Air flow in a washing machine appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9416475-B2
Application number	US-201313850658-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 26, 2013
Priority date	Mar 26, 2013
Publication date	Aug 16, 2016
Grant date	Aug 16, 2016

Abstract

A washing machine appliance is provided having one or more features to improve the airflow in the washing machine appliance during a spin cycle and/or an overnight drying cycle. The appliance uses one or more one way valves in an inlet duct and/or an exhaust duct to direct the airflow through the washing machine appliance during spin cycles. Additionally, or alternatively, the appliance provides ambient air through an inlet port positioned proximate to an opening in a wash drum and exhausts the air to the ambient through an exhaust port positioned at a rear end of a wash tub.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A washing machine appliance, comprising:
a wash tub;
a wash drum rotatably mounted within said wash tub;
an inlet duct in fluid communication with said wash drum and said wash tub and configured for providing a flow of air to said wash drum and said wash tub;
a one way inlet valve positioned within said inlet duct and moveable between an open position and a closed position, said one way inlet valve configured for only allowing air to flow in a direction through said inlet duct into said wash drum and said wash tub; and
a first exhaust duct in fluid communication with said wash drum and said wash tub and configured for exhausting air from said wash drum and said wash tub;
a one way exhaust valve positioned within said first exhaust duct and moveable between an open and a closed position, said one way exhaust valve configured for only allowing air to flow in a direction from said wash tub and said wash drum out through said first exhaust duct;
wherein said wash drum rotates at or above an RPM THR during a spin cycle of the washing machine appliance, and wherein the one way inlet valve and the one way outlet valve are each configured to move to the open positions when said wash drum rotates at or above the RPM THR due to an increased pressure generated in said wash tub.

2. A washing machine appliance as in claim 1 , wherein said inlet duct provides ambient air to said wash drum and said wash tub and said first exhaust duct exhausts air to ambient air.

3. A washing machine appliance as in claim 1 , wherein said wash drum defines an opening for the receipt of articles to be cleaned, and wherein the appliance further comprises:
an inlet port positioned at the opening of said wash tub, said inlet port in fluid communication with said inlet duct.

4. A washing machine appliance as in claim 3 , wherein said first exhaust port is positioned at a rear end of said wash tub.

5. A washing machine appliance as in claim 4 , further comprising:
a second exhaust port positioned in said wash tub;
a second exhaust duct in fluid communication with said second exhaust port; and
a lint filter positioned in said second exhaust duct.

6. A washing machine appliance as in claim 5 , further comprising a blower, wherein said blower is in fluid communication with one of said air inlet duct or said second air exhaust duct.

7. A washing machine appliance as in claim 6 , wherein said blower is configured to operate when said wash drum rotates at an RPM less than RPM THR .

8. A washing machine appliance as in claim 1 , wherein said wash drum defines an opening for the receipt of articles to be cleaned, and wherein the appliance further comprises as gasket positioned at the opening of said wash drum.

9. A washing machine appliance as in claim 1 , further comprising
a blower, wherein said inlet duct defines an air flowpath from an ambient location to said wash drum and said wash tub independent of the blower, and wherein said first exhaust duct defines an air flowpath from an ambient location to said wash drum and said wash tub independent of the blower.

10. A washing machine appliance as in claim 1 , wherein said wash drum rotates below the RPM THR during an overnight dry cycle, and wherein the one way inlet valve and the one way outlet valve are each configured to move to the closed positions when said wash drum rotates below the RPM THR .

11. A washing machine appliance, comprising:
a wash tub;
a wash drum rotatably mounted within said wash tub, said wash drum defining an opening configured for receiving articles to be washed, dried, or both;
a cylindrically shaped wall extending from said opening and defining a length; and
a plurality of holes along said cylindrically shaped wall configured for allowing a flow of a fluid between said wash drum and said wash tub;
an inlet duct in fluid communication with an inlet port, said inlet port positioned proximate to the opening of said wash drum configured for providing ambient air to said wash drum;
a one way inlet valve positioned within said inlet duct and moveable between an open position and a closed position, said one way inlet valve configured for only allowing air to flow in a direction through said inlet duct into said wash drum and said wash tub;
an exhaust duct in fluid communication with an exhaust port, said exhaust port positioned at a rear end of said wash tub configured for exhausting air from said wash tub, such that at least a portion of the air provided through said inlet port travels the length of said cylindrically shaped wall prior to flowing to said wash tub through said plurality of holes;
a one way exhaust valve positioned within said first exhaust duct and moveable between an open and a closed position, said one way exhaust valve configured for only allowing air to flow in a direction from said wash tub and said wash drum out through said first exhaust duct
wherein said wash drum rotates at or above an RPM THR cycle of the washing machine appliance, and wherein the one way inlet valve and the one way outlet valve are each configured to move to the open positions when said wash drum rotates at or above the RPM THR due to an increased pressure generated in said wash tub.

12. A washing machine appliance as in claim 11 , further comprising a gasket positioned at the opening of said wash drum.

13. A washing machine appliance as in claim 11 , further comprising a door configured for closing off the opening of said wash drum, wherein said door has a arcuate cross-sectional shaped so as to direct air from said inlet port into said wash drum.

14. A washing machine appliance as in claim 11 , further comprising a blower in fluid communication with said inlet port, said exhaust port, or both, wherein said blower is configured for causing an airflow from said inlet port, through said wash drum, to said wash tub, and out through said air exhaust port.

15. A washing machine appliance as in claim 11 , further comprising:
a lint filter positioned in said exhaust duct.

16. A washing machine appliance as in claim 11 , wherein said exhaust port is positioned on a rear wall of said wash tub.

17. A washing machine appliance as in claim 11 , wherein said exhaust port comprises two or more exhaust ports positioned on the rear wall of said wash tub, each exhaust port being in fluid communication with said exhaust duct.

18. A washing machine appliance as in claim 11 , wherein the exhaust port is positioned on a top side of said wash tub at the rear end of said wash tub.

19. A washing machine appliance as in claim 11 , wherein the washing machine appliance is configured for drying washed clothes without an air heater.

20. A washing machine appliance as in claim 11 , wherein the washing machine appliance defines a vertical direction and wherein said exhaust port is positioned vertically above a level that a wash fluid fills said wash tub during a wash cycle.

Assignees

• Gen Electric
• Haier Us Appliance Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Kulkarni Ashutosh

Classifications

• D06F23/02

  and rotating or oscillating about a horizontal axis · 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

• D06F25/00 Primary

  Washing machines with receptacles, e.g. perforated, having a rotary movement, e.g. oscillatory movement, the receptacle serving both for washing and for centrifugally separating water from the laundry and having further drying means, e.g. using hot air  (control of washing or of washing and drying D06F33/00, D06F34/00; domestic laundry dryers D06F58/00) · CPC title