Household applicance lifting and stabilizing system
First Claim
1. A lifting system for use with heavy household appliances, such as automatic dishwashers, refrigerators, dryers and the like comprising:
- (A) a motor mounted on the appliance;
(B) a control means on the appliance and connected to the motor;
(C) a plurality of appliance lifting elements mounting the appliance on a support surface such as a floor or the like, each lifting element including(1) a housing having a housing top and being fixedly attached to the appliance near said housing top,(2) said housing top being located to be contained in a plane common to all of said housing tops,(3) an extendable element movably mounted to said housing to move into and out of said housing,(4) a foot pad connected to said extendable element and being in abutting appliance supporting contact with the support surface,(D) means connecting each appliance lifting element to said motor and to said control means so that said extendable element of each appliance lifting element can be moved into and out of the housing associated therewith to lower and lift the appliance respectively, and(E) appliance stabilizing means mounted on the appliance to stabilize the appliance when the appliance is lifted from the support surface, said stabilizing means including means for moving said stabilizing means from a first location having a part of said stabilizing means located above a plane containing the lifting element housing tops to a second location below the plane containing the lifting element housing tops.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A lifting and stabilizing system is mounted on a household appliance and includes a lifting system to lift that appliance above a supporting surface, such as a floor so that access to that supporting surface beneath the appliance is provided. The stabilizing system includes a plurality of weighted door-like elements mounted on the appliance to slide from one position to a second position to lower the center of gravity of the weighted appliance. In one embodiment, the center of gravity of the weighted appliance is lowered beneath the supporting system whereby any forces tending to tip the elevated appliance are combined with the weight of the lifted appliance to form a force moment about the lifting elements that is directed to return the appliance to the proper, untipped position.
31 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A lifting system for use with heavy household appliances, such as automatic dishwashers, refrigerators, dryers and the like comprising:
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(A) a motor mounted on the appliance; (B) a control means on the appliance and connected to the motor; (C) a plurality of appliance lifting elements mounting the appliance on a support surface such as a floor or the like, each lifting element including (1) a housing having a housing top and being fixedly attached to the appliance near said housing top, (2) said housing top being located to be contained in a plane common to all of said housing tops, (3) an extendable element movably mounted to said housing to move into and out of said housing, (4) a foot pad connected to said extendable element and being in abutting appliance supporting contact with the support surface, (D) means connecting each appliance lifting element to said motor and to said control means so that said extendable element of each appliance lifting element can be moved into and out of the housing associated therewith to lower and lift the appliance respectively, and (E) appliance stabilizing means mounted on the appliance to stabilize the appliance when the appliance is lifted from the support surface, said stabilizing means including means for moving said stabilizing means from a first location having a part of said stabilizing means located above a plane containing the lifting element housing tops to a second location below the plane containing the lifting element housing tops. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification