Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02456263 2004-O1-19
TITLE: BALANCE RING ATTACHMENT
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to an attachment mechanism between a
spinner basket of a washing machine and a balance ring.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a spinner basket
and
balance ring assembly that centers the balance ring upon the basket spinner
when
assembled.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a locking mechanism
that
prevents axial movement of the balance ring relative to the spinner basket.
A still further objective of the present invention is to provide a spinner
basket and
balance ring attachment that prevents radial movement of the balance ring
relative to the
spinner basket.
A still further objective of the present invention is to provide a device
which is easy
to use and economical to manufacture.
The means and method of accomplishing these and other objectives will become
apparent from the following description of the invention.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE TNVENTION
The foregoing objects may be achieved by a combination comprising a spinner
basket having an annular upper edge surrounding an opening therein. The
spinner basket
has a first cam surface adjacent the annular upper edge. A'balance ring is
sized to fit and
register with the annular upper edge of the spinner basket. The balance ring
has a second
cam surface retentively engaging the first cam surface for limiting a first
direction rotation
of the balance ring with respect to the spinner basket. In addition,
engagement of the first
and second cam surfaces causes the balance ring to be centered wthin the
spinner basket.
The foregoing objects may also be achieved by a combination of a spinner
basket
having an annular upper edge surrounding an opening therein. A balance ring
has an inner
annular surface and an outer annular surface. The balance ring is positioned
within the
annular upper edge with the outer annular surface of the balance ring
contacting the annular
upper edge of the spinner basket and the inner annular surface of the balance
ring is spaced
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in an inward radial direction from the annular upper edge of the spinner
basket. The
annular upper edge of the spinner basket has a first lock member. The outer
annular
surface of the balance ring has a second lock member. The first and second
lock members
retentively engage one another to attach the balance ring to the annular upper
edge of the
spinner basket and prevent relative movement of the balance ring in the second
rotational
direction.
The foregoing objects may also be achieved by attaching a balance ring to an
upper
annular edge of a spinner basket. The method involves moving a balance ring
adjacent the
upper annular edge of the spinner basket. The balance ring has a first cam
surface thereon
and the spinner basket has a second cam surface thereon. The balance ring
rotates relative
to the upper annular edge of the spinner basket into a locked position wherein
the first and
second cam surface retentively engage one another. This locked position is
created by the
retentive engagement of the first lock member with the second lock member. The
combined engagement of the cam surfaces and the lock members prevents rotation
of the
balance ring with respect to the spinner basket.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a washing machine showing the spinner basket
and
balance ring assembly of the present invention mounted within the cabinet of
the washing
machine.
FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the spinner basket and balance ring
attached
together.
FIG. 3 is a perspective assembly view of the device of FIG. 2 showing the cam
surfaces and the lock members of the spinner basket and the balance ring,
respectively, in
alignment.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the device of FIG. 2 showing the cam surfaces
and
the lock members of the spinner basket and the balance ring in locking
engagement.
FIG. S is an enlarged view of the device of FIG. 3 showing the balance ring
cam
surface and lock members.
FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the device of FIG. 3 showing the spinner basket
cam
surface and lock members.
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FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the device of FIG 4 having the outer surface of
the
spinner basket in dashed line and showing the cam surfaces and the lock
members of the
spinner basket and balance ring in locking engagement.
FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the device of FIG. 3 showing the balance ring
cam
surface and an alternate embodiment of the lock members.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
With reference to the drawings a washing machine 4 includes a cabinet 6, a
control
panel 8, and a spinner basket and balance ring assembly or assembly 10. The
cabinet 6 has
an opening 12 in the top thereof, with' a door 14 movable between open and
closed
positions relative to the opening 12. The spinner basket and balance ring
assembly 10 has
an opening 16 therein. A reversible drive motor 18 is mounted within the
cabinet 6 and
attaches to the spinner basket and balance ring assembly 10.
