Vertical laundry module with backsplash

• US 7,562,543 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2005
• Issued: 07/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Viswanathan, Ameresh Babu, Doyle, Colleen Marie, Achterberg, Lorraine L., Kendall, James William
• Primary Examiner(s): Perrin; Joseph L
• Application Number:
  US11/322,943
• Publication Number:
  US 20070151301A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,299 Days
• Field of Search: 68/3.R, 68/13.R, 312/228, 312/228.1, 312/245
• US Class Current: 68/13.00R
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 46/00 Cabinets, racks or shelf units, having one or more surfaces adapted to be brought into position for use by extending or pivoting A47B63/04, A47B77/10 take precedence; writing tables with extensible leaves A47B17/03; with extensible garment holders A47B61/02
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 77/02 General layout, e.g. relative arrangement of compartments, working surface or surfaces, supports for apparatus A47B77/08 takes precedence ; combinable furniture units A47B87/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 77/06 for incorporating sinks, with or without draining boards, splash-backs, or the like constructional features of draining boards A47L19/02; sinks E03C1/18
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 77/08 for incorporating apparatus operated by power, including water power; for incorporating apparatus for cooking, cooling, or laundry purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 77/18 by special arrangements for accommodating removable containers
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 1/1436 having a waste receptacle withdrawn upon opening of the enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 1/02 Wash-tubs; Supports therefor
• 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 31/00 Washing installations comprising an assembly of several washing machines or washing units, e.g. continuous flow assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/022 in a liquid state D06F39/024 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/125 Supporting arrangements for the casing, e.g. rollers or legs
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 43/08 Associated apparatus for handling and recovering the solvents
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/10 Drying cabinets or drying chambers having heating or ventilating means
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 81/00 Ironing boards coverings or pads therefor D06F83/00; kitchen cabinets with ironing boards movable outwards to a position of use A47B77/10
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 95/00 Laundry systems or arrangements of apparatus or machines; Mobile laundries D06F31/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 95/002 Baskets or bags specially adapted for holding or transporting laundry; Supports therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/12 Arrangements of compartments additional to cooling compartments; Combinations of refrigerators with other equipment, e.g. stove

Abstract

A laundry system comprises a laundry appliance and a vertical laundry module. The vertical laundry module comprises a backsplash that complements a backsplash on the laundry appliance and has an effective upper surface that is located at substantially the same height as an effective upper surface of the laundry appliance. The backsplash can further comprise a function element that can be a laundry care function or a non-laundry care function.

Claims

1. A modular laundry system for performing at least one of a laundry care function and a non-laundry care function, comprising:

a first laundry appliance comprising a housing having a width, an upper surface and defining an interior, a backsplash coupled to the cabinet and extending above the upper surface, and configured to at least one of wash and dry fabric items;

a second laundry appliance comprising a housing having a width, an upper surface and defining an interior, a backsplash coupled to the cabinet and extending above the upper surface, and configured to at least one of wash and dry fabric items; and

a vertical laundry module comprising;

a housing defining an interior and having an upper surface and a width less than the width of both the first and second appliances;

a backsplash coupled to the housing and extending above the upper surface; and

one or more functional elements located at least one of interiorly or exteriorly of the housing, wherein any laundry-care functions are performed by functional elements located exteriorly of the housing;

wherein the first and second laundry appliances and the vertical laundry module are arranged in contiguous relationship to form a coherent modular system having an effective continuous backsplash.

2. The modular laundry system according to claim 1, wherein the backsplash of the vertical laundry module is complementary to the backsplashes of the first and second appliances.

3. The modular laundry system according to claim 1, wherein the all of the upper surfaces are at the same height.

4. The modular laundry system according to claim 3, wherein the all of the upper surfaces form an effective continuous upper surface.

5. The laundry system according to claim 1, wherein any functional elements located exteriorly of the housing performs at least one of a laundry care function and a non-laundry-care function.

6. The laundry system according to claim 1, wherein at least one functional element is located exteriorly of the housing and performs at least one laundry care function, and the laundry care function is at least one of a washing, drying, refreshing, sanitizing, sink, ironing, steaming, and stain treatment function.

7. The laundry system according to claim 1, wherein at least one functional element is located exteriorly of the housing and performs a laundry care function, and comprises at least one of a perforated shelf, a hanging rod, an ironing board, a stain treatment assembly, and a sink.

8. The modular laundry system according to claim 1, wherein the backsplash of the vertical laundry module comprises a functional element.

9. The modular laundry system according to claim 8, wherein the functional element of the backsplash performs at least one of a laundry care and a non-laundry care function.

10. The modular laundry system according to claim 8, wherein the functional element of the backsplash performs at least one of a lighting function, storage function, staging function, and a control function.

