Clothes Dryer Fragrance Reservoir With Front Liquid-Level Indicator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face discomfort from odors in laundry after washing due to unaddressed fragrant material supply issues in clothes dryers, necessitating a means to conveniently check the remaining amount of fragrant liquid in storage containers.
Innovation Solution
A clothes dryer design incorporating a liquid storage container with a remaining amount indicator, exposed on the front surface, allowing users to easily view the liquid level through a transparent or semi-transparent member and an inlet unit for easy supplementation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the liquid storage container is installed inside the clothes dryer body, then the structure is compact and hidden, but the user cannot easily check the remaining liquid amount
Solution Approach 1:
A transparent or semi-transparent window is introduced as an intermediary element in the front supporter, allowing optical transmission between the interior liquid storage container and the exterior viewing position. This mediator enables the checking function without requiring complex mechanical linkages or electronic displays, thus improving ease of operation while maintaining structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of directly exposing the liquid storage container, a visual copy or representation of the liquid level is created through the transparent window in the front supporter. The window acts as a visual interface that copies the liquid level information from the interior reservoir to the exterior viewing position, allowing users to check the remaining amount without physical access to the container.
2Loss of information
If the liquid storage container is made transparent to allow viewing, then the remaining amount can be checked, but the aesthetic appearance and body structure are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of making the entire front supporter transparent or compromising the overall aesthetic design, a localized transparent or semi-transparent window is created only at the specific position where liquid level viewing is required. This local quality change allows information transmission while preserving the aesthetic appearance and structural integrity of the remaining front surface.
Solution Approach 2:
A transparent window material serves as an intermediary that selectively transmits light and visual information at the required viewing position while maintaining the overall opacity and aesthetic design of the front supporter. This mediator enables partial transparency only where necessary for functionality.
3Ease of operation
If the liquid storage container is accessible from the front, then liquid can be easily supplemented, but the door fixing structure and front supporter design become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The front supporter is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support for the door fixing mechanism, creates the viewing window for liquid level indication, and incorporates the liquid inlet opening for refilling. By integrating these multiple functions into a single component, the system achieves ease of operation for liquid supplementation without proportionally increasing overall structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The door fixing structure and liquid inlet structure are merged into the same front supporter component. The inlet opening is integrated into the front supporter body, allowing liquid supplementation through the same structural element that provides door support and viewing functionality, thereby simplifying the overall design while maintaining operational ease.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are a liquid storage container and a clothes dryer having the same. The clothes dryer comprises: a body; a front supporter which forms a part of a front surface of the body, and configured to fix the drum; a door installed at the front supporter; a liquid storage container comprising a reservoir configured to store liquid therein, and an inlet unit through which liquid is introduced into the reservoir; and a remaining amount indicator configured to indicate a remaining amount of the liquid stored in the reservoir, wherein the remaining amount indicator is installed on a rear surface of the front supporter, and is exposed to the front surface of the body.