Laundry system

• US 10,053,807 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2017
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Underly, Kristina K., Tomasi, Donald M., Conrad, Daniel C., Sunshine, Richard A., Kendall, James W., Viswanathan, Ameresh B., Achterberg, Lorraine L., Doyle, Colleen M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ko, Jason
• Application Number:
  US15/581,674
• Publication Number:
  US 20170226678A1
• Time in Patent Office: 480 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2210/17 Drawers used in connection with household appliances
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 46/005 by displacement in a vertical plane; by rotating about a horizontal axis
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/40 Sliding drawers; Slides or guides therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/42 Vertically-oriented drawers, i.e. drawers where the height exceeds the width
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/919 Accessories or additional elements for drawers, e.g. drawer lighting drawers having organising or sorting means A47B88/969
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 29/00 Combinations of a washing machine with other separate apparatus in a common frame or the like, e.g. with rinsing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 29/005 the other separate apparatus being a drying appliance
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 29/02 with liquid-extracting apparatus with roller wringer D06F45/12
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/28 Arrangements for program selection, e.g. control panels therefor; Arrangements for indicating program parameters, e.g. the selected program or its progress
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/04 adapted for rotation or oscillation about a horizontal or inclined axis
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/02 Devices for adding soap or other washing agents
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/12 Casings; Tubs
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/125 Supporting arrangements for the casing, e.g. rollers or legs
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 81/06 attachable to independent supports, e.g. walls

Abstract

A laundry system includes first and second front-loading laundry appliances, a washing module above the first laundry appliance, and a non-tumble drying module above the second laundry appliance. The washing module includes a tub and a wash basket, and has a low capacity relative to a capacity of the first laundry appliance. The non-tumble drying module includes a drying chamber and a drying rack in the drying chamber.

Claims

1. A laundry system comprising:

a first front-loading laundry appliance for washing fabric items;

a second front-loading laundry appliance for drying fabric items horizontally arranged relative to the first front-loading laundry appliance;

a washing module vertically arranged above the first front-loading laundry appliance, the washing module comprising;

a tub; and

a rotatably mounted top-loading wash basket within the tub;

wherein the washing module has a low capacity relative to a capacity of the first front-loading laundry appliance; and

a non-tumble drying module above the second front-loading laundry appliance for drying fabric items, the non-tumble drying module comprising;

a drying chamber; and

a drying rack in the drying chamber on which fabric items can be laid for non-tumble drying.

2. The laundry system of claim 1, wherein the first front-loading laundry appliance has a first top wall.

3. The laundry system of claim 2, wherein the second front-loading laundry appliance has a second top wall.

4. The laundry system of claim 1, further comprising a first control panel provided on the first front-loading laundry appliance and a second control panel provided on the second front-loading laundry appliance.

5. The laundry system of claim 1, further comprising a control panel for the washing module to enable a user to select a wash cycle from among a plurality of wash cycles, wherein the control panel is capable of:

receiving input from the user regarding operational modes for the washing module; and

communicating output related to an operational status of the washing module to the user.

6. The laundry system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of wash cycles includes a delicate wash cycle.

7. The laundry system of claim 5, further comprising a control panel for the non-tumble drying module to enable a user to select a drying cycle from among a plurality of drying cycles, wherein the control panel for the non-tumble drying module is capable of:

receiving input from the user regarding operational modes for the non-tumble drying module; and

communicating output related to an operational status of the non-tumble drying unit to the user.

8. The laundry system of claim 7, wherein the non-tumble drying module incorporates refreshing functions.

9. The laundry system of claim 1, wherein the washing module is capable of performing a washing operation independently of a washing operation performed by the first front-loading laundry appliance.

10. The laundry system of claim 1, wherein the non-tumble drying module is capable of performing a drying operation independently of a drying operation performed by the second front-loading laundry appliance.

11. The laundry system of claim 1, wherein the washing module is a stand-alone unit that does not require physical connection to the first front-loading laundry appliance for operation.

12. The laundry system of claim 1, wherein the washing module is coupled to the first front-loading laundry appliance as a requirement for operation of the washing module.

13. The laundry system of claim 1, wherein the non-tumble drying module is a stand-alone unit that does not require physical connection to the second front-loading laundry appliance for operation.

14. The laundry system of claim 1, wherein the non-tumble drying module is coupled to the second front-loading laundry appliance as a requirement for operation of the non-tumble drying module.

15. The laundry system of claim 1, wherein:

the washing module comprises a cabinet separate from the first front-loading laundry appliance; and

the non-tumble drying unit comprises a cabinet separate from the second front-loading laundry appliance.

16. The laundry system of claim 15, wherein:

the washing module and the first front-loading laundry appliance have respective left walls that form a first generally continuous left surface and respective right walls that form a first generally continuous right surface; and

the non-tumble drying unit and the second front-loading laundry appliance have respective left walls that form a second generally continuous left surface and respective right walls that form a second generally continuous right surface.

17. The laundry system of claim 16, wherein:

the washing module and the first front-loading laundry appliance have respective front walls that form a first generally continuous front surface; and

the non-tumble drying unit and the second front-loading laundry appliance have respective front walls that form a second generally continuous front surface.

18. The laundry system of claim 1, wherein the washing module comprises a cabinet and a drawer slidably mounted to the cabinet.

19. The laundry system of claim 1, wherein the non-tumble drying module comprises a cabinet and a drawer slidably mounted to the cabinet.

20. The laundry system of claim 1 wherein the washing module comprises a detergent dispenser.

21. The laundry system of claim 1, wherein the washing module is adapted for gentle washing of fabric items.

22. The laundry system of claim 1 wherein the non-tumble drying module provides forced air to dry fabric items.

23. The laundry system of claim 1, wherein the drying rack is removably mounted in the non-tumble drying module.

24. The laundry system of claim 23, wherein the drying rack comprises a rack frame that supports a mesh panel through which forced air can flow.

25. The laundry system of claim 1 wherein the top-loading wash basket comprises an upwardly-facing open top.

26. The laundry system of claim 1 wherein the drying chamber comprises an upwardly-facing open top.

27. The laundry system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the washing module or the non-tumble drying module can be controlled remotely.