Abstract:
A combined washer and dryer that automatically moves laundry from the washer to the dryer thereby allowing the operator to avoid manually moving wet laundry and eliminating a step requiring the operator&#39;s presence. The invention includes an automatic load-feeder that automatically loads laundry into the washer.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to household appliances and, more particularly, to a combined washer and dryer that automatically moves laundry from the washer to the dryer thereby allowing the operator to avoid manually moving wet laundry and eliminating a step requiring the operator&#39;s presence. The invention includes an automatic load-feeder that automatically loads laundry into the washer. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Appliances for performing the tasks of washing and drying laundry are well known in the prior art and to the general public. In general, a washer (or washing machine) is used to wash laundry and a dryer is used to dry laundry. Laundry is loaded into a washer which washes the laundry using water and detergent, and then spin-drys the laundry removing most, but not all, of the water. The laundry is then manually moved to a dryer which drys the laundry by applying warm air as the laundry tumbles inside a rotating drum. 
     The related art teaches combinations in which a washer and dryer are bracketed together, and combinations in which a single drum is used to both wash and dry laundry. Prior art examples of bracketed washer and dryer combinations are provided by U.S. Pat. No. Des. 288,737 to Deatherage et al., U.S. Pat. No. Des. 298,873. to Erickson et al., U.S. Pat. No. Des. 374,521 to Jackovin et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,611,756 to Brucken, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,680,948 to Rummel et al. The patents to Deatherage, Erickson, Jackovin and Brucken disclose combinations in which a washer and dryer are stacked vertically, with the dryer located above the washer, and the patent to Rummel teaches a mounting bracket assembly that facilitates the mounting of a dryer on top of a washer. The primary benefit of vertically stacked combinations is the reduction in required floor space achieved by moving the dryer above the washer. However, none of the combinations disclosed by these patents allows the operator to avoid manually moving wet laundry from a washer to a dryer, or eliminates a step requiring the operator&#39;s presence. 
     Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,154,003 to Muller provides an example of a combination in which a single drum is used to both wash and dry laundry thereby eliminating the need to manually move wet laundry from a washer to a dryer. However, in such a combination, laundry is dried by recirculating air in the drum through a condenser which removes moisture from the air. This method of drying laundry, as the Muller patent recognizes, requires more drying time than simply discharging the moisture-laden air into the atmosphere as done by dryer-only dryers and, therefore, is a disadvantage. 
     Thus, none of the above mentioned patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a combination washer and dryer in which laundry is moved from the washer to the dryer without manual intervention thereby allowing an operator to avoid moving wet laundry and eliminating a step requiring the operator&#39;s presence. Additionally, the invention includes an automated load-feeder mounted on top of the washer which automatically drops a load of laundry into the washer. The load-feeder allows an operator to place one load of laundry in the washer and a second load in the load-feeder. After the first load has been washed and moved to the dryer, the second load is automatically dropped into the washer. The automated load-feeder thereby allows an operator to wash two loads of laundry with just one visit to the laundry room. 
     Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to allow a person to wash and dry a load of laundry without having to move wet laundry from a washer to a dryer. 
     It is another object of the invention to eliminate a step in the laundry cleaning process that requires a person&#39;s presence. By automatically moving laundry from the washer to the dryer, the present invention allows a person to completely wash and dry a load of laundry without having to return to the laundry room and, thereby, allows the person to leave the home during the entire washing and drying process. 
     It is a further object of the invention to allow a person to wash two loads of laundry with just one visit to the laundry room. With the automated load-feeder, two loads of laundry can be loaded at one time—one inside the washer and one in the load-feeder. After the first load has been washed and dropped into the dryer, the load-feeder drops the second load into the washer which then washes the second load. 
     Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes. 
     These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an environmental, perspective view of a combination Washer/dryer according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a partially cut-away perspective view of the combination washer/dryer shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the dryer drum assembly. 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the washer drum assembly. 
     FIG. 5 is a partially cut-away perspective view of the combination washer/dryer showing the washer drum inverted and the dryer drum door open. 
     FIG. 6 is a partially cut-away perspective view of the combination washer/dryer showing the washer drum inverted and the dryer drum door closed. 
     FIG. 7 is a partially cut-away perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a combination washer/dryer. 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of t the dryer drum assembly. 
    
    
     Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a combination washer/dryer  10  according to the present invention. It will be appreciated from the view that the washer  20  and dryer  30  are stacked vertically with the washer  20  on top and that an automatic load-feeder  40  is mounted on top of the washer door  22 . It will also be appreciated from the view that two control panels  11  and  12  are located on the front of the device  10 . The upper control panel has knobs and buttons  11  that control both-the washer  30  and the load-feeder  40  and, similarly, the lower control  12  panel has controls for the dryer  30 . 
     FIG. 2 shows the washer drum assembly  21  located above the dryer drum assembly, and the load-feeder  40  mounted on top of the washer door  22  (FIG.  1 ). When the load-feeder door  42  is opened, laundry falls from the hopper  41 , through an opening  43  in the washer door  22  and into the washer drum  23 . After laundry has been washed, the washer drum  23  is rotated into an inverted position (See FIG. 5) thereby allowing the laundry to fall through a chute  13  and into the dryer drum  31 . A gentle shake cycle, in which the washer drum  23  is rotated clockwise and counterclockwise in short alternating intervals, helps laundry drop from the washer drum  23  into the chute  13 . The chute  13  is tapered from top to bottom to help guide laundry into the dryer drum  31 . Laundry is removed from the dryer through the dryer door  32  which is located on the lower front portion of the device  10 . 
