Embossed Washer Side Panel for Resonance and Noise Reduction

Solution Overview

Problem

Home appliances such as washing machines experience excessive vibration and noise due to side panel resonances, which existing solutions like dampers and structural stiffening either require additional components or are costly and complex to implement, and side panel looseness contributes to these issues.

Innovation Solution

A side panel with an embossed pattern of ridges and valleys is used to increase the natural frequency of the panel, ensuring it is significantly higher than the operating frequency of the washing machine, thereby reducing resonant vibration and noise without adding weight or complexity, and the panels can be manufactured as single sheets for cost-effectiveness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If dampers and shock absorbers are added to reduce vibration, then vibration and noise are reduced, but the washing machine requires additional components and increased weight

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevibration and noiseVSAvoidnumber of components

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the vibration control function from separate components (dampers, shock absorbers) and integrates it directly into the side panel structure through embossed patterns. This eliminates the need for additional vibration-reducing components while maintaining the same functional effect.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The side panel features localized embossed patterns (ridges and valleys) at specific positions to modify vibration characteristics. Rather than adding components throughout the structure, the invention applies targeted local modifications to achieve global vibration reduction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Object-affected harmful factors

If minor additional structural stiffening is applied to increase natural frequency, then vibration control is improved, but it was thought to cause the washing machine to pass through side panel resonance at a higher, more damaging speed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevibration controlVSAvoidresonance at higher speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The embossed patterns modify the physical parameters of the side panel (stiffness, mass distribution) to shift the natural frequency from approximately 8-12 Hz to above 20 Hz. This parameter change ensures the natural frequency remains above the maximum operating frequency throughout all washing machine operations, eliminating the resonance problem at higher speeds.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the first natural frequency of the side panel is increased, then vibration at operating frequencies is reduced, but additional components or complex manufacturing is required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevibration at operating frequencyVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The side panel features localized embossed patterns (ridges and valleys) at specific positions to modify vibration characteristics. Rather than adding components throughout the structure, the invention applies targeted local modifications to achieve global vibration reduction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The embossed patterns modify the physical parameters of the side panel (stiffness, mass distribution) to shift the natural frequency from approximately 8-12 Hz to above 20 Hz. This parameter change ensures the natural frequency remains above the maximum operating frequency throughout all washing machine operations, eliminating the resonance problem at higher speeds.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 embossed side panel design effectively eliminates significant resonance and vibration during high-speed spin cycles, ensuring quieter operation and reduced manufacturing costs while maintaining structural integrity.

Implementation Method 1

A vibration response pattern of a side panel may have several peaks, each peak representing a resonant or natural frequency of the side panel. By convention, the 'first natural frequency' is the lowest natural frequency of the side panel. Likewise, the second natural frequency is the second lowest natural frequency, and so on. Operating the washing machine at a frequency near one of the side panel natural frequencies can result in a large resonant vibration response by the side panel.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectResonance: Resonance

Data Source

PatentUS8056172B2Appliance panel with increased natural frequency

Publication Date: 2011.11.15 WHIRLPOOL CORP

AI summary

A side panel for a fabric care appliance is described. The side panel includes an embossed pattern for increasing a first natural frequency (or first harmonic) of the side panel. Preferably, the first natural frequency is substantially higher than any ordinary operating frequency or driving frequency of the appliance. For example, in a washing machine, the first natural frequency of the side panel is preferably at least 1.6 times greater than the maximum rotational frequency of a drum or tumbler of the machine.