U.S. patent application number 11/222824 was filed with the patent office on 2006-05-11 for drum-type washing machine having damper and method.
This patent application is currently assigned to Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Hyung Gyoon Kim, Hong Seok Ko, Gyu Sung Na.
Application Number | 20060096328 11/222824 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35592086 |
Filed Date | 2006-05-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060096328 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Na; Gyu Sung ; et
al. |
May 11, 2006 |
Drum-type washing machine having damper and method
Abstract
A drum-type washing machine having a damper, and method, capable
of effectively reducing vibration of a water tub includes a
housing, a water tub in the housing, and a damper unit having one
end affixed to an outer surface of the water tub and an other end
affixed to the housing. The damper unit includes a cylinder having
one end affixed to one of the housing and the water tub and a
piston having one end affixed to the other one of the housing and
the water tub and the other end in the cylinder elastically
retractable to reduce the transmitted vibration. A frictional pad
is on an inner surface of the cylinder or an outer surface of the
piston to come into frictional contact, respectively, with the
outer surface of the piston or the inner surface of the cylinder,
thereby reducing the vibration of the water tub.
Inventors: |
Na; Gyu Sung; (Suwon-Si,
KR) ; Kim; Hyung Gyoon; (Suwon-Si, KR) ; Ko;
Hong Seok; (Yongin-Si, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STAAS & HALSEY LLP
SUITE 700
1201 NEW YORK AVENUE, N.W.
WASHINGTON
DC
20005
US
|
Assignee: |
Samsung Electronics Co.,
Ltd.
Suwon-si
KR
|
Family ID: |
35592086 |
Appl. No.: |
11/222824 |
Filed: |
September 12, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
68/3R |
Current CPC
Class: |
D06F 37/20 20130101;
F16F 7/09 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
068/003.00R |
International
Class: |
D06F 37/00 20060101
D06F037/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 10, 2004 |
KR |
2004-91469 |
Claims
1. A drum-type washing machine comprising: a housing; a water tub
suspendedly mounted in the housing; and a damper unit having one
end affixed to an outer surface of the water tub and an other end
affixed to the housing reducing vibration of the water tub, the
damper unit comprising: a cylinder having one end affixed to one of
the housing and the water tub and an other end having an opening, a
piston having one end affixed to the other one of the housing and
the water tub and an other end reciprocably received in the
cylinder and retractable, and a frictional pad on an inner surface
of the cylinder or an outer surface of the piston coming in
frictional contact, respectively, with the outer surface of the
piston or the inner surface of the cylinder reducing vibration
transmitted from the water tub to the piston.
2. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the piston
comprises: a first rod having one end affixed to one of the housing
and the water tub and an other end within the cylinder, and a
second rod in the cylinder and connected to the first rod by an
elastic member.
3. The washing machine according to claim 2, wherein the second rod
has a groove recessed in an outer surface thereof for the
positioning of the frictional pad.
4. The washing machine according to claim 2, wherein the frictional
pad is a plurality of frictional pads and comprises: a first
frictional pad interposed between the inner surface of the cylinder
and an outer surface of the first rod, and a second frictional pad
interposed between the inner surface of the cylinder and an outer
surface of the second rod.
5. The washing machine according to claim 4, wherein the first rod
has a first groove recessed in the outer surface thereof for the
positioning of the first frictional pad, and the second rod has a
second groove recessed in the outer surface thereof for the
positioning of the second frictional pad.
6. The washing machine according to claim 4, wherein the cylinder
has a first groove recessed in the inner surface thereof for the
positioning of the first frictional pad, and the second rod has a
second groove recessed in the outer surface thereof for the
positioning of the second frictional pad.
7. A drum-type washing machine comprising: a housing; a water tub
mounted in the housing; and a damper unit having one end affixed to
an outer surface of the water tub and the other end affixed to the
housing reducing vibration of the water tub, the damper unit
comprising: a cylinder having one end affixed to one of the housing
and the water tub and the other end having an opening, a first rod
having one end affixed to the other one of the housing and the
water tub and the other end reciprocably received in the cylinder;
a second rod received in the cylinder and connected to the first
rod by an elastic member; and a plurality of frictional pads
between an inner surface of the cylinder and an outer surface of at
least one of the first and second rods and configured to come in
frictional contact with an inner surface of the cylinder reducing
the vibration transmitted from the water tub to the piston.
