Modular laundry system with vertical laundry module

• US 8,322,169 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2009
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Kendall, James W., Achterberg, Lorraine L., Viswanathan, Ameresh Babu, Doyle, Colleen M., Sunshine, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Perrin, Joseph L
• Application Number:
  US12/496,121
• Publication Number:
  US 20090266117A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,252 Days
• Field of Search: 68/13.R, 682/05.R, 682/14, 682/20, 682/26, 682/33, 682/35.R, 682/40
• US Class Current: 68/13.R
• 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 29/005 the other separate apparatus being a drying appliance
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/00 Details of washing machines not specific to a single type of machines covered by groups D06F9/00 - D06F27/00 control of washing machines D06F33/00, D06F34/00

Abstract

A laundry system comprises a first laundry appliance, a second laundry appliance, and a vertical laundry module. The vertical laundry module can have a housing with a width less than the width of each of the first and second laundry appliances and a stain treatment assembly. The stain treatment assembly can include a screen slidable mounted to the housing of the vertical module for supporting a fabric item and a wand extendable from the housing for applying a stain treatment agent to the fabric item on the screen.

Claims

1. A modular laundry system comprising:

a first laundry appliance comprising a housing having a width, an upper surface and defining an interior, 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, 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 each of the first and second laundry appliances; and

a stain treatment assembly comprising;

a drawer mounted to the housing of the vertical laundry module for sliding movement through a front face of the housing between a stored position, within the housing, and a user position, exterior of the housing;

a screen disposed on the drawer, where the screen is configured to support a fabric item in the use position;

a wand extendable from the housing of the vertical laundry module for applying a stain treatment agent to the fabric item on the screen; and

a cover provided on the housing of the vertical laundry module for selectively covering the wand when the wand in not extended from the housing;

wherein the first laundry appliance, the second laundry appliance, and the vertical laundry module are stand-alone units arranged in a contiguous relationship to form a coherent modular system.

2. The modular laundry system according to claim 1, wherein the vertical laundry module comprises multiple drawers slidable through the front face of the housing.

3. The modular laundry system according to claim 1, wherein the vertical laundry module further comprises a backsplash coupled to the housing and extending above the upper surface.

4. The modular laundry system according to claim 3, wherein the backsplash is complementary with backsplashes of the first and second laundry appliances.

5. The modular laundry system according to claim 3, wherein the backsplash comprises a functional element.

6. The modular laundry system according to claim 1, wherein the cover defines the upper surface of the vertical laundry module when the cover is closed to cover the wand, and wherein all of the upper surfaces are at the same height to form a coherent modular system having an effective continuous upper surface.

7. 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.

8. The modular laundry system according to claim 7, wherein the first laundry appliance is a washing machine and the second laundry appliance is a dryer.

9. The modular laundry system according to claim 1, wherein the vertical laundry module comprises a supply of stain treatment agent and the wand is fluidly connected with the supply.

10. The modular laundry system according to claim 1, wherein the vertical laundry module comprises a source of vacuum mounted in the housing, wherein the source of vacuum creates a vacuum cavity in the drawer beneath the screen.

11. The modular laundry system according to claim 1, wherein the first laundry appliance comprises a supply of water, and the wand is fluidly connected with the supply of water, such that the first laundry appliance and the vertical laundry module are fluidly connected.

12. The modular laundry system according to claim 1, wherein the stain treatment assembly further comprises a basin and the cover selectively closes the basin.

13. The modular laundry system according to claim 1, wherein the stain treatment assembly further comprises a pocket for storing the wand, and the cover selectively closes the pocket.

14. The modular laundry system according to claim 1, wherein the stain treatment assembly further comprises a supply container for storing a supply of a stain treatment agent, and the cover selectively covers the supply container.

15. The modular laundry system according to claim 1, wherein the drawer further comprises a drain.

16. The modular laundry system according to claim 1, wherein the housing of the first laundry appliance further comprises a front surface and the housing of the second laundry appliance further comprises a front surface, and wherein the drawer is flush with the front surface of the first and second laundry appliances when the drawer is in the stored position to form a coherent modular system having an effective continuous front surface.

17. The modular laundry system according to claim 16, wherein the cover is flush with the upper surface of the first and second laundry appliances when the cover is closed to form a coherent modular system having an effective continuous upper surface.