Pump assembly for a washing machine appliance

1. A washing machine appliance comprising:

a cabinet;

a wash tub received in said cabinet and configured for containing a fluid used in a washing process;

a wash basket mounted in said wash tub, said wash basket configured for the receipt of articles during the washing process and for rotation about an axis;

a drain configured for directing fluid out of said cabinet;

a pump assembly, said pump assembly comprising:

a casing that defines a chamber, said chamber extending longitudinally between a first end and a second end, said casing defining an inlet positioned adjacent the first end of said chamber, the inlet configured for receipt of fluid from said wash tub, said casing also defining an opening positioned adjacent the second end of said chamber, the opening configured for permitting selective access to the chamber of said casing;

a filter received within the chamber of said casing, said filter extending longitudinally between a labyrinth filter portion and a mesh filter portion;

a drain pump in fluid communication with the chamber of said casing and said drain such that said drain pump selectively urges fluid disposed within the chamber to said drain, said drain pump positioned adjacent the labyrinth filter portion of said filter;

a recirculation pump in fluid communication with the chamber of said casing and said wash tub such that said recirculation pump selectively urges fluid disposed within the chamber to said wash tub, said recirculation pump positioned adjacent the mesh filter portion of said filter;

a cap positioned adjacent the opening of said casing, the cap configured for selectively securing said filter within the chamber defined by said casing, said cap being substantially complementary in shape to the opening of said casing, said cap having:

a circumferential surface that defines a slot or directing of a tab of said casing that extends from said casing and is positioned adjacent the opening of said casing, the circumferential surface also defining a notch within the slot for receiving the tab; and

a spring that extends between a first end and second end, the first end of said spring disposed adjacent said filter, the second end of said spring disposed adjacent said cap, the spring urging said cap and said filter apart such that the tab of said casing is received by the notch of said cap in order to secure said cap to said casing and said filter is urged into the chamber of said casing.

2. The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein said drain pump and said recirculation pump are mounted to said casing such the said drain pump and said recirculation pump are substantially side by side.

3. The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein said the labyrinth filter portion of said filter is positioned adjacent the first end of said casing and the mesh filter portion of said filter is positioned adjacent the second end of said casing.

4. The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein said filter is slidingly received within the chamber of said casing such that said filter may be selectively removed from the chamber through the opening of said casing.

5. The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein the labyrinth filter portion of said filter includes a plurality of projections that extend from said filter into the chamber of said casing such that the plurality of projections cause a flow of fluid through the chamber to change direction.

6. The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein the mesh filter portion of said filter includes a plurality of holes defined by said filter, the plurality of holes permitting a flow of fluid through the chamber to enter the recirculation pump from the chamber of said casing.

7. The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein said filter includes a partition disposed between the labyrinth filter portion of said filter and the mesh filter portion of said filter, the partition permitting a flow of fluid between the labyrinth filter portion and the mesh filter portion.

8. The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein said filter includes a plug disposed adjacent the opening of said cavity, the plug being complementary in shape to the opening of said casing, the plug including a seal disposed on a circumferential surface of said plug.

9. A pump assembly for an appliance, the appliance having a cabinet that defines a compartment for receipt of articles for washing and a drain for directing fluid out of the appliance, said pump assembly comprising:

a casing that defines a chamber, the chamber extending longitudinally between a first end and a second end, the casing defining an inlet positioned adjacent the first end of the chamber, the inlet configured for receipt of fluid from the compartment of the cabinet, the casing also defining an opening positioned adjacent the second end of the chamber, the opening configured for permitting selective access the chamber of said casing;

a filter received within the chamber of said casing, the filter extending longitudinally between a labyrinth filter portion and a mesh filter portion;

a drain pump in fluid communication with the chamber of said casing, said drain pump configured for selectively urging fluid disposed within the chamber to the drain of the appliance, said drain pump receiving fluid from the labyrinth filter portion of said filter;

a recirculation pump in fluid communication with the chamber of said casing, said recirculation pump configured for selectively urging fluid disposed within the chamber to the compartment of the cabinet, said recirculation pump receiving fluid from the mesh filter portion of said filter;

a cap positioned adjacent the opening of said casing, the cap configured for selectively securing said filter within the chamber defined by said casing, said cap being substantially complementary in shape to the opening of said casing, said cap having:

a circumferential surface that defines a slot for directing of a tab of said casing that extends from said casing and is positioned adjacent the opening of said casing, the circumferential surface also defining a notch within the slot for receiving the tab; and

a spring that extends between a first end and second end, the first end of said spring disposed adjacent said filter, the second end of said spring disposed adjacent said cap, the spring urging said cap and said filter apart such that the tab of said casing is received by the notch of said cap in order to secure said cap to said casing and said filter is urged into the chamber of said casing.

10. The pump assembly of claim 9 , wherein said drain pump and said recirculation pump are mounted to said casing such the said drain pump and said recirculation pump are substantially side by side.

11. The pump assembly of claim 9 , wherein said the labyrinth filter portion of said filter is positioned adjacent the inlet of said casing and the mesh filter portion of said filter is positioned adjacent the opening of said casing.

12. The pump assembly of claim 9 , wherein said filter is slidingly received within the chamber of said casing such that said filter may be selectively removed from the chamber through the opening of said casing.

13. The pump assembly of claim 9 , wherein the labyrinth filter portion of said filter includes a plurality of projections that extend from said filter into the chamber of said casing such that the plurality of projections cause a flow of fluid through the chamber to change direction.

14. The pump assembly of claim 9 , wherein the mesh filter portion of said filter includes a plurality of holes defined by said filter, the plurality of holes permitting a flow of fluid through the chamber to enter the recirculation pump from the chamber of said casing.

15. The pump assembly of claim 9 , wherein said filter includes a partition disposed between the labyrinth filter portion of said filter and the mesh filter portion of said filter, the partition permitting a flow of fluid between the labyrinth filter portion and the mesh filter portion.

16. The pump assembly of claim 9 , wherein said filter includes a plug disposed adjacent the opening of said cavity, the plug being complementary in shape to the opening of said casing, the plug including a seal disposed on a circumferential surface of said plug.