VIBRATION DAMPING SYSTEM
Clothes driers include a cabinet, a rotatable drum mounted inside the cabinet, and one or more vibration dumpers mounted to the rotatable drum. The vibration dampers may be mounted inside the drum, between baffles and the drum. The vibration dampers may be attached to the rotatable drum, such that a largest dimension of the vibration dampers extends in a direction of length of the rotatable drum. The vibration dumpers may be configured to shift acoustic energy generated at the front of the drum toward the rear of the drum.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 62/013,615 filed on Jun. 18, 2014, titled “Vibration Damping System” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND1. Field of the Invention
The present relates to a method and apparatus for vibration (e.g., sound) damping.
2. Description of Related Art
The damping of vibration of mechanical systems is of increasing importance to industry in that vibration can have a number of undesirable effects. For instance, consumers are becoming increasingly sensitive to the undesirability of sound created by vibrating systems. Automobile manufacturers have recognized the importance in the purchasing decision of many buyers of a solid thump sound when an automobile door is closed. Likewise, the quality of an appliance is sometimes gauged in part by the perception of the solidity of its construction.
It has become important for the manufacturers of appliances such as clothes washers and dryers, refrigerators, microwave ovens, ovens, stoves, dishwashers, etc. to provide vibration damping on the large, flat sheet material sides of the appliances so that a consumer in making his or her purchasing decision can appreciate the quality of the product by the low frequency sound generated when the side of the appliances is hit. Also, provision of such systems can be important to reduce the noise levels produced by the appliance when such sides vibrate. This is especially true today because of the increase in homes that locate such appliances on the main living floor thereof.
Sound damping systems generally operate by converting vibration energy into thermal energy. For instance, the vibration energy may be converted into thermal energy by interfacial friction, which makes it exhibit a vibration damping property. Alternatively or in addition, shear deformation may be produced within an elastic material having a small elastic modulus when it is located between a source of vibration energy and another surface or constraining layer.
Pre Finish Metals Inc. provides a product called Polycore® which consists of metal outer skins surrounding a thin, viscoelastic core material. This inner core converts the mechanical energy of vibration into heat and then dissipates the heat. This combination is purported to reduce vibration generated noise at the source. Similarly, 3M provides products under the name “Scotchdamp™ vibration control systems” in which any one of a variety of adhesive layers join a constraining layer to a source of vibrating sound. The shear modulus and sound loss factors of these products depend on frequency and temperature, as well as on other factors.
In addition to adhesives, magnetic materials may join a constraining layer to a source of vibratory sound. For instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,300,355, the disclosed vibration damping material includes a magnetic composite type damping material constructed by bonding an adhesive elastic sheet containing magnetic powder to a constraining plate such as a metal plate. In this system, it is reported that since not only is the damping material attracted by a magnetic force against a vibration source, it is also provided with a superficial adhesiveness to develop vibration damping properties over a wide range of temperatures.
Domestic clothes drying machines typically comprise a rotating steel dryer drum in which clothes are tumbled as warm air is circulated through the dryer drum drying the clothes. As the articles of clothing tumble within the dryer drum, the articles fall into contact with the drum wall. Heavier articles, metal buttons and loose coins have a tendency to impact the dryer drum and create noise.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,901,465 discloses a clothes dryer with a reduced noise drum. Steel bands or straps are fastened about the outside periphery of the cylindrical wall of the dryer drum to absorb noise created by articles tumbling within the dryer drum during operation. An adhesive material is laminated to the strap or band which sticks the band to the outside wall of the dryer drum by applying pressure. Baffle mounting screws passing through the dryer drum also secure ends and intermediate parts of the band to the dryer drum.
SUMMARYThe present application discloses exemplary embodiments of clothes driers. The clothes driers include a cabinet, a rotatable drum mounted inside the cabinet, and one or more vibration dampers mounted to the rotatable drum. The vibration dumpers may have a variety of different configurations. The vibration dampers may be mounted inside the drum, between baffles and the drum. The vibration dampers may be attached to the rotatable drum, such that a largest dimension of the vibration dampers extends in a direction of length of the rotatable drum. The vibration dumpers may be configured to shift acoustic energy generated at the front of the drum toward the rear of the drum.
