Input/output device
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing input/output devices for electronic appliances, such as laundry treatment apparatuses, require a wide installation space due to the separation of display and input devices, limiting design flexibility and space efficiency.
Innovation Solution
An input/output device configuration where the input device is rotatably coupled above the display device, with a signal generation unit and controller to enable control command selection and execution, allowing the input device to be located above the display surface while minimizing installation space through a translucent second housing that allows information visibility from the exterior.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the display device and input device are arranged separately in width or height directions, then the input/output device can be manufactured with conventional structures, but the installation space becomes large and design flexibility is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the display device and input device into a vertically integrated structure where the input device is positioned above the display device in the height direction. This consolidation reduces the horizontal width requirement while maintaining separate functional zones, thereby decreasing overall installation space without compromising manufacturing feasibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from horizontal separation (width direction) to vertical separation (height direction) of the display and input devices. By utilizing the vertical dimension, the design achieves compact horizontal footprint suitable for modern appliances while preserving the functional independence of each component.
2Area of stationary object
If the input device is located above the display surface, then the installation space is minimized, but it has been difficult to locate the input device above the display surface with conventional configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the housing into distinct portions: a first housing for the display device and a second housing for the input device. This segmentation allows each component to be independently designed and positioned, facilitating the vertical arrangement while managing structural complexity through modular construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The second housing serving the input device also functions as a structural support and positioning element for the entire assembly. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional supporting structures, thereby minimizing installation space while managing configuration complexity.
3Loss of information
If a translucent second housing is used, then information visibility from exterior is enabled, but the housing material options become more specific
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies translucency specifically to the second housing portion that requires information visibility, while other housing portions can use opaque materials. This localized application of material properties achieves the visibility function without requiring the entire housing structure to be made from specialized translucent materials, thereby easing manufacturing constraints.
Data Source
AI summary
An input/output device is provided. The input/output device may include an output device having a display surface, on which characters or symbols are displayed, a body rotatably provided above the display surface, a body through-hole formed in the body to allow the display surface to be visible from an outside of the body, a signal generation device configured to generate a control signal according to whether the body is rotated, and a controller configured to control the output device based on the control signal input from the signal generation device.