Integrated Laundry Door Handle for Simpler Door Assembly

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The existing production methods for door handles of clothes treating apparatuses result in increased material costs and decreased productivity due to the separate production and assembly of the door handle, which complicates the manufacturing process.

Innovation Solution

The door handle is integrated into the door structure, featuring a cover frame with a protrusion portion and a recessed portion on the cover panel to form a receiving space for the user's hand, eliminating the need for separate production and assembly.

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 material costs increase and productivity decreases due to additional assembly processes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing process simplicityVSAvoiddoor assembly productivity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The door handle is merged with the door body to form an integral 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 simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining productivity.

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 material costs increase due to production of the door handle

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing process simplicityVSAvoidmaterial cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The door handle is merged with the door body to form an integral 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 simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining productivity.

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 productivity decreases according to addition of processes for assembly of the door handle to the door

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing process simplicityVSAvoiddoor assembly productivity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The door handle is merged with the door body to form an integral 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 simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3875670A1Clothes treating apparatus having a door
Publication Date: 2021.09.08 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP3875670A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3875670A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3875670A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention is directed to a clothes treating apparatus comprising a main body (10); a laundry insertion opening (16 )formed on a front surface of the main body (10); and a door (100) arranged to open and close the laundry insertion opening, wherein the door comprises a cover member (130) defining an external appearance of the door, and wherein the cover member (130) comprises: a cover frame (140); a cover panel (150) coupled to a front surface of the cover frame (140); and a hand receiving portion (170) coupled to the cover frame (140) and the cover panel (150) to form a door handle (160), wherein the cover panel (150) includes a recessed portion (158) that is recessed at a portion of the front surface of the cover panel (150), and wherein the hand receiving portion (170) comprises a sidewall (172) and a support protrusion (176) protruding from an outer surface of the sidewall (172).