Vibration isolator for an appliance motor having internal silencing voids
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorsMatthew E. Borgerson, Eduardo Abraham Lopez, Pushpendra Prakash Mahajan, Amit A. Nikam
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A laundry appliance includes a cabinet. A rotating drum is positioned within the cabinet. A blower directs process air through an airflow path. The airflow path includes the drum. A motor is coupled to the cabinet via a retaining bracket. The motor includes a drive shaft operably coupled to one of the drum and the blower. A damping ring is positioned about the drive shaft and between the motor and the retaining bracket. Damping apertures are defined within a body of the damping ring. The damping apertures define respective voids that absorb operational vibrations generated by the motor in an activated state.
Claims20
A laundry appliance comprising:
- a cabinet;
- a rotating drum positioned within the cabinet;
- a blower that directs process air through an airflow path, the airflow path including the drum;
- a motor coupled to the cabinet via a retaining bracket, the motor including a drive shaft operably coupled to one of the drum and the blower;
- and
- a damping ring positioned about the drive shaft and between the motor and the retaining bracket, wherein damping apertures are defined within a body of the damping ring, the damping apertures defining respective voids that absorb operational vibrations generated by the motor in an activated state.
A laundry appliance comprising:
- an interior structure;
- a motor coupled to the appliance structure via a retaining bracket, the motor including a drive shaft operably coupled to at least one rotational operating mechanism;
- and
- an elastomeric damping ring positioned about the drive shaft and between the motor and the retaining bracket, wherein damping apertures are defined within a body of the elastomeric damping ring that form voids that extend through an interior of the body, wherein the voids absorb operational vibrations generated by the motor in an activated state.
A laundry appliance comprising:
- a cabinet;
- a rotating drum positioned within the cabinet;
- a blower that directs process air through an airflow path, the airflow path including the drum;
- a motor coupled to the cabinet via a retaining bracket, the motor including a drive shaft extending through opposing sides of the motor and operably coupled to the drum and the blower;
- and
- damping rings positioned about the drive shaft and at the opposing sides of the motor, wherein the damping rings are positioned between the motor and the retaining bracket, wherein damping voids extend through a body of the damping ring, wherein the damping voids absorb operational vibrations generated by the motor in an activated state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.