Patent Publication Number: US-9903059-B2

Title: Laundry treating appliance door with planar window element and baffle for controlling laundry movement

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/549,841, filed Jul. 16, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,469,931, issued Oct. 18, 2016, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/332,754, filed Dec. 21, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,115,461, issued Aug. 25, 2015, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Laundry treating appliances, such as front-loading, horizontal axis clothes washers, typically have doors for accessing the treating chamber at least partially formed by a rotating drum. Such doors may include a cast glass window to enable observation of a laundry load as the appliance is operated. In order to maintain the moving laundry load away from the door and within the treating chamber, the window may be cast with a convex or “bubble” shape extending away from the inner face of the door and somewhat into the treating chamber when the door is closed. The thick, cast glass is typically expensive to manufacture, heavy, and occupies a substantial portion of the treating chamber that could otherwise be used for treating laundry. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one aspect, concepts of the disclosure relate to a baffle for a door assembly of a laundry treating appliance, the baffle comprising: an outer surface; an inner surface, opposing the outer surface, and defining an opening in the baffle; and a downwardly inclined section provided on the inner surface at a lower portion of the baffle to direct liquid and laundry items moving along the inner surface. 
     In another aspect, concepts of the disclosure relate to a door assembly for a laundry treating appliance comprising: a frame defining an opening; a window closing the opening; and a baffle adjacent the window and comprising: an outer surface; an inner surface, opposing the outer surface, and defining an opening in the baffle; and a downwardly inclined section provided on the inner surface at a lower portion of the baffle to direct liquid and laundry items moving along the inner surface 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a laundry treating appliance in the form of a clothes washer having an exemplary door mounting a single planar glass piece and an exemplary adjoining baffle according to one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the door illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a sectional view taken along view line III-III of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a rear elevation view of the door illustrating fluid flow paths along the door and adjoining baffle. 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view similar to  FIG. 3  of an exemplary door having a first planar glass piece adjoining the baffle and a second somewhat convex glass piece defining a front face according to a second embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a laundry treating appliance in the form of a clothes washer  10  according to an embodiment of the invention. While the laundry treating appliance is illustrated as a horizontal axis clothes washer  10 , the laundry treating appliance according to the invention may be any appliance which performs a cycle of operation on laundry, non-limiting examples of which include a vertical axis clothes washer, a combination washing machine and dryer, a tumbling or stationary refreshing/revitalizing machine, an extractor, a non-aqueous washing apparatus, and a revitalizing machine. The clothes washer  10  described herein shares many features of a traditional automatic clothes washer, which will not be described in detail except as necessary for a complete understanding of the invention. Although much of the remainder of this application will focus on the embodiment of an automatic clothes washer  10 , the invention may have utility in other environments, including other cleaning appliances. 
     The clothes washer  10  may include a cabinet  12 , which may be a housing having a chassis and/or a frame, defining an interior enclosing components typically found in a conventional washing machine, such as motors, pumps, fluid lines, controls, sensors, transducers, and the like. Such components will not be described further herein except as necessary for a complete understanding of the invention. 
     A door  14  may be mounted to the cabinet  12  to selectively close an access opening to the interior of a liquid-holding, imperforate tub  16 . The door  14  may be provided with a baffle  80 , as hereinafter described in greater detail, and as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/332,754, filed Dec. 21, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,115,461, issued Aug. 25, 2015, entitled “Door Wash Aid Dispenser For A Laundry Treating Appliance,” which is fully incorporated by reference herein. The tub  16  may be supported within the cabinet  12  by a suitable suspension system (not shown). A drum  18  may be provided within the tub  16  and may have an inner periphery at least partially defining a treating chamber  20  with an open face for receiving fabric, such as laundry to be treated according to a cycle of operation. The drum  18  may be mounted for rotation within the tub  16  and may have perforations that permit the flow of liquid between the drum  18  and the tub  16 . 
     The tub  16  and drum  18  may have aligned openings, which provide access to the treating chamber  20 . The door  14  may be provided to selectively close at least one of the aligned openings to selectively provide access to the treating chamber  20  through the open face of the treating chamber  20 . While the illustrated washing machine  10  includes both the tub  16  and the drum  18 , with the drum  18  defining the treating chamber  20 , it is within the scope of the invention for the clothes washer  10  to include only one receptacle, with the receptacle defining the treating chamber  20  for receiving the laundry load to be treated. 
     At least one lifter  22  may be provided in the drum  18  to facilitate movement of the laundry load within the drum  18  as the drum  18  rotates. The lifter  22  may be provided on the inner periphery of the drum  18 . Multiple lifters  22  may be provided and may optionally be evenly spaced about the inner periphery of the drum  18 . 
