Dryer for clothes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing clothes dryers face issues with foreign substances, such as flexible and rigid items, entering the air passage and damaging components or causing noise, due to the lack of effective filtration and collection mechanisms, leading to reduced performance and potential fires from lint accumulation.

Innovation Solution

A clothes dryer design featuring a blocking member with inclined blocking ribs and partition ribs within the air exhaust passage to filter out foreign substances before they reach the blower, eliminating the need for a separate foreign substance dropping groove and integrating a lint filter to prevent damage and noise.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a foreign substance dropping groove is separately defined in the blower, then foreign substances can be collected, but the device complexity increases and maintenance becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection against foreign substancesVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the foreign substance collection function with the existing blower housing structure by defining the dropping groove directly on the blower housing surface, rather than adding a separate collection device. This integration eliminates the need for separate maintenance mechanisms while maintaining foreign substance collection capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The blower housing serves multiple functions: it encloses the blower, provides structural support, and simultaneously acts as the foreign substance collection surface through the integrated dropping groove. This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity while maintaining protective capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If a separate structure for taking and throwing out foreign substances is added, then foreign substances can be removed, but the device complexity and maintenance difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveforeign substance removal capabilityVSAvoidmaintenance difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The design allows foreign substances to be naturally removed through the drying process itself - as clothes are dried and tumbling occurs, foreign substances are naturally dislodged and fall into the dropping groove, eliminating the need for separate active removal mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the foreign substance collection function from complex mechanical removal systems and simplifies it to a passive gravitational collection system where substances naturally fall into the groove and can be easily accessed for removal.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If only heavy foreign substances are collected in the dropping groove, then some protection is provided, but light foreign substances still enter the blower and cause damage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection against heavy foreign substancesVSAvoiddamage from light foreign substances
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent adds a filtering dimension by incorporating a mesh screen or filter in the air passage that catches light foreign substances before they reach the blower, complementing the gravitational collection of heavy substances in the dropping groove. This multi-dimensional approach addresses both heavy and light foreign substance problems.

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

4Reliability

If foreign substances are deposited in the dropping groove, then collection occurs, but lint is caught by deposited substances and air flow resistance increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveforeign substance collectionVSAvoidair flow performance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts lint from the air flow path by introducing a dedicated lint filter that separates lint collection from foreign substance collection. This prevents lint accumulation in the dropping groove area, maintaining air flow performance while still collecting foreign substances effectively.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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

This solution prevents foreign substances from entering the air passage, reducing the risk of damage to components, minimizing noise, and eliminating the need for separate maintenance, thereby enhancing the dryer's performance and safety by effectively filtering out lint and other debris.

Implementation Method 1

a heating unit disposed on one position of the suction passage and configured to heat the air introduced into the suction passage at a high temperature

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 2

a blower mounted on one position of the exhaust passage and configured to forcibly blow the air within the drying drum

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectForced Convection: Forced Convection

Data Source

PatentEP3134571B1Dryer for clothes
Publication Date: 2019.10.09 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP3134571B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3134571B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3134571B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6

AI summary

Provided is a dryer for clothes. The dryer for the clothes includes a cabinet, a drying drum accommodated in the cabinet, a suction passage supplying hot air into the drying drum, a heating unit disposed on one position of the suction passage to heat the air introduced into the suction passage at a high temperature, an exhaust passage through the hot air discharged from the drying drum flows, a blower mounted on one position of the exhaust passage to forcibly blow the air within the drying drum, a lint filter mounted on the other position of the exhaust passage, a guide duct defining a portion of the exhaust passage to accommodate the lint filter therein, and a blocking member disposed at a position where the air discharged from the drying drum flows.