Washing machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016177487-A1
Application number	US-201414574461-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 18, 2014
Priority date	Dec 18, 2014
Publication date	Jun 23, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A laundry treating appliance configured to treat laundry according to a treating cycle of operation includes a chassis defining an interior and a tub located within the interior and statically mounted to the chassis, with the tub defining a liquid chamber, and having at least one suspension opening in a side of the tub. A rotatable drum is located within the liquid chamber and rotatable about a horizontal axis. An electric motor having an output shaft is operably coupled to the rotatable drum, wherein rotation of the output shaft effects a rotation of the drum. An exoskeleton is located within the liquid chamber and physically supports the rotatable drum and electric motor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A laundry treating appliance configured to treat laundry according to a treating cycle of operation, comprising:
a chassis defining an interior; a tub located within the interior and statically mounted to the chassis, with the tub defining a liquid chamber, and having at least one suspension opening in a side of the tub; a rotatable drum located within the liquid chamber and rotatable about a horizontal axis; an electric motor having an output shaft operably coupled to the rotatable drum, wherein rotation of the output shaft drives a rotation of the drum; an exoskeleton located within the liquid chamber and physically supporting the rotatable drum and electric motor; and a suspension system located within the interior and having at least one suspension component extending from the interior and into the liquid chamber through the suspension opening and operably coupled to the exoskeleton; wherein the suspension system provides suspension directly to the exoskeleton to indirectly provide suspension for the rotatable drum and electric motor.

2 . The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the exoskeleton comprises a rear support located adjacent a rear of the drum and to which at least one of the electric motor or rotatable drum is directly mounted.

3 . The laundry treating appliance of claim 2 wherein the at least one suspension component is coupled to the rear support.

4 . The laundry treating appliance of claim 2 wherein the exoskeleton further comprises a front support located adjacent a front of the drum.

5 . The laundry treating appliance of claim 4 wherein the at least one suspension component is coupled to at least one of the front or rear supports.

6 . The laundry treating appliance of claim 5 further comprising at least two suspension components, with one of the at least two suspension components coupled to the front support and the other of the at least two suspension components is coupled to the rear support.

7 . The laundry treating appliance of claim 4 wherein the exoskeleton further comprises at least one stringer extending between the front and rear supports.

8 . The laundry treating appliance of claim 7 wherein the at least one suspension component is coupled to at least one of the front support, rear support, or stringer.

9 . The laundry treating appliance of claim 7 further comprising multiple stringers extending between the front and rear supports.

10 . The laundry treating appliance of claim 9 wherein the rear support comprises a bearing mount defining a shaft passage and a motor mount, wherein the electric motor is mounted to the motor mount such that the output shaft extends through the shaft passage.

11 . The laundry treating appliance of claim 10 wherein the electric motor is on one side of the rear support and the drum is on an opposing side of the rear support.

12 . The laundry treating appliance of claim 9 wherein the front support comprises a counter weight.

13 . The laundry treating appliance of claim 9 wherein at least a portion of the front support is axially in front of an open front of the drum.

14 . The laundry treating appliance of claim 9 wherein the front support is not coupled to the drum.

15 . The laundry treating appliance of claim 9 wherein the chassis comprises panels.

16 . The laundry treating appliance of claim 15 wherein at least a portion of the tub is either mounted to at least a portion of the panels or integrally formed with the panels.

17 . The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 further comprising a liquid dam at least retarding a flow of liquid from the liquid chamber through the suspension opening.

18 . The laundry treating appliance of claim 17 wherein the liquid dam comprises a seal between the at least one suspension component and the tub.

19 . The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the at least one suspension component comprises at least one of a damper, strut, or spring.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Erickson Donald E
• Malheiros George W
• Miller Christoph J

Classifications

• D06F37/22

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

• D06F37/268 Primary

  for suspension devices · CPC title

• D06F37/267

  Tubs specially adapted for mounting thereto components or devices not provided for in preceding subgroups (D06F37/206 takes precedence) · CPC title

• D06F37/265

  Counterweights mounted to the tub; Mountings therefor · CPC title

• D06F37/206

  Mounting of motor · CPC title