Laundry treating appliance with a static tub and a water trap vapor seal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10774453-B2
Application number	US-201815864270-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 8, 2018
Priority date	Aug 20, 2013
Publication date	Sep 15, 2020
Grant date	Sep 15, 2020

Abstract

A washing machine may include a static wash tub, a rotatable vertical axis wash basket in the static wash tub, and a drive motor for rotating the wash basket. A closure may direct wash liquid from the wash basket to a catch basin. A flange may be attached to the closure so that an unattached edge ends within the catch basin. The unattached edge may end below the surface of a first volume of wash liquid to minimize migration of wash liquid and/or vapor from the washing machine. The unattached edge may end above the surface of a second volume of wash liquid less than the first volume to minimize agitation of wash liquid in the catch basin.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A laundry treating appliance comprising:
a cabinet;
a static wash tub coupled with the cabinet;
a wash basket mounted in the static wash tub and defining a laundry treating chamber, rotatable about a vertical axis and having a drain hole;
a rotatable wash tub provided between the wash basket and the static wash tub, rotatable about the vertical axis and having an opening;
a motor assembly for rotating the wash basket and the rotatable wash tub;
a catch basin annular about the vertical axis and defining an interior for holding a selected volume of wash liquid;
an annular bearing housing partially forming the catch basin, and at least partially provided around the motor assembly and spaced from the static wash tub;
a closure extending from the annular bearing housing and forming the catch basin with the annular bearing housing, and having a circumferential edge at least partially surrounding the static wash tub; and
a suspension located exterior of the static wash tub and connecting the closure to the cabinet.

2. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the motor assembly extends through the opening to couple to the wash basket.

3. The laundry treating appliance of claim 2 wherein the rotatable wash tub couples to the wash basket permitting simultaneous rotation of the rotatable wash tub and the wash basket.

4. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 further comprising a first outlet portion coupled to the rotatable wash tub and defining the opening in the rotatable wash tub.

5. The laundry treating appliance of claim 4 further comprising a first bearing provided between the first outlet portion and the rotatable wash tub.

6. The laundry treating appliance of claim 4 further comprising a second outlet portion coupled to the annular bearing housing between the annular bearing housing and the motor assembly, and spaced from the first outlet portion to define an outlet.

7. The laundry treating appliance of claim 6 further comprising a second bearing provided between the second outlet portion and the motor assembly.

8. The laundry treating appliance of claim 6 wherein the outlet fluidly couples the laundry treating chamber to the catch basin.

9. The laundry treating appliance of claim 8 wherein the annular bearing housing is angled to direct a volume of liquid toward the closure and into the catch basin.

10. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the static wash tub includes a first end portion coupled to the cabinet.

11. The laundry treating appliance of claim 10 wherein the static wash tub further includes a second end portion including a drain opening.

12. The laundry treating appliance of claim 11 wherein the drain opening drains into the catch basin.

13. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the drain hole directs liquid to the rotatable wash tub.

14. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the catch basin is below the wash basket, the rotatable wash tub, and the static wash tub.

15. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 further comprising a sensing device for determining a height of wash liquid in the catch basin.

16. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the rotatable wash tub and the wash basket are rotatable at substantially identical speeds.

17. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein rotation of the rotatable wash tub can centrifugally flow a volume of wash liquid along an inner wall of the rotatable wash tub to compensate for an unbalance of laundry items in the wash basket.

18. A laundry treating appliance comprising:
a cabinet defining an interior;
a static wash tub provided in the interior;
a wash basket mounted in the static wash tub and defining a laundry treating chamber, rotatable about a vertical axis and having a drain hole;
a rotatable wash tub provided between the static wash tub and the wash basket, rotatable about the vertical axis and having an opening;
a motor assembly for rotating the rotatable wash tub and the wash basket;
a catch basin disposed below and spaced from the static wash tub for holding a volume of wash liquid;
an annular bearing housing provided around at least a portion of the motor assembly and partially forming the catch basin, having a first end adjacent the motor assembly and a second end;
a closure extending from the second end of the annular bearing housing and forming the catch basin with the annular bearing housing, and having a circumferential edge at least partially provided around the static wash tub; and
a suspension connecting the closure to the cabinet,
wherein rotation of the rotatable wash tub can centrifugally flow at least some of a wash liquid along an inner wall of the rotatable wash tub to compensate for an unbalance of laundry items in the wash basket.

19. The laundry treating appliance of claim 18 wherein the rotatable wash tub is spaced from the annular bearing housing to define an outlet fluidly coupling the laundry treating chamber to the catch basin.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Erickson Donald E
• Sharp Brenner M

Classifications

• D06F33/47

  Responding to irregular working conditions, e.g. malfunctioning of pumps  (safety arrangements D06F37/42) · CPC title

• D06F39/083

  Liquid discharge or recirculation arrangements · CPC title

• D06F17/08

  Driving arrangements for the impeller · CPC title

• D06F37/26

  Casings; Tubs · CPC title

• D06F17/06 Primary

  by rotary impellers · CPC title