Patent Application
20060059960
Laundry appliances have been developed that support an internal laundry assembly with a hanging suspension system or a hung strut assembly. Previously, these systems have been designed using a rigid part to rotate relative to a rigid support member. Commonly, this design has taken a rigid ball and socket configuration which requires relative sliding between the ball and socket components to permit the hung suspension rod to pivot.
The prior art encounters a number of disadvantages including wear at the interface between the two rigid components that may effect performance and may create additional vibration transferred to the frame in the laundry assembly. In addition, this prior art often does not have an interface between the two rigid components that prevents the separation of the ball component from the socket component especially during large displacement situations. Additionally, the prior art devices often include temporary solutions including grease between the interface of the two rigid components, the application of Teflon®, additional plastic parts, or some other combination thereof. Still other solutions require multi-piece rigid members.
The prior art recognized the use of flexible components to dampen vibrations resulting from the hung suspension rod laundry assembly configuration. These utilize multiple rubber members clamped together to form a flexible joint. This solution lacks the simplicity of a single part mounting element with integral attachment features to secure the part to the frame of the washer.
Therefore, a primary objective of the present invention is to overcome the problem of the prior art.
A further objective of the present invention is a flexible mounting assembly for use with a laundry appliance which is economical to manufacture, durable, and effective in use.
These and other objectives become apparent from the following description of the invention and claims.
The foregoing problems of the prior art may be solved by a mounting element designed for use in a laundry appliance having a laundry assembly hung by a suspension rod to an upper frame that is a single resilient component that provides dampening and/or restoring force. The mounting element has a body having a passageway that accepts a suspension rod, a seating surface adapted for mating with a socket on a frame of the laundry appliance, and an attachment integrally formed with the body to secure the body to the upper frame.
According to another feature of the present invention the attachment may be a snap-fit connection, a twist-lock connection, a helix connection, adhesive, and/or over-molding the mounting element into the frame. By using a single resilient component there is a cost reduction compared to the rigid sliding interface of the prior art.
Additionally, the foregoing problems of the prior art may be overcome utilizing a flexible mounting assembly that includes a socket on the frame of a laundry assembly with an opening to receive the suspension rod and a flexible mounting element, the flexible mounting element having a body with a passageway therethrough so that the suspension rod can extend through the body and a seating surface for mating with the socket. The flexible mounting element allows the suspension rod to pivot to provide dampening and/or restoring force to the laundry assembly.
According to another feature of the present invention, the flexible mounting element is made of an elastomeric material. The elastomeric material grips the socket and prevents separation of the mounting element from the socket.
According to another feature of the present invention, the flexible mounting element provides a dampening force as a response to the pivoting of the suspension rod.
According to another feature of the present invention, the flexible mounting element provides a non-linear restoring force during large displacement situations of the laundry assembly in response to the pivoting of the suspension rod.
The foregoing problems of the prior art may also be solved by a method of using a flexible mounting assembly with a laundry assembly, utilizing a suspension rod, including the step dampening vibration from the laundry assembly by resisting pivoting of the suspension rod engaging the flexible mounting element.
According to another feature of the present invention, the method includes the step retrofitting a laundry assembly utilizing a rigid mounting assembly with a flexible mounting assembly.
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The front rod 20 has a bottom end 24 that is moveably connected within a front shock 26 that is attached to base 28. The front rod has a top end 30 removably attached to a front arm 32 of the laundry assembly. The rear rod 22 is moveably connected at a bottom end 34 to a rear shock 36. The rear shock 36 is removably attached to a rear arm 37 of the laundry assembly 18. The front and rear shocks 26, 36 provide a dampening force to the laundry assembly 18 during large displacements.
The rear rod 22 has a top end 38 attached to an upper frame 40 of the washing machine 10 by a support brace 42. A mounting element 44 is provided between the rod 22 and the support brace 42 to provide dampening. The mounting element 44 also applies a restoring force which centers the laundry assembly 18 in the washing machine 10. The flexible mounting element 44, in combination with the support brace 42 is generally referred to as a flexible mounting assembly 45. In an alternate embodiment (not shown), the flexible mounting element 44 may be attached directly to the upper frame 40.
The mounting element 44 is flexible and may be made of a elastomeric material such as ethylene-propylene-diene monomer rubber (EPDM), styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), thermoplastic elastomer/rubber (TPE/TPR), or other flexible material.
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The flexible mounting element 44 has a seating surface 54 as best seen in
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The invention has been shown and described above with the preferred embodiments, and it is understood that many modifications, substitutions, and additions may be made which are within the intended spirit and scope of the invention. From the foregoing, it can be seen that the present invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.
