Laundry Cabinet Air-Gap Insulation With Moving Hanger Drying

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional laundry treating apparatuses are inadequate for deodorizing and removing crumples due to clothes being in a crumpled state during rotation, and they often damage clothes with direct heat transmission, while also lacking effective thermal insulation.

Innovation Solution

A laundry treating apparatus with an outer and inner cabinet, a frame for securing the outer cabinet, a supply unit for hot air or steam, and an air gap forming portion to create space between the cabinets for improved insulation and reduced heat transfer, along with a moving hanger to prevent entanglement and enhance drying, deodorizing, and sterilizing efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a drum is used to hold and rotate clothes during treatment, then the apparatus can process clothes, but the clothes remain in a crumpled state which reduces deodorizing and crumple removal effectiveness

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeodorizing and crumple removal effectivenessVSAvoidclothes state (crumpled vs. spread)

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of rotating clothes in a drum as in conventional apparatus, this invention inverts the approach by suspending clothes vertically on a hanger and rotating the hanger horizontally. This inversion allows clothes to hang freely in a spread state rather than being compressed in a drum, enabling effective deodorizing and crumple removal while maintaining productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Productivity

If a heater directly transmits heat to clothes, then drying and sterilizing can be achieved, but clothes are liable to be damaged

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrying and sterilizing performanceVSAvoidclothes damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

This invention introduces air as an intermediary medium between the heater and clothes. The heater heats the air inside the treatment chamber, and the heated air then contacts the clothes suspended on the hanger. This indirect heat transmission through air prevents direct thermal damage to clothes while still achieving effective drying and sterilizing, maintaining productivity without causing harmful effects.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of manufacture

If the apparatus structure allows direct contact between inner and outer cabinets, then manufacturing is simpler, but thermal insulation performance is poor

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural simplicityVSAvoidthermal insulation performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

This invention segments the cabinet structure by introducing an inner cabinet and outer cabinet as separate components with an air gap between them. The air gap acts as a thermal insulation layer, preventing direct thermal contact. This segmentation maintains ease of manufacture through modular assembly while significantly improving thermal insulation performance and reducing energy loss.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Volume of moving object

If clothes are processed in a compact drum space, then the apparatus size is reduced, but thermal insulation between inside and outside is difficult to achieve

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveapparatus sizeVSAvoidthermal insulation effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

This invention utilizes the vertical dimension by suspending clothes on a hanger that extends upward, rather than confining clothes to a horizontal drum plane. The treatment chamber is designed with vertical space utilization, allowing the inner cabinet to extend vertically. This dimensional change enables effective thermal insulation through the air gap between inner and outer cabinets while maintaining a compact overall apparatus volume.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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 apparatus effectively dries, deodorizes, and sterilizes clothes without damaging them, reduces power consumption, and improves thermal insulation, leading to enhanced performance and protection of clothing items.

Implementation Method 1

the air gap forming portion is configured to form an air gap between the inner cabinet and the outer cabinet

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Implementation Method 2

a supply unit portion for supplying hot air or steam to an inside of the inner cabinet

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Data Source

PatentUS10400384B2Laundry treating apparatus

Publication Date: 2019.09.03 LG ELECTRONICS INC

AI summary

The present invention relates to a laundry treating apparatus which can facilitate clothes drying, deodorizing, crumple-removing and sterilizing, thereby preventing the clothes from damage and providing them with improved thermal insulation.