Laundry dryer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing tumble dryers face challenges in reducing component complexity, assembly effort, and material usage, which affect the precision and efficiency of motor positioning and air flow management.

Innovation Solution

The motor is mounted between the lower and upper shells with designed bearing plate receptacles, allowing for reduced component count, simplified assembly, and decoupled attachment from the process air duct, enabling more precise positioning and material-efficient design.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If the motor is mounted on the module housing with separate end shield receptacles, then the motor positioning precision is improved, but the number of components and assembly complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemotor positioning precisionVSAvoidnumber of components
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the end shield receptacles directly into the lower and upper shells of the module housing, eliminating separate mounting components. The lower shell includes a first end shield receptacle and the upper shell includes a second end shield receptacle, integrating the mounting function into the existing structural components rather than adding separate receptacles.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Manufacturing precision

If more components are used for motor mounting, then the motor positioning precision is improved, but the assembly effort and logistics complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemotor positioning precisionVSAvoidassembly effort
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent integrates the end shield receptacles into the lower and upper shells themselves, reducing the number of separate components that need to be manufactured, stored, and assembled. This merging of functions into existing components directly reduces assembly effort and logistics complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Device complexity

If the motor mounting is integrated into the process air duct design, then the device complexity is reduced, but the motor positioning precision and air flow management are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice complexityVSAvoidmotor positioning precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent separates the motor mounting function from the process air duct design by providing dedicated end shield receptacles in the lower and upper shells that are distinct from the air flow paths. This segmentation allows the motor to be precisely positioned independently of the air duct configuration, maintaining both precision and simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Manufacturing precision

If the module housing volume is increased to accommodate motor mounting features, then the motor positioning precision is improved, but the material usage and weight increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemotor positioning precisionVSAvoidmaterial usage
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent integrates the end shield receptacles into the existing lower and upper shells without requiring additional housing volume. By combining the mounting function into the existing structural components, the design achieves precise motor positioning without increasing material usage or housing size.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP4119722B1Laundry dryer
Publication Date: 2023.12.20 MIELE & CO KG
  • EP4119722B1 patent drawingFigure 1a
  • EP4119722B1 patent drawingFigure 1b
  • EP4119722B1 patent drawingFigure 1c

AI summary

The invention relates to a clothes dryer (2) comprising a dryer housing, a drum rotatably mounted in the dryer housing about a drum axis, and a module (4) arranged in the dryer housing and flow-conductively connected to the drum, with a module housing (6) in which a heat pump for heating and dehumidifying process air flowing through the drum and on which a motor (8) with a drive shaft (10) for driving the drum and for driving a blower wheel (12) conveying the process air through the module (4) and the drum are accommodated, wherein the module housing (6) has a lower shell (14) and an upper shell (16) and the motor (8) is mounted on the module housing (6) by means of two bearing shields (18, 20) of the motor (8), characterized in that the motor (8) is mounted between the lower shell (14) and the upper shell (16) by means of the two bearing shields (18, 20).bearing shield receptacles (22, 24, 26, 28) corresponding to the two bearing shields (18, 20) are formed on the lower shell (14) and on the upper shell (16).