Various objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the invention, when read in light of the accompanying drawings. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for illustrative purposes and are not to be construed as defining the limits of the invention.
The present invention will now be described with occasional reference to the specific embodiments of the invention. This invention may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.
Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. The terminology used in the description of the invention herein is for describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used in the description of the invention and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities of dimensions such as length, width, height, and so forth as used in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about.” Accordingly, unless otherwise indicated, the numerical properties set forth in the specification and claims are approximations that may vary depending on the desired properties sought to be obtained in embodiments of the present invention. Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and parameters setting forth the broad scope of the invention are approximations, the numerical values set forth in the specific examples are reported as precisely as possible. Any numerical values, however, inherently contain certain errors necessarily resulting from error found in their respective measurements.
Referring to
Referring to
The baffles 24 can take a wide variety of different forms. In one exemplary embodiment, the baffles 24 are each a substantially hollow and are molded from plastic. A wide variety of different plastics can be used. Any plastic that can withstand the temperatures inside the drum 16 during operation of the dryer 10 and can withstand impact by clothes and other articles inside the drum 16 can be used to construct the baffles 24. Examples of plastic materials for the baffle 24 include, but are not limited to, vinyl, polypropylene, and NORYL, trademark of General Electric Company. The baffle 24 may have a variety of different shapes and sizes. In an exemplary embodiment, three or more equally circumferentially spaced baffles are provided. In another exemplary embodiment, baffles are omitted or are substantially omitted. In one exemplary embodiment, the baffle is slightly curved so as to encourage the clothes to tumble toward the center of the drum 16 during a drying operation. The baffle 24 may be mounted to the drum 16 in a wide variety of different ways. In one exemplary embodiment, the baffle 24 is mounted by bolts or screws 200 to an inside surface 26 of a cylindrical drum sidewall 28.
The drum 16 can be driven in a wide variety of different ways. In one exemplary embodiment, the drive belt 22 is disposed around the drum 16. The drive belt 22 is driven by the motor 18 to rotate the drum 16 inside the cabinet 12. The drive belt 22 may be disposed around the drum in a wide variety of different ways. In one exemplary embodiment, an optional groove 21 receives the belt. The optional belt receiving groove can take a wide variety of different forms. For example, a circumferential indentation may be formed in the cylindrical drum sidewall 28 to define the groove 21 (see
In an exemplary embodiment, an appliance, such as the dryer 10 illustrated by
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3A-3C, in one exemplary embodiment, a vibration damper 100 is provided between each baffle 24 and the inside surface 26 of the drum 16. Referring to
Any of the vibration dampers 100 and the baffle 24 disclosed by the present application can be secured to the drum 24 in a wide variety of different ways. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated by
Referring to
In one exemplary embodiment, a bottom surface 306 of the damper 100 is contoured to match the contour of the outside surface 32 of the drum 16. For example the bottom surface 306 of the damper 100 may be curved across its width W to match the curvature of the outside surface 32 of the drum 16.
