Push-Pull Door Locking Wheel for Washer Seal Under Pulling Force
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing door locking devices for domestic appliances, such as washing machines, often fail to ensure a proper seal, especially when subjected to high pulling forces during operation, and are either large in size or expensive to produce, making them unsuitable for existing machines without structural modifications.
Innovation Solution
A push-pull type locking device with a torsion spring-actuated locking wheel and a helical spring-actuated sliding bolt, integrated with an electromagnetic or thermal time-delay mechanism, which resolves forces into two components to maintain door closure even under high pulling forces, using a containment body made of thermoplastic material.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a known locking device with sliding bolt and oscillating wheel is used, then the door can be opened from inside the machine, but the device cannot guarantee proper sealing under high pulling forces
Solution Approach 1:
The locking wheel (3) is designed to oscillate between different positions dynamically. During normal operation, it assumes a retaining position that seals the door. When internal pressure builds up, the wheel automatically rotates to an opening position, allowing the door to open from inside. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between maintaining seal reliability and enabling internal opening.
Solution Approach 2:
The device changes the positional parameter of the locking wheel based on operational conditions. The wheel rotates between a first position (sealing mode) and a second position (opening mode), changing the geometric configuration to adapt to different force conditions. This parameter change allows the system to maintain reliability under normal conditions while enabling ease of operation when needed.
2Reliability
If locking devices are designed to guarantee proper seal under high pulling forces, then the device size increases or manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is segmented into distinct functional components: the locking wheel (3) for sealing, the sliding bolt (5) for lateral constraint, and the torsion spring (4) for actuation. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining sealing reliability under high pulling forces.
Solution Approach 2:
The oscillating locking wheel provides a dynamic solution that adapts to different force conditions, eliminating the need for oversized static components. The wheel's ability to rotate between positions allows a compact design to achieve the same sealing reliability that would require much larger devices in conventional static designs.
3Reliability
If locking devices are designed to guarantee proper seal under high pulling forces, then the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the locking mechanism into simple, standardized components (locking wheel, sliding bolt, torsion spring), each part can be manufactured using conventional, cost-effective processes. The segmented design avoids the need for expensive custom-machined components that would be required in integrated high-strength locking mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking wheel and sliding bolt are designed as simple, replaceable components made from inexpensive materials. Rather than using expensive, highly durable materials throughout the entire mechanism, the invention uses cost-effective materials for components that can be easily replaced if needed, reducing overall manufacturing cost while maintaining sealing reliability.
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 effectively prevents door opening during machine operation, even under intense force, while being compact and cost-effective, allowing easy retrofitting to existing washing machines without structural changes.
Implementation Method 1
a locking wheel (3) subject to the action of a torsion spring (4)
Implementation Method 2
a sliding bolt (5) subject to the action of a helical spring (6)
Implementation Method 3
comprise a time-delaying device of an electromagnetic or thermal type
Data Source
AI summary
The invention regards a locking device for the closing door of a washing and drying machine, constituted of a body of containment that houses a locking wheel for the door latch, subject to the action of elastic means, a sliding bolt capable of preventing the rotation of said wheel and a time-delay mechanism fitted with a locking pawl for said sliding bolt. The wheel is fitted with a cavity that presents a surface tilted with respect to the plane of rotation, so as to resolve the force it exerts on the bolt, when a pulling is exerted on the door while the device is in a closed and locked position.