Drum of laundry machine

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional laundry machines face limitations in enhancing dehydration efficiency while preventing damage to laundry, as larger through holes increase dehydration effectiveness but risk damaging the laundry, and higher RPMs are restricted by drum size and motor capacity.

Innovation Solution

A drum design featuring embossed octagonal and engraved square patterns on the circumference, with strategically placed through holes, inclines, and a capillary tube-like structure to facilitate efficient water discharge and reduce laundry contact with holes, thereby enhancing dehydration efficiency and minimizing damage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the size of through holes is increased to enhance dehydration effect, then dehydration efficiency is improved, but laundry may be damaged due to strong tensile force

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedehydration efficiencyVSAvoidlaundry damage
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The drum surface is segmented into multiple small through holes distributed across the circumferential surface, rather than using a few large holes. This segmentation allows water to be discharged through numerous small openings, maintaining dehydration efficiency while preventing laundry from being caught and damaged by large hole edges

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The drum surface is designed with locally different properties: smooth regions for laundry contact and specific regions with through holes for water discharge. The through holes are strategically positioned and sized to create localized water discharge zones that enhance dehydration without causing damage to the laundry in other regions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Productivity

If dehydrating RPM is increased to enhance dehydration effect, then dehydration efficiency is improved, but drum size and motor capacity are limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedehydration efficiencyVSAvoiddrum and motor size
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the physical parameters of the drum surface by adding embossed patterns and inclined surfaces. These surface modifications alter the flow characteristics of water and laundry during dehydration, enhancing the dehydration effect through improved water discharge paths and reduced reabsorption, thereby achieving better dehydration efficiency without increasing RPM or drum size

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If through holes are formed on drum surface to allow water discharge, then water can be removed from laundry, but laundry may enter through holes and be damaged

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewater discharge capabilityVSAvoidlaundry damage
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The drum surface is pre-formed with embossed patterns and inclined surfaces that guide water flow toward the through holes before discharge. This preliminary action of shaping the surface topology ensures water is directed efficiently to discharge points while laundry is guided along smooth surfaces, preventing laundry from entering the through holes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The embossed patterns and inclined surfaces act as intermediary structures between the laundry and the through holes. These intermediate surface features facilitate water discharge while serving as protective barriers that prevent direct contact between laundry and the through hole openings, thus avoiding damage

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 drum design effectively enhances dehydration efficiency, reduces reabsorption of washing water, and minimizes laundry damage by optimizing water flow and discharge paths, leading to improved user satisfaction and energy savings.

Implementation Method 1

Dehydration of the laundry is performed by driving the drum at a relatively high RPM. The laundry cannot be gotten out of the drum and the washing water can be gotten out of the drum through the through holes. That is, the washing water is separated from the laundry by a centrifugal force

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCentrifugal force: Centrifugal Force

Implementation Method 2

a capillary tube-like structure to facilitate efficient water discharge

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCapillary action: Capillary Action

Data Source

PatentEP3412823B1Drum of laundry machine
Publication Date: 2022.03.30 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP3412823B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3412823B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3412823B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A washing machine is disclosed. In more detail, a drum provided in a washing machine is disclosed. A drum of a washing machine in which laundry is received to perform washing or dehydration comprises a plurality of outer side patterns formed to be embossed on a circumferential surface of the drum; an inner pattern formed on the circumferential surface of the drum and formed to be engraved by being surrounded by the plurality of outer side patterns; and a main through hole formed in the inner pattern.