ERGONOMICALLY DESIGNED HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH LIMITED MOBILITY

Abstract

The present invention relates to modified household appliances for individuals with limited mobility or have a physical disability. The appliances can be any type of conventional appliances like washing machines, refrigerators, dishwashers and others found in households. The appliance has switches for triggering a movable functionality which allows for easy access into the interior of the appliance. In one embodiment, a washing machine features a motorized plate in a drum for providing lifting or pushing/tilting outward to retrieve laundry. In another embodiment, a refrigerator is equipped with a basket and freezer with moveable arms to automatically extend the drawers, shelves or baskets allowing easy access to the items in the housing of the refrigerator.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/318,837, which was filed on Mar. 11, 2022, and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of household appliances. More specifically, the present invention relates to novel household appliances designed for easy use by those with limited mobility, such as the disabled, elderly and individuals that may have medical or other issues. The invention is intended for use with any household appliance including, but not limited to, washing machines, dryers, refrigerators, dish washers and other modern conveniences. The appliance is designed to have an easily accessible touch panel to activate the movement controls to lift, push and/or tilt the appliance allowing an individual to use the appliance independently, without unnecessary straining, twisting, bending and/or standing. Accordingly, the present disclosure makes specific reference thereto. Nonetheless, it is to be appreciated that aspects of the present invention are also equally applicable to other like applications, devices and methods of manufacture.

BACKGROUND

By way of background, conventional appliances are manufactured to facilitate the performance of certain tasks and for making life easier for people. Household electric appliances like washing machines, refrigerators and other devices have become necessary for performing essential and daily tasks which otherwise would require considerable manual effort. Manufacturers and designers of appliances have put considerable effort into improving the ergonomics of modern home appliances, however, those improvements have been targeted more toward efficiently performing the function or task and are produced for use by the population in general and typically do not have any features to accommodate those individuals having any sort of disability. The use of modern appliances can be difficult and/or completely inaccessible for those having disabilities.

As an example, standard washer and dryer units are commonly loaded from the top or front of the appliance. It is difficult or impossible for those individuals who require the use of a wheelchair, walker or with back or shoulder injuries to operate these standard washers and dryers for loading, unloading and retrieving laundry. For example, it is nearly impossible for those confined to a wheelchair to bend over to access laundry in a front load machine and/or stand to access laundry in a top load machine. There is a need for an improved washing machine and dryer that can be easily used by disabled and elderly individuals.

Similarly, other appliances like refrigerators, dishwashers and other devices found in the home can be difficult to operate by those with disabilities. Individuals that rely on a wheelchair either have to bend or lean over to access the bottom shelves of a refrigerator or may have to attempt to stand to access the upper shelves causing risk of injury.

Attempts have been made to design appliances that are compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). However, such appliances can still be difficult to use by those that are disabled and still require having to manually operate the appliance for such activities as unloading the laundry from a washer or dryer, pulling out the shelves or drawers from a refrigerator or moving the racks of a dishwasher. Those with limited dexterity or mobility may fall and become injured while using these ADA compliant appliances. As a result, people with limited dexterity or mobility need appliances that are designed to be used easily and independently without the need to bend, stretch or find themselves in an awkward position.

With the elderly population the fastest growing segment of the population for the past 10 years and continuing to grow every year, there exists a long-felt need in the art for improved household appliances that can be easily used by those with limited dexterity or mobility, such as individuals in a wheelchair or those with other physical limitations. There is also a long-felt need in the art for household appliances that eliminate the requirement to bend, stretch, reach or place one in an awkward position in order to use the appliances. Additionally, there is a long-felt need in the art for modern household appliances that allow those with limited dexterity or mobility to easily complete chores such as the laundry, or to utilize the freezer, refrigerator and other appliances without the risk or concern of having a fall or injury. Moreover, there is a long-felt need in the art for an improved appliance that is designed for use by those with limited dexterity or mobility. Further, there is a long-felt need in the art for improved appliances that do not require individuals to have to stretch to reach inside the appliance but rather to have a motorized system to allow easy use of the appliance. Furthermore, there is a long-felt need in the art for an improved appliance that may be accessed and used by those with limited dexterity or mobility without the need to ask for assistance to complete the task. Finally, there is a long-felt need in the art for improved household appliances that offer simplicity and convenience while improving the efficiency in using the appliances.

