Laundry treating apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laundry treating apparatuses face issues with unintended separation of components during handling, particularly those manufactured separately from the detergent storage frame, leading to inconvenience and instability during use.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a detergent cup with a deviation preventing protrusion and an engaging bar on the detergent storage frame, which restricts upward movement and allows for easy separation, along with a stopper and engaging protrusion to control the extension distance of the detergent storage, enhancing structural stability and user convenience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If components are manufactured separately from the detergent storage frame and placed on it without fastening means, then ease of assembly and disassembly is improved, but unintended separation of components occurs during handling
Solution Approach 1:
The detergent storage is divided into separable components (detergent storage frame, detergent cup, cap) that can be easily assembled and disassembled by users. The components are designed to be manufacturable separately and then coupled together, improving ease of assembly while maintaining structural integrity through dedicated coupling mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The detergent cup and cap are integrated as a unified assembly that couples with the detergent storage frame. The cap is designed to fit over the detergent cup with engaging protrusions that match corresponding recesses, creating a merged structure that prevents unintended separation while allowing easy user assembly.
2Volume of moving object
If the detergent storage is made fully retractable into the cabinet, then space utilization is improved, but user access and ease of use is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The detergent storage is designed with dynamic retraction capability, allowing it to be pulled out to a predetermined position for user access and then retracted into the cabinet for compact storage. The guide rails and engaging bars enable smooth dynamic movement between extended and retracted states, optimizing both accessibility and space utilization.
3Reliability
If the detergent storage structure is made more complex with additional fastening means, then component stability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The detergent storage components are designed with self-aligning and self-latching features. The guide rails automatically guide the detergent storage frame into proper alignment, and the engaging bars with protrusions automatically engage with corresponding recesses when the storage is inserted, eliminating the need for complex manual fastening operations.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a laundry treating apparatus including a cabinet, a tub, a drum, and a detergent storage unit, wherein the detergent storage unit includes a detergent storage unit frame having an open top face and retracted into and extended from the cabinet through a opening, an locking bar disposed on the detergent storage unit frame and restricting an extension distance of the detergent storage unit extending from the cabinet, and a detergent cup accommodated in the detergent storage unit frame through the open top face of the detergent storage unit frame, wherein the detergent cup stores the detergent therein and includes a separation preventing protrusion protruding from a side wall, wherein upward deviation of the detergent cup from the detergent storage unit frame is restricted as the separation preventing protrusion is located below the locking bar.