Detergent Insert Door Hinge Damping to Prevent Floor Contact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laundry treating apparatuses with detergent inlets at the lower portion face issues such as damage and noise due to the detergent insert door being prone to scratches and collisions when opened, as it can rotate too far and contact the floor.
Innovation Solution
A detergent insert door design that includes a hinge coupling portion and an elastic member, allowing the door to rotate only up to a predetermined angle, preventing contact with the floor and incorporating a shaft damper to control the rotation speed, thus preventing damage and noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the detergent insert door is opened to rotate fully, then the user can easily access the detergent inlet, but the door contacts the floor causing damage, noise, and scratches
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic member is pre-loaded in the hinge coupling portion to automatically limit the rotation angle of the detergent insert door before it can contact the floor. This preliminary constraint prevents the harmful contact while maintaining ease of operation, as the door naturally stops at a safe angle without requiring user intervention.
2Productivity
If the detergent insert door is opened quickly, then the operation is efficient, but the door collides with the floor generating noise and damage
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic member acts as a cushioning element that engages before the door can contact the floor. As the door approaches its maximum safe rotation angle, the elastic member compresses and absorbs the kinetic energy, preventing the collision that would generate noise and damage. This allows quick opening while eliminating the harmful impact.
Solution Approach 2:
The shaft damper serves as an intermediary element between the rotating door and the floor. It controls the rotation speed by providing viscous damping force, gradually reducing the door's angular velocity as it approaches the floor, thereby preventing sudden collision and noise generation while maintaining operational efficiency.
3Shape
If the detergent insert door is positioned at the lower portion, then the detergent inlet is elevated for aesthetics, but the door is prone to being stepped on and damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic member provides preliminary protective action by limiting the door's rotation range before a user's foot can contact it. The door automatically stops at a predetermined angle that maintains the elevated aesthetic position while preventing the harmful action of being stepped on, thus preserving both appearance and durability.
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 prevents the detergent insert door from colliding with the floor, maintaining a safe distance and reducing noise, while allowing easy operation and aesthetic improvement by keeping the detergent inlet elevated.
Implementation Method 1
provided with a hinge receiving portion at a lower portion of the bracket; a cover inserted into the hinge receiving portion and coupled to the bracket to open or close the detergent inlet; a shaft damper coupled to a hinge shaft at one side of the bracket to limit a rotation speed of the cover up to a set angle
Implementation Method 2
a shaft damper coupled to a hinge shaft at one side of the bracket to limit a rotation speed of the cover up to a set angle
Data Source
AI summary
A laundry treating apparatus includes a detergent insert door rotatably provided on a front surface of a detergent container receiving portion to open or close the detergent container receiving portion, wherein the detergent insert door includes a bracket coupled to the front opening portion to allow a detergent inlet formed on a front surface thereof to communicate with the front opening portion, and including a hinge receiving portion; a cover inserted into the hinge receiving portion and coupled to the bracket; a shaft damper coupled to a hinge shaft at one side of the bracket; and an elastic member supported by the bracket and the cover.