Patent Application
20130180123
The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to an appliance having a drying rack for drying articles.
Certain dryer appliances dry articles (e.g., clothing) disposed within a drum of the appliance by heating the articles and tumbling them within the drum. When they are dry, certain articles should be removed from the drum quickly to avoid wrinkling. For example, certain articles should be removed quickly after drying and placed on hangers. However, placing articles on hangers can require users to load the articles into a basket and take the articles to a location that is more convenient for placing such articles on hangers. For example, some users purchase a rack to support hangers with articles disposed thereon. Thus, in such example, some users move the basket of articles to a location near the rack in order to place hangers with articles on the rack.
The process of removing articles from the drum and transporting them to another area for hanging can be inconvenient and add significantly to the amount of time and effort necessary to properly hang such articles. In addition, purchasing a rack for supporting hangers can add to the overall cost of cleaning laundry. Also, such racks can be easily lost or misplaced.
Accordingly, a drying rack that reduces the inconvenience associated with hanging certain articles on hangers would be useful. Further, a drying rack that also is not easily lost or misplaced would also be useful. In addition, a drying rack that would also not add significantly to the overall cost of cleaning laundry would be useful.
Also, a design goal for many washing machine appliances and dryer appliances is to have cosmetic appeal to consumers. Certain washing machine appliances and dryer appliances are sold in pairs. Accordingly, washing machine appliance and dryer appliance pairs can be manufactured so that both appliances have a similar cosmetically appealing appearance to consumers. Thus, certain washing machine appliances and dryer appliances can include decorative features such as, e.g., a band on the front panel of the appliances. In certain washing machine appliances, such bands can be incorporated into features of the appliance, e.g., a detergent dispensing door on front-loading washing machine appliances. However, in such example, because such doors must slide away from the front panel of the appliance, the band may be broken into two components, with a fixed portion mounted to the appliance's front panel and a drawer portion mounted to the drawer. Dryer appliances do not have a detergent dispensing drawer. Thus, in certain washing machine appliance and dryer appliance pairs, the dryer appliance can require a single continuous decorative band rather than the two piece design used on the matching washing machine appliance. Producing two cosmetically similar but structurally distinct bands can add to the overall cost of producing such washing machine appliance and dryer appliance pairs.
Accordingly, a drying rack that can be incorporated into a band on a front panel of a dryer appliance in order to create a single band design for the dryer appliance and a matching washing machine appliance would be useful.
Aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.
In a first exemplary embodiment, an appliance is provided. The appliance has a cabinet with a front panel. The front panel defines a pocket extending longitudinally from a first end to a second end. The first and second ends of the pocket are positioned adjacent an exterior surface of the front panel. A drum is rotatably mounted within the cabinet. The drum defines a chamber for receipt of articles. A rack is configured for receipt into the pocket of the cabinet. The rack extends longitudinally from a proximal end to a distal end. The proximal end of the rack is rotatably hinged to the cabinet at the first end of the pocket. The rack is configured for selective adjustment between a storage configuration and an extended configuration. In the storage configuration, the distal end of the rack is positioned adjacent the second end of the pocket such that the rack is disposed within the pocket of the cabinet. In the extended configuration, the distal end of the rack is positioned outside of the pocket of the cabinet such that the rack projects away from the front panel of the cabinet.
In a second exemplary embodiment, an appliance is provided. The appliance has a cabinet with a front panel. A drum is rotatably mounted within the cabinet. The drum defines a chamber for receipt of articles. A band is disposed on the front panel of the cabinet. The band extends longitudinally from a first end to a second end. The band has a fixed portion fixedly mounted to the cabinet. The fixed portion extends from the first end of the band towards the second end of the band. The band also has a rack portion rotatably mounted to the cabinet. The rack portion is configured for selective adjustment between a storage configuration and an extended configuration. In the storage configuration, an exterior surface of the rack portion and an exterior surface of the fixed portion are substantially flush. In the extended configuration, the rack portion projects away from the front panel of the cabinet.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures, in which:
The present disclosure relates to appliances having a drying rack. The drying rack is rotatably mounted to a panel of the appliance. The drying rack may selectively shift between a storage configuration and an extended configuration. In the extended configuration, the drying rack may, e.g., support a hanger. Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
The dryer appliance 100 includes a main housing or cabinet 110 with a drum 190 rotatably mounted therein. Drum 190 defines a drying chamber 192 configured for receipt of articles for drying. Cabinet 110 also has a door 140 rotatably mounted to front panel 112. Door 140 provides selective access to drying chamber 192. A motor (not shown) rotates drum 190 about a horizontal axis. Drum 190 is generally cylindrical in shape and defines a plurality of holes 191. An opening 113 is defined by drum 190 in order to allow a user to access to drying chamber 192, e.g., for loading and unloading of articles (e.g., clothing and/or other fabrics) into drying chamber 192.
A plurality of tumbling ribs 193 are provided within drum 190 to lift articles disposed therein and then allow them to tumble back to the bottom of drum 190 as drum 190 rotates. Drum 190 also includes a rear wall 195 rotatably supported within cabinet 110 by a suitable fixed bearing. Rear wall 195 can be fixed or can be rotatable. Plurality of holes 191 receive hot air that has been heated by a heating system 196. Air is drawn from drum 190 by a blower fan 198. The air passes through a lint or screen filter 199 which traps lint particles. As the air passes from the blower fan 198, it is passed into the heating system 196. Heated air exits heating system 196 and returns to drum 190. After they have been dried, the articles are removed from drum 190 via opening 113.
A cycle selector knob 104 is mounted on front panel 112 and is in communication with a processing device or controller (not shown) connected with a user interface panel 102. Signals generated in the controller operate the drum drive system and heating system 196 in response to the user manipulation of the selector knobs 104. Alternatively, a touch screen type interface may be provided. As used herein, “processing device” or “controller” may refer to one or more microprocessors or semiconductor devices and is not restricted necessarily to a single element. The processing device can be programmed to operate dryer appliance 100 according to methods well known in the art. The processing device may include, or be associated with, one or memory elements such as e.g., electrically erasable, programmable read only memory (EEPROM).
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Band 170 includes a fixed portion 180 and a rack portion 184. Fixed portion 180 is fixedly mounted to front panel 112 and extends from first end 172 of band 170 towards second end 174 of band 170. Rack portion 184 of band 170 is rotatably mounted to front panel 112 such that rack portion 184 may be selectively adjusted between a storage configuration shown in
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This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.
