Claims
- 1. A dynamic balancer device for an automatic washer including a rotatable wash basket for receiving a wash load, the balancer device comprising:an annular hollow first chamber mounted to rotate with the basket; a first fluid held in and only partly filling the first chamber; the first chamber being partly filled with only the first fluid; an annular hollow second chamber in vertical alignment with the first chamber and mounted to rotate with the basket; a plurality of objects disposed in the second chamber and movable therein; and a second fluid held in the second chamber and, in combination with the objects only partly filling the second chamber.
- 2. The dynamic balancer device according to claim 1, wherein the first fluid is water.
- 3. The dynamic balancer device according to claim 2, wherein the water is salt water.
- 4. The dynamic balancer device according to claim 1, wherein the first fluid fills about one-half of the first chamber.
- 5. The dynamic balancer device according to claim 1, wherein the second chamber is stacked generally on top of the first chamber.
- 6. The dynamic balancer device according to claim 1, wherein the first chamber is at least partly defined in a first annular ring of material and wherein the second chamber is at least partly defined in a second annular ring of material, the first and second annular rings attached to one another.
- 7. The dynamic balancer device according to claim 6, wherein the second annular ring is stacked on top of the first annular ring and is attached to the first annular ring.
- 8. The dynamic balancer device according to claim 7, wherein the first and second annular rings are welded to one another.
- 9. The dynamic balancer device according to claim 6, wherein the first and second annular rings are formed from a plastic material.
- 10. The dynamic balancer device according to claim 6, further comprising:a third annular ring of material disposed generally horizontally between the first and second annular rings separating the first and second chambers from one another.
- 11. The dynamic balancer according to claim 10, wherein the third annular ring is attached at a pair of joints to the second annular ring, and wherein the first annular ring is attached to the combined second and third annular rings with the pair of joints disposed within the first chamber.
- 12. The dynamic balancer device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of objects are each a steel ball capable of rolling within the second chamber.
- 13. The dynamic balancer device according to claim 1, wherein the second fluid is an oil.
- 14. The dynamic balancer device according to claim 13, wherein the oil is a 10 weight oil.
- 15. The dynamic balancer device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of objects are each a steel ball and the second chamber has a race along which the steel balls can roll within the second chamber.
- 16. The dynamic balancer device according to claim 1, wherein the second fluid and the objects, in combination, fill about one-half of the second chamber.
- 17. An automatic washer comprising:an imperforated tub; a perforate wash basket disposed within the tub and rotatable about a vertical axis, the perforate wash basket having an annular top edge defining an opening; and a rotary dynamic balancer associated with the top edge of the wash basket, the balancer including; an annular hollow first chamber mounted to rotate with the basket; a first fluid held in and only partly filling the first chamber; the first chamber being partly filled with only the first fluid; an annular hollow second chamber mounted to rotate with the basket; a plurality of objects disposed in the second chamber and movable therein; a second fluid held in the second chamber and, in combination with the objects, only partly filling the second chamber; and a third annular ring of material disposed generally horizontally between the first and second annular rings separating the first and second chambers from one another.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/541,310 filed on Apr. 3, 2000 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,550,292.
US Referenced Citations (9)
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
62-16678 |
Apr 1987 |
JP |
4-122387 |
Apr 1992 |
JP |
4-178192 |
Jul 1992 |
JP |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09/541310 |
Apr 2000 |
US |
Child |
10/356069 |
|
US |