Laundry treating appliance with separate container

• US 10,774,462 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2018
• Issued: 09/15/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Ayers, Kevin B., Bixby, Seth E., Haney, Trevor R., Murphy, Sayer J., Rich, Haley K., Schelling, Anna C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gravini, Stephen M
• Application Number:
  US16/196,788
• Publication Number:
  US 20190177905A1
• Time in Patent Office: 665 Days
• Field of Search: 34109, 34595-610
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/08 Humidity
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/52 Changing sequence of operational steps; Carrying out additional operational steps; Modifying operational steps, e.g. by extending duration of steps
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/14 Arrangements for detecting or measuring specific parameters
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/14 Doors or covers; Securing means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/04 Details controlling or regulating devices D06F34/00
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/20 General details of domestic laundry dryers D06F59/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 60/00 Drying not provided for in groups D06F53/00 - D06F59/00

Abstract

An apparatus and method towards a laundry treating appliance for drying laundry comprising a rotatable drum at least partially defining a treating chamber and having a front and a rear and a motor rotating the drum that tumbles laundry within the treating chamber while also including a separate container for drying a second load of laundry simultaneously.

Claims

1. A laundry treating appliance for drying laundry comprising:

a rotatable drum at least partially defining a first treating chamber and having a front and a rear;

at least one opening in the front providing access to the first treating chamber;

a first door selectively movable between an opened position and a closed position to open/close the at least one opening; and

a separate container mounted to the first door and defining a second treating chamber disposed within the first treating chamber when the first door is in the closed position and configurable between a first and a second position, with the separate container forming a self-supporting structure in the second position;

wherein the first door defines at least a portion of the second treating chamber.

2. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the first position is a non-use position and the self-supporting structure is in one of a stowed, a contracted, or a collapsed position.

3. The laundry treating appliance of claim 2 wherein the second position is a use position and the self-supporting structure is in an expanded position.

4. The laundry treating appliance of claim 3 wherein the expanded position forms a spherical shape or cylindrical shape.

5. The laundry treating appliance of claim 4 wherein the second treating chamber further comprises a second door to provide access to the second treating chamber.

6. The laundry treating appliance of claim 5 wherein the second door is located within the first door and can provide access to the second treating chamber while the first door remains in the closed position.

7. The laundry treating appliance of claim 5 wherein the second door comprises a screen face.

8. The laundry treating appliance of claim 7 wherein the separate container is removably mounted to the first door.

9. The laundry treating appliance of claim 2 wherein the separate container comprises a rigid framework.

10. The laundry treating appliance of claim 9 wherein a mesh face is reinforced by the rigid framework and separates the first treating chamber from the second treating chamber.

11. The laundry treating appliance of claim 10 wherein the mesh face is snapped to the rigid framework.

12. The laundry treating appliance of claim 11 wherein the separate container further comprises a mesh basket.

13. The laundry treating appliance of claim 2 wherein the separate container is mounted to the first door with a mounting arm and a coupler.

14. The laundry treating appliance of claim 13 wherein the coupler comprises a vertical extending ramp extending from an opening in which the mounting arm is received.

15. The laundry treating appliance of claim 14 wherein the vertical extending ramp extends from the opening to a notch along a quarter turn.

16. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the separate container is rotatably mounted to the first door.

17. The laundry treating appliance of claim 16 wherein the separate container rotates independently of the rotatable drum.

18. The laundry treating appliance of claim 17 wherein a laundry load within the first treating chamber causes the separate container to be passively rotated.

19. A laundry treating appliance for drying laundry comprising:

a rotatable drum at least partially defining a first treating chamber and having a front and a rear;

at least one opening in the front providing access to the first treating chamber;

a first door selectively movable between an opened/closed position to open/close the at least one opening; and

a separate container rotatably mounted within the first treating chamber with a set of bearings located between the front and the separate container and having a turning blade extending into the first treating chamber;

wherein the separate container rotates independently of the rotatable drum.

20. The laundry treating appliance of claim 19, wherein the turning blade enables the separate container to rotate independently of the rotatable drum.