Modular laundry system with vertical laundry module

• US 8,375,750 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2009
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• 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:
  US12/496,112
• Publication Number:
  US 20090266116A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,329 Days
• Field of Search: 68/3.R, 68/5.C, 68/13.R, 682/14, 682/22, 682/35.R, 34/90, 342/02, 342/33
• US Class Current: 68/3.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. The vertical laundry module can have a drawer that slidably opens from a face of the housing and a hanging rod positioned in drawer. The vertical laundry module can further have a functional element that performing drying, refreshing, and/or sanitizing, and a control panel for controlling the operation of the functional element.

Claims

1. A modular laundry system comprising:

a washing machine comprising a housing having a width, an upper surface and defining an interior, and configured to wash fabric items;

a clothes dryer comprising a housing having a width, an upper surface and defining an interior, and configured to dry fabric items; and

a vertical laundry module performing at least one of a drying function, a refreshing function, and a sanitizing function, comprising;

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

at least one drawer slidable through a face of the housing of the vertical laundry module and defining an interior space;

at least one hanging rod positioned in the interior space of the drawer;

at least one function element performing at least one of drying, refreshing, and sanitizing in the interior space of the drawer; and

a control panel for controlling the operation of the at least one drying function, refreshing function, and sanitizing function;

wherein the washing machine, the clothes dryer, and the vertical laundry module are of the same height such that the upper surfaces are co-planar and form an effective continuous upper surface; and

wherein the washing machine, the clothes dryer, 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 further comprises a shelf positioned in the interior space of the drawer.

3. The modular laundry system according to claim 2, wherein the shelf comprises a perforated surface.

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

5. The modular laundry system according to claim 4, 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.

6. 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.

7. The modular laundry system according to claim 6, wherein the backsplash is complementary with backsplashes of the washing machine and the clothes dryer.

8. The modular laundry system according to claim 6, wherein the backsplash comprises a functional element.

9. The modular laundry system according to claim 1, wherein at least one additional functional element is located exteriorly of the housing.

10. The modular laundry system according to claim 9, wherein the at least one additional functional element located exteriorly of the housing performs a laundry care function selected from a group comprising at least one of a washing, drying, refreshing, sanitizing, sink, ironing, steaming, and stain treatment function.

11. The modular laundry system according to claim 9, wherein the at least one additional functional element located exteriorly of the housing performs a non-laundry care function selected from a group comprising 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.