Whirlpool Corporation

George W Malheiros

Donald E Erickson

Christoph J Miller

Christopher L Borlin

Stephen D Ostdiek

Gregory M Garstecki

Mark R Haslanger

Richard V Oney

Scott T Thalls

Christopher H Matulis

Joseph P Bigelow

A laundry treating appliance is configured to treat laundry according to a cycle of operation. The laundry treating appliance comprises a chassis that defines an interior and has a front and rear with an access opening located in the front. A tub statically mounted to the chassis and defines a liquid chamber located within the interior and has at least one suspension opening. An exoskeleton is located within the liquid chamber and has a front support, a rear support, and stringers extending longitudinally to form a skeletal frame defining a frame interior. A rotatable drum is located within the frame interior. A suspension system is located within the interior and has at least one suspension component extending into the liquid chamber through the suspension opening and is operably coupled to the exoskeleton. A liquid dam retards liquid flow from the liquid chamber to the interior through the suspension opening.

Laundry treating appliance with liquid dam

A method of operating a laundry treating appliance is provided. The laundry treating appliance comprises a chassis having a front panel with an opening, a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber and having an opening at least partially aligned with the front panel opening, a bellows connecting the front panel and the tub at their respective openings, and a liquid supply system supplying liquid to the treating chamber. The method comprises supplying liquid to a treating chemistry dispenser to provide a mixture of liquid and treating chemistry to the treating chamber for a treating cycle of operation.

Laundry treating appliance dispenser

A laundry treating appliance comprising a chassis defining an interior with at fixed tub disposed in the interior, the tub defining a liquid chamber. An exoskeleton is disposed within the liquid chamber and houses a drum defining a treating chamber for treating laundry. A suspension comprising one or more suspension component mounts the exoskeleton to that chassis through an opening in the tub. The interior is sealed from the liquid chamber by a plurality of seals at the openings and suspension components extending through the openings, preventing liquid from spilling into the interior from the liquid chamber.

Laundry treating appliance with suspension and seal

A laundry treating appliance for treating laundry according to an automatic cycle of operation includes a chassis defining an interior, a tub provided within the interior, a drum provided within the tub, a motor mounted to the tub and having a drive shaft drivingly coupled to the drum to selectively rotate the drum about the longitudinal axis, a suspension system, and at least one counterweight, wherein the suspension system and the at least one counterweight are configured such that the capacity efficiency of the laundry treating appliance is greater than 45%.

Laundry treating appliance and method of assembly

A laundry treating appliance may comprise a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber and having an opening at least partially aligned with an opening in the appliance front panel, thus providing access to the treating chamber through the front panel opening and the tub opening. A bellows may connect the front panel and the tub at their respective openings, and a treating chemistry dispenser may be provided on the bellows.

A laundry treating appliance configured to treat laundry according to a treating cycle of operation includes a chassis that defines an interior and a tub statically mounted to the chassis, and at least one suspension opening in a side of the tub. An exoskeleton is located within the liquid chamber and has a front support, a rear support, and stringers extending between and connecting the front and rear supports. An electric motor is mounted to the rear support and has a rotating output shaft. A drum is connected to the output shaft and is rotatbly mounted to the exoskeleton. A suspension system is located within the interior and has at least one suspension component extending from the interior and into the liquid chamber through the suspension opening and is operably coupled to the exoskeleton. The suspension system provides suspension directly to the exoskeleton to indirectly provide suspension for the drum and electric motor.

Washing machine having an exoskeleton

A laundry appliance for treating a load of laundry according to a cycle of operation comprises a cabinet and a tub assembly housed within the cabinet and comprising a front tub section, a rear tub section and at least one middle tub section provided between the front and rear tub sections.

Laundry treating appliance and tub assembly and method of forming

A laundry treating appliance configured to treat laundry according to a treating cycle of operation includes a chassis defining an interior and a tub located within the interior and statically mounted to the chassis, with the tub defining a liquid chamber, and having at least one suspension opening in a side of the tub. A rotatable drum is located within the liquid chamber and rotatable about a horizontal axis. An electric motor having an output shaft is operably coupled to the rotatable drum, wherein rotation of the output shaft effects a rotation of the drum. An exoskeleton is located within the liquid chamber and physically supports the rotatable drum and electric motor.

A laundry treating appliance may comprise a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber and having an opening at least partially aligned with an opening in the appliance front panel, thus providing access to the treating chamber through the front panel opening and the tub opening. A bellows may connect the front panel and the tub at their respective openings, and a treating chemistry dispenser may be located on the bellows.

A laundry treating appliance includes a rotatable drum for receiving a laundry load. The rotatable drum includes a cylindrical body with a cylindrical wall about a longitudinal axis, and a metal cover at one end thereof, the metal cover having an annular groove formed by a first wall, a second wall spaced from the first wall, a third wall extending between the first and second walls, and a fourth wall extending from the second wall. A metal adjoining piece having a first adjoining wall is coupled with the third wall and a second adjoining wall is coupled with the fourth wall, wherein a hollow annular raceway is defined by the second wall, the third wall, the first adjoining wall, and the second adjoining wall. A sound dampener is disposed adjacent at least one of the walls.

Laundry treating appliance with integrated dynamic balancer

A laundry treating appliance includes a rotatable drum for receiving a laundry load. The rotatable drum includes a cylindrical body with a cylindrical wall about a longitudinal axis, and a metal cover at one end thereof, the metal cover having an annular groove formed by a first wall, a second wall spaced from the first wall, a third wall extending between the first and second walls, and a fourth wall extending from the second wall. A first land is secured to the third wall and has a leg extending toward the second wall adjacent to the third wall, and a second land is secured to the fourth wall. A non-metal adjoining piece is coupled with the first and second land. A hollow annular raceway is defined by the second wall, the leg, the first adjoining wall, and the second adjoining wall and includes a moveable mass disposed therein.

A dynamic balancer device for a laundry treating appliance includes, among other things, a first raceway piece having an L-shaped cross section defining a first annular channel and a second raceway piece having an L-shaped cross section defining a second annular channel. The first raceway piece is attached to the second raceway piece with the first annular channel facing the second annular channel to define a raceway. The dynamic balancer device also includes a mass disposed in the annular raceway and movable therein.

Growing community of inventors

Saint Joseph, MI, United States of America

George W Malheiros