Laundry treating apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in laundry treating apparatuses is aligning a circular front glass to a door frame without visible alignment structures, as glass does not allow for mechanical objects like pins or hooks, and adhesive application methods are variable, requiring a method to reduce adhesive usage and prolong hardening time.
Innovation Solution
A laundry treating apparatus with a door frame and front glass where the front glass has a transparent region corresponding to the opening, an opaque region, and a transparent align mark to guide attachment, using an adhesive applied in a divided manner along a ring-shaped adhesive filling groove to minimize usage and prolong hardening time, with a mounting guide to support the glass and protect it from external impacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a mechanical object (pin, hook) is used to guide attachment position, then alignment precision is improved, but it cannot be formed on glass due to glass characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical alignment objects (pins, hooks) with optical alignment marks that can be visually detected through the transparent glass. The align mark is formed on the glass surface and corresponds to an align guide on the door frame, allowing alignment without mechanical protrusions into the glass material.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary alignment mark layer on the glass surface that mediates between the glass and the door frame alignment system. This align mark serves as a visual intermediary that guides the attachment process without requiring mechanical modifications to the glass itself.
2Reliability
If adhesive is applied in large amount, then attachment reliability is improved, but hardening time increases and adhesive usage is excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the adhesive application into controlled portions using a ring-shaped adhesive filling groove. The groove is positioned between the mounting guide and the front glass, allowing adhesive to be applied in a structured manner that ensures adequate coverage without excessive quantity, thereby maintaining attachment reliability while reducing hardening time.
3Manufacturing precision
If align structure is provided, then alignment precision is improved, but appearance is degraded due to visible alignment structures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the align mark on the front glass transparent, allowing it to be invisible or minimally visible from the outside while still serving its alignment function. The align guide on the door frame is positioned to correspond with the transparent region, ensuring the alignment structure does not compromise the aesthetic appearance of the door.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If mounting guide protrudes to enclose front glass, then protection from external impacts is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting guide structure serves multiple functions: it provides mechanical support for the front glass, guides the alignment process through its correspondence with the align guide, and protects the front glass from external impacts. By integrating these functions into a single structure, the patent reduces overall device complexity while maintaining comprehensive protection and alignment capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a laundry treating apparatus, comprising: a body having a laundry introduction opening; and a door configured to open and close the laundry introduction opening, wherein the door includes: a door frame rotatably coupled to the body, and having an opening which faces the laundry introduction opening in a closed state of the door; and a front glass attached to the door frame to thus form a front appearance of the door, and wherein the front glass includes: a transparent region corresponding to the opening; an opaque region formed to enclose the transparent region; and an align mark configured to guide an attachment position of the front glass to the door frame.