Laundering systems incorporating visual displays

• US 9,752,271 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2011
• Issued: 09/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Bazzinotti, Joseph Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): STRIMBU, GREGORY J
• Application Number:
  US13/819,234
• Publication Number:
  US 20140157673A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,226 Days
• Field of Search: 68196, 49400, 49401, 49402
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/58 Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 25/00 Washing machines with receptacles, e.g. perforated, having a rotary movement, e.g. oscillatory movement, the receptacle serving both for washing and for centrifugally separating water from the laundry and having further drying means, e.g. using hot air control of washing or of washing and drying D06F33/00, D06F34/00; domestic laundry dryers D06F58/00
• 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 34/32 characterised by graphical features, e.g. touchscreens
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/14 Doors or covers; Securing means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A visual display unit for a laundering system including a cabinet unit (12) for housing laundering elements; an outer door assembly (42), which includes a handle element (48) and control and/or monitoring elements (60), an inner door assembly (44), which includes the visual display unit (90); and an electrical system (140) for the visual display unit. This combination of elements substantially prevents exposure of the visual display unit (90) to laundering-specific operating conditions, high temperature and elevated humidity conditions. The laundering system includes washers, dryers, and combination washer/dryer systems.

Claims

1. A hatch door (41) configured to close an opening for a chamber of a laundering system (10), comprising:

an outer door skin (46) having an outer opening (47) and an outer pane (50) positioned within the outer opening (47);

an inner door skin (76) positioned a distance away from the outer door skin (46), the inner door skin (76) having an inner opening (87) and an inner pane (78) positioned within the inner opening (87);

a display mount bracket (92) connected to the inner door skin (76), wherein the display mount bracket (92) comprises side restraints (110) each extending across a respective portion of the inner opening and said side restraints positioning a visual display unit (90) centrally with respect to the inner opening (87), wherein the display mount bracket (92) supports the visual display unit (90) within a viewing perimeter of the inner pane (78) such that an interior of the laundering system (10) is visible through the inner pane (78) between the viewing perimeter and a perimeter of the visual display unit (90); and

the visual display unit (90) coupled to the inner door skin and supported centrally in the viewing perimeter by the display mount bracket (92), the display mount bracket (92) and the visual display unit (90) being positioned between the outer pane (5) and the inner pane (78), the visual display unit in communication with a media interface, wherein the visual display unit is configured to;

receive video content from the media interface; and

display the video content during exposure of the hatch door (41) to laundering-specific operating conditions in the chamber as the laundering system (10) operates.

2. The hatch door (41) according to claim 1, further comprising an electrical system (140) disposed within the hatch door.

3. The hatch door (41) according to claim 2, wherein the electrical system comprises an interface junction box (152) having an interface connection area (154).

4. The hatch door (41) according to claim 2, wherein the electrical system comprises a power junction box (148) that provides power to the visual display unit (90).

5. The hatch door (41) according to claim 1, wherein the display mount bracket (92) further comprises an upper restraint (106) and a lower restraint (108) at least one of which is configured to retain the visual display unit (90).

6. The hatch door (41) according to claim 1, wherein the laundering-specific operating conditions in the chamber include a laundering-specific operating temperature of 93°

C.

7. The hatch door (41) according to claim 6, wherein the laundering-specific operating conditions include a laundering-specific operating humidity from 100% to about 20%.

8. The hatch door (41) according to claim 1, further comprising a door pan (82) coupled to the outer pane (50) and the inner pane (78).

9. The hatch door (41) according to claim 1, further comprising a display mount cover (88) fitted over a rear of the display unit (90) adjacent the display mount bracket (92).

10. The hatch door (41) according to claim 9, wherein the display mount cover (88) includes a plurality of venting elements (98).

11. The hatch door (41) according to claim 1, wherein the display mount bracket (92) further comprises at least one cushioning element (111) configured to form a ventilation space between the display mount bracket (92) and the visual display unit (90).

12. The hatch door (41) according to claim 1, wherein each of the outer pane (50) and the inner pane (78) comprise a transparent material.

13. A hatch door (41) for a laundering system (10), comprising:

an outer door skin (46) having an outer opening (47) and an outer pane (50) positioned within the outer opening (47);

an inner door skin (76) positioned a distance away from the outer door skin (46), the inner door skin (76) having an inner opening (87) and an inner pane (78) positioned within the inner opening (87), wherein the inner pane comprises to an at least partially transparent window arranged such that an interior of the laundering system is visible therethrough;

a display mount bracket (92) connected to the inner door skin (76); and

a video display unit (90) configured to present video content through the outer pane (50) during exposure of the hatch door (41) to laundering-specific operating conditions as the laundering system (10) operates, the video display unit (90) coupled to the inner door skin and supported by the display mount bracket (92), the display mount bracket (92) and the video display unit (90) being positioned between the outer pane (5) and the inner pane (78), wherein the display mount bracket (92) comprises side restraints extending across respective portions of the inner opening and supporting the video display unit (90) within a viewing perimeter of the inner pane (78) such that the interior of the laundering system (10) is visible through the inner pane (78) between the viewing perimeter and a screen perimeter of the video display unit (90).

14. The hatch door (41) according to claim 13, wherein the laundering-specific operating conditions include a temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21°

C.) to about 200 degrees Fahrenheit (93°

C.).

15. The hatch door (41) according to claim 13, further comprising:

a media interface in communication with the video display unit (41).

16. The hatch door (41) according to claim 15, wherein the media interface is configured to access the video content and communicate the video content to the video display unit (90).