Whirlpool Corporation

Eric J Walsh

Christoph J Miller

Steven Fricke

Peter Wagoner

Scott E Carpenter

Lindsey Ann Wohlgamuth

James B Hull

Nicholas E Leep

Douglas Lynn Mikkelsen

Peter N Howes

Michael J Bauman

Tarun Sai Yadav Godha

Donald E Erickson

Bradley D Morrow

Christine L Strain

Ajay Ram Narayana Pillai

Priyanka Popat Mali

Marcos H Herrmann

Kenneth L McCONNELL

Jesse De Freitas Goncalves

A laundry appliance includes a tub having a rear wall that includes a plurality of structural ribs. A drive hub has a bearing housing insert injection molded into the rear wall. A stator is attached to the drive hub at stator fastening portions exposed through the rear wall of the tub. A reinforcing cap is fixed to the structural ribs of the rear wall of the tub. The bearing housing of the drive hub extends rearwards through a portion of the reinforcing cap. The stator fastening portions are exposed through the reinforcing cap.

Reinforcing cap for a tub rear wall of an appliance

A hub for an overmolded basket base assembly of a laundry appliance is provided. The hub includes a central core defining an opening along an axis configured to receive a drive shaft. The hub further includes a disc, extending radially outwardly from the core about the axis, the disc configured to be overmolded in polymeric material that forms an overmolded plastic base, the disc including a plurality of posts arranged around the core and extending upward from a top surface of the disc to form a circumferentially-extending array to align the hub when applying torque to the hub.

Overmolded basket base assembly

A dishwasher for treating dishes according to a cycle of operation, the dishwasher comprising a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber having an open face for receiving dishes a door assembly movable between opened and closed positions the door assembly comprising a door panel, a pocket handle defining a pocket width and proximate the top of the door panel for selectively opening and closing the open face of the tub, and a console coupled to the top of the door panel and comprising an isogrid structure at a location proximate the pocket handle.

Dishwasher with door assembly

A fabric treating appliance for treating an article according to a cycle of operation includes a chassis defining an interior with a tub provided within the interior, the tub at least partially defining a liquid chamber. A drum is provided within the liquid chamber to at least partially define a treating chamber. The drum has a peripheral wall terminating in a front edge and a rear edge, with the front edge defining a front opening. An exoskeleton is provided within the liquid chamber coupling the drum to the chassis.

Laundry treating appliance

Lifter for a laundry treating appliance

A fabric treating appliance for treating an article according to a cycle of operation includes a chassis defining an interior with a tub disposed in the interior, the tub defining a liquid chamber. A drum is provided within the liquid chamber to define a treating chamber. An exoskeleton is disposed within the liquid chamber and houses the drum. A front frame mounts to the drum and forms at least a portion of the exoskeleton.

A fabric treating appliance includes a chassis defining an interior. A tub is provided in the interior defining a liquid chamber. An exoskeleton is disposed within the liquid chamber and houses a drum defining a treating chamber for treating an article of laundry. A rear drive plate is provided at one end of the drum and at least partially defines the exoskeleton. One or more braces can couple to the rear drive plate to improve structural integrity of the exoskeleton housing the drum.

Growing community of inventors

Saint Joseph, MI, United States of America

Eric J Walsh