8. A washing machine comprising: a housing; a water tub mounted in
the housing; and a damper having one end affixed to an outer
surface of the water tub and an other end affixed to the housing,
the damper unit comprising: a cylinder having one end affixed to
one of the housing and the water tub, a piston having one end
affixed to the other one of the housing and the water tub and an
other end within the cylinder, the piston comprising: a first rod
having one end affixed to one of the housing and the water tub and
the other end within the cylinder, and a second rod in the cylinder
and connected to the first rod by an elastic member, and a
frictional pad on an inner surface of the cylinder or an outer
surface of the piston positioned to come in frictional contact with
the outer surface of the piston or the inner surface of the
cylinder, respectively,
9. The washing machine according to claim 8, wherein the second rod
has a groove.
10. The washing machine according to claim 8, wherein the
frictional pad is a plurality of frictional pads and comprises: a
first frictional pad positioned between the inner surface of the
cylinder and an outer surface of the first rod, and a second
frictional pad between the inner surface of the cylinder and an
outer surface of the second rod.
11. The washing machine according to claim 10, wherein the first
rod has a first groove in the outer surface, and the second rod has
a second groove in the outer surface thereof.
12. The washing machine according to claim 10, wherein the cylinder
has a first groove in the inner surface thereof, and the second rod
has a second groove in the outer surface thereof.
13. A method of reducing vibration in a washing machine, the method
comprising: absorbing a first value of vibration by elastic
deformation of an elastic member; and absorbing a second value of
vibration by the elastic deformation of the elastic member and by
friction between surfaces.
14. The method of reducing vibration in a washing machine according
to claim 14, wherein the second value of vibration is greater than
the first value of vibration.
15. A damper comprising: a cylinder having one end affixable to one
of a housing and a movable part within the housing; a piston having
one end affixed to the other one of the housing and the movable
part and an other end within the cylinder; the piston comprising a
first rod having one end affixed to one of the housing and the
movable part and the other end within the cylinder, and a second
rod in the cylinder and connected to the first rod by an elastic
member; and a frictional pad positioned on an inner surface of the
cylinder or an outer surface of the piston positioned to come in
frictional contact with the outer surface of the piston or the
inner surface of the cylinder, respectively.
16. The damper according to claim 15, wherein the second rod has a
groove.
17. The damper according to claim 15, wherein the frictional pad is
a plurality of frictional pads and comprises: a first frictional
pad positioned between the inner surface of the cylinder and an
outer surface of the first rod, and a second frictional pad between
the inner surface of the cylinder and an outer surface of the
second rod.
18. The damper according to claim 15, wherein the first rod has a
first groove in the outer surface thereof, and the second rod has a
second groove in the outer surface thereof.
19. The damper according to claim 15, wherein the cylinder has a
first groove in the inner surface thereof, and the second rod has a
second groove in the outer surface.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit from Korean Patent
Application No. 2004-91469, filed on Nov. 10, 2004 in the Korean
Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is hereby
incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a drum-type washing
machine, and, more particularly, to a drum-type washing machine
including a damper to reduce vibration transmitted to a water tub,
and method.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] In general, a drum-type washing machine is an apparatus in
which laundry contained in a cylindrical rotating tub is raised and
subsequently falls down during rotation of the rotating tub, so as
to be washed by virtue of an impact applied thereto when the
laundry falls down.
[0006] A conventional drum-type washing machine, as disclosed in
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-237490, includes an external
housing, a cylindrical water tub installed in the housing and
configured to contain wash water supplied from an opened side, and
a cylindrical rotating tub installed in the water tub. The rotating
tub is configured to rotate by a driving force from a drive motor
mounted in a lower region of the housing. The rotating tub has a
plurality of through-holes perforated at a circumferential wall
thereof for the in-flow or out-flow of wash water.
[0007] The water tub is provided, at an upper side thereof, with
suspension springs that elastically support the water tub in a
suspended state inside the housing. The water tub is provided, at a
lower side thereof, with damper units that support the water tub in
a shock absorbing manner to reduce vibration generated during the
operation of the washing machine.
