Laundry Drying Rack Hinge and Airflow Layout for Fewer Wrinkles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional laundry treating apparatuses face inefficiencies in drying clothes, leading to wrinkles and low drying efficiency due to the way heated air is supplied, which can result in increased drying time and energy wastage.
Innovation Solution
A laundry treating apparatus with a hinge unit that adjusts the rotation angle of racks and includes two independently partitioned dry spaces, featuring a unique air supply system where heated air is directed between the racks to enhance drying efficiency, and a path formation unit to guide air effectively within the dry chamber.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If heated air is supplied to the drum while rotating, then clothes are dried, but wrinkles remain on clothes
Solution Approach 1:
The drying chamber is divided into multiple segments with racks that can be independently rotated. Clothes are distributed across multiple rack segments, allowing different portions to be dried simultaneously in different orientations, preventing wrinkle formation while maintaining high drying efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The racks are made rotatable rather than fixed, allowing dynamic adjustment of clothing orientation during the drying process. This dynamic repositioning prevents clothes from remaining in a static folded position that causes wrinkles, while the continuous rotation maintains effective air circulation for high drying efficiency.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If racks are provided in the dry chamber with heated air supplied via bottom surface, then wrinkles are minimized, but drying efficiency becomes low
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of supplying heated air only from the bottom surface (one-dimensional approach), the system introduces air supply holes in multiple surfaces of the drying chamber including front, rear, and side walls. This multi-dimensional air distribution ensures heated air reaches clothes on all racks effectively, maintaining high drying efficiency while racks remain stationary to prevent wrinkles.
Solution Approach 2:
Air supply holes are strategically positioned at different locations (front surface, rear surface, side surfaces) to provide localized heated air supply to specific regions of the drying chamber. This ensures each rack receives adequate heated air for efficient drying without requiring rack rotation, thus preventing wrinkles while maintaining high drying efficiency.
3Productivity
If multiple racks are provided in the dry chamber, then drying capacity increases, but air circulation becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple air supply sources are merged into a coordinated system with holes in front, rear, and side surfaces working together. This combined multi-directional air supply approach ensures adequate air circulation reaches all racks simultaneously, supporting high drying capacity without compromising air flow to individual racks.
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
The solution improves drying efficiency by up to 10% and reduces energy loss, ensuring better air circulation and heat exchange, thus minimizing wrinkles and drying time.
Implementation Method 1
a friction piece frictionally engaging the rack shaft to rotate the rack; a friction piece frictionally engaging the rack shaft to rotate the rack
Implementation Method 2
a first air supply unit for supplying heated air to the dry chamber; a second air supply unit for supplying heated air to the drum
Implementation Method 3
a path formation unit to guide air effectively within the dry chamber
Implementation Method 4
supplying heated air to clothes to remove moisture from the clothes
Data Source
AI summary
A laundry apparatus having a first cabinet with a dry chamber therein; a first air supply unit to supply air to the dry chamber; a second cabinet disposed on a top surface of the first cabinet or supportively disposed below a bottom surface of the first cabinet; a second air supply unit to supply air to a drum located in the second cabinet; and a hinge unit for rotatably coupling a rack in the dry chamber, wherein the hinge unit has a rotational shaft; a first operation body located outside the dry chamber and rotatable by the shaft; a stopper body having first and second stoppers spaced apart from each other and located outside the dry chamber; and a second operation body rotatable between the first and second stoppers and rotatable in the reverse direction of a rotational direction of the first operation body by contacting the first operation body.