Drum Lifter Structure With Metal Cover for Laundry Friction and Rigidity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laundry treating apparatuses face challenges in maintaining effective friction between lifters and laundry, leading to inefficient rubbing and lifting, especially when the lifter height is reduced, and suffer from deformation issues that affect balance and hygiene due to the use of metal materials.
Innovation Solution
A laundry treating apparatus with a drum and lifters where the lifter frame is made of synthetic resin and the frame cover is made of metal, featuring a water flow discharge hole and protrusions for improved friction and rigidity, ensuring efficient laundry lifting and distribution even with a thin metal frame cover.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If the height of the lifter is reduced, then the laundry can roll for a longer time without climbing over the lifter, but the friction between the lifter and laundry becomes insufficient, reducing lifting efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by adding washing protrusions at specific locations on the lifter surface. These protrusions concentrate the friction-generating function at key contact points between the lifter and laundry, rather than requiring the entire lifter surface to provide friction. This allows the lifter to maintain adequate friction force even with reduced height, while still enabling prolonged rolling action.
2Strength
If the second member is made of metal, then the structure is strong, but plastic deformation occurs causing the lifter to lose its original shape and balance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the lifter into multiple functional parts: a frame structure providing overall support, a frame cover made of thin metal plate forming the outer surface, and washing protrusions providing friction. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the frame provides structural strength while the thin metal frame cover maintains shape stability through its design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material construction by combining a frame structure with a frame cover made of thin metal plate. This composite approach allows the lifter to achieve both strength and shape stability - the frame provides structural support while the thin metal plate cover maintains aesthetic appearance and resists deformation, avoiding the plastic deformation issues associated with solid metal construction.
3Weight of moving object
If a thin metal plate is used for the frame cover, then the structure is lightweight and aesthetically pleasing, but rigidity is insufficient leading to deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies spheroidality by forming washing protrusions with curved surfaces on the lifter. These dome-shaped or hemispherical protrusions provide structural rigidity to the thin metal frame cover while maintaining an aesthetically pleasing appearance. The curved geometry of the protrusions resists deformation better than flat surfaces would, while the thin metal plate construction keeps the overall weight low.
4Manufacturing precision
If the vertex of the dome shape is spaced apart from the first member, then the structure allows water flow, but the internal space becomes depressed when pressed by external force
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by carefully controlling the spacing distance between the vertex of the dome-shaped protrusions and the first member. This optimized spacing parameter allows sufficient water flow passage while preventing excessive depression of the internal space under external force. The specific distance is designed to balance water flow requirements with structural stability.
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 enhances the rubbing action and lifting efficiency between the laundry and the washing protrusions, maintains sufficient rigidity to prevent deformation, and ensures smooth water discharge, improving washing power and hygiene.
Implementation Method 1
enhances the rubbing action and lifting efficiency between the laundry and the washing protrusions
Implementation Method 2
the laundry is lifted up high due to drag force of the lifter
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
A laundry treating apparatus according to the present disclosure includes a drum (51) configured to rotate about a rotation axis extending in a front-rear direction, and a lifter (61 a, 61b, 62a, 62b, 63a, and 63b) disposed in the drum. The lifter includes a lifter frame (620) installed on an inner circumferential surface of the drum, and a frame cover (640) coupled to the lifter frame, protruding radially inward from the inner circumferential surface of the drum, and made of metal. A water flow discharge hole (646h) formed by penetrating a part of an upper surface of the frame cover and an upper plate protrusion protruding from the upper surface (646) of the frame cover are formed in the frame cover by plastically processing the frame cover.