Acoustically insulated machine

• US 9,453,296 B2
• Filed: 02/18/2013
• Issued: 09/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Owens Corning Intellectual Capital, LLC (Owens Corning)
• Original Assignee: Owens Corning Intellectual Capital, LLC (Owens Corning)
• Inventors: Rockwell, Anthony L., Johnson, Phil
• Primary Examiner(s): Perrin, Joseph L
• Application Number:
  US13/769,511
• Publication Number:
  US 20140230497A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,317 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4209 Insulation arrangements, e.g. for sound damping or heat insulation
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/20 Mountings, e.g. resilient mountings, for the rotary receptacle, motor, tub or casing; Preventing or damping vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/24 in machines with a receptacle rotating or oscillating about a vertical axis
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/12 Casings; Tubs
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/20 General details of domestic laundry dryers D06F59/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2201/30 with respect to sound
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/00 General constructional features F25D21/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/168 Plural layers of different materials, e.g. sandwiches
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/6426 Aspects relating to the exterior of the microwave heating apparatus, e.g. metal casing, power cord

Abstract

A home appliance, such as a clothes washing machine, has a source of noise and an acoustic insulator. The source of noise moves between a first position and a second position during operation of the appliance. The acoustic insulator has a movable portion that moves with the source of noise between the first position and the second position during operation of the appliance and an interface that remains substantially stationary as the source of noise moves between the first and second positions.

Claims

1. A home appliance comprising:

a source of noise that moves between a first position that corresponds to the appliance being empty and a second position that corresponds to the appliance being loaded during operation of the appliance; and

an acoustic insulator having a movable portion that moves with the source of noise between the first position and the second position and an interface that remains substantially stationary as the source of noise moves between the first and second positions;

wherein the moveable portion and the interface are made from the same material;

wherein the acoustic insulator includes a series of cuts through the acoustic insulator to allow the moveable portion to move with respect to the interface between the first and second positions.

2. The home appliance of claim 1 wherein the home appliance is a washing machine and the source of noise is a motor of the washing machine.

3. The home appliance of claim 2 wherein the acoustic insulator is disposed in a bottom opening of a cabinet of the washing machine.

4. The home appliance of claim 3 wherein the washing machine includes a tub that moves downward when the tub is filled with water, wherein the motor is attached to the tub and moves downward with the tub when the tub is filled with water, wherein the moveable portion moves downward with the tub and the motor when the tub is filled with water, and wherein the interface remains stationary when the tub is filled with water.

5. The home appliance of claim 1 wherein the acoustic insulator is formed from a single piece of material.

6. The home appliance of claim 5 wherein the movable portion is coupled to the interface by a coupling arrangement.

7. The home appliance of claim 1 wherein the movable portion is coupled to the interface by a coupling arrangement.

8. A home appliance comprising:

a source of noise that moves between a first position that corresponds to the appliance being empty and a second position that corresponds to the appliance being loaded during operation of the appliance; and

an acoustic insulator having a movable portion that moves with the source of noise between the first position and the second position and an interface that remains substantially stationary as the source of noise moves between the first and second positions;

wherein the moveable portion and the interface are made from a single piece of material;

wherein the acoustic insulator includes a series of cuts through the acoustic insulator to allow the moveable portion to move with respect to the interface between the first and second positions.

9. The home appliance of claim 8 wherein the home appliance is a washing machine and the source of noise is a motor of the washing machine.

10. The home appliance of claim 9 wherein the acoustic insulator is disposed in a bottom opening of a cabinet of the washing machine.

11. The home appliance of claim 10 wherein the washing machine includes a tub that moves downward when the tub is filled with water,

wherein the motor is attached to the tub and moves downward with the tub when the tub is filled with water,

wherein the moveable portion moves downward with the tub and the motor when the tub is filled with water, and

wherein the interface remains stationary when the tub is filled with water.