Single-Mast Garment Steamer with Eccentric Bar for Unobstructed Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing steam-generating household appliances with vertical masts hinder ironing by obstructing access to the back of garments and cause garments to crease when the steaming head applies pressure, and are often bulky and inefficient in design.
Innovation Solution
A steam-generating appliance with a single mast that can pivot and extend eccentrically, supporting a horizontal bar that can move from a working position to a storage position, allowing the hanger to pivot without contacting the mast, and featuring telescopic and adjustable components for improved ergonomics and compactness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a vertical mast is used to support the hanging bar, then the structure is simple and stable, but the mast obstructs access to the back of garments and causes creasing during ironing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the mast rotatable around its vertical axis. The mast can rotate between a working position where it is clear of the garment and a storage position where it aligns with the base. This dynamic movement resolves the contradiction by allowing the simple vertical mast structure to provide unobstructed access during ironing while maintaining structural simplicity.
2Ease of operation
If the hanging bar extends on both sides of the mast, then access to the garment is improved, but the device becomes bulky and loses compactness
Solution Approach 1:
The hanging bar is made movable relative to the mast through a rotation mechanism. In the working position, the bar extends horizontally on one side of the mast to provide clear access to the garment. In the storage position, the bar rotates to align with the mast, reducing the device's footprint. This dynamic reconfiguration resolves the contradiction between operational accessibility and compact storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes rotational movement around the vertical axis of the mast to reposition the hanging bar. By changing the orientation of the bar from horizontal (perpendicular to mast) to vertical (parallel to mast), the device transitions between working and storage configurations. This dimensional change allows the bar to extend sufficiently for ironing while minimizing the device's horizontal footprint during storage.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the bar is fixed rigidly to the mast, then the structure is simple and stable, but the bar cannot be repositioned for different ironing positions
Solution Approach 1:
The fixing mechanism incorporates a rotation joint that allows the bar to pivot relative to the mast. The joint includes locking means that enable the bar to be positioned at different angles and locked in place. This dynamic fixing mechanism provides adaptability for different ironing positions while maintaining structural stability during use, resolving the contradiction between versatility and simplicity.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
AI summary
Household appliance comprising a steam-generating base (1) connected by a steam duct (2) to a tool (3) for the vertical steaming of laundry, such as a steaming head, the appliance comprising at least one bar (5, 6) for hanging an article to be ironed, the bar (5, 6) being supported by a single mast (4) extending upwards from the base (1) and able to occupy a working position in which the bar (5, 6) is arranged transversely to the mast (4), characterized in that, in working position, the bar (5, 6) extends over a single side of the mast (4) and over a greater length at 25cm.