Washer Drum Balancing Ring Using Liquid-Filled Lifters
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Solution Overview
Problem
Laundry treating appliances with rotatable drums often experience vibration and noise due to uneven laundry distribution, which existing balancing systems struggle to effectively mitigate.
Innovation Solution
A balancing system with a rotatable drum featuring a balancing ring and multiple lifters that supply and drain liquid to counterbalance imbalances, using centrifugal force to distribute liquid and correct drum imbalances during operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a damping system is added to reduce vibration and noise, then vibration and noise levels decrease, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The balancing ring is nested within the drum structure, with the ring positioned inside the drum and liquid chambers integrated into the existing drum geometry. This nested configuration allows the balancing system to be incorporated without adding external components, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining vibration reduction functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a hydraulic balancing mechanism where liquid is pumped into and out of chambers in the balancing ring to dynamically adjust counterweights. This hydraulic approach replaces complex mechanical linkages and moving parts with fluid-based actuation, simplifying the system while effectively controlling vibration and noise
2Stability of the object's composition
If an active balancing system with sensors is implemented, then drum balance improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The balancing system operates autonomously by detecting drum rotation position and automatically actuating the hydraulic pump to add or remove liquid from the balancing ring chambers. The system self-regulates based on detected imbalance conditions without requiring external intervention or complex control systems, thereby improving drum balance while limiting complexity growth
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates sensors that continuously monitor drum rotation position and imbalance conditions, providing feedback to the control mechanism. This feedback loop enables real-time adjustments to the liquid distribution in the balancing ring, maintaining optimal drum balance while using a relatively simple sensor-actuator architecture rather than complex multi-component control systems
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 system effectively reduces vibration and noise by strategically supplying and draining liquid to balance the drum, ensuring even laundry distribution and smoother operation.
Implementation Method 1
using centrifugal force to distribute liquid and correct drum imbalances during operation
Implementation Method 2
drained from the chamber by another of the lifters
Data Source
AI summary
A laundry treating appliance having a drum, defining a treating chamber, with a lifter and a balancing system having at least one balancing ring and a reservoir located in the lifter and a liquid supply system fluidly coupled to the reservoir. Liquid may be supplied to the ring and to the reservoir through the ring to offset an imbalance in a laundry load located within the drum.