Top-loading laundry washing machine
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high production costs and aesthetic issues associated with the manual coupling of the muffler assembly in top-loading laundry washing machines, which complicates the assembly process and makes the overflow opening visibly unsightly.
Innovation Solution
A redesigned overflow assembly featuring an upwards-extending overflow duct and a tubular member that channels excess water from the hopper to the casing, minimizing noise and hiding the overflow opening, with a hiding member that allows water to bypass it, reducing noise propagation and improving aesthetics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a discrete muffler assembly is manually coupled to the hopper, then noise reduction is achieved, but production costs increase and assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The overflow duct is integrally formed with the hopper body as a single piece, eliminating the need for separate muffler assemblies and manual coupling operations. This merging of components reduces production costs by eliminating additional parts and assembly steps while maintaining the noise reduction function through the integrated duct design.
Solution Approach 2:
The hopper is designed with multi-functionality by integrating the overflow duct directly into its structure. The hopper simultaneously serves as both the water collection container and the noise-reducing overflow channel, eliminating the need for dedicated muffler components while achieving both water drainage and noise reduction functions.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a discrete muffler assembly is manually coupled to the hopper, then noise reduction is achieved, but assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The overflow duct and hopper are merged into a single integral component, eliminating the need for manual coupling operations. This reduces assembly complexity by removing additional assembly steps and the need for separate muffler assemblies, while the integrated design maintains effective noise reduction through the duct's structural configuration.
3Productivity
If a large pass-through opening is provided for overflow, then water drainage efficiency is improved, but aesthetic appearance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The overflow duct extends vertically upward from the hopper in a third dimension, allowing the overflow opening to be positioned at the top of the duct rather than on the lateral wall. This dimensional change enables effective water drainage through the vertical duct while hiding the opening from lateral view, thereby maintaining aesthetic appearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The vertical overflow duct acts as an intermediary element that channels water from the hopper's lateral overflow opening to the top of the duct. This mediator allows the actual drainage function to occur through the duct's interior while the exterior appearance remains clean and aesthetically pleasing, as the opening is not directly visible from the side.
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
The solution effectively drains excess water silently and hides the overflow opening, reducing noise and production costs while maintaining efficient operation.
Implementation Method 1
an upwards-extending overflow duct which is located on a sidewall of said hopper, so that a lower mouth of the overflow duct is located roughly on the perimeter edge/rim of the lower mouth of the hopper and that an upper mouth of the overflow duct is located on the outer face of the same sidewall of the hopper, spaced above the lower mouth of hopper
Implementation Method 2
an outwards-extending, tubular member which is associated to the upper mouth of the overflow duct so as protrude from the sidewall of the hopper towards the facing wall of the casing, forming an extension of said overflow duct
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 2
Figure 4
AI summary
A laundry washing machine (1) comprising: a boxlike casing (2) structured for resting on the floor; a substantially vertically-oriented, hopper (3) which is located on the top wall of said casing (2); a washing tub (4) which is arranged inside the casing (2) beneath the hopper (3), and is superiorly provided with a large access opening (5) that directly communicates with a lower mouth of the hopper (3) for allowing insertion and extraction of the laundry in/from the washing tub (4) via said hopper (3); and an overflow assembly (30) for draining out of the hopper (3) the exceeding water; said overflow assembly (30) comprising: an upwards-extending overflow duct (32) which is located on a sidewall (31) of said hopper (3), so that a lower mouth (32a) of the overflow duct (32) is located roughly on the perimeter edge/rim of the lower mouth of the hopper (3) and that an upper mouth (32b) of the overflow duct (32) is located on the outer face of the same sidewall (31) of the hopper (3), spaced above the lower mouth of hopper (3); and an outwards-extending, tubular member (33) which is associated to the upper mouth (32b) of the overflow duct (32) so as protrude from the sidewall (31) of the hopper (3) towards the facing wall of the casing (2), forming an extension of said overflow duct (32).