Adjustable Appliance Foot With Elastic Damping for Stable Leveling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Household appliance housings with height-adjustable feet face challenges in maintaining stability and preventing tipping, especially due to uneven surfaces, which can lead to noise emissions and potential movement of the device.
Innovation Solution
A housing design featuring a height-adjustable foot with an elastic cushioning layer, where the damping layer is inserted between the foot and the floor after initial placement, and a ribbed elastomer base plate with a chamfer to secure and evenly distribute load across all feet, preventing tilting and noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a height-adjustable foot is extended to ensure contact with the ground, then the device stability is improved, but the device becomes prone to tilting along the axis formed by the extended foot and diagonally opposite foot
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by providing an elastic cushioning layer that is pre-installed on the foot before placement on the ground. This cushioning layer is compressed when the foot contacts the ground, automatically providing the necessary downward force to ensure stable contact without requiring manual adjustment or creating tilting axes. The elastic element is prepared in advance to absorb shocks and maintain equilibrium.
2Stability of the object's composition
If torque is increased to secure foot contact with the ground, then the foot stability is improved, but the torque required to turn the threaded rod does not provide clear feedback to the user about ground contact
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic cushioning layer acts as an intermediary between the foot and the ground. When the foot contacts the ground, the cushioning layer compresses and provides tactile feedback through the threaded rod to the user turning it. This intermediary element translates the ground contact into a noticeable change in resistance, giving clear feedback without requiring excessive torque.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If an elastic cushioning layer is added to the foot, then the damping of vibrations is improved, but the cushioning layer may be damaged when the device is pushed over the ground
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by pre-installing the elastic cushioning layer on the foot before the device is placed on the ground. This allows the cushioning layer to be properly positioned and protected from damage during normal operation. The layer is designed to absorb vibrations and shocks during legitimate use while being shielded from extreme lateral forces that could damage it.
4Strength
If the foot is made hard and inelastic, then the structural strength is improved, but the position where all feet are loaded equally becomes difficult to recognize
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic cushioning layer provides feedback to the user during the leveling process. As the foot is adjusted and contacts the ground, the compression of the elastic layer creates a noticeable change in resistance and position, giving clear feedback that the foot is properly loaded. This feedback mechanism allows users to easily identify when all feet are equally loaded, solving the detection problem while maintaining structural strength.
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
The solution ensures stable and noise-free operation by evenly distributing the load across all feet, preventing the appliance from tipping and reducing vibrations from operational components.
Implementation Method 1
at least one height-adjustable foot (4) of the housing (1) carries an elastic cushioning layer (8)
Implementation Method 2
The damping layer is preferably formed in the form of a shell pushed onto the head
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a housing for a household appliance, comprising a body (1) and at least one height-adjustable base (4), which is arranged on an underside of the body (1) and on the underside of which an elastic damper layer (9) is arranged. After placing the household appliance on the set-up area (12) and adjusting a distance (d) between the base (4) and the set-up area (12) to match the thickness of the damper layer (9), the damper layer (9) is inserted between the set-up area (12) and the base (4).