MODULAR LAUNDRY SYSTEM

• US 20150259845A1
• Filed: 05/29/2015
• Published: 09/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: DOYLE, COLLEEN M., KENDALL, JAMES W., LUCKMAN, JOEL A., VISWANATHAN, AMERESH B., ACHTERBERG, LORRAINE L., GILBOE, KEVIN J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,611,578 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2210/17 Drawers used in connection with household appliances
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 46/005 by displacement in a vertical plane; by rotating about a horizontal axis
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/40 Sliding drawers; Slides or guides therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/42 Vertically-oriented drawers, i.e. drawers where the height exceeds the width
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/919 Accessories or additional elements for drawers, e.g. drawer lighting drawers having organising or sorting means A47B88/969
• 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 29/02 with liquid-extracting apparatus with roller wringer D06F45/12
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/28 Arrangements for program selection, e.g. control panels therefor; Arrangements for indicating program parameters, e.g. the selected program or its progress
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/04 adapted for rotation or oscillation about a horizontal or inclined axis
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/02 Devices for adding soap or other washing agents
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/12 Casings; Tubs
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/125 Supporting arrangements for the casing, e.g. rollers or legs
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 81/06 attachable to independent supports, e.g. walls

Abstract

A modular laundry system includes at least one laundry appliance and at least one laundry module below the laundry appliance. Both the laundry appliance and the laundry module have a single width. The laundry module has a height that is less than the height of the laundry appliance and performs a washing function to wash laundry.

Claims

1. A modular laundry system comprising:

a laundry appliance defining a single width; and

a single width horizontal module below the laundry appliance and having a wash chamber for receiving fabric items to be washed and a control panel for the selection of a wash cycle;

wherein the horizontal module has a height less than the height of the laundry appliance.

2. The modular laundry system according to claim 1 wherein the horizontal module comprises a cabinet and the laundry appliance is supported on the cabinet.

3. The modular laundry system according to claim 2 wherein the cabinet comprises an open face, and the horizontal module comprises a drawer slidably mounted to the cabinet for movement between an opened and closed position relative to the open face.

4. The modular laundry system according to claim 3 wherein the control panel is mounted on the drawer.

5. The modular laundry system according to claim 3 wherein the wash chamber is supported by the drawer.

6. The modular laundry system according to claim 5 wherein the horizontal module comprises a wash basket supported by the drawer and defining the wash chamber.

7. The modular laundry system according to claim 6 wherein the horizontal module comprises an imperforate tub supported by the drawer and the wash basket is rotatably mounted within the tub.

8. The modular laundry system according to claim 5 wherein the wash chamber is inaccessible in the closed position and accessible in the opened position.

9. The modular laundry system according to claim 8 wherein the drawer comprises an open top.

10. The modular laundry system according to claim 5 wherein the horizontal module comprises a detergent dispenser supported by the drawer.

11. The modular laundry system according to claim 1 wherein the horizontal module comprises a detergent dispenser.

12. The modular laundry system according to claim 1 wherein the horizontal module has a depth approximately equal to the depth of the laundry appliance.

13. The modular laundry system according to claim 1 wherein the height of the horizontal module is less than the single width.

14. The modular laundry system according to claim 1 wherein the laundry appliance is a horizontal axis washing machine.

15. The modular laundry system according to claim 14 wherein the horizontal module comprises a drawer slidably mounted to the cabinet for movement between an opened and closed position relative to the open face, and an imperforate tub supported by the drawer, wherein the imperforate tub defines an upwardly-facing open top.

16. The modular laundry system according to claim 1 wherein the laundry appliance comprises a control panel.

17. The modular laundry system according to claim 16 wherein the control panel of the laundry appliance is on a front of the laundry appliance and the control panel of the horizontal module in on a front of the horizontal module.

18. The modular laundry system according to claim 1 and further comprising a work surface extending across an upper surface of the laundry appliance.

