Laundry treating apparatus comprising a door
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing laundry treating apparatuses face challenges in efficiently fastening the outer and inner frames without drilling holes, leading to increased costs and defective parts due to misalignment, and require additional members for sealing, which complicates the assembly and reduces the structural strength.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus employs an adhesive filling groove and overflow grooves on the outer frame, along with reinforcing ribs and hooks for interference fit, eliminating the need for fastening holes and additional sealing members, while enhancing the structural strength and assembly efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the number of fastening holes and screws is increased to support the heavy front glass, then the fastening force between the outer frame and inner frame is increased, but the manufacturing cost and working time are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening function is segmented into multiple ribs (first rib, second rib, third rib, fourth rib) distributed around the circumference of the outer frame. Each rib provides a portion of the total fastening force, eliminating the need for numerous screws while maintaining sufficient strength to support the heavy front glass.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical screw-fastening system is replaced with an elastic deformation-based fastening system. The ribs are elastically deformed during assembly to engage with the inner frame, providing fastening force through elastic recovery rather than mechanical threads, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process.
2Manufacturing precision
If the fastening holes between the outer frame and inner frame do not coincide with each other, then fastening is impossible, but rework is required and material cost is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening system transitions from a static, fixed-position hole alignment to a dynamic, flexible rib structure. The ribs can elastically deform to accommodate variations in positioning, allowing the inner frame to be engaged with the outer frame even when precise alignment is not achieved, thereby preventing material waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening mechanism changes from requiring precise positional parameters (hole coincidence) to accepting a range of positional variations. The elastic deformation capability of the ribs allows the system to function within a broader tolerance range, eliminating the need for rework when minor misalignments occur.
3Reliability
If additional sealing members are added between the outer frame and inner frame, then sealing is improved, but the assembly complexity and device complexity are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is merged with the fastening ribs. The same ribs that provide mechanical fastening also serve as sealing elements through their elastic deformation and contact with the inner frame, eliminating the need for separate sealing members and simplifying the overall assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The ribs are designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: mechanical fastening and sealing. This multi-functionality reduces the total number of components required in the assembly, thereby reducing both device complexity and assembly complexity while maintaining reliable sealing performance.
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
This solution provides a robust and cost-effective fastening mechanism that maintains a strong coupling force between the outer and inner frames without drilling holes, reduces assembly complexity, and enhances the structural integrity of the outer frame, even with heavy front glass loads.
Implementation Method 1
an adhesive filling groove provided on a front surface of the outer frame to fill an adhesive; a plurality of adhesive overflow grooves spaced apart from the adhesive filling groove on a front surface of the outer frame to accommodate an adhesive overflowing from the adhesive filling groove
Implementation Method 2
a reinforcing portion provided on a rear surface of the outer frame to reinforce the strength of the outer frame
Implementation Method 3
hooks for interference fit, eliminating the need for fastening holes and additional sealing members
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a laundry treating apparatus, including a main body (10) having a front panel (101) disposed with a laundry inlet port (102), and a laundry accommodating portion that accommodates laundry loaded through the laundry inlet port; and a door (12) rotatably provided on the front panel (101) to open and close the laundry inlet port, wherein the door includes an outer frame (14) provided with an opening portion (18), and disposed toward an outer side of the main body; a transparent front panel (20) attached to a front surface of the outer frame (14) to cover the opening portion (18); and an inner frame (19) coupled to a rear surface of the outer frame (14), and disposed toward an inner side of the main body, and the outer frame (14) includes an adhesive filling portion (43) provided on a front surface of the outer frame (14) to fill an adhesive for bonding the transparent front panel (20); a reinforcing portion (40, 41, 42) provided on a rear surface of the outer frame (14), and disposed to correspond to the adhesive filling portion (43) to reinforce the rigidity of the outer frame (14); a first hook (37) protruding from an outer circumference of the outer frame (14) toward an outer circumference of the inner frame (19) may be provided; along with a second hook (36) protruding from an outer circumference of the inner frame (19) toward the outer frame (14) to fasten the outer frame (14) and the inner frame (19) to each other by an interference fit, thereby enhancing a fastening force between the outer frame (14) and the inner frame (19).