Patent ID: 6116060
Filing Date: 2000-09-12
Classification: D06F

Abstract:
A washer and dryer combination comprising, in combination:a housing including an angled top face, a bottom face, and a rectangular side wall coupled therebetween to define an interior space, the top face having a normal axis which forms about a 30 degree angle with the vertical, a rectangular recess formed in the top face, a circular opening formed in a central extent of the recess for allowing access to the interior space, and a lid pivotally connected to the top face for selectively closing the top opening, the housing further including an upper inner wall coupled to the side wall below and in parallel with the top face of the housing with an opening coincident with the opening of the top face, wherein an inwardly tapering frusto-conical connector wall is coupled between the top face and the upper inner wall for interconnection of the openings, and a fixed casing, the fixed casing having an open upper end connected to the upper inner wall, a closed bottom end and a cylindrical peripheral wall positioned therebetween and being positioned about the normal axis;a rotating basin with a hemispherical bottom portion, a cylindrical intermediate portion and a frusto-conical top portion having an opening rotatably mounted to the upper inner wall, the bottom portion and the intermediate portion of the rotating basin having a plurality of apertures formed therein for allowing fluidic communication with an interior of the fixed casing, the rotating basin further having a plurality of agitator strips each coupled along an inner surface of the rotating basin and extending from a center of the bottom portion of the rotating basin to a central extent of the intermediate portion, wherein the agitator strips each have a serpentine configuration;a rotation motor mounted to the bottom face of the housing below the fixed casing with a rotor extending through the fixed casing and coupled to the rotating basin for rotating the same upon the actuation thereof;a hot air generation assembly including a blower mounted on the bottom face of the housing adjacent the peripheral side wall with a vertically oriented delivery tube connected between the blower and an upper extent of the fixed casing for delivering hot air thereinto upon the actuation thereof;an exhaust mechanism including an exhaust tube connected between a slot formed in the connector wall and a port mounted on the rear face of the housing, a filter unit including an inwardly tapering frusto-conical module mounted on an underside of the lid of the housing for being inserted within the opening of the top face of the housing when the lid is closed, the module having a lower face with a matrix of bores formed therein and a periphery with an opening formed therein for communicating with the slot of the connector wall of the housing when the lid is closed for allowing air to pass through a filter positioned within the module and out the exhaust port;a water delivery assembly including an inlet conduit connected between the upper extent of the fixed casing opposite the delivery tube of the hot air assembly and the rear face of the housing for connection with a water source with a valve positioned therebetween for allowing the flow of water to the fixed casing upon the actuation thereof;a water expelling mechanism including a pump mounted on the bottom face of the housing and connected to a lower end of the fixed casing and a water outlet port for pumping water from the fixed casing to the water outlet port upon the actuation thereof; anda control panel positioned on the top face of the housing along the rear face thereof, the control panel including a keypad and a display for selectively actuating the rotation motor, the blower of the hot air generation assembly, the valve of the water delivery assembly, and the pump of the water expelling mechanism.