Washing Machine Gasket Lip With Laundry Kicker Against Drum Wedging
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Solution Overview
Problem
In drum-type washing machines, laundry tends to become stuck between the gasket and the drum, leading to damage, excessive vibration, and motor overload, which shortens the machine's operational lifetime.
Innovation Solution
A gasket with an annular lip and a laundry kicker is used to prevent laundry from becoming wedged between the tub and the drum, where the laundry kicker, with a tapered lower portion and catch, dislodges and returns wedged laundry to the drum using the drum's rotational force.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If an annular lip is provided to prevent laundry from entering the space between tub and drum, then foreign matter prevention is improved, but laundry becomes wedged between the annular lip and drum
Solution Approach 1:
The gasket is segmented into functional zones: the annular lip forms a barrier to prevent foreign matter entry, while the laundry kicker protrudes from the lip to actively dislodge wedged laundry. This segmentation allows each component to address specific problems without interfering with the other function.
Solution Approach 2:
The laundry kicker acts as an intermediary element between the annular lip and the drum. It protrudes into the space between them to actively push laundry away from the wedging zone, mediating the interaction between these components to prevent harmful wedging while preserving the lip's sealing function.
2Reliability
If laundry becomes wedged between gasket and drum, then water leakage prevention is improved, but motor overload and excessive vibration occur
Solution Approach 1:
The laundry kicker performs preliminary action by continuously pushing laundry away from the space between the gasket and drum during drum rotation. This prevents laundry accumulation before it can cause motor overload or excessive vibration, addressing the problem proactively rather than reactively.
3Reliability
If laundry becomes stuck in the gasket-drum space, then sealing function is maintained, but operational lifetime is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The laundry kicker serves as a protective intermediary that prevents direct harmful contact between laundry and the gasket-drum interface. By actively managing laundry position, it protects the sealing system from damage caused by wedged laundry, thereby extending operational lifetime while maintaining sealing effectiveness.
Data Source
AI summary
A gasket and washing machine having the same prevent laundry from becoming wedged between a drum and a gasket for preventing water leakage. The gasket is coupled between a cabinet of a drum-type washing machine including a drying duct for providing a drying function and a tub disposed inside the cabinet. The gasket includes an annular lip, protruding inwardly from an inner circumference of the gasket, for preventing foreign matter from entering a space existing between the tub and a rotating drum, and a laundry kicker, protruding inwardly from a predetermined portion of the annular lip, for dislodging laundry that has become wedged between the annular lip and the rotating drum.