Patent Application
20230011709
The present invention relates generally to the field of laundry equipment and accessories for use in doing the laundry. More specifically, the present invention relates to a combination washing and drying appliance for automatically transferring wet washed clothes from the washer to an integrated or adjacent dryer unit for automatically drying the clothes without any manual intervention from the individual doing the laundry. The washing unit and dryer unit are either vertically stacked with washing unit atop the dryer unit or horizontally positioned with the dryer unit provided adjacent to the washing unit such as on the right side. The drying cycle is automatically actuated after successful transfer of wet clothes to the dryer unit. Accordingly, this specification makes specific reference thereto the present invention. 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.
By way of background, act of washing clothing or doing laundry is a common activity whether performed in the home, or in a commercial situation such as a hotel or commercial laundry. At present, doing laundry typically means inserting a load of soiled clothing or other items to be washed into a dedicated washing machine and activating the washing machine to conduct washing of the clothing or other items such as linens, bedding, table cloths and the like. Washing machines are not currently configured to dry the washed clothing and therefore, the wet clothing or other laundry must be manually removed from the washer and inserted into a dedicated drying machine to complete the laundry cycle. Then, the drying machine is activated to dry the wet clothing.
Wet clothing is heavier than the dry clothing and as such is heavy to lift and move from one place to the other. Therefore, manual removal of wet laundry from the washer and then inserting the laundry into drying machine is not only time consuming but is a difficult and strenuous task. The task requires significant leaning and bending. This task is near to impossible for physically limited individuals like the elderly, handicapped, those with an injury.
Further, people have to wait for completion of wash cycle of the washer and then have to manually insert the laundry into dryer and activate the dryer. Physical presence of a user for a complete laundry cycle to be finished is necessary. Typically, people plan the washing of the laundry so that there is someone available to remove the clothes or laundry from the washing machine when the washing cycle is completed and put the wet washed clothes or laundry into to a dryer. If a washing cycle is started at home by a person who must then leave home for an extended period, such as for work, school or running errands, the wet clothes or laundry must sit in the washing machine until someone returns to remove them and place them in a dryer. Often, people forget to transfer their wet clothing from the washer to the dryer and the clothing or laundry may end up becoming musty allowing bacteria to develop in the clothing.
Therefore, there exists a long felt need in the art for an improved washing machine that automatically transfers the wet clothes or laundry from a washer to a dryer. There is also a long felt need in the art for a clothes or laundry cleaning device that has integrated washer and dryer system. Additionally, there is a long felt need in the art for a combined washer and dryer machine that does not require manual intervention from a user for drying the wet clothes or laundry. Moreover, there is a long felt need in the art for a combined washer and dryer machine that reduces the duration of laundry cycle of clothes. Further, there is a long felt need in the art for a combined washer and dryer machine or system that protects clothes or laundry for being left wet or damp in the washer and thereby protecting from bacteria and odor. Furthermore, there is a long felt need in the art of a washing machine system that immediately and automatically activates the dryer to dry the wet clothes or laundry after completion of a wash cycle. Finally, there is a long felt need in the art for a combination washer and dryer system that saves time and money by automatically sending the newly washed clothes or laundry directly into a dryer.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a combined clothes washing and drying appliance or system for automatically transferring wet clothes or laundry from a washing unit to a drying unit. The appliance includes a washing unit for washing soiled clothes or laundry, a dryer unit for drying wet clothes or laundry washed by the washing unit, the washing unit is either stacked on top or horizontally adjacent to the dryer unit, the washing unit has a washing tub for washing the soiled clothes or laundry and the dryer unit has a dryer for drying the washed clothes or laundry. The washing tub has an opening that is selectively closed by a first sliding door, and the dryer drum has an opening that is selectively closed by a second sliding door. A common conduit extends between the openings and is configured to transfer wet clothes or laundry from the washing tub to the dryer drum on completion of a wash cycle of the washing unit, and the dryer drum is automatically activated for drying wet clothes or laundry when the wet clothes or laundry are disposed in the drum.
In this manner, the novel combination clothing washing and drying appliance of the present invention accomplishes all of the forgoing objectives and provides users with a washing system that provides either a vertically or horizontally stacked washer and dryer. The washer and the dryer are connected through openings through which wet clothes or laundry are transferred from the washer to the dryer. Further, the dryer is automatically activated thus removing the requirement for manual intervention of a user.
