Clothes Treating Apparatus Guide Unit for Uniform Hot Air Dispersion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Clothes treating apparatuses fail to uniformly disperse hot air within the clothes accommodating space, leading to inadequate drying or refreshing processes for clothes positioned away from the direct air supply.

Innovation Solution

Incorporation of a guide unit with guide ribs and a guide member within the circulation duct to redirect hot air flow, ensuring uniform dispersion through multiple supply holes and a moisture supplying device for enhanced treatment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If hot air is supplied into the clothes accommodating space through a single direction, then the air supplying device structure is simple, but the hot air is not uniformly dispersed in the clothes accommodating space

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair supplying device structureVSAvoidhot air dispersion uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the single hot air supply into multiple supply holes distributed across different surfaces (front, rear, left, right sides) of the accommodating space. Each supply hole receives hot air through separate circulation ducts, segmenting the original single-direction supply into multi-directional dispersed supply, thereby achieving uniform hot air distribution throughout the space.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements different local supply characteristics by positioning supply holes at specific locations on different surfaces of the accommodating space. Each local region receives hot air optimized for its position, with the front supply hole facing inward and other supply holes positioned to cover their respective areas, ensuring uniform treatment across all local regions of the clothes accommodated space.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Device complexity

If hot air is supplied only in a specific direction, then the air supply path is simple, but clothes at positions where hot air is not sufficiently supplied cannot be properly dried or refreshed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair supply pathVSAvoiddrying and refreshing process effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the air supply path into multiple independent circulation ducts, each connected to a specific supply hole location. This segmentation allows hot air to travel through separate paths to different regions of the accommodating space, ensuring that clothes at all positions receive sufficient hot air for proper drying and refreshing treatment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from single-direction air supply to multi-dimensional supply by positioning supply holes on multiple surfaces (front, rear, left, right) of the accommodating space. This spatial distribution across different dimensions ensures comprehensive coverage and reliable treatment effectiveness for clothes regardless of their position within the space.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Manufacturing precision

If guide ribs are disposed inside the circulation duct adjacent to the supply hole, then hot air is horizontally dispersed uniformly, but the guide unit structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehot air horizontal dispersionVSAvoidguide unit structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies guide ribs with specific local orientations adjacent to each supply hole to achieve horizontal dispersion of hot air. The guide ribs are positioned and angled to direct airflow horizontally into the accommodating space, creating uniform distribution across the horizontal plane while maintaining a relatively simple overall guide unit structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 ensures uniform hot air distribution across the clothes accommodating space, preventing non-uniform treatment and direct high-temperature exposure, while maintaining an aesthetically pleasing design.

Implementation Method 1

the guide unit includes a plurality of guide ribs for horizontally dispersing the hot air flowing along the circulation duct through the at least one supply hole

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid flow guidance:

Implementation Method 2

an air supplying device for drying air circulating into the accommodating space

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentEP3176310B1Clothes treating apparatus
Publication Date: 2020.10.14 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP3176310B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3176310B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3176310B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6

AI summary

A clothes treating apparatus is disclosed. The clothes treating apparatus includes a cabinet defining a accommodating space for receiving clothes, an air supplying device for drying air circulating into the accommodating space, and a guide unit for guiding dry air generated by the air supplying device to be uniformly dispersed into the accommodating space