IP Library Granted Patent US 7,797,971
Granted Patent B2
US 7,797,971 · App. 11/629,778 · Granted Sep 21, 2010

Drum washing machine

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,797,971
App. No.
11/629,778
Granted
Sep 21, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

A drum washing machine has a suspension for supporting a water tub for vibration proof. The suspension includes a cylindrical bearing support, a pair of bearings fixed in the bearing support, a shaft supported on the bearings so that the shaft is linearly reciprocated, a cylindrical friction member damping an amplitude of the water tub and disposed between the bearings so as to be immovable relative to the bearing support, and a lubricant applied between the shaft and the friction member. The friction member has both ends formed with abutment slant faces having outer diameters gradually reduced toward distal ends respectively. A pair of holding members are located in the bearing support for holding the ends of the friction member. Gaps are defined between the friction member and the holding members respectively. A plurality of lubricant reservoirs are defined in the respective gaps to reserve the lubricant.

Claims (10)

1. A drum washing machine which has a suspension for supporting a water tub for vibration proof, the water tub being enclosed in a drum, the suspension comprising:

a cylindrical bearing support;

a pair of bearings fixed in an interior of the bearing support;

a shaft supported on the bearings so that the shaft is linearly reciprocated relative to the bearings;

a cylindrical friction member damping an amplitude of the water tub by a frictional force due to friction between the shaft and the friction member resulting from relative reciprocation of the shaft, the friction member being disposed between the bearings so as to be immovable relative to the bearing support; and

a lubricant applied between the shaft and the friction member, wherein:

the friction member has both ends formed with abutment slant faces having outer diameters gradually reduced toward distal ends thereof, respectively, the drum washing machine further comprising a pair of holding members provided in the bearing support for holding the ends of the friction member;

gaps are defined between the friction member and the holding member respectively; and

a plurality of lubricant reservoirs are defined in the respective gaps to reserve the lubricant supplied between the shaft and the friction member.

2. The drum washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the friction member has an inner circumference, the inner circumference has two ends which have diameters, and the diameters are increased toward distal ends of said both ends respectively.

Assignments (5)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 3, 2016
From: TOSHIBA HA PRODUCTS CO., LTD.
To: TOSHIBA HOME APPLIANCES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 039559/0476 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 3, 2016
From: TOSHIBA CONSUMER MARKETING CORPORATION
To: TOSHIBA CONSUMER ELECTRONICS HOLDINGS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 039599/0024 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 3, 2016
From: TOSHIBA HOME APPLIANCES CORPORATION
To: TOSHIBA LIFESTYLE PRODUCTS & SERVICES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 039559/0500 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 3, 2016
From: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
To: TOSHIBA LIFESTYLE PRODUCTS & SERVICES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 039559/0557 →
MERGER Recorded Aug 3, 2016
From: TOSHIBA CONSUMER ELECTRONICS HOLDINGS CORPORATION
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
Reel/Frame 039598/0797 →