Washing Machine Filter Unit with Lever-Operated Drain Passage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing washing machine filter units are not designed for easy and convenient draining of residual liquid, often requiring complex operations such as multiple-turn rotations of small caps or bayonet locks, which can lead to user inconvenience and inefficient water discharge.
Innovation Solution
A filter unit with a swivel-mounted lever element that opens and closes a drain passage, allowing for easy water drainage without multiple-turn rotations, and a handle element for convenient handling, along with a closing mechanism like a ball valve or plug for secure sealing, facilitating controlled water flow and easy cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a small screw cap or bayonet lock is used to close the drain passage, then the drain passage can be sealed, but the operation becomes complex and inconvenient requiring multiple-turn rotations
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a conventional screw cap or lock mechanism that requires rotation to open/close, the invention uses a lever element that pivots between positions. The lever element with ball head inverts the traditional operation method by using a simple pivot motion rather than rotation, making the drain passage easy to open and close while maintaining reliable sealing when closed.
2Reliability
If a threaded small cap is used to close the drain passage, then the drain passage can be sealed, but multiple-turn rotations are required which reduces efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the threaded rotation mechanism with a lever element that pivots between open and closed positions. This inversion of the operation method eliminates the need for multiple-turn rotations, significantly improving drainage efficiency while the ball head provides reliable sealing when the lever is in the closed position.
3Reliability
If the cap is designed for secure closure, then the filter unit can be properly assembled, but the drainage operation becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The invention simplifies the closure mechanism by inverting from a complex threaded or locked cap system to a simple lever element with ball head that pivots between positions. The ball head provides secure sealing when closed, while the lever mechanism itself becomes the simple operating element, reducing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the sealing function from a complex cap mechanism and concentrates it in the ball head of the lever element. This separation allows the closure security to be provided by the simple ball-and-socket sealing action rather than a complex threaded or locked mechanism, reducing device complexity while maintaining reliability.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6~7
AI summary
The invention relates to a filter unit for a household appliance, in particular for a washing machine, and a household appliance comprising such a filter unit. The filter unit (1, 1a) comprises a filter receiving body (2), a filter opening (30) in the filter receiving body (2), a cap (3) for closing the filter opening, a drain passage (4) passing through the cap (3), a closing means (5) for closing the drain passage (4) and a swivel-mounted lever element (6) in connection or in operative connection with the closing means (5) for opening and closing the closing means.