Laundry Dryer Top Assembly Sealing for Air Leakage Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laundry drying machines face air leakage issues due to the positioning of the top assembly, which can reduce the efficiency of the drying process.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a cabinet top element with a drying air circuit that includes a moisture condensing arrangement, featuring a drying air inlet and outlet, and a return drying air hose secured by hose clamps, ensuring an air-tight connection between the top and the machine cabinet, utilizing a heat pump for dehydrating and heating the air.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the top assembly is positioned to enable easy assembly, then the assembly process is simplified, but air leakage occurs reducing drying efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
A sealing element is introduced as an intermediary component between the top assembly and the cabinet to ensure air-tight connection. The sealing element compensates for dimensional tolerances and creates a reliable seal without complicating the assembly process, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of assembly and air-tight reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing element is designed as a flexible component that can deform to accommodate slight misalignments and create a tight seal. This flexible sealing approach maintains assembly simplicity while ensuring reliable air-tight connection, preventing drying air leakage.
2Device complexity
If the drying air circuit is integrated into the top assembly, then the device structure is compact, but air leakage reduces drying efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing element acts as an intermediary that enables the integrated structure to function reliably by preventing air leakage at the connection points, thus maintaining both structural compactness and drying efficiency.
3Ease of manufacture
If simple positioning means are used for the top assembly, then the assembly is easy to install, but air leakage occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing element serves as a simple yet effective intermediary that can be easily incorporated into the assembly process while ensuring air-tight connection, thus maintaining both ease of manufacture and reliability.
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 configuration enhances the assembly process by preventing air leakage, ensuring a more efficient and effective drying process by maintaining an air-tight connection within the drying air circuit.
Implementation Method 1
the moisture-laden drying air flow passes through a moisture condensing system, where the humid air is at least partially dehydrated
Implementation Method 2
the dried drying air flow is heated up by means of a heating arrangement, like an electrical resistance
Data Source
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AI summary
A laundry machine (100) adapted to dry laundry by means of a flow of drying air, comprising: a machine cabinet (110) for accommodating components necessary for the operation of the laundry machine (100); inside the cabinet, a laundry treatment chamber (105) adapted to contain the laundry to be dried; a cabinet top element (125) incorporating at least part of a drying air circuit in fluid communication with the laundry treating chamber through a drying air inlet opening (210) and through a drying air outlet opening (215) formed in the cabinet top element, the cabinet top element comprising a bottom base element (205) and a top cover (240) and, defined in an interspace between the base element and the top cover, a drying air path for the flow of drying air between said drying air inlet opening (210) and said drying air outlet opening (215), said drying air path including a moisture condensing arrangement (225,230). The drying air inlet opening (210) is formed in a wall (217a) extending within the interspace between the base element (205) of the top element (125) and the top cover (240) thereof.