Washing machine with pumping damper for automatic balancing
AssigneeMaytag Corporation
InventorStephan Cummings
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved washing machine includes a tub with a rotatable drum mounted therein, in either a horizontal or vertical orientation. An open balance ring is mounted on the drum. The tub is supported by a damper which pumps fluid to the balance ring to counter balance unbalanced loads in the drum during dynamic operation of the machine.
Claims20
A washing machine, comprising:
- a cabinet;
- a tub mounted in the cabinet;
- a damper to mount the tub in the cabinet;
- a drum rotatably mounted in the tub;
- a balance ring on the drum;
- a fluid line extending from the damper;
- and
- the damper being adapted to pump fluid through the fluid line and into the balance ring to counter-balance an unbalanced load in the drum.
A method of automatically balancing an unbalanced load in a washing machine, the washing machine having a drum rotatably mounted in a tub supported by dampers within a cabinet, and a balance ring on the drum, the method comprising:
- pumping fluid from one of the dampers to the balance ring when the load is unbalanced.
An improved washing machine having a tub with a rotatable drum therein, and with an open balance ring on the drum, the improvement comprising:
- a pumping damper connected to the tub to pump fluid to the balance ring to counter-balance unbalanced loads in the drum.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.