Reciprocating Clothes Rack for Hanger-Based Fabric Treatment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing fabric treatment apparatuses, such as steamers and dryers, do not efficiently treat clothes on hangers while making it easy to hang and move the hangers for effective smoothing and drying.

Innovation Solution

A fabric treatment apparatus with a movable clothes rack driven by a motor-generated eccentric unit, converting rotational motion into reciprocal motion, combined with a heating unit that supplies hot air and steam for efficient treatment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If clothes are treated on hangers in a fabric treatment apparatus, then the efficiency of treating clothes is improved, but it becomes difficult to hang and move the hangers effectively

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveefficiency of treating clothesVSAvoidease of hanging and moving hangers
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The clothes rack is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to reciprocate between retracted and extended positions. This dynamic capability enables the rack to move easily for hanging clothes while maintaining treatment efficiency when in position, directly resolving the contradiction between treatment efficiency and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If the clothes rack is made movable to improve ease of operation, then hanging and moving hangers becomes easier, but the treatment efficiency may be reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of hanging and moving hangersVSAvoidefficiency of treating clothes
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The movable rack is equipped with a reciprocating mechanism that automatically moves it to the correct treatment position and maintains it there during the treatment process. This ensures that while the rack remains easy to operate (can be moved when needed), it also maintains high treatment efficiency by being precisely positioned and stable during operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Productivity

If a motor-driven eccentric unit is used to move the clothes rack reciprocally, then the efficiency of treating clothes is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveefficiency of treating clothesVSAvoidcomplexity of motor and eccentric unit
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A motor-driven eccentric unit is integrated into the clothes rack system to automatically reciprocate the rack between retracted and extended positions. This automated mechanism improves treatment efficiency by ensuring proper positioning and movement without manual intervention, accepting the trade-off of increased device complexity for significant gains in productivity and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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

Improves the efficiency of treating clothes on hangers by allowing the rack to move reciprocally within the apparatus, facilitating easier hanging and operation, while the heating unit enhances drying and smoothing processes.

Implementation Method 1

a heating unit which supplies at least one of hot air and steam into the treatment room

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHot air heating: Convection

Implementation Method 2

a heating unit which supplies at least one of hot air and steam into the treatment room

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSteam heating: Phase Change

Implementation Method 3

an eccentric unit which is rotated eccentrically by the rotational force generated by the motor; a contact unit which converts the rotating motion of the eccentric unit into a reciprocating motion

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEccentric rotation: Eccentric

Data Source

PatentEP2329073B1Fabric treatment apparatus
Publication Date: 2013.01.16 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP2329073B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2329073B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2329073B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

A fabric treatment apparatus is provided. The fabric treatment apparatus includes a treatment room which can receive and hold clothes; a motor which generates a rotational force; an eccentric unit which is rotated eccentrically by the rotational force generated by the motor; a contact unit which converts the rotating motion of the eccentric unit into a reciprocating motion; a clothes rack which is disposed in the treatment room and is coupled to the contact unit so as to move reciprocally in a linear path, and on which a number of hangers can be hung; and a heating unit which supplies at least one of hot air and steam into the treatment room.