Washing machine appliance and lid assembly

• US 10,351,988 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2016
• Issued: 07/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Inventors: Mora, Adam Raymond, Ekbundit, Michael Wuttikorn
• Primary Examiner(s): Barr, Michael E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Riggleman, Jason P
• Application Number:
  US15/207,535
• Publication Number:
  US 20180016729A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 23/04 and rotating or oscillating about a vertical axis
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/14 Doors or covers; Securing means therefor

Abstract

A washing machine appliance and lid assembly is provided. The appliance may include a cabinet defining an opening, a basket, a door, a balance lever, and a counter balance assembly. The door may be pivotable about a pivot axis between an open position and a closed position. The counter balance assembly may be mounted to the balance lever to hold the door in an intermediate position between the open position and the closed position. The counter balance assembly may include a guide pin coupled to the balance lever and a bracket coupled to the cabinet and defining a trailing surface. The guide pin may be slidably disposed on the trailing surface of the bracket.

Claims

1. An appliance comprising:

a cabinet defining an opening;

a basket positioned within the cabinet, the basket defining a wash chamber beneath the opening of the cabinet;

a door defining a pivot axis, the door being pivotally attached to the cabinet, the door being pivotable about the pivot axis between an open position and a closed position;

a balance lever fixed to the door and extending in a radial direction away from the pivot axis to a distal end; and

a counter balance assembly mounted to the balance lever to hold the door in an intermediate position between the open position and the closed position, the counter balance assembly including

a guide pin coupled to the balance lever, the guide pin being spaced apart from the pivot axis in the radial direction, and

a bracket coupled to the cabinet and defining a trailing surface, the guide pin rotatably disposed about the bracket and slidably disposed on the trailing surface of the bracket, the trailing surface including a first projection and a second projection spaced apart from the first projection to define a detent recess therebetween, the guide pin received within the detent recess when the door is in the intermediate position.

2. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the guide pin is fixed to the balance lever at the distal end of the balance lever.

3. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the door defines an angle between thirty degrees and sixty degrees relative to a transverse direction that is perpendicular to a vertical direction when the door is in the intermediate position.

4. The appliance of claim 3, further comprising a resilient biasing member extending between the bracket and the cabinet to bias the door toward the open position.

5. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the door includes a pivot rod extending along the pivot axis, and wherein the balance lever is fixed relative to the pivot rod.

6. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the bracket is an engagement bracket rotatably disposed about the guide pin at the distal end of the balance lever, and wherein the trailing surface formed on the engagement bracket.

7. The appliance of claim 6, further comprising:

a static bracket fixed to the cabinet and defining a discrete bracket path, wherein the engagement bracket slidably engages the static bracket along the discrete bracket path.

8. The appliance of claim 7, wherein the engagement bracket includes a tab extending in a lateral direction that is perpendicular to a vertical direction, and wherein the static bracket defines a slot that slidably receives the tab.

9. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the guide pin includes a cam tooth slidably disposed on the trailing surface of the bracket.

10. The appliance of claim 9, wherein the cam tooth is complementary to the detent recess such that the cam tooth selectively rest within the detent recess at the intermediate position of the door.

11. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the guide pin defines a first radial notch and a second radial notch, wherein the first radial notch receives the first projection in the closed position, and wherein the second radial notch receives the second projection in the closed position.

12. An appliance comprising:

a cabinet defining an opening;

a basket positioned within the cabinet, the basket defining a wash chamber beneath the opening of the cabinet;

a door defining a pivot axis, the door being pivotally attached to the cabinet, the door being pivotable about the pivot axis between an open position and a closed position;

a balance lever fixed to the door and extending in a radial direction away from the pivot axis to a distal end; and

a counter balance assembly mounted to the balance lever to hold the door in an intermediate position between the open position and the closed position, the counter balance assembly including

a guide pin coupled to the door through the balance lever, the guide pin being spaced apart from the pivot axis in the radial direction, and

an engagement bracket rotatably disposed about the guide pin at the distal end of the balance lever, the engagement bracket including a projection slidably disposed on the guide pin, the projection extending radially inward from the engagement bracket to engage the guide pin when the door is in the intermediate position.

13. The appliance of claim 12, wherein the guide pin is fixed to the balance lever at the distal end of the balance lever.

14. The appliance of claim 12, wherein the door defines an angle between thirty degrees and sixty degrees relative to a transverse direction that is perpendicular to a vertical direction when the door is in the intermediate position.

15. The appliance of claim 14, further comprising a resilient biasing member extending between the engagement bracket and the cabinet to urge the door toward the open position.

16. The appliance of claim 12, wherein the door includes a pivot rod extending along the pivot axis, and wherein the balance lever is fixed relative to the pivot rod.

17. The appliance of claim 12, further comprising:

a static bracket fixed to the cabinet and defining a discrete bracket path, wherein the engagement bracket slidably engages the static bracket along the discrete bracket path.

18. The appliance of claim 17, wherein the engagement bracket includes a tab extending in a lateral direction that is perpendicular to a vertical direction, and wherein the static bracket defines a slot that slidably receives the tab.

19. The appliance of claim 12, wherein the guide pin includes a cam tooth slidably disposed on the trailing surface of the engagement bracket.

20. The appliance of claim 12, wherein the guide pin defines a radial notch that receives the projection in the closed position.