Washer and dryer apparatus

• US 6,481,248 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2000
• Issued: 11/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kevin J. Willis
• Original Assignee: Kevin J. Willis
• Inventors: Willis, Kevin J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stinson, Frankie L.
• Application Number:
  US09/737,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20020073745A1
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: 68/20, 68/192, 68/23.R, 68/13.R, 68/17.R
• US Class Current: 68/19.2
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 25/00 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 and having further drying means, e.g. using hot air control of washing or of washing and drying D06F33/00, D06F34/00; domestic laundry dryers D06F58/00
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/14 Ribs or rubbing means forming part of the receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/125 Supporting arrangements for the casing, e.g. rollers or legs

Abstract

A washer and dryer apparatus for combining the functions of washing and drying clothes in one machine. The washer and dryer apparatus includes a cabinet-like assembly including a cabinet-like member having front, side, back, top, and bottom walls and further having feet members being securely attached thereto for stabilizing the cabinet-like member; and also includes a dryer assembly being disposed in the cabinet-like member; and further includes a washer assembly being disposed in the cabinet-like member.

Claims

1. A washer and dryer apparatus comprising:

a cabinet-like assembly including a cabinet-like member having front, side, back, top, and bottom walls and further having feet members being securely attached thereto for stabilizing said cabinet-like member;

a dryer assembly being disposed in said cabinet-like member; and

a washer assembly being disposed in said cabinet-like member;

wherein said cabinet-like member further includes a compartment disposed therein and also includes an opening being disposed through said top wall, said cabinet-like assembly further including a door being hingedly attached along an edge forming said opening and being adapted to close over said opening through said top wall, said compartment being separated with an intermediate wall thus forming an upper compartment and a lower compartment, said intermediate wall having an opening being disposed therethrough.

2. A washer and dryer apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein said cabinet-like assembly further includes a console being disposed upon said top wall and being integral to said back wall of said cabinet-like member.

3. A washer and dryer apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein said dryer assembly includes a clothes-holding drum being rotatably disposed in said upper compartment of said cabinet-like member and having side and bottom walls with an opening being disposed through said bottom wall, said opening of said clothes-holding drum being aligned with said opening of said intermediate wall, said clothes-holding drum further having a rim being disposed about said side wall at a top thereof and having a circumferential groove being disposed therein, said dryer assembly also including bearings being disposed between said clothes-holding drum and a side wall of said upper compartment.

4. A washer and dryer apparatus as described in claim 3, wherein said dryer assembly further includes a motor being disposed inside said cabinet-like member and having a motor shaft rotatably connected to said motor, and also includes a belt being disposed in said circumferential groove and being connected to said motor shaft for rotation of said clothes-holding drum, and further includes a dryer control switch being connected to said motor for the energizing of said motor to rotate said clothes-holding drum, and also includes heating elements being disposed in said upper compartment between said clothes-holding drum and said intermediate wall.

5. A washer and dryer apparatus as described in claim 4, wherein said washer assembly includes a telescoping agitator support assembly being securely attached to a bottom wall of said lower compartment, and also includes an agitator member being rotatably mounted upon said telescoping agitator support assembly and having flighting being securely disposed about an exterior of said agitator member, and further includes a transmission being disposed in said cabinet-like member and being connected to said telescoping agitator support assembly and being connected to said motor shaft for rotation of said agitator member, and also includes a water pump being disposed in said cabinet-like member and being connected to said clothes-holding drum and being connected to a water supply, and further includes a washer control switch assembly being connected to said motor and to said water pump, and also includes a detergent receiving port being disposed in a side wall of said cabinet-like member and being connected to said clothes-holding drum.

6. A washer and dryer assembly as described in claim 5, wherein said telescoping agitator support assembly includes a tubular base member which is attached to said transmission, and also includes at least one telescoping tubular member which is movably disposed in and extendable from said tubular base member and which is attached to said agitator member for raising and lowering said agitator member into and out of said clothes-holding drum through said openings in said intermediate wall and said bottom wall of said clothes-holding drum.

7. A washer and dryer apparatus as described in claim 3, wherein said dryer assembly also includes tracks being securely attached to an underside of said intermediate wall, and further includes a cover member being slidably mounted upon said tracks and being sealingly closeable over said openings of said intermediate wall and said bottom wall of said clothes-holding drum, and also includes a cover member mover assembly being securely attached to said cover member and to said cabinet-like member.

8. A washer and dryer apparatus as described in claim 7, wherein said cover member mover assembly includes cylindrical members being securely attached inside said lower compartment, and also including arms being movably disposed in and extendable from said cylindrical members and being attached to said cover member.

9. A washer and dryer apparatus as described in claim 3, wherein said dryer assembly further includes a heat exhaust port being disposed through a side wall of said cabinet-like member to allow steam to escape said clothes-holding drum.

10. A washer and dryer apparatus comprising:

a cabinet-like assembly including a cabinet-like member having front, side, back, top, and bottom walls and further having feet members being securely attached thereto for stabilizing said cabinet-like member, said cabinet-like member further including a compartment disposed therein and also including an opening being disposed through said top wall, said cabinet-like assembly further including a door being hingedly attached along an edge forming said opening and being adapted to close over said opening through said top wall, said compartment being separated with an intermediate wall thus forming an upper compartment and a lower compartment, said intermediate wall having an opening being disposed therethrough, said cabinet-like assembly further including a console being disposed upon said top wall and being integral to said back wall of said cabinet-like member;

