Balancer and washing machine having the same
AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorsJeong Hoon KANG, Dong Ha JUNG, Min Sung KIM
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A balancer of a washing machine having improved balancing performance. The balancer includes a balancer housing having an annular channel therein, at least one mass movably disposed in the channel at least one groove recessed in an inner surface of the balancer housing so as to accommodate the mass, and at least one magnet coupled to an outer surface of the balancer housing to restrict the mass accommodated in the groove when an RPM of the drum is within a specific RPM range. The magnet is configured as a plurality of N poles and S poles which are arranged alternately, and the outermost pole of the magnet among the plural N poles and S poles has a relatively shorter length than another adjacent pole.
Claims38
A balancer mounted to a drum of a washing machine to offset an unbalanced load caused within the drum during rotation of the drum, the balancer comprising:
- a balancer housing having an annular channel therein;
- at least one mass movably disposed in the channel;
- at least one groove recessed in an inner surface of the balancer housing so as to accommodate the mass;
- and
- at least one magnet coupled to an outer surface of the balancer housing to restrict the mass accommodated in the groove when an RPM of the drum is within a specific RPM range,
- wherein the magnet is configured as a plurality of N poles and S poles which are arranged alternately, and the outermost pole of the magnet among the plural N poles and S poles has a relatively shorter length than another adjacent pole.
A balancer mounted to a drum of a washing machine to offset an unbalanced load caused within the drum during rotation of the drum, the balancer comprising:
- a balancer housing;
- at least one mass movably disposed inside the balancer housing;
- at least one groove recessed in an inner surface of the balancer housing so as to accommodate the mass;
- and
- at least one magnet coupled to an outer surface of the balancer housing to restrict the mass accommodated in the groove when an RPM of the drum is within a specific RPM range,
- wherein the magnet is disposed at a position corresponding to the groove, and a gap between the magnet and the groove is from 1 mm to 3 mm.
A washing machine comprising:
- a cabinet;
- a drum rotatably arranged within the cabinet;
- an annular recess provided in the drum;
- and
- a balancer to offset an unbalanced load caused within the drum during rotation of the drum,
- wherein the balancer comprises
- a balancer housing mounted to the recess and having an annular channel therein;
- at least one mass movably disposed in the channel;
- at least one groove recessed in an inner surface of the balancer housing so as to accommodate the mass;
- and
- at least one magnet coupled to an outer surface of the balancer housing to restrict the mass accommodated in the groove when an RPM of the drum is within a specific RPM range,
- wherein the magnet is configured as a plurality of divided magnets arranged in a circumferential direction of the balancer housing, at least one of the plural divided magnets comprises at least one N pole and one S pole having different lengths, and any one of the N pole and S pole has a relatively shorter length than the other pole.
A balancer mounted to a drum of a washing machine to offset an unbalanced load caused within the drum during rotation of the drum, the balancer comprising:
- a balancer housing having an annular channel therein;
- at least one mass movably disposed in the channel;
- and
- at least one magnet coupled to one side of the balancer housing to restrict the mass from moving along the channel when an RPM of the drum is within a specific RPM range,
- wherein the magnet comprises a plurality of unit magnets spaced apart from each other in a circumferential direction of the balancer housing.
A balancer mounted to a drum of a washing machine to offset an unbalanced load caused within the drum during rotation of the drum, the balancer comprising:
- a first housing opened at one side thereof;
- a second housing covering the first housing to form an annular channel;
- at least one mass movably disposed in the channel;
- at least one magnet coupled to one side of the first housing;
- and
- at least one groove which is formed on an inner surface of the second housing and accommodates the mass so as to restrict the mass from moving along the channel when an RPM of the drum is within a specific RPM range.
A balancer mounted to a drum of a washing machine to offset an unbalanced load caused within the drum during rotation of the drum, the balancer comprising:
- a balancer housing having an annular channel therein;
- at least one mass movably disposed in the channel;
- at least one magnet coupled to an outer surface of the balancer housing;
- and
- a plurality of protrusions protruding from an inner surface of the balancer housing to restrict movement of the mass when an RPM of the drum is within a specific RPM range.
A washing machine comprising:
- a cabinet;
- a drum rotatably arranged within the cabinet;
- a balancer connected to the drum to offset an unbalanced load caused within the drum during rotation of the drum,
- wherein the balancer comprises
- a balancer housing having an annular channel therein;
- at least one mass movably disposed in the channel;
- at least one groove formed inside the balancer housing to accommodate the mass;
- and
- at least one magnet coupled outside the balancer housing opposite to the mass,
- wherein the at least one magnet comprises a plurality of N and S poles, at least one N pole and one S pole having shorter lengths than the remaining N and S poles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.