A modular frictional damper
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional washing machine dampers exhibit wide tolerance ranges in friction force, leading to inconsistent energy absorption, noise, and increased storage costs, with retaining clips being unreliable under excessive force and heat.
Innovation Solution
A friction damper design with adjustable pressure elements that allow precise control of friction force through adjustable spacing, secure mounting, and improved heat dissipation, featuring external or internal fastening mechanisms and secure retention of the friction member.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a cylindrical friction member is used with a fixed inner radius, then the damper structure is simple, but the friction force has a wide tolerance range (±20% or higher) leading to inconsistent energy absorption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the friction member adjustable rather than fixed. The friction member can be repositioned along the rod at different positions, allowing the effective radius to change dynamically. This transforms a static structure into a dynamic one where the friction characteristics can be modified without changing the basic damper architecture, thereby achieving consistent energy absorption while maintaining structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by varying the effective radius of the friction member through repositioning. By changing the position of the friction member along the rod, the effective radius parameter is adjusted, which directly controls the friction force. This allows precise control over energy absorption levels while maintaining a simple overall structure, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and friction force consistency.
2Adaptability or versatility
If dampers with varying friction forces are stored to meet different energy absorption requirements, then adaptability is improved, but storage costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a single damper model that can perform multiple functions through adjustment. The friction member can be repositioned to provide different friction forces, allowing one damper to replace multiple dampers with different fixed characteristics. This multi-functional design eliminates the need to store multiple variants, reducing inventory costs while maintaining adaptability to different energy absorption requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic adjustability of the friction member position enables a single damper to adapt to different operational requirements. By making the friction characteristics variable rather than fixed, the system achieves versatility without requiring multiple static configurations, thereby reducing the quantity of dampers needed in storage.
3Ease of operation
If the cylindrical friction member is secured with a retaining clip, then installation from the top is enabled, but the retainer clip pops up under excessive force and heat
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the weak retaining clip component from the system and replaces it with a more reliable retention mechanism. The new design integrates the retention function directly into the friction member or seat structure, eliminating the separate clip that failed under thermal and mechanical stress. This extraction of the problematic component resolves the reliability issue while maintaining ease of installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent may employ composite materials or integrated structures where the retention feature is built into the friction member or seat as a unified component. This integration creates a more robust assembly that can withstand excessive force and heat without the retention mechanism failing, while still allowing for straightforward installation from the top.
4Force
If the friction member radius is changed to adjust energy absorption, then friction force control is possible, but the need to change both friction member and seat increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by separating the friction member from the seat structure, allowing the friction member to be independently adjusted or replaced without affecting the seat. This modular approach enables friction force control through simple friction member repositioning or replacement, eliminating the need to change both components together and reducing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic adjustability of the friction member position allows friction force control without requiring structural changes to the seat. By making the friction member position variable, the system achieves force control through a simple, low-complexity mechanism rather than requiring coordinated changes to multiple components.
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 damper achieves ±1% tolerance in friction force, reduces noise, stabilizes the machine, and lowers storage costs by enabling customizable damping force adjustment without relying on unreliable retaining clips.
Implementation Method 1
the rod comes into contact with the cylindrical friction member and dissipates its energy. This energy dissipation is influenced by the tightness of the grip between the cylindrical friction member and the rod
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention relates to friction damper (100) for washing or drying machines comprising a tubular hollow body (110) and a damping rod (120) arranged coaxially with respect to one another for moving along each other telescopically, wherein the damping rod (120) has an outer diameter less than an inner diameter of the hollow body (110). The hollow body (110) comprises a seat (200) for housing a friction member (300) to which the damping rod (120) is slidably coupled for generating a friction force onto the damping rod (120). The seat (200) has at least two opposing inlets (210) and each inlet (210) is for receiving at least one pressure element (400). The friction member (300) is adapted for being positioned between the pressure element (400). The pressure elements (400) are slidable and fixable at various positions within the inlet (210) and exert pressure to the friction member (300) at an adjustable level according to an adjustable distance between the pressure elements.