Equipment washer

• US 6,374,644 B1
• Filed: 08/18/1999
• Issued: 04/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Esporta Wash Systems Inc.
• Original Assignee: Esporta Wash Systems Inc.
• Inventors: Rhode, Randall J., Rhode, Margie A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stinson, Frankie L.
• Application Number:
  US09/376,319
• Time in Patent Office: 979 Days
• Field of Search: 68/20, 68/24, 68/58, 681/40, 681/43, 681/52
• US Class Current: 68/20
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/08 Partitions
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/04 Details controlling or regulating devices D06F34/00
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 95/006 Bags for holding the laundry during washing D06F5/005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/1931 Cord loop

Abstract

A washing machine includes a frame, a tub rigidly mounted to the frame, and at least one basket rotatably mounted inside the tub. The basket is an open-lattice sided container having a releasably closable lid. The basket is adapted for holding articles of apparel or other flexible articles substantially stationary relative to the basket as the basket is rotated relative to the tub. A water supply cooperates with the tub for washing and rinsing the articles held in the basket.

Claims

1. A device for washing flexible articles of apparel comprising;

a housing,

a tub rigidly mounted to said housing,

a basket rotatably mounted inside said tub for rotation of said basket about an axis of rotation, a basket rotation means mounted to said basket and actuable to rotate said basket during washing, rinsing and spin-drying cycles,

a water supply and draining means cooperating with said tub for washing and rinsing said articles of apparel held in said basket,

wherein said basket is an open-lattice sided container having a releasably closable lid and wherein said basket is, by means for securing said articles in said basket, adapted for both holding skill articles of apparel substantially stationary relative to said basket and separated in said basket during said washing and rinsing cycles and during centrifugal spin-drying cycle, and for allowing penetration of water from said water supply throghout said articles of apparel as said basket is rotated relative to said tub,

wherein said means for securing said flexible articles in each basket includes an equipment container having separate compartments, said equipment container mountable into said basket for holding said articles of apparel generally individually separated from each other during said washing, rinsing and spin-drying cycles,

and wherein during said centrifugal spin-drying of said articles of apparel during said spin-drying cycle, said basket is rotatable within said tub about said axis of rotation at a rotational speed sufficient to centrifugally force water from said articles.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said equipment container is a mesh bag for holding said apparel, said mesh bag removably securable within said basket.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said mesh bag is compartmentalized for simultaneously holding in spaced apart array various articles of said articles of apparel in said mesh bags when held in said basket.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said mesh bag includes a main compartment of a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape mountable into said basket so as to lay said mesh bag flat in said basket.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein said basket is sized so as to fit therein when said mesh bag is folded in half and laid flat, and wherein said basket further comprises a rigid open-lattice spacer positionable between folded-over halves of said mesh bag.

6. A washing and drying device for flexible articles comprising,

a watertight housing,

a rotatable frame rotatably mounted within said housing for rotation of said frame about an axis of rotation,

a plurality of water porous baskets mounted to said frame, each basket in said plurality of water porous baskets having a releasably securable lid mounted thereto, each said basket including, a means for securing said flexible articles in each said basket so as to both releasably hold said articles substantially stationary relative to said basket as said frame is rotated relative to said housing during washing, rinsing and centrifugal spin-drying of said articles and for allowing penetration of water from said water supply throughout said articles,

a selectively controllable drive for rotating said frame relative to said housing,

a wash water supply and drain cooperating with said housing for, respectively, pressurized supply of wash water into contact with said plurality of water porous baskets within said housing and draining said wash water,

wherein said means for securing said flexible articles in each said basket includes an equipment container having separate compartments, said equipment container mountable into said basket, said compartments for holding said articles of apparel stationary relative to said basket and for holding said articles of apparel generally individually separated from each other during said washing, rinsing and spin-drying cycles,

wherein during said centrifugal spin-drying of said articles said rotatable frame is rotatable within said housing at a rotational speed sufficient to centrifugally force water from said articles.

7. The device of claim 6 further comprising a forced air dryer mounted to said housing for drying said articles in said plurality of water porous baskets as said plurality of water porous baskets are rotated on said frame relative to said housing,

said forced air dryer having an inlet mounted to said housing at a first position on said housing, and an exhaust outlet mounted to said housing at a second position on said housing, said second position radially spaced from said first position about said axis of rotation so that, when rotated about said axis of rotation in a first direction, a basket of said plurality of water porous baskets rotates a first distance from said inlet to said exhaust outlet, and when rotated about said axis of rotation in a second direction opposite to said first direction about said axis of rotation, said basket rotates a second distance from said inlet to said exhaust outlet,

wherein, when said first and second distances are not equal, during a drying cycle said frame and said plurality of water porous baskets are rotated so as to pass from said inlet to said exhaust outlet along which ever distance is the longer distance of either said first or second distances so as to allow a maximum dwell time in said housing of an airstream forced into said housing through said inlet into drying contact with said articles in said plurality of water porous baskets before said airstream exits said housing through said exhaust outlet.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein said at least one spray nozzle include a pair of banks of spray nozzles radially spaced apart in said housing about said axis of rotation.