[0008] Each damper unit includes a circular hollow cylinder, a
piston having one end reciprocably received inside the cylinder,
and one or more frictional pads disposed around an outer surface of
the piston to come into frictional contact with an inner surface of
the cylinder and configured to emit a force applied to the piston
due to vibration transmitted from the water tub, in the form of
heat, thereby enabling reduction of the vibration.
[0009] In the conventional drum-type washing machine configured as
stated above, however, even if a low degree of vibration is
generated in the water tub, as the rotating tub rotates at a high
speed, the vibration is entirely transmitted to the housing since
the frictional force acts between the frictional pad and the inner
surface of the cylinder.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] Additional aspects and/or advantages of the invention will
be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part,
will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by
practice of the invention.
[0011] The present invention addresses the above mentioned problem,
and an aspect of the invention provides a drum-type washing machine
which can effectively reduce various degrees of vibration
transmitted to a water tub.
[0012] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention a
drum-type washing machine includes an external housing, a water tub
mounted in the housing in a suspended state, and a damper unit
having one end affixed to an outer surface of the water tub and the
other end affixed to the housing to thereby reduce vibration of the
water tub. The damper unit includes a cylinder having one end
affixed to one of the housing and the water tub and an other end
having an opening. The damper unit also includes a piston having
one end affixed to the other one of the housing and the water tub
and the other end reciprocably received in the cylinder. The piston
is retractable and reduces the vibration. The damper unit also
includes a frictional pad positioned on an inner surface of the
cylinder or an outer surface of the piston to come into frictional
contact with, respectively, the outer surface of the piston or the
inner surface of the cylinder, thereby reducing the vibration
transmitted from the water tub to the piston.
[0013] According to an aspect of the present invention, the piston
includes a first rod having one end affixed to one of the housing
and the water tub and an other end inserted in the cylinder, and a
second rod in the cylinder and connected to the first rod by an
elastic member.
[0014] According to another aspect of the present invention, the
second rod has a plurality of grooves recessed in an outer surface
thereof for the insertion of the respective frictional pads.
[0015] According to another aspect of the present invention, a
plurality of frictional pads are provided including a first
frictional pad interposed between the inner surface of the cylinder
and an outer surface of the first rod, and a second frictional pad
interposed between the inner surface of the cylinder and an outer
surface of the second rod.
[0016] According to another aspect of the present invention, the
first rod has a first groove recessed in the outer surface thereof
for the insertion of the first frictional pad, and the second rod
has a second groove recessed in the outer surface thereof for the
insertion of the second frictional pad.
[0017] According to another aspect of the present invention, the
cylinder has a first groove recessed in the inner surface thereof
for the insertion of the first frictional pad, and the second rod a
second groove recessed in the outer surface thereof for the
insertion of the second frictional pad.
[0018] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention,
a drum-type washing machine includes an external housing, a water
tub mounted in the housing in a suspended state, and a damper unit
having one end affixed to an outer surface of the water tub and the
other end affixed to the housing to thereby reduce vibration of the
water tub. The damper unit includes a cylinder having one end
affixed to one of the housing and the water tub and the other end
having an opening. The damper also includes a first rod having one
end affixed to the other one of the housing and the water tub and
the other end reciprocably received in the cylinder and a second
rod in the cylinder and connected to the first rod by an elastic
member. The damper also includes a frictional pad interposed
between an inner surface of the cylinder and an outer surface of at
least one of the first and second rods and coming into frictional
contact with the inner surface of the cylinder, thereby reducing
the vibration transmitted from the water tub to the piston.
[0019] According to an aspect of the present invention, a method of
reducing vibration in a washing machine is provided. In another
aspect of the present invention, a damper reducing vibration is
provided.
[0020] Additional aspects and/or advantages of the invention will
be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part,
will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice
of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] These and/or other aspects and advantages of the invention
will become apparent and more easily appreciated from the following
description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings of which:
[0022] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a drum-type washing machine
in accordance with the present invention;
[0023] FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a damper unit included in the
drum-type washing machine in accordance with a first embodiment of
the present invention;
[0024] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a damper unit included in the
drum-type washing machine in accordance with a second embodiment of
the present invention; and
[0025] FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a damper unit included in the
drum-type washing machine in accordance with a third exemplary
embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0026] Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of
the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the
accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the
like elements throughout. The embodiments are described below to
explain the present invention by referring to the figures.
