Washer appliance with removable agitator post having releasable ball mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional washing machines with fixed agitators consume valuable space and user perception often favors designs with visible post-type agitators, despite newer impeller technologies providing more effective agitation with less water usage, making it difficult to adopt water-conserving designs without compromising cleaning effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A washing appliance with a removable agitator post that can be easily installed or removed without special tools, allowing for adjustable agitation options and increased wash space, featuring a plunger mechanism that secures and releases the agitator post through a system of bearings and sockets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional post-type agitator is used, then user perception of cleaning effectiveness is improved, but wash space is reduced and water consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The agitator post is made removable rather than fixed, allowing the system to dynamically adapt between two configurations: with agitator for traditional cleaning action, and without agitator for maximum wash space and water efficiency. This dynamic reconfigurability resolves the contradiction by allowing the user to select the appropriate configuration based on specific washing needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The agitator post is segmented from the washing machine structure as a separate, removable component. This segmentation allows the agitator to be detached when not needed, freeing up wash space while maintaining the option to reattach when traditional agitation is desired, thus resolving the space versus cleaning effectiveness contradiction.
2Reliability
If a conventional post-type agitator is used, then user perception of cleaning effectiveness is improved, but water consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The removable agitator design allows the system to dynamically switch between water-intensive traditional agitation and water-efficient impeller agitation. By making the agitator removable, the system can adapt to water conservation requirements while maintaining cleaning effectiveness through alternative mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The agitator post is extracted as a removable component, allowing the washing machine to operate without it when water conservation is prioritized. This extraction enables the use of alternative water-efficient agitation methods while preserving the option to reinsert the agitator when traditional cleaning action is needed.
3Volume of moving object
If the agitator post is made removable, then wash space and water efficiency are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The agitator post incorporates self-aligning and self-latching features that allow users to install and remove it without special tools or complex procedures. The tapered bore and cam-actuated latches with ball bearings enable the agitator to automatically position and secure itself, reducing the complexity burden on the user despite the added mechanical features.
Solution Approach 2:
Ball bearings are introduced as intermediary elements between the cam-actuated latches and the receptacle wall. These bearings facilitate smooth engagement and disengagement of the latches, reducing friction and complexity in the locking mechanism while enabling tool-free operation.
4Reliability
If the agitator post is secured with a locking mechanism, then reliability of attachment is improved, but ease of removal is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is designed to be self-actuating through cam latches that automatically engage when the agitator is inserted and can be released by simple upward movement. This self-service design maintains secure attachment during operation while enabling easy user removal without requiring tools or complex manipulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The cam-actuated latches provide periodic engagement and disengagement cycles. During normal operation, the latches remain engaged providing secure attachment. When removal is needed, a simple upward motion triggers the cam mechanism to periodically switch from engaged to disengaged state, enabling easy removal while maintaining operational reliability.
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
Enables effective cleaning with adjustable agitation options, accommodating larger loads and user preferences while conserving water by providing a flexible and space-efficient solution that aligns with user expectations.
Implementation Method 1
A plunger can be attached to the shaft near the bottom end of the agitator post, the plunger movable between an up position and a down position along the vertical axis
Implementation Method 2
A plurality of bearings may be positioned between the plunger and the agitator post and configured for selective contact with the receptacle by movement through the openings at the bottom end of the agitator post so as to secure the agitator post in the receptacle when the plunger is in the up position and release the agitator post from the receptacle when the plunger is in the down position
Data Source
AI summary
A washer appliance with removable agitator post including a shaft positioned within the agitator post. A plunger may be attached to the shaft near the bottom end of the agitator post and is movable between an up position and a down position along the vertical axis. A plurality of bearings may be positioned between the plunger and the agitator post and configured for selective contact with the receptacle by movement through the openings at the bottom end of the agitator post so as to secure the agitator post in the receptacle when the plunger is in the up position and release the agitator post from the receptacle when the plunger is in the down position.