"TOP LOADING LAUNDRY APPLIANCE"
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to laundry appliances and in particular laundry ap pliances
where the container in which the laundry is placed is presented to the user by being
movable out of the laundry appliance cabinet.
BACKGROUND ART
Many laundry washing machines are front loading. This means users must bend
over to load and unload the machines. A similar situation exists for many clothes dryers
of the tumble type.
It is known to provide dishwashers with a sliding drawer arrangement whereby the
wash system is mounted within the cabinet in such a manner in which it may be
withdrawn horizontally out of the cabinet to permit access to an open top to load and
unload dishes. Half height dishwashers of this type may be mounted so that they may be
loaded at kitchen bench height. An example of such a dishwasher can be found in WO
93/12706. Ergonomic factors indicate this broad concept of moving load carrying vessels
out of cabinets may be also useful in other home appliances, particularly but rot solely
appliances for the washing or drying of laundry.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a laundry appliance
whereby the laundry containing vessel may be moved out of the appliance cabinet for ease
of loading and unloading.
In a first aspect the invention may broadly be said to consist in a laundry appliance
comprising:
(a) a cabinet,
(b) a laundry handling system moveably mounted within said cabin st in such
a manner that it may be withdrawn out of said cabinet for acces s thereto,
said laundry handling system including:
(i) a structure moveably coupled within the interior of said ;abinet in
such a way as to allow at least the upper part of the structure to be
moved outwardly from said cabinet,
(ii) a vessel for accommodating said laundry rotatably supported within
said structure,
(iii) means for rotating said vessel,
(iv) means for introducing fluid into said vessel,
(v) means for evacuating fluid from said vessel, and
(c) a front panel which forms part of said structure and which when the laundry
handling system is retracted closes said cabinet to provide a fluid tight
envelope about said vessel.
In a further aspect the invention may broadly be said to consist in a laundry
appliance comprising:
(a) a cabinet,
(b) a laundry handling system mounted within said cabinet in such a m; inner
that it may be forwardly tilted about a lower portion thereof to project out
of said cabinet for access thereto, said laundry handling system including:
(i) a structure coupled at lower side portions within the interior of said
cabinet in such a way as to allow the structure to revolve outwardly
from said cabinet,
(ii) a vessel which in use contains said laundry rotatably and
transversely mounted within an upper portion of said structure, such
that the axis of said vessel is orthogonal to the direction of travel of
said structure;
(iii) means for rotating said vessel,
(iv) means for introducing fluid into said vessel,
(v) means for evacuating fluid from said vessel,
(c) a front panel which forms part of said structure and which when the 1 aundry
handling system is retracted closes said cabinet to provide a fluid tight
envelope about said vessel.
The term "fluid", as used above, means wash liquid in the case of washers and air
in the case of driers.
In the preferred embodiments appliances of the present invention, whether washers
or driers, are horizontal axis machines. However, horizontal axis washing machines up
until now have not been well favoured with regard to ergonomics, cycle time, and clothes
capacity. Similar ergonomic problems exist with conventional front loading dryers. To
address the significant issue of ergonomics an 'east-west' mounting of the machine's axis
is adopted together with a moving mechanism co present the clothes vessel to tr e user
upon opening. Entry into the clothes vessel is provided through the wall of the vessel
through a hatch that is slid circumferentially around the vessel before opening.
ACCOMPANYING
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE/DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a cutaway perspective view of a first embodiment of a washing machine
according to the present invention with the cutaway to show a substantial part of the
machine in cross section,
Figure 2 is an exploded view of the washing machine of Figure 1 showhg the
various major parts that go together to form the machine, and
Figures 3a to 3c are diagrammatic cross sectional elevations demonstratiig the
manner in which the laundry handling system emerges from the cabinet.
Figure 4 shows diagrammatically a second form of rocking control for a washing
machine of the present invention;
Figure 5 is a pictorial view of a clothes drier according to the present invention and
corresponds to the view of the washing machine shown in Figure 1,
Figure 6 shows a clothes drier of the present invention stacked on top of a washing
machine of the present invention, and
Figure 7 shows a further embodiment of a washing machine using a sliding crawer
mechanism in place of a tilting/rocking mechanism.
BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
The present invention will be described primarily with reference to a laundry
washing machine although many of the principles are equally applicable to laundry drying
machines as is shown in Figure 5. Figures 1 and 2 show a washing machine 3f the
horizontal axis type, having a perforated drum 1 supported with its axis substantially
horizontal in an "east-west" side-to-side orientation within a cabinet 2. The cabinet 2
includes surfaces which confine wash or rinse liquid leaving the drum within a water tight
enclosure. Some parts of the cabinet structure 2 may be formed together with the liquid
confining surfaces by for example twin-sheet then no forming. In particular the back a. id
side walls of the machine may be formed in tins way.
