Drum washing machine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Drum washing machines face issues with the coupling structure of the door and cabinet, where large doors cannot open completely due to size constraints and suffer from abrasion and deformation due to weight and friction, affecting workability and product quality.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a reinforcement member with a fixing part and support rib to enhance the hinge assembly's strength, allowing it to be rotatably coupled with the hinge shaft and fixed on the cabinet, improving the door's opening mechanism and reducing deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a hinge assembly is used to fixed the door on the cabinet, then the door can be opened and closed, but the door experiences abrasion and deformation due to weight and friction
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge assembly is divided into separate components: a first bracket fixed to the cabinet, a second bracket fixed to the door, and a connection unit with a hinge shaft connecting them. This segmentation allows each component to bear specific loads and reduces stress concentration, thereby reducing deformation and abrasion while maintaining door opening functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The first and second brackets are pre-fixed to the cabinet and door respectively before the door operation. This preliminary fixation provides stable mounting points that distribute the door's weight and operational forces, reducing friction and abrasion on the hinge shaft during door opening and closing.
2Area of moving object
If the door size is increased, then the door provides better coverage, but the door cannot open completely due to size constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge connection unit is positioned at the side edge of the door rather than the top or bottom, allowing the door to swing open in a lateral arc. This dimensional change in hinge placement enables larger doors to open completely without being constrained by the door's overall size, as the rotation axis is optimally positioned to accommodate the increased door area.
3Strength
If a reinforcement member is added to the hinge assembly, then the strength is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement member is integrated with the existing hinge assembly components rather than being a completely separate addition. It connects to the hinge shaft and brackets, merging structural reinforcement functions with the existing door mounting mechanism. This approach improves strength while minimizing the increase in device complexity by combining multiple functions into unified components.
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed are provided a drum washing machine having an improved coupling structure of a door and a cabinet. A drum washing machine comprising: a cabinet forming an outer appearance of the drum washing machine, and having an opening into which laundry is put; a door configured to open and close the opening of the cabinet; a hinge assembly including a hinge shaft to support the door such that the door is rotatable with respect to the cabinet; and an reinforcement member configured to support the cabinet and the hinge assembly, and rotatably connected to the hinge shaft.