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 or 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 combination clothes washer and dryer system. The combination clothes washer and dryer appliance is designed to provide a fully automated way of transferring wet clothes or laundry into an integrated dryer to automatically complete a laundry cycle. The appliance further includes a washing unit for washing soiled clothes and a dryer unit for drying wet clothes or laundry washed by the washing unit. The washing unit is stacked on top of the dryer unit, or the units are adjacent to one another with the washing unit having a washing tub for washing the soiled clothes or dirty laundry, and the dryer unit having a dryer for drying the washed clothes or laundry. The washing tub has a bottom opening that is selectively closed by a first sliding door, and the dryer drum has a top opening that is selectively closed by a second sliding door. A common conduit extends from the bottom opening to the top opening and is configured to transfer wet clothes or laundry from the washing tub to the dryer drum on completion of a wash cycle of the washing unit. The dryer is automatically activated for drying wet clothes or laundry when wet clothes or laundry are disposed in the drum and the top opening is closed.
In yet another embodiment, the washing unit has a weight sensor that determines weight of clothes or laundry in the washing tub and a microcontroller for automatically activating a wash cycle for washing clothes based on the determined weight of the clothes.
In yet another embodiment, the microcontroller of the washing unit slides the first sliding door to selectively open the bottom or side opening of the washing tub and simultaneously slides the second sliding door to selectively open the top or side opening of the dryer drum on completion of a wash cycle.
In yet another embodiment, the microcontroller of the washing unit slides the first sliding door to selectively close the bottom or side opening of the washing tub and simultaneously slides the second sliding door to selectively close the top or side opening of the dryer drum on complete transfer of the wet clothes or laundry from the washing tub to the dryer drum through the common conduit. When the transfer is completed and is detected by reading a zero or near zero weight by the weight sensor, due to residual water, after completion of a wash cycle. The weight sensor has a range of between 0 and 16 ounces and can be triggered if the sensor reads in this range to operate the drying cycle. More preferably, the sensor operates the dryer when the washer drum has a reading between 0 and 4 ounces.
In yet another embodiment, the washing unit has touch buttons for setting configuration of the washing unit and a knob for manually setting time for wash cycle.
In yet another embodiment, a microcontroller of the dryer unit automatically activates the dryer unit.
In yet another embodiment, a horizontally stacked washer and dryer appliance is disclosed. The appliance includes a washer unit for washing clothes and a dryer unit for drying washed clothes without requiring the manual intervention of a user to transfer the wet laundry or clothes from the washer to the dryer. The washer unit has a washing tub for washing soiled clothes or dirty laundry and the dryer unit has a dryer drum for automatically drying wet washed clothes or laundry, a common conduit configured to transfer wet clothes or laundry from the washing tub to the dryer drum. A pressure creator module is used for creating pressure to transfer wet clothes through the common conduit. A microcontroller contained within the washer unit actuates the pressure creator module on completion of a wash cycle and the dryer drum automatically activates when wet clothes or laundry are accommodated therein.
In yet another embodiment, on the completion of the wash cycle, slidable doors are integrated with the washing tub and the dryer drum are moved to access the openings of the washing tub and the dryer drum by the common conduit. The doors move in one a direction which is parallel to the surface of the washer or dryer through which the laundry will travel.
In yet another embodiment, a method for automatically transferring wet clothes or laundry from a washing unit to a dryer unit for drying is described. The method includes the step of loading the washer with dirty laundry and then activating a wash cycle of the washing unit for washing clothes or laundry. On completion of the wash cycle, sliding doors provided on each of washing tub and dryer drum are actuated for accessing a common conduit and moved to an open position. Next, the wet clothes or laundry is automatically transferred from the washing tub to the dryer drum using the common conduit. Then, sliding the doors to a closed position for closing the doors and the openings of the washing tub and dryer drum. Finally, automatically activating the dryer drum for drying the wet clothes or laundry without intervention of the user to complete the laundry cycle.
In a yet still further embodiment, a smartphone is connected to the system to allow a user to monitor the operation of the system including time remaining on the laundry cycle. The smartphone can be used to stop and restart the washer and or dryer when needed. The smartphone can be used to detect jamming of the doors, such as when one or both doors are blocked by laundry being transferred between the two appliances. When a blockage occurs, the smartphone can be used to rotate the wash drum or dryer drum in an effort to remove the blockage from one or both doors. The smartphone also detects the weight in the washer drum sensor to begin the transfer of laundry between the two cabinets of the appliances.
