Laundry Appliance User Interface Activation Based on Door Position

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Laundry treating appliances often have user interfaces that are active when the door is open, leading to potential safety hazards and increased standby power usage, as they can initiate cycles unintentionally.

Innovation Solution

A laundry treating appliance with a controller that determines the position of the door and activates the user interface only when the door is closed or moving towards a closed position, ensuring the interface is inactive until the door is fully closed, thereby preventing unintended cycle starts and reducing power consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the user interface is active when the door is open, then the user can easily access and operate the interface, but safety hazards increase and unintended cycles may start

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser interface accessibilityVSAvoidsafety

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The user interface dynamically changes its operational state based on door position. When the door is closed, the interface becomes active and responsive to user input. When the door is open, the interface automatically becomes inactive and ignores input signals. This dynamic adaptation allows the interface to be easily accessible during normal operation while preventing unsafe operation when the door is open.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If the user interface remains active continuously, then the user can operate the appliance at any time, but power consumption increases due to standby mode

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinterface availabilityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The user interface operates in periodic cycles rather than continuously. It activates only during specific periods when the door is closed and enters a low-power or inactive state when the door is open. This periodic operation maintains interface availability when needed while significantly reducing power consumption during periods when the appliance cannot be operated anyway.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Reliability

If the controller continuously monitors door position to control the user interface, then safety and energy efficiency are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety controlVSAvoidcontroller functionality

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The controller performs multiple functions: it monitors door position, determines whether the appliance can be operated, and controls the user interface activation state. By consolidating these related functions into a single controller component, the system achieves improved safety and energy efficiency without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS10373770B2Laundry treating appliance and method of operation for a laundry treating appliance

Publication Date: 2019.08.06 WHIRLPOOL CORP

AI summary

A laundry treating appliance having at least one automatic cycle of operation, a plurality of components selectively operable by a controller to implement the at least one cycle of operation on a load of laundry received within a treating chamber of the appliance with the controller having a user interface for receiving input from a user and a door for closing an open face of the treating chamber.