Laundry treatment device having multiple treatment composition storage compartments

Abstract

The laundry processing device (1) includes a base (70), a tub (80), and a drum (90) rotatable relative to the tub (80) about an axis of rotation (AR) that is within 20 degrees of horizontal. The axis of rotation (AR) is in a sagittal plane (SP) of the drum (90). The device (1) further includes a detergent container receptacle (40) and a fabric softener container receptacle (50). The detergent container receptacle (40) is further from the sagittal plane (SP) than the fabric softener container receptacle (50). The laundry processing device (1) optionally includes a heater (170) that is optionally vertically higher than the axis of rotation (AR), and the sagittal plane (SP) is optionally between at least a portion of the detergent container receptacle (40) and the heater (170).

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an automatic laundry processing apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] The number of urban households continues to grow. Within the home, there are a variety of tasks that need to be accomplished. One of these tasks is doing laundry. Many households prefer to do their own laundry due to convenience, lack of trust in other service providers, or to save money. For many households, the optimal solution for time and money budgeting is to do the laundry within the confines of the home. For many urban households, space is at a premium. Thus, there is a demand for home appliances, such as laundry processors, that use space efficiently and perform the tasks at hand in an acceptable manner.

[0003] Most laundry processors are operated by a user placing laundry into the machine, dispensing laundry detergent into the machine's drum, closing the machine's door, and starting a laundry processing cycle. In some machines, the laundry processing composition is dispensed into a drawer in the machine, and the compositions are poured out of the drawer and transferred to a tub in the laundry processor. With these two approaches, the user must not only accommodate the space occupied by the laundry processor, but also the space required to store the containers of laundry processing composition. Storage space is often scarce in urban homes, and may not be conveniently located near the laundry processor. These obstacles can make doing laundry unpleasant.

[0004] For laundry treatment devices that can deliver multiple laundry treatment compositions, the rate at which different laundry treatment compositions are consumed can vary. This can create difficulties for the person responsible for maintaining a suitable but minimal inventory of various laundry treatment compositions. For example, detergents can be consumed at a different rate than the rate at which fabric softeners are consumed.

[0005] Some laundry processing devices provide an on-board container of laundry treatment composition, the container containing a volume of laundry treatment composition sufficient to perform multiple washes. In such laundry processing devices, the on-board container is provided above or below the drum. However, such configurations tend to occupy a significant amount of space within the laundry processing device and increase the space required for the laundry processing device. Moreover, such configurations can only provide an equal volume of laundry treatment composition to be stored on-board the laundry processing device. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Given these limitations, there is a continuing unmet need for a laundry treatment device that has the ability to carry and compactly store multiple laundry treatment compositions and is designed with an understanding of the rate at which the laundry treatment compositions are consumed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] 1. A laundry processing device comprising: a base on which the laundry processing device rests; a tub defining a fluid containment envelope, the tub being above the base; a drum positioned within the tub and rotatable relative to the tub about an axis of rotation that is within about 20 degrees of horizontal, the axis of rotation being in a sagittal plane of the drum, the sagittal plane being perpendicular to the base; a detergent container receptacle; a fabric softener container receptacle, the detergent container receptacle being further away from the sagittal plane than the fabric softener container receptacle; and a heater, the sagittal plane being between the detergent container receptacle and at least a portion of the heater, the heater engaged with a heated air conveying section, the heated air conveying section being in fluid communication with the drum, and optionally the heater being taller in height than the axis of rotation when the laundry processing device is in an operable position.

[0008] 1. A laundry processing device comprising: an machine base on which the laundry processing device is placed; a tub defining a fluid containment envelope, the tub being above the machine base; a drum positioned within the tub and rotatable relative to the tub about an axis of rotation that is within about 20 degrees of horizontal relative to the base, the axis of rotation being in a sagittal plane of the drum, the sagittal plane being perpendicular to the machine base; a detergent container housing, a fabric softener container housing, and a fragrance container housing, the detergent container housing being further away from the sagittal plane than the fabric softener container housing, and the fabric softener container housing being further away from the sagittal plane than the fragrance container housing; and when the laundry processing device is in an operable position, the detergent container housing, the fabric softener container housing, and the fragrance container housing are vertically higher than the axis of rotation. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the internal components of the laundry processing device. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a front view of the container docking unit. [Figure 4] 1 is a top view of a portion of the laundry processing device with the top panel removed to reveal the interior of the docking unit. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a front view of a portion of the laundry processing device. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a top view of some of the internal components of the laundry processing device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Horizontal axis laundry processing devices are recognized as convenient and efficient to use. Horizontal axis devices are offered in a variety of sizes related to the drum volume required to process a given volume or mass of laundry. Urban residences are typically smaller than suburban or rural residences. Urban homes often perform the same activities as suburban and rural homes within the smaller space of their residences. As a result of this similarity, devices for urban homes are designed to be more compact or smaller than devices designed for non-urban settings.

[0011] For horizontal axis laundry processing machines, one commonality is that the drum rotates about a horizontal or near horizontal axis. The drum in such machines is typically accessed through a front door of the machine, which when closed, seals against a tub containing the drum.

[0012] The drum is typically a hollow cylinder, or generally cylindrical structure, having a generally circumferential wall, one closed end, and one open end, although such variations in the circumferential wall are provided to lift laundry as the drum rotates intermittently, or to provide load stabilization when the drum spins rapidly. The circumferential wall has a number of openings that allow processing solution and rinse water to travel in and out of the drum. The tub, in combination with the door, contains the processing solution and rinse water. Because the tub fits closely to the drum, the volume of processing solution and rinse water used during operation is minimized for efficient operation.

[0013] The remainder of the laundry processor's components are mostly located around or behind the tub, except for the control panel for operating the machine. In many parts of the world, there are several standard front-to-back and width dimensions for appliances designed to be installed under a countertop or in a cabinet. The machine's components are typically positioned within the machine so that the machine's cabinet fits the typical standard dimensions.

[0014] For various technical reasons, the front-to-back dimension of the drum is typically maximized within the front-to-back dimension of the laundry processing device, and as a result, as many components as practical are positioned around the circumference of the drum, knowing that there will be a tab between the component and the drum that fits closely with the drum.

