Patent Application
20230203745
The present disclosure relates to household appliances, generally those including a dryer and, more particularly, an accessible lint filter.
In household appliances, such as washers and dryers, it is desirable to remove lint during operating cycles from these machines. Particularly, in dryers, a lint screen or the like is present to catch the lint as it circulates within the drying appliance during operating cycles. Different types of lint screens have been provided by manufacturers. These types of screens are ones that are accessible upon opening the door of the dryer and those that can be removed from outside of the cabinet enabling withdrawal of the lint screen for cleaning. These types of lint screens are satisfactory for their intended purposes. However, designers strive to improve the art.
The present disclosure provides the art with a lint filter assembly that is positively held within the cabinet. The lint filter assembly provides an easily removable lint filter assembly with a positive action to maintain the lint filter assembly within the cabinet. The action may be mechanically or magnetic. The lint filter assembly provides a lid that enables easy removal of the lint from the filter. Additionally, the assembly provides a utility space for various items such as pods, dryer sheets, brushes or the like.
Accordingly, it is an object of the disclosure to provide a lint filter assembly for a household appliance comprising a housing for coupling with duct work of the appliance. A filter assembly is receivable in the housing. The filter assembly collects lint as is moved through the duct work. A mechanism is coupled with the filter assembly so that a user pushes the filter assembly into the housing into a first position where the filter assembly is positively locked and retained by the mechanism. The filter assembly is moved to a second clean out position, releasing the positive lock so that lint can be removed from the lint filter assembly. The mechanism may be a push/push mechanism including a grab latch or a magnetic latch. Alternatively, the mechanism is a magnetic seal position on the filter assembly for magnetically locking the filter assembly in the first position. The filter assembly includes a cover with the magnetic seal for locking with a cabinet. The lint filter assembly includes a catch with a frame with a screen where the frame is two piece with a bowl and a cover. The bowl or cover includes a metal piece and the other includes a magnet. The bowl and cover are co-molded. Additionally, the cover or lid includes a lint peeler. The frame also includes a storage area for various items.
According to a second aspect of the disclosure, a household appliance including a dryer function and comprises a cabinet with a rotatable drum and a drying circuit. The drying circuit includes duct work that directs heating air through the drum within the cabinet. A lint filter assembly comprising a housing that couples with the duct work of the appliance. A filter assembly is receivable in the housing. The filter assembly collects lint as is moved through the duct work. A mechanism is coupled with the filter assembly so that a user pushes the filter assembly into a housing into the first position where the filter assembly is positively locked and retained by the mechanism. The filter assembly is moved to a second clean out position, releasing the positive lock so that lint can be removed from the lint filter assembly. The mechanism may be a push/push mechanism including a grab latch or a magnetic latch. Alternatively, the mechanism is a magnetic seal position on the filter assembly for magnetically locking the filter assembly in the first position. The filter assembly includes a cover with the magnetic seal for locking with a cabinet. The lint filter assembly includes a catch with a frame with a screen where the frame is two piece with a bowl and a cover. The bowl or cover includes a metal piece and the other includes a magnet. The bowl and cover are co-molded. Additionally, the cover or lid includes a lint peeler. The frame also includes a storage area for various items.
According to a third aspect of the disclosure, a household appliance including a dryer function comprises a cabinet with a rotatable drum and a drying circuit. The drying circuit includes duct work that directs heating air through the drum within the cabinet. A lint filter assembly comprising a housing that couples with the duct work of the appliance. A filter assembly is receivable in the housing. The filter assembly collects lint as is moved through the duct work. A mechanism is coupled with the filter assembly so that a user pushes the filter assembly into the housing into a first position where the filter assembly is positively locked and retained by the mechanism. The filter assembly is moved to a second clean out position, releasing the positive lock so that lint can be removed from the lint filter assembly. The mechanism may be a push/push mechanism including a grab latch or a magnetic latch. Alternatively, the mechanism is a magnetic seal position on the filter assembly for magnetically locking the filter assembly in the first position. The filter assembly includes a cover with the magnetic seal for locking with a cabinet. The lint filter assembly includes a catch with a frame with a screen where the frame is two piece with a bowl and a cover. The bowl or cover includes a metal piece and the other includes a magnet. The bowl and cover are co-molded. Additionally, the cover or lid includes a lint peeler. The frame also includes a storage area for various items.
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.
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.
Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Turning to the figures, a combination washer/dryer machine is illustrated and designated with the reference numeral 10. The combination washer/dryer machine 10 includes a cabinet 12 with a plurality of panels 14. The controller panel 20 is illustrated on the front panel 16 of the cabinet 12. The combination washer/dryer 10 includes a tub 30 and a drum 32 rotatably positioned inside of the tub 30. A washing circuit 34 is coupled with the tub 30. Additionally, a drying circuit 36 is illustrated coupled with the tub 30. Thus, heated air is moved into the drum 32 and exited to ambient surrounding through the desired duct work 38.
A lint filter assembly 40 is positioned into the heating duct work 38. The lint filter assembly 40 includes a housing 42 that is positioned into and coupled with the duct work 38. The housing 42 receives a lint catcher 44. The lint catcher 44 includes a frame 46 that has a two piece design with a bowl 48 and a lid or cover 50. As illustrated, the catcher 44 has an overall rectangular trapezoidal design for sliding into the housing 42. The bowl 48 includes wall 52 that surrounds a lattice work 54 that includes a screen 56. The wall 52 includes an opening 58 that abuts a portion of the duct so that the housing 42 receives heated air from the tube 30. The heated air enters into the lint catcher 44, where the lint is retained in the lint catcher 44, then exits through the housing 42 to ambient.
The lid 50 includes lattice work 62 and a screen 64. The lid 50 is hinged to the bowl 48 to enable the lid 50 to be moved away from the bowl 48 to enable access into the catcher 44 to remove the lint. Thus, the lint can be removed from the bowl 48 and lid 50.
The bowl 48 and lid 50 are manufactured from a plastic material. Preferably, a metallic strip 66 is co-molded into the lid 50. Magnets 68 are likewise co-molded into the bowl wall 52 to enable a magnetic closure between the lid 50 and the bowl 48. Thus, this retains the lid 50 onto the bowl 48 when it is positioned inside of the housing 42. Additionally, the magnets 68 and metallic strips 66 could be positioned into the other element.
A cover is 70 positioned onto a front portion of the wall 52 of the lint catcher 44. The cover 70 is accessible from outside of the cabinet 12. This enables the lint catcher 44 to be withdrawn from the housing 42. The cover 70 includes a handle 72 or opening that enables the user to grasp the cover 70 and remove the lint catcher 44 from the housing 42.
Turning to
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As illustrated in
An additional push on the cover 70, in turn, pushes the ball into the base 92. This releases the fingers 94 from within the base which, in turn, releases the ball 96 from the fingers 94. Thus, this enables the catcher 44 to be withdrawn from the cabinet 12.
Turning to
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.
