Laundry treating appliance having a stain treating station
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional laundry treating appliances often fail to completely remove stubborn stains during the wash cycle, necessitating manual pre-treatment by users.
Innovation Solution
A laundry treating appliance with a rotatable treating chamber, a dispenser for treating chemistry, and a dedicated stain treating station that allows for user-controlled application of water and treating chemistry, enabling effective pre-treatment of stains without the need for an external sink or additional space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional washing machine with pre-programmed cycles is used, then the washing process is simple and automated, but stubborn stains cannot be effectively removed
Solution Approach 1:
The washing machine is segmented into distinct functional zones: a main washing chamber for general laundry treatment and a separate stain treating station for targeted stain removal. This segmentation allows each zone to be optimized for its specific function, enabling effective stain treatment without compromising the simplicity of the overall washing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The stain treating station enables preliminary action by allowing users to apply treating chemistry and water directly to stains before the main wash cycle. This pre-treatment step addresses stubborn stains proactively, ensuring they are removed more effectively during the subsequent washing process.
2Reliability
If manual pre-treatment of stains is performed externally, then stain removal effectiveness improves, but additional space and resources are required
Solution Approach 1:
The stain treating station merges the functions of water supply, treating chemistry dispensing, and stain treatment into a single integrated unit within the washing machine. This consolidation eliminates the need for external sinks or separate pre-treatment areas, providing effective manual stain treatment while utilizing the existing appliance footprint.
Solution Approach 2:
The stain treating station serves multiple functions: it provides water for wetting stains, dispenses treating chemistry, and facilitates mechanical treatment of stains. This multi-functionality replaces what would traditionally require separate external tools and spaces, achieving comprehensive stain treatment capability within the appliance itself.
3Area of stationary object
If a stain treating station is integrated into the washing machine, then space efficiency improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The stain treating station is nested within the existing washing machine structure, utilizing available space efficiently. The station integrates with the machine's housing and shares structural elements with the main chamber, allowing compact incorporation without requiring additional external space or dramatically increasing overall complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The stain treating station is designed to be user-operable with simple controls that interface with the existing machine控制系统. Users can independently control water flow and chemistry dispensing for stain treatment without complex automation, maintaining ease of use while integrating additional functionality into the appliance.
Data Source
AI summary
A laundry treating appliance includes a chassis defining an interior. A rotatable treating chamber is located within the interior. The laundry treating appliance further includes a dispenser fluidly coupled to the treating chamber. A stain treating station is carried by the chassis at a location spaced from the dispenser.