[0015] For a horizontal axis laundry processor, if the laundry processor cabinet has a generally parallelepiped shape, the width of the processor cannot be less than the diameter of the drum. When viewed from the front of the processor, the minimum cabinet extent around the drum is the square in which the drum fits. In practice, the cabinet extent of the processor must be greater than the diameter of the drum so that the tub can also fit within the width. If the square is fitted into the diameter of a circle, there are four areas between the circumference of the circle and the circumference of the square, one between the 12 o'clock position and the 3 o'clock position, one between the 3 o'clock position and the 6 o'clock position, one between the 6 o'clock position and the 9 o'clock position, one between the 9 o'clock position and the 12 o'clock position, and the 12 o'clock position is one of the four intersections of the square and the circle. Even in the case of a laundry processor where the cabinet is not so tightly fitted around the tub, these general locations exist and may be convenient places to position the components of the laundry processor.

[0016] The above mentioned locations are those bounded by the cabinet of the machine and the tub in which the drum is located. For tubs that fit closely around the drum, the tub tends to be a hollow open ended cylinder with a shape that is a slight extension of the shape of the drum. Considering how a square fits around a circle, there is more available space near the 1:30, 4:30, 7:30, and 10:30 positions than near the 12, 3, 6, and 9 o'clock positions. The availability of space around the machine tub can affect where various components of the laundry processing device can be located.

[0017] A laundry processor 1 is shown in FIG. The laundry processor 1 may have two or more receptacles into which individual containers of laundry treatment composition may be inserted. These receptacles may be conveniently positioned to open toward the front of the laundry processor 1. The laundry processor 1 may have a door 10 that provides access to a drum within a cabinet 20 of the laundry processor 1. The receptacles may provide a location on board the device 1 for storing multiple doses of laundry treatment composition that may be consumed by the laundry processor 1 incrementally over multiple uses of the laundry processor 1.

[0018] In processing laundry, users generally use detergent compositions primarily to provide cleaning benefits. The cleaning benefits may be provided by components of the detergent composition including surfactants and enzymes. Other benefit agents may be provided in the detergent composition including polymers, deposition aids, hue dyes, brighteners, bleaches, etc. The detergent composition is delivered to the tub during the wash cycle of the laundry processing device 1.

[0019] A fabric softener composition is often introduced into the tub as part of the rinse cycle of the laundry processing device 1. Fabric softening benefits can be provided by a variety of fabric softening actives, including, but not limited to, quaternary ammonium compounds, silicones, other polymers, and similar materials. The fabric softener composition is typically delivered to the tub during the rinse cycle of the laundry processing device 1.

[0020] Typically, users consume detergent composition at a rate that exceeds the rate at which they consume fabric softener composition.This can occur for multiple reasons.One is that the volume of each dose of detergent composition may be larger than the dose of fabric softener composition.Another reason is that many users do not use fabric softener composition for each wash.Users can choose to use or not use fabric softener composition based on the fabric composition of the wash, the expected use of the wash after processing, and to control the overall cost associated with doing the wash.

[0021] Many users of the laundry processing device 1 also desire to have a good laundry odor after washing and / or during wear. The perfume composition may be introduced into the tub during the wash cycle, the rinse cycle, or a special cycle designed to impart a fragrance benefit to the laundry being treated. The perfume composition may include unencapsulated perfume, encapsulated perfume, deposition aids, and other components that assist in imparting a fragrance benefit to the laundry. Providing the perfume composition as a final or late step in the process of treating the laundry may help reduce the amount of perfume required to deliver a particular level of benefit by minimizing losses through drainage of the wash liquor or rinse water.

[0022] On a volumetric basis of laundry, only a small volume of the perfume composition can be used to provide fragrance benefits to laundry. That is, only a small volume of the perfume composition is required per load to provide noticeable benefits to the user. Furthermore, similar to the user's choice of using fabric softener compositions, a similar choice is often made by consumers regarding providing fragrance benefits. The user may choose to use or not use perfume compositions based on the fabric composition of the laundry, the expected use of the laundry after treatment, the person wearing the laundry after treatment, and the cost of doing laundry.

[0023] Considering the variation in the volume of laundry treatment composition used over time, it can be generalized that the volume of detergent composition consumed is often greater than the volume of fabric softener composition consumed, which in turn is often greater than the volume of perfume composition consumed.

[0024] The cabinet 20 may have an access panel 30 that may be opened and closed. The access panel 30 may provide access to a detergent container housing 40, a fabric softener container housing 50, and an optional fragrance container housing 60. The access panel 30 may be hingedly engaged with the cabinet 20, slidably engaged with the cabinet 20, or otherwise engageable or engaged with the cabinet 20. The access panel 30 may be opened and closed to access the various housings.

[0025] The laundry processing device 1 may include an machine base 70 on which the laundry processing device rests. Machine base 70 may be, by way of non-limiting example, a flat bottom panel of the machine 1 or three or more protruding parts, such as legs or wheels, that rest on the floor of the user's home.

[0026] The laundry processing device 1 is shown in FIG. 2 with the cabinet 20 and the door 10 removed. Within the cabinet 20, the laundry processing device 1 may include a tub 80, as a non-limiting example as shown in FIG. 2. The laundry processing device 1 may include a tub 80. The tub 80 defines a fluid containment envelope 85. The door 10 may be a sealing engagement of the fluid containment envelope 85. The tub 80 contains a fluid used during operation of the laundry processing device 1. During the wash and rinse cycles of the laundry processing device 1, the fluid may be a water-based liquid. If the laundry processing device 1 is capable of washing and drying laundry, the fluid may be heated air provided during the drying cycle. The tub 80 is positioned above the device base 70. The tub 80 may be manufactured from a rigid, semi-rigid, or flexible plastic or synthetic rubber material. The tub 80 may be manufactured from metal.

[0027] The drum 90 is positioned within the fluid containment envelope 85 and is rotatable relative to the tub 80 about an axis of rotation (AR). The axis of rotation AR may be within about 20 degrees of horizontal relative to the machine base 70, which is understood to define the horizontal. The axis of rotation AR may be horizontal relative to the machine base 70. To provide ergonomic access to the drum 80 when a user loads and removes laundry from the drum 90, the drum 90 may be tilted slightly upward from the horizontal. The axis of rotation AR is the axis about which the drum 90 spins or reciprocates.

