Washing Machine Drum Positioning to Reduce Spin-Cycle Vibration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Washing and drying machines experience vibrations due to unevenly distributed loads during spin cycles, leading to noise, reduced machine lifetime, and wear on bearings, as centrifugal force concentrates weight around the drum's circumference.
Innovation Solution
A washing and/or drying machine with a controller, sensor, and electromagnetic actuator system that detects the drum's position and moves it back to a central axis when it deviates from a reference position, using resilient coils to counteract vibrations and reduce noise and wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the drum rotates at high speed during spin cycles, then drying efficiency is improved, but vibrations increase due to unevenly distributed loads
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses sensors to detect the drum's position and vibration levels, then feeds this information back to the controller which adjusts the electromagnetic actuators in real-time to counteract vibrations and maintain drum stability during high-speed operation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional passive mechanical vibration damping systems with an active electromagnetic actuation system that uses electromagnetic coils and resilient coils to dynamically counterbalance vibrations and reposition the drum, enabling stable high-speed rotation
2Stability of the object's composition
If the drum is repositioned actively using electromagnetic actuators, then vibrations are reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electromagnetic actuators serve multiple functions: they reposition the drum to counteract vibrations, provide structural support, and work in conjunction with resilient coils for both positioning and vibration damping, reducing the need for separate dedicated vibration isolation components
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient coils are nested within or integrated with the electromagnetic actuator structure, with the actuator element positioned centrally within the electromagnetic coil assembly, creating a compact multi-functional unit that reduces overall system complexity
3Stability of the object's composition
If resilient coils are used in the actuator, then vibration damping is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient coils are designed with specific mechanical properties (spring constant, damping coefficient) that can be adjusted through material selection and geometric parameters, allowing optimization of vibration damping performance while accommodating reasonable manufacturing tolerances
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 drum vibrations, minimizing noise and extending the machine's lifespan by actively repositioning the drum during cycles, thus enhancing operational stability and longevity.
Implementation Method 1
the actuator comprises an electromagnetic coil, the electromagnetic coil surrounding an actuator element
Implementation Method 2
the electromagnetic coil comprises a first resilient coil, and the actuator element comprises a second resilient coil
Data Source
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AI summary
There is disclosed a washing and/or drying machine (102) comprising: a main body portion (104) and a drum (206) for receiving one or more items to be washed and/or dried. The drum (206) is arranged for rotation within the main body portion. A controller (230) is in communication with a sensor (226). The sensor (226) is constructed and arranged to sense position information of the drum (206) and to provide the position information to the controller (230). An actuator (224) is constructed and arranged to cause movement of the drum (206). In response to determining that a position of the drum (206) differs from a reference position of the drum, the controller (230) is configured to send a control signal to the actuator (224) so as to cause the actuator to cause the drum (206) to move towards the reference position of the drum.