Laundry Machine Vibration Isolation for Increased Drum Capacity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional laundry machines face challenges in increasing capacity without enlarging the cabinet, as vibration from the motor and drum is directly transmitted, requiring additional damping measures that complicate design and size expansion.
Innovation Solution
The laundry machine incorporates a vibration transmission blocking member, a suspension unit with cylinder springs and dampers, and ball balancers with a race, balls, and oil to effectively dampen and support vibrations, allowing the tub to be connected directly to the cabinet without additional damping means, enabling increased drum size within the same cabinet dimensions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the tub is enlarged to increase the capacity of the laundry machine, then the laundry capacity is improved, but the cabinet must be enlarged accordingly, causing enlargement of the entire laundry machine
Solution Approach 1:
The vibration source (motor and drum assembly) is extracted from the tub structure and isolated using a vibration isolation device. This allows the tub to be enlarged for increased capacity without requiring the cabinet to be enlarged, as the isolated vibration source can be positioned separately from the tub-cabinet assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
A vibration isolation device acts as an intermediary between the vibration source and the tub. This intermediary component absorbs and dampens vibrations, enabling the tub to be enlarged without transmitting excessive vibrations to the cabinet, thus avoiding the need to enlarge the entire machine.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If springs or dampers are installed between the tub and cabinet to damp vibration, then vibration characteristics are improved, but the tub must be separated from the cabinet by a designated interval, preventing capacity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The vibration isolation function is extracted from the tub-cabinet interface and relocated to a dedicated vibration isolation device positioned between the vibration source and the tub. This eliminates the need to separate the tub from the cabinet, allowing maximum utilization of cabinet space for increased laundry capacity while maintaining effective vibration damping.
Solution Approach 2:
The vibration isolation device serves as an intermediary that isolates vibrations at their source rather than at the tub-cabinet interface. This allows the tub to be positioned closer to or in contact with the cabinet, maximizing space utilization for capacity while the intermediary device handles vibration control.
3Quantity of substance
If the size of the cabinet is increased to accommodate a larger tub, then the laundry capacity is improved, but parts in the laundry machine and coupling structures need to be changed
Solution Approach 1:
The vibration isolation device extracts the vibration control function from the overall machine structure, allowing the tub to be enlarged without requiring changes to the cabinet or coupling structures. The isolated vibration source can be accommodated within the existing cabinet footprint, maintaining parts compatibility while increasing capacity.
4Device complexity
If vibration sources are directly connected to the tub, then the structure is simplified, but vibration is directly transmitted to the tub and cabinet
Solution Approach 1:
A vibration isolation device is introduced as an intermediary between the vibration source and the tub. This adds a controlled level of complexity that prevents direct vibration transmission to the tub and cabinet, while the overall structural complexity remains manageable due to the modular nature of the isolation device.
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 allows for increased laundry capacity without enlarging the cabinet, while optimizing ball balancer design to control drum vibrations, ensuring effective vibration reduction and stable operation.
Implementation Method 1
ball balancers, each of which includes a race, balls contained in the race, and an oil filing the race, provided on the drum
Implementation Method 2
an oil filing the race for reducing noise caused by the circumferential movement of the masses
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
Disclosed is a laundry machine having an increased wash capacity. The laundry machine includes a cabinet (1 10), a tub (120) connected to vibration sources (170) through a vibration transmission blocking member (250), a drum (130) rotatably provided in the tub, a suspension unit (180) to substantially damp and support the vibration sources (170), and ball balancers (170,1 90), each of which includes a race, balls (172,192) contained in the race, and an oil filing the race, provided on the drum.