US2012017645A1PendingUtilityA1

Washing machine with vibration isolation system

37
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Jul 23, 2010Filed: Jul 25, 2011Published: Jan 26, 2012
Est. expiryJul 23, 2030(~4 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:James A. Baron
D06F 37/20D06F 39/125D06F 37/22D06F 39/001
37
PatentIndex Score
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Claims

Abstract

A vibration isolation system for a front-loading clothes washing machine and the like which provides isolation of intermittent or continuous vibration of a rotating basket from support feet which support the washing machine. The vibration isolation system includes a plurality of vibration isolation assemblies each including a flexible member or rod which is supported by a pair of opposing bearing supports. The vibration assemblies can be located between a cabinet enclosing the basket and the support feet, a drum generally enclosing the basket and the cabinet, or any other suitable location between the basket and the support feet. The configuration of the flexible members relative to one another and the spinning axis of the basket may vary depending upon the design of the washing machine components.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A front-loading washing machine comprising, in combination:
 a frame;   a plurality of support feet for supporting the frame;   a drum supported within the frame;   a basket within the drum and rotatable about a substantially horizontal central axis;   a vibration isolation system including a plurality of vibration isolation assemblies mounted between the frame and the support feet; and   each vibration isolation assembly including a flexible member having opposed end portions and a central portion intermediate the end portions, and a pair of opposed bearing supports supporting the flexible member at the flexible member end portions, and a connector secured to the central portion of the elastic member.   
     
     
         2 . The front-loading washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein a distance between the bearing supports is fixed based on the operating frequency of the basket. 
     
     
         3 . The front-loading washing machine of  claim 2 , wherein a length of the elastic member is selected to correspond to the fixed distance between the bearing supports. 
     
     
         4 . The front-loading washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein at least two of the elastic members are arranged in substantially parallel relationship. 
     
     
         5 . The front-loading washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the elastic members are arranged in substantially parallel relationship to the horizontal central axis of the basket. 
     
     
         6 . The front-loading washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein a distance between the respective bearing supports can be adjusted automatically based on an operational frequency of the washing machine. 
     
     
         7 . The front-loading washing machine of  claim 1 , further comprising an adjustment system for changing a distance between the respective bearing supports automatically based on an operational frequency of the washing machine. 
     
     
         8 . The front-loading washing machine of  claim 1 , further comprising a mechanism for adjusting the resonant frequency of the elastic member and the respective bearing supports. 
     
     
         9 . The front-loading washing machine of  claim 8 , wherein the adjustment mechanism changes a distance between the respective bearing supports. 
     
     
         10 . The front-loading washing machine of  claim 9 , wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a continuously adjustable threaded rod that changes the distance between the respective bearing supports. 
     
     
         11 . The front-loading washing machine of  claim 9 , wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises an automated system for monitoring the vibration frequency, comparing it to a standard value, and changing the distance between the respective bearing supports in response to this comparison. 
     
     
         12 . The front-loading washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the bearing supports are selected from spherical joint rod ends and spherical joint bearings. 
     
     
         13 . A front-loading washing machine comprising, in combination:
 a frame;   a drum supported within the frame;   a basket within the drum and rotatable about a substantially horizontal central axis;   a vibration isolation system including a plurality of vibration isolation assemblies mounted between the drum and the frame; and   each vibration isolation assembly including an elastic member having opposed end portions and a central portion intermediate the end portions, a pair of opposed bearing supports supporting the elastic member at the elastic member end portions, and a connector secured to the central portion of the elastic member.   
     
     
         14 . The front-loading washing machine of  claim 13 , wherein the distance between the pair of opposed bearing supports is fixed based on the operating frequency of the washing machine. 
     
     
         15 . The front-loading washing machine of  claim 14 , wherein the length of the elastic member is selected to correspond to a fixed distance between the pair of opposed bearing supports. 
     
     
         16 . The front-loading washing machine of  claim 13 , wherein at least two of the elastic members are arranged in substantially parallel relationship. 
     
     
         17 . The front-loading washing machine of  claim 13 , wherein the elastic members are arranged in substantially parallel relationship to the horizontal central axis of the basket. 
     
     
         18 . The front-loading washing machine of  claim 13 , wherein the elastic members are arranged in substantially perpendicular relationship to the horizontal central axis of the basket. 
     
     
         19 . The front-loading washing machine of  claim 13 , wherein the distance between the pair of opposed bearing supports can be adjusted automatically based on an operational frequency of the washing machine. 
     
     
         20 . The front-loading washing machine of  claim 13 , further comprising an adjustment system for changing a distance between the pair of opposed bearing supports automatically based on an operational frequency of the washing machine. 
     
     
         21 . The front-loading washing machine of  claim 13 , further comprising a mechanism for adjusting the resonant frequency of the vibration isolation assembly. 
     
     
         22 . The front-loading washing machine of  claim 21 , wherein the adjustment mechanism changes a distance between a pair of opposed bearing supports. 
     
     
         23 . The front-loading washing machine of  claim 21 , wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a continuously adjustable threaded rod that changes a distance between the opposed bearing supports. 
     
     
         24 . The front-loading washing machine of  claim 21 , wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises an automated system for monitoring the vibration frequency, comparing it to a standard value, and changing a distance between the opposed bearing supports in response to this comparison. 
     
     
         25 . The front-loading washing machine of  claim 13 , wherein the bearing supports are selected from spherical-joint rod ends and spherical joint bearings.

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