Towel maintenance device

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing towel warmers inefficiently heat and dry towels due to limited heat transfer to the towel's surface and poor vapor discharge, requiring excessive time and energy, and lack effective space utilization and safety features.

Innovation Solution

A towel maintenance device that uses a heat transfer plate with heated air supplied through an upward flow route, allowing heat transfer via convection and conduction, and includes a cover body for vapor discharge and safety features like a temperature-sensing stopping device to prevent user injury.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If a towel covers the cover of the towel warmer, then the towel can be warmed, but vapor generated during drying cannot be smoothly discharged, requiring much time and energy

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetowel warming capabilityVSAvoidenergy consumption for drying

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The vapor discharge function is extracted and separated from the heating function. A dedicated exhaust port and air circulation system are provided to remove vapor generated during towel drying, preventing moisture accumulation and reducing drying time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The air circulation system operates continuously to maintain a flow of fresh air through the heating chamber, continuously removing vapor as it is generated and maintaining efficient heat transfer throughout the drying process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

2Temperature

If heated air is supplied to a heat transfer plate in an upward flow route, then heat can be delivered to a towel based on convection and conduction, but flow loss occurs on the air supply route

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat transfer efficiency to towelVSAvoidflow loss in air supply route

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The air supply system is designed to minimize flow resistance and energy loss by optimizing the air passage geometry. The upward flow route is configured to maintain relatively uniform pressure distribution, reducing turbulent flow and energy dissipation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #12Equipotentiality

3Volume of moving object

If a drawer-type structure is used for the towel maintenance device, then space utilization can be improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespace utilization in bathroomVSAvoidstructural complexity of drawer mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The drawer body and heat transfer plate are merged into a single integrated assembly. This simplifies the overall structure by reducing the number of separate components while maintaining the space-saving drawer-type configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The drawer-type heat transfer plate serves multiple functions: it acts as the heating element support, the structural frame for the drawer assembly, and the mounting surface for the towel. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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

Rapid and efficient heating and drying of towels with reduced energy consumption, improved vapor discharge, and enhanced safety and space utilization through the use of a heat transfer plate and cover body with integrated safety mechanisms.

Implementation Method 1

heat is supplied to the object to be dried while air discharged from the staying space of the heat transfer plate passes through the object to be dried held on the heat transfer plate or flows around the object to be dried, thereby allowing heat to be delivered to the object to be dried based on convection of the air

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentUS11793366B2Towel maintenance device

Publication Date: 2023.10.24 LG ELECTRONICS INC

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to a towel maintenance device for storing and keeping a towel and for heating and drying the towel stored and kept therein. The towel maintenance device—provides a structure in which heated air flows in a first staying space formed in a heat transfer plate and heats the heat transfer plate, thereby allowing a textile product such as a towel and the like in contact with the heat transfer plate to be heated based on thermal conduction, and the heated air discharged through a communicating hole of the heat transfer plate is discharged while passing through the textile product such as a towel and the like or flows around the textile product such as a towel and the like, thereby allowing the product to be dried to be heated based on convection. The towel maintenance device according to the present disclosure enables entire objects to be dried to be rapidly heated and dried.