Door For A Washing Appliance

Abstract

A door assembly for an appliance such as a washer, washer/dryer combo or the like has a door assembly to close off an opening into the housing unit. The door assembly includes an outer door and an inner door. The inner door seals the door assembly with a tub and drum assembly inside the housing unit. The inner door includes a mating contour associated with a corresponding contour of the tub and drum opening.

Description

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a door assembly for an appliance such as a washer, washer/dryer combo and, more particularly, to a door assembly including an inner and outer door.

BACKGROUND

In existing washers and washer/dryer combo machines, there is a problem with accumulation of lint and detergent along the bellows seal. The bellows is a seal between the door and the movable tub and drum assembly. The bellows is subjected to lint and detergent and both accumulate on the bellows. Thus, the bellows has a tendency to wear out due to the accumulation. Also, in some type of commercial washers, the door is attached to tub. Thus, the door moves with the suspension of the tub and drum assembly. This is not ideal for customers since the door will be moving with the suspension; however, it does eliminate the need for a bellow.

Accordingly, it is an object of the disclosure to provide a door that eliminates the bellows seal between the door and the tub and drum assembly. The present disclosure provides a door assembly with an inner and outer door to enable elimination of the bellows seal. The door assembly may include a stationary or floating inner door meshing with a tub opening access configuration.

SUMMARY

According to an object of the disclosure, a door assembly for an appliance, such as a washer, washer/dryer combination or the like comprises a door assembly for a housing unit. The door assembly closes off an opening into the housing unit that enables access to the drum and tub assembly. The door assembly includes an outer door and an inner door. The inner door seals the door assembly with the tub and drum assembly inside the housing unit. The inner door includes a mating contour associated with tub and drum assembly opening. The inner door may be stationarily positioned on the tub and drum assembly. Alternatively, the inner door may be floatably positioned with the outer door. A facia is coupled with the tub and drum assembly closing off the tub and providing an opening into the drum. The facia opening has a corresponding mating surface to mesh with the mating surface of the inner door. A flexible coupling secures the outer door with the inner door. The flexible coupling may be an elastomeric sleeve, a spring or a dash pot. An aesthetic membrane is positioned between the housing unit and the tub blocking access into a space between the housing unit and the tub.

According to an additional object of the disclosure, a washer appliance comprises a housing unit or cabinet with an opening enabling access to a drum and tub assembly inside of the housing unit. The door assembly closes off the opening into the housing unit that enables access to the drum and tub assembly. The door assembly includes an outer door and an inner door. The inner door seals the door assembly with the tub and drum assembly inside the housing unit. The inner door includes a mating contour associated with tub and drum assembly opening. The inner door may be stationarily positioned on the tub and drum assembly. Alternatively, the inner door may be floatably positioned with the outer door. A facia is coupled with the tub and drum assembly closing off the tub and providing an opening into the drum. The facia opening has a corresponding mating surface to mesh with the mating surface of the inner door. A flexible coupling secures the outer door with the inner door. The flexible coupling may be an elastomeric sleeve, a spring or a dash pot. An aesthetic membrane is positioned between the housing unit and the tub blocking access into a space between the housing unit and the tub.

Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

DRAWINGS

The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a washing appliance in accordance with the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of FIG. 1 with the door opened.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross-section view of FIG. 1 along line 4-4.

FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the disclosure.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are an additional embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a rear perspective view of the inner door of FIG. 6A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Turning to the figures, a washing appliance, such as washing machine or a combo washer/dryer is illustrated and designated with the reference numeral 10. The machine includes a housing unit 12 that houses a drum and tub assembly 14. A door assembly 16 covers egress into the drum and tub assembly 14. The door assembly 16 includes an outer door 18 and an inner door 20. The outer door 18 secures to the housing unit 12, via a hinge. The outer door 18 includes a catch to enable locking of the outer door 18 with the housing unit 12 during operation. The inner door 20 is stationarily fixed to tub and assembly 14. The inner door 20 includes a seal 22 that provides a thermal seal with the drum and tub assembly 14. The inner door 20 has a stepped configuration 24 in cross-section that enables mating with the drum and tub assembly opening 26. Thus, the contour 24 interacts with the opening 26 to enable sealing of the inner door 20 in the opening 26 to eliminate the need for a bellows seal. The inner door 20 includes a hinge 30 that secures with the tub and drum assembly 14.

