Washing Machine Balancer With Magnet Case for Drum Vibration Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Washing machines experience vibration and noise due to unbalanced drum rotation during spin-drying cycles, potentially damaging components if not addressed effectively.
Innovation Solution
A balancer system with a balancer housing, movable masses, and a magnet mechanism that uses magnetic force to restrain the masses within an annular channel, offsetting centrifugal forces and stabilizing drum rotation, while minimizing the balancer's volume to maximize drum capacity and improve assembly efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the magnet is directly fixed to the balancer housing, then the structure is simple, but the magnet may detach during high-speed rotation and cause safety issues
Solution Approach 1:
A magnet case is introduced as an intermediary component between the magnet and the balancer housing. The magnet case receives and secures the magnet, preventing direct contact and potential detachment during high-speed rotation. This intermediary structure resolves the contradiction by providing reliable magnet retention without requiring complex fixation mechanisms directly on the balancer housing.
2Reliability
If the balancer volume is increased to improve balancing performance, then the balancing effect is enhanced, but the drum capacity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the physical parameters of the balancer components, particularly the magnet case dimensions and magnet arrangement. By carefully selecting and adjusting these parameters, the balancer achieves effective vibration reduction and drum stabilization while maintaining a compact volume that does not significantly reduce the drum capacity. This parameter optimization resolves the contradiction between balancing performance and drum capacity.
3Ease of manufacture
If multiple components are assembled separately, then assembly flexibility is improved, but assembly time and work efficiency are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The magnet case is designed to integrate multiple functions into a single component: it houses the magnet, provides structural support, and facilitates easy attachment to the balancer housing. This merging of functions into one pre-assembled unit improves assembly efficiency by reducing the number of separate assembly steps, while still maintaining the manufacturing flexibility benefits of modular design.
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 balancer system effectively stabilizes drum rotation, reducing vibration and noise, and enhances the structural integrity of the washing machine by offsetting unbalanced loads, thereby extending the lifespan of components and improving operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a magnet provided at one side of the balancer housing to restrain the mass
Implementation Method 2
a balancer that offsets unbalanced load generated in the drum to stabilize rotation of the drum
Data Source
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AI summary
A washing machine (1) having a balancer (100) to offset unbalanced load generated during rotation of a drum (30). The washing machine includes a drum and a balancer mounted to the drum to offset unbalanced load generated in the drum during rotation of the drum. The balancer includes a balancer housing (110) having an annular channel (110a) defined therein, at least one mass (141) movably disposed in the channel, a magnet (160) provided at one side of the balancer housing to restrain the mass, and a magnet case (162) to receive the magnet.