Movable Control Panel Layout for Easier Fluid Tank Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing household appliances with control panels and fluid tanks often compromise the visual appeal of the front design, and the process of filling or removing the tank can obstruct the user interface and collide with other components during operation.
Innovation Solution
A design where the control panel is pivotably arranged above the tank, allowing it to move from a rest position to an exposed position without colliding with other components, and is coupled with a housing that automatically adjusts to facilitate tank filling or removal, ensuring the user interface remains accessible and at a consistent angle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If the control panel is arranged at the upper edge of the front and made movable between rest and exposed positions, then the visual appearance of the front is improved and the user interface remains fully accessible, but the device complexity increases due to the movable arrangement
Solution Approach 1:
The control panel is made dynamically movable between a rest position (flush with the front) and an exposed position (pivoted forward), allowing it to adapt its spatial configuration based on operational needs. This dynamic capability enables the panel to maintain a clean visual appearance when not in use while providing full accessibility to all control elements during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The control panel is arranged in a movable manner at the upper edge of the front, allowing it to pivot or translate along a vertical or horizontal axis. This dimensional mobility enables the panel to move between a retracted state (improving visual appearance) and an extended state (improving accessibility), effectively utilizing spatial dimensions to resolve the contradiction.
2Ease of operation
If the control panel is made movable between rest and exposed positions, then the user interface remains fully accessible during operation, but the ease of operation decreases due to the additional movement mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The control panel's movable design allows it to be positioned dynamically between a rest position and an exposed position, ensuring that all user interface elements remain fully accessible during operation. The panel can be pivoted or translated to provide optimal viewing and interaction angles while maintaining a clean appearance when retracted.
Solution Approach 2:
The control panel is segmented from the main body of the appliance, allowing it to move independently between positions. This segmentation enables the panel to be optimized for user interaction in the exposed position while maintaining a sleek appearance in the rest position, without requiring the entire appliance structure to be complex.
3Reliability
If the control panel is arranged to pivot above the treatment room, then the control panel does not collide with open doors during transfer, but the device complexity increases due to the pivoting mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The control panel is arranged to pivot in an arc-shaped path above the treatment room rather than moving in a straight line. This dimensional change in the movement trajectory allows the panel to clear obstacles such as open doors during transfer, preventing collisions while maintaining a relatively simple pivoting mechanism centered at the upper edge of the front.
Solution Approach 2:
The control panel pivots to an exposed position above the treatment room before any filling or removal operations are performed. This preliminary positioning ensures that the panel is clear of potential collision paths with doors or other components throughout the subsequent operations, preventing conflicts before they can occur.
4Ease of operation
If the housing is coupled to automatically move during control panel transfer, then the ease of operation improves for tank filling and removal, but the device complexity increases due to the automatic coupling mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is coupled to the control panel assembly such that their movements are merged and coordinated. When the control panel pivots to the exposed position, the housing automatically follows the same motion path, ensuring that the tank filling and removal operations can be performed without manual intervention for positioning. This merging of movement mechanisms simplifies the overall operation while adding only one coupling connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing is designed to automatically move to the appropriate position during control panel transfer without requiring separate actuation or manual adjustment. The coupling mechanism enables the housing to serve itself by following the control panel's motion, automatically positioning itself for optimal tank access and filling operations.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~6
Figure 4a~4d
AI summary
The invention relates to a household appliance having a control panel (6) and a tank (8) for accommodating a fluid, said tank (8) comprising a fill opening (8.4) for filling said tank with fluid and being disposed behind the control panel (6) in the interior of the household appliance when in the operating position, characterized in that the control panel (6) is movable back and forth between a rest position in which the control panel (6) impedes access to the tank (8) or the fill opening (8.4) thereof located in the operating position and an exposed position in which the control panel (6) allows access.