The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a household appliance that is configured to be easily used by individuals with limited dexterity or mobility. The household appliance can be in the form of a washing machine, dryer, refrigerator, dishwasher and other devices that are commonly found in the home. The appliance includes an easily accessible touch panel having a number of operational buttons, and a motor configured to be activated by the touch panel and one or more of the controls or triggered by blue tooth or other types of function. A motorized plate is coupled to the motor and is configured to be raised, lowered, tilt up or forward, move forward or backward by the motor. The plate is attached to a moving component allowing the component to extend or retract the appliance, thereby enabling easy access to the interior compartment of the household appliance.

In this manner, the novel household appliance of the present invention accomplishes all of the foregoing objectives and provides users with an improved household appliance that has easy to access control features for triggering lifting, pushing and/or tilting functionality thereby allowing easy and risk-free use of the appliance. The appliance allows individuals with limited dexterity or mobility to use the appliance without the need to place themselves in an awkward position and avoids falls and injuries.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed innovation. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some general concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a modified appliance such as a washing machine. The appliance or washing machine in one exemplary embodiment is a front-load machine. The appliance includes a front door window, a rotating drum for holding water and detergent for cleaning a laundry load placed within the drum. A plate is positioned in the drum and the plate is coupled to a motor and positioned at the bottom of the machine. A first touch button is positioned on the exterior surface of the machine for activating the motor and pushing the plate towards the front door window which then moves the washed laundry load towards the window. A second touch button is provided for pushing the plate through the front door window (i.e., extending through the door) for automatically releasing the clean laundry out of the drum without to the need to bend over and reach inside the drum to retrieve the laundry.

In yet another embodiment, the motor is automatically activated on completion of a wash or dry cycle of the washing machine or dryer.

In yet another embodiment, a top load washing machine configured to automatically lift and push laundry out of the wash drum or inner compartment or cavity is disclosed. The washing machine includes a rotating drum for cleaning laundry, and a moveable plate is disposed inside the drum and positioned at base of the drum. A motor is coupled to the plate and configured to vertically lift the plate towards an opening of the machine and move the laundry out of the drum or compartment. The plate is configured to lift on activation of a first touch button that is disposed at a conveniently accessible location on the machine. A second touch button is configured to tilt the moveable plate out of the opening positioned on the top surface of the machine for automatically releasing the laundry from the appliance.

In yet another embodiment, a limited dexterity or mobility friendly washing machine is disclosed. The washing machine allows individuals with limited mobility, or dexterity to do laundry and other common household tasks safely. The washing machine includes a retracting and contracting rotating drum for washing laundry. The drum is configured to contract and retract on activation of a first button positioned on the exterior surface. The drum is configured to move at least a portion of the drum outside of the machine through an opening on activation of a second touch button. The movement allows for the release of the laundry without requiring a user to manually remove the laundry. The retraction and contraction are done using a motor driven plate that is positioned below the drum.

In yet another embodiment, the washing machine is a top load or front load washing machine.

In yet a further exemplary embodiment, an appliance is disclosed and has an accessibility feature, which includes a housing and a door. At least one movable element contained within the housing and the movable element is actuatable by at least one button or switch. The moveable element positions contents of the housing at a readily accessible position for a user. The housing may include one of shelves, baskets or a drum.

In a still further exemplary embodiment, an appliance for use by individuals with limited mobility is disclosed and includes an appliance having a housing and the housing is one of a drum, shelf or basket. A movable member within the housing for making the one of the drum, shelf or basket more accessible by moving the one between a first position and a second position. The moveable element actuatable by a button, switch, voice-activation, remote or Bluetooth, and the second position is readily accessible to an individual.

In yet another embodiment, a household appliance which has been configured to be easily used by individuals with limited dexterity or mobility is disclosed. The appliance includes at least one easily accessible touch panel having one or more buttons. A motor is configured to be activated by the button on the touch panel. A moveable plate is coupled to the motor and is configured to be pushed or moved by the motor. The plate is attached to a moving or lifting component allowing the moving component to extend or retract enabling easy access to the interior compartment of the household appliance.

In yet another embodiment, a refrigerator designed for individuals with limited dexterity or mobility is disclosed. The refrigerator has one or more hydraulic arms connected to the bottom basket or drawer and the upper most shelves or freezer portion of the refrigerator. A motor is coupled to the hydraulic arms. A pair of buttons or switches is provided, and a first touch button or switch is configured to extend and retract the bottom basket, shelf or drawer, and a second touch button is configured to lower the upper shelves, drawers or freezer rack for easy access of the items stored in those locations.

