Multi-Point Tub Support to Prevent Shipping Damage in Top-Load Washers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Top-loading washing machines experience movement of the wash tub and transmission assembly during shipping and handling, leading to potential dents in the cabinet due to insufficient securing, especially in designs with a D-shaped top opening.
Innovation Solution
A tub support device made from a folded blank with a bottom panel, side flaps, and a rear folded portion, designed to fit within the D-shaped top opening, contacts the wash tub and cabinet at multiple points to prevent movement, utilizing a continuous sidewall and rear folded portion for secure engagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the tub and transmission are supported from suspension rods mounted on the underside of the washing machine top surface, then the machine structure is simplified and easier to manufacture, but the tub can move during shipping and handling causing dents in the cabinet
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by installing a support device within the tub before shipping that proactively prevents movement during transit. The device includes contact points that engage the tub and cabinet to stabilize the assembly in advance, preventing dents from occurring during handling rather than addressing them after the fact.
Solution Approach 2:
The support device acts as an intermediary element between the tub/transmission assembly and the cabinet. It includes multiple contact points that distribute forces and prevent direct impact between the tub and cabinet walls, thereby protecting the cabinet from dents while maintaining the simplified suspension rod support structure.
2Volume of moving object
If the clearance between the tub and cabinet is minimized to save space, then the machine footprint is reduced, but the tub can easily impact the cabinet during movement causing cosmetic damage
Solution Approach 1:
The support device provides beforehand cushioning by positioning multiple contact points between the tub and cabinet that prevent impact before it occurs. The device includes flared contact surfaces that distribute forces evenly, cushioning the tub assembly against the cabinet walls during shipping and handling to prevent cosmetic damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The support device utilizes a structure with flared contact surfaces and curved geometry that flexibly adapts to the tub and cabinet interfaces. The thin-walled construction with strategic reinforcement provides the necessary cushioning and protection while maintaining a compact profile that fits within the minimized clearance.
3Reliability
If a support device is added to prevent tub movement during shipping, then the stability and protection are improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The support device is segmented into distinct functional elements: a main body portion, multiple flared contact surfaces, and attachment features for the suspension rods. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and simplifies manufacturing while achieving the required stability through the distributed contact points.
Solution Approach 2:
The support device is designed as a multi-functional component that simultaneously: (1) prevents tub movement during shipping, (2) protects the cabinet from dents, (3) attaches to the existing suspension rod structure, and (4) distributes forces across multiple contact points. This universality reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A blank for making a tub support that fits inside the top opening of a washing machine to prevent the wash tub from moving relative to the cabinet during shipping and handling. The tub support may comprise a rear folded portion having a plurality of rear tub contact points that contact the wash tub, and a sidewall configured to contact the top edge of the wash tub along a plurality of tub contact points and to contact the rim of the washing machine cabinet along a plurality of cabinet contact points.