Suspension damper with fluid contaminant protection
AssigneeSuspa GmbH
InventorsGlen Robert Wilkinson, III, Jonathan David Bruin, David Stuart Atwater
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A suspension damper for washing machines includes a control rod that is configured to attach a fixed bracket of a washing machine cabinet and a first cap having an aperture through which the control rod slidingly extends. The first cap is configured to engage a concave portion of a bracket on a drum of the washing machine. A second cap is disposed on the control rod, and a spring is disposed between the first cap and the second cap. The first cap includes at least one water passageway for guiding water along an outer surface of the first cap. An umbrella may be disposed on the control rod to shed water outwardly away from the control rod.
Claims20
A damper for a washing machine having a cabinet and a drum, the cabinet having a plurality of fixed brackets and the drum having a plurality of brackets, said damper comprising:
- a control rod configured to attach to one of the plurality of fixed brackets;
- a first cap having an interior surface defining an aperture through which the control rod slidingly extends, the first cap configured to engage a portion of one of the plurality of brackets on the drum;
- a second cap disposed on the control rod;
- and
- a spring disposed between the first cap and the second cap;
- wherein the first cap includes a peripheral outer edge and an upwardly facing outer surface, the upwardly facing outer surface including a center portion extending around the aperture and intersecting the interior surface to define an edge that engages the control rod whereby water traveling downwardly along the control rod is prevented from entering the aperture, the first cap further including at least one upwardly opening groove extending from the center portion of the upwardly facing outer surface to the peripheral outer edge of the first cap for guiding water along the outer surface of the first cap from the center portion to the peripheral outer edge of the first cap.
A damper for a washing machine having a cabinet and a drum, the cabinet having a plurality of fixed brackets and the drum having a plurality of brackets, said damper comprising:
- a control rod configured to attach to one of the plurality of fixed brackets;
- a first cap having an aperture through which the control rod slidingly extends, the first cap configured to engage a portion of one of the plurality of brackets on the drum;
- a second cap disposed on the control rod;
- a spring disposed between the first cap and the second cap;
- wherein the first cap includes at least one water passageway for guiding water along an outer surface of the first cap;
- an umbrella having an aperture for receiving the control rod, the umbrella disposed on the control rod above the first cap to shed water flowing down the control rod away from the control rod;
- and wherein:
- the umbrella comprises an aperture having a plurality of inwardly-projecting surfaces that contact the control rod, the aperture further including at least one surface that is spaced-apart from an outer surface of the control rod.
A damper for a washing machine having a cabinet and a drum, the cabinet having a plurality of fixed brackets and the drum having a plurality of brackets, said damper comprising:
- a control rod having an end for attaching to one of the plurality of fixed brackets;
- a bearing having an aperture through which the control rod slidingly extends, the bearing configured to engage one of the plurality of brackets on the drum;
- an end cap disposed at a bottom end of the control rod;
- a spring disposed between the end cap and the bearing;
- and
- an umbrella having an aperture for receiving the control rod, the umbrella disposed on the control rod above the bearing to shed water flowing down the control rod away from the control rod, wherein an upper edge of the aperture sealingly engages the control rod, and wherein a surface of a lower portion of the aperture is spaced-apart from the control rod to form a gap.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.