[0027] FIG. 1 illustrates a drum-type washing machine according to
an embodiment of the present invention. The drum-type washing
machine includes an external housing 10, a cylindrical water tub 11
installed in the housing 10 and configured to contain wash water,
and a cylindrical rotating tub 12 installed in the water tub
11.
[0028] The water tub 11 and the rotating tub 12 each have an
opening at their front sides to put laundry into, or take it
laundry out of, the rotating tub 12. A door 13 is hinged at a front
side of the housing 10 to open or close the openings of the water
tub 11 and the rotating tub 12.
[0029] The water tub 11 is suspended in the housing 10 by means of
at least one suspension spring 14 coupled to an upper side of the
water tub 11 to elastically support the water tub 11. A drainage
pipe 15 and a drainage pump 16 are mounted at a lower side of the
water tub 11 to discharge wash water to the outside.
[0030] The rotating tub 12 is configured to rotate upon receiving a
driving force from a drive motor 17 mounted in a lower region of
the housing 10. The rotating tub 12 has a plurality of
through-holes 12a at a circumferential wall thereof for the inflow
or outflow of wash water. A plurality of lifters 12b protrude
inwardly from an inner surface of the rotating tub 12 to raise
laundry contained in the rotating tub 12 and to thereby wash the
laundry by virtue of an impact applied to the laundry when the
laundry falls down.
[0031] The drum-type washing machine further includes a damper unit
20 that supports the water tub 11 in a shock absorbing manner to
reduce vibration generated in the water tub 11 as the rotating tub
12 rotates.
[0032] FIG. 2 illustrates a first embodiment of the damper unit. As
shown in FIG. 2, the damper unit 20 includes a hollow cylinder 21
having one end affixable to a bottom surface of the housing 10. The
damper unit 20 also includes a piston 22 having one end affixed to
a lower portion of an outer surface of the water tub 11 and the
other end reciprocably received in the cylinder 21. The damper unit
20 also includes a frictional pad 23 positioned around the piston
22 to come into frictional contact with an inner surface of the
cylinder 21 as the piston 22 reciprocates in the cylinder 21.
Thereby, the frictional pads 23 act to convert a force applied to
the piston 22 due to vibration transmitted from the water tub 11
into heat, and thus reducing the effective vibration.
[0033] In the first example embodiment of the present invention,
the piston 22 is variable in length in an elastic manner. When a
low degree of vibration is transmitted from the water tub 11 to the
piston 22, the vibration is sufficiently reduced as the piston 22
is elastically contracted. Therefore, an action of a frictional
force between the frictional pad 23 and the inner surface of the
cylinder 21 is not required. Thus, transmission of the vibration to
the outside is reduced.
[0034] To achieve such an elastically retractable configuration,
the piston 22 includes a first rod 22a having one end hingedly
attached to the water tub 11 and an other end inserted in the
cylinder 21. A second rod 22b is installed in the cylinder 21 so as
to reciprocate upon receiving a force from the first rod 22a. An
elastic member 22c is positioned between the first rod 22a and the
second rod 22b so as to connect the first and second rods. The
elastic member 22c is made of an elastically deformable material
and configured to absorb part of the force transmitted from the
first rod 22a and transmit the remaining force to the second rod
22b, thereby causing the second rod 22b to reciprocate inside the
cylinder 21.
[0035] According to another example embodiment of the present
invention, a pair of the frictional pads 23 are axially arranged in
parallel around the second rod 22b. The second rod 22b has a pair
of grooves 22d for the insertion of the frictional pads 23.
[0036] With the damper unit 20 of the first example embodiment,
when a force that is less than an absorbing power of the elastic
member 22c is applied to the piston 22 due to a vibration of the
water tub 11, the elastic member 22c completely absorb the force as
the elastic member 22c is elastically deformed, i.e. contracted and
expanded, thereby reducing the vibration of the water tub 11. On
the other hand, when a force greater than the absorbing power of
the elastic member 22c is applied to the piston 22 due to the
vibration of the water tub 11, only part of the force is absorbed
as the elastic member 22c is elastically deformed, i.e., contracted
and expanded. The remaining force is absorbed as the frictional pad
23 affixed around the second rod 22b moves within the cylinder 21
and is in frictional contact with the inner surface of the cylinder
21.