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.
The description refers to provided drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the different views, and in which:
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 a washing system that automatically transfers wet clothes or laundry from a washer to a dryer. There is also a long felt need in the art for a clothes cleaning device that has integrated washer and dryer. Additionally, there is a long felt need in the art for a combined washer and dryer system that does not require manual intervention from a user for drying the wet clothes or laundry. Moreover, there is a long felt need in the art for a combined washer and dryer machine that reduces duration of laundry cycle of clothes or laundry by quickly transferring the load of laundry from the washer to the dryer upon completion of the wash cycle. Further, there is a long felt need in the art for a combined washer and dryer system that protects clothes and laundry for being left wet in the washer and thereby avoiding bacteria forming and the bad odor that accompanies the development of the bacteria. Furthermore, there is a long felt need in the art of a washing machine device that immediately and automatically activates the dryer to dry the wet clothes after completion of a wash cycle and the transfer of the laundry from the washer drum to the dryer drum. Finally, there is a long felt need in the art for a combination washer and dryer machine that saves time and money by automatically sending the newly washed clothes and laundry directly into a dryer.
The present invention, in one exemplary embodiment, is a novel method for automatically transferring wet clothes or laundry from a washing unit to a dryer unit for drying. The method includes the step of activating wash cycle of the washing unit for washing clothes, or laundry then, on completion of the wash cycle, sliding or opening doors of washing tub and dryer drum for accessing a common conduit, thereafter, automatically transferring the wet clothes or laundry from the washing tub to the dryer drum using the common conduit. Then, sliding or opening the doors to a closed position for closing the openings of the washing tub and dryer drum. Finally, automatically activating the dryer drum for drying the wet clothes or laundry without intervention of the user to complete the laundry cycle, such as by physically transferring the laundry from one unit to the other.
The apparatus has a first selection button disposed on the lid for activating a dry heat chamber and blowing heat on the head and bristles, a second selection button disposed on the lid for activating the ultraviolet bulb for emitting ultraviolet light on the head and bristles, and a third selection button disposed on the lid for blowing pressurized steam on the head and bristles. The ultraviolet light, heat or steam is selectively used utilizing an integrated battery disposed within the main housing.
Referring initially to the drawings,
The washing unit 102 includes a washing tub 106 that can be accessed by a washer door 108. The washing unit 102 is preferably a front load unit enabling a user to insert clothes easily while standing on ground. This eliminates the bending of a user to insert clothes in the washing tub 106. The washer door 108 is hingedly coupled to the front 1020 of the washing unit 102 so that the washer door 108 is aligned with the washing tub 106. The washer door 108 is configured to swing to an open configuration, positioning a user to insert the soiled articles into the tub 106, and to swing to a closed configuration to close the tub 106. The washing unit 102 has a conventional display 110 for displaying the status of the washing cycle and other parameters of the washing unit 102 to a user. The display 110 is a digital display that is activated when the apparatus 100 is activated by a user. A microcontroller 112 of the washing unit 102 is configured to actuate the washing cycle of the washing unit 102 that rotates the washing tub 106 for washing the clothes accommodated by the washing tub 106. Preferably, the microcontroller 112 can automatically start the washing cycle for a specific time based on the weight of the clothes detected by a weight sensor 114 disposed in the washing unit 102. Alternatively, the user can rotate the knob 116 for manually setting a washing cycle time. The weight sensor 114 is wirelessly connected to a smartphone 115 which allows the user to remotely monitor the washer and dryer system as well as to intervene in the operation of the system 100, such as to stop or start cycles and alert the user to system issues.
