Washing machine and balance ring for washing machine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing balance rings in washing machines generate impact noise during high-speed dewatering due to continuous collisions of spheres within the annular channel, which are not adequately mitigated by viscous fluids alone.
Innovation Solution
A balance ring with an annular channel containing viscous fluid and spheres, featuring ribs on the inner wall that increase damping force by reducing gaps between spheres and the channel, absorbing kinetic energy and minimizing noise through centrifugal distribution and increased resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If viscous fluid is injected into the channel to reduce noise from sphere collision, then noise during sphere adjustment is reduced, but impact noise continues to occur during high-speed rotation when spheres reach stable positions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces ribs as intermediary structures within the annular channel that mediate the interaction between spheres and viscous fluid. These ribs create additional contact points and fluid restriction zones, enhancing the damping effect of the viscous fluid on sphere movements even when spheres are at stable positions during high-speed rotation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the physical parameters of the channel by adding ribs that change the gap dimensions between the channel wall and spheres. This structural modification increases the resistance to sphere movement and enhances the damping force of the viscous fluid, effectively reducing impact noise during high-speed rotation when conventional damping is insufficient.
2Ease of operation
If gaps between spheres and channel are larger, then spheres can move freely to adjust balance, but damping force from viscous fluid is insufficient and noise increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the annular channel by introducing multiple ribs that divide the channel into multiple smaller sub-channels or compartments. This segmentation restricts sphere movement into smaller increments while maintaining overall mobility, and simultaneously increases the surface area for viscous fluid interaction, enhancing damping force without completely preventing sphere adjustment movements.
Solution Approach 2:
The ribs are strategically positioned at specific locations within the annular channel where they locally reduce gaps and increase damping force. This local modification allows spheres to move freely in regions without ribs while providing enhanced damping in regions with ribs, optimizing the balance between movement freedom and noise reduction.
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 solution effectively reduces impact noise by enhancing the damping force with ribs, ensuring the spheres and viscous fluid distribute to absorb kinetic energy efficiently, thereby minimizing noise during high-speed rotation.
Implementation Method 1
a viscous fluid may be injected into the channel, kinetic energy of the collision of the spheres are absorbed by using viscous drag, so as to reduce the noise
Implementation Method 2
a damping force provided by the viscous fluid adsorbed near the ribs increases, and quickly absorbs kinetic energy of the spheres with respect to the channel, so as to eliminate impact noise of the spheres
Implementation Method 3
When the balance ring reaches a particular rotation speed, the spheres and the viscous fluid are distributed on the abaxial portion under the effect of a centrifugal force
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~4
AI summary
The present invention discloses a balance ring 2 for a washing machine1, including: an annular channel11, where aviscous fluid and a plurality of spheres 12 rollable along the channel 11 are provided in the channel11, and an inner wall 110 of the channel 11 is pro- vided with a plurality of ribs14. When the spheres 12 roll in the channel 11 at a high speed, gaps between the spheres 12 and the channel 11 become smaller when the spheres 12 pass the ribs14. Therefore, a damping force provided by the viscous fluid adsorbed near the ribs 14 increases, and quickly absorbs kinetic energy of the spheres 12 with respect to the channel11, so as to eliminate impact noise of the spheres12. The present invention further discloses a washing machine 1 with the balance ring2. Fig.