Laundry treating appliance with a non-encapsulated glass lid
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vertical-axis, top-loading washing machines face challenges in adopting transparent lids due to the need to pass the UL 746C ball drop test, which has prevented the widespread use of transparent glass lids without encapsulating the edge, increasing manufacturing complexity and cost.
Innovation Solution
A non-encapsulated glass lid assembly with a 4-6 mm thick glass panel, featuring a hinge and latch bonded to the glass, and applying frit, edge treatment, or strengthening methods such as heat or chemical strengthening to enhance impact resistance, allowing the lid to pass the ball drop test without additional edge encapsulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a single panel of glass is used for the transparent lid, then the aesthetic design and viewing capability are improved, but the lid cannot pass the ball drop test without encapsulation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different treatments to different regions of the glass lid. The peripheral edge receives edge treatment (such as strengthening or coating) while the central viewing area remains clear and untreated. This localized differentiation allows the edge to meet impact resistance requirements while maintaining overall transparency for aesthetic and viewing purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structure by applying frit (glass-based coating) or other edge treatments to the glass panel edges. This combines the transparency of glass with the protective properties of the edge treatment, achieving both viewing capability and impact resistance without full encapsulation.
2Strength
If the edge of the glass panel is encapsulated, then the impact resistance is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of encapsulating the entire glass panel edge with complex multi-layer structures, the patent applies localized edge treatment only to the peripheral region. This simplified approach provides the necessary impact resistance while avoiding the manufacturing complexity of full encapsulation, reducing both production steps and costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the encapsulation requirement from the entire glass panel and applies protection only where needed - at the vulnerable peripheral edge. This selective approach removes unnecessary complexity from the manufacturing process while maintaining the essential safety function.
3Strength
If a thicker glass panel is used, then the ball drop test is passed, but the weight and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent concentrates the strengthening treatment at the peripheral edge where impact forces are most concentrated during the ball drop test. This allows the use of thinner glass overall while maintaining passability of the impact test, thereby reducing weight compared to using uniformly thick glass throughout.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical or chemical parameters of the glass at the edge through heat strengthening, chemical strengthening, or frit application. This modifies the local strength characteristics to withstand impact forces without requiring increased thickness, thus maintaining lower weight.
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 simplifies manufacturing and reduces costs by enabling the use of thinner glass lids that can withstand the ball drop test and applied forces, while maintaining aesthetic design, and can be applied to various laundry treating appliances.
Implementation Method 1
a hinge bonded to the glass panel and hingedly connecting the glass panel to the cabinet
Implementation Method 2
a frit applied to the glass panel at least along the non-encapsulated portion
Implementation Method 3
an edge treatment applied to the peripheral edge at least along non-encapsulated portion
Implementation Method 4
at least one of a heat or chemical strengthening applied to the glass panel
Implementation Method 5
at least one of a heat or chemical strengthening applied to the glass panel
Implementation Method 6
a latch bonded to the glass panel
Data Source
AI summary
A vertical axis laundry treating appliance having a non-encapsulated lid comprising a single panel of glass that is able to pass the UL 746C ball drop test. Non-encapsulated glass lids according to embodiments of the disclosure simplify part and assembly complexity compared to encapsulated glass lids.