Whirlpool Corporation

Roy E Masters

Arun Rajendran

Gianluca Bocchino

Alexander Joseph Halbleib

Erica L Roberts

Rodney Michael Welch

Anthony B Welsh

Christopher A Jones

Thomas Kessler

Jordan M Grider

Robert J Pinkowski

Mark J Christensen

Brian Keith Rogers

Wesley P Traylor

Steven Lentz

Jason A Green

Michael J Catauro

A drying appliance includes a cabinet. A blower directs process air through a closed-loop airflow path and through a processing chamber and a condensing unit. The condensing unit is attached to an external surface of the cabinet. An open airflow path directs ambient air through the condensing unit and to an area exterior to the cabinet. The ambient air remains separated from the closed-loop airflow path. The condensing unit is configured to exchange heat between the process air within the closed-loop airflow path and the ambient air moved through the open airflow path. The ambient air cools and dehumidifies the process air to form condensate on an interior surface of the condensing unit.

Method of removing heat from a clothes tumbling system on the outside of the cabinet

A laundry treating appliance for treating laundry according to an automatic cycle of operation includes a cabinet defining a cabinet interior. A drum is rotatable within the cabinet interior, and at least partially defines a treating chamber. The treating chamber has a treating chamber air inlet and a treating chamber air outlet. A drying air circuit is fluidly coupled to the treating chamber air inlet and to the treating chamber air outlet. The laundry treating appliance can include first and second air temperature sensors, at least a first humidity sensor, and a controller operably coupled with the sensors.

Laundry treating appliance having sensors, and methods of operation

A combination washer/dryer machine has a rotatable drum inside a cabinet. The drum has an external surface. A tub is positioned inside the cabinet. The drum is rotatable in the tub. The tub has an inner surface. A seal extends between the exterior surface of the drum and the inner surface of the tub forming a desired gap during both washing and drying operations and minimizing bypass of drying air during the drying operation.

Controlling process air bypass around the drum in combo wash-dry system

A laundry treating appliance comprising a combination washer/dryer having a cabinet defining an interior, a tub located within the interior with a first access opening, a rotatable drum located within the tub and having a rear wall defining a fan, a closure moveably mounted to the cabinet and selectively movable between open/closed positions to open/close at least one of the first and second access openings; an air recirculation conduit having an inlet fluidly coupled to a first portion of the treating chamber and an outlet fluidly coupled to a second portion of the treating chamber, which is different than the first portion, and a condenser fluidly coupled to the recirculation conduit.

Laundry treating appliance with a condenser

A fluid flow system for a laundry appliance includes a blower that delivers process air along an airflow path having a heat exchanger. A drain channel receives condensate from the heat exchanger and fluid spray from a spray nozzle for directing lint particles to the drain channel and on to a sump for collecting fluid, including the condensate. A pump seat and a fluid outlet are integrally formed in a sump cover. A pump directs the fluid from the sump to the fluid outlet. A fluid level sensor detects at least minimum and maximum capacities of the fluid in the sump. When the fluid is below the minimum capacity, the pump defines an idle state. When the fluid reaches the minimum capacity, the pump defines an active state. When the fluid exceeds the maximum capacity, the pump directs the fluid to the fluid outlet.

Self cleaning sump cover

A combination washer/dryer machine has a cabinet with a tub and drum positioned in the cabinet. The drum is rotatably positioned in the tub. A heater is secured to the tub. The heater includes a duct to provide heated air from the heater. The duct is coupled with the tub to supply heated air to the drum.

Method of heating the clothes load in a tumbling combination washer/dryer

A laundry appliance includes a drum for processing laundry. A blower delivers process air through an airflow path that includes the drum. A lint filter is positioned within the airflow path that separates particulate matter from the process air. A lint disposal mechanism removes entrapped lint particles from a surface of the lint filter.

Laundry appliance having a maintenance free lint removal system

A door assembly for selectively opening and closing an access opening to a treating chamber of a laundry treating appliance includes an inner door wall and an outer door wall adjacent to the inner door wall, wherein the outer door wall and the inner door wall at least partially define an internal volume. The inner door wall includes a portion that is configured to extend at least partially into the treating chamber when the door is closed, and includes an air inlet and an air outlet. The door assembly is configured such that the internal volume is in fluid communication with an airflow inside the treating chamber when the door assembly is closed.

Door assembly for a laundry treating appliance

A method of operating a laundry treating appliance having a drum, and an air conduit fluidly coupled to the drum, with a heat source associated with the air conduit, includes moving air through an air conduit to the drum; heating the moving air by operating the heat source; and introducing atomized liquid into the air conduit upstream of the heat source.

Laundry treating appliance and method of operation

A laundry appliance includes a drum for processing laundry. A blower delivers process air through an airflow path that includes the drum. A lint filter is positioned within the airflow path that separates particulate matter from the process air to define entrapped lint particles. A lint disposal mechanism removes the entrapped lint particles from a surface of the lint filter to define removed lint. A holding compartment receives the removed lint for disposal.

Separation of lint from an exhaust airstream within a laundry appliance

A laundry appliance includes a tub having a rear wall. A drum is rotationally operable within the tub. An air flow path extends through an air flow port defined within the rear wall. A lint filter is positioned within the air flow port. A fluid spray system extends through the rear wall and directs a flow of fluid over the air flow port and the lint filter in a direction generally parallel with an inside surface of the rear wall.

Water spray feature of an appliance for separating particulate material from a filter member

A laundry treating appliance comprising a combination washer/dryer having a cabinet defining an interior, a tub located within the interior with a first access opening, a rotatable drum located within the tub interior and defining a treating chamber with a second access opening, aligned with the first access opening, an air recirculation conduit, and a condenser fluidly coupled to the recirculation conduit and having at least two fluidly connected condensing chambers.

Growing community of inventors

St. Joseph, MI, United States of America

Roy E Masters