Control method for automatically positioning inner tub
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing washing machines with pulsator type inner tubs suffer from water wastage, reduced detergent concentration, and accumulation of dirt and germs between the inner and outer tubs, leading to inefficiencies and potential cross-infection risks.
Innovation Solution
A control method for automatically positioning the inner tub using a positioning hole and a retractable positioning pin, which aligns and locks the inner tub with the outer tub's drainage structure, ensuring proper alignment and preventing water leakage during washing and dewatering processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the drain hole is formed off-centered in the bottom of the inner tub, then drainage function is improved, but the inner tub rotates during dewatering causing misalignment with the drain hole control structure
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning pin is extended before the inner tub rotates to the dewatering position, and the positioning hole is pre-formed in the bottom of the inner tub. This preliminary preparation ensures that when the inner tub rotates, the positioning pin can guide the alignment between the drain hole and control structure, preventing rotation-induced misalignment.
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning pin acts as an intermediary element between the outer tub and the inner tub. It mediates the alignment relationship by extending to contact the positioning hole, thereby guiding the inner tub's position relative to the drain hole control structure during rotation and dewatering operations.
2Reliability
If a sealing structure is arranged between the inner tub and outer tub, then water leakage is prevented, but the sealing structure is prone to wear and leakage after long-time operation
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing structure is extracted from the area between the inner tub and outer tub. Instead of having water flow through this space requiring sealing, the design prevents water from entering this area by positioning the drain hole off-centered and using the positioning pin mechanism to maintain proper alignment, thereby eliminating the sealing structure and its associated wear problems.
3Device complexity
If the positioning pin is fixed without retraction capability, then结构简单 (structure is simple), but external impact forces during rotation cause premature failure
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning pin is designed with dynamic characteristics, being capable of extending and retracting. It extends before the inner tub rotates to provide positioning guidance, and retracts after positioning to avoid承受 (bearing) external impact forces during rotation. This dynamic behavior significantly improves the service life of the positioning pin while maintaining relatively simple structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A control method for automatically positioning an inner tub. When the inner tub rotates to a certain position, a positioning pin at the bottom of an outer tub is released to press against the bottom of the inner tub, the inner tub continues to rotate, and when a positioning hole at the bottom of the inner tub is aligned with the positioning pin, the positioning pin stretches into the positioning hole, and thus the inner tub is locked. After the positioning pin is released, the inner tub continues to rotate under the effect of inertia, or the inner tub continues to rotate under the drive of a motor, when the inner tub rotates to the position where the positioning hole is aligned with the positioning pin, the positioning pin stretches into the positioning hole to achieve automatic positioning and locking of the inner tub.