Modular laundry system with vertical laundry module

• US 8,413,470 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2009
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Kendall, James W., Achterberg, Lorraine L., Doyle, Colleen M., Sunshine, Richard A., Viswanathan, Ameresh Babu
• Primary Examiner(s): Perrin, Joseph L
• Application Number:
  US12/496,690
• Publication Number:
  US 20090260405A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,377 Days
• Field of Search: 68/3.R, 68/13.R, 682/05.R, 682/14, 682/20, 682/26, 682/35.R, 682/40
• 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/or a door that opens from the face of the housing. The vertical laundry module can further have a functional 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, 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;

at least one of a drawer slidable through a face of the housing and a door opening from the face of the housing to access the interior; and

at least one functional element located interiorly of the housing, wherein the at least one functional element performs a non-laundry care function selected from the group consisting of resource management, lighting, power outlet and supply, and module controller function;

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

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

3. The modular laundry system according to claim 1, wherein the vertical laundry module comprises a drawer and the at least one functional elements is formed at least partially by the drawer.

4. The modular laundry system according to claim 1, and further comprising at least one functional element located exteriorly of the housing and performing a laundry care function.

5. The modular laundry system according to claim 4, wherein the laundry care function is at least one of a washing, drying, refreshing, sanitizing, sink, ironing, steaming, and stain treatment function.

6. The modular laundry system according to claim 1, wherein the vertical laundry module further comprises at least one of a perforated shelf, a hanging rod, an ironing board, a stain treatment assembly, and a sink.

7. The modular laundry system according to claim 1, and further comprising at least one functional element located exteriorly of the housing and performing a non-laundry care function.

8. The modular laundry system according to claim 7, wherein the non-laundry care function located exteriorly of the housing 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.

9. The modular laundry system according to claim 1, wherein the vertical laundry module further comprises at least one of a compartmentalized tray, a peg board, and a bulk dispensing assembly.

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

11. The modular laundry system according to claim 10, 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.

12. 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.

13. The modular laundry system according to claim 12, wherein the backsplash is complementary with backsplashes of the first and second laundry appliances.

14. The modular laundry system according to claim 12, wherein the backsplash comprises a functional element.

15. The modular laundry system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one of a drawer and a door provide access to the at least one functional element interiorly of the housing.

16. 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.

17. The modular laundry system according to claim 16, wherein the first laundry appliance is a washing machine, and the second laundry appliance is a dryer.

18. 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;

multiple drawers slidable through a face of the housing; and

at least one functional element located in one of the drawers, wherein the at least one function element comprises at least one of a hanging rod and a peg board;

wherein the first laundry appliance, the second laundry appliance, 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 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.

19. The modular laundry system according to claim 18, wherein the vertical laundry module further comprises at least one functional element that performs a laundry care function.

20. The modular laundry system according to claim 19, wherein the laundry care function is at least one of a washing, drying, refreshing, sanitizing, sink, ironing, steaming, and stain treatment function.

21. The modular laundry system according to claim 18, wherein the vertical laundry module further comprises at least one functional element that performs a non-laundry care function.

22. The modular laundry system according to claim 21, wherein 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.

23. The modular laundry system according to claim 18, wherein the vertical laundry module further comprises at least one functional element located exteriorly of the housing and performing a non-laundry care function.

24. The modular laundry system according to claim 23, wherein the non-laundry care function located exteriorly of the housing 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.

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

26. The modular laundry system according to claim 25, 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.

27. The modular laundry system according to claim 18, wherein the vertical laundry module further comprises a backsplash coupled to the housing and extending above the upper surface.

28. The modular laundry system according to claim 27, wherein the backsplash is complementary with backsplashes of the first and second laundry appliances.

29. The modular laundry system according to claim 27, wherein the backsplash comprises a functional element.

30. The modular laundry system according to claim 18, 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.

31. The modular laundry system according to claim 30, wherein the first laundry appliance is a washing machine and the second laundry appliance is a dryer.