Flexible mounting assembly for a laundry appliance and method of use

Abstract

A flexible mounting assembly is provided for a laundry assembly using a suspension rod to join a laundry assembly to a frame. The flexible mounting element is a single resilient component that provides dampening and restoring force. The method of using the flexible mounting assembly includes providing a flexible mounting element within the socket of a support frame of the laundry assembly and dampening vibrations from the laundry assembly by resisting pivoting of the suspension rod engaging the flexible mounting element.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

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.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

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.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a top loading, vertical axis washing machine.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1 illustrating the positioning of the flexible mounting element.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the flexible mounting element in position over a support brace.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the flexible mounting element in a support brace assembly.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the flexible mounting element.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the flexible mounting element in a low displacement situation.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the flexible mounting element in high displacement situations.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIG. 1, a top loading, vertical axis washing machine 10 includes a cabinet 12 having a control panel 14 and a door 16 movable between an open and closed position.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the washing machine 10 has a laundry assembly 18 supported by front suspension rod 20 and rear suspension rod 22. The suspension rods 20, 22 cooperate to brace the laundry assembly 18 against forces during all portions of the laundry cycles.

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.

As shown in FIG. 3, the flexible mounting element 44 is placed upon strut rod 22. The flexible mounting element 44 is obstructed from movement upward beyond the top end 38 of the rod 22 by a washer 46 abutting crimps 48. The washer 46 is designed to fit adjacent an upper horizontal surface 50 of the flexible mounting element 44. The horizontal surface 50 may be upon a conical platform 52. Alternatively, as seen in FIG. 6, the horizontal surface 50 may have alternative locations including the bottom surface of a recess 53 upon the top end of the flexible mounting element 44.

The flexible mounting element 44 has a seating surface 54 as best seen in FIGS. 5-8 that is substantially spherical shaped and convex. This seating surface 54 may take various other shapes and configurations but is particularly useful in this shape and form when used as a retrofit replacement for rigid ball mounting elements.

As shown in FIG. 3, a socket 56 with a central hole 59 is located on the support brace 42. As illustrated, the socket 56 is substantially spherical shaped and concave. The socket further includes a lower cylindrical flange 58 to assist in aligning the flexible mounting element 44 within the socket 56. The flange 58 cooperates with an outer rim 60 of the flexible mounting element 44. At a lower portion of the outer rim 60 an attachment 62 is provided to connect the mounting element 44 to the support brace 42. As illustrated, a lip attachment 62 is shown that permits a “snap-fit” between the flexible mounting element 44 and the support brace 42. The snap-fit occurs when the attachment lip 62 is fitted adjacent the flange 58 and pushed through central hole 59, allowing the attachment lip 62 to be released outwardly. The snap-fit feature may have a high insertion/retention force by utilizing the weight of the suspended laundry unit 18 to help seat the flexible mounting element 44 during assembly. Other attachments 62 may include a twist-lock, helix, adhesive, tongue and groove, over-molding into the socket, and/or other structure that attaches the flexible mounting element to either the support brace 42 or upper frame 40.

As seen in FIG. 4, once seated, the flexible mounting element 44 eliminates a bearing/wear surface that is typical of a rigid ball and socket type mounting element. Wearing and abrasion at this interface can affect performance of the washing machine or provide an interface through which vibration is transferred to the frame 40. The described attachment of the flexible mounting element 44 to the support brace 42 creates an interface that is not susceptible to wearing of the socket 56.

As seen in FIG. 5, the flange 58 may have a lower horizontal surface 64 that engages the lip 62 to hinder an upward vertical force from disengaging the flexible mounting element 44 from the support brace 42.

As seen in FIGS. 5-8, the flexible mounting element 44 has an inner hollow shaft 68 extending downward from a main body 70 of the flexible mounting element 44. The inner hollow shaft 68 and the main body 70 has formed therein a common rod passageway 72. A gap 74 is provided between the outer rim 60 and the inner hollow shaft 68.

