Washing machine appliance having a removable agitator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11598039-B2
Application number	US-202117188154-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 1, 2021
Priority date	Mar 1, 2021
Publication date	Mar 7, 2023
Grant date	Mar 7, 2023

Abstract

A washing machine appliance may include a tub, a basket, an impeller base, and an extended post. The basket may be rotatably positioned within the tub. The impeller base may include a mounting face including a threaded bracket defining a mounting thread extending about a rotation axis. The extended post may be removably attached to the impeller base to rotate therewith. The extended post may include a base body extending along the rotation axis between a bottom end proximal to the impeller base and a top end distal to the impeller base. The extended post may also include auger fin extending radially from the base body between the bottom end and the top end. The mating face may be disposed on the bottom end. The mating face may define a mating thread matched to the mounting thread to rotatably enmesh therewith.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A washing machine appliance comprising:
a tub;
a basket rotatably positioned within the tub;
an impeller base rotatably mounted within the basket and defining a rotation axis, the impeller base comprising
one or more impeller fins extending radially outward from the rotation axis, and
a mounting face disposed radially inward from the one or more impeller fins, the mounting face comprising a threaded bracket defining a mounting thread extending about the rotation axis, the mounting thread having a variable axial thickness; and

an extended post removably attached to the impeller base to rotate therewith, the extended post comprising
a base body extending along the rotation axis between a bottom end proximal to the impeller base and a top end distal to the impeller base,
an auger fin extending radially from the base body between the bottom end and the top end, and
a mating face disposed on the bottom end, the mating face defining a mating thread matched to the mounting thread to rotatably enmesh therewith.

2. The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein the variable axial thickness increases in an upward direction away from the impeller base.

3. The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein the extended post further defines an enlarged handle at the top end.

4. The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein the mounting thread defines a first axial detent, and wherein the mating thread defines a second axial detent matched to the first axial detent for receipt therein.

5. The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein the mounting face further defines a secondary cap thread about the rotation axis, the secondary cap thread being independent of the mounting thread.

6. The washing machine appliance of claim 5 , wherein the secondary cap thread spans a common axial distance with the mounting thread.

7. The washing machine appliance of claim 5 , wherein the secondary cap thread has a constant axial thickness.

8. The washing machine appliance of claim 5 , wherein the mounting face defines a central passage about which the mounting thread and the secondary cap thread extend, wherein the washing machine appliance further comprises an impeller cap extending across the central passage and engaged with the secondary cap thread to move therealong.

9. The washing machine appliance of claim 8 , wherein the impeller cap defines a plurality of guide apertures, and wherein the extended post comprises a plurality of guide tabs extending axially from the bottom end and received within the plurality of guide apertures.

10. A washing machine appliance comprising:
a tub;
a basket rotatably positioned within the tub;
an impeller base rotatably mounted within the basket and defining a rotation axis, the impeller base comprising
one or more impeller fins extending radially outward from the rotation axis,
a mounting face disposed radially inward from the one or more impeller fins, mounting face comprising a threaded bracket defining a central passage and a mounting thread extending about the rotation axis, and
an impeller cap extending across the central passage to move axially therealong;

an extended post removably attached to the impeller base to rotate therewith, the extended post comprising
a base body extending along the rotation axis between a bottom end proximal to the impeller base and a top end distal to the impeller base,
an auger fin extending radially from the base body between the bottom end and the top end, and
a mating face disposed on the bottom end, the mating face defining a mating thread matched to the mounting thread to rotatably enmesh therewith,
wherein the mounting thread has a variable axial thickness increasing in an upward direction away from the impeller base.

11. The washing machine appliance of claim 10 , wherein the extended post further defines an enlarged handle at the top end.

12. The washing machine appliance of claim 10 , wherein the mounting thread defines a first axial detent, and wherein the mating thread defines a second axial detent matched to the first axial detent for receipt therein.

13. The washing machine appliance of claim 10 , wherein the mounting face further defines a secondary cap thread about the rotation axis, the secondary cap thread being independent of the mounting thread.

14. The washing machine appliance of claim 13 , wherein the secondary cap thread spans a common axial distance with the mounting thread.

15. The washing machine appliance of claim 13 , wherein the secondary cap thread has a constant axial thickness.

16. The washing machine appliance of claim 13 , wherein the impeller cap is engaged with the secondary cap thread to move therealong.

17. The washing machine appliance of claim 16 , wherein the impeller cap defines a plurality of guide apertures, and wherein the extended post comprises a plurality of guide tabs extending axially from the bottom end and received within the plurality of guide apertures.

18. A washing machine appliance comprising:
a tub;
a basket rotatably positioned within the tub;
an impeller base rotatably mounted within the basket and defining a rotation axis, the impeller base comprising a threaded bracket defining a mounting thread extending about the rotation axis, the mounting thread having a variable axial thickness; and
an extended post removably attached to the impeller base to rotate therewith, the extended post comprising
a base body extending along the rotation axis between a bottom end proximal to the impeller base and a top end distal to the impeller base, and
a mating face disposed on the bottom end, the mating face defining a mating thread matched to the mounting thread to rotatably enmesh therewith.

19. The washing machine appliance of claim 18 , wherein the variable axial thickness increases in an upward direction away from the impeller base.

20. The washing machine appliance of claim 18 , wherein the mounting thread defines a first axial detent, and wherein the mating thread defines a second axial detent matched to the first axial detent for receipt therein.

Assignees

• Haier Us Appliance Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Patel Neki Jashwant
• Shinde Jay Pareshbhai
• Majjath Sanjay Yadav
• Tuniki Sanjana
• Durairaj Sasikumar

Classifications

• D06F23/04

  and rotating or oscillating about a vertical axis · CPC title

• D06F13/06

  wherein the agitator has both rotary, e.g. oscillating rotary, motion and axial motion · CPC title

• D06F13/02 Primary

  wherein the agitator has an oscillatory rotary motion only · CPC title

• D06F17/06

  by rotary impellers · CPC title

• D06F13/04

  wherein the agitator has an axial motion only · CPC title