Drum Liquid Balancer Control for Washer Unbalance and Vibration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional laundry treatment apparatuses face challenges in actively and immediately resolving unbalanced states of rotating drums, particularly during transient vibrations, and struggle to address unbalances on both transverse and longitudinal planes effectively.
Innovation Solution
A laundry treatment apparatus equipped with multiple balancers spaced at regular intervals around the drum, each divided into front and rear chambers for liquid accommodation, with a channel unit and supply system to concurrently or selectively supply liquid to these chambers, actively adjusting the drum's balance by inclining the drum and using a sensing unit and control system to manage liquid distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional ball balancers or fluid balancers are used to control unbalanced state by moving ball or fluid toward the lowest point of rotational orbit, then the unbalanced state can be controlled when vibration amplitude is within predetermined range, but satisfactory effects cannot be obtained during transient vibration before steady state is reached
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by proactively supplying liquid to balancers before the drum reaches steady-state vibration. The control unit detects transient vibration conditions and supplies liquid to predetermined balancers in advance, rather than waiting for the unbalanced state to fully develop. This allows the system to counteract unbalance during the transient phase, reducing the time required to resolve unbalance and improving reliability across all vibration conditions.
2Reliability
If conventional balancers are used to resolve unbalanced state, then some control effect can be achieved, but they experience difficulty in immediately and actively resolving unbalanced states when unbalance occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control by using a vibration detector to continuously monitor drum vibration and a control unit that processes this information in real-time. When unbalance is detected, the control unit immediately sends signals to the liquid supply system to adjust liquid distribution in balancers. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables immediate and active resolution of unbalanced states, significantly improving both response speed and reliability compared to conventional passive balancers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses hydraulics by replacing solid ball balancers with liquid-filled balancers. The liquid supply system can rapidly adjust the distribution and amount of liquid in each balancer based on control signals, enabling quick response to unbalance conditions. The hydraulic system allows for immediate weight adjustment in balancers, improving response speed while maintaining reliable unbalance resolution capability.
3Reliability
If single-plane balancers are used, then transverse unbalance can be addressed, but unbalance on longitudinal plane of drum cannot be resolved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the balancer system into multiple independent balancers positioned at different locations along the drum's longitudinal axis. Each balancer can be independently controlled with separate liquid supply, allowing the system to address unbalance in both transverse and longitudinal planes. This segmented approach enables the system to handle various types of unbalance conditions, improving both reliability and adaptability.
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 apparatus effectively resolves unbalances on both transverse and longitudinal planes by dynamically adjusting the drum's weight distribution, minimizing noise and vibration, and maintaining balance during rotation.
Implementation Method 1
each of the at least three balancers being divided into a front chamber close to the front side of the drum and a rear chamber close to a rear side of the drum for accommodating liquid
Implementation Method 2
including a guide channel member for guiding liquid to the rear chamber
Implementation Method 3
a supply unit capable of concurrently supplying liquid to both the first and second channel members or selectively supplying liquid to one of the first and second channel members
Implementation Method 4
a centrifugal force of the rotating body or a moment created by the centrifugal force becomes zero with respect to the axis of rotation
Data Source
AI summary
A laundry treatment apparatus including at least three balancers fixed to a drum such that they are spaced apart from one another at regular angular intervals around a rotational center of the drum, each of the at least three balancers being divided into a front chamber close to the front side of the drum and a rear chamber close to a rear side of the drum for accommodation of liquid and including a guide channel member for guiding liquid to the rear chamber, a channel unit comprising a first channel member for supplying liquid to the front chambers of the balancers and a second channel member for supplying liquid to the guide channel members of the balancers, and a supply unit capable of concurrently supplying liquid to both the first and second channel members or of selectively supplying liquid to one of the first and second channel members is disclosed.