[0028] The axis of rotation AR is located in a sagittal plane (SP) of the drum 90. The sagittal plane SP divides the laundry processing device 1 into a left portion and a right portion, and the term sagittal is used in its anatomical sense. The sagittal plane SP is perpendicular to the machine base 70.

[0029] Drum 90 may have an internal drum volume of about 20 L to about 70 L, optionally about 30 L to about 60 L, optionally about 30 L to about 50 L. Drum 90 may have an inner diameter ID of about 0.3 m to about 0.6 m, optionally about 0.35 m to about 0.55 m, optionally about 0.4 m to about 0.5 m, optionally about 0.45 m to about 0.5 m.

[0030] The drum 90 may be mechanically engaged with a motor to drive rotation or partial rotation of the drum about the axis of rotation. The motor may be controlled by a controller that controls the laundry processor 1 and executes the laundry processing process. The controller may be a solid state or analog or other type of controller for operating the laundry processor. The laundry processing process controlled by the controller may include determining the weight of a load of laundry, partially filling the tub 80 with water, and pumping or otherwise transferring various laundry processing compositions from various containers to the tub 80. The controller may activate one or more pumps operably engaged with ports of the receptacle to deliver the fabric treatment compositions to the tub 80 and the drum 90. The controller may rotate or partially rotate the drum with the laundry processing liquid in the tub 80. The controller may open the drain of the tub 80 and activate a pump to help remove the used laundry processing liquid from the tub. The controller may execute a rinse process or a rinse process in which fabric softener is introduced into or with the rinse water. The control may also operate the drain and pump to remove rinse material from the tub 80. Additionally, the control may operate a drying cycle in which heated air is circulated by a fan through the tub 80 and drum 90 to dry the laundry while the drum 90 rotates or intermittently rotates. During the wash cycle, the control may sense conditions such as, by way of non-limiting examples, soap suds lock, temperature, liquid level, door open, etc., and may modify the operation of the laundry processor 1 based on such sensed conditions. During the drying cycle, the control may sense conditions including, by way of non-limiting examples, temperature and humidity. The control may be programmed to provide controlled starting and stopping of rotation of the drum 90.

[0031] The laundry processing device 1 may include a detergent container housing 40. The detergent container housing 40 has a detergent container housing volume. The laundry processing device 1 may further include a fabric softener container housing 50 having a fabric softener container housing volume. Optionally, the laundry processing device 1 may further include a fragrance container housing 60 having a fragrance container housing volume. The loading housing provides a space in which a container of laundry treatment composition may be stored and accessed by the device 1 during use.

[0032] The receptacle is a structure into which a container may be positioned by a user. The receptacle is sized and dimensioned to receive an associated container. Each container may include a laundry treatment composition, such as a detergent composition, a fabric softener composition, and optionally a perfume composition. In practice, a user may obtain a container containing an associated composition, access the receptacle, and position the container within the receptacle such that the associated composition within the container may be delivered to the tub 80.

[0033] The reservoir volume of each respective reservoir is a scalar quantity of the volume of that reservoir. The reservoir volume is the volume within the laundry processing device 1 allocated for storing containers containing laundry treatment compositions.

[0034] The detergent container accommodation volume may be about 2% to about 8% of the drum interior volume. The fabric softener accommodation volume may be about 0.5% to about 2% of the drum interior volume. The fragrance accommodation volume may be about 0.3% to about 1.5% of the drum interior volume. The fabric softener accommodation volume may be about 15% to about 30% of the detergent container accommodation volume. Also, the fragrance container accommodation volume may be about 10% to about 25% of the detergent container accommodation volume. Within these ranges of accommodation volumes relative to the drum interior volume or relative to each other, the detergent container accommodation volume may be larger than the fabric softener container accommodation volume, and the fabric softener container accommodation volume may be larger than the fragrance container accommodation volume.

[0035] The receptacles may be enclosed or open frames, or partial frames, or partial enclosed or open spaces, or partial open spaces, within which the associated containers are intended to be positioned. That is, each receptacle is a space in which the respective container is intended to be placed as part of the operation of the device by the user. The receptacle volume is taken to be the maximum volume that the receptacles are designed to accommodate without the containers in one receptacle encroaching into the space allocated to another receptacle to accommodate another container. The receptacles may be walled off from each other, or may be defined or partially defined by an open frame or tray or other structure suitable for securely positioning the containers and for properly engaging the containers with ports that provide for the transfer of the laundry treatment composition from the containers to the tub 80 and drum 90. The detergent container housing 40 may include a detergent container housing bottom wall 44, a detergent container housing side wall 45, and a detergent container housing top wall 46, the detergent container housing top wall 46 being spaced apart from the detergent container housing bottom wall 44, and the detergent container housing side wall 45 connecting the detergent container housing bottom wall 44 and the detergent container housing top wall 46. The extent of the detergent container housing bottom wall 44, the detergent container housing side wall 45, and the detergent container housing top wall 46 may define the detergent container housing 40.

[0036] Similarly, the fabric softener container housing 50 may comprise a fabric softener container housing bottom wall 54 and a fabric softener container housing top wall 56, with the fabric softener container housing top wall 56 spaced apart from the fabric softener container housing bottom wall 54. The detergent container housing 40 may be further away from the sagittal plane SP than the fabric softener container housing 50. Also, the fragrance container housing 60 may comprise a fragrance container housing bottom wall 64, a fragrance container housing side wall 65 and a fragrance container housing top wall 66, with the fragrance container housing bottom wall 64 spaced apart from the fragrance container housing top wall 66 and the fragrance container housing side wall 65 connecting the fragrance container housing bottom wall 64 and the fragrance container housing top wall 66. The fabric softener container housing 50 may be between the detergent container housing 40 and the fragrance container housing 60. Each of the receptacles may be defined or at least partially defined by a back wall that connects the various top walls to the various bottom walls. The various top walls may be integrated with one another to form a single top wall. Similarly, the various bottom walls may be integrated with one another to form a single bottom wall.

[0037] The detergent container housing 40 and the fabric softener container housing 50 may be in the docking unit 35. Also, the perfume container housing 60, if present, may also be in the docking unit 35. The docking unit 35 may be a defined or partially defined space in the device 1 in which the detergent container housing 40, the fabric softener container housing 50, and the optional perfume container housing 60 are located. The various housings may be a continuous space in the docking unit 35 defined by the various walls mentioned above. Each of the housings may also be at least partially defined by a port valve associated with the respective housing, and each respective housing is intended to be associated with a respective container.

