Patent Abstract:
An automatic drop washer/dryer is disclosed. The automatic drop washer/dryer includes a dryer unit, a washer unit provided above the dryer unit and at least one gate provided between the dryer unit and the washer unit for closing the dryer unit from the washer unit during a washing cycle and allowing clothing to drop from the washer unit and into the dryer unit after the washing cycle.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to clothes washers and dryers. More particularly, the present invention relates to an automatic drop washer/dryer which includes a washer unit on top of a dryer unit and automatically transfers washed clothes from the washer to the dryer by gravity. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Conventional clothes washers include a washer unit and a dryer unit which are physically separate from each other. Soiled clothing is initially washed in the washer unit, then manually transferred to the dryer unit and dried. However, much time and effort may be expended in transferring wet clothes from the washer unit to the dryer unit. Therefore, an automatic drop washer/dryer is needed which is capable of washing clothes and then dropping the clothes into the dryer for drying of the clothes. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is generally directed to an automatic drop washer/dryer. The automatic drop washer/dryer includes a dryer unit, a washer unit provided above the dryer unit and at least one gate provided between the dryer unit and the washer unit for closing the dryer unit from the washer unit during a washing cycle and allowing clothing to drop from the washer unit and into the dryer unit after the washing cycle. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of an illustrative embodiment of the automatic drop washer/dryer according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a sectional view, taken along section lines  2 - 2  in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a sectional view, taken along section lines  3 - 3  in  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a sectional view, taken along section lines  4 - 4  in  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a rear perspective view of a washer drum element of the automatic drop washer/dryer according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 6  is a schematic view illustrating a typical belt and pulley system for facilitating the automatic transfer of washed clothing from the washer unit to the dryer unit of the automatic drop washer/dryer according to the present invention; and 
       FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram illustrating typical operation of the automatic drop washer/dryer. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring to the drawings, an illustrative embodiment of the automatic drop washer/dryer according to the present invention is generally indicated by reference numeral  1 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the automatic drop washer/dryer  1  includes a washer unit  2  which is provided on top of a dryer unit  30 . The washer unit  2  includes a washer cabinet  3  having a rear wall  3   a , a top wall  3   b  and a front wall  3   c , as shown in  FIG. 2 , and side walls  3   d , as shown in  FIG. 1 . Likewise, the dryer unit  30  typically includes a dryer cabinet  31  which may be continuous with the washer cabinet  3 . The dryer cabinet  31  typically includes a rear wall  31   a , a bottom wall  31   b  and a front wall  31   c , as shown in  FIG. 2 , and side walls  31   d , as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 2 , the washer unit  2  includes a drum compartment  4  which occupies the front of the washer cabinet  3  and a motor compartment  5  which occupies the rear of the washer cabinet  3 . A partition  6  separates the drum compartment  4  from the motor compartment  5 . A washer door  7 , fitted with a handle  8 , is pivotally attached to the front wall  3   c  of the washer cabinet  3  via hinges  7   a  and reversibly seals a washer opening (not shown). 
   A generally cylindrical washer drum  10  is rotatably mounted in the drum compartment  4  of the washer cabinet  3 . The washer drum  10  typically includes a rear wall  11  which is disposed adjacent to the partition  6 ; an outer wall  12  extending from the rear wall  11 ; an inner wall  13  which extends from the rear wall  11 , in spaced-apart relationship to the outer wall  12 ; and a gate space  14  between the outer wall  12  and the inner wall  13 . A front wall  15  extends from the outer wall  12  and the inner wall  13 . A drum opening  16 , which is disposed adjacent to the washer door  7 , extends through the front wall  15 . A gate opening  17  extends through both the outer wall  12  and the inner wall  13 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , a pair of generally arcuate, adjacent washer gates  18  (one of which is shown in  FIG. 2 ) is slidably mounted in the gate space  14 . When the washer gates  18  engage each other, as shown in  FIG. 3 , a water-tight seal (not shown) is provided between the washer gates  18 . 