Numerous benefits and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains upon reading and understanding of the following detailed specification.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of the disclosed innovation are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be employed and are intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The description refers to provided drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the different views, and in which:

FIG. 1A illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of the modified washing machine appliance of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed architecture;

FIG. 1B illustrates a perspective view of the washing machine of FIG. 1A showing the tilted moveable plate for automatically releasing the washed laundry load in accordance with the disclosed architecture;

FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded view of the appliance or washing machine of FIG. 1A in accordance with the disclosed architecture;

FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of another potential embodiment of the modified appliance, such as a washing machine, of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed architecture;

FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view showing another embodiment of modified front load washing machine of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed architecture;

FIG. 5A illustrates a perspective view of a modified refrigerator appliance of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed architecture, wherein the lower shelf is repositionable but outwardly and upwardly;

FIG. 5B illustrates a perspective view of a modified refrigerator appliance of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed architecture, wherein the upper shelf is repositionable but outwardly and downwardly; and

FIG. 6 illustrates a generic functional block diagram showing the process of moving a target part of a modified appliance of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed architecture.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding thereof. It may be evident, however, that the innovation can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate a description thereof. Various embodiments are discussed hereinafter. It should be noted that the figures are described only to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention. Additionally, an illustrated embodiment need not have all the aspects or advantages shown. Thus, in other embodiments, any of the features described herein from different embodiments may be combined.

As noted above, there is a long-felt need in the art for improved household appliances that can be easily used by individuals with limited dexterity or mobility, such as those which use a wheelchair, the elderly and others which find using conventionally manufactured appliances difficult. There is also a long-felt need in the art for household appliances that eliminates the requirement for bending, stretching, and reaching in order to use the appliances and places the individual in an awkward position. Additionally, there is a long-felt need in the art for modern household appliances that allows those with limited dexterity or mobility to easily perform typical household chores such as laundry, utilizing the freezer and refrigerator and other appliances without creating an unnecessary risk of a fall or injury. Moreover, there is a long-felt need in the art for improved appliances that are ergonomically designed for use by those individuals suffering from a disability, loss of mobility or other physical restrictions. Further, there is a long-felt need in the art for improved appliances that do not require users to have to stretch to reach inside the appliance to retrieve items but rather, the appliance has a motorized system which allows for the easy use of the appliance. Furthermore, there is a long-felt need in the art for improved appliances that can be used independently by individuals with physical limitations without the need to seek assistance from others. Finally, there is a long-felt need in the art for improved household appliances that offers simplicity and convenience while improving the efficiency of using the appliances without putting any additional stress on the body due to the use of such appliances.

The present invention, in one exemplary embodiment, comprises a modified washing machine for those that have a disability, loss of mobility or other physical restrictions. The washing machine may be a front load or a top load machine and has a door with a window, and a rotating drum for holding water for cleaning a load of laundry placed in the washing machine. A movable plate is positioned in the drum and the plate is coupled to a motor. The motor is positioned at the bottom of the machine. A first touch button is positioned on the exterior surface of the machine for activating the motor and pushing the plate towards the front door window which moves the washed laundry load towards the door. A second button is used for tilting the plate beyond the door window for automatically releasing the clean laundry without requiring the individual to stretch or bend and place the individual in an awkward position.

Referring initially to the drawings, FIG. 1A illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of the modified washing machine appliance of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed specification. The washing machine appliance 100 of the present embodiment is designed to be easily accessible to those having limited mobility or other disabilities while reducing the risk of strain and injury. The washing machine appliance 100 is configured to perform the conventional tasks performed by a typical washing machine for cleaning clothes.

More specifically, in one embodiment the washing machine 100 is a front load washing machine that has a door window 102 in front surface 104 of the machine 100 for removing the load from the machine. The door 106 may be opened to add and then used to remove or release clothes from the drum. The machine 100 may have a control panel for operating the machine 100 like a conventional machine.