The laundry handling, system have the drum and many other components in tie
preferred embodiment contained m a tiltable structure 150 to which a front panel 106 is
attached to form a door to the cabinet 2. The laundry handling system is moveable cut
from cabinet 2 as explained later with reference to Figures 3a, 3b and 3c.
The drum i is iotatably supported by bearings 8 at each end which in turn are each
supported by a drum support 6,7. In the embodiment depicted the bearings are axialy
located, externally, on a shaft means 9 protruding from the hub area 10 of the drum encb
11,1 '7. Other axial configurations are equally possible, for example internally located i i a
n ell in the outer face of the hub area of the drum to be located on a shaft protruding ft i >m
the drum support The drum supports 6,7 are shown each as a base supported unit and
fa', e uUf-giaied fon a. which is suited to manufacture by twin sheet thermo forming blow
moulding or the like. Each drum support preferably includes a strengthening rib area 13,11
and a drum accommodating well area 14 as depicted to accommodate the respective drum
end 11. 12 of die drum 1. The drum supports 6, 7 engage with sub-structure 150 by
inlet locking withm complementary surfaces provided in side walls 50, 51. Other less
preferable constructions are possible, such as frameworks formed from individual
members or mechanical suspension systems.
The drum supports each have a bearing support well at the centre of said well area
i 4. i: A flexible bearing mount 17 is located within Lire bearing support well, and it: tui n
[he beating X fits within a boss in the bearing mount 17.
hi the preferred embodiment of the present invention as depicted in Figures : and '!
the drum 1 campuses, in more detail, a perforated metal hoop 22, the pair of ends 114 2
enclosing die eiuh, of the hoop 22 to form a substantially cylindrical chamber, and a pair
of vanes I ! 0 extending between the drum ends. In the preferred form of the invention die
drum is driven only from one end 11 and consequently one purpose of the vanes 110 is to
transmit lotutional torque to the non-driven drum end 12. The vanes also provide
t.i'-^.iiiulma! ugidity to the drum assembly 1. To these ends the vanes 110 aie wide mid
shallow, although they have sufficient depth and internal reinforcing to achieve any
required resistance to buckling due to unbalanced dynamic loads. Preferably the vanes
have a distinct form, including a leading and trailing edge to assist in tumbling the
washing load In the pieterred embodiment the vanes are oriented oppositely in a
rotational direction, so that under rotation in other direction one vane is going forwards
and tlte other backwards. This vane configuration provides further benefits in providing a
user friendly opening into the washing chamber as is described below.
To give access to the inside of the drum I the perforated metal hoop 22 is divided
circumfereniially mto two pieces, a main drum section 34 and a hoop completing hauh
.section 35. In Figure 1 die hatch section is shown in its disconnected and withdrawn
mode, widi die machine prepared ready for opening. In the preferred form of the
invention, die hatch section 35 extends the full width of the metal hoop 22, and is
connected along opposed edges 36,37 thereof to the two free edges 38,39 of the main
(Irani section, "'.'tie hatch section is connected in such a way that it is fully secured to e;ch
e& of the main drum section 34. The latching mechanism may comprise a sliding ba: 40
with a series of hook latches extending therefrom retained inside the looped over edge 36
of the hatch section 35. The series of hook latches is adapted to be engageable in a stries
nl complimentary loops 41 extending from the corresponding edge 38 of the drum main
;-caion 34 upon lateral movement ol the sliding bar 40. The other edge 37 of the hatch
section 35 may be connected to its corresponding edge 39 of the drum mam section 3~ in a
number of broadly different forms depending for example on the manner in which the
hatch section is intended to open.
The washing machine has art electric motor (rotor 44 and stator 45 visible in
figure 2) to effect rotation of the drum during all phases of operation (wash, rinse and
spin dry i. In die preferred form of the washing machine incorporating the pn^eni
the motor is a direct drive inside-out electronically commutated brushless dc motor having
a permanent magnet rotor 44 coupled to one end 11 of the drum 1 and stator 45 coupled
to the drum support 7. One suitable form of motor is described in EP0361775._
As previously stated, in the preferred embodiment of the washing machine
incorporating the invention the drum 1 is supported between a pair of drum supports 6,7,
one at either end thereof. Access to the interior of die drum 1 is provided through a slide
away hatch section 35 in the cylindrical wall 22 of the drum. Accordingly the cabinet 2
of the washing machine is formed to provide access to the drum 1 in a substantially top
loading fashion, rather than the traditional front loading fashion more common to
horizontal axis machines.
