Patent ID: 7013683

Claim:
An air circulation-enhancing accessory for a clothes washing machine having an agitator and a spin-dry cycle, the accessory comprising: a) a body having a top and one or more sides, wherein said body is structured to telescopically mount on an upper extremity of the agitator of the clothes washing machine; b) a plurality of vanes attached to said body, said plurality of vanes equidistantly spaced about and extending radially outwardly from said body, wherein each of the vanes of said plurality of vanes includes (1) an inner edge having an upper end and a lower end, (2) an outer edge, and (3) a central portion extending from said inner edge to said outer edge; c) an encircling element having a band-like structure secured to the outer edge of each of the vanes of said plurality of vanes; and d) a cover door on the clothes washing machine, said cover door having a plurality of air flow ports defined therethrough; and e) wherein (1) said central portion of each vane of said plurality of vanes is cupped, and said inner edge and said outer edge of each vane of said plurality of vanes are coplanar, (2) said upper end of each of the vanes of said plurality of vanes leads the respective lower end of each vane of said plurality of vanes in the direction of rotation of the agitator during a spin-dry cycle of the clothes washing machine, (3) the upper end of each vane of said plurality of vanes is offset downwardly from said top of said body, and (4) said plurality of vanes are structured to cause air to be circulated downwardly along the agitator and through the air flow ports of said cover door during a spin-dry cycle of the clothes washing machine.