Laundry Drawer Magnetic Sensing for Door and Tilt Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional drawer-type laundry treating apparatuses require multiple sensors to detect the drawer's insertion into the cabinet, door opening, and object presence on the top face, leading to complexity and instability due to center of gravity shifts during drawer withdrawal, which can cause tilting.
Innovation Solution
A laundry treating apparatus utilizing a single magnetic field sensor and generator system, combined with a lever mechanism and contact body, to detect the drawer's position and object presence, ensuring safe operation and preventing door interference during drawer withdrawal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are used to detect drawer insertion, door opening, and object presence, then detection accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple detection functions (drawer insertion detection, door opening detection, and object presence detection) into a single magnetic field sensor. The sensor detects the position of a magnet attached to the drawer assembly, which changes based on drawer insertion state, door position, and cabinet load conditions, thereby eliminating the need for multiple separate sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The magnetic field sensor is designed to perform multiple detection functions simultaneously. By monitoring the position of the magnet on the drawer assembly, the same sensor can determine drawer insertion status, door opening state, and whether an object is placed on the cabinet top, making it a universal detection component for multiple conditions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the drawer is made retractable for laundry treatment, then laundry treatment capability is improved, but stability deteriorates due to center of gravity shift
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a counterweight mechanism that moves in opposition to the drawer assembly when it is pulled out. This counterweight compensates for the shift in center of gravity caused by the retractable drawer, thereby maintaining the overall stability of the cabinet structure during laundry treatment operations.
3Ease of operation
If the drawer is withdrawn for operation, then ease of operation is improved, but harmful factors increase due to door interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a preliminary anti-action mechanism where the door is prevented from interfering with the drawer before the interference can occur. A door pressing portion or limiting structure is provided that restricts the door's movement range, ensuring that even when the drawer is fully withdrawn, the door cannot contact or interfere with the drawer assembly, thereby eliminating the harmful interference in advance.
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
Enables efficient detection of drawer insertion, door status, and object presence using a single sensor, maintaining stability and preventing tilting, while allowing for safe and reliable operation of the apparatus.
Implementation Method 1
a magnetic field generator fixed to the free end of the lever body to generate a magnetic field; a magnetic field sensor disposed on the drawer to sense the magnetic field generated from the magnetic field generator
Data Source
AI summary
The present application proposes a laundry treating apparatus comprising: a cabinet; a drawer; a drum; a laundry inlet; a housing; a lever body; a body pressing portion; a magnetic field generator; a magnetic field sensor; a contact body; a slide wherein when an object contacts the contact body, the slide moves the free end of the lever body so that a distance between the magnetic field generator and the magnetic field sensor is equal to or smaller than a reference distance; and a door pivotably mounted on the top face of the drawer or a top face of the tub, wherein when the door pivots in a direction of opening the laundry inlet while the drawer is inserted into the cabinet, the door presses the body pressing portion such that a distance between the magnetic field generator and the magnetic field sensor is larger than the reference distance.