11. The modular laundry system according to claim 1, wherein the backsplash of the vertical laundry module aesthetically matches the backsplashes of the first and second laundry appliances.

12. The modular laundry system according to claim 1, wherein the backsplash of the vertical laundry module has a profile that matches a profile of the backsplashes of the first and second laundry appliances.

13. The modular laundry system according to claim 1, and further comprising a module controller for the one or more functional elements housed in the backsplash of the vertical laundry module.

14. The modular laundry system according to claim 1, wherein at least one functional element is located interiorly of the housing, and the non-laundry care function is at least one of a storage, staging, garbage and recycling collection, shelving, laundry sorting, hanging, bulk dispensing, resource management, resource supply and/or recovery/reclamation, resource treatment, lighting, refrigeration, entertainment, pet care, data collection and communication, home automation, home security, home safety, power outlet and supply, and module controller function.

15. The modular laundry system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more functional elements comprises at least one of a shelf, a compartmentalized tray, a hanging rod, a peg board, and a bulk dispensing assembly.

16. The modular laundry system according to claim 1, wherein the vertical laundry module comprises multiple functional elements.

17. The modular laundry system according to claim 16, wherein the multiple functional elements comprises a first functional element that performs a first function and a second functional element that performs a second function different than the first function.

18. A modular laundry system for performing at least one of a laundry care function and a non-laundry care function, comprising:

a washing machine comprising a housing having a width, an upper surface and defining an interior, a backsplash coupled to the cabinet and extending above the upper surface;

a clothes dryer comprising a housing having a width, an upper surface and defining an interior, a backsplash coupled to the cabinet and extending above the upper surface; and

a vertical laundry module comprising;

a housing defining an interior and having an upper surface and a width less than the width of both the washing machine and the clothes dryer;

a backsplash coupled to the housing and extending above the upper surface; and

one or more functional elements located at least one of interiorly or exteriorly of the housing, wherein any laundry care functions are performed by functional elements located exteriorly of the housing;

wherein the washing machine, the clothes dryer, and the vertical laundry module are arranged in contiguous relationship to form a coherent modular system having an effective continuous backsplash.

19. The modular laundry system according to claim 18, wherein the backsplash of the vertical laundry module is complementary to the backsplashes of the washing machine and the clothes dryer.

20. The modular laundry system according to claim 18, wherein the all of the upper surfaces are at the same height.

21. The modular laundry system according to claim 20, wherein the all of the upper surfaces form an effective continuous upper surface.

22. The modular laundry system according to claim 18, wherein any functional elements located exteriorly of the housing performs at least one of a laundry care function and a non-laundry-care function.

23. The modular laundry system according to claim 22, wherein at least one functional element is located exteriorly of the housing and performs at least one laundry care function, and the laundry care function is at least one of a washing, drying, refreshing, sanitizing, sink, ironing, steaming, and stain treatment function.

24. The modular laundry system according to claim 22, wherein at least one functional element is located exteriorly of the housing and performs a laundry care function, and comprises at least one of a perforated shelf, a hanging rod, an ironing board, a stain treatment assembly, and a sink.

25. The modular laundry system according to claim 18, wherein the backsplash of the vertical laundry module comprises a functional element.

26. The modular laundry system according to claim 25, wherein the functional element of the backsplash performs at least one of a laundry care and a non-laundry care function.

27. The modular laundry system according to claim 25, wherein the functional element of the backsplash performs at least one of a lighting function, storage function, staging function, and a control function.

28. The modular laundry system according to claim 18, wherein the backsplash of the vertical laundry module aesthetically matches the backsplashes of the washing machine and the clothes dryer.

29. The modular laundry system according to claim 18, wherein the backsplash of the vertical laundry module has a profile that matches a profile of the backsplashes of the washing machine and the clothes dryer.

30. The modular laundry system according to claim 18, and further comprising a module controller for the one or more functional elements housed in the backsplash of the vertical laundry module.

31. The modular laundry system according to claim 18, wherein at least one functional element is located interiorly of the housing, and the non-laundry care function is at least one of a storage, staging, garbage and recycling collection, shelving, laundry sorting, hanging, bulk dispensing, resource management, resource supply and/or recovery/reclamation, resource treatment, lighting, refrigeration, entertainment, pet care, data collection and communication, home automation, home security, home safety, power outlet and supply, and module controller function.

32. The modular laundry system according to claim 18, wherein the one or more functional elements comprises at least one of a shelf, a compartmentalized tray, a hanging rod, a peg board, and a bulk dispensing assembly.

33. The modular laundry system according to claim 18, wherein the vertical laundry module comprises multiple functional elements.

34. The modular laundry system according to claim 33, wherein the multiple functional elements comprises a first functional element that performs a first function and a second functional element that performs a second function different than the first function.