The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 21, 2023
Filed:
Apr. 26, 2021
Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, MI (US);
Michael Vriezema, St. Joseph, MI (US);
Arun Rajendran, St. Joseph, MI (US);
Logan R. Urbanski, St. Joseph, MI (US);
Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, MI (US);
Abstract
A washer and dryer combination appliance including a housing, a drum positioned in the housing, and a dynamic, expandable seal positioned between the drum and the housing. A laundry compartment inside the drum is accessible through openings in the front of the housing and drum. The drum has a rear wall with perforations that permit air to flow into the laundry compartment. An air gap is located between the rear of the housing and the rear wall of the drum. The dynamic, expandable seal, is actuatable between a retracted position and an extended position. In the extended position, the dynamic, expandable seal extends across the air gap to direct airflow through the perforations in the rear wall of the drum. In the retracted position, the dynamic, expandable seal is spaced away from the drum and therefore does not add any drag on the drum as the drum rotates.