Drain Pump Filter Head Feedback for Leak-Safe Washer Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face difficulty in determining if the pump filter in a washing machine's drain pump is fully fastened, leading to potential water leaks due to the lack of clear indication of proper insertion.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a pump filter head with a first and second head that rotate separately, generating a sound and tactile feedback through protrusion parts to indicate proper fastening, along with an elastic member to maintain distance and a sealing member to prevent leaks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the pump filter is made detachable for easy maintenance, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to potential improper installation and water leaks
Solution Approach 1:
The pump filter head includes a sound generation mechanism that produces audible feedback when the pump filter is properly installed. The protrusion parts on the first and second heads make contact during rotation to generate sound, providing users with clear feedback that the filter is correctly assembled, thus resolving the reliability issue while maintaining ease of maintenance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses tactile and auditory feedback instead of visual indicators. The protrusion parts create mechanical contact that generates sound and resistance, allowing users to sense proper installation through touch and hearing rather than visual confirmation
2Ease of operation
If the pump filter head is designed with separate rotating first and second heads, then ease of operation is improved for user recognition, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pump filter head is divided into a first head and a second head that can rotate separately. This segmentation allows the second head to rotate relative to the first head, creating protrusion contact that generates audible and tactile feedback for user recognition, while keeping each segment relatively simple in structure
Solution Approach 2:
The second head is designed to rotate dynamically relative to the first head during installation. This dynamic movement creates the protrusion contact that generates sound and tactile feedback, allowing users to recognize proper installation through motion-based interaction rather than static indicators
Data Source
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AI summary
A washing machine (1) includes: a cabinet (10); a tub (20); a pump case (110) provided so as to drain washing water; a pump filter (160) that filters foreign substances in washing water and is able to be detached from the pump case (110); and a pump filter head (140) that is combined with one side of the pump filter (160) and causes the pump filter (160) to rotate, wherein the pump filter head (140) includes: a first head (143) having a first state in which the first head (143) is engaged with one side of the pump case (110) and is combined with the pump case (110) and a second state in which the first head (143) is released from the pump case (110); and a second head (142) that is positioned at front of the first head (143) and is rotatable separately from the first head (143) in the first state. A user can recognize whether the pump filter (160) is fully fastened to the pump case (110).