LAUNDRY TREATING APPLIANCE WITH INTERNAL HOUSING

• US 20170037558A1
• Filed: 08/04/2016
• Published: 02/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: DUNSBERGEN, KIRK, SCHIESSER, RICARDO
• Granted Patent: US 10,655,264 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 35/006 for washing or rinsing only
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/02 Devices for adding soap or other washing agents
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/022 in a liquid state D06F39/024 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/088 Liquid supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/12 Casings; Tubs

Abstract

A laundry treating appliance, such as a clothes washer, either vertical or horizontal axis, can have a bulk dispenser capable of dispensing multiple doses of treating chemistry from a reservoir of treating chemistry. A housing fluidly couples a supply of water and the treating chemistry for supplying both to a treating chamber within the laundry treating appliance.

Claims

1. A laundry treating appliance comprising:

a chassis defining an interior;

a treating chamber located within the interior; and

a bulk dispenser comprising;

a liquid distribution header comprising a housing defining a least one water conduit and at least one treating chemistry conduit, with at least one pump mount provided on the housing; and

at least one pump mounted to the pump mount and having a water inlet fluidly coupled to the water conduit, a treating chemistry inlet fluidly coupled to the treating chemistry conduit, and a wash liquid output emitting a mixture of the water and the treating chemistry to form the wash liquid.

2. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the housing further comprises at least one of a water supply connector fluidly coupled to the water conduit or a bulk treating chemistry connector fluidly coupled to the treating chemistry conduit.

3. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the housing further comprises a nozzle fitting fluidly coupled to the wash liquid output.

4. The laundry treating appliance of claim 3 further comprising a spray nozzle connected to the nozzle fitting.

5. The laundry treating appliance of claim 4 wherein the housing further comprises a wash liquid conduit having a wash liquid inlet fluidly coupled to the wash liquid output of the pump and fluidly coupled to the nozzle fitting.

6. The laundry treating appliance of claim 5 wherein the nozzle fitting is a releasable fitting and the nozzle is releasably mounted to the nozzle fitting.

7. The laundry treating appliance of claim 6 wherein the pump mount is a releasable mount and the pump is releasably mounted to the housing via the pump mount.

8. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 further comprising a valve assembly carried by the housing.

9. The laundry treating appliance of claim 8 wherein the valve assembly comprises at least one of a water supply valve or a treating chemistry supply valve.

10. The laundry treating appliance of claim 9 further comprising a bulk dispensing reservoir fluidly coupled to the treating chemistry supply valve.

11. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises two assembled halves to define the water conduit and treating chemistry conduit within the housing.

12. A bulk dispensing system for a laundry treating appliance comprising:

a housing comprising two assembled halves defining at least one water conduit and at least one treating chemistry conduit, with at least one pump mount on the housing; and

at least one pump mounted to the housing at the pump mount and having a water inlet fluidly coupled to the water conduit, a treating chemistry inlet fluidly coupled to the treating chemistry conduit, and a wash liquid output emitting a mixture of the water and the treating chemistry to form a wash liquid.

13. The bulk dispensing system of claim 12 wherein the housing further comprises at least one of a water supply connector fluidly coupled to the water conduit or a bulk treating chemistry connector fluidly coupled to the treating chemistry conduit.

14. The bulk dispensing system of claim 12 wherein the housing further comprises a nozzle fitting fluidly coupled to the wash liquid output.

15. The bulk dispensing system of claim 14 further comprising a spray nozzle connected to the nozzle fitting.

16. The bulk dispensing system of claim 15 wherein the housing further comprises a wash liquid conduit having a wash liquid inlet fluidly coupled to the wash liquid output of the pump and fluidly coupled to the nozzle fitting.

17. The bulk dispensing system of claim 16 wherein the nozzle fitting is a releasable fitting and the nozzle is releasably mounted to the nozzle fitting.

18. The bulk dispensing system of claim 17 wherein the pump mount is a releasable mount and the pump is releasably mounted to the housing via the pump mount.

19. The bulk dispensing system of claim 12 further comprising a valve assembly carried by the housing.

20. The bulk dispensing system of claim 19 wherein the valve assembly comprises at least one of a water supply valve or a treating chemistry supply valve.

21. The bulk dispensing system of claim 20 further comprising a bulk dispensing reservoir fluidly coupled to the treating chemistry supply valve.

22. The bulk dispensing system of claim 12 further comprising seals disposed on the housing to further define the at least one water conduit and the at least one treating chemistry conduit.