In the exemplary embodiment illustrated by
In an exemplary embodiment a perimeter 300 of the vibration damper 100 on the outside surface 32 may have a wide variety of different configurations. The shape and size of the vibration damper 100 can be adjusted or tuned to provide an appropriate amount of vibration in selected locations of the drum 16. In the example illustrated by
In the exemplary embodiment illustrated by
The embodiments illustrated by
Referring to
The dampers 100 can take a wide variety of different forms. One damper that can be used is a Polycore® from Pre Finish Metals Inc. Polycore® consists of metal outer skins surrounding a thin, viscoelastic core material. This inner core converts the mechanical energy of vibration into heat and then dissipates the heat. Another damper that can be used is Scotchdamp™ vibration control systems from 3M. In the Scotchdamp™ vibration control systems any one of a variety of adhesive layers joins a constraining layer to a source of vibrating sound. In addition to adhesives, magnetic materials may join a constraining layer to a source of vibratory sound. For instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,300,355, the disclosed vibration damping material includes a magnetic composite type damping material constructed by bonding an adhesive elastic sheet containing magnetic powder to a constraining plate such as a metal plate. U.S. Pat. No. 5,300,355 is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,353 discloses examples of dampers 100 that can be used in the embodiments of the present application. U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,353 is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Referring to
Any suitable material can be used for the constraining layer 1412 provided the material has a large elastic modulus at least in one direction compared to the surface of the drum 16 to which it is applied. Stated in other terms, the constraining layer 1412 should have relatively higher flexural rigidity. In one exemplary embodiment, the constraining layer 1412 has a flexural rigidity that is at least eighty percent of the flexural rigidity of the drum sidewall. In one exemplary embodiment, the constraining layer 1412 has a flexural rigidity that is at as high as the flexural rigidity of the drum sidewall. In one exemplary embodiment, the constraining layer 1412 has a flexural rigidity that is higher than the flexural rigidity of the drum sidewall. In an exemplary embodiment, the constraining layer 1412 resists flexure of the drum 16 to which it is applied, thereby causing shear forces to develop in the adhering layer 1413 to thus convert vibration into heat energy. For instance, the constraining layer 1412 may have a large elastic modulus such as a plate made of sheet metal, iron, aluminum, stainless steel, copper, etc., a plastic plate made of phenol resin, polyamide, polycarbonate, polyester, etc., a fiber reinforced plastic plate fabricated by reinforcing the plastic plate using fiber such as glass fiber, carbon fiber, etc., or an inorganic rigid plate such as slate plate, hydrated calcium silicate plate, a plaster board, a fiber mixed cement plate, a ceramic plate, etc., or an organic rigid plate including asphalt, fiber impregnated with asphalt, wood, etc.
As shown in
The adhesive 1422 can take a wide variety of different forms. In one exemplary embodiment, the adhesive 1422 is preferably a viscoelastic material which converts vibration into heat energy by shear forces developed within the viscoelastic material. Any suitable viscoelastic adhesive material can be used if it remains viscous after curing. For instance, the adhesive can be any one or more of the following adhesives: a pressure sensitive hot or cold melt adhesive, an acrylic based adhesive such as acrylic viscoelastic polymers, pressure sensitive damping polymers, adhesive epoxy resins, urea resins, melamine resins, phenol resins, vinyl acetates, cyanoacrylates, urethanes, synthetic rubbers, etc. The adhesive can be, for example, any one of a variety of commercial adhesives such as the acrylic adhesive A-1115 from Avery-Dennison, the acrylic adhesive MACtac™ XD-3780 from Morgan Adhesives, the synthetic rubber based hot melt adhesive R-821 from The Reynolds Co., or the acrylic adhesive V-514 from Venture Tape.
The viscosity enhancing material 1421 of the adhering layer 1413 generally reduces the fluidity of the resulting adhesive layer, thereby generally reducing the amount of both static and dynamic creep exhibited within the vibration damping system. The viscosity enhancing material 1421 may include one or more of the following exemplary materials: organic fibers including cellulose, carbon fiber, asbestos, and inorganic fibers including glass fiber, steel wool, synthetic fibers, etc.
The viscosity enhancing material 1421 provides a structure interposed between the vibration generating source such as the drum 16 of the dryer and the constraining layer 1412. This structure permits the drum sidewall 28 and the constraining layer 1412 to move relative to one another within confines, but increases the viscosity (i.e., resistance to flow) of the adhering layer 1413 so that permanent shifts between the constraining layer 1412 and the drum sidewall 28 are reduced. In other words, the constraining layer 1412 in general does not creep relative to the drum sidewall 28 as much as in an identical damping system that doesn't include the viscosity enhancing material 1421.
