Laundry treating appliance and dispenser

• US 10,077,526 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2016
• Issued: 09/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Bixby, Seth E., Gresens, Richard K., Lambkin, Todd, MacKay, Michael R., Murphy, Sayer J., Schelling, Anna C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cormier, David G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bucci, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US15/263,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20180073183A1
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 68 17 R, 68207, 68 1218, 68 3 R, 68 13 R, 68 17 A, 68212, 68 13 A, 68 1219, 222651, 222129, 222173, 222 1, 222652, 222166, 222 52, 222160, 2221812, 222325, 222456, 222164, 134 93, 134 56 D, 134 992, 134 18
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/02 Devices for adding soap or other washing agents
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/12 Casings; Tubs

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a washing machine including a cabinet defining a housing with internal components of a conventional automated clothes washer, a door mounted to the cabinet to selectively open/close the opening to the cabinet, and a dispenser in the form of a drawer having at least one cup in which doses of treating chemistry can be received. The dispenser includes a door pivotally mounted to the housing for pivoting movement between closed and opened positions. The dispenser drawer is pivotally mounted to the dispenser door and slidably mounted to the housing such that pivotal movement of the dispenser door between the closed and opened position effects a corresponding sliding movement of the at least one dispenser cup between the extended and retracted position.

Claims

1. A laundry treating appliance comprising:

a housing defining an interior;

a treating chamber located within the interior and mounted to the housing;

at least one dispenser cup fluidly coupled to the treating chamber and slidably mounted to the housing for sliding movement between extended and retracted positions; and

a dispenser door pivotally mounted to the housing for pivoting movement between closed and opened positions;

wherein one of the at least one dispenser cup and housing has a curvilinear slot and the other of the at least one dispenser cup and housing has a pin extending in the curvilinear slot, with the pin being slidable within the slot to slidably mount the at least one dispenser cup to the housing such that the at least one dispenser cup raises/lowers as the at least one dispenser cup extends/retracts, respectively, and the at least one dispenser cup is maintained in an upright position while moving between the retracted and extended position; and

wherein the at least one dispenser cup is operably coupled to the dispenser door such that pivotal movement of the dispenser door between the closed and opened positions effects a corresponding sliding movement of the at least one dispenser cup between the retracted and extended positions.

2. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the at least one dispenser cup is accessible exterior of the housing in the extended position and located within the housing in the retracted position.

3. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the at least one cup comprises a drawer having multiple cups.

4. The laundry treating appliance of claim 3 wherein the drawer is slidably mounted to the housing.

5. The laundry treating appliance of claim 3 wherein the drawer is pivotally mounted to the door and pin-and-slot mounted to the housing.

6. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the at least one dispenser cup comprises a dispenser drawer that terminates in an upper edge that defines a door profile and the at least one dispenser cup has a portion that is complementary in shape to the door profile and nests within the door profile when the dispenser door is in the opened position and the at least one dispenser cup is in the extended position.

7. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 further comprising a biasing device that biases the dispenser door from the closed to the opened position.

8. The laundry treating appliance of claim 7 wherein the biasing device comprises a spring extending between the door and the housing.

9. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 further comprising a push-to-open latch securing the dispenser door in the closed position.

10. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 further comprising a damper mounted to the dispenser door and dampening the movement of the dispenser door between the opened and closed positions.

11. A dispenser assembly for a laundry treating appliance comprising:

a frame defining an opening;

a drawer having at least one dispenser cup mounted to the frame for movement between extended and retracted positions, with the drawer at least partially extending beyond the opening in the extended position; and

a dispenser door mounted to the frame for movement between closed and opened positions, with the dispenser door closing the opening in the closed position;

wherein one of the drawer and frame has a curvilinear slot and the other of the drawer and frame has a pin extending in the curvilinear slot, with the pin being slidable within the slot to slidably mount the drawer to the frame such that the drawer raises/lowers as the drawer extends/retracts, respectively, and the drawer is maintained in an upright position while moving between the retracted and extended position; and

wherein the drawer is operably coupled to the dispenser door such that movement of the dispenser door between the closed and opened positions effects a corresponding movement of the drawer between the retracted and extended positions.

12. The dispenser assembly of claim 11 further comprising a push-to-open latch securing the dispenser door in the closed position.

13. The dispenser assembly of claim 11 further comprising a damper mounted to the dispenser door and dampening the movement of the dispenser door between the opened and closed positions.

14. The dispenser assembly of claim 11 wherein the drawer is slidably mounted to the frame for sliding movement between the extended and retracted positions.

15. The dispenser assembly of claim 11 wherein the dispenser door is pivotally mounted to the frame for pivoting movement between the closed and opened positions.

16. The laundry treating appliance of claim 11 wherein the drawer is accessible exterior of the frame in the extended position and located within the frame in the retracted position.

17. The laundry treating appliance of claim 11 wherein the drawer terminates in an upper edge that defines a door profile and the drawer has a portion that is complementary in shape to the door profile and nests within the door profile when the dispenser door is in the opened position and the drawer is in the extended position.