Vertical laundry module

• US 20070266740A9
• Filed: 12/30/2005
• Published: 11/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Viswanathan, Ameresh, Kendall, James, Sunshine, Richard, Achterberg, Lorraine, Doyle, Colleen
• Application Number:
  US11/323,867
• Publication Number:
  US 20070151302A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 68/3.R
• 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 39/00 Details of washing machines not specific to a single type of machines covered by groups D06F9/00 - D06F27/00 control of washing machines D06F33/00, D06F34/00

Abstract

A laundry system comprises a laundry appliance and a vertical laundry module. The vertical laundry module comprises one of a drawer that slidably opens from a face of the module and/or a door that opens from the face of the module and has an effective upper surface that is located at substantially the same height as an effective upper surface of the laundry appliance. The vertical laundry module can further comprise a functional element that can be a laundry care function or a non-laundry care function.

Claims

1. A laundry system comprising:

a laundry appliance having an effective upper surface; and

a vertical laundry module adjacent to the laundry appliance comprising at least one of a drawer slidable through a face of the module and a door opening from the face of the module and having an effective upper surface located at substantially the same height as the effective upper surface of the laundry appliance.

2. The laundry system according to claim 1, wherein the vertical laundry module comprises multiple drawers slidable through the face of the module.

3. The laundry system according to claim 1, wherein the vertical laundry module comprises a functional element.

4. The laundry system according to claim 3, wherein the functional element is formed at least partially by the drawer.

5. The laundry system according to claim 3, wherein the functional element performs a laundry care function.

6. The laundry system according to claim 5, wherein the laundry care function is at least one of a washing, drying, refreshing, sanitizing, sink, ironing, steaming, and stain treatment function.

7. The laundry system according to claim 5, wherein the functional element comprises at least one of a perforated shelf located in the drawer, a hanging rod located in the drawer, an ironing board, a stain treatment assembly, and a sink.

8. The laundry system according to claim 3, wherein the functional element performs a non-laundry care function.

9. The laundry system according to claim 8, wherein the non-laundry care function is at least one of a storage, staging, garbage and recycling collection, shelving, laundry sorting, hanging, bulk dispensing, resource management, resource supply and/or recovery/reclamation, resource treatment, lighting, refrigeration, entertainment, pet care, data collection and communication, home automation, home security, home safety, power outlet and supply, and module controller function.

10. The laundry system according to claim 9, wherein the functional element comprises at least one of a shelf, a compartmentalized tray, a hanging rod, a peg board formed on the door, and a bulk dispensing assembly.

11. The laundry system according to claim 3, wherein the vertical laundry module comprises multiple functional elements.

12. The laundry system according to claim 11, wherein the multiple functional elements comprises a first functional element that performs a first function and a second functional element that performs a second function different than the first function.

13. The laundry system according to claim 1, wherein the vertical laundry module further comprises a backsplash.

14. The laundry system according to claim 13, wherein the backsplash is complementary with a backsplash of the laundry appliance.

15. The laundry system according to claim 3, wherein the backsplash comprises a functional element.

16. The laundry system according to claim 1, wherein the width of the vertical laundry module is less than the width of the laundry appliance.

17. The laundry system according to claim 1 and further comprising a horizontal module stacked with one of the laundry appliance and the vertical laundry module and wherein the effective upper surface of the one of the laundry appliance and the vertical laundry module comprises the higher of the upper surface of the horizontal module and the upper surface of the one of the laundry appliance and the vertical laundry module

18. The laundry system according to claim 17, wherein the horizontal module is a pedestal.

19. A vertical laundry module for use in conjunction with a laundry appliance and comprising:

a cabinet having an effective height substantially equal to an effective height of the laundry appliance and defining an open face providing access to an interior of the cabinet; and

at least one of a door mounted to the cabinet for selectively closing at least a portion of the open face of the cabinet and at least one drawer slidable through the open face of the cabinet.

20. The vertical laundry module according to claim 19 and further comprising a functional element.

21. The vertical laundry module according to claim 20, wherein the functional element is formed at least partially by the drawer.

22. The vertical laundry module according to claim 20, wherein the functional element performs a laundry care function.

23. The vertical laundry module according to claim 22, wherein the laundry care function is at least one of a washing, drying, refreshing, sanitizing, sink, ironing, steaming, and stain treatment function.

24. The vertical laundry module according to claim 22, wherein the functional element comprises at least one of a perforated shelf located in the drawer, a hanging rod located in the drawer, an ironing board, a stain treatment assembly, and a sink.

25. The vertical laundry module according to claim 24, wherein the ironing board is stowable within the vertical laundry module.

26. The vertical laundry module according to claim 24, wherein the stain treatment assembly comprises a stain treatment wand configured to deliver a stain treatment agent to a fabric article to be cleaned.

27. The vertical laundry module according to claim 26, wherein the stain treatment assembly further comprises a stain drawer for supporting the fabric article and forming a drain to receive the stain treatment agent after it passes through the fabric article.

28. The vertical laundry module according to claim 20, wherein the functional element performs a non-laundry care function.

29. The vertical laundry module according to claim 28, wherein the non-laundry care function is at least one of a storage, staging, garbage and recycling collection, shelving, laundry sorting, hanging, bulk dispensing, resource management, resource supply and/or recovery/reclamation, resource treatment, lighting, refrigeration, entertainment, pet care, data collection and communication, home automation, home security, home safety, power outlet and supply, and module controller function.

30. The vertical laundry module according to claim 29, wherein the functional element comprises at least one of a shelf, a compartmentalized tray, a hanging rod, a peg board formed on the door, and a bulk dispensing assembly.

31. The vertical laundry module according to claim 20, wherein the vertical laundry module comprises multiple functional elements.

32. The vertical laundry module according to claim 31, wherein the multiple functional elements comprises a first functional element that performs a first function and a second functional element that performs a second function different than the first function.

33. The vertical laundry module according to claim 19 and further comprising a backsplash.

34. The vertical laundry module according to claim 33, wherein the backsplash is complementary with a backsplash of the laundry appliance.

35. The vertical laundry module according to claim 33, wherein the backsplash comprises a functional element.

36. The vertical laundry module according to claim 19, wherein the width of the vertical laundry module is less than the width of the laundry appliance.

37. The vertical laundry module according to claim 19 and further comprising a horizontal module stacked with one of the laundry appliance and the vertical laundry module and wherein the effective upper surface of the one of the laundry appliance and the vertical laundry module comprises the higher of the upper surface of the horizontal module and the upper surface of the one of the laundry appliance and the vertical laundry module.

38. The vertical laundry module according to claim 37, wherein the horizontal module is a pedestal.