Laundry Clamp Lever With Guideway for Faster Loading
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Solution Overview
Problem
The handling of large items of laundry into existing clamps is complicated and time-consuming due to the manual introduction of sections into the clamp mouth, requiring precise guidance.
Innovation Solution
A clamp with a clamping lever configured as an insertion aid featuring a guidance means, such as an obliquely ascending guideway, facilitates the directed insertion of laundry sections into the clamp mouth, reducing the need for precise alignment and allowing easy movement along the guidance means for effortless loading.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual introduction of laundry sections into clamp mouth is used, then the clamp can hold and transport laundry, but the handling becomes complicated and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a guideway as an intermediary element between the operator and the clamp mouth. This guideway provides a predefined insertion path that guides the laundry section into the clamp mouth, eliminating the need for precise manual alignment and significantly simplifying the loading operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The guideway is designed to automatically guide the laundry section into the correct position within the clamp mouth through its geometric configuration. The system serves itself by using the shape and orientation of the guideway to perform the alignment function that would otherwise require skilled manual operation, thereby reducing operator skill requirements and increasing loading speed.
2Manufacturing precision
If precise guidance is required for manual insertion, then the clamp mouth can be properly loaded, but operator dexterity and concentration are heavily demanded
Solution Approach 1:
The guideway acts as a mechanical intermediary that enforces precise insertion geometry. Its fixed shape and orientation ensure that any laundry section placed upon it will be guided along the correct path into the clamp mouth, thereby guaranteeing insertion accuracy while removing the burden of precision alignment from the operator.
Solution Approach 2:
The guideway is pre-configured with the exact geometric parameters needed for correct insertion. By preparing the guidance path in advance and fixing it to the clamp assembly, the system eliminates the need for the operator to perform precision alignment during the loading process, thereby maintaining high insertion accuracy while reducing skill requirements.
3Ease of operation
If the guideway extends obliquely from below the clamp housing to the clamp mouth, then the target area is enlarged and insertion is facilitated, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guideway is merged with the clamping lever assembly, forming an integrated structure. The guideway is positioned on the clamping lever and moves together with it during operation. This combination eliminates the need for separate guideway mounting mechanisms and reduces the overall number of components, thereby facilitating easy loading while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamping lever is given multiple functions: it provides the clamping action through its movement and simultaneously serves as the mounting structure for the guideway. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional dedicated components for guidance, thereby simplifying the overall device structure while still providing the enlarged target area and facilitated insertion benefits.
Data Source
AI summary
A clamp for feeding items of laundry to a laundry treatment machine that can be easily actuated and that can enhance performance and reliability when items of laundry are fed, for example, to a mangle or the like, by configuring at least one clamping element of the clamp as a clamping lever having an insertion aid with a guideway for the sliding insertion of a section of the item of laundry into a clamp mouth.