Laundry treating apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional drawer-type laundry treating apparatuses require multiple sensors to detect the drawer's insertion into the cabinet, the laundry inlet's opening status, and the presence of an object on the cabinet top, leading to complexity and potential tilting issues during drawer withdrawal.
Innovation Solution
A single magnetic field sensor system with a lever actuator that adjusts the distance between a magnetic field generator and sensor based on the drawer's position and the presence of an object, allowing the system to determine the drawer's insertion, door opening, and object presence using a single sensor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are used to detect drawer insertion, door opening, and object presence, then detection accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines three separate detection functions (drawer insertion detection, door opening detection, and object presence detection) into a single magnetic field sensor. The sensor integrates multiple detection capabilities by utilizing magnetic field changes caused by different operational states, thereby reducing the total number of sensors while maintaining comprehensive monitoring accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The magnetic field sensor is designed to perform multiple detection functions simultaneously. It can detect the drawer's insertion state, the door's opening status, and the presence of objects on the cabinet top all through one sensor, making it a universal detection device that replaces multiple specialized sensors
2Ease of operation
If the drawer is made extendable for loading/unloading laundry, then ease of operation is improved, but stability deteriorates due to center of gravity shift
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a counterweight mechanism that automatically adjusts to compensate for the center of gravity shift when the drawer is extended. The counterweight system generates an opposing force to balance the gravitational moment created by the extended drawer, preventing the cabinet from tilting and maintaining overall stability during laundry loading and unloading operations
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
Simplifies the detection process using a single sensor to ensure safe and efficient operation by maintaining the drawer's stability and preventing tilting during withdrawal, while allowing the apparatus to support washing or drying functions.
Implementation Method 1
a magnetic field generator fixed to one of the free end of the lever and the drawer to generate a magnetic field; a magnetic field sensor disposed on the other of the free end of the lever and the drawer, wherein the magnetic field sensor is configured to sense a magnetic field from the magnetic field generator
Data Source
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AI summary
The present application proposes a drawer type laundry treating apparatus using a single sensor to detect whether a drawer is inserted into a cabinet to a reference position, whether a door has opened a laundry inlet inside the cabinet, and whether an object is seated on a top face of the cabinet.