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:
Mar. 20, 2001
Filed:
Apr. 21, 1999
Toshihiko Ura, Osaka, JP;
Kenichi Akasaka, Hyogo, JP;
Kenji Koshiga, Osaka, JP;
Norimasa Kondo, Osaka, JP;
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
A motor drives, via a hollow dryer shaft, a basket doubling as a washing basket and a spin-dryer basket. The motor rotating speed is reduced by a speed reduction mechanism, thereby driving an agitator disposed in the basket via a washing shaft that is axially aligned with the dryer shaft. A clutch switches transmission of the motor driving force either to the dryer shaft or to the washing shaft. The speed reduction mechanism and the motor are axially aligned with one another. The clutch is placed within a motor bracket, and is controlled by a clutch driver that is inserted into the bracket through a hole provided on the motor bracket. These arrangements restrain unbalance of a water tub during a dehydrating step, as well as prevent water or fingers of users from entering the motor.