Automatic-Leveling Washing Machine Foot Using Hydraulic Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing washing machines require manual adjustment of leveling, which is inconvenient and prone to instability, especially with heavy machines or in narrow spaces, leading to vibrations and reduced service life due to uneven placement.
Innovation Solution
A washing machine foot with automatic leveling function using a hollow chamber filled with gas and hydraulic medium, where the hydraulic medium flows under pressure to drive the adjustable foot to extend and contract, ensuring adaptive leveling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual adjustment of leveling feet is used, then the washing machine can be leveled, but it requires user time and labor and is inconvenient for heavy machines or narrow spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The leveling feet automatically adjust the washing machine's level without user intervention. The hydraulic medium flows in response to the machine's weight and ground unevenness, self-regulating the foot height to achieve automatic leveling, eliminating manual adjustment requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a hydraulic system where a hollow chamber filled with hydraulic medium is connected to the leveling foot. When the washing machine is placed on uneven ground, the hydraulic medium flows to adjust the foot's height, providing automatic leveling through hydraulic pressure differential caused by the machine's weight distribution
2Reliability
If manual adjustment is performed, then initial leveling can be achieved, but long-term stability is poor due to vibration causing screw loosening
Solution Approach 1:
The automatic hydraulic leveling system continuously maintains stability without manual intervention. The hydraulic medium automatically compensates for any height changes or loosening by flowing to maintain equilibrium, making the system self-correcting and highly reliable for long-term use
Solution Approach 2:
The hydraulic medium acts as a cushioning element that absorbs vibration and shock loads before they can cause loosening or damage. The fluid's compressibility and flow characteristics provide damping that protects the leveling mechanism from vibration-induced failures
3Productivity
If the washing machine is placed unlevel, then installation may be faster, but vibration increases during operation reducing comfort
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically levels the washing machine during installation without requiring user intervention or time for manual adjustment. The hydraulic medium self-regulates the foot heights to achieve optimal leveling, eliminating the trade-off between installation speed and leveling quality
Solution Approach 2:
The hydraulic system provides precise automatic leveling by allowing the hydraulic medium to flow in response to the machine's weight distribution on uneven ground. This ensures the washing machine is perfectly levelled during installation, preventing vibration problems during operation while maintaining fast installation
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 provides stable and reliable automatic leveling, reducing vibrations and noise, improving user comfort, and extending the washing machine's service life by eliminating the need for manual adjustments.
Implementation Method 1
The hydraulic medium flows to the gas chamber under pressure
Implementation Method 2
the hydraulic medium flows to the gas chamber under pressure
Implementation Method 3
a gas chamber for being filled with gas
Implementation Method 4
a gas chamber for being filled with gas
Data Source
AI summary
A foot of a washing machine comprises a foot base, a flexible accommodating body and an adjustable foot, a hollow chamber is arranged in the foot base, and the hollow chamber comprises at least a gas chamber for filling gas. The flexible accommodating body is arranged in the hollow chamber and is communicated with the gas chamber, an accommodating chamber is arranged in the flexible accommodating body and is provided with a hydraulic medium. The hydraulic medium can flow to the gas chamber under pressure. An end of the adjustable foot is relatively slidably set in the hollow chamber and the flexible accommodating body is in contact or connected with the adjustable foot. The foot of a washing machine can automatically adjust adaptively due to the fluidity of the hydraulic medium under different pressures.