Helical Planetary Drive Mechanism to Reduce Laundry Appliance Noise
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional drive mechanisms in laundry treating appliances, such as washing machines, often produce unpleasant noise due to the use of spur gears, which can be mitigated by employing a helical gear assembly with specific gear contact ratios and specialized materials to reduce vibration and grinding noise.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a helical drive mechanism within the laundry treating appliance, featuring a helical sun gear, planet gears, and an outer helical ring gear with differing mesh phasing and a total contact ratio greater than 3:1, along with a carrier washer made from specialized materials to dampen noise and vibrations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If spur gears are used in the drive mechanism, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but unpleasant noise and vibration are generated during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of gear geometry from spur gears to helical gears. This parameter change transforms the tooth contact from line contact to gradual surface contact, fundamentally altering the noise generation mechanism and reducing operational noise and vibration while maintaining manufacturability through standard helical gear manufacturing processes
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material strategies by combining helical gears with specialized dampening materials and lubricants. This composite approach integrates multiple material properties to simultaneously achieve low noise operation, adequate strength, and ease of manufacture through optimized material selection and combination
2Object-generated harmful factors
If helical gears are used in the drive mechanism, then noise and vibration are reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the noise reduction function into multiple independent components: helical gear geometry for fundamental noise reduction, dampening materials for vibration control, and lubrication systems for smooth operation. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while maintaining overall system manageability and reducing perceived complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic characteristics through helical gear design, where the angled teeth engage gradually rather than simultaneously. This dynamic engagement pattern transforms the static, abrupt tooth contact of spur gears into a progressive, controlled contact sequence that reduces shock and noise while maintaining manageable system complexity through well-established helical gear design principles
3Object-generated harmful factors
If helical gears with high contact ratio are used, then noise is reduced, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the contact ratio parameter to achieve noise reduction while balancing manufacturing precision requirements. By carefully selecting the helix angle, tooth depth, and gear dimensions, the design achieves a contact ratio that provides smooth operation and low noise without imposing excessively tight tolerances that would make manufacturing prohibitively difficult
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality enhancement at critical gear contact zones through specialized surface treatments, lubrication application points, and localized dampening features. This approach concentrates manufacturing precision efforts where they are most needed for noise reduction while allowing greater tolerance in non-critical areas, thereby reducing overall manufacturing complexity
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
This configuration significantly reduces noise levels during operation, providing a quieter user experience and minimizing gear grinding noise by up to 10 dBA compared to traditional spur gear assemblies.
Implementation Method 1
a helical drive mechanism including a helical sun gear driven by the first drive shaft, at least one helical planet gear driven by the helical sun gear, a planet carrier driven by the at least one helical planet gear, and an outer helical ring gear driven by the at least one helical planet gear
Implementation Method 2
along with a carrier washer made from specialized materials to dampen noise and vibrations
Data Source
AI summary
A laundry treating appliance includes a tub defining an interior, a basket with a spin tube located within the interior and rotatably mounted within the tub, a motor having a first drive shaft, a clothes mover rotatably mounted within the basket and having a second drive shaft, and a clutch having a helical drive mechanism including a helical sun gear driven by the first drive shaft, at least one helical planet gear driven by the helical sun gear, a planet carrier driven by the at least one helical planet gear, the planet carrier selectively coupled to the second drive shaft to rotate the clothes mover, and an outer helical ring gear driven by the at least one helical planet gear, the outer helical ring gear operably coupled to the spin tube to rotate the basket.