It is a feature of the present invention to provide a laundry machine which provides
for ease and convenience of loading and unloading laundry. This is achieved by rr ounting
the "east-west" oriented drum 1 and associated components of the wash system in a
moveable structure which in the preferred embodiment can be tilted out of the laundry
machine cabinet to present the laundry drum 1 and in particular the hatch entry way into
the drum at a convenient height for the user. A preferred form of configuration for
achieving this is shown in Figure 1, with the operation thereof demonstrated in Figures
3a to 3c. Laundry machine cabinet^ 100 formed by a rear wall 102, a top 103, a base 104,
and side walls (not shown) is provided with an open front in which substructure 105 is
mounted. Substructure 105 incorporates supports for rotating drum 109 along with the
motor which drives the drum. A significant and integral part of this substructure is front
wall 106 which closes off the cabinet 100 when the substructure is closed, that is, reiracted
into the cabinet.
Side walls 51 of substructure 105 provide structural support and carry the load of
drum 109 and the laundry load accommodated in the drum. They incorporate the drum
supports 6,7 and their respective side wall members 50, 51. The lower most edges c f side
wall 51 transfer the substructure load to the cabinet base 104. Front panel 106 does not
engage with base 104 and does not play part in weight transference.
The bottom edges 111 of side walls 51 are arcuate in shape to form "roaring"
surfaces which "roll" within tracks 112 provided at each side of base 104. Thus ii use

substructure 105 may be tilted out of cabinet 100 in a rocking motion by applying an
outward force to the top portion front panel 106. The "rocking" surfaces are preferably
configured so that the rolling contact of arcuate surfaces 111 in tracks 112 ensures that for
the major part of the tilt travel of the substructure, the anticipated centre of gravity of the
substructure (including a possible or potential laundry load therein) is substantially
vertically over the point of contact between surfaces 111 and tracks 112. This has some
advantage over a pivoted substructure with a fixed pivot axis which requires either the
user or additional componentary to bear some of the load when substructure 105 is tilted
outwards.
To ensure that rocking surfaces 111 on each side of the substructure 105 track
correctly and in lateral alignment along the base tracks 112 side walls 51 have rack teeth
formed near the edges 111 and have a centre line which has the same curvature as rocking
surfaces 111. These rack formations engage with a corresponding straight horizontal rack
(shown in broken line 120 in Figure 3) fixed to the side walls of cabinet 100 in the vie inity
of base 104.
The "rocking" surfaces 111 may be substantially arcuate surfaces having the centre
of gravity of the substructure 105 as their centre of curvature, such that in a steady state
the centre of gravity should by its nature remain vertically above the contact between the
surface 111 and the track 112. Deformations in the arcuate "rocking" surfaces 111 nay
be provided to produce "resistance" positions. For example a region 130 njav be adjacent
the forwardmost end of the "rocking" tracks where the contact surface of the rocker is non
tangential with respect to the anticipated centre of gravity, the radius to points fur:her
forward reducing. In this way, as the substructure 105 rolls out of the cabinet 100, and the
point of contact of "rocking" surface 111 moves past transition point 131 the anticipsted
centre of gravity 133 will move forward of the contact point and the substructure 105 will
become biased into an open position, where further opening can be restrained for example
by an engagement between sides of the substructure 105 and sides of the cabinet 10C.
Similarly toward the back of the "rocking" surfaces Ilia flat region 133 may be
provided. This flat region 133 may be horizontal, and engaging track 112 when ihe
substructure 105 is in a closed position, and may extend forwards to a transition point 134
w inch lies j ust forward of the anticipated centre of gravity when the substructure 105 is in
a closed position. The transition point 134 forms the effective contact point of the rocker
surface in rhis configuration, and being forward of the centre of gravity this biases tie
.-.: J^tructure 105 to a cloyed position.
In addition, one or more further flat sections 135 may be provided on the rocking
sui faces to provide intermediate "resistance'' positions of the substructure 105. such as tie
position depicted m Figure 3b. where the anticipated centre of gravity is vertically over a
portion along the fiat surface with the flat surface flat against the track 112. The
provision of such intermediate resistance positions allows the tillable sub-structure to be
opened in discrete steps which may find favour with many users.