The washing unit 102 has a plurality of touch buttons 118 that are configured to activate the washing unit 102 and control other parameters such as displaying detergent level and setting water level in the washing tub 106. It should be understood that all the features available in conventional washing units can be included in the washing unit 102 of the present invention. At the bottom of the washing tub 106, a bottom opening 202 is disposed as illustrated in
The drying unit 104 sits underneath the washing unit 102 and is configured to automatically dry the wet clothes or laundry washed by the washing unit 102. The drying unit 104 has a second microcontroller 120 that is used for individually controlling the drying unit 104. The drying unit 104 has a dryer drum 122 that can be accessed by a dryer door 124. The dryer door 124 is hingedly coupled to the front surface 1040 of the drying unit 104 so that the dryer door 124 is aligned with the dryer drum 122. The dryer door 124 is configured to swing to an open configuration, positioning a user to remove dried articles from the drum 122, and to swing to a closed configuration to close the drum 122. The dryer drum 122 has conventional drying mechanism (not shown) for drying the wet clothes washed by the washing unit 102.
In one embodiment, the dryer drum 122 has a top opening 206 that is aligned with the bottom opening 202 of the washing unit 102 and is configured to receive wet clothes or laundry from the bottom opening 202 for drying. The top opening 206 is closed by a second sliding door 208 that slides along the dryer drum 122 as best illustrated in
It should be understood that the second microcontroller 120 is configured to automatically open the second sliding door 208 and activate the dryer unit 104 when the wash cycle of the washing unit 102 is completed and the wet clothes are received by drying unit 104 as illustrated in
It should be appreciated that a user is required to put soiled clothing or laundry in the washing unit 102 as the only step for a complete laundry cycle. The microcontrollers 112, 120 automatically perform the wash cycle and dry cycle for complete, effective, and automatic washing of the clothes or laundry.
The washing unit 302 has a washing tub 308 and a dryer unit 304 has a dryer drum 310. The washing tub 308 has an opening 312 that is covered by a sliding door 314 and the sliding door 314 is configured to slide along the tub 308 to open the opening 312. Similarly, the dryer drum 310 has an opening 316 that is covered by a sliding door 318 and the sliding door 318 is configured to slide along the drum 310 to open the opening 316. A common conduit 326 runs from the tub 308 to the drum 310 that is configured to transfer the washed clothes or laundry to the dryer drum 310 to dry. In the present embodiment, the washing unit 302 has a pressure creator module 320 that is activated by a microcontroller 322 after a wash cycle to transfer wet clothes from the tub 308 to the dryer drum 310. The pressure creator module 320 creates a force 321 to move the laundry from the washer to the dryer. The dryer drum 310 may also include a ultraviolet light 325 to help in treatment of the laundry to prevent the buildup of bacteria. In addition, the drum 310 may also include a steam feature 327 to aid in the cleaning and/or treatment of the laundry.
The microcontroller 322 is further configured to slide the sliding doors 314, 318 to open the openings 312, 316 for transferring the wet clothes 212 through the common conduit 326 after completion of a wash cycle. The second microcontroller 324 is configured to automatically activate the dryer unit 304 when the opening 316 of the drum 310 is closed and the wet clothes or laundry are detected by the drum 310. The horizontally stacked washing and drying apparatus 300 automatically transfers the wet clothes or laundry after a wash cycle to the dryer unit 304 and automatically activates the dryer unit 304 to dry the clothes or laundry.
The microcontroller 322 of the washing unit 302 of
It is to be understood that all aspects of the present invention may be composed of any material that is known in the art. Preferably, the material allows for simple and easy cleaning of the apparatus. In particular, the apparatus 100,300 is essentially composed of a material selected from the group consisting of metal, stainless steel, plastic and any combination thereof. In addition, the apparatus 100,300 may come in any color, and can have any design and other various decorative additions that provide for aesthetically pleasing designs to appease any and all eclectic tastes.
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 “combination clothes washing and drying unit”, “horizontally stacked washing and drying apparatus”, “combination clothes washing and drying apparatus”, “apparatus”, and “device” are interchangeable and refer to the combination clothes washing and drying apparatus 100,300 of the present invention.
Notwithstanding the forgoing, the combination clothes washing and drying apparatus 100,300 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 size, configuration, and material of the combination clothes washing and drying apparatus 100,300 as shown in the FIGS. are for illustrative purposes only, and that many other sizes and shapes of the combination clothes washing and drying apparatus 100,300 are well within the scope of the present disclosure. Although the dimensions of the combination clothes washing and drying apparatus 100,300 are important design parameters for user convenience, the combination clothes washing and drying apparatus 100,300 may 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.
The present application claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/219,955, which was filed on Jul. 9, 2021, and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63219955 | Jul 2021 | US |
