Appliance lift system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11618989-B2
Application number	US-202016800255-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 25, 2020
Priority date	Feb 25, 2020
Publication date	Apr 4, 2023
Grant date	Apr 4, 2023

Abstract

A laundry appliance system includes a cabinet operable between a lowered position and a plurality of raised positions. A first lift assembly is coupled to a first side of the cabinet. A second lift assembly is coupled to a second side of the cabinet. The first and second lift assemblies operate concurrently to adjust the cabinet between the lowered position and the plurality of raised positions. A user-interface assembly is operably coupled to the cabinet. The user-interface assembly is configured to receive a user input corresponding with a selected raised position of the plurality of raised positions. A controller is configured to operate the first and second lift assemblies to the selected raised position in response to the user input.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A laundry appliance assembly, comprising:
a storage unit defining an interior cavity, wherein the storage unit includes a door for accessing the interior cavity;
a laundry appliance having a cabinet operably coupled with the storage unit, the cabinet housing a drum for receiving items for a laundry cycle, wherein the cabinet is operable between a docked position and a use position, wherein the cabinet at least partially extends out of the interior cavity when in the use position so that a user can physically access a feature of the appliance, and wherein the cabinet is fully disposed within the interior cavity of the storage unit when in the docked position and accessible via the door of the storage unit;
a decorative member coupled to an upper surface of the cabinet, wherein the cabinet is concealed by the decorative member and the storage unit when in the docked position; and
a lift system operably coupled to the cabinet, wherein the lift system is configured to vertically move the cabinet between the docked position and the use position.

2. The laundry appliance assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sensor coupled to the storage unit; and
a controller configured to receive a signal from the sensor, wherein the controller is configured to determine a height-related characteristic of the user in response to the signal, and wherein the controller is configured to automatically adjust the lift system in response to the height-related characteristic of the user.

3. The laundry appliance assembly of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to move the cabinet to the docked position via the lift system prior to a laundry cycle start.

4. The laundry appliance assembly of claim 2 , further comprising:
an appliance door coupled to the cabinet, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the cabinet to the docked position via the lift system when the appliance door is in a closed position.

5. The laundry appliance assembly of claim 1 , wherein the lift system includes a motor and at least one of a rack and pinion assembly and a scissor lift assembly.

6. The laundry appliance assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
an accordion cover member disposed over the lift system.

7. An appliance assembly, comprising:
a storage unit having a front wall extending between sidewalls, wherein a front cutout is defined between the sidewalls and above the front wall, and wherein the storage unit defines an interior cavity;
a laundry appliance having a cabinet housing a drum for receiving items for a laundry cycle and having a chemistry dispenser, wherein the cabinet is operable between a first position, a second position, and a third position, and wherein the cabinet is disposed at least partially within the interior cavity when in each of the first, second, and third positions;
a door operably coupled to the cabinet and configured to open through the front cutout of the storage unit;
a cover member coupled to the cabinet and a top edge of the front wall, wherein the cover member is configured to fill the front cutout below the cabinet as the cabinet moves between the first, second, and third positions; and
a lift system coupled to the storage unit and the cabinet, wherein the lift system is configured to vertically move the cabinet between the first, second, and third positions.

8. The appliance assembly of claim 7 , wherein the first position is a docked position, and wherein the second position and the third position are based on a height-related characteristic of a user.

9. The appliance assembly of claim 7 , further comprising:
a user-interface assembly configured to receive a user input;
a controller in communication with the lift system, wherein the controller is configured to operate the cabinet between the first, second, and third positions in response to the user input.

10. The appliance assembly of claim 9 , wherein the controller stores a profile database of respective profiles of one or more users, and wherein the user input is a selection of one of the respective profiles having a stored height-related characteristic of the third position.

11. The appliance assembly of claim 7 , wherein the lift system is configured to move the cabinet between the first, second, and third positions in response to at least one of a laundry cycle start, a laundry cycle end, and a laundry chemistry addition.

12. The appliance assembly of claim 7 , wherein the lift system includes a first lift assembly coupled to a first side of the cabinet and a second lift assembly coupled to a second side of the cabinet.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Burgess Brent M
• Carpenter Scott E

Classifications

• D06F39/125 Primary

  Supporting arrangements for the casing, e.g. rollers or legs · CPC title

• D06F2105/00

  Systems or parameters controlled or affected by the control systems of washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers · CPC title

• D06F2101/00

  User input for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers · CPC title

• D06F34/32

  characterised by graphical features, e.g. touchscreens · CPC title

• D06F34/14

  Arrangements for detecting or measuring specific parameters · CPC title