The washing machine 100 has a motor 108 appropriately positioned inside a cabinet of the appliance (preferably at the bottom), the housing and is used for automatically pushing a moveable plate 114 towards the door window 102 to release the laundry load 112, thereby eliminating need for a user to bend and manually remove the clothes. A tub 110 is provided to hold the water, and a drum 116 is positioned inside the tub 110 and is configured to be rotatable inside the tub 110. The plate 114 is positioned inside the drum 116 and is configured to move along a defined channel to move the laundry toward the door.

The motor 108 is automatically activated when a first easily accessible touch button 118 is pushed by a user and the motor 108 pushes the plate 114 towards the door window 102 (in a direction shown by the arrow positioned inside the drum 116). The movement of the plate 114 is automatically stopped when the plate 114 aligns with the door window 102. Thereafter, a second touch button 120 disposed on the machine 100 is pushed by a user for tilting the plate 114 outside the door window 102 as displayed in FIG. 1B, for automatically dispensing or releasing the washed laundry 112 from the machine 100. The plate 114 may turn slightly, clockwise or counterclockwise, to avoid the laundry from being pinned against the interior of the housing of the wash cabinet. In addition, the plate 114 may have a fin 305 (see FIG. 3) which helps to rotate out the laundry and prevents the laundry from being trapped in the drum.

It should be noted that the motor 108 can be a separate motor from a main motor used by the washing machine 100 for rotating the drum or tub. In one embodiment of the present invention, the motor 108 can be used for both rotating the drum for washing clothes and moving the plate 114. The tilting of the plate 114 for releasing clothes outside of the washing machine drum is also activated by the motor 108 when the second button 120 is pushed by the user. A third button 121 may be used to cause the plate 114 to rotate slightly so as to prevent laundry from becoming trapped between the plate 114 and the interior of the drum.

FIG. 1B illustrates a perspective view of the washing machine 100 of FIG. 1A showing the tilted plate for releasing the washed load from the appliance in accordance with the disclosed specification. The second touch button 120 of the machine activates the tilting of the internal plate 114 from the door window 102 allowing the laundry 112 to be released outside the drum without requiring a user to bend and manually reach inside the drum of the machine 100 to take out the clothes.

More specifically, the plate 114 is guided along a channel (shown in FIG. 2) inside the drum 116. The plate 114 is tilted using the hinge 122 and helps in removing the laundry from the drum. It should be noted that the initial position of the plate 114 is inside the drum 116 and positioned at the rear base or back wall of the drum 116 and is moved to the front so as to be adjacent the face of the door window 102 through use of the first button 118.

On removal of the laundry, the plate 114 is automatically retracted to the original position inside the drum 116 adjacent the back wall which allows the user to load more laundry into the machine 100. The plate 114 can be made of steel or plastic depending on design and manufacturing of the machine 100 and allows the machine 100 to be easily used by those having physical limitations without the need for bending or stretching which may leave the individual in an awkward position. The plate 114 may also be provided with a plurality of openings or holes 115 (see FIG. 2) which will allow any additional water which may be squeezed out of the laundry by movement of the plate 114 forward to be captured by the drum. The openings or holes 115 may range from micro-perforations to openings with a diameter of approximately ¼″.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the motor 108 is automatically activated on completion of a washing and/or drying cycle of the machine 100 for automatically releasing the laundry load.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded view of the washing machine 100 of FIG. 1A in accordance with the disclosed specification. As illustrated, the door window 102 is integrated with the housing of the washing machine 100 and has a diameter and circumference allowing the plate 114 to easily tilt outside the opening of the door/window 102. The plate 114 is initially positioned at a first position at the rear surface 202 of the rotating drum 116 and is coupled to the motor 108 through the circuit 204. The plate 114 is then pushed along the length of the drum 116 from the rear surface 202 towards the opening 206 of the drum 116 to a second position (the opening 206 aligns with door window 102) by the motor and as a result, the laundry in the drum 116 is pushed towards the door window 102.

For movement of the plate 114 in the drum 116, at least one channel 208 is disposed along the length of the drum to facilitate the linear motion of the plate 114. It should be noted that the drum 116 is rotatable and may have lifters, like conventional washing machines, for providing effective cleaning of clothes, and the drum 116 is securely placed inside the tub 110.

The buttons 118, 120 and 121 are specially configured to operate the washing machine for automatically releasing the laundry and spinning or rotating the drum and thus, helping to make the washing machine 100 more accessible by those with physical limitations.

