Packaging Protrusions Secure Appliance Doors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Household appliances, particularly laundry treating machines, face damage during transportation due to accidental collisions and movable elements opening, which is time-consuming and inefficient to secure with adhesive tape, and adhesive strength is compromised by temperature changes.
Innovation Solution
A packaging kit with a base and angular members that cover the appliance's corners, featuring protrusions to secure movable elements in a closed position, made from materials like expanded polystyrene to prevent damage and made integral with the packaging for simplicity and effectiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If adhesive tape is used to secure movable elements during transportation, then the movable elements are prevented from opening, but the adhesive strength is compromised by temperature changes and the process is time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the adhesive tape system with a mechanical blocking system. Protrusions made of expanded polystyrene are positioned to physically block movable elements (doors, drawers) from opening during transportation. This mechanical approach eliminates the time-consuming application and removal of adhesive tape while providing reliable securing that is not affected by temperature changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses disposable expanded polystyrene protrusions that are easy to position and remove. These protrusions serve their protective function during transportation and are then discarded or reused, replacing the reusable but time-consuming adhesive tape system with a simple, efficient, single-use mechanical solution.
2Reliability
If adhesive tape is used to secure movable elements, then they remain closed during transportation, but the process becomes inefficient and adhesive strength decreases with temperature variations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes the adhesive-based securing system with a mechanical blocking system using expanded polystyrene protrusions. These protrusions are simply positioned to block movable elements, providing reliable closure maintenance during transportation without the inefficiencies of adhesive application and removal, thereby significantly improving packaging productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The packaging system is designed to be self-securing through the positioning of protrusions that automatically block movable elements when the packaging is assembled. This eliminates the need for manual adhesive application and provides reliable securing through the inherent mechanical structure, improving both efficiency and reliability.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional packaging without corner protection is used, then packaging simplicity is maintained, but the appliance corners are vulnerable to damage during transportation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the corner protection function with the movable element blocking function into a single integrated packaging structure. The expanded polystyrene protrusions serve dual purposes: protecting appliance corners from damage during transportation and blocking movable elements from opening. This integration maintains packaging simplicity while providing comprehensive protection against multiple harmful factors.
Solution Approach 2:
The packaging protrusions are designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: corner protection, movable element blocking, and structural support. This multi-functionality approach maintains packaging simplicity by using a single element type for multiple protective purposes, reducing the need for separate components and assembly steps.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a packaging (30) for a household appliance (1), in particular a laundry treating appliance. The packaging (30) includes a base (31) on which the appliance (1) is apt to be placed, and four angular members (33, 34, 35, 36) apt to cover four corners (6, 7, 8, 9) of the appliance, the four angular members extending from the base. One of the four angular members (33, 34, 35, 36) includes a protrusion (50, 60) apt to be positioned in front of a movable element (11) of the household appliance (1), the movable element (11) being located in one of a front surface (3), back surface (5) or lateral surfaces (4) of a casing (2) of the appliance (1) and being movable from an open to a closed positions, wherein a distance between a point of the movable element (11) and the front, back or lateral surface (3, 4, 5) in the closed position is different from a distance between the same point of the movable element (11) and the front, back or lateral surface (3, 4, 5) in the open position, the protrusion (50, 60) extending between two different angular members (33, 34, 35, 36), and including a surface apt to come into contact with the movable element of the household appliance to keep the movable element (11) in the closed position. The invention also relates to a kit comprising the packaging (30) and the household appliance (1).