Snap-In Lid Hinge Design to Reduce Laundry Appliance Assembly Time
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional hinges for laundry treating appliances require multiple fasteners and are complex to install, making them cumbersome and time-consuming to set up.
Innovation Solution
A simplified hinge design with a housing and bracket system that uses fewer fasteners and a hook mechanism for secure attachment to the shroud, allowing easy installation and reduced force requirements for opening and closing the lid.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional hinges are used for laundry treating appliances, then the lid can be securely attached to the shroud, but the installation becomes complex and requires multiple fasteners
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the hinge body and mounting bracket into a single integrated component. The hinge includes a body portion with a mounting bracket that is formed as one piece, eliminating the need for separate fasteners and simplifying installation while maintaining secure attachment to the shroud
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge body includes an integrated mounting bracket with features that self-align and self-secure to the shroud. The bracket has a configuration that allows it to engage with the shroud aperture and secure itself without requiring additional fastening operations, making the hinge self-installing
2Reliability
If traditional hinges with multiple fasteners are used, then secure attachment is achieved, but installation time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge body and mounting bracket are merged into a single integrated component. This eliminates multiple fastening steps and reduces installation time while maintaining secure attachment through the integrated bracket design that engages with the shroud aperture in one operation
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting bracket is pre-formed as an integral part of the hinge body during manufacturing. The bracket includes pre-configured engagement features that are ready to engage with the shroud aperture, eliminating the need for on-site assembly of multiple fasteners and reducing installation time
Data Source
AI summary
A laundry treating appliance with a shroud having an access opening, a lid for opening and closing the access opening and a hinge coupled to the shroud. The hinge has a housing having a portion received by an aperture in the shroud. The housing also has a first end comprising a mouth adapted to couple with the shroud. The hinge further has a bracket that has a first end connected to the lid and a second end fastened to the housing and the bracket is received in the aperture in the shroud.