Laundry treating machine

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional laundry treating machines face challenges in simplicity and efficiency of assembly, particularly when changing the rotational direction of the door, which requires fabricating new hinge parts, increasing production costs and time.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves a design where the hinge parts can be repositioned to change the door's rotational direction without the need for new parts, allowing for efficient assembly and reduced production costs by utilizing existing hinge parts in different configurations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If new hinge parts are fabricated to change the door's rotational direction, then the door can be connected in different orientations, but the fabrication complexity and production cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedoor rotational directionVSAvoidhinge part fabrication
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The hinge part is designed with universal functionality to accommodate multiple door rotational directions. The hinge includes a hinge body with a hinge axis and a hinge arm that can be positioned in different locations, allowing the same hinge part to function for both left-handed and right-handed door openings without requiring different hinge designs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The hinge part incorporates adjustable elements that allow dynamic reconfiguration. The hinge arm's position can be changed relative to the hinge body, enabling the hinge to adapt to different door rotational requirements while maintaining the same basic hinge structure, thus avoiding the need to fabricate entirely new hinge parts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If new hinge parts are fabricated to change the door's rotational direction, then the door can open in different directions, but the production time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedoor opening directionVSAvoidproduction time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The hinge part is designed with universal functionality to accommodate multiple door rotational directions. The hinge includes a hinge body with a hinge axis and a hinge arm that can be positioned in different locations, allowing the same hinge part to function for both left-handed and right-handed door openings without requiring different hinge designs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The hinge part is pre-designed with multiple mounting positions and configurations built into its structure. This preliminary design allows the hinge to be quickly installed in different orientations during assembly without requiring additional fabrication steps, thereby reducing production time while maintaining versatility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If the hinge part is designed with adjustable positions, then the assembly process is simplified, but the hinge part structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly efficiencyVSAvoidhinge part structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The hinge part is divided into distinct functional segments: a hinge body containing the hinge axis, and a hinge arm with positioning features. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured separately using standard processes, then assembled together. The modular structure simplifies the overall assembly process while the internal complexity of each segment remains manageable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The hinge part incorporates adjustable elements that allow dynamic reconfiguration. The hinge arm's position can be changed relative to the hinge body, enabling the hinge to adapt to different door rotational requirements while maintaining the same basic hinge structure, thus avoiding the need to fabricate entirely new hinge parts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2392721B1Laundry treating machine
Publication Date: 2020.11.11 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP2392721B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2392721B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2392721B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A laundry treating machine is disclosed. A laundry treating machine includes a cabinet comprising an accommodating space formed therein to accommodate laundry, a door rotatably coupled to a front surface of the cabinet, an air supply device for supplying air or heated air to the accommodating space, and first and second hinge parts, the first hinge part selectively provided in one of two couples of diagonally opposite front corners of the cabinet and the second hinge part provided in the other one.