Movable Jaw Door Lock for Dryer Emergency Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing door lock devices for electric household appliances, such as dryers, are costly, complex, and unreliable in ensuring door closure while also allowing emergency opening, particularly to prevent accidental trapping of children.
Innovation Solution
A door lock device with a frame-mounted striker mechanism comprising movable jaws driven by elastic means and guiding slots, allowing the jaws to separate perpendicular to the latch's rotation plane for emergency release, enabling the door to open by traction on the latch from inside.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional door lock devices are used to ensure secure closure, then reliability of door locking is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The striker means are segmented into a pair of opposite jaws that can move independently against elastic bias. Each jaw carries a tooth that engages with the latch, allowing the locking function to be divided into separate movable components rather than a single rigid striker, simplifying the overall mechanism while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The jaws are made movable rather than fixed, allowing them to separate in response to traction on the latch. This dynamic capability enables the same structure to serve both secure locking (when jaws are closed) and emergency release (when jaws separate), eliminating the need for complex separate emergency release mechanisms
2Adaptability or versatility
If emergency release mechanism is added to allow door opening from inside, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The movable jaws serve dual functions: they provide secure locking engagement during normal operation and enable emergency release when separated by latch traction. This multi-functionality is achieved without adding separate emergency release components, as the same elastic-biased jaw mechanism handles both locking and release scenarios
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic means automatically bias the jaws toward the closed locked position, and the guiding means automatically allow jaw separation when latch traction is applied. The system self-regulates between locked and released states without requiring external control mechanisms, simplifying the overall device architecture
3Ease of manufacture
If movable jaws with elastic means are used, then ease of manufacture is improved, but device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic means are housed within housing seats formed in the frame, nesting the elastic components within the existing structural boundaries. The guiding means are integrated into the frame structure, allowing the movable jaws and elastic components to be contained within a compact volume without requiring additional external space
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 cost-effective, compact, and reliable door lock device that ensures secure closure while allowing easy emergency opening without the need for large or complex mechanisms, ensuring safety and operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a pair of opposite jaws carried by the frame adjacent to each other and movable against the bias of elastic means
Data Source
AI summary
A door lock device for an electric household appliance with movable latch, in particular a dryer, where the latch is carried by the door of the electric household appliance rotating on a plane, normally perpendicular to a door rotation axis, including a frame carried in use by the casing of the electric household appliance and provided with striker means for the latch; where the striker means are obtained on a pair of opposite jaws carried by the frame adjacent to each other and movable against the bias of elastic means and where the frame is provided with guiding means for the jaws adapted to cause the jaws to be driven apart from each other in response to a traction exerted in use on the latch, said elastic means and guiding means being arranged so that the movement of the jaws occurs on a plane arranged perpendicular in use to the rotation plane of the latch.