Counterweight of washing machine, washing machine, and counterweighting method for washing machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11248327-B2
Application number	US-201716329575-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 18, 2017
Priority date	Dec 26, 2016
Publication date	Feb 15, 2022
Grant date	Feb 15, 2022

Abstract

A counterweight of washing machine, a washing machine and a counterweighting method for the washing machine relates to the technical field of washing machines. The counterweight of washing machine includes at least one counterweight cavity and at least one pressured water structure; a water entering port for connecting a water entering pipeline and a water draining port for connecting a water draining pipeline are formed on a wall of each of the at least one counterweight cavity; the at least one water pressurizing structure is disposed in each of the at least one counterweight cavity, and is configured to enable water entering each of the at least one counterweight cavity to be in an air-free sealed cavity. The counterweight of washing machine is mainly configured to reduce vibration and nose of the washing machine in work, and reduce the production and transportation cost of the washing machine.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A counterweight of a washing machine, comprising:
at least one counterweight cavity, wherein a water entering port for connecting a water entering pipeline and a water draining port for connecting a water draining pipeline are formed on a wall of each of the at least one counterweight cavity; and
at least one water pressurizing structure, disposed in each of the at least one counterweight cavity, and configured to enable water entering each of the at least one counterweight cavity to be in an air-free sealed cavity.

2. The counterweight of the washing machine as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one water pressurizing structure comprises:
a water pressurizing plate, wherein the water pressurizing plate is capable of being moved in each of the at least one counterweight cavity, and separates a cavity of each of the at least one counterweight cavity into a first cavity and a second cavity each having a changeable volume; and the water entering port and the water draining port respectively communicate with the first cavity; and
a pressure assembly, configured to apply a pressure on the water pressurizing plate, so that the water pressurizing plate is moved toward a direction in which a volume of the first cavity is shrunk.

3. The counterweight of the washing machine as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the pressure assembly is disposed in the second cavity.

4. The counterweight of the washing machine as claimed in claim 2 , wherein
when a pressure of the pressure assembly is zero, corresponding the counterweight cavity is in a water-free or a water-little state;
when the counterweight cavity is in the water-free state, a volume of the first cavity is zero; and
when the counterweight cavity is in a water entering state or a water storing state, the first cavity is a sealed cavity fully filled with the water.

5. The counterweight of the washing machine as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the pressure assembly comprises a high pressure gas filled in the second cavity.

6. The counterweight of the washing machine as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the pressure assembly comprises a spring.

7. The counterweight of the washing machine as claimed in claim 6 , wherein one end of the spring is connected with the water pressurizing plate, and the other end of the spring is connected with the wall of the counterweight cavity.

8. The counterweight of the washing machine as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the spring is a pressure spring or an arched plate spring.

9. The counterweight of the washing machine as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one counterweight cavity is of an arc structure or an arch bridge shaped structure.

10. The counterweight of the washing machine as claimed in claim 2 , wherein an edge of the water pressurizing plate is configured to apply pressure to the wall of the counterweight cavity.

11. The counterweight of the washing machine as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one counterweight cavity comprises a first counterweight cavity, a second counterweight cavity and a third counterweight cavity, wherein the first counterweight cavity is fixed on an upper end of a water containing drum of the washing machine; and the second counterweight cavity and the third counterweight cavity are fixed at two sides of the water containing drum of the washing machine.

12. The counterweight of the washing machine as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the water entering port of each of the at least one counterweight cavity is connected with the water entering pipeline, and the water draining port of each of the at least one counterweight cavity is connected with the water draining pipeline; a water entering valve is disposed on the water entering pipeline; and a water draining valve is disposed on the water draining pipeline.

13. The counterweight of the washing machine as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the counterweight of the washing machine further comprises a water entering control device; and the water entering control device comprises:
a water pressurizing plate displacement detector, configured to detect whether a water pressurizing plate in the counterweight cavity generates a displacement; and
a controller, respectively connected with the water pressurizing plate displacement detector and the water entering valve;
wherein after the water entering valve is turned on, if the water pressurizing plate displacement detector detects that a displacement of the water pressurizing plate in the counterweight cavity is zero within a first set time period, a water injection stop signal is sent to the controller; and the controller controls the water entering valve to turn off according to a received signal.

14. The counterweight of the washing machine as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the counterweight of the washing machine further comprises a water entering control device; and the water entering control device comprises:
a water entering duration detector, configured to detect a water entering duration in each of the at least one counterweight cavity; and
a controller, connected with the water entering duration detector and the water entering valve;
wherein when the water entering duration detector detects that the water entering duration of each of the at least one counterweight cavity is greater than a second set duration, a water injection stop signal is sent to the controller; and the controller controls the water entering valve to turn off according to a received signal; and
wherein the second set duration is greater than a duration that each of the at least one counterweight cavity is fully filled with the water from the water-free state.

15. A washing machine, comprising the counterweight of the washing machine as claimed in claim 1 .

16. The washing machine as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the washing machine comprises a water containing drum; the counterweight of the washing machine and the water containing drum are fixed via a fastener; or the counterweight of the washing machine and the water containing drum are of an integral structure.

17. The washing machine as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the washing machine is a roller washing machine.

18. A counterweighting method for a washing machine, being achieved by using the counterweight of the washing machine as claimed in claim 1 to perform mass adjustable counterweighting on the washing machine, wherein
when the washing machine works, water is injected to at least one counterweight cavity of the counterweight of the washing machine, so that the mass of the counterweight of the washing machine reaches its maximum; and
when the washing machine needs to be moved or transported, water draining treatment is performed on the counterweight of the washing machine, so that each of the at least one counterweight cavities of the counterweight of the washing machine is in a water-free state or a water-little state.

19. The counterweighting method for the washing machine as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the counterweight of the washing machine comprises a water entering control device; the water entering control device comprises a water pressurizing plate displacement detector and a controller; and
when the washing machine works, a water entering valve for controlling the water entering port of each of the at least one counterweight cavity is turned on, and the water is injected to the at least one counterweight cavity of the counterweight of the washing machine; and when the water pressurizing plate displacement detector detects that a displacement o

Assignees

• Gree Electric Appliances Inc Zhuhai

Inventors

• He Can
• Li Qi
• Yao Yuzhou
• Situ Fuqi
• Chen Mingyu
• Zhong Jianfu

Classifications

• D06F2105/00

  Systems or parameters controlled or affected by the control systems of washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers · CPC title

• D06F33/48

  Preventing or reducing imbalance or noise · CPC title

• D06F37/225 Primary

  Damping vibrations by displacing, supplying or ejecting a material, e.g. liquid, into or from counterbalancing pockets · CPC title

• D06F2105/02

  Water supply · CPC title

• D06F2103/38

  Time, e.g. duration · CPC title