Whirlpool Corporation

Pedro A Rouin

Antonio Mazzarella

Daniel A Schurr

Justin Nguyen

Nolan R Maryanski

Samir Nimkar

Gianbattista Pirola

Adriano Tebaldi

A laundry appliance includes an outer cabinet having opposing sidewalls that extend between a front panel and a rear panel. A blower is positioned within the outer cabinet and delivers process air through an airflow path. A rotating drum receives articles to be processed. The airflow path includes the rotating drum. A lint filter is selectively operable to a filtering position within a filter receptacle of the airflow path. The filtering position places a filter media of the lint filter within the airflow path. An access door is operable to a closed position within a door receptacle defined within a side panel of the opposing sidewalls. The door receptacle is aligned with the filter receptacle and the access door conceals the filter receptacle in the filtering position.

Side access panel for lint filter of laundry appliance

A drying appliance includes a cabinet. A drum processes articles of laundry. The drum is positioned for rotational operation within the cabinet. A blower directs process air through a recirculating airflow path that includes the drum. The drum and the blower are activated in an operating state and deactivated in an idle state. A first operable vent is positioned proximate a front of the cabinet. A second operable vent is positioned proximate a rear of the cabinet. The first and second operable vents define an open position after the drum and the blower define the idle state. The first and second operable vents define a closed position after the drum and the blower define the operating state.

Ventilation solution for closed-loop dryer systems

A laundry appliance includes a drum that processes laundry. A blower delivers process air from a heater to the drum via an airflow path. A structural panel defines a front aperture for accessing an interior of the drum and an air channel that defines a portion of the airflow path. The structural panel includes a lower first portion that is made of a first material and an upper second portion that is made of a second material that is different from the first material. The first and second materials meet at a predetermined seam that extends through the structural panel and the air channel.

Composite material structural panel having an integral air channel

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Stevensville, MI, United States of America

Pedro A Rouin