Laundry appliance

Inventors: Darryl C. Bodine (St. Joseph, MI); Gregg P. Fitzgerald (Eau Claire, MI); Eric A. Hill (Chicago, IL); Patrick A. McCormick (Clarendon Hills, IL); Stephen D. Ostdiek (St. Joseph, MI); Anna C. Schelling (Stevensville, MI); Robert J. Schneider (Fennville, MI); Mohaideen Abdul Khadaar Sikkandar Batcha (Tamil Nadu, IN); Todd J. Tunzi (St. Joseph, MI)

Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation

D06F34/28 D06F34/24 D06F34/26 D06F37/04 D06F37/266 D06F39/06 D06F39/083 D06F39/14 G10L15/22 D06F33/00 D06F2103/66

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 11,761,134
App. No.: 17/878,130
Granted: Sep 19, 2023
Kind: B2

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Abstract

A laundry appliance includes a cabinet defining a front opening in a front panel. The front opening is defined by a lip having a curved edge. The lip defines a plurality of apertures spaced-apart around the front opening. A tub is disposed within the cabinet. The tub defines an access opening aligned with the front opening. A drum is disposed within the tub. A bellows assembly extends between the cabinet and the tub. The bellows assembly includes a projection coupled to the curved edge of the cabinet. A deflector has a rim and a chute wherein the chute extends toward the drum. The rim is configured to snap-fit over the projection of the bellows assembly. The rim includes a plurality of hooks where each hook is configured to extend through an aperture and interlock with the cabinet.

Claims (29)

1. A laundry appliance, comprising:

a cabinet having a front panel defining a front opening;

rails disposed proximate to the front panel and within an interior of the cabinet; and

a door operably coupled to the rails, wherein the door is configured to translate vertically between an opened position and a closed position, wherein the door is positioned within the interior of the cabinet when in the opened position, and wherein the door is also configured to rotate about a horizontal axis between the closed position and a deployed position.

2. The laundry appliance of claim 1 , further comprising:

an inner panel disposed within the interior proximate to the front panel, wherein the inner panel defines an access opening for accessing a drum, and wherein the door is disposed between the front panel and the inner panel.

3. The laundry appliance of claim 2 , wherein the inner panel includes a stopping surface proximate a recess, and wherein a bottom edge of the door is configured to move into the recess and abut the stopping surface when the door rotates to the deployed position.

4. The laundry appliance of claim 1 , wherein the front panel includes a bumper on an edge defining the front opening, and wherein the door engages the bumper when in the deployed position.

5. The laundry appliance of claim 1 , further comprising:

a frame operably coupled to the rails and configured to translate vertically along the rails, wherein the door is rotatably coupled to the frame.

6. The laundry appliance of claim 1 , further comprising:

a motor assembly operably coupled to the door, wherein the motor assembly is configured to translate the door between the opened position and the closed position.

7. The laundry appliance of claim 6 , wherein the motor assembly is configured to rotate the door between the closed position and the deployed position.

8. The laundry appliance of claim 1 , further comprising:

a deflector coupled to the front panel and having a chute extending into the interior of the cabinet toward a drum.

9. The laundry appliance of claim 8 , wherein the deflector includes light sources, and wherein the light sources are activated to provide a visual message relating to at least one of an error message and a status of a laundry cycle.

10. The laundry appliance of claim 8 , wherein the deflector includes a hook configured to extend through an aperture defined by the cabinet and interlock with the cabinet.

11. A laundry appliance, comprising:

a cabinet having a front panel, wherein the front panel defines a track, and wherein the front panel defines a front opening;

a sealing gasket coupled to the cabinet proximate the front opening;

a tub disposed within the cabinet, wherein the tub defines an access opening that aligns with the front opening;

a bellows assembly extending between the cabinet and the tub; and

a panel door configured to translate vertically along a front surface of the front panel between an opened position and a closed position, wherein the panel door includes a guide feature configured to engage the track, and wherein the track guides the door vertically and toward the tub to contact the sealing gasket coupled to the cabinet when in the closed position.

12. The laundry appliance of claim 11 , wherein a depth of a top portion of the front panel is less than a depth of a bottom portion of the front panel.

13. The laundry appliance of claim 11 , further comprising:

a deflector coupled to the front panel, wherein a rear side of the deflector is coupled to the bellows assembly, and wherein a front side of the deflector includes a seal for providing a watertight seal between the deflector and the front panel.

14. The laundry appliance of claim 13 , wherein the seal includes a sealing feature for providing a watertight seal between the deflector and the panel door.

15. The laundry appliance of claim 11 , further comprising:

a motor assembly in communication with the panel door, wherein the motor assembly is configured to translate the door in response to a voice command.

Continuity (3)

Division 15931003 · May 13, 2020

Provisional Application 62851938 · May 23, 2019

Related Publication 20220372686A1 · Nov 24, 2022