Modular Laundry Basket System for Configurable Load Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Laundry treating appliances lack configurability to accommodate varying user needs for different laundry loads and preferences, such as separate treatment for delicate and rugged items, high or low mechanical energy, and different water levels, which limits their effectiveness and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A laundry treating system with a user-configurable design that includes a main basket and a removable basket assembly, allowing for three configurations: dual-basket, single-basket with a vertically oriented agitator post, and single-basket with a lower profile impeller, enabling customizable treatment options based on load characteristics and user preferences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a laundry treating appliance uses a fixed single-basket configuration, then the device complexity is low, but the adaptability to different laundry needs is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The laundry treating appliance is divided into separate modular components: a main basket and a removable secondary basket that can be independently configured. The secondary basket can be attached or detached based on laundry needs, allowing the system to adapt between single-basket and dual-basket configurations without permanently increasing structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The appliance configuration is made dynamic through removable coupling mechanisms that allow users to attach or detach the secondary basket and clothes mover. This enables the system to transition between different operational states (single-basket mode, dual-basket mode, or intermediate modes) based on real-time laundry requirements
2Adaptability or versatility
If a laundry treating appliance provides multiple fixed configurations, then the adaptability to different laundry needs is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to complex setup requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The appliance employs self-aligning coupling mechanisms where the secondary basket and clothes mover automatically position themselves when brought near the main basket. The coupling system includes alignment features and snap-fit connections that guide proper assembly without requiring precise manual positioning or complex adjustment procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The removable components are pre-configured with coupling features and alignment markers that prepare them for quick attachment. The secondary basket comes pre-assembled with its own clothes mover or coupling interface, eliminating the need for on-site configuration or complex assembly procedures during operation
3Adaptability or versatility
If a laundry treating appliance uses a single clothes mover, then the device complexity is low, but the adaptability to different mechanical energy requirements deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The main clothes mover is designed with universal coupling capabilities that can interface with different secondary clothes movers or operate alone. The coupling mechanism accepts various configurations (no secondary basket, secondary basket without clothes mover, or secondary basket with clothes mover), allowing a single primary mover to serve multiple functional roles across different operational modes
Data Source
AI summary
A laundry treating system includes a laundry treating appliance having a first basket for receiving a first laundry load and a first clothes mover disposed in the first basket. The laundry treating system is user configurable between first, second, and third configurations. A kit for customizing a laundry treating appliance can include a second clothes mover and a second basket configured to removably couple with the laundry treating appliance.