Laundry treating appliance and dispenser

• US 10,422,070 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2018
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• 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): Barr, Michael E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bucci, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US16/021,114
• Publication Number:
  US 20180313019A1
• Time in Patent Office: 453 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, 222 16 D, 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

A laundry treating appliance having a housing defining an interior that terminates in an upper edge that defines a door profile. A treating chamber is located within the interior and is mounted to the housing. A dispenser door is pivotally mounted to the housing for pivoting movement between closed and opened positions. At least one dispenser cup is fluidly coupled to the treating chamber and is slidably mounted to the housing for sliding movement between extended and retracted positions. 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 while maintaining the dispenser cup in an upright position. 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.

Claims

1. A laundry treating appliance comprising:

a housing defining an interior that terminates in an upper edge that defines a door profile;

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

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

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;

the at least one dispenser cup 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 while maintaining the at least one dispenser cup in an upright position; and

wherein 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.

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 dispenser 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 dispenser door and pin-and-slot mounted to the housing.

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

7. The laundry treating appliance of claim 6 wherein the biasing device comprises a spring extending between the dispenser door and the housing.

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

9. 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.

10. The laundry treating appliance of claim 9 wherein one of the at least one dispenser cup and housing has a slot and the other of the at least one dispenser cup and housing has a pin extending in the slot, with the pin being slidable within the slot to slidably mount the at least one dispenser cup to the housing.

11. The laundry treating appliance of claim 10 wherein the slot is curvilinear and the at least one dispenser cup raises/lowers as the at least one dispenser cup extends/retracts, respectively.

12. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein one of the at least one dispenser cup and housing has a slot and the other of the at least one dispenser cup and housing has a pin extending in the slot, with the pin being slidable within the slot to slidably mount the at least one dispenser cup to the housing.

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

a frame that terminates in an upper edge that defines a door profile;

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

at least one dispenser cup slidably mounted to the frame for sliding movement between extended and retracted positions;

the at least one dispenser cup 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 while maintaining the at least one dispenser cup in an upright position; and

wherein 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.

14. The dispenser assembly of claim 13 wherein one of the at least one dispenser cup and frame has a slot and the other of the at least one dispenser cup and frame has a pin extending in the slot, with the pin being slidable within the slot to slidably mount the at least one dispenser cup to the frame.

15. The dispenser assembly of claim 14 wherein the slot is curvilinear and the at least one dispenser cup raises/lowers as the at least one dispenser cup extends/retracts, respectively.

16. The dispenser assembly of claim 13 further comprising a spring extending between the door and the frame and biasing the dispenser door to the opened position.

17. The dispenser assembly of claim 13 further comprising a push-to-open latch securing the dispenser door in the closed position.

18. The dispenser assembly of claim 17 further comprising a damper mounted to the dispenser door and dampening the movement of the dispenser door between the opened and closed positions.

19. The dispenser assembly of claim 13 wherein the at least one dispenser cup is slidably mounted to the frame for sliding movement between the extended and retracted positions.

20. The dispenser assembly of claim 13 wherein the dispenser door is pivotally mounted to the frame for pivoting movement between the closed and opened positions.