     The drum  18  may be coupled with a motor  24  through a drive shaft  26  for selective rotation of the drum  18  during a cycle of operation. It may also be within the scope of the invention for the motor  24  to be coupled with the drive shaft  26  through a drive belt for selective rotation of the drum  18 . The motor  24  may rotate the drum  18  at multiple or variable speeds and in one direction or opposite rotational directions. 
     A liquid supply system  30  may also be included in the clothes washer  10  to supply liquid to the treating chamber  20 . More specifically, liquid, such as water, may be supplied from a liquid source  32 , such as a household water supply, to the clothes washer  10  by operation of at least one control valve controlling the flow of water through a supply or inlet conduit  34 . As shown herein, separate valves  36 ,  38  may control the supply of hot and cold water, respectively, through the inlet conduit  34 . A flow meter  40  may be positioned in the inlet conduit  34  and may have any suitable output representative of the flow of water through it. The inlet conduit  34  may direct the water from the liquid source  32  to the treating chamber  20 , and as an example, the inlet conduit  34  may direct the water into the drum  18 . As shown, the inlet conduit  34  may be coupled with a bellows  42 . 
     The bellows  42  may couple the open face of the tub  16  with a front wall  28  of the cabinet  12 , and the door  14  may seal against the bellows  42  when the door  14  closes against the cabinet  12 . The bellows  42  may be configured with a compliance portion  46 , which is illustrated as a fold that may deform to facilitate relative movement of the tub  16  and the front wall  28 , and sealing of the closed door  14  against the bellows  42 . The open face of the treating chamber  20  may coincide with an open face defined by the bellows  42  where the bellows  42  meets the cabinet  12 . 
     The inlet conduit  34  may comprise a liquid dispenser in the form of a supply nozzle  44 , for example, configured to supply the water into the treating chamber  20  along a flow path in a desired pattern and under a predetermined amount of pressure. For example, the supply nozzle  44  may be configured to supply a stream of water into the treating chamber  20  by gravity, i.e., a non-pressurized stream. The supply nozzle  44  may be mounted to the bellows  42  and be located in any desired position around the open face of the treating chamber  20 . As an example, the supply nozzle  44  may be located at an uppermost position of the treating chamber  20 , which would correspond to about the 12 o&#39;clock position on the drum  18 , to supply the liquid in a flow path generally downward toward the lowermost position of the treating chamber  20 , which would correspond to about the 6 o&#39;clock position on the drum  18 . 
     Liquid in the treating chamber  20  may flow by gravity to a low portion or sump  50  of the tub  16 . A liquid drain system  52  may be provided for draining liquid from the treating chamber  20 . The liquid drain system  52  may include a drain pump  54  and a drain conduit  56 . The drain pump  54  fluidly couples the sump  50  to the drain conduit  56  such that liquid in the tub  16  may be drained via the drain conduit  56 . The drain conduit  56  may be coupled with a household drain. 
     An optional liquid recirculation system  58  may be provided for recirculating liquid to the treating chamber  20 . As illustrated, the recirculation system  58  includes a recirculation pump  60  and a spray conduit  62 . The recirculation pump  60  may fluidly couple the tub  16  to the spray conduit  62  such that liquid in the tub  16  may be supplied to the spray conduit  62 , where it may be sprayed into the treating chamber  20 . The recirculation pump  60  may be fluidly coupled to the sump  50  of the tub  16 . The spray conduit  62  may direct the liquid from the recirculation pump  60  into the drum  18  in any suitable manner, such as by spraying, dripping, or providing a steady flow of the liquid. While the clothes washer  10  is illustrated as having separate drain and recirculation pumps  54 ,  60 , in an alternative embodiment, the clothes washer  10  may include a single pump configured to selectively drain or recirculate liquid, such as by configuring the pump to rotate in opposite directions, or by providing a suitable valve system. 
     The clothes washer  10  may further include one or more devices for heating the liquid, such as a steam generator and/or a sump heater (not shown). The steam generator may be provided to supply steam to the treating chamber  20 . The sump heater may be used to heat liquid in the sump  50 . Alternatively, the sump heater may be used to heat laundry (not shown), air, the drum  18 , or liquid in the tub  16  to generate steam, in place of or in addition to the steam generator. The steam generator may be used to heat the laundry as part of a cycle of operation, much in the same manner as sump heater, as well as to introduce steam to treat the laundry. 