[0037] FIG. 3 illustrates a second example embodiment of the damper
unit for use in the drum-type washing machine in accordance with
the present invention.
[0038] The damper unit of the second embodiment, designated as
reference numeral 30, includes a hollow cylinder 31, e.g., circular
in shape having one end affixed to the bottom surface of the
housing 10, a piston 32 having one end affixed to a lower location
of the outer surface of the water tub 11 and the other end
reciprocably received in the cylinder 31. The damper unit also
includes frictional pads 33 and 34 arranged around the piston 32 so
as to come into frictional contact with an inner surface of the
cylinder 31 as the piston 32 reciprocates in the cylinder 31 to
convert a force applied to the piston 32 due to the vibration of
the water tub 11 into heat, thereby enabling reduction of the
vibration.
[0039] The piston 32 includes a first rod 32a having one end
hingedly attached to the water tub 11 and the other end within the
cylinder 31. A second rod 32b is positioned in the cylinder 31 so
as to reciprocate upon receiving a force from the first rod 32a. An
elastic member 32c is interposed between the first rod 32a and the
second rod 32b so as to connect them to each other, the elastic
member 32c made of an elastically deformable material and
configured to absorb part of the force transmitted from the first
rod 32a and transmit the remaining force to the second rod 32b,
thereby reciprocating the second rod 32b inside the cylinder
31.
[0040] In the second example embodiment, the frictional pads 33 and
34 include a first frictional pad 33 positioned around the first
rod 32a and a second frictional pad 34 positioned around the second
rod 32b. The first and second rod 32a and 32b have first and second
grooves 32d and 32e, respectively, for the insertion of the first
and second frictional pads 33 and 34.
[0041] With the damper unit 30 of the second example embodiment,
when a force less than a sum of a frictional force acting between
the first and second frictional pads 33 and 34 and the inner
surface of the cylinder 31 and an absorbing power of the elastic
member 32c is applied to the piston 32 part of the force is
absorbed as the first frictional pad 33 affixed on the first rod
32a moves along in the cylinder 31 coming in frictional contact
with the inner surface of the cylinder 31. The remaining force is
absorbed as the elastic member 22c is elastically deformed, i.e.
contracted and expanded.
[0042] On the other hand, when a force greater than the sum of a
frictional force acting between the first and second frictional
pads 33 and 34 and the inner surface of the cylinder 31 and an
absorbing power of the elastic member 32c is applied to the piston
32, part of the force is absorbed as the elastic member 32c is
elastically deformed, i.e. contracted and expanded, and the
remaining force is absorbed as the frictional pads 33 and 34 move
within the cylinder 31 coming into frictional contact with the
inner surface of the cylinder 31.
[0043] FIG. 4 illustrates a third example embodiment of a damper
unit 40 in accordance with the present invention. While the second
example embodiment included a first groove 32d for the insertion of
the first frictional pad 33 recessed in an outer surface of the
first rod 32a of the piston 32, the third example embodiment
includes a first groove 41 a for the insertion of a first
frictional pad 43 recessed in an inner surface of the cylinder 41.
In this case, an inner surface of the first frictional pad 43 comes
into frictional contact with an outer surface of a first rod 42a of
a piston 42, enabling reduction of the vibration. The third
embodiment can also include a second rod 42b having a groove 42d
for a second frictional pad 44.
[0044] According to aspects of the present a damper unit, for use
in a drum-type washing machine, in which a piston is elastically
retractable to reduce vibration applied thereto is provided. With
such a damper unit, if a relatively low degree of vibration is
applied to the piston, the vibration can be reduced simply as the
piston is elastically contracted and expanded without assistance of
frictional pads configured to come into frictional contact with the
inner surface of a cylinder or the outer surface of the piston.
Such a configuration enables a more effective reduction of the
vibration transmitted from a water tub to the piston.
[0045] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been
shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in
the art that changes may be made in this embodiment without
departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the
scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.
* * * * *