Modular laundry system with horizontal modules

• US 7,628,043 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2005
• Issued: 12/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Tomasi, Donald M., Sunshine, Richard A., Conrad, Daniel C., Underly, Kristina K
• Primary Examiner(s): Stinson; Frankie L
• Application Number:
  US11/323,125
• Publication Number:
  US 20060130535A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,439 Days
• Field of Search: 68/3.R, 68/20, 312/228, 312/228.1, 134/184, 134/198
• US Class Current: 68/38
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/12 Casings; Tubs
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 95/00 Laundry systems or arrangements of apparatus or machines; Mobile laundries D06F31/00 takes precedence

Abstract

A modular laundry system comprises first and second laundry appliances in a horizontal arrangement and first and second single width horizontal modules. The first single width horizontal module is vertically arranged with the first laundry appliance, and the second single width horizontal module is vertically arranged with the second laundry appliance. At least one of the first and second single width horizontal modules is a laundry care module having an associated laundry care function.

Claims

1. A modular laundry system comprising:

first and second laundry appliances in a horizontal arrangement, each laundry appliance defining a single width;

a first single width horizontal module vertically arranged with the first laundry appliance and having a height less than the first laundry appliance and; and

a second single width horizontal module vertically arranged with the second laundry appliance and having a height less than the second laundry appliance and;

wherein at least one of the first and second single width horizontal modules comprises a functional element that performs one of a washing function to wash laundry and a drying function to dry laundry with forced air, and the laundry appliances and the horizontal modules are stand-alone units arranged in contiguous relationship to form a coherent modular system.

2. The modular laundry system according to claim 1, wherein the first laundry appliance is a washing machine, and the second laundry appliance is a dryer.

3. The modular laundry system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second laundry appliances are selected from a group comprising a washing machine, a non-aqueous washing apparatus, a tumble dryer, a combination washing machine and dryer, a tumbling refreshing machine, and an extractor.

4. The modular laundry system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second single width horizontal modules is configured to be mounted above or below the respective first and second laundry appliance.

5. The modular laundry system according to claim 4, wherein both of the first and second single width horizontal modules are configured to be mounted below the respective first and second laundry appliances.

6. The modular laundry system according to claim 1 and further comprising a cabinet module adjacent to at least one of the first laundry appliance and the second laundry appliance.

7. The modular laundry system according to claim 6, wherein the cabinet module is an intermediate height cabinet module.

8. The modular laundry system according to claim 1 and further comprising an additional module.

9. The modular laundry system according to claim 8, wherein the additional module is selected from a group comprising a less than single width horizontal module, a single width horizontal module, an intermediate width horizontal module, a double width horizontal module, a greater than double width horizontal module, a single height vertical module, an intermediate height vertical module, a single height cabinet module, an intermediate height cabinet module, and a double height cabinet module.

10. The modular laundry system according to claim 1 and further comprising a work surface extending across an upper surface of at least one of the vertically arranged first single width horizontal module and first laundry appliance and the vertically arranged second single width horizontal module and second laundry appliance.

11. The modular laundry system according to claim 10, wherein the work surface completely spans both of the vertically arranged first single width horizontal module and first laundry appliance and the vertically arranged second single width horizontal module and second laundry appliance.

12. The modular laundry system according to claim 1, wherein the first single width horizontal module comprises a functional element that performs a washing function and the second single width horizontal module comprises a functional element that performs a drying function.

13. A modular laundry system comprising:

a washing machine having a width defining a single width;

a dryer having a width equal to a single width;

a first single width horizontal module configured to be mounted above or below one of the washing machine and dryer and having a wash chamber for receiving an article to be washed and a control panel for the selection of a wash cycle; and

a second single width horizontal module configured to be mounted above or below the other of the washing machine and dryer and having a drying chamber through which forced air flows to dry an article received in the drying chamber and a control panel for the selection of a drying cycle;

wherein each of the first and second horizontal modules have a height less than each of the washing machine and dryer, and the washing machine, the dryer, and the horizontal modules are stand-alone units arranged in contiguous relationship to form a coherent modular system.

14. The modular laundry system according to claim 13, wherein the washing machine and dryer are configured to be vertically arranged with each other.

15. The modular laundry system according to claim 13 and further comprising an additional module.

16. The modular laundry system according to claim 15, wherein the additional module is selected from a group comprising a less than single width horizontal module, a single width horizontal module, an intermediate width horizontal module, a double width horizontal module, a greater than double width horizontal module, a single height vertical module, an intermediate height vertical module, a single height cabinet module, an intermediate height cabinet module, and a double height cabinet module.

17. The modular laundry system according to claim 13 and further comprising a work surface configured to extend across at least one of the first and second single width horizontal modules.

18. The modular laundry system according to claim 17, wherein the work surface is configured to completely span both of the first and second single width horizontal modules.

19. The modular laundry system according to claim 13, wherein one of the first and second single width horizontal modules is configured to be mounted below the washing machine, and the other of the first and second single width horizontal modules is configured to be mounted below the dryer.

20. The modular laundry system according to claim 13, wherein the dryer comprises a combination washing machine and dryer.