Washing and/or drying appliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
The assembly of washing and/or drying appliances is complex, particularly due to the difficulty in attaching non-linearly shaped walls, such as the rear wall, to the basement, which requires simultaneous holding and fastening, prolonging assembly time and increasing the need for specialized training.
Innovation Solution
A pivot and seat mechanism is introduced, allowing the rear wall to swing around a perpendicular axis, enabling separate operations of positioning and fastening, simplifying the assembly process by allowing the wall to be temporarily supported by gravity during attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional fastening methods are used to secure the rear wall to the basement, then the wall can be firmly fixed, but the assembly process becomes complex and time-consuming as operators must simultaneously hold and fasten the wall
Solution Approach 1:
The pivot is pre-installed on the basement before the rear wall is positioned. This preliminary preparation allows the rear wall to be swung into place and automatically engage with the pivot, eliminating the need for operators to simultaneously hold and fasten the wall during assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
A pivot mechanism is introduced as an intermediary element between the rear wall and the basement. The pivot acts as a mediator that facilitates the connection process, allowing the rear wall to be securely attached through a simple swinging motion rather than requiring complex simultaneous holding and fastening operations.
2Reliability
If operators attempt to fasten non-linearly shaped rear walls to the basement, then secure fixation can be achieved, but assembly time increases significantly due to the need for simultaneous holding and fastening
Solution Approach 1:
The pivot is pre-positioned on the basement, and the rear wall is designed with a corresponding mounting structure that aligns with the pivot. This preliminary configuration allows the wall to be quickly swung into place and secured, eliminating time-consuming simultaneous holding and fastening operations even for non-linearly shaped walls.
Solution Approach 2:
The pivot serves as an intermediary mechanism that simplifies the attachment process for non-linearly shaped rear walls. By providing a fixed rotation point, the pivot enables operators to simply swing the wall into position and secure it, rather than requiring complex coordination of holding and fastening operations.
3Reliability
If traditional fastening methods are used, then the rear wall can be securely attached, but unexperienced personnel require extensive training and trial-and-error to achieve proper assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The pivot is pre-installed on the basement in a fixed position, and the rear wall is designed with corresponding alignment features. This preliminary preparation creates a self-guiding assembly process where unexperienced personnel can simply swing the wall into place and secure it, eliminating the need for extensive training or trial-and-error.
Solution Approach 2:
The pivot mechanism acts as an intermediary that guides the assembly process for unexperienced personnel. The fixed pivot point provides a clear reference for positioning the rear wall, making the attachment process intuitive and eliminating the need for complex coordination or extensive training.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the rear wall is designed with non-linear geometrical shapes to house components, then functional requirements are met, but the difficulty of fastening the wall to the basement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pivot serves as an intermediary that decouples the fastening operation from the complex non-linear geometry of the rear wall. The pivot provides a simple fixed point for attachment, allowing the wall's edge geometry to be optimized for housing components without increasing fastening difficulty.
Solution Approach 2:
The pivot is pre-positioned on the basement, and the rear wall is designed with a mounting structure that aligns with the pivot. This preliminary configuration allows the wall's non-linear edges to be optimized for component housing while maintaining simple fastening through the pivot mechanism.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~2a
Figure 3~3a
AI summary
The invention relates to a washing and/or drying appliance (1), comprising - A casing (10) including a first and second side walls (2c, 2d), a front wall (2a) and a rear wall (2b), said rear wall (2b) including a lower edge (7), and a basement (3) defining a basement plane (X,Y) and supporting said rear wall (2b), - A washing and/or drying chamber (6) apt to contain the laundry to be washed and/or dried, said chamber (6) being located within said casing (10), - Wherein one of said basement (3) and said rear wall (2b) includes a pivot (70) and the other of said basement (3) and said rear wall (2b) includes a seat (71) housing said pivot (70), said pivot (70) defining an axis of rotation (H) for said rear wall (2b) substantially perpendicular to said basement plane (X,Y), so that said rear wall (2b) is apt to swing around said axis of rotation (H) from a first semi-assembled position where it is connected to said basement (3) substantially only by said pivot (70) to a second assembled position where said lower edge (7) is facing said basement (3).