9. The device of claim 6 wherein said wash water supply comprises at least one spray nozzle for injecting wash water into said housing in a spray directed to include a portion of said spray perpendicular to said axis of rotation.

10. The device of claim 6 wherein each said basket is drawer-mounted into said frame for sliding removal of each said basket from said frame,

a door in said housing providing access to said frame,

said lid on each said basket operable once each said basket is slid from inside said frame through said door so as to facilitate loading and unloading said articles from each said basket.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein said frame includes slides so that each said basket of said plurality of baskets may be slid on said slides generally parallel to said axis of rotation through said door.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein said slides are telescopic slides mounted in sliding cooperation to said frame and to each said basket.

13. The device of claim 10 wherein said frame may be rotated so as to sequentially position each said basket adjacent said door for sequential access to said plurality of water porous baskets.

14. The device of claim 6 wherein said housing is a cylindrical drum radially symmetric about said axis of rotation and wherein said frame is a cage symmetrically shaped relative to said axis of rotation, and wherein said plurality of water porous baskets are mounted in radially spaced array on said cage, radially spaced about said axis of rotation.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein said plurality of water porous baskets are slidably mounted on said cage for sliding of each said basket from said housing when said cage is stationary before engaging a washing or drying cycle of said device.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein said baskets are open-lattice rigid baskets.

17. The device of claim 14 wherein each said basket is generally rectangular, one side of said basket conformally curved to correspond in shape to a cylindrical inner surface of said housing.

18. The device of claim 17 wherein said cage is a cylindrical frame-work of rigid hoops held rigidly apart and rigidly perpendicular to a center axis member by radially spaced apart spokes, said center axis member co-axial with said axis of rotation, said hoops sized for snug fitment within said inner surface of said housing.

19. The device of claim 18 wherein said inner surface of said housing is a rigid perforated liner spaced radially inwardly from an exterior cylindrical wall of said housing.

20. The device of claim 6 wherein each said basket further comprises an air and fluid porous spacer for placing between said articles when held within each said basket for facilitating fluid and air flow between said articles.

21. The device of claim 20 wherein each said basket further comprises a removable compartmentalized porous bag releasably mountable into each said basket, wherein said bag is sized to fold over said spacer and when so folded to snugly fit into each said basket.

22. The device of claim 21 wherein said bag is folded in half.

23. The device of claim 6 wherein said each basket further comprises a removable compartmentalized porous bag releasably mountable into each said basket.

24. The device of claim 23 wherein compartments within said bag are porous and sized to firmly hold specific articles of said articles within said bag in an optimized spatial relationship relative to said frame and said housing when a plurality said bags are releasably mounted in each said basket for optimized washing penetration of said wash water into and through said articles and for optimized penetration of drying air into or through said articles.

25. The device of claim 24 wherein said bag holds said articles in spaced apart array in said compartments.

26. The device of claim 24 wherein said articles are held in said bag in a substantially laid-flat orientation relative to an inner side of each said basket, said inner side radially innermost in relation to said axis of rotation.

27. A device for washing articles of apparel comprising;

a frame,

a tub rigidly mounted to said frame,

a basket rotatably mounted inside said tub,

said basket, an open-lattice sided container having a releasably closable lid, said basket for holding therein said articles of apparel substantially stationary relative to said basket as said basket is rotated relative to said tub,

a water supply cooperating with said tub for washing and rinsing said articles held in said basket,

a mesh bag for holding said articles of apparel, said mesh bag removably securable within said basket, wherein said mesh bag is compartmentalized for simultaneously holding in spaced apart array various articles of said articles of apparel in said mesh bags when held in said basket.

28. The device of claim 27 wherein said mesh bag includes a main compartment of a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape mountable into said basket so as to lay said mesh bag flat in said basket.

29. The device of claim 28 wherein said mesh bag is sized so as to fit in said basket when said mesh beg is folded in half and laid flat, and wherein said basket further comprises a rigid open-lattice spacer positionable between folded-over halves of said mesh bag.