Laundry treatment apparatus and method for assembling the same
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional laundry treatment apparatuses face issues with drum unbalance leading to vibration and noise due to eccentric rotation, and the screw-fastening method for coupling the balancer to the drum is prone to slippage and damage, increasing assembly time and reducing productivity.
Innovation Solution
A laundry treatment apparatus that couples the balancer to the drum using a protrusion on the balancer's outer surface, where the drum's upper end is bent to fit the protrusion, eliminating the need for screws and reducing the risk of damage during rotation, stoppage, or vibration, and includes a reinforcement rib to prevent slippage and damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If screw-fastening method is used to couple the balancer to the drum, then strong and tight coupling is achieved, but the coupling is easily released due to rotation, stoppage, switching, and vibration
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling mechanism is divided into multiple functional elements: a coupling protrusion on the balancer, a coupling groove on the drum, and a fastening protrusion that engages with the coupling protrusion. This segmentation allows each element to perform its specific function - the groove receives the protrusion for positioning, while the fastening protrusion provides secure engagement that resists rotational and vibrational forces.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling structure employs a nested arrangement where the coupling groove is formed on the drum surface, the coupling protrusion is inserted into this groove, and the fastening protrusion then engages with the coupling protrusion. This nested configuration creates a multi-layered coupling system that provides both positioning and secure fastening, preventing release during operation.
2Strength
If screw-fastening method is used to couple the balancer to the drum, then strong coupling is achieved, but assembly time increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the fastening function from the traditional screw mechanism and integrates it directly into the coupling structure through the fastening protrusion. This eliminates the need for separate screw-fastening operations, reducing assembly steps and time while maintaining strong coupling strength through the integrated protrusion-groove engagement.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling and fastening functions are merged into a single integrated structure. The coupling groove and fastening protrusion work together as a unified mechanism, combining the positioning function of the groove with the securing function of the fastening protrusion. This merging eliminates the need for separate screw-fastening operations, significantly reducing assembly time and improving productivity.
3Productivity
If protrusion is used to couple the balancer to the drum, then assembly time is reduced and productivity increases, but the protrusion may be damaged by bending-and-coupling force
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling groove acts as a cushioning element that receives and accommodates the coupling protrusion before the fastening protrusion engages. This preliminary reception in the groove provides a buffer zone that reduces the impact of bending-and-coupling forces, protecting the protrusion from damage while maintaining the simplified assembly process.
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional coupling method is used, then assembly is straightforward, but slippage occurs due to loose connection during rotation and vibration
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling mechanism employs asymmetric geometry where the coupling protrusion has a specific shape that fits into the coupling groove, and the fastening protrusion engages with the coupling protrusion in a non-symmetric manner. This asymmetric design prevents slippage during rotation and vibration by creating a mechanical interlock that resists forces in multiple directions, while still maintaining straightforward assembly through the guided engagement of the asymmetric features.
Data Source
AI summary
A laundry treatment apparatus includes a cabinet, a tub, a drum, a balancer, and a coupling part. The tub defines a tub opening, and the drum includes a body rotatably disposed in the tub and defines a drum opening configured to communicate with the tub opening. The balancer includes a housing having in a ring shape and defining a circulation passage configured to circulate fluid circulate along a circumference of the housing and a housing through-hole configured to communicate with the drum and tub openings. The balancer further includes a fastening part arranged along a circumferential surface of the housing and coupled to the body. The coupling part is disposed at an upper end of the body, coupled to the fastening part along an outer circumferential surface of the fastening part, and curved or bent toward a central of the housing.