Washing machine with balancer and control method thereof
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Solution Overview
Problem
Washing machines experience vibration and noise due to unbalanced loads during the spin-drying cycle, which can lead to drum and motor damage, and result in delayed cycle times when retrying spin-drying operations.
Innovation Solution
A washing machine with a balancer system that includes a balancer housing with movable masses and a magnet to counterbalance unbalanced loads, and a control method that performs a ball distributing cycle and laundry untangling cycle to stabilize the drum rotation, determining whether to re-perform these cycles based on the motor's rotation rate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the drum rotates at high speed during spin-drying cycle, then water separation from laundry is improved, but vibration and noise increase due to unbalanced load
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a balancer assembly with movable masses that automatically adjust their positions to counterbalance the unbalanced load generated by unevenly distributed laundry during high-speed rotation. The balancer includes masses that can move along guide rails and positioning mechanisms that shift these masses to opposite sides of the drum center, creating counterbalancing forces that offset the harmful vibrations and noise caused by unbalanced load at high rotation speeds.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the balancer redistributes masses during spin-drying cycle, then unbalanced load is reduced, but cycle time increases due to additional operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs the ball distributing cycle at the beginning of the spin-drying cycle, before the high-speed rotation starts. This preliminary redistribution of masses in the balancer prepares the system to handle the upcoming high-speed operation, ensuring that the masses are properly positioned to counterbalance potential unbalanced loads from the start, thereby avoiding the need for interruptions or retries later in the cycle.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit monitors the drum rotation and laundry distribution during the spin-drying cycle, and based on this feedback, determines whether to re-perform the ball distributing cycle. The control unit senses unbalance conditions and decides on retry operations, using feedback from the actual drum behavior to optimize the balancing operations and minimize unnecessary cycle extensions.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the drum rotates in multiple directions for ball distributing cycle, then mass distribution is improved, but operation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ball distributing cycle employs periodic rotation of the drum in alternating directions (clockwise and counterclockwise). This periodic bidirectional rotation ensures that masses in the balancer are evenly distributed along the circumferential direction by repeatedly shifting their positions during each rotation cycle. The periodic action continues for a predetermined number of cycles or until even distribution is achieved, providing a systematic and automated approach that simplifies operation despite the multi-directional movement.
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 vibration and noise during spin-drying, prevents delays in cycle time, and stabilizes drum rotation by counterbalancing unbalanced loads, ensuring efficient operation.
Implementation Method 1
a magnet mounted to the balancer housing to restrict the mass
Implementation Method 2
a balancer to counterbalance unbalanced load produced in the drum during rotation of the drum
Data Source
AI summary
A washing machine with a balancer to counterbalance unbalanced load produced during rotation of a drum and a control method thereof. The washing machine with a balancer to counterbalance unbalanced load produced during rotation of a drum perform a ball distributing cycle of seating masses in a groove in the balancer before rotation of the drum possibly producing unbalance as in the spin-drying cycle begins to efficiently maintain balance of the drum, and a laundry untangling cycle of evenly distributing the laundry in the drum. Accordingly, vibration and noise may be reduced during the spin-drying cycle. In addition, in retrying the spin-drying, the ball distributing cycle is restricted based on the rate of rotation of the motor at the moment at which unbalance is sensed. Thereby, delay in cycle time in retrying the spin-drying cycle may be prevented.