Laundry Machine Shock Absorber with Active Damping Force Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional laundry processing machines lack an effective means to actively control damping force in response to varying vibration levels, leading to excessive noise and vibration transfer to surrounding structures during both transient and steady-state operations.
Innovation Solution
A laundry processing machine equipped with a shock absorber system that includes a cylinder, piston, and friction member, where a holder operating member dynamically adjusts the friction contact between the piston and friction member based on operational positions to absorb vibrations differently during transient and steady-state conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional suspension is used to attenuate vibration, then vibration absorption is provided, but the damping force cannot be actively controlled in response to different vibration characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
The suspension structure is transformed from a static configuration to a dynamic one by introducing a movable friction member held by a holder operating member. This allows the friction member to dynamically contact or separate from the piston based on vibration conditions, enabling active control of damping force without fundamentally changing the overall suspension structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The holder operating member is designed to automatically respond to vibration characteristics through its own movement, eliminating the need for external control systems. The structure utilizes the vibration energy itself to trigger the contact/separation mechanism, making the system self-regulating and adaptive to different vibration states.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the suspension is designed to attenuate transient vibration, then shock absorption is improved, but excessive vibration is transferred to surrounding constituents during steady state
Solution Approach 1:
The friction member's contact state with the piston dynamically changes based on vibration intensity. During transient vibration, the friction member contacts the piston to provide strong damping. During steady state, the friction member separates from the piston, allowing the outer tub to naturally vibrate and maintain stability, thereby reducing vibration transfer to surrounding constituents.
Solution Approach 2:
The damping characteristic parameter changes from high damping (friction member contacting piston) to low damping (friction member separated from piston) based on the vibration state. This parameter change enables the system to adaptively respond to different operational phases, preventing excessive vibration transfer during steady state while maintaining shock absorption during transient states.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a friction damper is used to provide coupling between framework and basket, then vibration damping is achieved, but the damping force remains constant and cannot respond to varying vibration levels
Solution Approach 1:
The friction damper is segmented into separate functional components: the friction member, the holder operating member, and the piston. This segmentation allows the friction member to be independently controlled to contact or separate from the piston, enabling variable damping force while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The holder operating member acts as an intermediary mechanism between the vibration input and the friction member. It translates vibration characteristics into contact or separation states of the friction member, providing adaptive damping control without requiring complex control systems or significantly increasing structural 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
The system effectively reduces noise and vibration by actively controlling damping force, stabilizing the machine and reducing vibration transfer to the surrounding environment, allowing for efficient operation and increased inner tub volume.
Implementation Method 1
a friction member provided to form friction with the piston
Implementation Method 2
The shock absorber... to absorb vibration of the outer tub caused by rotation of the inner tub
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5A
AI summary
Disclosed is a laundry processing machine including a casing (11), an outer tub (22) supported in the casing, an inner tub (24) rotatably provided in the outer tub, and a shock absorber (200, 300, 400) connected, at one end thereof, to the casing and connected, at the other end thereof, to the outer tub to absorb vibration of the outer tub caused by rotation of the inner tub, the shock absorber actively providing damping force in response to the vibration of the outer tub.