Whirlpool Corporation

Michele A Paustian

Dale E Mueller

Benjamin E Alexander

Christopher A Jones

Brent M Burgess

Brenner Martin Sharp

Aaron A Linden

James Phillips Carow

Ryan Robert Bellinger

David M Williams

Michael K Cluskey

Mark Eugene Glotzbach

David John Kmet

Christopher J Woerdehoff

Nicholas C Fugal

Andrew Charles Reck

Shawn Richard Oltz

Joshua Paul Carroll

Steven D Ficke

Prakash S Amte

Scott D Parde

Joseph M Shaw

A laundry treating appliance includes a rotatable basket defining a treating chamber for receiving a load of laundry items for treatment, and an annular balance rings defining an annular chamber within, coupled with the basket for rotation therewith. The basket can further comprise a pair of walls comprising a perforated inner wrapper and an outer wall defining a space therebetween. The space fluidly couples to the annular chamber, permitting liquid to flow from the treating chamber, into the space and into the annular chamber to provide a restoring force to the system. The annular balance ring can further comprise a plurality of passages, fluidly coupling the treating chamber to the annular chamber.

Laundry treating appliance

A vertical axis laundry treating appliance including a chassis defining a chassis interior, a tub disposed within the chassis interior and defining a tub interior, and a perforated wash basket disposed for rotation within the tub interior, wherein the tub includes a lower tub portion, an upper tub portion, and a flexible intermediate portion.

Laundry treating appliance with tub having a flexible portion

A laundry treating appliance for treating fabric according to a cycle of operation includes a cabinet defining an interior, a wash tub within the interior and having a peripheral wall with an upper portion and a bottom end closed by a base; a wash basket located within the wash tub for movement relative thereto and defining a laundry treating chamber; and a drive motor located within the cabinet for rotating or oscillating the wash basket. Prior to installation of the wash tub in the cabinet, the wash tub is oversized relative to the interior. After installation of the wash tub in the cabinet, the upper portion of the wash tub forms a press fit with the cabinet such that the upper portion of the wash tub exerts a force on the cabinet.

Laundry treating appliance with an oversized wash tub

A method of operating a clothes dryer having a treating chamber for receiving a laundry load, an air system for supplying and exhausting air from the treating chamber, a heating element for heating the air supplied to the treating chamber, and a controller implementing a cycle of operation, wherein the controller estimates a cycle time of a drying cycle of operation.

Laundry treating appliance with controlled cycle time

A method for operating a laundry treating appliance, such as a clothes dryer, having a treating chamber, an air system for supplying and exiting air from the treating chamber, a heating element for heating the air to the treating chamber, and a controller determining an inlet temperature used as a control input for a cycle of operation.

Laundry treating appliance with inlet temperature compensation

A clothes dryer has a system for regulating the inlet air temperature. The system includes a first sensor located in an inlet of the dryer and including a thermistor and a thermostat, a heat source located in a heater box adjacent the first sensor, and a second sensor located in an exhaust of the dryer. The thermistor measures the inlet air temperature of the dryer and cooperates with the controller to prevent the thermostat from reaching its trip temperature and turning off the heat source. Thus, damage due to excessive air temperatures in the dryer is prevented.

Combined temperature sensor for clothes dryer

Growing community of inventors

Kalamazoo, MI, United States of America

Michele A Paustian