In one exemplary embodiment, the viscosity enhancing material 1421 of the adhering layer 1413 is a cellulose material, the fibers of which are dimensioned and matted to permit penetration of the adhesive in its liquid state into the cellulose carrier material, which may be accomplished by soaking the cellulose material in the adhesive, by pressurized extrusion, by rolling, or by any other suitable method. The penetration can be within microns or throughout the cellulose material.
The adhering layer 1413 is produced by applying an adhesive 1422 in a liquid state to the viscosity enhancing material 1421 and curing the adhesive 1422 to form an adhesive coated core. A number of processes can be used to apply the adhesive 1422 to the viscosity enhancing material 1421 or to carrier materials. For instance, a roll coat process (metered adhesive liquid is applied to one or both of two or more opposing rollers between which a core, e.g., the viscosity enhancing material, passes), spray coating, brush coating, knife coating, foam (stable bubbles) or froth (the bubbles of which dissipate to leave a thin coat) coating in the form of applying mechanically or chemically agitated adhesives, curtain coating, slot die or extruded coating (with the carrier or viscosity enhancing material passing through a slot in which adhesives are injected), or calendaring, for example. Appropriate release films may be formed or placed on the major surfaces (top and/or bottom) of the adhesive coated core or adhering layer 1413 in a known fashion.
In some exemplary embodiments, the adhering layer 1413 of the embodiments illustrated by
Referring to
-
- Portions of the damper 100 may be stiffer than other portions of the damper (for example due to bending—See
FIGS. 16 and 17 ); - Portions of the damper may be larger than other portions of the damper;
- Portions of the damper may be thicker than other portions of the damper;
- Portions of the damper 100 may be stiffer than other portions of the damper (for example due to bending—See
Portions of the damper may be denser or heavier than other portions of the damper and/or;
Portions of the damper may be made from other materials than other portions of the damper.
In the example illustrated by
In the example illustrated by
In the examples illustrated by
The dampers 100 disclosed by the present application can be used on any vibrating system which requires damping on any surface. For instance, the dampers 100 can be used to dampen vibration of any surface of a cabinet or housing, drum, moving part, etc. of any machine. Examples of applications for the dampers 100 disclosed by the present application include, but are not limited to, clothes washing machines (for example, a tub, basket, motor, or other moving part and/or a cabinet or housing or other stationary part of the clothes washing machine), air conditioners (for example, a compressor, vent, housing, or other part of the compressor and/or a cabinet, housing, heat exchange coil or other stationary part of the air conditioner), components of heating ventilation and air conditioning systems (for example, fans, blowers, ducts, plenums, and the like), refrigerators (for example, fans, compressors, or other moving parts and/or a cabinet, housing, heat exchange coil or other stationary part of the refrigerator), fans, squirrel cages of fans, small appliances (for example, a motor or other moving part and/or a cabinet or housing or other stationary part of the appliance), blenders (for example, a motor or other moving part and/or a housing or other stationary part of the blender), vacuums (for example, a motor, brush, impeller or other moving part and/or a housing or other stationary part of the vacuum), mixers (for example, a motor or other moving part and/or a housing or other stationary part of the mixer), white goods (for example, a motor or other moving part and/or a housing or other stationary part of the white good), industrial equipment (for example, a motor or other moving part and/or a housing or other stationary part of the industrial equipment), generators (for example, a motor or other moving part and/or a housing or other stationary part of the white good), light sets, articles with metal that vibrates, mufflers (for example, the external housing or internal components of the muffler), engines, such as gasoline and diesel engines, engine accessories, such as radiators, pumps, intake manifolds, exhaust manifolds, air conditioners, heaters, heater blowers, and the like, industrial grade food processing equipment (for example, drums, mixers and the like), commercial and residential equipment and devices, panels of automobile doors, trunks, hoods, etc. and aeronautical applications, and electronic devices. The present invention can be applied anywhere vibration or sound damping is appropriate.
