Washing machine having balancer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional washing machines with ball balancers face issues of reduced lifespan due to deformation under centrifugal force, assembly challenges, and vibration/noise caused by fusion scraps, which lead to dynamic imbalance and reduced durability.
Innovation Solution
The washing machine incorporates a balancer with annular-shaped housings and protruding supports to maintain strength and guide the balancer in place, along with fusion ridges and grooves to collect scraps, ensuring precise assembly and smooth operation of metal balls for balancing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If ball balancers are used with fused upper and lower plates, then the balancer structure is simplified, but the walls deform under centrifugal force reducing lifespan
Solution Approach 1:
The balancer is divided into an upper plate and a lower plate that are separately formed and then coupled together through fusion. This segmentation allows each plate to be optimized independently and reduces the deformation issue under centrifugal force compared to a fully fused single-piece structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The balancer combines plastic material for the upper and lower plates with metal ball balancers inside. This composite structure leverages the advantages of both materials: the plastic plates provide structural integrity and ease of manufacturing, while the metal balls provide effective balancing functionality with high durability under centrifugal force.
2Device complexity
If ball balancers are assembled without installation guidance, then the structure is simpler, but assembly time increases
Solution Approach 1:
Installation guide ribs are pre-formed on the upper plate and lower plate during the molding process. These guide ribs protrude outward and provide automatic alignment and positioning features that guide the balancer into correct installation position on the spin tub, eliminating the need for complex separate guiding mechanisms and reducing assembly time.
3Ease of manufacture
If fusion scraps fall inward during fusion, then the fusion process is simpler, but ball motion is prevented causing vibration and noise
Solution Approach 1:
A fusion scrap collection groove is formed on the inner surface of the upper plate, and a fusion scrap collection hole is created to allow fusion scraps to be extracted from the internal space. This extraction mechanism removes harmful fusion scraps that would otherwise interfere with ball motion, preventing vibration and noise while maintaining a simple fusion process.
Solution Approach 2:
The fusion scrap collection groove and hole act as an intermediary structure between the fusion process and the ball balancer operation. They provide a designated path for fusion scraps to be collected and removed, preventing direct contact between scraps and balls, thus eliminating the harmful effects of scraps on ball motion without complicating the overall manufacturing process.
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
This design enhances the durability and lifespan of the washing machine by preventing deformation and noise, ensuring dynamic balance and efficient operation with reduced assembly time and minimized vibration.
Implementation Method 1
the ball balancers are continuously supplied with centrifugal force that is generated when the steel balls make a circular motion
Data Source
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AI summary
A washing machine is provided that has at least one balancer (20,30,40) installed on a rotating tub (10), the balancer (20,30,40) includes first and second housings (22,23,32,33,42,42) that have an annular shape and are fused to form a closed internal space (20a,30a,40a), and the first housing (22,32) including at least one support (24,34) for reinforcing the strength of the balancer (20,30), the spin tub (10) includes an annular recess (15) corresponding to the balancer (20,30,40) so as to be coupled with the balancer (20,30,40), the support protrudes from the first housing (22,32) and comes into contact with a wall of the recess (15) and guides the balancer (20,30) to be maintained in the recess (15) in place, said supports (24,34) are continuously formed along and perpendicular to the opposite walls of the first housing (22,32), or are disposed parallel to the opposite walls of the first housing (22,32) at regular intervals.