[0038] Each of the containers contains multiple doses of a respective laundry treatment composition. For example, each container may contain more than about 10 doses of the laundry treatment composition, or even more than about 20, or more than about 30, or from about 10 to about 50, or from about 20 to about 40 doses of the laundry treatment composition.

[0039] Since space within the compact laundry processor 1 is limited, considerable care must be taken in packing the various components of the laundry processor 1 within the compact cabinet 20. In the compact laundry processor 1, a relatively large amount of space is available near the 10:30 and 1:30 positions, the 12 and 6 o'clock positions are in the sagittal plane, the 12 o'clock position is above the 6 o'clock position, and the 6 o'clock position is above the machine base 70. Additionally, the tub 80 may fit closely to the drum 90 to minimize the volume of liquid required to process the laundry. That is, the tub 80 may be curved about the axis of rotation AR to fit closely or closely to the drum 90.

[0040] Over time, the volume of detergent composition consumed tends to be greater than the volume of fabric softener composition consumed. Also, when a perfume composition is used, the volume of fabric softener composition consumed will be greater than the volume of perfume composition consumed. With that in mind, the detergent container housing volume should be greater than the fabric softener container housing volume, and the fabric softener container housing volume should be greater than the perfume container housing volume. In this way, the volume in cabinet 20 for storing each individual laundry treatment composition is approximately proportional to the consumption of such individual composition.

[0041] The detergent container housing 40 may be positioned further away from the sagittal plane SP than the fabric softener container housing 50. Similarly, the fabric softener container housing 50 may be positioned further away from the sagittal plane SP than the fragrance container housing 60.

[0042] When the laundry processor 1 is in an operational position, it may be practical to provide the detergent container housing 40, the fabric softener container housing 50, and the optional perfume container housing 60 to be higher in height than the axis of rotation AR. The operational position of the laundry processor 1 is with the machine base 70 resting on a floor, or countertop, or other substantially flat surface. With respect to the term higher in height with respect to the location of the elements of the present invention, the height is determined relative to the machine base 70. The machine base 70 is the reference for characterizing the height. Such a location may help reduce the power required to transfer the individual laundry treatment compositions to the tubs 80, and may be more convenient for a user to access the housings compared to housings at the bottom of the machine 1. Higher in height and lower in height are used with respect to the laundry processor in an operational position.

[0043] As described herein, the device 1 includes a number of receptacles into which individual laundry treatment composition containers can be inserted. To assist a user of the device 1 in placing the correct container in the correct receptacle, it may be useful to provide the user with cues that assist the user in positioning the correct container in the correct receptacle. Geometric cues may be particularly useful.

[0044] The device 1 can be a combination washer and dryer. Such a device 1 is particularly attractive for compact urban homes that do not have the space for both a washer and a dryer. A combination washer and dryer can use a closed dry air circuit, since many compact urban homes do not have vents installed for such devices.

[0045] A laundry processing device 1 with a closed dry air circuit 160 is shown in FIG. 2. The closed dry air circuit 160 may include a heater 170. The heater 170 may heat air circulating in the closed dry air circuit 160. A fan 180 may be provided in the closed dry air circuit 160 to circulate heated air from the heater 170 to the tub 80 and drum 90 to remove moisture from the laundry during drying. The closed dry air circuit 160 may further include a condenser 195 for collecting water from within the closed dry air circuit 160. The closed dry air circuit 160 may include the heater 170 in thermal communication with the heated air conveying section 190. The closed dry air circuit 160 may include the heated air conveying section 190, the heater 170, the tub 80, the drum 90, the return section 200, the condenser 195, and the fan 180. The heated air conveying section 190 and the return section 200 are in fluid communication with the tub 80 and the drum 90. The heated air conveying section 190 and the return section 200 are part of a closed loop that circulates heated air to the heated air conveying section 190, the drum 90, the return section 200, the condenser 195, and the fan 180. The heated air conveying section 190 is upstream of the drum 90, and the return section 200 is downstream of the drum 90. The heater 170 is upstream of the drum 90. The heater 170 can be within or part of the heated air conveying section 190. The heated air flows from the heated air conveying section 190 to the tub 80 and from the drum 90 to the return section 200. Circulating the heated air to the tub 80 and the drum 90 can remove water from the laundry to dry or at least partially dry the laundry. The heater 170 can be a heating element that converts electrical energy into heat via Joule heating. The heating element can be a straight or coiled wire or ribbon. A fan 180 can drive airflow across or through the heater 170, where the air is heated as it passes through the heater 170.

[0046] Some laundry treatment compositions are sensitive to heat. For example, excessive heat can reduce the activity of enzymes. Detergent compositions generally include enzymes as actives for stain removal. Additionally, heat can destabilize stabilized compositions such as detergent compositions, fabric softener compositions, and perfume compositions. For a laundry treatment device 1 that houses an on-board storage of a laundry treatment composition such as those described herein and has a heater 170 that is part of a closed air drying circuit 160, it can be important to space the storage in which the laundry treatment composition is stored a distance from the heater 170. The perfume container housing 60 can be spaced from the heater 170 by a distance that is about 5% to about 35% of the inside diameter (ID) of the drum. Such a configuration can provide a separation between the perfume container housing 60 and the heater 170 such that the contents of the perfume container are protected from the harmful effects of excessive heat.

[0047] The heater 170 may be positioned higher in height than the axis of rotation AR, and the sagittal plane SP may be between at least a portion of the detergent container housing 40 and the heater 170. The heater 170 is a heating element to which an electric current is applied to heat the heating element. In practice, this may space the detergent container housing 40 and the heater 170 in different parts, or possibly opposing halves, of the laundry processing device 1 to provide a separation between the detergent composition and the heater. Because heat conduction may be roughly approximated as proportional to the square of the distance between the heat source and the heat acceptor, a small increase in separation may provide a substantial benefit in terms of limiting the temperature rise of the detergent composition located in the detergent container housing 40 due to the heater 170, despite non-uniform structures that may exist between them, as well as dynamic boundary conditions and air flows. A similar separation between the heater 170 and the detergent container housing 40 may be achieved by positioning the heater 170 lower in height than the axis of rotation AR. This positions the detergent container mount 40 and the heater 170 in the opposing upper and lower halves of the laundry processing device 1 when the detergent container mount 40 is higher in the height direction than the rotation axis AR.