The above description of specific embodiments has been given by way of example. From the disclosure given, those skilled in the art will not only understand the general inventive concepts and attendant advantages, but will also find apparent various changes and modifications to the structures and methods disclosed. For example, the general inventive concepts are not typically limited to any particular application or damper configuration. Thus, for example, use of the inventive concepts on all types of devices needing vibration and/or sound deadening, are within the spirit and scope of the general inventive concepts. As another example, although the embodiments disclosed herein have been primarily directed to a dryer, the general inventive concepts could be readily extended to any application which could benefit from the damper configurations disclosed herein. It is sought, therefore, to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the spirit and scope of the general inventive concepts, as described and claimed herein, and equivalents thereof.
Several exemplary embodiments of vents are disclosed by this application. Vibration dampers and devices with vibration dampers in accordance with the present invention may include any combination or subcombination of the features disclosed by the present application.
While the present invention has been illustrated by the description of embodiments thereof, and while the embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not the intention of the applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. Still further, while specifically shaped features have been shown and described herein, other geometries can be used including elliptical, polygonal (e.g., square, rectangular, triangular, hexagonal, etc.) and other shapes can also be used. Therefore, the invention, in its broader aspects, is not limited to the specific details, the representative apparatus, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures can be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of the applicant's general inventive concept.
Claims
1. A clothes dryer comprising:
- a cabinet;
- a rotatable drum mounted within the cabinet;
- a plurality of baffles mounted inside the rotatable drum;
- a plurality of vibration dampers mounted between the baffles and the rotatable drum.
2. The clothes dryer of claim 1 wherein the baffles are secured to the drum with fasteners and the vibration dampers are also secured to the drum with said fasteners.
3. The clothes dryer of claim 1 wherein the vibration dampers are constrained layer vibration dampers.
4. The clothes dryer of claim 1 wherein the vibration dampers include at least one acoustic shifting feature.
5. The clothes dryer of claim 4 wherein the acoustic shifting feature is configured to shift acoustic energy generated at the front of the drum toward the rear of the drum.
6. A clothes dryer comprising:
- a cabinet;
- a rotatable drum mounted within the cabinet;
- a plurality of baffles mounted inside the rotatable drum;
- a plurality of vibration dampers attached to the rotatable drum such that a largest dimension of the vibration dampers extends in a direction of a length of the rotatable drum.
7. The clothes dryer of claim 6 wherein the vibration dampers are attached between the baffles and the rotatable drum.
8. The clothes dryer of claim 6 wherein the vibration dampers are mounted to an outside surface of the rotatable drum.
9. The clothes dryer of claim 6 wherein the baffles are secured to the drum with fasteners and the vibration dampers are also secured to the drum with said fasteners.
10. The clothes dryer of claim 6 wherein the vibration dampers are constrained layer vibration dampers.
11. The clothes dryer of claim 6 wherein the vibration dampers include at least one acoustic shifting feature.
12. The clothes dryer of claim 11 wherein the acoustic shifting feature is configured to shift acoustic energy generated at the front of the drum toward the rear of the drum.
13. A clothes dryer comprising:
- a cabinet;
- a rotatable drum mounted within the cabinet;
- a plurality of vibration dampers mounted to the rotatable drum; wherein the vibration dampers include acoustic shifting features configured to shift acoustic energy generated at the front of the drum toward the rear of the drum.
14. The clothes dryer of claim 13 wherein the vibration dampers are mounted between the baffles and the rotatable drum.
15. The clothes dryer of claim 13 wherein the vibration dampers are mounted to an outside surface of the rotatable drum.
16. The clothes dryer of claim 13 wherein the baffles are secured to the drum with fasteners and the vibration dampers are also secured to the drum with said fasteners.
17. The clothes dryer of claim 13 wherein the vibration dampers are constrained layer vibration dampers.
18. The clothes dryer of claim 13 wherein the vibration dampers include at least one acoustic shifting feature.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 1, 2015
Publication Date: Dec 24, 2015
Inventors: Anthony Lee Rockwell (Pickerington, OH), Donald Hill (Newark, OH), Kevin Herreman (Newark, OH), Phillip J. Johnson (Louisville, KY)
Application Number: 14/726,701