The tub and drum assembly 14 includes a ring assembly 40 that defines the opening 26. The ring assembly 40 includes a front ring 42 attached to the tub 44. The front ring 42 is secured, by clamping, welding or the like, to the tub 44. A seal 46 is positioned between the ring 42 and tub 44 to seal the ring 42 with the tub 44. The hinge 30 is secured onto the front ring 42.

The ring assembly 40 includes a facia member 48 that covers the front ring 42. The facia 48 and the front ring 42 define a cavity 54 between the two. The facia includes a contour 50 that defines the opening 26. The contour 50 is stepped to match the inner door contour. A seal 52 is positioned on the facia 48 to provide a watertight seal with the inner door 20. The seal 52 is contacted by one of the steps of the inner door 20 sealing the two to prohibit water from exiting the tub 44 during operation. A catch assembly 60 is also mounted on the front ring 42 to mate with a striker 62 or door hook on the inner door 20 to enable a self-locking of the inner door 20 with the tub and drum assembly. The tub and drum assembly 14 is mounted in the housing unit 12 by conventional elements such as springs, dash pots and the like.

Also, a recirculation inlet 68 passes through the cavity 54 between the facia 40 and the front ring 42. This enables water in the tub 44 to be recirculated during a washing cycle.

Turning to FIGS. 5-7, an additional embodiment is shown.

FIG. 5 illustrates a second embodiment of the disclosure. The references which are the same are identified as such. The housing unit 12 houses a drum and tub assembly 14 and includes a door assembly 16. The door assembly 16 includes an outer door 18 and an inner door 20. The inner door 20 is floatable and held onto the outer door 18.

The inner door 20 may include springs 80 and dash pots 82 securing the inner door with the outer door 18. Also, the inner door 20 includes a contour mating with the contour of the opening 26 of the drum and tub assembly 14. The floating inner door 20 with the springs 80 and dash pots 82 enable the inner door 20 to move with the drum and tub assembly 14 during the washing/drying operations. The inner door 20 is sealed with the drum and tub assembly 14 to prohibit water from exiting the drum and tub assembly. Thus, the spring and dash pots provide a suspension that enables the inner door 20 to bounce with the tub and drum assembly 14 during the washing and if present, drying, cycle while enabling the outside door 18 to remain stationarily positioned on the housing unit. This enables the inner door 20 to seal with the tub and drum assembly 14 during operation.

In an additional design as illustrated in FIGS. 6A and 6B, a flexible elastomeric or rubber sleeve 90 can be substituted for the springs and dash pots. This accordion type sleeve 90 would be strong enough so that it maintains the inner door 20 in its position with respect to the outer door 18. The flexible elastomeric sleeve 90 enables the inner door 20 to hang and move or bounce with the tub and drum assembly 14 during the washing, and if present, drying cycle. The elastomeric sleeve 90 provides the suspension to hold the inner door 20 with respect to the outer door 18. The stiffness of the rubber flexible sleeve 90 may be strong enough to keep the inner door 20 in contact with the opening of the tub and drum assembly. Alternatively, a spring could be placed between the inner door 20 and outer door 18 to ensure that the inner door stays in contact with the opening of the tub and drum 14 during the wash cycle. In another solution, a second electronic door latch and lock are attached to the inner door 20. When the existing outer door lock engages at the start of the wash cycle, the additional door lock would also engage the inner door 20 and lock it with the tub.