[0048] When the laundry processing device 1 is in an operable position, a relatively large amount of vertical space is available near the 10:30 and 1:30 positions above the axis of rotation AR. It may be practical to vary the vertical position of the base of each container housing to provide a balanced volume of laundry processing composition based on consumption. Relatively more vertical space is available within the cabinet 20 further away from the sagittal plane SP than near the sagittal plane SP.

[0049] Additionally, the height of the receptacles can vary, with the height being measured in a direction perpendicular to the machine base 70. Varying the height of the receptacles can provide a cue as to which receptacle which container should be positioned when the containers have different heights. Providing receptacles so dimensioned can provide laundry treatment compositions available on board the laundry treatment device 1 in amounts related to each other approximately proportional to their expected consumption.

[0050] The receptacles may be approximately centered about the axis of rotation AR. That is, the center point of each receptacle may be approximately the same distance from the axis of rotation as the center points of the other receptacles. The center point of a receptacle is the center of mass of the space allocated to the receptacle. The center of mass of the three-dimensional space may be determined using known analytical or numerical methods.

[0051] The receptacles may be positioned within a docking unit 35. The docking unit 35 may include an access panel 30. The access panel 30 may be hinged open to provide access to the interior of the docking unit 35. The interior of the docking unit includes a detergent container receptacle 40, a fabric softener container receptacle 50, and an optional fragrance container receptacle 60. In operation, a user opens the docking unit access panel 30 and inserts or removes the respective containers into or from the respective receptacles. The detergent container may be inserted into or removed from the detergent container receptacle 40. The fabric softener container may be inserted into or removed from the fabric softener container receptacle 60. Also, the optional fragrance container may be inserted into or removed from the fragrance container receptacle 60.

[0052] The detergent container housing 40 may have a detergent container housing lateral width 130 perpendicular to the sagittal plane SP (FIG. 3). Similarly, the fabric softener container housing 50 may have a fabric softener container housing lateral width 140 perpendicular to the sagittal plane SP. If present, the perfume container housing 60 may have a perfume container housing lateral width 150 perpendicular to the sagittal plane SP. Each of the aforementioned widths is a scalar measurement of the dimensions of the respective housing. The detergent container housing lateral width 130 may be greater than the fabric softener container housing lateral width 140 and the perfume container housing lateral width 150. Furthermore, the fabric softener container housing lateral width 140 may be different from the perfume container housing lateral width 150. The lateral width of each housing is the lateral width in which the respective container fits. As a non-limiting example, if the housing is a drawer having side walls, the lateral width is the distance between the interiors of the side walls. As a non-limiting example, if the receptacle is an open frame, the lateral width is the internal distance between the internal lateral boundaries of the open frame. As a non-limiting example, if the receptacle is an open space, the lateral width is the distance between the lateral boundaries of the open space in which the respective container fits, as shown, by way of non-limiting example. The lateral width of each respective receptacle is measured at the center point of the respective receptacle.

[0053] Because the detergent composition may be consumed at its maximum volume over time, providing a large detergent container housing lateral width 130 relative to the fabric softener container housing lateral width 140 and the fragrance container housing lateral width 150 may, in part, provide sufficient space to store a large amount of detergent composition loaded onto the device 1. Additionally, the difference in lateral width between the housings may aid the user in matching the correct container with the correct housing so that the device 1 functions as intended.

[0054] The detergent container housing 40 may have a detergent container housing bottom wall 44 that forms a lower boundary of the detergent container housing 40. Similarly, the fabric softener container housing 50 may have a fabric softener container bottom wall 54 that forms a lower boundary of the fabric softener container housing 50. And, the fragrance container housing 60 may have a fragrance container housing bottom wall 64 that forms a lower boundary of the fragrance container housing 60. The detergent container housing bottom wall 44 may be lower relative to the machine base 70 than the fabric softener container bottom wall 54. And, the fabric softener container housing bottom wall 54 may be lower relative to the machine base 70 than the fragrance container housing bottom wall 64. Because the detergent container housing 40 is outside the fabric softener container housing 50 with respect to the axis of rotation AR, and the fabric softener housing 50 is outside the perfume container housing 60 with respect to the axis of rotation AR, and the housing bottom walls are so positioned, the volume of the detergent composition carried on the device 1 may be greater than the volume of the fabric softener composition carried on the device 1. Also, the volume of the fabric softener composition carried on the device 1 may be greater than the volume of the perfume composition carried on the device 1. The bottom wall of each housing is a bottom location within each housing that defines a space in which the respective container fits. As a non-limiting example, if the housing is a drawer, the bottom wall of the drawer is the bottom of the interior of the drawer, and the interior of the drawer defines the housing. As a non-limiting example, if the housing is an open frame or open space, the bottom wall is a location that defines the bottom of the space defined to house the housing.

[0055] The detergent container housing 40 may have a detergent container housing height 135 of about 14% to about 22%, optionally about 15% to about 20%, optionally about 18% of the inner diameter ID of the drum 90. The fabric softener container housing 50 may have a fabric softener container housing height 155 of about 11% to about 18%, optionally about 13% to about 15%, optionally about 14% of the inner diameter ID of the drum 90. The fragrance container housing 60 may have a fragrance container housing height 145 of about 8% to about 14%, optionally about 10% to about 13%, optionally about 12% of the inner diameter ID of the drum 90. The detergent container housing height 135 may be greater than the fabric softener container housing height 155. Also, the fabric softener container housing height may be greater than the fragrance container housing height 145. Providing such a dimensioned storage section can provide laundry treatment compositions available on board the laundry treatment device 1 in amounts related to each other approximately proportional to their expected consumption.

[0056] The drum 90 has an inside diameter ID, which is taken to be the largest diameter of the interior of the drum 90, as shown in FIG. 4, which is a top view of a portion of the laundry processing device 1. The detergent container housing 40 has a detergent container housing center point 245. The fabric softener container housing 50 has a fabric softener container housing center point 255. And, the fragrance container housing 60 has a fragrance container housing center point 265. Each of the detergent container housing center point 245, the fabric softener container housing center point 255, and the fragrance container housing center point 265 may be spaced from the axis of rotation by less than about 85% of the inside diameter ID. The housing center points are thereby pressed relatively closely and uniformly around the tub 80, thereby making it easier to connect the container to the tub 80 in some manner. Each center point is the center point of the housing designed to accommodate the respective container. Each individual receptacle designed to house an individual container is a three-dimensional space designed to house the respective container, meaning that the center point of each individual receptacle is the center of mass of the respective three-dimensional space.

