Washer-Dryer Door Assembly for Accurate Spring Positioning

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing washer/dryer door mechanisms often suffer from spring damage during assembly, leading to difficulties in opening and closing the door, as the spring is not correctly positioned, resulting in improper function.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a guide with protrusions and alignment members on the inner and outer doors to ensure correct spring positioning during assembly, utilizing a spiral spring with legs and supports, and arms to guide the spring into place, and an alignment member to prevent incorrect alignment and potential damage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If the spring is not correctly positioned during assembly, then the assembly process is simple and fast, but the spring gets damaged and the door cannot function properly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespring positioning accuracyVSAvoidassembly structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The guide structure acts as an intermediary element between the spring and the door assembly. It provides a controlled path and positioning features that guide the spring into the correct position during assembly, preventing misalignment and damage without requiring high skill from the assembler

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The guide structure is pre-installed on the door before the spring is assembled. This preliminary action creates a prepared pathway and positioning references that ensure the spring will be correctly positioned when installed, preventing damage before it can occur

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If a guide structure is added to position the spring correctly, then the spring positioning accuracy improves, but the assembly structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedoor operation reliabilityVSAvoiddoor assembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The guide structure is merged with the existing door assembly components rather than being a separate add-on. The guide arms and positioning features are integrated into the door's structural elements, providing spring positioning functionality while maintaining a compact and unified assembly

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The guide structure is divided into separate functional elements (guide arms, positioning features, support structures) that can be independently manufactured and then assembled together. This segmentation allows for easier manufacturing and assembly while providing reliable spring positioning

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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

Ensures the spring is correctly positioned, preventing damage and allowing the door to open and close smoothly without user skill dependency, ensuring reliable operation.

Implementation Method 1

a spring mounted again on the pin... provides the hook spring to be positioned towards between the inner door and the outer door during assembly

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

The spring has a spiral that provides dampening and two legs that extend from the ends of the spiral

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDampening: Damping

Data Source

PatentEP2519681B1A washer/dryer comprising a door
Publication Date: 2013.11.13 ARCELIK AS
  • EP2519681B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2519681B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2519681B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The present invention relates to a washer/dryer (1) comprising a door (3) providing access into the body (2) in order to place the laundry therein, having a ring shaped inner door (5) forming the portion thereof facing inside the body (2), a ring shaped outer door (6) forming the portion thereof facing inside the body (2) and a locking mechanism (4) that provides the door (3) to be secured to the body (2) in the closed position and to be released by being actuated when desired to be opened.