Laundry systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12503801-B2
Application number	US-202318097049-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 13, 2023
Priority date	Jan 13, 2023
Publication date	Dec 23, 2025
Grant date	Dec 23, 2025

Abstract

A laundry system can include a rotational motion chamber configured to be actuated rotationally and an agitation chamber configured to receive one or more washable articles. The agitation chamber can be disposed within the rotational motion chamber. The agitation chamber can be configured to be actuated linearly within the rotational motion chamber independent of the rotational motion chamber in a first state, and can be configured to be engaged to and rotated by the rotational motion chamber in a second state.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A laundry system, comprising:
a rotational motion chamber configured to be actuated rotationally; an agitation chamber configured to receive one or more washable articles and disposed within the rotational motion chamber, the agitation chamber configured to be actuated linearly within the rotational motion chamber independent of the rotational motion chamber in a first state, and to be engaged to and rotated by the rotational motion chamber in a second state; agitation chamber teeth associated with the agitation chamber; and rotational chamber teeth associated with the rotational motion chamber, wherein the agitation chamber teeth and the rotational chamber teeth are configured to be disengaged in the first state, wherein the agitation chamber teeth and the rotational chamber teeth are configured to be engaged in the second state.

2 . The laundry system of claim 1 , further comprising a flow assembly configured to provide access to an inner volume of the agitation chamber, wherein the flow assembly includes:
a nozzle, wherein the nozzle extends from the inner volume of the agitation chamber beyond the outside of the rotational chamber; and a housing configured to seal around the nozzle allowing the actuation chamber to axially and rotationally move while retaining the seal, wherein the nozzle remains sealed when the agitation chamber is actuating linearly in the first state and when the rotational motion chamber is actuating rotationally in the second state.

3 . The laundry system of claim 1 , further including a bellows disposed between the agitation chamber and the rotational motion chamber to provide a barrier to prevent debris from entering between the agitation chamber and the rotational motion chamber.

4 . The laundry system of claim 1 , wherein the agitation chamber teeth and the rotational chamber teeth are arranged in one or more rings.

5 . The laundry system of claim 1 , wherein the agitation chamber teeth are disposed on an outer surface of the agitation chamber at an axial end, and the rotational chamber teeth are disposed on an inner surface of the rotational motion chamber in a position to compliment the agitation chamber teeth.

6 . The laundry system of claim 5 , further comprising a drive shaft connected to the agitation chamber to allow linear actuation of the agitation chamber within the rotational motion chamber.

7 . The laundry system of claim 6 , further comprising a linear motion handle, wherein the linear motion handle is rotatably mounted to the drive shaft, wherein the linear motion handle includes a bearing, wherein the bearing is configured to allow the agitation chamber to rotate while the linear motion handle remains rotationally stationary.

8 . The laundry system of claim 7 , further comprising a transmission assembly comprising linear motion hardware configured to connect to the linear motion handle, wherein the transmission assembly includes rotational motion hardware configured to connect to the rotational motion chamber, wherein the transmission assembly is configured to provide oscillating linear motion via the linear motion hardware to the agitation chamber in the first state and rotational motion to the rotational motion chamber via the rotational motion hardware in the second state.

9 . The laundry system of claim 8 , wherein the transmission assembly is configured to position the agitation chamber to the second state to engage the agitation chamber teeth with the rotational chamber teeth.

10 . The laundry system of claim 8 , wherein the rotational motion hardware is a gearbox, wherein the gearbox is driven by a motor.

11 . The laundry system of claim 9 , wherein the transmission assembly is configured to hold the agitation chamber in the second state while rotationally actuating the rotational motion chamber.

12 . The laundry system of claim 1 , wherein the rotational motion chamber is not fluidly connected to the agitation chamber.

Assignees

• Hamilton Sundstrand Corp

Inventors

• Morrison Terrell L
• Mesa Jorge Ramon

Classifications

• D06F21/00 Primary

  Washing machines with receptacles, e.g. perforated, having a rotary movement, e.g. oscillatory movement  (with receptacles serving both for washing and centrifugally separating water from the laundry D06F23/00, D06F25/00; programme control aspects D06F33/00) · CPC title

• D06F13/06

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

• D06F37/40

  for driving the receptacle and an agitator or impeller, e.g. alternatively {(D06F37/304, D06F37/308 take precedence)} · CPC title

• D06F39/08

  Liquid supply or discharge arrangements (supply of soap or other washing agents D06F39/02) · CPC title

• B64G4/00

  Tools specially adapted for use in space · CPC title