Laundry Drum Deflector Structure to Keep Clothes Off the Bellows
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional laundry appliances face challenges in preventing clothing from contacting the bellows, which can lead to noise and operational issues during loading and unloading, and often require specific door designs that limit versatility.
Innovation Solution
A deflector is integrated into the laundry appliance, extending along the perimeter of the aperture and into the drum, with a deeper bottom portion and sloping sides to guide laundry away from the bellows, allowing for various door configurations such as flat panel or sliding glass doors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a conventional bellows structure is used without a deflector, then the structure is simple, but clothing contacts the bellows causing noise and operational issues
Solution Approach 1:
A deflector is introduced as an intermediary component between the bellows and the loading aperture. The deflector extends into the drum interior over the bellows, creating a barrier that prevents clothing from directly contacting the bellows during loading and unloading operations, thereby eliminating noise and operational issues while maintaining structural simplicity
2Object-affected harmful factors
If specific door designs are required to prevent clothing contact, then clothing contact is prevented, but door configuration versatility is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The function of preventing clothing contact with the bellows is extracted from the door structure and transferred to a separate deflector component. This allows the door to be designed independently without functional constraints, enabling various door configurations such as flat panel doors, sliding glass doors, or swing doors while the deflector continuously performs the protective function
Data Source
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AI summary
A laundry appliance (10) includes a cabinet (14) defining an aperture (18) in a front surface (22) thereof. A drum (26) is disposed within the cabinet (14). The drum (26) defines an access opening (62) that aligns with the aperture (18). A door (30) is coupled to the cabinet (14) and is operable between closed and opened positions relative to the aperture (18). A bellows (34) extends along a perimeter of the aperture (18) and proximate the access opening (62). A deflector (38) extends along at least a portion of the perimeter of the aperture (18). The deflector (38) extends into an interior (42) of the drum (26) over the bellows (38).