Dryer Lint Filter Screw Design to Prevent Lint Interposition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional clothes dryers often fail to prevent lint from being interposed between the filter and the screw in the lint removing device, leading to incomplete lint collection and potential clogging.
Innovation Solution
A clothes dryer design featuring a cylindrical lint filter with a part of its outer surface open, a spiral-bladed screw, a contact rib, and an elastic member that protrudes to maintain contact with the inner surface of the filter, along with a frame member and a controller for reversing and forwarding the screw's rotation to ensure effective lint collection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a spiral screw is used to scrape lint from the filter surface, then lint collection efficiency is improved, but lint may be caught on the outer edge of the screw blade and continuously remain around the rotating circumference
Solution Approach 1:
The lint removal function is divided into two distinct components: the spiral screw blade for scraping lint from the filter surface, and the elastic member for clearing lint from the screw blade outer edge. This segmentation ensures that lint is both collected and completely transferred without accumulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic member acts as an intermediary between the screw blade and the lint, actively engaging with lint caught on the blade outer edge and facilitating its removal. This intermediary component ensures complete lint transfer by addressing the specific problem of lint accumulation on the rotating blade circumference.
2Productivity
If the screw blade outer edge contacts the filter inner surface continuously, then lint scraping is effective, but lint may be interposed between the filter and screw
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic member serves as a mediator that contacts the filter inner surface and works in conjunction with the screw blade. This intermediary component prevents lint from being trapped between the filter and screw by actively managing the interface between these two components during rotation.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic member's material properties (elasticity) allow it to deform and adapt to the filter surface, changing the physical parameters of the contact interface. This enables effective lint scraping while preventing lint interposition through dynamic adjustment of contact pressure and geometry.
3Productivity
If the elastic member protrudes to contact the filter inner surface, then lint collection is improved, but wear on the filter may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic member's material selection and dimensional parameters are optimized to provide sufficient contact pressure for effective lint collection while limiting the wear rate. By carefully controlling the protrusion distance and elastic properties, the system achieves effective lint removal while extending filter service life.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic member functions as a flexible component that can deform during operation, distributing contact forces and reducing localized wear on the filter. This flexibility allows the system to maintain effective lint collection while minimizing damage to the stationary filter surface over time.
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 design effectively prevents lint from being caught between the filter and screw, ensuring thorough lint collection and reducing clogging, while minimizing wear on the filter and maintaining efficient operation.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic member configured to protrude to an outside of the blade to be in contact with an inner surface of the lint filter and the contact rib
Implementation Method 2
a screw having a spiral blade rotatably provided in an axial direction of the lint filter
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A clothes dryer (1) having a lint collecting device (100) for collecting lint is disclosed. The clothes dryer (1) includes: a drum (30); a duct (20, 45) through which drying air discharged from the drum (30) flows; and a lint removing device (100) disposed in a path of the duct (20, 45) to filter lint contained in the air, wherein the lint removing device (100) includes a cylindrical lint filter (130) of which a part of an outer surface is open, a screw (120) having a spiral blade (122) rotatably provided in an axial direction of the lint filter (130), a contact rib (135) formed at an opening of the lint filter (130), and an elastic member (124) configured to protrude to an outside of the blade (122) to be in contact with an inner surface (130a) of the lint filter (130) and the contact rib (135).