Clothes Treating Apparatus with Multi-Directional Hot Air Dispersion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Clothes treating apparatuses face the challenge of non-uniform hot air dispersion, leading to inadequate drying or treatment of clothes, especially at positions away from the primary air supply direction, which can cause uneven treatment and potential damage from direct high-temperature exposure.

Innovation Solution

The apparatus incorporates a guide unit with inclined fixing plates and a moisture supplying device, including a steam generator, to ensure uniform hot air distribution across the clothes accommodating space, preventing direct high-temperature exposure and enhancing esthetics.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If hot air is supplied into the clothes accommodating space through a discharge port, then the clothes treating apparatus can perform drying or refreshing processes, but the hot air is not uniformly dispersed and is supplied only in a specific direction, leading to non-uniform treatment of clothes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuniformity of hot air distributionVSAvoidhot air supply directionality
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The discharge port is divided into multiple sub-discharge ports arranged in different directions. Each sub-port supplies hot air to a specific zone within the clothes accommodating space, ensuring comprehensive and uniform coverage. This segmentation transforms a single-direction supply into multi-directional distributed supply, resolving the non-uniformity issue.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the clothes accommodating space are provided with hot air supply tailored to their specific needs. The discharge ports are strategically positioned and oriented to deliver appropriate hot air flow to different zones, creating locally optimized treatment conditions throughout the space rather than uniform supply from a single point.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Productivity

If hot air is supplied in a specific direction to improve treatment efficiency, then the drying process can be accelerated, but clothes at positions away from the primary air supply direction receive insufficient hot air, causing non-uniform treatment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrying efficiencyVSAvoiduniformity of clothes treatment
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The hot air supply system transitions from one-dimensional linear flow to three-dimensional omnidirectional distribution. Multiple discharge ports are arranged in different spatial orientations (upward, downward, lateral directions), creating volumetric hot air circulation that penetrates the clothes load from multiple dimensions simultaneously, ensuring uniform treatment while maintaining high efficiency.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The system balances the strong directional hot air flow with counterbalancing discharge ports positioned to supply hot air in opposite or perpendicular directions. This prevents excessive concentration of hot air in one area while ensuring adequate penetration throughout the clothes accommodating space, achieving both efficiency and uniformity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #8Anti-weight (Counterweight)

3Power

If the discharge port is exposed to provide direct hot air supply, then the hot air can be effectively delivered to the clothes, but the appearance of the clothes accommodating space becomes less aesthetically pleasing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehot air delivery effectivenessVSAvoidaesthetic appearance of discharge port
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The visible discharge port structure is segmented into multiple small sub-ports distributed across an aesthetically designed panel. This segmentation allows the functional requirement of hot air delivery to be met through multiple small openings rather than a single large exposed port, improving appearance while maintaining effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

An aesthetic cover panel or grille is introduced as an intermediary element between the hot air supply mechanism and the external environment. This mediator allows hot air to pass through multiple small openings while concealing the mechanical components, thus preserving aesthetic appearance without compromising hot air delivery effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 allows for uniform hot air dispersion in all directions, ensuring consistent treatment of clothes, reducing the risk of damage and improving the drying process, while maintaining an aesthetically pleasing appearance.

Implementation Method 1

the moisture supplying device includes a steam generator for supplying steam into the accommodating space

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSteam generation: Evaporation

Implementation Method 2

capable of supplying hot air into the space for receiving clothes while uniformly dispersing the hot air

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHot air convection: Convection

Data Source

PatentEP3176311B1Clothes treating apparatus
Publication Date: 2021.12.01 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP3176311B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3176311B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3176311B1 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.