   As further shown in  FIG. 2 , a washer motor  22  is provided on the rear wall  3   a  of the washer cabinet  3 , inside the motor compartment  5 . A motor shaft  23  is drivingly engaged by the washer motor  22  and extends through a shaft opening  6   a  provided in the partition  6  and engages the rear wall  11  of the washer drum  10  to rotate the washer drum  10  in the drum compartment  4 . Although not shown in the drawings, the drum compartment  4  is fitted with water spraying and draining features which may be conventional and are appropriate to facilitate the application of water to clothing (not shown) contained in the washer drum  10  as well as the drainage of water from the washer drum  10  during operation of the automatic drop washer/dryer  1 , which will be hereinafter described. 
   A drum compartment  32  is provided in the front portion of the dryer cabinet  31 , and a motor compartment  33  is provided in the rear portion of the dryer cabinet  31 . A partition  34  separates the drum compartment  32  from the motor compartment  33 . A generally cylindrical dryer drum  38  is rotatably mounted in the motor compartment  33 . The dryer drum  38  typically includes a rear wall  39  which is disposed adjacent to the partition  34 ; an outer wall  40  which extends from the rear wall  39 ; an inner wall  41  which extends from the rear wall  39 , in spaced-apart relationship to the outer wall  40 ; and a door space  42  between the outer wall  40  and the inner wall  41 . A front wall  43  extends from the outer wall  40  and the inner wall  41 , and a drum opening  44  extends through the front wall  43 . A door opening  45  extends through both the outer wall  40  and the inner wall  41 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , a pair of generally arcuate dryer gates  46  (one of which is shown in  FIG. 2 ) is slidably mounted in the door space  42 . When the dryer gates  46  engage each other, as shown in  FIG. 3 , a water-tight seal (not shown) is provided between the dryer gates  46 . A dryer door  35 , which may be fitted with a window  36  and a door handle  37 , is pivotally mounted on the front wall  31   c  of the dryer cabinet  31  via hinges  35   a.    
   As further shown in  FIG. 2 , a dryer motor  47  is provided on the rear wall  31   a  of the dryer cabinet  31 , inside the motor compartment  33 . A motor shaft  48  is drivingly engaged by the dryer motor  47  and extends through a shaft opening  34   a  provided in the partition  34  and engages the rear wall  39  of the dryer drum  38  to rotate the dryer drum  38  in the drum compartment  32 . Although not shown in the drawings, the drum compartment  32  is fitted with air heating and blowing features which may be conventional and are appropriate to facilitate the application of heated air to clothing (not shown) contained in the dryer drum  38  as well as the evacuation of moisture from the dryer drum  38  during operation of the automatic drop washer/dryer  1 , which will be hereinafter described. 
   As shown in  FIG. 3 , a pair of dividing walls  50  extends between the front wall  3   c  of the washer cabinet  3  and the partition  6  and the front wall  3   c  and the partition  34 . A gate space  52  is defined between the dividing walls  50 , and a drop slot  51  extends through the dividing walls  50 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , a pair of generally arcuate main gates  56  (one of which is shown in  FIG. 2 ) is slidably mounted in the gate space  52 . When the main gates  56  engage each other, as shown in  FIG. 3 , a water-tight seal (not shown) is provided between the main gates  56 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 6 , a gate drive motor  60  is provided on the washer cabinet  3 , inside the motor compartment  5  of the washer cabinet  3  or the motor compartment  33  of the dryer cabinet  31 . A motor shaft  61  is drivingly engaged by the gate drive motor  60 . A pair of shafts  64  (one of which is shown) further extends from the rear wall  3   a , through the partition  6  and further through an arcuate slot  11   a  provided in the rear wall  11  of the washer drum  10 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . Each shaft  64  engages a corresponding main gate pinion  65  through a drive belt  62 . A generally arcuate main gate rack  66  is provided on each main gate  56  and meshes with the corresponding main gate pinion  65 . A washer gate pinion  67  is provided on each shaft  64  and, in similar fashion, meshes with a generally arcuate dryer gate rack  68  which is provided on the corresponding washer gate  18 . 
