Laundry treating appliance laundry mover with liquid diverter

• US 10,450,686 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2018
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Carr, David W., Mueller, Dale E., Zeitler, Mary E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cormier, David G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bucci, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US16/203,846
• Publication Number:
  US 20190093272A1
• Time in Patent Office: 327 Days
• Field of Search: 68134, 68133, 68 53, 68 18 FA, 68131, 68132, 68 237, 68 236, 68 54, 68148, 8137, 8159, 8158, 366278, 366317, 3661652, 366243, 366265, 3663291
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 13/00 Washing machines having receptacles, stationary for washing purposes, with agitators therein contacting the articles being washed plungers or the like adapted for removable mounting on receptacles D06F5/04
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 17/10 Impellers

Abstract

A laundry mover for a laundry treating appliance may include a protrusion located on an upper side of the laundry mover and forming an open-bottom cavity. The protrusion may have at least one opening fluidly communicating the cavity with a portion of the treating chamber above the protrusion. A diverter may be located on a lower side of the laundry mover.

Claims

1. A laundry treating appliance comprising:

a treating chamber receiving laundry for treatment; and

a laundry mover located in the treating chamber and rotatable about a rotational axis, the laundry mover comprising;

a base with a raised center and an outer periphery;

a first set of protrusions located on an upper side of the base and extending radially from the raised center to the outer periphery;

a second set of protrusions located on the upper side of the base and extending a radial distance less than the first set;

the protrusions of the first and second sets alternatingly arranged in a circumferential direction about the base;

the protrusion of at least one of the first and second sets each forming;

an open cavity on a lower side of the base, and

having at least one opening fluidly communicating the open cavity with a portion of the treating chamber; and

a diverter located entirely within the open cavity on a lower side of the laundry mover and depending from an upper wall of each of the protrusions of the at least one of the first and second sets.

2. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the diverter is in the form of a fin.

3. The laundry treating appliance of claim 2 wherein the fin extends radially along at least a portion of the open cavity.

4. The laundry treating appliance of claim 3 wherein the fin comprises at least one baffle facing the at least one opening and directing liquid toward the at least one opening.

5. The laundry treating appliance of claim 4 wherein the at least one opening further comprises a first opening and a second opening, and the at least one baffle further comprises at least two baffles facing opposite directions with a first baffle facing the first opening, and with a second baffle facing the second opening.

6. The laundry treating appliance of claim 4 wherein the at least one baffle is formed by angled walls in a zig-zag configuration.

7. The laundry treating appliance of claim 3 wherein the protrusions of the at least one of the first and second sets each further comprise opposing sidewalls joined at one end by an outer wall, and an inner support wall spans the open cavity between the sidewalls, wherein the fin extends from the outer wall to the inner support wall.

8. The laundry treating appliance of claim 7 wherein the protrusions of the at least one of the first and second sets each further comprise an additional wall located radially inward from the inner support wall forming an air dome beneath a portion of the base.

9. The laundry treating appliance of claim 3 wherein the protrusions of the at least one of the first and second sets each further comprise opposing sidewalls that converge at a vertex at one end and are joined by an outer wall at another end, wherein the fin extends from the outer wall to the vertex.

10. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the base further comprises a skirt from which the protrusions of the at least one of the first and second sets extend upwardly, and the diverter projects downward below the skirt.

11. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the diverter is in the form of a radially extending baffle.

12. The laundry treating appliance of claim 11 wherein the base further comprises a skirt, and the protrusions of the at least one of the first and second sets extends upwardly from the skirt, wherein the baffle is formed by an angled wall facing the at least one opening with an acute angle between the angled wall and the skirt.

13. The laundry treating appliance of claim 12 wherein the baffle is formed in an insert mounted within the open cavity.

14. The laundry treating appliance of claim 13 wherein the insert is mounted within the open cavity by at least one of adhesive, heat staking, or mechanical fasteners.

15. The laundry treating appliance of claim 11 wherein the protrusions of the at least one of the first and second sets each have a baffle, and at least a first baffle for a first protrusion of the at least one of the first and second sets faces a first direction, and at least a second baffle for a second protrusion of the at least one of the first and second sets faces a second direction opposite the first direction.

16. The laundry treating appliance of claim 11 wherein the protrusions of the at least one of the first and second sets each further comprise a through channel extending through the open cavity and fluidly connecting the baffle with the at least one opening.

17. The laundry treating appliance of claim 16 wherein the baffle and the through channel are formed in an insert mounted within the open cavity.

18. The laundry treating appliance of claim 11 wherein the at least one opening further comprises a first opening and a second opening, and the diverter further comprises at least two baffles facing opposite directions with a first baffle facing the first opening, and with a second baffle facing the second opening.

19. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein each of the protrusions of both the first and second sets of protrusions have the diverter.

20. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 further comprising through openings in the base, with the through openings circumferentially located between the first and second sets of protrusions.