Adjustable Appliance Pedestal Thread Clamping Against Vibration Drift
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Solution Overview
Problem
Household appliances with height-adjustable stands face the issue of unintentional height adjustment due to vibrations during operation, which existing solutions like plastic coatings on threaded components fail to adequately address.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a base with a cylindrical bore featuring an internal thread and multiple thickenings, where the external thread is jammed by these thickenings during operation, increasing the force required for adjustment and preventing unintentional height changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a threaded shaft and nut are used for height adjustment, then the base height can be adjusted, but thread play causes unintentional height changes during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a preliminary anti-action by providing clamping areas on the shaft that preemptively counteract the loosening effect of thread play. These clamping areas create frictional clamping forces that oppose the tendency of the threaded connection to loosen during appliance operation, thereby preventing unintentional height changes before they can occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamping areas are pre-formed on the shaft surface in specific patterns (such as circumferential grooves, helical grooves, or raised portions) that prepare the shaft to engage with corresponding clamping structures in the base. This preliminary configuration ensures that when the appliance operates, the clamping forces are already in place to maintain height stability.
2Reliability
If a plastic coating is applied to the threaded shaft or nut to eliminate thread play, then height stability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of coating the entire threaded shaft or nut, the patent applies clamping areas only at specific locations on the shaft surface. These local features (such as circumferential grooves, helical grooves, or raised portions) are strategically positioned to provide clamping forces where needed, reducing material usage and manufacturing complexity while maintaining height stability.
Solution Approach 2:
Rather than modifying the threaded components (shaft or nut) with coatings to eliminate thread play, the patent inverts the approach by adding clamping areas to the shaft that actively create clamping forces. This reverses the conventional思路 of passive elimination of thread play through coatings to an active prevention mechanism through geometric clamping features.
3Reliability
If clamping areas are added to increase the force required for thread actuation, then unintentional adjustment is prevented, but the ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping areas are designed to provide dynamic clamping forces that adapt to the operational conditions. During normal operation, the clamping forces maintain height stability. During intentional adjustment, when sufficient force is applied to overcome the clamping forces, the shaft can be rotated to change the height. This dynamic behavior allows the system to be stable during operation but adjustable when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamping areas provide sufficient clamping force to prevent unintentional height changes during normal operation, but not so much force that intentional adjustment becomes impossible. The design strikes a balance where the clamping forces are strong enough to maintain stability under normal vibrational and operational loads, but can be overcome by deliberate user action for height adjustment.
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
This solution effectively reduces the risk of unintentional height adjustments during appliance operation by ensuring the shaft is securely clamped, making intentional adjustments more difficult while maintaining ease of use when desired.
Implementation Method 1
the thickened area presses against the external thread of the shank, as a result of which the shank in particular presses against the area of the inner wall that is located opposite the thickened area
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a household appliance (1), particularly a water-carrying household appliance, comprising at least one pedestal designed to be adjustable in height by means of a thread. According to the invention, clamping areas are provided, inducing an increase in the force needed to actuate the thread.