Modular laundry system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11624145-B2
Application number	US-202117563175-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 28, 2021
Priority date	Oct 22, 2004
Publication date	Apr 11, 2023
Grant date	Apr 11, 2023

Abstract

A laundry system having a first laundry appliance for washing fabric items, a second laundry appliance for drying fabric items horizontally arranged relative to the first laundry appliance, a washing module vertically arranged above one of the first laundry appliance or the second laundry appliance, and a non-tumble drying module vertically arranged above the other of the first laundry appliance or the second laundry appliance for drying fabric items.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A laundry system comprising:
a first laundry appliance for washing fabric items;
a second laundry appliance for drying fabric items horizontally arranged relative to the first laundry appliance;
a washing module vertically arranged above one of the first laundry appliance or the second laundry appliance, the washing module comprising:
a tub; and
a rotatably mounted top-loading wash basket within the tub;
wherein the washing module has a low capacity relative to a capacity of the first laundry appliance; and
a non-tumble drying module vertically arranged above the other of the first laundry appliance or the second laundry appliance for drying fabric items, the non-tumble drying module comprising:
a drying chamber; and
a drying rack in the drying chamber on which fabric items can be laid for non-tumble drying.

2. The laundry system of claim 1 , wherein the first laundry appliance is a front-loading laundry appliance and has a first top wall.

3. The laundry system of claim 2 , wherein the second laundry appliance is a front-loading laundry appliance and has a second top wall.

4. The laundry system of claim 1 , further comprising a first control panel provided on the first laundry appliance and a second control panel provided on the second laundry appliance.

5. The laundry system of claim 1 , further comprising a control panel for the washing module to enable a user to select a wash cycle from among a plurality of wash cycles, wherein the control panel is capable of:
receiving input from a user regarding operational modes for the washing module; and
communicating output related to an operational status of the washing module to the user.

6. The laundry system of claim 1 , further comprising a control panel for the non-tumble drying module to enable a user to select a drying cycle from among a plurality of drying cycles, wherein the control panel for the non-tumble drying module is capable of:
receiving input from a user regarding operational modes for the non-tumble drying module; and
communicating output related to an operational status of the non-tumble drying module to the user.

7. The laundry system of claim 6 , wherein the non-tumble drying module incorporates refreshing functions.

8. The laundry system of claim 1 , wherein the washing module is capable of performing a washing operation independently of a washing operation performed by the first laundry appliance.

9. The laundry system of claim 1 , wherein the non-tumble drying module is capable of performing a drying operation independently of a drying operation performed by the second laundry appliance.

10. The laundry system of claim 1 , wherein the washing module is a stand-alone unit that does not require physical connection to the first laundry appliance for operation.

11. The laundry system of claim 1 , wherein the non-tumble drying module is a stand-alone unit that does not require physical connection to the second laundry appliance for operation.

12. The laundry system of claim 1 , wherein:
the washing module comprises a cabinet separate from the first laundry appliance; and
the non-tumble drying module comprises a cabinet separate from the second laundry appliance.

13. The laundry system of claim 1 , wherein the washing module comprises a cabinet and a drawer slidably mounted to the cabinet.

14. The laundry system of claim 1 , wherein the non-tumble drying module comprises a cabinet and a drawer slidably mounted to the cabinet.

15. The laundry system of claim 1 wherein the washing module comprises a detergent dispenser.

16. The laundry system of claim 1 wherein the non-tumble drying module provides forced air to dry fabric items.

17. The laundry system of claim 1 , wherein the drying rack is removably mounted in the non-tumble drying module.

18. The laundry system of claim 17 , wherein the drying rack comprises a rack frame that supports a mesh panel through which forced air can flow.

19. The laundry system of claim 1 wherein the drying chamber comprises an upwardly-facing open top.

20. The laundry system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the washing module or the non-tumble drying module can be controlled remotely.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Underly Kristina K
• Tomasi Donald M
• Conrad Daniel C
• Sunshine Richard A
• Kendall James W
• Viswanathan Ameresh B
• Achterberg Lorraine L
• Doyle Colleen M

Classifications

• D06F29/00

  Combinations of a washing machine with other separate apparatus in a common frame or the like, e.g. with rinsing apparatus · CPC title

• D06F81/06

  attachable to independent supports, e.g. walls · CPC title

• D06F39/02

  Devices for adding soap or other washing agents · CPC title

• D06F29/005

  the other separate apparatus being a drying appliance · CPC title

• A47B88/40

  Sliding drawers; Slides or guides therefor · CPC title