What if LG made an Aroma Diffuser?
Disclaimer: This project was for educational purposes only and has no official association with LG.
Inspiration & Research
Product Analysis
Deconstructing a Better Homes & Garden Aroma Diffuser revealed a number of key things about the basic build of a diffuser, such as the components needed, how the components were assembled, rough dimensions of the components, the types of materials use, and the kinds of labels and graphics embossed or printed on the components. I found that although the product’s design looked simple on the outside, it is actually a very strategic design. For instance, it used three screws to how the housing base, flange ring and reservoir body in place. It also uses air flow, not to push the steam out like I predicted, but more to keep the heating element from overheating and melting the plastic. I discovered that the water reservoir is made of partially translucent plastic so one can see the water level through the side. I also observed the thickness of the plastic ranged from 1mm at the ribs to 3mm with an average of 2mm. The diffuser uses a total of five electrical components (excluding the power cord) with one button for power and a second for colored lights.
This analysis of a product similar to that which I planned to design gave me a solid basis to work from when planned and creating my own design. I used the disassembled diffuser as a reference through my process but it became especially useful to study as I finalized the design and assembly in CAD.
Brand Analysis
Learning what made an LG product LG was curial to the development of my design. First, I needed to understand who LG is as a brand, then understand what makes their products LG.
LG Electronics (a branch under the LG corporation) is a company based in Seoul, South Korea, who sell their products across the globe. LG is committed to using cutting-edge innovation and high-standard craftmanship to develop products which better the lives of its customers. Their brand is targeted toward the age bracket of 30 to 50 year-olds with middle- to upper-income and enjoy having smart technology. LG provides a technology cushion for everyday living with a product lineup from washers and refrigerators to home theater equipment and laptops. The products they currently sell that I found most similar to an Aroma Diffuser was their air purifiers (in terms of function) and portable Bluetooth speaker (in terms of size). The dominant elements of LG’s design language I gathered in my analysis was their preference for cylindrical or rectangular forms, their sloped faces and strongly filleted edges, use of sheet metal, and preference for grayscale with occasional accents of color. A final noteworthy aspect of LG’s products is their Wi-Fi and app connect-ability.
Design Concept
LG Electronics’ Smart Aroma Diffuser is an essential oils diffuser controllable via touch and through its app. Taps to the power button on its front face controls the five-minute increment timer (up to three taps for 15 minutes). When tapped for a final time, all timer indicator lights go off and the power button glows, indicating the device has gone on standby. From standby, the user may either tap the button again or start it through the app. (A switch at the bottom allows for complete power shut off when desired.) Taps to the color changer button, beneath the standby power button, cycles through a set of color presets. The app offers more customizable settings such as specific RGB colors, full range minute/second timer, and run cycles.
CAD Build
LG Smart Aroma Diffuser
CAD Concept Model
