Washer appliance with removable agitator post having twist lock mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11655580-B2
Application number	US-202117365384-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 1, 2021
Priority date	Jul 1, 2021
Publication date	May 23, 2023
Grant date	May 23, 2023

Abstract

A washer appliance with a removable agitator post includes an impeller supporting a receptable having multiple features for receipt of agitator tabs to secure or release the agitator post. A biasing element may be used to help secure or release the agitator post. The agitator post is rotated to secure or release it from the impeller. A removable cap may be included.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A washing appliance, comprising:
a cabinet;
a wash tub positioned in the cabinet and defining a wash chamber;
a wash drum rotatably mounted within the wash chamber and configured for receiving articles for washing;
an impeller positioned in the wash drum, the impeller being rotational about a vertical axis and configured for imparting motion to the articles during washing, the impeller including
a receptacle,
a plurality of grooves extending along a circumferential direction about the receptacle;
a plurality of notches, each notch connected with one of the plurality of grooves and extending along a vertical direction;
a plurality of access channels, each access channel connected with one of the plurality of grooves and extending along the vertical direction;

an agitator post configured for removable positioning in the receptacle of the impeller, the agitator post having a top end and a bottom end, the agitator post including a plurality of agitator tabs proximate the bottom end that project along a radial direction and are configured for movement along the circumferential direction within the plurality of grooves and movement along the vertical direction within the plurality of notches and the plurality of access channels;
a biasing element positioned between the impeller and agitator post when the agitator post is received in the receptacle, the biasing element configured for urging the agitator post upwardly along the vertical direction within the receptacle.

2. The washing appliance of claim 1 , further comprising a cap positioned with the receptacle and movable between an up position and a down position along the vertical direction within the access channels, the cap including a plurality of cap tabs projecting along a radial direction and movably received within the access channels.

3. The washing appliance of claim 2 , wherein the cap defines a cap recess into which the biasing element is positioned.

4. The washing appliance of claim 2 , wherein the cap includes a cylindrically-shaped wall, and wherein the receptacle defines a circumferentially extending slot configured for complementary receipt of the cylindrically-shaped wall when the agitator post is in the down position.

5. The washing appliance of claim 2 , wherein each of the access channels extends along the vertical direction both above and below the plurality of grooves.

6. The washing appliance of claim 1 , further comprising a removable cap for positioning in the receptacle when the agitator post is not present.

7. The washing appliance of claim 6 , wherein the removable cap includes a peripheral lip that prevents downward movement of the removable cap along a vertical direction within the receptacle.

8. The washing appliance of claim 1 , further comprising a retainer connected to the bottom end of the agitator post, the retainer movable along the vertical direction relative to the agitator post, the retainer and the agitator post defining a chamber in which the biasing element is positioned.

9. The washing appliance of claim 8 , the biasing element comprising a compression spring.

10. A washing appliance, comprising:
a wash drum rotatably mounted within a wash chamber and configured for receiving articles for washing;
an impeller positioned in the wash drum, the impeller being rotational about a vertical axis and configured for imparting motion to the articles during washing;
a receptacle centrally located on the impeller, the receptacle defining a recess;
a plurality of access channels located within the recess and spaced apart along a circumferential direction;
a plurality of notches located within the recess and spaced apart along a circumferential direction; and
a plurality of grooves located within the recess, each of the grooves extending longitudinally along a circumferential direction between one of notches and one of the access channels;
an agitator post removably positioned within the receptacle, the agitator post extending along the vertical axis between a top end and a bottom end;
a plurality of agitator tabs extending along a radial direction from the bottom end of the agitator post, the agitator tabs configured for sliding movement within the access channels, notches, and grooves; and
a spring positioned between the impeller and the agitator post when the agitator post is in the receptacle, the spring configured to urge the agitator post upwardly along the vertical axis.

11. The washing appliance of claim 10 , further comprising a movable cap positioned in the receptacle and depressible by the agitator post along the vertical axis between an up position and a down position, the removable cap including a plurality of cap tabs extending along a radial direction and spaced apart the circumferential direction, the cap tabs configured for sliding movement along the access channels.

12. The washing appliance of claim 11 , wherein the movable cap defines a recess in which the spring is received.

13. The washing appliance of claim 11 , wherein the movable cap includes a cylindrically-shaped wall, and wherein the receptacle defines a circumferentially extending slot configured for complementary receipt of the cylindrically-shaped wall when the agitator post is in the down position.

14. The washing appliance of claim 11 , wherein each of the access channels extends along a vertical direction both above and below the plurality of grooves.

15. The washing appliance of claim 11 , further comprising a removable cap for positioning in the receptacle when the agitator post is not present.

16. The washing appliance of claim 15 , wherein the removable cap includes a peripheral lip that prevents movement of the removable cap along a vertical direction within the receptacle.

17. The washing appliance of claim 11 , further comprising a retainer connected to the bottom end of the agitator post, the retainer movable along a vertical direction relative to the agitator post, the retainer and the agitator post defining a chamber in which the spring is positioned.

18. The washing appliance of claim 11 , wherein the agitator post comprises a helical vane extending around the agitator post, and wherein the impeller defines a plurality of lobes configured for imparting motion to articles during a cleaning cycle of the washing appliance.

Assignees

• Haier Us Appliance Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Rangu Venkata Chakradhar
• Mallavarapu Kalyana
• Yadav Neelapala Gopinath
• Seereddy Veera Venkata Anil Bhaskar Prasad
• Gopireddy Srikanth

Classifications

• D06F13/02 Primary

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

• D06F23/04

  and rotating or oscillating about a vertical axis · CPC title

• D06F17/10

  Impellers · CPC title

• D06F37/24 Primary

  in machines with a receptacle rotating or oscillating about a vertical axis · CPC title