     A controller  64  may be located within the cabinet  12  for controlling the operation of the clothes washer to implement one or more cycles of operation, which may be stored in a memory of the controller  64 . Examples, without limitation, of cycles of operation include: wash, heavy duty wash, delicate wash, quick wash, refresh, rinse only, and timed wash. A user interface  66  operably coupled to the controller  64  may also be included on the cabinet  12  and may include one or more knobs, switches, displays, and the like for communicating with the user, such as to receive input and provide output. The user may enter many different types of information, including, without limitation, cycle selection and cycle parameters, such as cycle options. During operation of the clothes washer  10 , the controller  64  may be operably coupled with one or more components of the clothes washer  10  for communicating with and controlling the operation of the component to complete a cycle of operation. For example, the controller  64  may be operably coupled with at least the motor  24 , the valves  36 ,  38 , the flow meter  40 , the drain pump  54 , and the recirculation pump  60  to control the operation of these and other components to implement one or more of the cycles of operation. 
     Referring now to the rear perspective view of the exemplary door  14  and adjoining baffle  80  in  FIG. 2 , the door  14  may include a frame  70  surrounding a window  72 . The frame  70  is illustrated in the present embodiment as generally circular to accommodate a corresponding structure (not shown) on the cabinet  12 , but it may be understood that the frame  70  may be any suitable shape, such as elliptical, octagonal, or generally rectangular to cover most or all of the front of the cabinet  12 . The frame  70  may be configured on one side with a hinge mount  74  that may receive a hinge assembly for movably mounting the door  14  to the cabinet  12 , and may support a latch  76  on the opposite side for securing the door  14  to the cabinet  12  in the closed position. 
     The frame  70  may be a single element, or may be a composite including an outer trim element  78  and an inner trim element  79  joined together to form the frame  70 . The trim elements  78 ,  79  may be permanently joined, such as by welding, adhesives, and the like, or joined to enable disassembly of the frame  70  by suitable removable fasteners, such as threaded fasteners, interference fit and press fit fasteners, and the like. The frame  70  may be provided with one or more handles (not shown), including recesses formed in the outer trim element  78  or exterior portion of the frame  70 , for grasping by a user to open and close the door  14 . 
     The window  72  may be generally flat or planar, and substantially translucent or transparent so that a user may view the interior of the treating chamber  20  when the door  14  is closed. In an alternative embodiment, the window  72  may be omitted or opaque. Further, the window  72  may be circular in shape, as illustrated for exemplary purposes, corresponding with the circular shape of the frame  70 . Nevertheless, it is within the scope of the invention for the window  72  to have any suitable areal shape consistent with the shape of the door  14 . 
     The baffle  80  may include a generally annular or “ring-like” wall, and may be associated with a rear side of the door  14 , i.e., the side of the door  14  that faces the treating chamber  20  when the door  14  is closed. The open center of the baffle  80  may be disposed relative to the window  72  to enable viewing through the window  72  and the open center of the baffle  80 . The baffle  80  may extend from the window  72  toward the treating chamber  20  and may be mounted to the window  72 . Alternatively, the baffle  80  may be mounted to the frame  70 , to both the frame  70  and the window  72 , or may be integrally formed with the frame  70  or with the window  72 . The baffle  80  may be sized for receipt within the open face of the bellows  42 , as will be discussed in more detail below. 
     As best seen in the sectional view of  FIG. 3 , the frame  70  may have an outer trim element  78  and an inner trim element  79 . The baffle  80  may have a generally circular perimeter flange  81 , defining a planar rear face  68 , that may enable the window  72  and the baffle perimeter flange  81  to be “sandwiched” between the outer trim element  78  and the inner trim element  79  when joined together. The baffle  80  may be mounted between the outer trim element  78  and inner trim element  79  so that the planar rear face  68  abuts the window  72 . This may enable the window  72  and the baffle  80  to be readily replaced, as necessary, merely by separating the trim elements  78 ,  79 . Alternatively, the inner trim element  79  and baffle  80  may be fabricated as a single element for coupling with the outer trim element  78 . With this configuration, the window  72  may be “sandwiched” therebetween. 
     The baffle  80  may have a front face opposite the planar rear face  68 , and having a varying depth. The baffle  80  may include distinct sections, with each section having a corresponding depth, or the depth may vary continuously around the entire baffle  80 . The exemplary baffle  80  is illustrated in  FIG. 4  with an upper portion  82  having a small constant depth that extends along the upper perimeter of the baffle  80 , between about the “10 o&#39;clock” and “2 o&#39;clock” positions. The baffle  80  may also have a projection  84  at a lower portion with a greater depth such that it may project farther into the treating chamber  20 . The projection  84  may extend along the lower portion of the baffle  80 , between about the “3 o&#39;clock” and “9 o&#39;clock” positions, and may transition to a protrusion  86  having a somewhat greater depth at the lowermost portion of the baffle  80 , i.e. the “6 o&#39;clock” position. It is within the scope of the invention to have a projection  84  without the protrusion  86 , or with a different configuration and depth than that illustrated in the figures. 