a dryer assembly being disposed in said cabinet-like member, said dryer assembly including a clothes-holding drum being rotatably disposed in said upper compartment of said cabinet-like member and having side and bottom walls with an opening being disposed through said bottom wall, said opening of said clothes-holding drum being aligned with said opening of said intermediate wall, said clothes-holding drum further having a rim being disposed about said side wall at a top thereof and having a circumferential groove being disposed therein, said dryer assembly also including bearings being disposed between said clothes-holding drum and a side wall of said upper compartment, said dryer assembly further including a motor being disposed inside said cabinet-like member and having a motor shaft rotatably connected to said motor, and also including a belt being disposed in said circumferential groove and being connected to said motor shaft for rotation of said clothes-holding drum, and further including a dryer control switch being mounted upon said console and being connected to said motor for the energizing of said motor to rotate said clothes-holding drum, and also including heating elements being disposed in said upper compartment between said clothes-holding drum and said intermediate wall, said dryer assembly also including tracks being securely attached to an underside of said intermediate wall, and further including a cover member being slidably mounted upon said tracks and being sealingly closeable over said openings of said intermediate wall and said bottom wall of said clothe-holding drum, and also including a cover member mover assembly being securely attached to said cover member and to said cabinet-like member, said cover member mover assembly including cylindrical members being securely attached inside said lower compartment, and also including arms being movably disposed in and extendable from said cylindrical members and being attached to said cover member, said dryer assembly further including a heat exhaust port being disposed through a side wall of said cabinet-like member to allow steam to escape said clothes-holding drum; and

a washer assembly being disposed in said cabinet-like member, said washer assembly including a telescoping agitator support assembly being securely attached to a bottom wall of said lower compartment, and also including an agitator member being rotatably mounted upon said telescoping agitator support assembly and having flighting being securely disposed about an exterior of said agitator member, and further including a transmission being disposed in said cabinet-like member and being connected to said telescoping agitator support assembly and being connected to said motor shaft for rotation of said agitator member, and also including a water pump being disposed in said cabinet-like member and being connected to said clothes-holding drum and being connected to a water supply, and further including a washer control switch assembly being mounted upon said console and being connected to said motor and to said water pump, and also including a detergent receiving port being disposed in a side wall of said cabinet-like member and being connected to said clothes-holding drum, said telescoping agitator support assembly including a tubular base member which is attached to said transmission, and also including at least one telescoping tubular member which is movably disposed in and extendable from said tubular base member and which is attached to said agitator member for raising and lowering said agitator member into and out of said clothes-holding drum through said openings in said intermediate wall and said bottom wall of said clothes-holding drum.

11. A washer and dryer apparatus comprising:

a cabinet assembly including a cabinet member having front, side, back, top, and bottom walls;

a dryer assembly being disposed in said cabinet member; and

a washer assembly being disposed in said cabinet member;

wherein said cabinet member includes a compartment disposed therein and an opening being disposed through said top wall, said compartment being separated with an intermediate wall thus forming an upper compartment and a lower compartment, said intermediate wall having an opening being disposed therethrough.

12. A washer and dryer apparatus as described in claim 11, wherein said cabinet assembly includes a door being hingedly attached along an edge forming said opening in said top wall of said cabinet member and being adapted to close over said opening in said top wall, and a console being disposed upon said top wall and being integral to said back wall of said cabinet member.

13. A washer and dryer apparatus as described in claim 11, wherein said dryer assembly includes a clothes-holding drum being rotatably disposed in said upper compartment of said cabinet member and having side and bottom walls with an opening being disposed through said bottom wall, said opening of said clothes-holding drum being substantially aligned with said opening of said intermediate wall.

14. A washer and dryer apparatus as described in claim 13, wherein said clothes-holding drum has a rim being disposed about said side wall at a top thereof and having a circumferential groove being disposed therein, and wherein said dryer assembly includes a motor being disposed inside said cabinet member, a motor shaft rotatably connected to said motor, a belt being disposed in said circumferential groove and being connected to said motor shaft for rotation of said clothes-holding drum, and heating elements being disposed in said upper compartment between said clothes-holding drum and said intermediate wall.

15. A washer and dryer apparatus as described in claim 14, wherein said washer assembly includes a telescoping agitator support assembly attached to a bottom wall of said lower compartment, an agitator member being rotatably mounted upon said telescoping agitator support assembly and having flighting being disposed about an exterior of said agitator member, and a transmission being disposed in said cabinet member and being connected to said telescoping agitator support assembly and being connected to said motor shaft for rotation of said agitator member.

16. A washer and dryer assembly as described in claim 15, wherein said telescoping agitator support assembly includes a tubular base member attached to said transmission, at least one telescoping tubular member movably disposed in and extendable from said tubular base member and which is attached to said agitator member for raising and lowering said agitator member into and out of said clothes-holding drum through said openings in said intermediate wall and said bottom wall of said clothes-holding drum.

17. A washer and dryer apparatus as described in claim 13, wherein said dryer assembly also includes tracks attached to an underside of said intermediate wall, a cover member slidably mounted upon said tracks and being sealingly closeable over said opening of said intermediate wall and said bottom wall of said clothes-holding drum, and a cover member mover assembly being attached to said cover member and to said cabinet member.

18. A washer and dryer apparatus as described in claim 17, wherein said cover member mover assembly includes cylindrical members attached inside said lower compartment and arms movably disposed in and extendable from said cylindrical members and being attached to said cover member.

19. A washer and dryer apparatus as described in claim 13, wherein said dryer assembly further includes a heat exhaust port being disposed through a side wall of said cabinet member to allow steam to escape said clothes-holding drum.

20. A washer and dryer assembly as described in claim 15 wherein said washer assembly includes a water pump being disposed in said cabinet member and being connected to said clothes-holding drum for connecting to a water supply, a washer control switch assembly being connected to said motor and to said water pump, and a detergent receiving port being disposed in a side wall of said cabinet member and being connected to said clothes-holding drum.