Flexible Dryer Drum Geometry for Eliminating Cabinet Dead Space
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional dryers with circular drums waste space at the corners of the main body, limiting the capacity and efficiency of laundry drying due to dead spaces, and do not effectively utilize the inner space of the dryer.
Innovation Solution
A dryer with a flexible drum having an asymmetrical cross-section, supported by rotation guides, which maintains a non-circular shape even during rotation, allowing for greater laundry capacity and efficient use of the dryer's inner space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a circular drum is used in the dryer, then the drum can rotate smoothly, but the corners of the main body are wasted and the drying capacity is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by changing the drum cross-section from a conventional circular shape to an asymmetrical shape (such as D-shaped or rounded rectangular). This asymmetrical drum design allows the drum to utilize the corner spaces of the rectangular main body effectively, eliminating dead spaces and increasing the overall drying capacity without requiring a larger main body volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional circular cross-section to a three-dimensional asymmetrical cross-section that better fits the rectangular main body volume. This dimensional optimization allows the drum to extend into the corner regions of the main body, maximizing space utilization in all three dimensions and increasing the effective drying capacity.
2Volume of stationary object
If a circular drum is used, then the structure is simple, but the inner space is not effectively utilized
Solution Approach 1:
The asymmetrical drum cross-section is designed to match the rectangular geometry of the main body, creating a more efficient spatial fit. While the cross-sectional shape becomes asymmetrical, the overall structural complexity remains manageable through standardized manufacturing approaches for the drum shell and support components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs curved surfaces in the asymmetrical drum design (such as rounded corners and smooth transitions between flat and curved sections). These curved elements maintain ease of manufacturing while achieving better space utilization, as the rounded asymmetrical shape can still be produced using conventional forming techniques compared to sharp angular transitions.
3Productivity
If the drum rotates, then drying process continues, but a circular drum creates dead spaces at corners
Solution Approach 1:
The asymmetrical drum cross-section (such as D-shaped or rounded rectangular) is specifically designed to eliminate dead spaces in the corners of the rectangular main body. When this asymmetrical drum rotates, it maintains continuous contact with all wall surfaces including corner regions, ensuring that no dead spaces remain undrained and maximizing drying efficiency throughout the rotation cycle.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating asymmetrical drum dynamically adapts its position relative to the main body walls during rotation, ensuring continuous engagement with all surfaces. The dynamic rotation of the asymmetrical shape allows different portions of the drum surface to contact various wall regions at different times, effectively utilizing the entire inner volume for drying purposes.
Data Source
AI summary
A dryer is provided. The dryer may include a main body having an inner space formed therein, a support body arranged in the main body so as to form a frame of the main body, a flexible drum rotatably installed on the support body so as to have a non-circular cross-section as it is rotated, and rotation guides arranged between the support body and the flexible drum so as to guide rotation of the flexible drum. A distance from a center of rotation of an inscribed circle contacting the inner circumferential surface of the flexible drum to one random point on the inner circumferential surface of the flexible drum is greater than a distance from the center of rotation of the inscribed circle to another point on the inscribed circle such that the drum maintains a non-circular cross section.