Towel heating device

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Solution Overview

Problem

Towel heating barrels in related art lack sufficient rigidity due to flexible folding parts, leading to issues such as wall collapse or deformation when towels are placed inside.

Innovation Solution

A towel heating device with two body members and a foldable assembly that includes a flexible wrapping member and support members, where the support members have greater hardness than the wrapping member, distributed along the folding direction to maintain rigidity and prevent collapse while allowing folding.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the folding part is made entirely flexible to enable folding, then the foldability is improved, but the rigidity becomes insufficient causing wall collapse or deformation

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovefoldabilityVSAvoidrigidity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by making different parts of the folding assembly have different properties: the flexible wrapping member remains flexible while support members embedded within it have greater hardness. This allows the folding assembly to have both flexible regions (for bending) and rigid regions (for structural support), resolving the contradiction between foldability and rigidity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses composite materials by combining the flexible wrapping member with support members that have greater hardness. This composite structure allows the folding assembly to exhibit both flexibility (from the wrapping member) and rigidity (from the support members), simultaneously achieving foldability and preventing wall collapse.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Strength

If support members are added to increase rigidity, then the structural integrity is improved, but the flexibility for folding may be reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidflexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses the flexible wrapping member as a flexible shell that encases the support members. This flexible shell allows the overall assembly to bend and fold while the internal support members maintain structural integrity, resolving the contradiction between rigidity and flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies nesting by embedding support members within the flexible wrapping member. The support members are enclosed within the flexible material, allowing the outer flexible layer to provide bendability while the inner rigid elements provide structural support, achieving both flexibility and rigidity simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentUS12557946B2Towel heating device

Publication Date: 2026.02.24 GUANGZHOU HANSONG TUOJIANG TECHNOLOGY CO LTD

AI summary

A towel heating device includes two body members, a foldable assembly, and a heating assembly. The two body members are arranged opposite to each other. A direction of a movement of the two body members close to or away from each other is defined as a folding/unfolding direction. The foldable assembly includes a flexible wrapping member and a plurality of support members. The flexible wrapping member is connected to the two body members. The support members are encased in the flexible wrapping member. A hardness of the support members is greater than a hardness of the flexible wrapping member. The support members are distributed along the folding/unfolding direction. A folding gap is defined between adjacent support members. The flexible wrapping member is bendable at the folding gap. The heating assembly is distributed on at least one of the foldable assembly and the two body members.