Washing Machine Vibration Damper With Gel-Suspended Oscillating Mass
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vibration dampers in washing machines only provide optimal performance over a limited range of drum rotation speeds, leading to noise and potential damage due to resonance-amplified vibrations, especially on flexible floors.
Innovation Solution
A vibration damper with an oscillating mass 1.5% greater than the washing machine's total weight, using viscoelastic polymeric gel with a specific dynamic elastic modulus and loss factor, connected to a rigid frame via elastic supporting members, effectively reducing vibrations across a wider range of rotation speeds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a vibration damper with oscillating mass and coil springs is used to reduce vibrations at resonance speeds, then vibration amplitude is reduced over a limited speed range, but damping performance deteriorates outside this limited range
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the suspension system adjustable. The suspension system can be configured in multiple states with different stiffness characteristics, allowing it to adapt to different drum rotation speeds. This enables the vibration damper to maintain optimal damping performance across a broader range of speeds rather than being fixed for only a limited range.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by varying the stiffness of the suspension system. By changing the stiffness parameter of the suspension elements, the natural frequency of the oscillating mass can be adjusted to match different resonance frequencies of the washing machine at various rotation speeds, thereby extending the effective damping range.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the washing machine rests on a flexible floor, then installation flexibility is improved, but vibration resonance is amplified leading to noise and potential damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by incorporating a vibration damper with adjustable suspension that proactively counteracts vibrations before they can be resonance-amplified by the flexible floor. The damper is designed to reduce vibrations across a broad speed range, preventing the amplification effect that would otherwise occur on flexible flooring surfaces.
3Device complexity
If conventional vibration dampers are used, then device complexity is kept simple, but damping performance is limited to a narrow speed range
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains relatively simple device complexity while improving damping effectiveness through a adjustable suspension system. The suspension elements can be configured in different states without requiring complex mechanisms, thus preserving ease of manufacture while achieving broader speed range coverage.
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 significantly reduces vibration amplitude peaks by over 50% across a broader range of speeds, enhancing stability and silence, outperforming conventional dampers by maintaining high damping performance beyond their operational limits.
Implementation Method 1
at least one block or piece 10 of viscoelastic polymeric gel with a dynamic elastic modulus G' lower than 300,000 pascals within a frequency range between 5 Hertz and 15 Hertz, and with a dynamic loss factor η greater than 0.1 within a frequency range between 5 Hertz and 15 Hertz
Implementation Method 2
The oscillating mass and the coil spring system are properly dimensioned to vibrate, during rotation of the drum, out of phase with respect to vibrations transmitted by the floating suspension system of the drum, thus reducing the amplitude of the casing vibrations
Implementation Method 3
connecting oscillating mass 9 in floating manner to rigid frame 8
Data Source
AI summary
Laundry washing machine (1) provided with a casing (2) and with a vibration damper (7) which is fixed to the casing (2) so as to reduce vibrations transmitted to the latter; the vibration damper (7) comprising a supporting frame (8) rigidly fixed to the casing (2), an oscillating mass (9) housed inside the supporting frame (8), and at least one block (10) of viscoelastic polymeric gel interposed between the oscillating mass (9) and the supporting frame (8) to floating support the oscillating mass (9).