The exploded view does not depict the conventional control panel, display and other operating components used in operating the rotating drum for cleaning clothes. The advantage of the washing machine 100 of the present invention is the provision of easy to access buttons that trigger a push and tilt functionality that moves the laundry forward and out of the machine, thereby allowing those with limited physical ability to do laundry safely while reducing the risk of potential falls, injuries, or even the embarrassment of having to ask for assistance to do laundry.

FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of another potential embodiment of the modified washing machine appliance of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed specification. The washing machine 300 is a top loaded washing machine that has a door window 302 on the top surface 304 of the machine 300 for loading and automatically removing the laundry load. The door 306 may be opened to add and automatically remove or release clothes. The machine 300 may have a control panel for operating like a conventional machine.

The washing machine 300 has a motor 308 appropriately positioned at the bottom of the machine 300 or other area of the housing and is used for automatically pushing a plate 310 vertically upward towards the door 302 on top surface 304. The plate 310 is positioned at the bottom 312 of the washing drum 314 and is pushed towards the door 202, thereby eliminating the need for a user to stand and bend to manually reach inside the drum to take out the clothes from the washing drum 314. The motor 308 is automatically activated when a first touch button 316 is pushed by a user and the motor 308 moves the plate 310 vertically upwards. The plate 310 moves along a channel (not shown; but similar to the channel shown in FIG. 2). The linear movement of the plate 310 is automatically stopped when the plate 310 is positioned at a predetermined distance, such as 10 inches, below the top surface 304 of the washing machine. A second touch button 318 disposed on the machine 300 enables tilting of the plate 310 out from the door 302 for automatically dispensing or releasing the laundry 320 from the machine 300. The plate 310 may have an auger or fin 305 which rotates slightly 303 to prevent clothes from getting trapped between the interior of the drum and the plate 310.

It should be appreciated that the drum rotates along the longitudinal axis for cleaning the laundry and can be covered by a tub like machine 100 of FIG. 1A. Further, the plate 310 when it travels towards the top surface 304, pushes the clean laundry upward for releasing through the door 302.

FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view showing another embodiment of the modified front load washing machine of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed specification. In the present embodiment, the machine 400 has a retracting drum 402 for cleaning laundry. The retracting drum 402 is configured to contract along channels 404 disposed in the housing of the machine 400 for automatically releasing laundry on completion of a washing cycle. More specifically, a plate 406 is attached at the bottom of the drum 402 that allows the drum 402 to retract or contract using the power provided by the motor 408 or a separate motor.

The first touch button 410 enables movement of the drum 402 and the second button 412 forces the drum 402 to tilt to release the laundry from the drum 402 to the outside of the washer or dryer, thereby avoiding the need for a user to bend, stretch or reach inside the drum.

The drum 402 during the wash cycle has a first length 414a and therefore is in the original and normal position. For pushing laundry out of the drum, the drum 402 is extended to have a second length 414b extending substantially across the entire width of the machine 400.

FIG. 5A illustrates a perspective view of a modified refrigerator appliance of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed specification. The refrigerator 500 of the present embodiment has a bottom basket 502 with attached hydraulic, mechanical or spring-loaded arms 504. The arms 504 are configured to extend and retract using a motor 506 allowing the bottom basket 502 to automatically extend and move for easy access. The motor 506 is positioned at the rear end 508 of the refrigerator and extends or retracts the arms 504 to automatically allow the basket 502 to extend or retract and as a result, a user does not have to stand or bend much to access the contents of the basket 502. The basket 502 is also repositionable in an upward manner.

More specifically, a first touch button 510 is positioned on the refrigerator 500 and activates the motor to automatically extend the arms 504 from a retracted or first position to an extended or second position. A second button 512 enables the freezer rack or shelf 514 to automatically lower allowing a user to easily access items stored in the freezer rack or shelf 514, as shown in FIG. 5B.

The modified appliances of various embodiments of the present invention maintain easy access to all items in a refrigerator or freezer and allow individuals to do laundry safely while eliminating undesirable stress on the back, shoulders, or knees, and further eliminating the requirement to bend over and reach deep into the appliance for a specific item. The appliances improve efficiency when doing laundry or pulling items from a fridge or freezer.

FIG. 6 illustrates a generic functional block diagram showing the process of moving a target part of a modified appliance of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed specification. The touch buttons 602 positioned on the appliance when activated by a user, transmit an instruction signal to a processor 604 of the appliance. The processor 604 accordingly actuates the motor 606 that moves the motorized plate 608 positioned inside the appliance.

