Washing machine appliance and nozzle assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10907295-B2
Application number	US-201815980832-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 16, 2018
Priority date	May 16, 2018
Publication date	Feb 2, 2021
Grant date	Feb 2, 2021

Abstract

A washing machine appliance and nozzle assembly is provided herein. The washing machine appliance may include a cabinet, a tub positioned within the cabinet, a wash basket, and a nozzle assembly. The nozzle assembly may be mounted within the cabinet and configured to provide wash fluid to the tub. The nozzle assembly may include an extendable nozzle, a supply line, and a nozzle valve. The extendable nozzle may be movable between retracted and extended positions. The extendable nozzle may define a fluid path extending in fluid communication between a nozzle inlet and a nozzle outlet. The supply line may extend to the extendable nozzle in fluid communication therewith to provide a flow of wash fluid to the extendable nozzle. The nozzle valve may be positioned within the extendable nozzle in fluid communication with the supply line upstream from the nozzle outlet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A washing machine appliance comprising:
cabinet;
a tub positioned within the cabinet;
a wash basket rotatably mounted within the tub, the wash basket defining a wash chamber for receiving articles for washing; and
a nozzle assembly mounted within the cabinet and configured to provide wash fluid to the tub, the nozzle assembly comprising
an extendable nozzle movable between a retracted position and an extended position, the extendable nozzle defining a fluid path extending in fluid communication between a nozzle inlet and a nozzle outlet,
a supply line extending to the extendable nozzle in fluid communication therewith to provide a flow of wash fluid to the extendable nozzle, and
a nozzle valve positioned within the extendable nozzle in fluid communication with the supply line upstream from the nozzle outlet to selectively restrict the wash fluid to the nozzle outlet.

2. The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , further comprising a user input positioned on the extendable nozzle operably coupled to the nozzle valve to selectively direct the wash fluid from the nozzle outlet.

3. The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , further comprising a controller attached to the cabinet and operably coupled to the nozzle assembly.

4. The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein the nozzle inlet comprises a hot inlet and a cold inlet, and wherein the supply line comprises a hot fluid line connected in fluid communication to the hot inlet and a cold fluid line connected in fluid communication to the cold inlet.

5. The washing machine appliance of claim 4 , wherein the nozzle valve is a mixing valve in fluid communication with the hot fluid line and the cold fluid line to selectively mix wash fluid from the hot and cold fluid lines upstream from the nozzle outlet.

6. The washing machine appliance of claim 4 , wherein the nozzle valve is a hot valve in fluid communication with the hot fluid line upstream from the nozzle out, wherein the nozzle assembly further comprises a cold valve in fluid communication with the cold fluid line upstream from the nozzle outlet, and wherein cold valve is positioned in fluid parallel to the hot valve.

7. The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , further comprising a temperature sensor positioned within the extendable nozzle upstream from the nozzle outlet.

8. The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , further comprising a fluid flow sensor positioned within the extendable nozzle upstream from the nozzle outlet.

9. The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein the nozzle assembly further comprises a nozzle battery mounted to the extendable nozzle to provide a direct electrical current thereto.

10. The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein the extendable nozzle defines a fluid path extending in fluid communication between the nozzle inlet and the nozzle outlet, wherein the nozzle valve is positioned along the fluid path, and wherein the extendable nozzle further defines an additive cavity in fluid communication with the fluid path downstream from the nozzle inlet and an additive opening in selective fluid communication with the additive cavity in parallel to the nozzle inlet.

11. A washing machine appliance comprising:
a cabinet;
a tub positioned within the cabinet;
a wash basket rotatably mounted within the tub, the wash basket defining a wash chamber for receiving articles for washing; and
a nozzle assembly mounted within the cabinet and configured to provide fluid to the tub, the nozzle assembly comprising
an extendable nozzle movable between a retracted position and an extended position, the extendable nozzle defining a fluid path extending in fluid communication between a nozzle inlet and a nozzle outlet,
a hot fluid line extending to the extendable nozzle in fluid communication therewith to provide a flow of hot fluid to the extendable nozzle,
a cold fluid line extending to the extendable nozzle in fluid communication therewith to provide a flow of cold fluid to the extendable nozzle,
a nozzle valve positioned within the extendable nozzle along the fluid path upstream from the nozzle outlet to selectively restrict fluid to the nozzle outlet, and
a user input positioned on the extendable nozzle operably coupled to the nozzle valve to selectively direct the fluid from the nozzle outlet.

12. The washing machine appliance of claim 11 , further comprising a controller mounted to the extendable nozzle, the controller being operably coupled to the nozzle valve and the user input to control fluid from the nozzle outlet.

13. The washing machine appliance of claim 11 , further comprising a controller attached to the cabinet and operably coupled to the nozzle assembly.

14. The washing machine appliance of claim 11 , wherein the nozzle valve is a mixing valve in fluid communication with the hot fluid line and the cold fluid line to selectively mix fluid from the hot and cold fluid lines upstream from the nozzle outlet.

15. The washing machine appliance of claim 11 , wherein the nozzle valve is a hot valve in fluid communication with the hot fluid line upstream from the nozzle out, wherein the nozzle assembly further comprises a cold valve in fluid communication with the cold fluid line upstream from the nozzle outlet, and wherein cold valve is positioned in fluid parallel to the hot valve.

16. The washing machine appliance of claim 11 , further comprising a temperature sensor positioned within the extendable nozzle upstream from the nozzle outlet.

17. The washing machine appliance of claim 11 , further comprising a fluid flow sensor positioned within the extendable nozzle upstream from the nozzle outlet.

18. The washing machine appliance of claim 11 , wherein the nozzle assembly further comprises a nozzle battery mounted to the extendable nozzle to provide a direct electrical current thereto.

19. The washing machine appliance of claim 11 , wherein the extendable nozzle defines a fluid path extending in fluid communication between the nozzle inlet and the nozzle outlet, wherein the nozzle valve is positioned along the fluid path, and wherein the extendable nozzle further defines an additive cavity in fluid communication with the fluid path downstream from the nozzle inlet and an additive opening in selective fluid communication with the additive cavity in parallel to the nozzle inlet.

20. A washing machine appliance comprising:
a cabinet;
a tub positioned within the cabinet;
a wash basket rotatably mounted within the tub, the wash basket defining a wash chamber for receiving articles for washing; and
a nozzle assembly mounted within the cabinet and configured to provide fluid to the tub, the nozzle assembly comprising
an extendable nozzle movable between a retracted position and an extended position, the extendable nozzle defining a fluid path extending in fluid communication between a nozzle inlet and a nozzle outlet,
a hot fluid line extending to the extendable nozzle in fluid communication therewith to provide a flow of hot fluid to the extendable nozzle,
a cold fluid line extending to the extendable nozzle in fluid communication therewith to provide a flow of cold fluid to the extendable nozzle,
a nozzle valve positioned within the extendable nozzle along the fluid path upstream from the nozzle outlet to selectively restrict fluid to the nozzle outlet, and
a user input positioned on the extendable nozzle operably coupled to the nozzle valve to selectively direct the fluid from the nozzle outlet,
a temperature sensor positioned within the

Assignees

• Haier Us Appliance Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Boutiette Todd

Classifications

• D06F39/12

  Casings; Tubs · CPC title

• D06F34/22

  Condition of the washing liquid, e.g. turbidity · CPC title

• D06F2103/12

  Temperature · CPC title

• D06F2105/04

  from separate hot and cold water inlets · CPC title

• D06F34/24

  Liquid temperature · CPC title