Humidifier Disk Assembly with Integrated Handle for Easy Detachment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing humidifiers lack user convenience and assembly efficiency, particularly in detaching and reattaching the disk assembly, which can lead to issues like misplacement, jamming, and potential injury due to the absence of a handle for easy manipulation.

Innovation Solution

A humidifier design featuring a disk assembly with a disk handle cut from the driving disk for easy grasping, along with a symmetrically disposed rotation shaft and disk handles for improved handling and assembly, ensuring the disk assembly can be mounted in any direction, enhancing user convenience and assembly productivity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a disk assembly is used in a humidifier without a handle, then the structure remains simple, but it becomes difficult to detach and reattach the disk assembly, leading to user inconvenience and potential injury

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of detachmentVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A handle is introduced as an intermediary component between the user and the disk assembly. The handle serves as a mediator that enables easy grasping and manipulation of the disk assembly during detachment and reattachment operations, solving the problem of user inconvenience without significantly complicating the overall structure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The disk assembly is segmented into distinct functional parts: the driving disk, moisture disks, rotation shaft, and handle. This segmentation allows the handle to be added as a separate component that can be easily manufactured and assembled, improving ease of operation while maintaining reasonable structural complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If the disk assembly is made symmetric for multi-directional mounting, then assembly flexibility is improved, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemounting flexibilityVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

While the overall disk assembly is designed with symmetric characteristics for multi-directional mounting capability, the handle itself is positioned asymmetrically on the driving disk. This asymmetric positioning of the handle within a symmetric framework provides mounting flexibility while simplifying the manufacturing process compared to fully symmetric designs

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

3Ease of operation

If the disk assembly is made easier to detach with a handle, then user convenience is improved, but the risk of losing the disk or causing injury increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser convenienceVSAvoidrisk of loss or injury
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The handle is merged with the driving disk to form an integrated component rather than a separate detachable part. This merging ensures that when the disk assembly is detached, the handle remains attached to the driving disk, preventing loss of components and reducing the risk of injury from loose parts

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 design improves user convenience by allowing easy detachment and reattachment of the disk assembly, reducing the risk of damage and injury, and simplifies assembly, thereby enhancing the overall usability and reducing quality defects.

Implementation Method 1

a fan motor assembly mounted in the inner space of the case to forcibly blow air

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectForced Convection: Forced Convection

Implementation Method 2

a plurality of moisture disks for humidifying the suctioned air

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Data Source

PatentEP3009758B1humidifier
Publication Date: 2020.08.05 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP3009758B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3009758B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3009758B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is a humidifier. The humidifier includes a case having an inner space, a fan motor assembly mounted in the inner space of the case to forcibly blow air, a disk assembly rotatably mounted in the inner space of the case, the disk assembly including a plurality of moisture disks for humidifying the suctioned air and a driving disk for rotating the moisture disks, and a disk handle disposed on the driving disk, the disk handle being grasped for movement of the disk assembly.