Abstract: A linear compressor comprising a cylinder part including a cylinder bore. A piston disposed in, and is slidable within, the bore. A main spring connects the cylinder part directly or indirectly to the piston. A connecting rod connects between the main spring and the piston. A stator has an air gap, and the connecting rod passes through the air gap. At least one armature pole is located along the connecting rod.

Abstract: A laundry machine has a tub and a spin basket in said tub. A drive assembly includes a shaft and agitator. The shaft passes through a wall of the spin basket. The agitator is located within the spin basket. A lost motion clutch is physically located in the tub. The lost motion clutch interconnects between the drive assembly and the spin basket and absorbs greater than one revolution of relative rotation.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a linear compressor includes measures to account for possible variations in manufacture of the spring connecting between a cylinder part and a piston part. In the method, the piston is located at a predetermined axial position in the bore of the cylinder of the compressor. A spring that is connected with the cylinder part is extended so that a piston connection point of the spring is at a position based on a predetermined displacement of the spring or a position in which the spring exerts a predetermined reaction force. In this position, this piston and the spring connection point are thus separated by a distance that depends on the actual formed dimension of the individual spring. The piston and the piston connection point are subsequently joined to have a rigid axial separation that is fixed according to the separation attained in these steps.

Abstract: A laundry machine drum has a sheet material skin including an arrangement of a plurality of perforations therethrough. Each of one or more of the perforations includes a shear cut in the sheet material. The sheet is deformed in the region of the shear cut such that the edge of the sheet material of one side of the shear cut is offset from the edge of the sheet material of the other side of the shear cut over at least some of the length of the shear cut. An opening is formed between the offset edges. The apparent area of the opening is greater when viewed from at least one direction substantially parallel to the general plane of the drum skin in the region of the perforation than when viewed from a direction substantially perpendicular to the general plane of the drum skin in the region of the perforation.

Abstract: A laundry washing machine has a cabinet 2 and a drum 1 suspended within the cabinet for rotation about a horizontal axis. The drum 1 includes a pair of drum ends with a pair of vanes 110, 111 extending between the drum ends 11, 12 rigidly connecting the drum ends together. The drum 1 has a substantially cylindrical perforated skin 22 having a main section 34 and a hatch section 35. The main section 34 and hatch section 35 connect along the edges to form the complete drum skin. In an opening operation the drum 1 is opened by disconnecting the edges of the main section 34 and hatch section 35 of the drum skin 22, retaining the hatch section 35 in a fixed position relative to the cabinet 2 and rotating the drum 1 such that the main section 34 of the drum skin 22 moves apart from the hatch section 35 to provide an opening into the drum. The opening is provided in conjunction with an opening into the cabinet, normally closed by a lockable lid 4.

Abstract: A method of operating a horizontal axis laundry machine through a drum opening operation is provided. The laundry machine includes a cabinet and a drum mounted in the cabinet. The drum has a drum skin including a cover section and a remainder. An edge of the cover section is connected to an edge of the remainder by an interengaging latch member. The method includes the steps of rotating the drum until the drum skin is in a first set position relative to the cabinet, engaging the cover section to retain the position thereof relative to the cabinet while engaged, sliding the latch member to release the cover section edge from the remaining drum section edge, rotating the drum to a second set position with the cover section engaged to leave an opening into the drum, and allowing opening of the cabinet to provide access to the opening.

Abstract: A laundry washing machine has a cabinet 2 and a drum 1 suspended within the cabinet for rotation about a horizontal axis. The drum 1 includes a pair of drum ends with a pair of vanes 110, 111 extending between the drum ends 11, 12 rigidly connecting the drum ends together. The drum 1 has a substantially cylindrical perforated skin 22 having a main section 34 and a hatch section 35. The main section 34 and hatch section 35 connect along the edges to form the complete drum skin.

Abstract: A laundry appliance such as a washing machine (2, 300) or a clothes drier (200) where user access to the clothes containing vessel (1, 201, 301) is facilitated by supporting the vessel in a structure (105, 205, 305) which may be tilted or slid out of the front of the appliance cabinet. When the structure is withdrawn from the cabinet the vessel hatch (35) is accessed substantially from the top. The vessel is preferably mounted with its axis horizontal and oriented in a side to side or “east-west” direction. The appliance motor (44/45, 210) control system sets the rotational position of the clothes vessel (1, 201, 301) so that when the structure (105, 205, 305) is withdrawn from the cabinet the hatchway is upper most. The hatch (35) is slid back to allow access to the vessel interior as part of the rotational positioning process.

Abstract: A laundry machine drum has a sheet material skin including an arrangement of a plurality of perforations therethrough. Each of one or more of the perforations includes a shear cut in the sheet material. The sheet is deformed in the region of the shear cut such that the edge of the sheet material of one side of the shear cut is offset from the edge of the sheet material of the other side of the shear cut over at least some of the length of the shear cut. An opening is formed between the offset edges. The apparent area of the opening is greater when viewed from at least one direction substantially parallel to the general plane of the drum skin in the region of the perforation than when viewed from a direction substantially perpendicular to the general plane of the drum skin in the region of the perforation.

Abstract: A laundry washing machine has a cabinet 2 and a drum 1 suspended within the cabinet for rotation about a horizontal axis. The drum 1 includes a pair of drum ends with a pair of vanes 110, 111 extending between the drum ends 11, 12 rigidly connecting the drum ends together. The drum 1 has a substantially cylindrical perforated skin 22 having a main section 34 and a hatch section 35. The main section 34 and hatch section 35 connect along the edges to form the complete drum skin.

Abstract: A laundry washing machine has a cabinet 2 and a drum 1 suspended within the cabinet for rotation about a horizontal axis. The drum 1 includes a pair of drum ends with a pair of vanes 110, 111 extending between the drum ends 11, 12 rigidly connecting the drum ends together. The drum 1 has a substantially cylindrical perforated skin 22 having a main section 34 and a hatch section 35. The main section 34 and hatch section 35 connect along the edges to form the complete drum skin. In an opening operation the drum 1 is opened by disconnecting the edges of the main section 34 and hatch section 35 of the drum skin 22, retaining the hatch section 35 in a fixed position relative to the cabinet 2 and rotating the drum 1 such that the main section 34 of the drum skin 22 moves apart from the hatch section 35 to provide an opening into the drum. The opening is provided in conjunction with an opening into the cabinet, normally closed by a lockable lid 4.