The above construction of the washing machine 4 is conventional and does not
form a part of the present invention. The washing machine 4 may be a top
loading, vertical
axis washing machine. Alternatively, the washing machine 4 may be a front
loading,
horizontal axis washing machine.
The present invention is directed towards the spinner basket and balance ring
assembly 10. Specifically, this invention relates to the spinner basket 20 and
the balance
ring 40 designed to be attached to one another and the method of attaching the
spinner
basket 20 to the balance ring 40.
The spinner basket 20 has an annular upper edge 22 surrounding the spinner
basket
20 together forming an opening 16 into the assembly 10. The balance ring 40
fits and
registers with the annulax upper edge 22 of the spinner basket 20.
The spinner basket 20 receives balance ring 40. As seen in FIG. 3, there are
cooperating members on the spinner basket 20 located at the annular upper edge
or annular
axial edge 22 that operate with cooperating members on the balance ring 40.
These
cooperating members are in mating engagement when the balance ring 40 is moved
adjacent the annular upper edge 22 of the spinner basket 20 and the balance
ring 40 rotated
to engage cooperating members The cooperating members for the spinner basket
20
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involve a first cam surface, first cam, or first cam structure 24; a first
lock member, first
tab, or vertical tab 26; and a third lock member, second tab, or horizontal
tab 32:
The first cam surface 24 is a portion of the spinner basket with decreasing
radius.
Alternatively, the first cam surface 24 is a ramp structure. Alternatively,
the first cam
surface 24 extends inward towards a centerline of the assembly 10.
Alternatively, the first
cam surface 24 may be any other structure known in the art that may engage
another
similarly shaped surface.
The first lock member 26 is a vertical tab. The first lock member 26 has a
flange 28
and an axial facing surface 30. The first lock member 26 is formed by lancing
a section of
the spinner basket annular axial edge 22 and turning the lanced section inward
towards the
centerline of the assembly 10. Alternatively, the first lock member 26 may be
made by
other means known in the art.
The third lock member 32 is a horizontal tab. The third lock member 32 has'a
flange 34 and a proximal facing surface 36. The third lock member 32 is formed
by
lancing a section of the spinner basket annular axial edge 22 and turning the
lanced section
inward towards the centerline of the assembly 10. Alternatively, the third
lock member 32
may be made by other means known in the art.
The spinner basket 20 has a circumferal rib 38. The circumferal rib' 38
extends
inwardly into the spinner basket 20.
The balance ring 40 fits within spinner basket 20. As seen in FIG. 3, there
are
cooperating members on the balance ring 40 located at the annular lower edge
or annular
axial edge 42 that operate with cooperating members on the spinner basket 20.
These
cooperating members are in mating engagement when the balance ring 40 is moved
adjacent the annular upper edge 22 of the spinner basket 20 and the balance
ring 40 is
rotated to engage cooperating members. The cooperating members for the balance
ring 40
involve a second cam surface, second cam, or second cam structure 44; a second
lock
member or toothed member 46; and a fourth lock member or ribbed-structure
member 52.
The second cam surface 44 is a portion of the balance ring 40 with decreasing
radius. Alternatively, the second cam surface 44 is a ramp structure.
Alternatively, the
second cam surface 44 extends inward towaxds a centerline of the assembly 10.
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Alternatively, the second cam surface 44 may be any other structure known in
the art that
may engage another similarly shaped surface.
Upon the balance ring annular lower edge 42 is a second lock member 46. In
this
embodiment, the second lock member 46 is a toothed member. The second locked
member
46, as seen in FIG. 5, includes a flange 48 and a flange axially facing
surface 50. The
flange 48 may be sized to be placed upon an extension surface 49 as seen in
FIG. 5.
Alternatively, the flange 48 may be structured as a parallelogram tooth member
as seen in
FIG. 7, and extend without the use of an extension member 49.
