Dual-Space Laundry Machine Airflow Housing for Simpler Drying Assembly
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional laundry machines lack enhanced laundering efficiency and an improved overall exterior appearance, with existing designs often complicating assembly and increasing material costs.
Innovation Solution
A laundry machine with a cabinet partitioned into a main washing space and an auxiliary washing space, featuring an air supply unit with a detachable housing, fan, and heating part, which supplies heated air downward to the auxiliary space for efficient drying and treatment, while preventing water ingress and simplifying assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional laundry machine designs are used, then the structure is simple, but the laundering efficiency is not enhanced and exterior appearance is not improved
Solution Approach 1:
The cabinet is partitioned into a first space for main washing treatment and a second space for auxiliary washing treatment, allowing simultaneous operation of different washing functions to enhance productivity without significantly complicating the overall structure
Solution Approach 2:
The air supply unit is designed to serve multiple functions: it supplies air to the second space, heats air when needed, and its housing serves as both a structural component and a protective enclosure, thereby improving functionality without proportional increase in complexity
2Ease of manufacture
If multiple separate components are used for air supply, heating, and fan functions, then each component can be optimized independently, but assembly complexity increases and material costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The housing integrates multiple functions into a single component: it serves as the air supply chamber, contains the heating element, houses the fan motor, and provides structural support, thereby simplifying assembly while maintaining the air supply functionality needed for efficient laundry treatment
Solution Approach 2:
The housing is designed as a multi-functional component that simultaneously performs structural support, air containment, heating housing, and fan mounting functions, reducing the total number of parts and assembly steps while enabling the air supply unit to perform multiple washing assistance functions
3Device complexity
If the housing is made as a single integrated piece, then assembly is simplified, but water ingress protection becomes more difficult to implement
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into an upper housing and a lower housing that can be assembled together, allowing integration of water preventing parts at the junction between the two sections to prevent water ingress while maintaining assembly simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
Water preventing parts are introduced as intermediary elements between the upper and lower housing sections, acting as seals or barriers that prevent water ingress at the joint without complicating the overall housing structure or assembly process
4Volume of moving object
If the motor is positioned underneath the housing for compact design, then space is efficiently used, but water access to the motor increases
Solution Approach 1:
Water access preventing parts are positioned between the water source and the motor to block water paths while allowing the motor to remain in its space-efficient location underneath the housing, thus protecting the motor without requiring relocation
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 enhances laundering efficiency by providing well-distributed airflow and reducing assembly complexity, while improving the machine's exterior appearance and safety through a single partition and efficient use of space, ensuring effective treatment of laundry items.
Implementation Method 1
a air supply unit provided in a bottom surface of the first space, the air supply unit selectively heating air inside the cabinet and supplying air downward to the second space
Implementation Method 2
the air supply unit comprises a single housing, a fan and a heating part, the fan and the heating part provided in the housing
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A laundry machine includes a first laundry treatment space (12) configured to receive laundry therein, a second laundry treatment space (14) configured to receive laundry therein and an air supply unit (40) configured to supply air to the second laundry treatment space (14), the air supply unit (40) comprising a fan, a heater and a housing, and wherein the housing accommodates the fan, the heater, an inlet and an outlet.