US 5,491,859 A · Drive system for automatic washing machine

Abstract

A drive system for producing agitation and spin in an automatic washing machine incorporates a transmission assembly including a plurality of interengaged transmission elements located within a transmission housing. During agitation, the transmission housing is braked and the transmission elements convert input rotary drive from a motor to oscillator drive of an output shaft. During spin, a cam member carried by one of the transmission elements automatically shifts a stop element into engagement with the transmission housing. This maintains the transmission elements in a predetermined orientation, prevents relative rotation between each of the transmission elements and the transmission housing and causes the entire transmission assembly to rotate in unison which results in rotation of the output shaft. Since the transmission elements are maintained in the same predetermined orientation during each spin, the entire transmission assembly can be effectively counterbalanced to minimize unbalancing of the system and reduce vibrations during operation.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A drive system for producing spin and agitation in a cycle of operation of an automatic washing machine comprising:

an input drive member adapted to be rotatably driven about a first longitudinal axis of rotation;
an output drive member;
transmission means drivingly interposed between said input drive member and said an output drive member, said transmission means including a plurality of interengaged transmission elements, at least one of said transmission elements being adapted to rotate about a second longitudinal axis that is offset from said first longitudinal axis, said transmission means operating in a first mode wherein said transmission means is driven by said input drive member with said at least one transmission element rotating about said second longitudinal axis to oscillate said output drive member and produce agitation and in a second mode wherein said transmission means is driven by said input drive member with said at least one transmission element being fixed with respect to said second longitudinal axis to cause said output drive member to rotate and produce spin;
and
means for altering the operating mode of said transmission means, said altering means including a positioning assembly for automatically maintaining said plurality of transmission elements in a predetermined orientation by preventing rotation of said at least one transmission element about said second longitudinal axis whenever said transmission means is operating in said second mode.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Drive system for automatic washing machine

Life of this patent

Drive system for automatic washing machine

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13