[0057] The detergent container housing 40 may have a detergent container housing inlet port valve 42 in fluid communication with the tub 80 and the drum 90. Similarly, the fabric softener container housing 50 may have a fabric softener container housing inlet port valve 52 in fluid communication with the tub 80 and the drum 90, and the perfume container housing 60 may have a perfume container housing inlet port valve 62 in fluid communication with the tub 80 and the drum 90. The inlet port may be a quick-connect type port that may easily provide a connection between the containers disposed in the housing and the conveying part between the inlet port and the drum 90. The inlet port may be half a ball and sleeve connection, half a cam lock fitting, half a luer lock, half an O-ring face seal, or half a push-fit fitting. The other complementary half of the fitting may be on the outlet of the container containing the respective laundry treatment composition. The inlet port may provide a tactile sensation when the respective container is properly engaged with the respective port. Similarly, the inlet ports may provide a tactile sensation when the respective container is separated from the respective port, for example, a user may feel a click when the container is properly engaged with the port.

[0058] A supply tube 240 may be provided downstream of the inlet port for conveying each laundry treatment composition to a pump that transfers the laundry treatment composition to the tub 80. Optionally, the supply tube 240 may convey each laundry treatment composition to a metering device that controls the mass or volume of the laundry treatment composition transferred to the tub 80. The supply tubes may be TYGON tubing, polypropylene tubing, polyethylene tubing, or other similar flexible plastic or metal tubing. Each laundry treatment composition may be driven from its respective container by a peristaltic pump.

[0059] A user can install the containers of fabric treatment composition in the appropriate receptacles as shown in FIG. 5. The detergent container 250 can be positioned in the detergent container receptacle 40 so as to be in fluid communication with the detergent container receptacle inlet port valve 42. The fabric softener container 260 can be positioned in the fabric softener container receptacle 50 so as to be in fluid communication with the fabric softener container receptacle inlet port valve 52. Also, the perfume container 270 can be positioned in the perfume container receptacle 60 so as to be in fluid communication with the perfume container receptacle inlet port valve 62. The user can prepare the relevant containers as instructed, then carefully place the containers in the respective receptacles and place the containers in the associated inlet ports. The receptacles can have structural features to which the containers are attached to ensure proper connection between the containers and the inlet ports. Similarly, the user can remove the containers of fabric treatment composition from the respective receptacles.

[0060] The detergent container 250, the fabric softener container 260, and the fragrance container 270 may each include a shell 290 and a flexible bag 280 within the shell 290. Containers including a collapsible flexible bag 280 within a rigid, semi-rigid, etc. shell 290 may be practical as containers for fabric treatment compositions. For example, bag-in-box and bag-in-bottle type containers may be suitable. These types of containers are well suited for dispensing laundry treatment compositions without the need for venting the interior of the bag. As the laundry treatment composition is dispensed, the flexible bag 280 is gradually collapsed incrementally with the volume of the laundry treatment composition dispensed. The shell 290 may protect the flexible bag 280 from damage along the supply chain from manufacture to use.

[0061] The detergent container volume may be about 2% to about 8% of the drum interior volume. The fabric softener container volume may be about 0.5% to about 2% of the drum interior volume. The perfume container volume may be about 0.3% to about 1.5% of the drum interior volume. The fabric softener container volume may be about 15% to about 30% of the detergent container volume. Also, the perfume container volume may be about 10% to about 25% of the detergent container volume. Within these ranges of container volumes relative to the drum interior volume or relative to each other, the detergent container volume may be larger than the fabric softener container volume, and the fabric softener container volume may be larger than the perfume container volume. Furthermore, the volumes of laundry treatment compositions may be provided in volumes proportional to each other that are proportional to their consumption during use over time. Thus, the laundry treatment composition containers may be expected to be empty after approximately the same number of uses of the laundry treatment device 1.

[0062] Considering the crowded nature of compact laundry processing devices 1, especially those that are combination washer and dryer devices, the receptacles may be positioned to utilize or create available space within cabinet 20 for receptacles with respect to the performance of laundry processing device 1. Cabinet 20 having a parallelepiped shape may have insufficient space within cabinet 20 to store sufficient volumes of individual laundry treatment compositions to allow the containers to last enough wash cycles to be satisfactory and convenient for the user. This may be true even if the receptacle locations for fabric treatment compositions are appropriately positioned. Furthermore, the height of cabinet 20 may be a fixed constraint based on local standards for countertop height. If the receptacles are closely nested around tub 80 and the top of cabinet 20 is a substantially flat surface, the closer the receptacles are to the sagittal plane SP, the more cramped the available interior volume of cabinet 20 for receptacles becomes.

[0063] One way to increase the volume of space available for the container is to position the container so that it protrudes further outward than the rest of the front of the laundry processing machine, as shown in FIG. 6. A transverse plane (TP) is perpendicular to the machine base 70 and intersects with a midpoint (MP) of the axis of rotation AR. The midpoint (MP) is located halfway between the open and closed ends of the hollow, generally cylindrical drum 90. The container closest to the sagittal plane (SP) may be the most space-constrained container. In general, the degree of space constraint tends to decrease as the distance from the sagittal plane (SP) increases. Thus, if a perfume container container 60 is provided, the perfume container container 60 may be the most space-constrained. Even if the volume of the perfume composition consumed per use is smaller than the volume of the fabric softener composition and detergent composition consumed per use, there may be insufficient space available for a perfume container 270 large enough to fit within the cabinet 20. The perfume container housing 60 may project further from the transverse plane TP than the fabric softener container housing 50. Also, the fabric softener container housing 50 may project further from the transverse plane TP than the detergent container housing 40. In this configuration, extra interior space is provided for the perfume container housing 60 so that a sufficient volume of the perfume composition can be loaded into the laundry processing device 1. Also, extra interior space is provided for the fabric softener container housing 50 so that a sufficient volume of the fabric softener composition can be loaded and loaded into the laundry processing device 1. The transverse plane TP is perpendicular to the device base 70, intersects the midpoint MP of the axis of rotation AR, and is perpendicular to the sagittal plane SP.