Upon the balance ring annular lower edge 42 is a fourth lock member 52. In
this
embodiment, the fourth lock member 52 is a ribbed-structure member which has a
flange
54 and a proximally facing surface S6. The flange 54 supports the proXima.lly
facing
surface 56 when in contact with the horizontal tab proximal facing surface 36.
The balance ring 40 has a bottom surface 58 that conforms to the spinner
basket
circumferal 38 of the annular upper edge 22 at a point where the first cam
surface 24 meets
the second cam surface 44. The balance ring 40 has an inner annular surface
60, and outer
annular surface 62, and an annular.proximal edge or annular upper edge 64.
As seen in FIG. 3, the assembly 10 has a detached spinner basket 20 and
balance
ring 40. The balance ring is adjacent the upper annular edge 22 of the spinner
basket 20.
Before assembly, these corresponding surfaces on the spinner basket 20 and the
balance
ring 40 are put in alignment. Specifically, the first cam surface 24 is placed
into offset
alignment with the second cam surface 44. First lock member 26 is placed into
offset
alignment with second lock member 46. Third lock member 32 is placed into
offset
alignment with fourth lock member 52. When these members are all in offset
alignment
the balance ring 40 fits within the spinner basket 20. In offset alignment the
spinner tub
may be removed as it is in an unlocked position with the spinner basket 20.
The spinner basket 20 and the balance ring 40 may be placed in a locked
position by
rotating the balance ring 40 relative to the spinner basket 20. In this
embodiment, the
balance ring 40 is moved counter clockwise to the spinner basket 20. Movement
of the
balance ring 40 counter clockwise to the spinner basket 20 engages the first
cam surface 24
against the second cam surface 44. The engagement of first cam surface 24 and
second
cam surface 44 centers the balance ring 40 upon the spinner basket 20. In this
position, the
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engagement of the cam surface creates circumferal resistance to further
counter clockwise
. movement of the balance ring 40 relative to the spinner basket 20.
In the locked position, the first lock member or first tab 26 engages the
second lock
member or toothed member 46. In the locked position, the first tab flange 28
engages the
toothed member flange 48. The toothed member 46 is positioned such that the
rotational
counter clockwise movement allows for the flange 48 on the axial facing
surface 50 to be
moved relative to the first tab flange 28 on the first flange axial facing
surface 30. This
positioning allows for resistance of the balance ring 40 to move clockwise
when the
balance ring 40 is attached to the spinner basket. The first lock member 26
and the second
lock member 46 in this embodiment have this preferred structure because the
first cam'
structure 24 and the second cam structure 44, working together, provide
resistance to
counter clockwise movement of the balance ring 40.
In the locked position the third lock member 32 engages the fourth lock member
52.
The third lock member 32 in this embodiment is a horizontal tab. The
horizontal tab 32
fits over the ribbed-structure member or fourth locked member 52. In this
embodiment, the
ribbed-structure member includes a horizontal surface on the balance ring 40.
The
horizontal tab 32 has a flange 34 with a second flange proximally facing
surface 36 that is
horizontal. When the balance ring 40 is rotated counter clockwise with respect
to the
spinner basket 20, the flange 34 and proximal facing surface 56 align to
resist upward axial
movement of the balance ring 40 relative to the spinner basket 20.
In operation, the spinner basket circumferal rib 38 contacts the balance ring
bottom
surface 58. When the balance ring 40 is rotated counter clockwise to the
spinner basket 20,
the spinner basket 20 maintains contact between spinner basket circumferal rib
38 and the
balance ring bottom surface 58. This contact between the of cireumferal rib 38
and the
bottom surface 58 prevents downward movement of the balance ring 40 relative
to the
spinner basket 20.
In the drawings and specifications there has been set forth a preferred
embodiment
of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, these are used in
a generic
descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Changes in the form
and the
proportion of parts as well as in the substitution of equivalents are
contemplated as
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circumstance may suggest or render expedient without departing from the spirit
or scope of
the invention in the following claims.
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