Whirlpool Corporation

James I Czech

Gerald L Kretchman

Donald Mark Tomasi

James R Mulder

Carl E Eichman

John W Pielemeier

Shawn Richard Oltz

Michael R MacKay

Thomas R Olson

Brooke Lindsay-Steel Lau

Ernest B Ruble

David E Scott

Creston J Bruce

Roy C Oakley, Jr

Joy A Schrage

Shannon L Madison

Onavie L Griffith

A condition sensor for a fabric treating apparatus, such as a clothes dryer. A condition sensor is connected to a base wherein the condition sensor is operative to sense a condition such as moisture content for a multi-layered load placed within the dryer. The condition sensor comprises at least one support connected to the base wherein the at least one support has at least one extension attached thereto. A pair of capacitance sensors are attached to the at least one extension with the pair of capacitance sensors being arranged to build up charge through the condition sensor based on the moisture of the load content positioned in the dryer. A circuit is arranged to receive, read and generate signals in response to the charge of the capacitance sensors.

Condition sensor for a dryer

A shoe drying device having two arms and an airflow channel extending therethrough. A spring exerts an outward force on the arms. Each arm includes a member for holding a shoe at an end thereof. During a drying cycle, convection air enters through an air inlet towards the center of the device, flows through the airflow channel, and exits through air outlets in the members for holding a shoe at the ends of the arms. This facilitates more even drying of shoes held in the members for holding shoes.

Drying apparatus

A drying apparatus for use in a drying device, having a surface and a first mechanism to at least partially hold an article relative to the surface. A second mechanism associated with the surface is operable to cooperatively engage with an air exit in the drying device, and is in air communication with an interior of the first mechanism. An airflow channel is formed between a portion of the drying device, the article, the interior of the first mechanism, the second mechanism, and an air exit in the drying device, facilitating more even drying of the article.

An improved latching configuration for a side swing door includes a cabinet enclosure with at least one side wall. An opening is formed in the side wall to provide access to an interior of the cabinet. A door is pivotably attached to the side wall to selectively open and close the opening upon a pivoting movement of the door. A latch assembly is provided on the door and/or the side wall for securing the door to the side wall in a closed position. The latch assembly is positioned between a location of attachment of the door to the side wall and a free edge of the door opposite the attachment location, preferably midway between those points.

Latching for side swing dryer door

A support structure for a vertically arranged combination household appliance, more particularly a front loading dryer assembly arranged above a top loading washer assembly, includes vertical main support members, horizontal members and other members. The structure adequately supports both appliance assemblies of the combination appliance during transportation and usage, provides improved operating performance during off balance washer spin conditions or dryer tumbling, and maintains unitary appliance characteristics by being an integral part of the combination appliance design and by being located entirely interior to the appliance cabinetry.

Washer/dryer frame construction

A combined appliance for washing and drying laundry of the over/under type. The appliance includes a washer tub wherein the ratio of the tub diameter to the tub depth is approximately 1.3, and further includes a dryer having a drum wherein the ratio of the drum diameter to the drum depth is approximately 1.3. A washer basket is disposed in the washer tub, and the ratio of the dryer drum volume to the capacity of the washer basket is approximately 2.4. The volume of the dryer drum is greater than 4 cubic feet, and the washer basket capacity is greater than 2 cubic feet. The rearwardmost extent of the washer tub is closer to a vertical centerline of the dryer drum than to a rear of the dryer drum, thus enhancing access to the interior of the washer and facilitating transfer of the laundry from the washer to the dryer.

Washer/dryer configuration

A dry rack for an axial flow dryer including a channel formed beneath the dry rack upper gridwork panel to direct airflow downward through the gridwork and out through the dryer exhaust opening. The channel is formed by side and back panels depending downwardly from the upper gridwork panel and a plate forming a floor and attached along bottom edges of the downwardly depending panels. Front edges of the side panels and the bottom plate abut against and surround the exhaust opening so as to force the channeling of exhaust air first through the upper gridwork panel and then out through the exhaust opening. For attaching the dry rack through the bottom edge of a doorway of the dryer, there is included a rectangular slide member panel that extends into a lint screen slot formed within a grill located within the exhaust opening and that engages support flanges therein to assist in supporting the dry rack from the exhaust opening.

