Washing Machine Suspension With Separable Friction Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional washing machines face challenges in effectively attenuating vibrations in both normal and excessive vibration states, leading to reduced durability, increased noise, and difficulties in lubricant supplementation due to complex suspension structures and material constraints during injection molding.
Innovation Solution
A washing machine design featuring a separable suspension system with movable friction units and an elastic member, allowing for different vibration attenuation mechanisms based on vibration amplitude, and easy lubricant supplementation by separating the receiving body from the outer tub supporter, reducing material thickness for injection molding constraints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If lubricant is applied to the support rod to maintain constant viscosity and prevent overheating, then frictional heating is reduced, but lubricant supplementation becomes difficult during maintenance and repair
Solution Approach 1:
The support rod is segmented into a first support rod and a second support rod that can be separated from each other. This segmentation allows the friction member to be accessed and lubricant to be supplemented during maintenance, while still maintaining the friction-based vibration attenuation function, thus resolving the contradiction between durability and ease of repair
2Reliability
If the structure in which the friction member is received becomes complicated to achieve different vibration attenuation aspects, then vibration attenuation performance is improved, but injection molding becomes difficult and material thickness constraints increase
Solution Approach 1:
The suspension is divided into separable components including the friction member, support rod, and receiving body. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured using simple injection molding processes, avoiding complex multi-cavity or sliding core structures, thus resolving the contradiction between performance and manufacturability
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 design achieves enhanced vibration attenuation in both normal and excessive states, improves durability and stability, reduces noise, and simplifies lubricant maintenance, while increasing the utility of space and capacity within the washing machine.
Implementation Method 1
the typical suspension functions to attenuate vibrations by converting vibration into heat via friction between a support rod and a friction member moving along the support rod
Implementation Method 2
an elastic member supported by the support prop and elastically supporting the receiving body
Data Source
AI summary
A washing machine including a casing, an outer tub, a support rod having one end connected to the casing and the other end having a support prop, first and second friction units movable along the support rod and applying frictional force between the friction units and the support rod, a receiving body movable along the support rod, the receiving body retaining the first and second friction units, the receiving body is integrally moved with the first friction unit and is displaceable relative to the second friction unit, an outer tub supporter movable along the support rod and formed independently of the receiving body to support the outer tub above the receiving body, and an elastic member supported by the support prop and elastically supporting the receiving body.