem
Clothes treating apparatuses face inefficiencies due to the accumulation of foreign substances like lint in heat exchangers and indoor spaces, as existing systems lack effective filtration and automatic cleaning mechanisms for filters.
Innovation Solution
A clothes treating apparatus with a filter assembly that includes a housing, filter units, and a substance removal unit with a brush and rotating arm to automatically clean and compress foreign substances, storing them in a designated area within the apparatus.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If filter units are installed to remove foreign substances from discharged air, then air quality is improved, but the filter units accumulate lint and require manual cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs an automatic lint removal mechanism where a rotating brush contacts the filter surface to dislodge accumulated lint, and a vacuum system simultaneously extracts the loosened particles. This self-cleaning process occurs automatically during or after drying cycles, eliminating the need for manual filter maintenance while keeping the filter units effective at removing foreign substances from discharged air
Solution Approach 2:
A removable collection container serves as an intermediary component between the filter units and the external environment. The container collects lint from multiple filter units and can be easily detached and emptied by the user, simplifying the maintenance process while allowing the filter units themselves to remain in place and continue functioning
2Object-affected harmful factors
If filter units continuously capture lint, then air filtration effectiveness is improved, but the filters become clogged and require frequent maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The automatic lint removal system operates continuously or at scheduled intervals to prevent lint accumulation on the filter units. The rotating brush and vacuum extraction work together to continuously clear the filter surfaces, maintaining their filtration effectiveness without interruption to the drying process and eliminating the need for the user to stop and manually clean the filters
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-maintenance through the automatic brush and vacuum mechanism that continuously removes lint from the filter units, preventing clogging and maintaining optimal filtration performance without requiring user intervention or time investment for manual cleaning
3Object-affected harmful factors
If multiple filter units are installed to improve filtration, then foreign substance removal is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple filter units are positioned to process air flow in series or parallel configuration, with their lint collection areas merging into a single removable collection container. This merging approach allows multiple filters to work together for improved filtration while presenting a unified, simplified maintenance interface where one container collects lint from all filter units, reducing the operational complexity despite the increased number of filter components
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 solution effectively removes foreign substances from discharged air, automatically cleans filter units, compresses and stores them, and includes a washable storage space, enhancing drying efficiency and reducing maintenance frequency.
Implementation Method 1
The substance removal unit includes a brush contacting the filter. The brush is configured to move substances remaining on a portion of the filter
Implementation Method 2
The brush is configured to compress substances collected in the storage area defined within the housing
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2(a)~2(b)
Figure 3
AI summary
A clothes treating apparatus includes an accommodating space, an air supply unit, a duct unit and a filter assembly. 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 assembly is positioned to filter air discharged from the accommodating space through the duct unit and includes a housing, a filter positioned in the housing, a substance removal unit and a collection area defined within the housing. The filter positioned in the housing is configured to filter substances from air passing through the filter assembly. The substance removal unit is configured to move substances remaining on a portion of the filter and press the moved substances into the collection area, which is configured to collect removed substances within the housing.