Shock Absorber Bracket Assembly for Transverse Load Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing brackets for mounting shock absorbers in washing machines and spin dryers fail to securely attach the absorbers under high loads, particularly in transverse directions, leading to potential rupture and instability during unbalanced rotation.
Innovation Solution
A bracket composed of two mirror-image symmetric portions with hollow spindles and semi-circular support arms, featuring a twist-lock mechanism and internal reinforcement, which enhances strength and secure attachment by forming a reinforced shaft within the shock absorber bushing, preventing decoupling and rupture under high loads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a conventional bracket with two symmetric portions is used for mounting the shock absorber, then the assembly is simple and the bracket is easy to manufacture, but the bracket fails to securely attach the shock absorber under high transverse loads and may rupture
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket is divided into two separate symmetric portions that are assembled together. Each portion contains a hollow spindle and support arm structure. This segmentation allows for easier manufacturing of individual components while achieving the required strength through their combined configuration, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and structural strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The support arm is positioned inside the hollow spindle, creating a nested configuration where one structural element is contained within another. This nesting provides internal reinforcement without significantly increasing the external dimensions or complexity of the bracket, thereby enhancing strength against rupture while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
2Reliability
If the bracket portions are coupled together during assembly, then the shock absorber can be mounted, but the coupling fails under high loads in directions transverse to the primary axis of the shock absorber
Solution Approach 1:
The two symmetric bracket portions are combined through their coupling structure to form a complete mounting bracket. The merging of these portions creates a unified structure that distributes and bears loads more effectively, particularly transverse loads, while maintaining the ease of assembly through the pre-designed coupling interface between the two portions.
Solution Approach 2:
The bracket portions are designed with pre-formed coupling features and support arm configurations that enable secure attachment before the shock absorber is installed. This preliminary preparation ensures that the bracket can withstand high loads from the start, while the pre-designed coupling mechanism maintains assembly simplicity.
3Strength
If the hollow spindle is made without internal reinforcement, then the bracket is easier to manufacture, but the bracket portions may rupture under high loads in longitudinal and transverse directions
Solution Approach 1:
The support arm is nested inside the hollow spindle, providing internal reinforcement to the spindle structure. This nested configuration strengthens the hollow spindle against rupture in both longitudinal and transverse directions without requiring a completely solid (and more complex to manufacture) spindle design, thus maintaining manufacturing ease while achieving the required strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The combination of the hollow spindle and the nested support arm creates a composite structural system where two different structural elements work together. This composite approach provides enhanced strength and rupture resistance compared to a simple hollow spindle, while the modular nature of the components maintains manufacturing ease.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3c
AI summary
A bracket (20) for mounting a shock absorber (10) to a tumbler of a washing machine or of a spin dryer is disclosed. The bracket is composed of a first portion (21) and a second portion (22) which form the bracket (20) when coupled to each other. Each portion has a base plate (25) and a pedestal (24) formed on the upper side of the base plate. The bracket portions (21, 22) have a hollow spindle (26) for forming a shaft to be inserted into a bushing (13) of a shock absorber. A plurality of teeth (30) is formed on the lower side of said base plate. Bracket portions further have a support arm (32) formed on the hollow spindles (26). The support arm (32) has a cross section in the form of a semi-circle and an abutment surface (28) for leaning on the abutment surface of the corresponding support arm (32). Each of the hollow spindles has a cavity (40) which is sized and shaped to accommodate the support arm (32) of the corresponding bracket portion (21, 22).