     FIG. 3 illustrates the dryer drum assembly  137 . The dryer drum  31  is cylindrical in shape with a rectangular opening  34  on its side. One end of the dryer drum  31  has a round opening  39  through which laundry can be inserted into or remove from the dryer drum  31 . The round opening lines up with the dryer door  32  (See FIG.  2 ). The other end of the dryer drum  31 , which is open, mates to an inner wall  136  of the device  10 . Warm air is vented into the drum  31  through the wall  136  and moisture-laden air is removed from the drum  31  via a filtered vent  36  located below the dryer door  32  (See FIG.  2 ). A hose  37  carries the moisture-laden air from the filtered vent  36  to the rear of the device  10 . 
     The dryer drum  31  rests on two bearing blocks  38  each with a plurality of bearings  138 . One of the bearing blocks  38  supports the front end of the dryer drum  31  and the other (not shown) supports the rear end. The dryer drum spins freely on the bearings  138  and is rotated by a belt  139  driven by a motor  33  mounted to the frame of the device  10 . 
     To retain laundry in the dryer drum  31  while the dryer drum is rotating, a concave dryer drum door  35  covers the rectangular opening  34 . The dryer drum door  35  rotates partially around the drum  32  to uncover the opening  34  and allow laundry to drop into the dryer drum  31  from the washer drum  23 . The dryer drum door  35  is mounted on a track and is opened and closed by two gear assemblies  131 , one of which is driven by a gear motor  132  mounted on the outside of the dryer drum  31 . When the rectangular opening  34  is positioned under the washer drum  23 , a retractable electrical contact  135  provides power to the gear motor  132  via a conduit  134 . 
     FIG. 4 shows the washer drum assembly  21 . The washer drum  23  is cylindrical in shape with a closed bottom and an open top. The drum  23  is comprised of a water-tight outer drum  124  and a perforated inner drum  123 . An agitating arm  29  is mounted inside the drum. The agitating arm  29  is rotated clockwise and counter-clockwise by a motor  28  and belt  27  assembly, of which the motor  28  is attached to the bottom of the drum  23 . One end of a bearing/axle assembly  24  is attached to opposite sides of the drum. The other end of each bearing/axle assembly  24  is mounted to the frame of the device  10 . A belt  26  driven by a motor  25  rotates the axle portion  126  of one of the bearing/axle assemblies  24  thereby inverting the drum  23 . 
     A chute  13  is positioned below the washer drum  23  to guide laundry into the dryer drum as the laundry falls from the washer drum  23 . The chute  13  is rectangular in shape with sides that taper inward from top to bottom. 
     The washer drum  23  has a water supply hose  122  which fills the drum  23  with water, and a drain hose  121  through which water is drained from the drum  23  after each wash or rinse cycle. 
     FIG. 5 shows the washer drum  23  inverted and the dryer drum door  35  open. When inverted, the washer drum  23  drops washed laundry through the chute  13  and into the dryer drum  31 . 
     To receive laundry from the washer drum  23 , the dryer drum  31  is positioned with its opening  34  under the chute  13  and with its door  35  in the open position. 
     The load-feeder  40  is mounted on top of the washer door  22 . The load-feeder door  42  is on a track and is opened and closed by two gear assemblies  44  one of which is driven by motor  45  mounted on the washer door  22 . When the load-feeder door  42  is opened laundry drops from the load-feeder hopper  41  through the opening in the washer door  43  and into the washer drum  23  (See FIG.  2 ). 
     FIG. 6 shows the washer drum  23  inverted and the dryer drum door  35  closed. FIG. 6 is identical to FIG. 5 except that the dryer drum door  35  is closed. 
     FIG. 7 depicts an alternative embodiment of a combination washer/dryer. The alternative embodiment  80  differs from the preferred embodiment in that the dryer drum assembly  61 , described in detail below, runs from side to side as opposed to front to back. 
     FIG. 8 shows an alternative embodiment of the dryer drum assembly  61 . The dryer drum  62  is cylindrical in shape with two closed ends and a rectangular opening  64  on its side. One end of a bored bearing/axle assembly  65  is attached to each end of the drum  62  such that the bores open into the dryer drum  62 . The other end of each bearing/axle assembly  65  is mounted to the frame of the device  80  via a mounting plate  165  (shown on only one of the bearing/axle assemblies) thereby supporting the drum and allowing it to rotate freely. A belt  67  driven by a motor  66  rotates the axle portion  68  of one of the bearing/axle assemblies  65 , thereby rotating the dryer drum  62 . The motor  66  is also mounted to the frame of the device  80 . Similar to that of a conventional dryer, the dryer drum  62  rotates on a horizontal axis. However, unlike a conventional dryer, the dryer drum  32  rotates from front to back as opposed to side to side. 
     A concave dryer drum door  63  covers the opening  64  in the drum  62  to retain laundry while drying. The drum door  63  rotates partially around the drum  62  to uncover the opening  64  and allows laundry to be dropped into and removed from the drum  62 . The dryer drum door  35  is mounted to the bearing/axles assemblies  65  via sleeves that ride on the axles. A motor  69 , mounted on one end of the drum  62 , drives a belt  161  that rotates one of the sleeves thereby rotating the sliding door  63  into either an open or closed position. 
     Warm air is supplied to the dryer drum  62  via a hose  162  attached to the distal opening in one of the bored bearing/axle assemblies  65 . Moisture-laden air is removed from the dryer drum  62  via a second hose  164  attached to the distal opening of the other bored bearing/axle assembly. Moisture-laden air passes through an air filter  163  before as it is removed from the dryer drum  62 . 
     It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.