[0064] combination: A. A laundry treatment device (1), an apparatus base (70) on which the laundry processing apparatus is placed; a tab (80) above the device base and defining a portion of a fluid containment envelope (85); a drum (90) positioned within the tub and rotatable relative to the tub about an axis of rotation (AR) that is within about 20 degrees of horizontal relative to the base, the axis of rotation being in a sagittal plane (SP) of the drum, the sagittal plane being perpendicular to the device base; A detergent container storage section (40); A fabric softener container housing (50); A fragrance container storage section (60), the detergent container housing is further from the sagittal plane than the fabric softener container housing, the fabric softener container housing is further from the sagittal plane than the fragrance container housing; When the laundry processing device is in an operable position, the detergent container housing, the fabric softener container housing, and the fragrance container housing are higher in height than the rotation axis. B. The laundry processing device of paragraph A, wherein the detergent container housing has a detergent container housing volume, the fabric softener container housing has a fabric softener container housing volume, and the fragrance container housing has a fragrance container housing volume, the detergent container housing volume is greater than the fabric softener container housing volume, and the fabric softener container housing volume is greater than the fragrance container housing volume. C. The laundry processing device of paragraphs A or B, wherein the detergent container accommodation section has a detergent container accommodation section lateral width (130) perpendicular to the sagittal plane, the fabric softener container accommodation section has a fabric softener container accommodation section lateral width (140) perpendicular to the sagittal plane, and the fragrance container accommodation section has a fragrance container accommodation section lateral width (150) perpendicular to the sagittal plane, the detergent container accommodation section lateral width being greater than the fabric softener container accommodation section lateral width and the fragrance container accommodation section lateral width, and the fabric softener container accommodation section lateral width is different from the fragrance container accommodation section lateral width. D. The laundry processing device of any one of paragraphs A to C, further comprising a heater (170) in thermal communication with a heated air conveying section (190), the heated air conveying section being in fluid communication with the drum, the sagittal plane being between the detergent container storage section and at least a portion of the heater, and the heater being higher in height than the axis of rotation or the heater being lower in height than the axis of rotation. E. A laundry processing device described in any one of paragraphs A to D, wherein the detergent container storage section has a detergent container storage section bottom wall (44), the fabric softener container storage section has a fabric softener container storage section bottom wall (54), and the fragrance container storage section has a fragrance container storage section bottom wall (64), and the detergent container storage section bottom wall is lower than the fabric softener container storage section bottom wall relative to the apparatus base, and the fabric softener container storage section bottom wall is lower than the fragrance container storage section bottom wall relative to the apparatus base. F. The laundry processing device of any one of paragraphs A-E, wherein the drum has an inner diameter (ID), the detergent container housing has a detergent container housing center point (245), the fabric softener container housing has a fabric softener container housing center point (255), and the fragrance container housing has a fragrance container housing center point (265), and each of the detergent container housing center point, the fabric softener container housing center point, and the fragrance container housing center point are spaced from the axis of rotation by less than about 85% of the inner diameter. G. The laundry processing device described in any one of paragraphs A to F, wherein the detergent container housing has a detergent container housing inlet port valve (42) in fluid communication with the drum, the fabric softener container housing has a fabric softener container housing inlet port valve (52) in fluid communication with the drum, and the fragrance container housing has a fragrance container housing inlet port valve (62) in fluid communication with the drum. H. The laundry treatment device described in paragraph G, wherein a detergent container (250) is positioned within the detergent container housing and is in fluid communication with the detergent container housing inlet port valve, a fabric softener container (260) is positioned within the fabric softener container housing and is in fluid communication with the fabric softener container housing inlet port valve, and a fragrance container (270) is positioned within the fragrance container housing and is in fluid communication with the fragrance container housing inlet port valve. I. The laundry treatment device of paragraph H, wherein the detergent container, the fabric softener container, and the fragrance container each comprise a shell (290) and a flexible bag (280) within the shell. J. A laundry processing device as described in any one of paragraphs A to I, wherein the fragrance container housing protrudes further from the transverse plane (TP) than the fabric softener container housing, the fabric softener container housing protrudes further from the transverse plane than the detergent container housing, and the transverse plane is perpendicular to the base, intersects the midpoint of the rotation axis (MP), and is perpendicular to the sagittal plane. K. The laundry processing device of any one of paragraphs A-J, wherein the laundry processing device further comprises a heater (170) in thermal communication with a heated air conveying section (190), the heated air conveying section being in fluid communication with the drum, the drum having an inner diameter (ID), and the detergent container receiving section being spaced from the heater by a distance of at least 15% of the inner diameter. L. The laundry processing device of any one of paragraphs A-K, wherein the laundry processing device further comprises a heater (170) in thermal communication with a heated air conveying section (190), the heated air conveying section being in fluid communication with the drum, the drum having an inner diameter (ID), and the fragrance container housing is spaced from the heater by a distance of at least 3% of the inner diameter. M. A washing device (1), comprising: a base (20) on which the laundry processing device is placed; a tab (80) above the base and defining a portion of a fluid containment envelope (85); a drum (90) positioned within the tub and rotatable relative to the tub about an axis of rotation (AR) that is within about 20 degrees of horizontal, the axis of rotation being in a sagittal plane (SP) of the drum, the sagittal plane being perpendicular to the base; A detergent container storage section (40); A fabric softener container housing (50), a fabric softener container housing (50), the detergent container housing being further away from the sagittal plane than the fabric softener container housing; A laundry apparatus (1) comprising: a heater (170), the sagittal plane being between the detergent container receiving portion and at least a portion of the heater, the heater being engaged with a heated air conveying portion (190), the heated air conveying portion being in fluid communication with the drum. N. The laundry processing device of paragraph M, wherein the detergent container housing has a detergent container housing volume and the fabric softener container housing has a fabric softener container housing volume, the detergent container housing volume being greater than the fabric softener container housing volume. O. The laundry processing device of paragraphs M or N, wherein the detergent container housing has a detergent container housing lateral width (130) perpendicular to the sagittal plane, and the fabric softener container housing has a fabric softener container housing lateral width (140) perpendicular to the sagittal plane, and the detergent container housing lateral width is greater than the fabric softener container housing lateral width. P. The laundry processing device described in any one of paragraphs M to O, wherein the detergent container housing has a detergent container housing inlet port valve (42) in fluid communication with the drum, and the fabric softener container housing has a fabric softener container housing inlet port valve (52) in fluid communication with the drum. Q. A laundry processing device described in any one of paragraphs M to P, wherein a detergent container (250) is positioned within the detergent container storage section and is fluidly connected to the detergent container storage section inlet port valve, and a fabric softener container (260) is positioned within the fabric softener container storage section and is fluidly connected to the fabric softener container storage section inlet port valve. R. The laundry processing device of any one of paragraphs M-Q, wherein the fabric softener container housing protrudes further from the transverse plane (TP) than the detergent container housing, the transverse plane being perpendicular to the base, intersecting the midpoint of the axis of rotation (MP) and perpendicular to the sagittal plane. S. The laundry processing device described in any one of paragraphs M to R, wherein the detergent container storage section has a detergent container storage section bottom wall (44), and the fabric softener container storage section has a fabric softener container storage section bottom wall (54), and the detergent container storage section bottom wall is lower than the fabric softener container storage section bottom wall relative to the device base. T. The laundry processing device of any one of paragraphs M-S, wherein the drum has an inner diameter (ID), the detergent container housing has a detergent container housing center point (245), and the fabric softener container housing has a fabric softener container housing center point (255), and each of the detergent container housing center point and the fabric softener container housing center point are spaced from the axis of rotation by less than about 85% of the inner diameter. U. The laundry processing device of any one of paragraphs M-T, wherein a detergent container (250) is positioned within the detergent container housing and in fluid communication with the detergent container housing inlet port valve, and a fabric softener container (260) is positioned within the fabric softener container housing and in fluid communication with the fabric softener container housing inlet port valve, and optionally, the detergent container and the fabric softener container each comprise a shell (290) and a flexible bag (280) within the shell. V. The laundry processing device of any of paragraphs M-U, wherein the drum has an inner diameter (ID) and the detergent container receiving portion is spaced from the heater by a distance that is at least 15% of the ID. W. The laundry treatment device of any of paragraphs M-V, wherein the heater is heightwise greater than the axis of rotation when the laundry treatment device is in an operable position.

