Direct-Drive Drum Rear Plate With Integrated Airflow Layout
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional laundry treating apparatuses face inefficiencies due to slip between belts and drums, restricted rotation speed and direction changes, and space constraints caused by the placement of drivers and air circulation systems, leading to suboptimal drum rotation and air supply strategies.
Innovation Solution
A laundry treating apparatus with a driver directly connected to the drum and an efficient air flow portion design that allows for direct power transmission and improved air supply, eliminating the need for belts and optimizing space usage by integrating the driver and air circulation components in a compact, stable design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a belt is used to transmit power from the driver to the drum, then the driver can be disposed at the lower portion of the cabinet, but slip easily occurs between the belt and the driver or between the belt and the drum
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the belt from the power transmission system and directly connects the driver to the drum through a mounting structure. The driver is mounted on the rear panel and directly drives the drum without intermediate transmission elements, eliminating slip issues while maintaining arrangement flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a direct mechanical connection structure (mounting bracket, coupling mechanism) as an intermediary between the driver and drum, replacing the belt-mediated transmission. This direct coupling ensures reliable power transmission while allowing the driver to be positioned on the rear panel.
2Ease of operation
If a belt is used to transmit power, then the driver can be disposed at the lower portion of the cabinet, but there are restrictions in changing the rotation speed or a rotation direction of the driving shaft
Solution Approach 1:
By removing the belt transmission system, the patent eliminates the mechanical constraints that limited rotation speed and direction changes. The direct drive configuration allows the motor to freely adjust rotational parameters without being constrained by belt tension, slip, or geometric limitations.
Solution Approach 2:
The direct connection between driver and drum enables dynamic adjustment of rotation speed and direction. The motor can rapidly change operational parameters to adapt to different laundry loads and drying conditions, enhancing system versatility and responsiveness.
3Ease of operation
If the driver is disposed at the lower portion of the cabinet with air circulator and heat pump, then space allocation is constrained, but the driver can be easily accessed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the component layout by positioning the driver on the rear panel separately from the air circulator and heat pump components. This spatial segmentation allows each component to be independently arranged and accessed, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The driver is repositioned from the vertical lower portion to the horizontal rear panel dimension. This dimensional shift redistributes component space, allowing better organization of multiple components (driver, air circulator, heat pump) and improving accessibility without increasing overall device complexity.
4Device complexity
If the driver is disposed at the rear of the drum, then a component such as the belt may be omitted, but the driver needs to be stably fixed and protected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the driver mounting and protection functions into an integrated structure on the rear panel. The mounting bracket simultaneously secures the driver and provides protective enclosure, eliminating the need for separate fixation and protection components while ensuring stable installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting structure uses composite construction combining rigid fixing elements with protective housing materials. This composite approach provides both stable fixation and adequate protection for the driver, meeting structural requirements while maintaining design simplicity.
Data Source
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AI summary
A laundry treating apparatus includes: a cabinet (100) including a rear plate (110) at a rear surface, a drum (200) rotatably disposed inside the cabinet (100) and configured to receive laundry, the drum (200) including a drum rear surface (210) facing the rear plate, and a driver (400) coupled to the rear plate (110) and connected to the drum (200). The rear plate (110) includes: a driver mounting portion (120) coupled to the driver (400), and an air flow portion (130) surrounding the driver mounting portion (120), providing a flow space (135) configured to receive air, and configured to move the air in the flow space (135) toward the drum (200). The flow space (135) is defined at a front surface of the rear plate (110), and the driver (400) is coupled to a rear surface of the rear plate.