Laundry treating appliance having a hinge assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Laundry treating appliances often face challenges in providing a smooth and controlled lid operation, particularly in terms of soft closing and ease of opening, which can lead to accidental slamming or difficult manual operation, especially when dealing with varying lid materials and designs.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a hinge assembly with a damper system that includes a biasing element and a hydraulic or frictional damper to slow the lid's closure, combined with a hinge design that allows for compact integration and versatility across different lid types and materials, ensuring a soft-close function without requiring significant additional space or manufacturing complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a hinge assembly with damper system is implemented to slow lid closure, then soft closing function is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge assembly merges the hinge function and damper function into a single integrated unit. The damper is positioned to engage with the hinge mechanism, combining rotational support and damping control in one assembly, thereby reducing overall system complexity while achieving soft closing
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge assembly acts as an intermediary between the lid and the appliance body, incorporating the damper as a mediating element that controls the closing motion. The damper receives the lid's closing force and converts it to controlled damping action, providing soft closing without requiring direct integration of complex damping mechanisms
2Ease of manufacture
If a compact hinge design is used to reduce space requirements, then ease of manufacture is improved, but adaptability to different lid types is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge assembly is designed with universal mounting features and adjustable components that allow it to accommodate different lid types, sizes, and materials. The damper positioning mechanism can be adjusted to work with various lid configurations, providing both compact integration and broad adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge assembly is segmented into modular components including the hinge mechanism, damper unit, and mounting brackets. This segmentation allows for easy adjustment and reconfiguration to suit different lid types while maintaining a compact overall footprint, improving both manufacturability and versatility
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
The solution provides a user-friendly experience by facilitating easy lid opening and soft, controlled closure, reducing the risk of accidental slamming and enhancing the appliance's usability with various lid materials, while also offering design flexibility and cost savings through reduced material usage.
Implementation Method 1
a biasing element and a hydraulic or frictional damper
Implementation Method 2
a hydraulic or frictional damper to slow the lid's closure
Implementation Method 3
a hydraulic or frictional damper to slow the lid's closure
Data Source
AI summary
A laundry treating appliance for treating laundry items according to an automatic cycle of operation can include a cabinet defining an interior and having a top panel that at least partially defines an access opening to the interior. A lid is rotatable between a closed position and an opened position to selectively open or close the access opening. At least one hinge assembly couples the top panel with the lid. The at least one hinge assembly can include a lid hinge coupled to the lid and defining an axis of rotation of the lid. A hinge housing is coupled to the top panel and to the lid and configured to receive the lid hinge. A damper housing has a damper receiving portion, with a damper at least partially received within the damper receiving portion.