   A pair of shafts  74  (one of which is shown in  FIG. 2 ) extends from the rear wall  31   a  of the dryer cabinet  31 , into the motor compartment  33  and through the partition  34 . The drive belt  62  may be trained around a system of pulleys  78 , as shown in  FIG. 6 , each provided on an idle shaft  72  which extends from the rear wall  3   a  and the rear wall  31   a , as shown in  FIG. 2 , and engages each shaft  74  for rotation of each shaft  74 . A dryer gate pinion  75  is provided on each shaft  74 . A generally arcuate dryer gate rack  76  is provided on each dryer gate  46  and meshes with each corresponding dryer gate pinion  75 . Accordingly, by operation of the gate drive motor  60 , the washer gate pinions  67  rotate the respective washer gates  18  between the closed, sealing position shown in  FIG. 3  and the open position shown in  FIG. 4 . Likewise, by operation of the gate drive motor  60 , the dryer gate pinions  75  rotate the respective dryer gates  46  between the closed position of  FIG. 3  and the open position of  FIG. 4  and the main gate pinions  65  rotate the respective main gates  56  between the closed position of  FIG. 3  and the open position of  FIG. 4 . 
   Referring next to  FIG. 7 , a washer drum rotary sensor  83 , a dryer drum rotary sensor  84  and a gate position sensor  85  are connected to a PLC (programmable logic controller)  82 . The washer drum rotary sensor  83 , the dryer drum rotary sensor  84  and the gate position sensor  85  are positioned in such locations to sense rotation of the washer drum  10 , rotation of the dryer drum  38  and the opened and closed positions of the washer gate  18 , the dryer gate  46  and the main gate  56 , respectively. Accordingly, the PLC  82  is programmed to actuate the washer drum motor  22  to commence a washing cycle of the automatic drop washer/dryer  1 ; stop the washer drum motor  22  and actuate the gate drive motor  60  to open the washer gates  18 , the dryer gates  46  and the main gate  56  upon termination of the washing cycle; actuate the gate drive motor  60  to close the washer gates  18 , the dryer gates  46  and the main gate  56  prior to commencement of the drying cycle; and actuate the dryer drive motor  47  to commence a drying cycle of the automatic drop washer/dryer  1 . 
   In typical operation of the automatic drop washer/dryer  1 , soiled clothing or the like (not shown) is initially placed in the washer drum  10  by opening the washer door  7  and inserting the clothing through the drum opening  16 . Detergent (not shown) is typically placed in the washer drum  10  with the clothing. Next, the washer motor  22  rotates the washer drum  10  as a washing cycle is initiated. As the clothing tumbles in the washer drum  10 , water (not shown) is sprayed into the washer drum  10  to wet the clothing and the detergent. Throughout the washing cycle, the washer gates  18 , the main gates  56  and the dryer gates  46  are maintained in the closed or sealed positions shown in  FIG. 2  to prevent the leakage of water from the washer drum  10  into the dryer drum  38 . 
   After completion of the washing cycle, the water is drained from the washer drum  10  through the water drainage system (not shown). Next, the gate drive motor  60  is operated to slide the washer gates  18 , the main gate  56  and the dryer gates  46  from the closed, sealed position shown in  FIG. 3  to the opened position shown in  FIG. 4 . Consequently, the damp and washed clothing drops from the washer drum  10 , through the drop slot  51  and into the dryer drum  38 . Next, the gate drive motor  60  is operated in the opposite direction to return the washer gates  18 , the main gate  56  and the dryer gates  46  to the closed positions shown in  FIG. 3 . A drying cycle is then initiated as the dryer motor  47  rotates the dryer drum  38 . Simultaneously, air (not shown) is typically heated and introduced into the dryer drum  38 , where the heated air dries the clothing. The resulting moisture is evacuated from the dryer drum  38  through the suitable evacuation system (not shown). After termination of the drying cycle, the washed and dried clothing is removed from the dryer drum  38  typically through the drum opening  44  and the opened dryer door  35 . 
   While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications can be made in the invention and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications which may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 3