Drum washing machine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drum washing machines face challenges in achieving high washing efficiency and long service life due to the large load on planetary gear mechanisms, which affects power transmission and durability.
Innovation Solution
A drum washing machine design that incorporates a planetary gear assembly switchable between two states to adjust the rotation direction of the agitator and drum, reducing the load on the gear mechanism and enhancing power transmission efficiency, combined with a water supply system for improved wetting and washing effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the planetary gear mechanism is used to drive the drum and impeller, then the washing machine can implement various washing modes with different rotation speeds, but the large load on the planetary gear mechanism affects power transmission efficiency and service life
Solution Approach 1:
The transmission system is segmented into two independent paths: the planetary gear mechanism only drives the impeller (small load), while the drum (large load) is driven directly by the motor through a separate transmission belt. This segmentation removes the drum load from the planetary gear mechanism, resolving the contradiction between versatility and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
A transmission belt is introduced as an intermediary component to transfer power from the motor to the drum, bypassing the planetary gear mechanism. This intermediary allows the planetary gears to focus only on driving the impeller, reducing their load and improving service life while maintaining multiple washing modes.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the planetary gear mechanism transmits power to both the drum and impeller, then various washing modes can be achieved, but the transmission complexity and load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The transmission system is divided into two independent pathways: one for the impeller (through planetary gears) and one for the drum (through direct belt transmission). This segmentation simplifies the overall transmission complexity by eliminating the need for the planetary mechanism to handle both loads simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The drum driving function is extracted from the planetary gear mechanism and assigned to a separate direct transmission system. This extraction reduces the complexity of the planetary gear mechanism, allowing it to focus solely on impeller control while maintaining washing mode versatility.
3Volume of moving object
If the drum directly carries laundry and water, then the drum must have large volume, but this increases the load on the transmission mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
A transmission belt serves as an intermediary that directly connects the motor to the drum, bypassing the planetary gear mechanism. This allows the drum to maintain its large volume for carrying laundry and water while the transmission load is handled by the robust belt system rather than the delicate planetary gears.
Solution Approach 2:
The load-bearing function of the drum is segmented from the power transmission function. The drum maintains large volume for its carrying capacity, while the power transmission to the drum is handled by a separate belt-driven system, isolating the planetary gears from the heavy drum load.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~4
Figure 5~8
AI summary
A drum washing machine (100) includes a tub (1); a drum (2) rotatably arranged in the tub (1); an agitator (4) rotatably arranged in the drum (2) and having a water spray hole (41); a drive in transmission connection with the drum (2) via a main shaft (31) which transmits a torque of the driver to the drum; a planetary gear assembly (6) in transmission connection with the main shaft (31) and the agitator (4) and transmitting a torque of the main shaft (31) to the agitator (4); and a water supply device in communication with one of the tub (1) and a water source as well as the agitator (4) respectively, supplying water in the tub (1) or from the water source to the agitator (4), and spraying the water into the drum (2) through the water spray hole (41).