Polyhedral Lint Filter Assembly for Front-Access Washer Dryers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face inconvenience when laundry is completed in separate washing and drying machines, as they need to move the laundry to a dryer, and there is a growing need for effective lint filtration during the drying function in combined washing machines with drying capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A filter assembly with a polyhedron filter housing and filters on multiple surfaces, connected to a handle for easy removal from the washing machine's front surface, is integrated into the washing machine, allowing for efficient lint filtration and easy access for maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a filter assembly is integrated into the washing machine for lint filtration, then lint filtration performance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filter assembly is designed as a separate, modular unit that can be independently installed and removed from the washing machine. This segmentation allows the filtration function to be added without integrating it into the core washing mechanism, thus improving lint filtration performance while minimizing impact on overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter assembly acts as an intermediary component between the drying function and the lint collection system. It provides a dedicated interface for lint filtration without requiring modifications to the existing washing machine structure, thereby improving filtration effectiveness while maintaining relatively simple device architecture.
2Reliability
If filters are disposed on multiple surfaces of the filter housing, then lint filtration effectiveness is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filter housing is divided into multiple surfaces, each equipped with its own filter element. This segmentation of the filtration function across multiple surfaces allows each filter to handle specific airflow paths, improving overall lint filtration effectiveness while enabling standardized manufacturing of individual filter components.
Solution Approach 2:
The polyhedral filter housing design with filters on multiple surfaces creates a multi-functional filtration system that can handle airflow from different directions. This universal design approach improves lint capture effectiveness across various operating conditions while using repetitive manufacturing patterns that can be produced efficiently.
3Ease of operation
If the filter assembly is made accessible through the front surface for easy removal, then ease of maintenance is improved, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The filter assembly is extracted as a removable unit that can be easily accessed through the front surface of the washing machine. This extraction design allows users to remove and clean the filter without disassembling internal components, significantly improving ease of maintenance while the modular nature keeps the added structural complexity manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The front-accessible filter assembly is designed for user-friendly self-service maintenance. The simple removal mechanism through the front surface enables users to clean and maintain the filter without requiring technical expertise or special tools, improving ease of operation while maintaining relatively simple structural design.
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 filter assembly effectively filters lint and can be easily pulled out for cleaning, addressing the need for improved lint management in washing machines with drying functions, enhancing user convenience and maintenance accessibility.
Implementation Method 1
filters disposed on at least three different surfaces forming different faces of the filter housing to filter the air received by the filter housing
Data Source
AI summary
A washing machine is disclosed. The present washing machine comprises: a main body; a tub provided inside the main body; an inflow duct in through which air discharged from the tub flows; a heat exchange duct connected to the inflow duct; a discharge duct for connecting the heat exchange duct and the tub, and discharging, to the tub, the air discharged from the heat exchange duct; and a filter assembly disposed between the inflow duct and the heat exchange duct, wherein the filter assembly includes: a polyhedral filter housing receiving the air from the inflow duct; filters arranged at at least three sides of the filter housing; and a knob member connected to the filter housing, and exposed to the outside of the main body through an opening formed at the front of the main body.