     The baffle  80  may include an outer surface  87  and an inner surface  88  having a generally planar, downwardly inclined section  90  at the projection  84 , including the protrusion  86 , as visible in  FIG. 3 . The planar section  90  may function to direct liquid and laundry items moving along the inner surface  88  of the baffle  80  toward the treating chamber  20 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , when the door  14  is closed, the baffle  80  may extend into the treating chamber  20  such that different parts of the baffle  80  may project different distances into the treating chamber  20 , i.e. away from the window  72 . In this configuration, the baffle  80 , particularly the projection  84  and the protrusion  86 , may overlie the compliance portion  46  of the bellows  42  and the rim of the drum  18 . In order to enable movement and sealing, the compliance portion  46  may tend to deform in such a manner as to allow laundry items to enter around and behind the compliance portion  46 . The extension of the baffle  80  over the compliance portion  46  and into the treating chamber  20  may prevent laundry items from becoming entrapped by the bellows  42  between the drum  18  and the door  14  or cabinet  12 . Laundry items may travel downward along the window  72  to the planar section  90  to then slide over and past the bellows  42  into the treating chamber  20 . 
     The baffle  80  may also seal against the bellows  42  by the outer surface  87  abutting the bellows  42  around the circumference of the baffle  80 . The seal between the baffle  80  and the bellows  42  may inhibit the laundry from migrating through the open face of the treating chamber  20 , thereby retaining the laundry load in the treating chamber  20 . It may also form a fluid seal to prevent leakage of treating fluid out of the clothes washer  10  between the door  14  and the cabinet  12 . 
     Laundry items may move along a path defined by the baffle  80  and its varying depth. As the drum  18  rotates during a cycle of operation, laundry items in the treating chamber  20  may travel upward generally circumferentially along the outer wall of the drum  18  on the lifters  22  until, at some point of rotation, the laundry items may move from the lifters  22  to the bottom of the drum  18  in a repeated tumbling action. As illustrated by the arrows labeled “A” in  FIG. 4 , a portion of the laundry load, and to some extent the treating liquid, may move upwardly along an exterior portion of the annular wall, i.e. the outer surface  87 , to the upper portion  82  having the shallowest depth. As the laundry items slide away from the lifters  22 , a portion may cross over the upper portion  82  to the inner surface  88  to fall downwardly along the window  72  and the inner surface  88  to the projection  84 . The planar section  90 , as a result of its downward inclination, may direct the laundry items into the treating chamber  20 . As this occurs, laundry items may be inhibited from contact with the bellows  42 , and possible entry into a channel or space between the cabinet  12  and the bellows  42 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , a second embodiment of the invention is illustrated which may include essentially all the components of the first embodiment, with the exception of a modified frame  102  and an additional outer window  100  at an outer portion of the door  14 . The outer window  100  may be generally flat or planar, and substantially translucent or transparent. Alternatively, the window  100  may be opaque, and may be convex. The frame  102  may include an outer trim element  92  and an inner trim element  94  separated by a spacer ring  96 . A circumferential glass channel  98  may be provided between the outer trim element  92  and the spacer ring  96  for holding the window  100  in the frame  102 . The glass channel  98  may be part of the outer trim element  92 , the spacer ring  96 , or both, configured so that the outer window  100  may be “sandwiched” between the outer trim element  92  and the spacer ring  96  when the outer trim element  92  and spacer ring  96  are joined together. Two or more of the outer trim element  92 , inner trim element  94 , and spacer ring  96  may be permanently joined, such as by welding, adhesives, and the like, or joined to enable disassembly of the frame  102  by suitable removable fasteners, such as threaded fasteners, interference fit and press fit fasteners, and the like. 
     Substituting a baffle and a planar glass piece for a known convex cast glass window may provide a savings in costs, since it may be less costly to mold a resin baffle and couple it with a relatively inexpensive piece of plate glass. Furthermore, the weight of the combined resin baffle and plate glass window may be less than the weight of the known convex cast glass window. Consequently, efficiency in the manufacture of the door may be optimized. Replacement of a damaged baffle and/or window may also be less costly than replacement of a convex cast glass window. 
     While the invention has been specifically described in connection with certain specific embodiments thereof, it may be understood that this is by way of illustration and not of limitation, and the scope of the appended claims should be construed as broadly as the prior art will permit.