The plate 608 may also be replaced with motorized arms and any other moving part required as per design of the appliance. The plate 608 enables movement of the target body part/component 610 of the appliance allowing individuals with limited mobility to easily use the appliance without stressing and getting injured.

Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular features or components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, different persons may refer to the same feature or component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components or features that differ in name but not structure or function. As used herein “disabled friendly washing machine”, “disabled friendly refrigerator”, “household appliance for people with limited mobility, disabled and aging people”, and “appliance” are interchangeable and refer to the limited mobility, disabled and aging people friendly household appliance 100, 300, 400, 500 of the present invention.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the limited mobility, disabled and aging people modified household appliance 100, 300, 400, 500 of the present invention can be of any suitable size and configuration as is known in the art without affecting the overall concept of the invention, provided that it accomplishes the above-stated objectives. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the limited mobility, disabled and aging people modified household appliance 100, 300, 400, 500 as shown in the FIGS. are for illustrative purposes only, and that many other sizes and shapes of the limited mobility, disabled and aging people modified household appliance 100, 300, 400, 500 are well within the scope of the present disclosure. Although the dimensions of the limited mobility, disabled and aging people modified household appliance 100, 300, 400, 500 are important design parameters for user convenience, the limited mobility, disabled and aging people modified household appliance 100, 300, 400, 500 can be of any size that ensures optimal performance during use and/or that suits the user's needs and/or preferences.

Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplary embodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the present invention. While the embodiments described above refer to particular features, the scope of this invention also includes embodiments having different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all of the described features. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the scope of the claims, together with all equivalents thereof.

What has been described above includes examples of the claimed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the claimed subject matter are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.

Claims

1. An ergonomic appliance comprising:

a housing;

a door;

at least one repositionable element; and

at least one control for actuating the at least one repositionable element, wherein when activated the at least one repositionable element repositions a content of the housing to a more readily accessible position relative to a user of the appliance.

2. The ergonomic appliance as recited in claim 1, wherein the housing comprises at least one of a drum, a shelf or a basket.

3. The ergonomic appliance as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one repositionable element is a plate or an arm.

4. The ergonomic appliance as recited in claim 3, wherein the arm is one of a hydraulic arm, a mechanical arm or a spring loaded arm.

5. The ergonomic appliance as recited in claim 3, wherein the plate is provided within a drum and the drum is positioned within the housing.

6. The ergonomic appliance as recited in claim 5, wherein the plate moves along a guide from a first position to a second position.

7. The ergonomic appliance as recited in claim 6, wherein the first position is at a rear of the drum and the second position is at a front of the drum and adjacent to the door.

8. The ergonomic appliance as recited in claim 5, wherein the plate is sized and configured to extend through an opening in the door.

9. The ergonomic appliance as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one control is comprised of a first control, a second control and a third control.

10. The ergonomic appliance as recited in claim 5, wherein the plate is movable in one of a clockwise direction or a counterclockwise direction.

11. The ergonomic appliance as recited in claim 5, wherein the plate comprises a plurality of openings.

12. The ergonomic appliance as recited in claim 5, wherein the plate comprised an auger or a fin.

13. A washing machine comprising:

a housing;

a drum;

a door positioned adjacent to the drum and providing access to an interior of the drum;

a plate that is repositionable between a first position and a second position, wherein the first position is at a back of the interior of the drum and the second position is adjacent the door.

14. The washing machine as recited in claim 13 further comprising a control for actuating the plate.

15. The washing machine as recited in claim 13, wherein the second position of the plate is tilted through the door.

16. The washing machine as recited in claim 13, wherein the plate comprises a plurality of openings.

17. The washing machine as recited in claim 13, wherein the plate is rotatable in a clockwise direction or a counterclockwise direction.

18. The washing machine as recited in claim 13 further comprising a guide at least partially positioned within the drum, wherein the plate moves along the guide.

19. An appliance for use by an individual with limited mobility, the appliance comprising:

a housing;

at least one of a drum, a shelf or a basket;

a repositionable member within the housing for making a content of the at last one drum, shelf or basket more accessible to the individual, wherein the repositionable member is repositionable between a first position and a second position and is tiltable and rotatable; and

at least one control for actuating the repositionable member.

20. The appliance as recited in claim 19, wherein the repositionable element is one of a plate or an arm.