Balancer and washing machine having the same
AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorsJeong Hoon Kang, Dong Ha Jung, Min Sung Kim
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims18
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 annular 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, an intensity of the magnet being configured to restrict the at least one mass accommodated in the at least one groove when an RPM of the drum is below a predetermined RPM, whereby the at least one mass is decoupled from the at least one groove when the RPM of the drum is at or above the predetermined RPM,
- wherein the at least one magnet is configured as a plurality of N poles and S poles which are arranged alternately in a circumferential direction, and the outermost pole of the magnet among the plural N poles and S poles has a relatively shorter circumferential length than another adjacent pole.
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 annular 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, an intensity of the at least one magnet being configured to restrict the at least one mass accommodated in the at least one groove when an RPM of the drum is below a predetermined RPM, whereby the at least one mass is decoupled from the at least one groove when an RPM of the drum is at or above the predetermined RPM,
- wherein the at least one magnet is configured as a plurality of divided magnets arranged in a circumferential direction of the balancer housing, and outermost divided magnets from among the plurality of divided magnets comprise one N pole and one S pole having different circumferential lengths, an outermost pole of the one N pole and one S pole having a shorter circumferential than the other pole.
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 annular 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, an intensity of the at least one magnet being configured to restrict the at least one mass accommodated in the at least one groove when an RPM of the drum is below a predetermined RPM, whereby the at least one mass is decoupled from the at least one groove when the RPM of the drum is at or above the predetermined RPM,
- wherein the at least one magnet comprises a plurality of circumferentially arranged N and S poles, outermost poles from among the plurality of N poles and one S poles having shorter circumferential lengths than the remaining N and S poles.
A balancer mounted to a drum of a washing machine comprising:
- a balancer housing having an annular channel therein;
- a mass movably disposed in the annular channel;
- a groove recessed in an inner surface of the balancer housing to accommodate the mass;
- and
- at least one magnet configured as a plurality of N poles and S poles alternately arranged in a circumferential direction, with outermost poles of the plurality of N poles and S poles having a shorter circumferential length than an adjacent pole, so that the at least one magnet has an intensity that restricts the mass accommodated in the groove when revolutions per minute (RPM) of the drum is below a predetermined RPM, and so that the mass is decoupled from the groove when the RPM of the drum is at or above the predetermined RPM.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.