Laundry treating apparatus comprising a door

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Solution Overview

Problem

Laundry treating apparatuses face challenges in maximizing interior space utilization, providing easy access to information, and ensuring user-friendly operation, particularly in terms of control panel design and door configuration.

Innovation Solution

The apparatus features a control panel with a sloped front side and a door with an outer frame projected outside the cabinet, allowing for enhanced fabrication flexibility and improved user interaction, along with a drawer panel and display positioned to optimize space and visibility.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the control panel is arranged on the cabinet with a projected control panel body, then the degrees of freedom of fabrication is improved and space utilization is enhanced, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedegrees of freedom of fabricationVSAvoidcontrol panel structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control panel is divided into a control panel body that projects forward from the cabinet and a separate front plate, allowing independent fabrication and assembly. This segmentation enables flexible positioning and styling while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through modular construction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The control panel body is positioned in three-dimensional space by projecting it forward from the cabinet surface, utilizing the depth dimension. This spatial arrangement enhances visibility and accessibility of controls while allowing the rear portion to remain integrated with the cabinet structure, balancing complexity and versatility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of operation

If the front side of the control panel body is sloped to face upward, then ease of operation is improved by minimizing wrist strain, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser operation comfortVSAvoidsloped surface fabrication
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The control panel body incorporates a sloped front side with a specific angle orientation that optimizes ergonomics for user interaction. This parameter modification improves operational comfort by aligning the control surface with natural hand and wrist positioning, while the slope angle is designed to achieve ergonomic benefits without requiring ultra-precise manufacturing tolerances.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If the door outer frame is projected outside the cabinet, then adaptability of product configuration is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduct configuration flexibilityVSAvoiddoor structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The door assembly is segmented into an outer frame that projects beyond the cabinet boundaries and the main door structure. This separation allows the outer frame to serve as a decorative or functional element that can be independently designed and configured, enhancing product adaptability while keeping the overall door mechanism relatively simple through modular assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The projected outer frame of the door serves multiple functions: it provides structural support, enables various door configuration options, and can accommodate different handle or locking mechanism arrangements. This multi-functionality increases product adaptability without proportionally increasing complexity, as the same basic projected structure supports multiple design variations.

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

Data Source

PatentEP3561172B1Laundry treating apparatus comprising a door
Publication Date: 2024.10.30 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP3561172B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3561172B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3561172B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a laundry treating apparatus (1) including a cabinet (10) having a laundry opening (110) formed therein, a door (20) mounted to the cabinet (10) for opening/closing the laundry opening (110), and a control panel (30) arranged at the cabinet (10), wherein the control panel (30) includes a control panel body (310) projected forward from a front plate (105), and a front side of the control panel body (310) is sloped to face upward, thereby permitting to enhance utilization of the inside space of the cabinet (10), the user to notice information on the control panel displays easily, and to operate the control panel (30) easily. The laundry treating apparatus (1) includes a door (20), which has an outer frame (220) forming an exterior appearance of the door (2), whereby a hand grip (220C) is formed at an outside circumference of the outer frame (220).