Laundry treatment machine
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laundry treatment machines have limited design flexibility and aesthetic appeal, with door components often requiring customization for different machine models, leading to increased manufacturing costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A modular door design comprising a closure portion and a finishing portion, where the handle is fixed to the finishing portion, allowing the closure portion to be used across various machine designs while only the handle and finishing portion need to be customized, reducing manufacturing complexity and costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If door components are customized for different machine models, then aesthetic appeal and design flexibility are improved, but manufacturing costs and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The door assembly is divided into distinct functional modules: a closure portion (front and rear frames) that provides structural function, and a finishing portion that provides aesthetic function. This segmentation allows each module to be manufactured independently and assembled together, reducing overall manufacturing complexity while maintaining design flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure portion is designed as a universal component that can be used across multiple machine models, while only the finishing portion needs to be customized for different aesthetic requirements. This universality reduces the number of parts that need to be manufactured and stored, simplifying the supply chain and manufacturing processes.
2Adaptability or versatility
If door components are customized for different machine models, then aesthetic appeal is improved, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the door into closure and finishing portions, the patent enables standardized mass production of the closure portion while allowing cost-effective customization of only the finishing portion for different aesthetic requirements, thereby reducing overall manufacturing costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different quality levels to different parts: the closure portion uses standardized, cost-effective design for functional requirements, while the finishing portion allows for aesthetic customization only where visually apparent, optimizing the balance between cost and appearance.
3Device complexity
If the handle is integrated into the closure portion, then structural simplicity is improved, but design flexibility and aesthetic customization are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The handle is specifically assigned to the finishing portion rather than being integrated into the closure portion. This segmentation allows the handle design to be customized along with the finishing portion for different aesthetic requirements, while the closure portion maintains its simple, standardized structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The handle is positioned in the finishing portion where aesthetic customization is most valuable to users, allowing local differentiation without complicating the overall structural design of the door assembly.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Laundry treatment machine (2), comprising a casing (6) and a laundry treatment chamber arranged in said casing (6) for receiving laundry, said casing (6) comprising an opening (28) which grants access to said laundry treatment chamber, said laundry treatment machine (2) further comprising a door (24), wherein said door comprises a closure portion (72) having the function of closing said opening (28), said closure portion (72) being mounted to said casing (6); a finishing portion (74) associated with said closure portion (72); a movable handle (32) having the function of keeping said door (24) in the closed position when not actuated and to release said door (24) from said closed position when actuated, whereby said handle (32) is arranged on said finishing portion (74).