Clothes Manager Child Entry Detection to Prevent Asphyxiation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Clothes managers lack a function to detect and prevent children from entering the accommodation space, which can lead to asphyxiation, relying solely on manual warnings such as labels.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a sensing device, such as a tact switch and displacement detection sensor, to detect human or animal presence, triggering an exhaust mechanism to open the cabinet and prevent asphyxiation, and a control method to stop the clothes treating device and alert the user.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual warnings such as labels are used to prevent children from entering the cabinet, then the device complexity is reduced, but the safety and reliability are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual warning systems with an automated sensing system that uses a tact switch to detect child presence. This mechanical/electrical substitution provides reliable automatic detection and intervention, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and safety by using a straightforward sensor-actuator mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service safety protection by automatically detecting when a child enters the cabinet and triggering the exhaust device to open. The clothes manager protects itself and the child without requiring external monitoring or manual intervention, achieving high reliability through autonomous operation.
2Reliability
If the exhaust device is opened to prevent asphyxiation, then the safety is improved, but the loss of time for clothes treatment occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by preemptively opening the exhaust device when child presence is detected, preventing asphyxiation before it can occur. This priority-based response ensures safety takes precedence over clothes treatment, resolving the contradiction by establishing a clear safety-first protocol.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the tact switch to continuously monitor cabinet occupancy and dynamically control the exhaust device. When the child is detected, the feedback loop triggers immediate safety intervention; when the child leaves, normal operation resumes, minimizing time loss while maintaining safety.
3Reliability
If the sensing device is added to detect child presence, then the safety function is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a tact switch, a simple mechanical sensor, to detect child presence rather than using complex electronic sensing systems. This mechanical approach provides reliable detection with minimal added complexity, resolving the contradiction between detection capability and system simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The tact switch serves as an intermediary element that bridges the physical act of a child entering the cabinet and the electronic response of the exhaust device. This simple intermediary component enables safety functionality without requiring complex sensing or processing systems.
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 prevents asphyxiation by detecting child entry and automatically opening the cabinet, providing a safer environment through automated alerts and intervention.
Implementation Method 1
a displacement detection sensor configured to detect a displacement of the intermediate plate
Implementation Method 2
an elastic member provided to elastically support the support
Data Source
AI summary
A clothes manager is provided. The clothes manager includes a cabinet including an accommodation space in which clothes are accommodated, a door provided to open and close an opening of the cabinet, a clothes treating device provided to treat the clothes accommodated in the accommodation space of the cabinet, a sensing device configured to detect that a human or an animal enters the cabinet, and a processor configured to output an abnormal detection signal based on a human or animal detection signal transmitted by the sensing device.