HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE

• US 20100024491A1
• Filed: 10/18/2007
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Incorporated (AB Electrolux)
• Original Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Incorporated (AB Electrolux)
• Inventors: Spizzo, Fabio, Giovagnoni, Marco, Altinier, Fabio, Galassi, Stefano
• Granted Patent: US 8,443,636 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 68/23.100
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/22 in machines with a receptacle rotating or oscillating about a horizontal axis
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/12 Casings; Tubs
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 7/108 on plastics springs

Abstract

Laundry washing machine (1) provided with a casing (2) and with a vibration damper (7) which is fixed to the casing (2) so as to reduce vibrations transmitted to the latter; the vibration damper (7) comprising a supporting frame (8) rigidly fixed to the casing (2), an oscillating mass (9) housed inside the supporting frame (8), and at least one block (10) of viscoelastic polymeric gel interposed between the oscillating mass (9) and the supporting frame (8) to floating support the oscillating mass (9).

Claims

1. A household appliance comprising a casing and a vibration damper fixed to said casing to reduce vibrations transmitted to the casing;

said vibration damper comprising a supporting frame fixed rigidly to the casing, at least one oscillating mass housed inside said supporting frame, and elastic supporting means connecting said oscillating mass in floating manner to said supporting frame;

the household appliance being characterized in that said elastic supporting means comprise at least one block of viscoelastic polymeric gel.

2. A household appliance as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said block of viscoelastic polymeric gel has an elastic modulus (G′

) lower than 300,000 pascals within a frequency range between 5 Hertz and 15 Hertz, and a loss factor (η

) greater than 0.1 within a frequency range between 5 Hertz and 15 Hertz.

3. A household appliance as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that elastic modulus (G′

) of said viscoelastic polymeric gel is lower than 300,000 pascals within a frequency range between 3 Hertz and 30 Hertz; and

loss factor (η

) of said viscoelastic polymeric gel is greater than 0.1 within a frequency range between 3 Hertz and 30 Hertz.

4. A household appliance as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the weight of said oscillating mass is 1.5% greater than the total weight of said casing.

5. A household appliance as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that elastic modulus (G′

) of said viscoelastic polymeric gel is between 10,000 pascals and 100,000 pascals within a frequency range between 5 Hertz and 15 Hertz; and

loss factor (η

) of said viscoelastic polymeric gel is between 0.1 and 0.5 within a frequency range between 5 Hertz and 15 Hertz.

6. A household appliance as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the weight of said oscillating mass is 15% greater than the total weight of said casing.

7. A household appliance as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said oscillating mass rests on said supporting frame with interposition of said at least one block of viscoelastic polymeric gel.

8. A household appliance as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said oscillating mass is hinged to said rigid frame so as to swing like a pendulum, and said at least one block of viscoelastic polymeric gel connects the oscillating mass to the rigid frame.

9. A household appliance as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said at least one block of viscoelastic polymeric gel comprises polyurethane or silicone gel.

10. A household appliance as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said oscillating mass is a monolithic piece of concrete.

11. A household appliance as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said vibration damper is fixed inside and to the top of said casing.

12. A household appliance as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it is a laundry washing machine.