In a second embodiment shown in Figure 4, instead of arranging the locksr
geometry in relation to the centre of gravity of the sub-structure 105 to ensure the centre
•:A pi avity is vertically above the point of contact between rocker 111 and track 112 and
tiierehy provide for easy opening and closing by a user, a spring damper 140 is pivotally
¦. oapled between the sub structure and the washing cabinet 100. In this case the centre of
g;a^- its of the sub structure can be displaced outwardly from the point of contact between
rocker 11. i and track 112 with the tilting force thus produced resisted by the spring damp ;r
130 to allow comfortable handling by a user even when the drum 1 is carrying a wa. h
load.
In a less preferred form each of the drum supports is formed to incorporate a pivot
point on what may be considered the foot or the front corner thereof. The drum support
arc joined to ?.n lime: door member which extends there between and itself mcoipuran:s
the from section of the drum surround, to thereby form a unit which carries die drum mci
iIiac motor, ami is pivotally connected to the base of the washer, at the bottom edte
llH.-rt.-of. In use the usei would pivot out the sub structure in a manner akin to a tilt out
draw er. to present the opened drum for loading or unloading of laundry.
The tillable- unit meoiporates one or more liquid collection sumps at the lower end
theieof, wlncit collect runoff liquid from different areas of the surfaces enclosing tie
drum. With the arrangement shown there is no need for a fully sealed drum enclosure
The drum is in effect surrounded by a baffle has a rear wall portion 114, a top \\a.j
portion 115, and a front wail portion 116 carried by the tilt out unit with the front wall
portion extending down and rearwardly to an edge 117 to underlap rib 117 of the back
wall portion. One or more liquid collection sumps generally indicated as 108 (Figure 1)
hie formed m the fiont wall portion adjacent the underlapping edge thereof. In use liquid
rating the drum through the perforations in the wall thereof drains down the front or rear
wall p>. trtiuiLS and collects in the sump 108. The sump has an outlet to which water within
the sump diams. A pump is connected to the outlet, in the preferred embodiment being
located directly oeknv the outlet, to operate at the direction of the control processor.
in (he preferred form of machine incorporating the present invention the wash
liquid is parsed directly into drum I, through inlets disposed in one or both of the drum
ends 11. 12. The shaft extending from each drum end, and over which the drum
supporting bearing is fitted, preferably has a bore therethrough. Pressurised wash liquid
is supplied to the chum interior through this bore.
Operation of die machine is controlled, as already alluded to, by a central
microprocessor which controls water valves, pumps and of the motor in accordance will>
programs residing within its memory, with user settings at a macro level and with signals
from the out of balance, transducers and indications from the various motor loads, at a
micro level. Physically the microprocessor is preferably located in an isolated anc
eriviioiurient-prooted compartment mounted in the tiltable unit, between the front panel
100 and die inner front wall 151 of the tiltable structure 150. This places it in clost
proximity with nearly all of the items that it connects to. User settings are preferably
made on a control pad. which is mounted on or adjacent the top edge of front panel I Of:
together with a corresponding display
In use the washing operation begins widi the delivery to the interior of the diuiu o:
a load of washing to be washed. Opening of the drum hatch is accomplishes
automatically piior to usei access to the drum. In particular the machine has a doo
latching means associated with the tiltable unit which restricts the ability to open the
tillable umt Activation of the latch is intended to be accomplished by user activation of a
touch control. It may however be by direct user actuation of the latch, in which case a
&cuftor must delect when die latch is beiny;. operated. Preferably rotation ofdiv drum 1 to a
a preferred opening position and opening of the drum hatch 35 is accomplished before the
latch is fully released, so that on tilting out the tiltable unit 105 the contents of the drum
are presented to the user. Therefore, as soon as delatching of the door is requested by the
user, any operation currently in progress (for example spin or wash cycle) is terminated
and drum 1 is brought substantially to rest at a position where the hatch section 3 5 may
be opened. The sliding bar mechanism 40 of the hatch latch is drawn back to release the
connection between edge 36 of the hatch section and corresponding edge 38 of the main
drum section 34. With the hatch 35 retrained in that position drum 1 is then rotated
clockwise in Figure 1 to create the necessary opening, with the hatch section 35 lying
about the outside of the main drum section 34 occurs. The drum is now in its open
configuration (this is shown in Figure 1) and delatching of the door to allow the user to
open the door and access the interior of the drum as indicated in Figures 3b and 3c. The
drum is locked in this position against rotation and remains in this condition until th