FIG. 7 illustrates the inner door 18. Here the door includes a single door lock 62 in order to retain the inner door closed during the washing or drying cycle. A biasing means, such as a spring, is not needed to maintain pressure between the inner door and the drum. Additionally, on the opposing side of the door, a hook 110 is secured to the door. The hook passes through an aperture or slot in the hook receiver 112 in the tub/drum assembly. The hook receiver 112 includes a cavity to receive the hook 110. The hook 110 passes through the slot into the cavity to provide a floating securement point of the inner door 18 with the tub/drum assembly. Thus, the inner door 18 is removable from the drum during assembly and provided with a hingeless type of connection with the tub/drum assembly since the door is not permanently secured with the tub/drum assembly.

With the removal of the bellows seal, a gap 98 exists between the tub and the housing unit or cabinet that a consumer could reach into the cabinet 12. Thus, an aesthetic membrane 100 has been positioned between the housing unit 12 and the tub 44 to eliminate the gap. The membrane 100 could be of a rubber or silicone material or any other type to prevent ingress of objects between the housing and the tub. Additionally, the membrane 100 would not come in contact with water during the wash cycle. This is due to the fact that the inner door 20 would be in contact with the tub opening 26 and sealed with it. Accordingly, the aesthetic membrane closes the gap and does not provide for sealing as does the rubber bellows seal on current existing washers.

The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.

Claims

1. A door assembly for an appliance such as a washer, washer/dryer combo or the like comprising:

the door assembly for a housing unit, the door assembly closing off an opening into the housing unit;

the door assembly including an outer door and an inner door, the inner door sealing the door assembly with a tub and drum assembly inside the housing unit, the inner door including a mating contour associated with a corresponding contour on the tub and drum opening.

2. The door assembly of claim 1, wherein the inner door is stationarily positioned on the tub.

3. The door assembly of claim 1, wherein the inner door is floatably positioned with the outer door.

4. The door assembly of claim 2, wherein a facia is coupled with the tub and drum assembly closing off the tub and defining an opening into a drum.

5. The door assembly of claim 4, wherein the facia opening has a corresponding mating surface for meshing with the inner door.

6. The door assembly of claim 3, wherein a flexible coupling secures the outer door with the inner door.

7. The door assembly of claim 6, wherein the flexible coupling is an elastomeric sleeve.

8. The door assembly of claim 6, wherein the flexible coupling is a spring.

9. The door assembly of claim 6, wherein the flexible coupling is a dash pot.

10. The door assembly of claim 3, wherein an aesthetic membrane is positioned between the housing unit and the tub blocking ingress into a gap between the housing unit and the tub.

11. A washer appliance comprising:

a housing unit or cabinet with an opening enabling ingress into a drum and tub assembly inside the housing unit;

a door assembly for closing off the opening into the housing unit;

the door assembly including an outer door and an inner door, the inner door sealing the door assembly with a tub and drum assembly inside the housing unit, the inner door including a mating contour associated with a corresponding contour on the tub and drum opening.

12. The washer appliance of claim 11, wherein the inner door is stationarily positioned on the tub.

13. The washer appliance of claim 11, wherein the inner door is floatably positioned with the outer door.

14. The washer appliance of claim 12, wherein a facia is coupled with the tub and drum assembly closing off the tub and defining an opening into a drum.

15. The washer appliance of claim 14, wherein the facia opening has a corresponding mating surface for meshing with the inner door.

16. The washer appliance of claim 13, wherein a flexible coupling secures the outer door with the inner door.

17. The washer appliance of claim 16, wherein the flexible coupling is an elastomeric sleeve.

18. The washer appliance of claim 16, wherein the flexible coupling is a spring.

19. The washer appliance of claim 16, wherein the flexible coupling is a dash pot.

20. The washer appliance of claim 13, wherein an aesthetic membrane is positioned between the housing unit and the tub blocking ingress into a gap between the housing unit and the tub.