Door lock
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Solution Overview
Problem
Top loading washing machines require a safe and accurate door lock mechanism to prevent the top cover from being opened during high-speed spinning, as existing solutions fail to ensure the door is fully closed before allowing operation, risking safety and reliability.
Innovation Solution
A door lock system featuring a rotatable latch head with a limiting mechanism, including a limit post and spring-loaded reset means, which restricts the latch head's rotation to the lock position until the door is fully closed, ensuring the door is securely locked before the washing machine can operate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a door lock mechanism is added to prevent the top cover from being opened during high-speed spinning, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The door lock mechanism is divided into independent functional components: a latch head for locking, a limit post for position restriction, and a spring for resetting. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently while keeping the overall structure manageable and not overly complex.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring-loaded limit post automatically resets to its blocking position after the door closes, without requiring external intervention or complex control systems. The mechanism self-regulates the locking sequence, ensuring the door is fully closed before allowing operation while maintaining structural simplicity.
2Measurement precision
If a limiting mechanism is introduced to restrict latch head rotation before door closure, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The limit post serves as a simple mechanical intermediary between the door and the latch head. It physically blocks the latch head's rotation path until the door closes, providing clear positional detection without requiring sensors, electronics, or complex control mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a complex sensor system to detect door closure, the patent inverts the approach by using the door itself to move the limit post, which then automatically enables or disables the locking function. This mechanical inversion achieves precise detection with minimal complexity.
3Reliability
If the latch head is restricted from rotating to lock position before door closure, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The limit post is pre-positioned to block the latch head's rotation path before the door closes. This preliminary mechanical constraint ensures that the locking action can only occur after proper door closure, automatically enforcing the safety sequence without requiring user awareness or manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanism automatically manages the locking sequence: the spring-loaded limit post blocks rotation during opening, moves to allow rotation during closing, and resets automatically. This self-service behavior maintains reliability while minimizing impact on user convenience.
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 the washing machine cannot be started unless the door is fully closed, preventing accidental opening during operation and enhancing safety and reliability with structural simplicity and low manufacturing costs.
Implementation Method 1
reset means provided in the through-hole and sleeved on the limit post, for providing a spring force for the limit post from the limit post lock position to the limit post unlocked position
Data Source
AI summary
A door lock for a top loading electrical appliance is provided that includes a latch head for locking a door of the top loading electrical appliance and a limiting mechanism for limiting rotation of the latch head before the door of the top loading electrical appliance reaches a closed position. The latch head is rotatable about an axis and has a latch head unlock position and a latch head lock position. The latch head may rotate between the latch head unlock position and the latch head lock position and the limiting mechanism may be arranged for limiting the latch head from rotating from the latch head unlock position to the latch lead lock position before the door of the top loading electrical appliance reaches a closed position.