Balancer and washing machine having the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9650736-B2
Application number	US-201414163292-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 24, 2014
Priority date	Jan 25, 2013
Publication date	May 16, 2017
Grant date	May 16, 2017

Abstract

A balancer includes a balancer housing coupled to a drum of a washing machine, the balancer housing having an annular channel defined therein, at least one mass movably disposed in the channel, at least one magnet to restrain movement of the mass along the channel when rotational speed of the drum is within a predetermined range, and at least one magnet fixing rib formed at one side of the balancer housing to fix the magnet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A balancer mounted to a drum of a washing machine to offset unbalanced load generated in the drum during rotation of the drum, the balancer comprising:
a balancer housing coupled to the drum, the balancer housing having an annular channel defined therein;
at least one mass movably disposed in the channel;
at least one groove formed on an inner surface of the balancer housing and accommodating the at least one mass so as to restrict the mass moving along the channel;
at least one magnet to restrain movement of the mass accommodated in the at least one groove along the channel when rotational speed of the drum is within a predetermined range; and
a magnet fixing rib formed at a rear surface of the balancer housing opposite to a front surface of the drum toward a rear of the balancer housing to fix the magnet,
wherein the magnet fixing rib comprises
a first magnet support part protruding from the rear surface of the balancer housing to support a front surface of the at least one magnet; and
a second magnet support part connected to the first magnet support part, the second magnet support part being formed in a shape surrounding a side surface of the at least one magnet and configured to solely fix the at least one magnet to the first magnet support part,
wherein the magnet fixing rib is axially aligned with the annular channel, and
a radius of the magnet fixing rib and a radius of the annular channel are approximately the same with respect to a center of the balancer.

2. The balancer according to claim 1 , wherein the magnet fixing rib comprises two or more magnet fixing ribs arranged in a circumferential direction of the balancer housing at intervals.

3. The balancer according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one magnet comprises two or more magnets, and
the magnet fixing rib extends in a circumferential direction of the balancer housing to receive the two or more magnets.

4. The balancer according to claim 1 , wherein the magnet fixing rib comprises two or more magnet fixing ribs disposed symmetrically on the basis of a virtual line passing through a center of rotation of the drum.

5. The balancer according to claim 1 , wherein the balancer housing comprises:
a first housing opened at one side thereof; and
a second housing to cover the first housing to define the annular channel, and
the magnet fixing rib is formed at one side of the first housing.

6. The balancer according to claim 1 , wherein the second magnet support part has a width increasing in a radial direction of the balancer housing.

7. The balancer according to claim 6 , wherein the at least one magnet is provided at the side surface thereof with an inclined part supported by the second magnet support part.

8. The balancer according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one magnet is inserted into a mold to form the balancer housing.

9. A washing machine comprising:
a cabinet;
a drum rotatably disposed in the cabinet;
an annular recess provided at the drum; and
a balancer to offset unbalanced load generated in the drum during rotation of the drum,
wherein the balancer comprises
a balancer housing mounted in the recess, the balancer housing having an annular channel defined therein;
at least one mass movably disposed in the channel;
at least one groove formed on an inner surface of the balancer housing and accommodating the at least one mass so as to restrict the mass moving along the channel;
at least one magnet to restrain the mass accommodated in the at least one groove when rotational speed of the drum is within a predetermined range; and
a magnet fixing rib provided at a rear surface of the balancer housing opposite to the recess to fix the magnet,
wherein the magnet fixing rib comprises
a first magnet support part protruding from the rear surface of the balancer housing to support a front surface of the at least one magnet; and
a second magnet support part connected to the first magnet support part, the second magnet support part being formed in a shape surrounding a side surface of the at least one magnet and configured to solely fix the at least one magnet to the first magnet support part,
wherein the magnet fixing rib is axially aligned with the annular channel, and
a radius of the magnet fixing rib and a radius of the annular channel are approximately the same with respect to a center of the balancer.

10. The washing machine according to claim 9 , wherein the magnet fixing rib comprises two or more magnet fixing ribs disposed symmetrically at the rear surface of the balancer housing.

11. The washing machine according to claim 9 , wherein the second magnet support part has an inclined inner surface.

12. The washing machine according to claim 9 , wherein the second magnet support part has a stepped inner surface.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ryu Doo Young
• Jung Won Young
• Cho Young Jin
• Kang Jeong Hoon

Classifications

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title

• D06F37/225 Primary

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

• D06F37/22 Primary

  in machines with a receptacle rotating or oscillating about a horizontal axis · CPC title

• D06F37/245

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

• B29C45/14

  incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. injection moulding around inserts or for coating articles {(B29C45/1671 takes precedence)} · CPC title