Drawer-Based Multi-Rack Laundry Dryer for Uniform Air Distribution

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional laundry treatment apparatuses face challenges in efficiently drying a large amount of clothes without causing overdrying or uneven heating, leading to potential damage and incomplete drying.

Innovation Solution

A laundry treatment apparatus with a drawer-based drying chamber featuring multiple racks and an air supply unit that inclines air ducts and guides to ensure even air distribution between the racks, allowing for efficient drying of clothes by optimizing air flow and heat exchange.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If multiple racks are arranged in the drying chamber to dry a large amount of clothes, then the drying capacity is improved, but the uniformity of heated air supply deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrying capacityVSAvoiduniformity of heated air supply
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The air supply system is segmented into multiple independent air supply units, each equipped with its own air supply duct and heater. These units are distributed at different positions within the drying chamber to provide localized heated air supply to different racks, ensuring uniform drying across all clothes regardless of rack position

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Each air supply unit is configured with specific heating power and air supply capacity according to its position in the drying chamber. The air supply parameters (temperature, flow rate) are locally optimized to compensate for positional differences, ensuring that racks at various locations receive appropriate heated air for uniform drying

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Productivity

If heated air is supplied while rotating the drum to dry clothes, then the drying efficiency is improved, but the clothes remain wrinkled

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrying efficiencyVSAvoidwrinkles on clothes
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of rotating the clothes (drum drying), the invention inverts the approach by keeping clothes stationary on racks and rotating/moving the air supply system. The air supply units and ducts are configured to move or rotate, directing heated air to different positions and racks sequentially, achieving uniform drying without mechanical drum rotation that causes wrinkles

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The air supply units act as intermediaries between the heat source and the clothes. Rather than directly contacting and rotating clothes, the movable air supply system delivers heated air to stationary clothes on racks, eliminating mechanical contact and friction that cause wrinkling while maintaining drying efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Device complexity

If a single rack is used in the drying chamber, then the structure is simple, but the drying capacity is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoiddrying capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The drying chamber is segmented into multiple zones with multiple racks arranged at different positions. Each rack is an independent drying unit, and the air supply system is correspondingly segmented into multiple air supply units. This segmentation allows the system to maintain structural simplicity at each local level while achieving high overall drying capacity through parallel operation of multiple racks

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system transitions from a single-rack one-dimensional arrangement to a multi-rack three-dimensional configuration within the drying chamber. Racks are arranged in multiple layers and positions (front, rear, left, right), utilizing vertical and horizontal space efficiently. This dimensional expansion dramatically increases drying capacity while maintaining reasonable structural complexity through modular design

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

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 enables efficient and uniform drying of a large quantity of clothes, minimizing the risk of overdrying and ensuring that all clothes are thoroughly dried, thus improving drying efficiency and reducing energy consumption.

Implementation Method 1

The laundry treatment apparatus includes an air supply unit configured to supply heated air or non-heated air to the drying chamber

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Implementation Method 2

an air supply unit configured to supply heated air or non-heated air to the drying chamber

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 3

The laundry treatment apparatus includes a heating unit configured to heat air supplied by the air supply unit

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Data Source

PatentEP3851570B1Laundry treatment apparatus
Publication Date: 2024.01.17 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP3851570B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3851570B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3851570B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed is a laundry treatment apparatus including a cabinet having an entrance, a drawer arranged so as to be drawn out from the cabinet through the entrance and provided with a drying chamber including a bottom surface, a front surface extending upward from the bottom surface, a rear surface fixed to the bottom surface and arranged at a position facing the front surface, and first and second side surfaces fixed to the bottom surface to connect the front surface and the rear surface, a first rack arranged in the drying chamber, a first vent portion arranged in the first rack to provide a space for supporting clothes, the first vent portion allowing a space above the first rack to communicate with a space below the first rack, a second rack arranged in the drying chamber and positioned between the first rack and the bottom surface, a second vent portion arranged in the second rack to provide a space for supporting clothes, the second vent portion allowing a space above the second rack to communicate with a space below the second rack, a supply port formed to penetrate the rear surface, an air supply unit located outside the drying chamber at a higher position than the supply port, and a guide arranged in the supply port to guide air supplied from the air supply unit to at least one of a space between the first rack and the second rack and a space between the second rack and the bottom surface.