Agitator assembly with scrub brush for a fabric treating appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9903063-B2
Application number	US-201615184418-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 16, 2016
Priority date	Jun 16, 2016
Publication date	Feb 27, 2018
Grant date	Feb 27, 2018

Abstract

A fabric treating appliance having an agitator assembly comprising a base and a tower extending upwardly from the base and terminating in an upper portion with an opening. A centrifugally actuated dispensing cup located within the upper portion and fluidly coupled to the opening. The agitator includes a scrub brush that can be mounted to the upper portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An agitator assembly for a fabric treating appliance comprising:
a base;
a tower extending upwardly from the base and terminating in an upper portion with an opening;
a centrifugally actuated dispensing cup located within the upper portion and fluidly coupled to the opening;
at least one vane provided on at least one of the base and tower;
a perforated scrubbing surface provided on the upper portion and overlying the opening;
a cap releasably mounted to the upper portion and having a scrub brush and a pass through opening; and
wherein when the cap is mounted to the upper portion, the scrub brush confronts the scrubbing surface.

2. The agitator assembly of claim 1 wherein the cap defines a treating chemistry reservoir.

3. The agitator assembly of claim 2 wherein the cap has at least one dispensing opening fluidly coupling the treating chemistry reservoir to the scrub brush.

4. The agitator assembly of claim 3 wherein the cap further comprises a valve selectively opening/closing the dispensing opening.

5. The agitator assembly of claim 4 wherein the cap further comprises a valve actuator selectively actuating the valve.

6. The agitator assembly of claim 5 wherein the valve actuator comprises a button accessible from the exterior of the cap.

7. The agitator assembly of claim 1 wherein the cap is threadably mounted to the upper portion.

8. The agitator assembly of claim 1 wherein when the cap is mounted to the upper portion, the scrub brush is hidden from view from an exterior of the agitator assembly.

9. An agitator assembly for a fabric treating appliance comprising:
a base;
a tower extending upwardly from the base and terminating in an upper end;
at least one vane located on the base;
a cap having a top and a bottom; and
a scrub brush located on the bottom of the cap;
wherein the cap is removably mounted to the tower and when the cap is mounted to the tower, the bottom of the cap confronts the upper end of the tower and the scrub brush is located between the upper end and the bottom and is hidden from view from an exterior of the agitator assembly.

10. The agitator assembly of claim 9 wherein the cap is threadably mounted to the upper end.

11. An agitator assembly for a fabric treating appliance comprising:
a base;
a tower extending upwardly from the base and terminating in an upper end;
at least one vane located on the base;
a scrubbing surface located on the upper end;
a cap removably mounted to the upper end and overlying the scrubbing surface when the cap is mounted to the upper end; and
a scrub brush located on the cap;
whereby when the cap is removed from the upper end, the scrubbing surface is exposed and a fabric item can be placed on the scrubbing surface and scrubbed with the scrub brush.

12. The agitator assembly of claim 11 wherein the scrubbing surface is perforated.

13. The agitator assembly of claim 12 wherein the scrubbing surface comprises a mesh.

14. The agitator assembly of claim 13 further comprising a frame supporting the mesh is in spaced relationship to the upper end.

15. The agitator assembly of claim 11 wherein the upper end comprises a liquid passage located beneath the scrubbing surface.

16. The agitator assembly of claim 11 wherein the scrubbing brush confronts the scrubbing surface when the cap is mounted to the upper end.

17. An agitator assembly for a fabric treating appliance comprising:
a base;
a tower extending upwardly from the base and terminating in an upper end;
at least one vane located on the base;
a cap removably mounted to the upper end;
a scrub brush located on the cap; and
a centrifugally actuated dispensing cup provided in the upper end of the tower.

18. The agitator assembly of claim 17 wherein the cap comprises a pass through opening fluidly coupled to the dispensing cup.

19. An agitator assembly for a fabric treating appliance comprising:
a base;
a tower extending upwardly from the base and terminating in an upper end;
at least one vane located on the base;
a cap removably mounted to the upper end and defining a treating chemistry reservoir; and
a scrub brush located on the cap.

20. The agitator assembly of claim 19 wherein the cap has at least one dispensing opening fluidly coupling the treating chemistry reservoir to the scrub brush.

21. The agitator assembly of claim 20 wherein the cap further comprises a valve selectively opening/closing the dispensing opening.

22. The agitator assembly of claim 21 wherein the cap further comprises a valve actuator selectively actuating the valve.

23. The agitator assembly of claim 22 wherein the valve actuator comprises a button accessible from the exterior of the cap.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Carpenter Scott E
• Lorenz Orrin P
• Luckman Joel A

Classifications

• A46B9/005

  where the brushing material is not made of bristles, e.g. sponge, rubber or paper · CPC title

• A46B11/0062

  Brushes where the reservoir is specifically intended for being refilled when empty · CPC title

• A46B2200/3053

  Clothes brush, i.e. brushes specifically designed for cleaning clothes · CPC title

• D06F39/024 Primary

  mounted on the agitator or the rotating drum; Free body dispensers · CPC title

• D06F13/00

  Washing machines having receptacles, stationary for washing purposes, with agitators therein contacting the articles being washed  (plungers or the like adapted for removable mounting on receptacles D06F5/04) · CPC title