Airflow directing dry rack

An electrical wiring harness termination system is provided which can be used with a replaceable electrical component wherein the component has a terminal that can be severed into a proximal portion connected to the component and a free distal portion. A wire lead is to be attached to the distal portion and the distal portion can be electrically connected to a terminal of a replacement component by use of a double-female connector. Since most components are never replaced, the present system is less costly than double terminal systems.

Electrical wiring harness termination system

An automatic clothes dryer includes a lint screen mounted within a lint screen assembly to filter lint entrained in an air flow stream during the drying operation. The lint screen assembly includes a shaped housing spaced close to the peripheral edges of the screen's lint collecting surface, yet spaced further from the screen's midportion to enable quantities of lint to accumulate on the screen and still be removed from the dryer without the risk of the lint falling from the lint screen. The lint screen assembly is held within the dryer only by a pair of fastening screws.

Lint filter housing for a dryer

A wiper mounted for rotation with the shaft of an apparatus such as an electric motor for preventing wicking by lint collecting on the portion of the housing surrounding the shaft opening thereof. The wiper, in the illustrated embodiment, is carried on the lubricant slinger mounted to the shaft and extending outwardly through the housing opening. The slinger, in the illustrated embodiment, is pressfitted to the shaft so as to permit the wiper to be accurately juxtaposed to the outer surface of the housing defining the shaft opening. In the illustrated embodiment, the wiper is formed integrally with the slinger. The wiper is preferably resiliently carried by the slinger so as to accommodate axial displacement of the motor shaft tending to bring the wiper into engagement with the housing portion defining the shaft opening.

Lubrication slinger with lint sweeper for a motor

A centrifugal switch actuator compensates for normal axis tolerance in a centrifugal switch operating mechanism for a motor consisting of a rotational velocity- responsive element mounted on the motor shaft and a switch housing spaced from the shaft. A lever has a lower member disposed adjacent the rotational velocity-responsive element and an upper member which engages one of a plurality of grooves in an actuator movable in the switch housing to make and break switches therein.

Centrifugal switch actuator for a motor

A method of assembling an electric motor in which a rigid first end bell is provided with a bearing seat in which is positioned a bearing. Then a rotor shaft for the motor is positioned in the bearing, and the end bell and rotor assembly is fixed in a holding fixture including a plurality of spaced shims, for further assembly steps. The shims extend upwardly through the first end bell and are spaced therefrom and from the motor shaft. Next a stator is placed on the first end bell with the shims extending therethrough. The end bell and stator are dimensioned such that a gap is established between them when assembled. Then a curable epoxy fluid resin is placed in the gap. Next a second end bell and second bearing held thereby is placed over the rotor shaft and a force applied to the end bell to force tabs on the second bell into the fluid epoxy resin. Finally the epoxy resin is cured to a solid and the end bells are mechanically secured together.

Assembly method for a motor

A method for minimizing setting of wrinkles in fabrics, particularly permanent press fabrics, during a liquid extraction cycle by adding moisture to the fabrics while they are being centrifuged to maintain their level of moisture content above a predetermined value.

Permanent press cycle for automatic washer

A vertical axis washing machine characterized by a washing receptacle and drive means supported by three or more suspension element assemblies which each comprise a coil spring and an upper and lower mounting member each having a projection telescopically received in the respective end of the spring. During a washing cycle, the addition of washing liquid to the receptacle causes vertical displacement of the springs so that the projections on the upper and lower mounting members engage each other to provide a substantially solid support for the receptacle. With removal of the washing liquid from the receptacle, the spring forces raise the upper projection from the lower projection to eliminate the aforementioned support but the assemblies will to some extent, snub horizontal movement and dampen any simultaneous vertical movement, especially during excursion of the receptacle as the rotational frequency of the receptacle during an extraction cycle passes through the 'critical' or natural frequency of the suspended system. A vertical attitude of the washing receptacle is attained despite the fact that its center of gravity is not located at its geometric center by providing the suspension element assemblies with differing spring rates by varying the number of free coils of a spring in each of the suspension element assemblies.

Growing community of inventors

Stevensville, MI, United States of America

James I Czech