Non-Circular Washer Drum Geometry for Higher Laundry Capacity
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional laundry treatment apparatuses have limited capacity due to the size of their drums, restricting the amount of laundry that can be treated.
Innovation Solution
A laundry treatment apparatus with a drum having a cross-section that forms a simple closed curve with varying distances from the rotational axis, allowing for a larger capacity without exceeding 1.2 times the minimum distance, and incorporating a resilient or bendable material for rotation, potentially elliptical or including straight sections not exceeding 10% of the circumference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the drum size is increased to accommodate more laundry, then the treatment capacity is improved, but the cabinet dimensions would need to be enlarged which increases the device footprint
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the conventional circular drum cross-section into an elliptical or oval shape, utilizing the vertical dimension more effectively. This dimensional change allows the drum to accommodate more laundry volume while maintaining the same horizontal cabinet footprint, as the elliptical cross-section optimizes space utilization in the vertical direction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs an elliptical or oval cross-sectional shape for the drum instead of a circular one. This curved geometric transformation increases the internal volume capacity of the drum while keeping the external dimensions constrained, allowing greater laundry capacity within the same cabinet space.
2Quantity of substance
If the drum cross-section is changed to increase capacity, then the laundry treatment capacity is improved, but the rotation efficiency and air flow may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the elliptical cross-section parameters, specifically controlling the radius of curvature to be within 1.2 times the minimum distance between the rotational axis and the drum surface. This parameter control ensures that the drum maintains efficient rotation characteristics and proper air flow patterns while achieving increased laundry capacity through the elliptical shape.
Data Source
AI summary
A laundry treatment apparatus is provided comprising a cabinet having a prescribed shape; a supporter provided in the cabinet; a drum configured to rotate and provided on the supporter, the supporter supporting a circumferential portion of the drum, a cross section of the drum being a simple closed curve where first distance between a rotational axis of the drum and a first location on an inner surface of the drum is different from second distance between the rotational axis of the drum and a second location on the inner surface of the drum; and a motor to rotate the drum.