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:
Sep. 19, 2006
Filed:
Aug. 27, 2002
Raveendran Vaidhyanathan, St. Joseph, MI (US);
Matthew C. Parsons, Dowagiac, MI (US);
Raveendran Vaidhyanathan, St. Joseph, MI (US);
Matthew C. Parsons, Dowagiac, MI (US);
Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, MI (US);
Abstract
A drive mechanism for a vertical axis automatic washer. The washer has a rotatable wash basket, a rotatable agitator concentrically mounted in the wash basket and a drive motor. The drive mechanism includes a first drive shaft driven by the motor at a first rotational speed and with a first torque. A second drive shaft is arranged to rotatingly drive the agitator. A mechanism is arranged between the first drive shaft and the second drive shaft to convert the first rotational speed and the first torque to a second rotational speed and a second torque at the second drive shaft. A first clutch is arranged between the wash basket and the first drive shaft to allow for selective engagement and disengagement between the wash basket and the first drive shaft. A second clutch is arranged between the wash basket and the second drive shaft to allow for selective engagement and disengagement between the wash basket and the second drive shaft.