Integrated Laundry Door Handle Structure to Cut Assembly Time

Solution Overview

Problem

The existing production methods for door handles of clothes treating apparatuses result in increased material costs and reduced productivity due to the separate production and assembly of the door handle with the door.

Innovation Solution

The door handle is integrated into the door structure, featuring a cover frame and cover panel with protrusion and recessed portions to form a hand-receiving portion, supported by ribs and hooks for secure assembly, reducing the need for separate production and assembly processes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the door handle is produced as a separate part to be assembled to the door, then the door handle can be independently manufactured and replaced, but the material costs increase and productivity deteriorates due to additional assembly processes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidproductivity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The door handle is merged with the door body to form an integrated structure. The cover frame and cover panel are formed as one piece with the door body through injection molding, eliminating the need for separate production and assembly of the door handle. This merging resolves the contradiction by maintaining ease of manufacture through integral forming while significantly improving productivity by removing assembly steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Ease of manufacture

If the door handle is produced as a separate part to be assembled to the door, then the door handle can be independently manufactured and replaced, but the material costs increase due to production of the door handle

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidmaterial costs

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The door handle is merged with the door body to form an integrated structure. The cover frame and cover panel are formed as one piece with the door body through injection molding, eliminating the need for separate production and assembly of the door handle. This merging resolves the contradiction by maintaining ease of manufacture through integral forming while significantly improving productivity by removing assembly steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of manufacture

If the door handle is produced as a separate part to be assembled to the door, then the door handle can be independently manufactured and replaced, but the assembly processes increase leading to reduced productivity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidassembly time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The door handle is merged with the door body to form an integrated structure. The cover frame and cover panel are formed as one piece with the door body through injection molding, eliminating the need for separate production and assembly of the door handle. This merging resolves the contradiction by maintaining ease of manufacture through integral forming while significantly improving productivity by removing assembly steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS9441395B2Door and clothes treating apparatus having the same

Publication Date: 2016.09.13 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

AI summary

A door having an improved structure in which the door is formed integrally with a door handle, and a clothes treating apparatus having the same. The clothes treating apparatus includes a main body, a laundry insertion opening formed on a front surface of the main body, and a door to open and close the laundry insertion opening. The door includes a holder member rotatably coupled to the front surface of the main body, a transparent member passing through and coupled to the holder member, and a cover member covering a front surface of the holder member to define an external appearance of the door. The cover member includes a cover frame provided in a shape corresponding to the holder member, a cover panel coupled to a front surface of the cover frame, and a door handle including a protrusion portion and a recessed portion.