19. The modular laundry system according to claim 1 wherein the horizontal module is a stand-alone unit that does not require physical connection to the laundry appliance for operation.

20. The modular laundry system according to claim 1 wherein the horizontal module is coupled to the laundry appliance as a requirement for operation of the horizontal module.

21. The modular laundry system according to claim 1 wherein the horizontal module is coupled to the laundry appliance to support operation of the laundry appliance.

22. The modular laundry system according to claim 1 wherein the horizontal module has a lower capacity for fabric items than the laundry appliance.

23. The modular laundry system according to claim 1 wherein the horizontal module comprises a delicate wash cycle.

24. The modular laundry system according to claim 1 wherein the laundry appliance and the horizontal module have matching designs for an aesthetically coherent appearance.

25. The modular laundry system according to claim 1 wherein the height of the horizontal module is less than half the height of the laundry appliance.

26. A modular laundry system comprising:

a washing machine defining a single width; and

a single width horizontal module below the washing machine and comprising;

a cabinet capable of supporting the washing machine thereupon and having an open face;

a drawer slidably mounted to the cabinet for movement between an opened and closed position relative to the open face;

an imperforate tub provided within the drawer; and

a wash chamber provided within the imperforate tub;

wherein the height of the cabinet is less than the height of the washing machine.

27. The modular laundry system according to claim 26 wherein the horizontal module comprises a control panel for the selection of a wash cycle.

28. The modular laundry system according to claim 27 wherein the control panel is mounted on the drawer.

29. The modular laundry system according to claim 28 wherein the washing machine comprises a horizontal axis washing machine with a control panel on the front of the washing machine.

30. The modular laundry system according to claim 26 wherein the height of the horizontal module is less than half the height of the washing machine.

31. The modular laundry system according to claim 26 wherein the horizontal module comprises a wash basket supported by the drawer and defining the wash chamber.

32. The modular laundry system according to claim 31 wherein the horizontal module comprises an imperforate tub supported by the drawer and the wash basket is rotatably mounted within the tub.

33. The modular laundry system according to claim 31 wherein the horizontal module comprises a detergent dispenser supported by the drawer.

34. The modular laundry system according to claim 26 wherein the wash chamber is inaccessible in the closed position and accessible in the opened position.

35. The modular laundry system according to claim 34 wherein the drawer comprises an open top.

36. The modular laundry system according to claim 26 wherein the horizontal module comprises a detergent dispenser.

37. The modular laundry system according to claim 26 wherein the horizontal module has a depth approximately equal to the depth of the washing machine.

38. The modular laundry system according to claim 26 wherein the height of the horizontal module is less than the single width.

39. The modular laundry system according to claim 26 wherein the washing machine is a horizontal axis washing machine.

40. The modular laundry system according to claim 39 wherein the imperforate tub defines an upwardly-facing open top.

41. The modular laundry system according to claim 26 wherein the washing machine comprises a control panel.

42. The modular laundry system according to claim 41 wherein the control panel of the washing machine is on a front of the washing machine and the control panel of the horizontal module in on a front of the horizontal module.

43. The modular laundry system according to claim 26 and further comprising a work surface extending across an upper surface of the washing machine.

44. The modular laundry system according to claim 26 wherein the horizontal module is a stand-alone unit that does not require physical connection to the washing machine for operation.

45. The modular laundry system according to claim 26 wherein the horizontal module is coupled to the washing machine as a requirement for operation of the horizontal module.

46. The modular laundry system according to claim 26 wherein the horizontal module is coupled to the washing machine to support operation of the washing machine.

47. The modular laundry system according to claim 26 wherein the horizontal module has a lower capacity for fabric items than the washing machine.

48. The modular laundry system according to claim 26 wherein the horizontal module comprises a delicate wash cycle.

49. The modular laundry system according to claim 26 wherein the washing machine and the horizontal module have matching designs for an aesthetically coherent appearance.