Integrated Balance Weight for Appliance Stability and Clamp Force Absorption

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Solution Overview

Problem

Household appliances with pull-out drawers face stability issues when freely set up and are prone to tipping, and existing solutions for transportation and stability enhancement involve separate devices that increase material and production costs.

Innovation Solution

A monolithic, rigid balancing weight with opposing surfaces is integrated into the appliance, serving as both a counterweight to prevent tipping and a force transducer to absorb mechanical forces during transport, eliminating the need for separate components and reducing costs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If separate balancing weights and force transducers are installed to prevent tipping and protect housing during transport, then stability and protection are improved, but device complexity and manufacturing costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovestabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the balancing weight and force transducer functions into a single integrated component. The U-shaped metal profile serves both as a counterweight to prevent tipping and as a force transducer to absorb clamp grip forces during transport, eliminating the need for separate devices and reducing overall complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The balancing weight component is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it provides counterbalance stability when the appliance is freely standing, and it acts as a force transducer to protect the housing from damage during clamp truck transport. This multi-functionality reduces the number of components needed

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If separate balancing weights and force transducers are installed to prevent tipping and protect housing during transport, then stability and protection are improved, but material and production costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovestabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing costs
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the balancing weight and force transducer functions into a single integrated component. The U-shaped metal profile serves both as a counterweight to prevent tipping and as a force transducer to absorb clamp grip forces during transport, eliminating the need for separate devices and reducing overall complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The balancing weight component is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it provides counterbalance stability when the appliance is freely standing, and it acts as a force transducer to protect the housing from damage during clamp truck transport. This multi-functionality reduces the number of components needed

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If separate force transducers are installed to absorb clamp grip forces, then housing protection is improved, but device complexity and costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehousing damageVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the balancing weight and force transducer functions into a single integrated component. The U-shaped metal profile serves both as a counterweight to prevent tipping and as a force transducer to absorb clamp grip forces during transport, eliminating the need for separate devices and reducing overall complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The balancing weight structure is designed to automatically serve as the force transducer. The U-shaped profile's geometry and material properties enable it to absorb and distribute clamp grip forces during transport without requiring additional protective components or complex mechanisms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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 integrated balancing weight enhances stability and prevents tipping while allowing safe transportation without damaging the appliance's housing, reducing material and production costs by eliminating the need for additional components.

Implementation Method 1

the balancing weight (1), which, due to its weight, prevents the household appliance (13) from tipping over

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGravitation: Gravitation

Implementation Method 2

the balancing weight (1) absorbs the forces occurring when the household appliance (13) is gripped

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2217127B1Floor-mounted household appliance with balance weight
Publication Date: 2013.12.11 BSH HAUSGERATE GMBH
  • EP2217127B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2217127B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2217127B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a floor-mounted household appliance (13) having at least one balance weight (1) suitable for preventing the floor-mounted household appliance (13) from tipping over, in particular caused by a shift in the center of gravity. The invention is characterized in that the balance weight (1) is provided with two opposing surfaces for force absorption when the floor-mounted household appliance (13) is clutched.