LAUNDRY TREATING APPLIANCE WITH A STATIC TUB

• US 20150052953A1
• Filed: 08/20/2013
• Published: 02/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: ERICKSON, DONALD E., HUNNELL, JOHN M., MORROW, BRADLEY D., SCHARICH, DAVID III, SHARP, BRENNER M., TIETZ, DEAN L., LALONDE, LAUREN M., MCCONNELL, KENNETH L., STRAIN, CHRISTINE L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,828,714 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 68/17.R
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 23/00 Washing machines with receptacles, e.g. perforated, having a rotary movement, e.g. oscillatory movement, the receptacle serving both for washing and for centrifugally separating water from the laundry with further drying means D06F25/00; programme control aspects D06F33/00
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/12 adapted for rotation or oscillation about a vertical axis
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/20 Mountings, e.g. resilient mountings, for the rotary receptacle, motor, tub or casing; Preventing or damping vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/083 Liquid discharge or recirculation arrangements

Abstract

A laundry treating appliance having a cabinet, a static wash tub fixed in position relative to the cabinet, a wash basket mounted within the wash tub for rotation about a vertical axis and having at least one drain hole, a drive motor within the cabinet for rotating the wash basket, a catch basin fixed to the wash tub and spaced from the drive motor, a recirculation pump, and a closure between the drive motor and the catch basin.

Claims

1. A laundry treating appliance comprising:

a static wash tub fixed in position relative to a cabinet;

a wash basket mounted within the wash tub for rotation about a vertical axis and having at least one drain hole;

a drive motor within the cabinet for rotating the wash basket;

a catch basin fixed to the wash tub and spaced from the drive motor;

a recirculation pump; and

a closure between the drive motor and the catch basin, wherein laundry in the wash basket is treated while the wash basket rotates and wash liquid drains from the wash basket into the catch basin and is recirculated by the recirculation pump into the wash basket and the closure protects the motor from the wash liquid.

2. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1, wherein the closure comprises a boot between a seal above the motor and the static wash tub.

3. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1, wherein the closure comprises a boot between a seal below the motor and the static wash tub.

4. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1, wherein the closure comprises a boot between upper and lower seals and the static wash tub.

5. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1, wherein the closure includes a flange extending into the catch basin.

6. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1, wherein the closure includes a drain port to direct liquid to the catch basin.

7. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1, wherein at least one drain hole is in the bottom of the wash basket to direct liquid to the drain port.

8. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1, wherein the catch basin is between the wash basket and the static wash tub.

9. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1, further comprising a detergent dispenser within the tub.

10. The laundry treating appliance of claim 9, wherein the detergent dispenser is disposed vertically above the catch basin.

11. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1, wherein the wash basket is supported by 3 or more suspension rods.

12. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1, wherein the wash basket is supported by a pedestal base.

13. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1, wherein the closure includes a labyrinth seal.

14. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1, further comprising a rotatable tub positioned between the wash basket and the static wash tub.

15. The laundry treating appliance of claim 14, wherein the rotatable tub includes at least one opening formed in the bottom of the rotatable tub.

16. The laundry treating appliance of claim 14, wherein the rotatable tub rotates during a treating cycle of operation.

17. The laundry treating appliance of claim 14, wherein the rotatable tub rotates at substantially identical speeds to the wash basket.

18. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1, further comprising a flange extending from the closure into the interior of the catch basin.

19. The laundry treating appliance of claim 18, wherein the flange is fluidly coupled to the interior of the catch basin during a wash phase to form a trap seal, and the flange is configured to move upwardly from the interior of the catch basin to a predetermined height during a spin extraction phase.