Additional Rear Foot Layout for Low-Cost Appliance Transport Rollers
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high manufacturing costs of transport rollers in household appliances due to the use of high-quality materials and complex designs, which also affect stability and longevity, need to be reduced without compromising functionality.
Innovation Solution
A household appliance design featuring an additional rear appliance foot between the transport roller and the front appliance foot, allowing the transport roller to bear minimal weight during normal operation, enabling the use of less stable and less expensive materials for the roller, and integrating the roller and bearing axle as a single, rigid support element with a common frame for cost savings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high-quality materials and complex designs are used for transport rollers, then stability and longevity are improved, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the transport roller load-bearing only during transport (temporary state) rather than continuously. The roller is designed to bear the full load during moving/positioning operations, then transitions to a non-load-bearing state during normal appliance operation. This dynamic load distribution allows using less expensive materials that can handle intermittent heavy loads but would be over-engineered for continuous use, thereby reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining reliability during critical transport phases.
2Stability of the object's composition
If transport rollers are designed in several pieces with high-quality materials, then stability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the support function into two distinct components: the transport roller and the additional support foot. The transport roller is designed as a simple, inexpensive component that handles only transport operations, while the additional support foot (arranged at the rear of the appliance) provides continuous support during normal operation. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function, reducing the complexity and material requirements of the transport roller while maintaining overall stability.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the transport roller bears the full weight during normal operation, then stability is maintained, but manufacturing costs and material requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary component - the additional support foot - that shares the load-bearing function during normal operation. This additional foot acts as a mediator between the appliance body and the floor, taking over the continuous support role. Consequently, the transport roller is relieved of continuous load-bearing duties and only engages when transport operations are needed, allowing the use of less expensive materials that would be insufficient for continuous heavy loading but adequate for intermittent transport use.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a household appliance comprising at least one front foot that projects downwards in the vicinity of the front face of the household appliance and at least one transport roller that protrudes downwards in the vicinity of the rear face of the household appliance. The invention is characterised in that at least one rear foot is situated between the transport roller or rollers and the front foot or feet, said rear foot projecting to a greater depth than the transport roller.