As seen in FIG. 7, in low displacement situations such as one that occurs when a well balanced load is operated at a high spin, no dampening is needed and therefore shaft 68 gripping the rod 22 moves toward the outer rim 60 closing the gap 74 but with little damping force. In these situations the seating surface 54 does not move within the socket 56 thus avoiding wearing at this interface.

As seen in FIG. 8, a non-linear restoring force can be provided where there is a larger displacement of the suspended laundry assembly 18 such as passing through critical speeds. In this situation, the horizontal gap 74 is closed by the rod 22 pivoting the shaft 68 of the flexible member 44 until it contacts rim 60 which generates a significantly higher, thus non-linear, restoring force by the body 70 against the upper portion 38 of rod 22.

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.

Claims

1. A mounting element for a laundry appliance utilizing a suspension rod to join a laundry assembly to an upper frame, the upper frame having a socket, the mounting element comprising:

a body having a passageway therethrough so that the suspension rod can extend through the body;

a seating surface integrally formed with the body adapted for mating with the socket;

an attachment integrally formed with the body to connect the body to the upper frame.

2. The mounting element of claim 1 wherein the body is formed of a flexible material.

3. The mounting element of claim 2 wherein the flexible material is an elastomeric material.

4. The mounting element of claim 1 wherein the attachment is selected from the group consisting of snap-fit, twist-lock, helix, adhesive, tongue and groove, and over-molding into the socket.

5. The mounting element of claim 1 wherein the attachment means permits the body to resist relative pivoting motion with the upper frame.

6. The mounting element of claim 1 wherein the attachment means permits the body to provide a dampening force to the laundry assembly.

7. The mounting element of claim 1 wherein the attachment means provides a restoring force to center the laundry assembly within the laundry appliance.

8. The mounting element of claim 1 further comprising a hollow shaft integrally formed with the body and extending the passageway below the body.

9. A flexible mounting assembly for a laundry appliance utilizing a suspension rod to join a laundry assembly to a frame, the flexible mounting assembly comprising:

a socket on the frame with an opening therethrough 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;

wherein the flexible mounting element allows the suspension rod to pivot.

10. The flexible mounting assembly of claim 9 wherein the seating surface does not allow swivel relative to the socket.

11. The flexible mounting assembly of claim 10 wherein the flexible mounting element is made of an elastomeric material that grips the socket.

12. The flexible mounting assembly of claim 9 wherein the flexible mounting element provides a dampening force during a low displacement situation for the laundry assembly by the body in response to the pivoting motion of the suspension rod within the flexible mounting element.

13. The flexible mounting assembly of claim 9 wherein the flexible mounting element provides a non-linear restoring force during a large displacement situation of the laundry assembly in response to the pivoting motion of the suspension rod.

14. The flexible mounting assembly of claim 9 wherein the flexible mounting element has a hollow shaft extending the passageway from the body below the socket.

15. The flexible mounting assembly of claim 13 wherein the flexible mounting element provides a dampening force during a low displacement situation for the laundry assembly by the shaft in response to the pivoting motion of the suspension rod.

16. The flexible mounting assembly of claim 9 wherein the socket has a flange defining a lower opening, a lower horizontal surface at a bottom end of the flange.

17. The flexible mounting assembly of claim 16 wherein the flexible mounting element has an outer rim extending below the flange, an annular lip upon the outer rim adapted to engage the lower horizontal surface of the flange.

18. The flexible mounting assembly of claim 9 wherein the flexible mounting element has a conical platform elevating a crimped end of the suspension rod above the upper frame.

19. A method of using a flexible mounting assembly for a laundry assembly utilizing a suspension rod to join a laundry assembly to a frame, comprising:

providing a flexible mounting assembly including a socket on the frame with an opening therethrough to receive the suspension rod and a flexible mounting element engaging the suspension rod;

dampening vibration from the laundry assembly by resisting pivoting motion of the suspension rod engaging the flexible mounting element.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising retrofitting a laundry assembly utilizing a rigid mounting assembly.

21. The method of claim 19 further comprising structurally attaching the flexible mounting assembly to the socket.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein the step dampening vibration includes providing a force during a low displacement situation.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein the step dampening vibration includes providing a non-linear restoring force during a large displacement situation.