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:
Aug. 01, 1995
Filed:
May. 02, 1994
Anthony Mason, Lincoln Township, Berrien County, MI (US);
Brenner M Sharp, St. Joseph, MI (US);
Victor W Cuthbert, Sodus Township, Berrien County, MI (US);
Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, MI (US);
Abstract
A top-loading horizontal axis automatic washer with improved accessibility to the wash basket interior and improved operating convenience of the basket doors. The washer cabinet is provided with an access opening extending partially along the front surface and top surface of the washer cabinet, providing the operator with improved access to the basket interior through an aligned tub opening and basket opening. A lid is provided on the cabinet top for selectively opening and closing the access opening. First and second door flaps are provided on the back and front edges, respectively, of the basket opening, serving as doors for selectively opening or closing the basket opening. The second door flap has an arc length approximately one-third the size of the first door flap. Both flaps are arranged so that, when opened, they are out of the path of loading and unloading clothes items from the basket. The door flaps are further arranged for simultaneous single-handed closing, whereby when the first door flap is moved from an open position to a closed position it overlaps the leading edge of the open second door flap, causing the second door flap to simultaneously move to a closed position.