Laundry machine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional laundry apparatuses with auxiliary devices face challenges in design and manufacturing due to limited space and vibration issues, leading to reduced productivity and increased noise, especially in front-loading models where loading and unloading are inconvenient and vibration is significant.
Innovation Solution
A laundry apparatus with a dual-cabinet design featuring a first and second treating part, where the second treating part is installed in a drawer with rail units to limit movement and guide outward movement, reducing vibration and noise, and incorporating a shock-absorbing mechanism to prevent collision-induced shocks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If an auxiliary laundry device is installed in a stand below the main laundry device, then loading and unloading convenience is improved, but the profile and design quality deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the auxiliary laundry device directly into the main laundry device body, merging two separate functions into a unified structure. This eliminates the need for a separate stand, maintaining a clean profile while providing both washing and auxiliary treatment functions through integrated door assemblies and treating chambers.
Solution Approach 2:
The main laundry device is designed to perform multiple functions: primary washing through the main drum and auxiliary treatment through the secondary treating part. The integrated design allows a single device to serve both washing needs and auxiliary needs (such as refreshing or drying), eliminating the requirement for separate standalone auxiliary devices.
2Volume of moving object
If various components are installed in a relatively small space of the auxiliary laundry device, then space utilization is improved, but manufacturing difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The auxiliary laundry device is divided into modular components including the treating part, door assembly, and rail unit system. Each component can be manufactured separately and then assembled into the final integrated structure, simplifying the manufacturing process while maximizing space utilization through precise modular integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The auxiliary laundry device components are nested within the main laundry device structure. The treating part is positioned within the cabinet space, the door assembly integrates with the main door mechanism, and the rail units are embedded in the structural framework, allowing efficient use of available space without complicating manufacturing.
3Volume of moving object
If the auxiliary laundry device operates in a narrow inner space, then compactness is improved, but vibration and noise increase
Solution Approach 1:
Rail units are introduced as intermediary components between the auxiliary laundry device and the main device structure. These rail units guide and constrain the movement of the treating part, reducing uncontrolled vibrations and noise generation during operation while maintaining the compact nested configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The rail units are designed to provide friction-based resistance and guidance before problematic vibrations can develop. By establishing controlled movement paths in advance through the rail system, the design prevents excessive vibrations and noise from occurring during the auxiliary device's operation within the compact space.
4Ease of operation
If the drawer is allowed to move freely for easy access, then ease of operation is improved, but vibration and collision shocks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The drawer is designed with dynamic movement characteristics through the rail unit system, which allows smooth guided motion during normal operation for easy access. The rail units provide friction-based damping that automatically increases resistance during rapid or collision-prone movements, reducing shocks while maintaining ease of controlled operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The friction characteristics of the rail units are optimized to change based on movement conditions. During normal slow operation, friction is low for smooth movement, but during rapid or collision-prone movements, the friction increases to dampen vibrations and reduce collision-induced shocks, providing adaptive damping without active control.
Data Source
AI summary
A laundry apparatus including a cabinet; a first space provided in the cabinet, in which a first treating part provided to treat laundry is installed; a second space provided in the cabinet, in which a second treating part provided to treat laundry is installed; a drawer movably provided in the second space, in which the second treating part is installed; and a rail unit configured to limit vertical and horizontal movement of the drawer with respect to the second space and to guide the outward movement of the drawer. Therefore, laundry may be treated by using the first and second treating parts and vibration and noise generated in the second treating part may be reduced.