[0065] Dimensions and values ​​disclosed herein should not be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values ​​recited. Instead, unless otherwise indicated, each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as "40 mm" is intended to mean "about 40 mm."

Claims

1. A laundry processing device (1), comprising: An apparatus base (70) on which the laundry processing apparatus is placed; a tab (80) above said device base and defining a portion of a fluid containment envelope (85); a drum (90) positioned within said tub and rotatable relative to said tub about an axis of rotation (AR) that is within 20 degrees of horizontal, said axis of rotation being in a sagittal plane (SP) of said drum, said sagittal plane being perpendicular to said device base; A detergent container storage section (40); A fabric softener container housing (50); a heater (170), the heater engaged with a heated air conveying portion (190), the sagittal plane being between the detergent container receiving portion and at least a portion of the heater; the detergent container receiving portion is further away from the sagittal plane than the fabric softener container receiving portion; the detergent container housing has a detergent container housing inlet port valve (42) in fluid communication with the drum, and the fabric softener container housing has a fabric softener container housing inlet port valve (52) in fluid communication with the drum; a detergent container (250) is positioned within the detergent container housing and in fluid communication with the detergent container housing inlet port valve; a fabric softener container (260) is positioned within the fabric softener container housing and in fluid communication with the fabric softener container housing inlet port valve; The laundry processing device (1), wherein the fabric softener container housing protrudes further from a transverse plane (TP) than the detergent container housing, the transverse plane being perpendicular to the device base, intersecting the midpoint of the rotation axis (MP) and perpendicular to the sagittal plane (SP).

2. The laundry processing device of claim 1 , wherein the heater is higher in height than the axis of rotation when the laundry processing device is in the operable position.

3. 3. The laundry processing device of claim 1, wherein the detergent container storage section has a detergent container storage section lateral width (130) perpendicular to the sagittal plane, and the fabric softener container storage section has a fabric softener container storage section lateral width (140) perpendicular to the sagittal plane, and the detergent container storage section lateral width is greater than the fabric softener container storage section lateral width.

4. A laundry processing device as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the detergent container housing has a detergent container housing bottom wall (44), the fabric softener container housing has a fabric softener container housing bottom wall (54), and the detergent container housing bottom wall is lower than the fabric softener container housing bottom wall relative to the device base.

5. A laundry processing device (1), comprising: An apparatus base (70) on which the laundry processing apparatus is placed; a tab (80) above said device base and defining a portion of a fluid containment envelope (85); a drum (90) positioned within said tub and rotatable relative to said tub about an axis of rotation (AR) that is within 20 degrees of horizontal relative to said base, said axis of rotation being in a sagittal plane (SP) of said drum, said sagittal plane being perpendicular to said device base; A detergent container storage section (40); A fabric softener container housing (50); A fragrance container storage section (60), the detergent container housing is further from the sagittal plane than the fabric softener container housing, the fabric softener container housing is further from the sagittal plane than the fragrance container housing; When the laundry treatment device is in an operable position, the detergent container housing, the fabric softener container housing, and the fragrance container housing are higher in a height direction than the rotation shaft, the detergent container housing has a detergent container housing inlet port valve (42) in fluid communication with the drum, the fabric softener container housing has a fabric softener container housing inlet port valve (52) in fluid communication with the drum, and the fragrance container housing has a fragrance container housing inlet port valve (62) in fluid communication with the drum; A laundry treatment device (1), wherein a detergent container (250) is positioned within the detergent container housing and in fluid communication with the detergent container housing inlet port valve, a fabric softener container (260) is positioned within the fabric softener container housing and in fluid communication with the fabric softener container housing inlet port valve, and a fragrance container (270) is positioned within the fragrance container housing and in fluid communication with the fragrance container housing inlet port valve, each of the detergent container, the fabric softener container, and the fragrance container comprising a flexible bag within a shell.

6. 6. The laundry processing device of claim 5, wherein the detergent container storage section has a detergent container storage section lateral width (130) perpendicular to the sagittal plane, the fabric softener container storage section has a fabric softener container storage section lateral width (140) perpendicular to the sagittal plane, and the fragrance container storage section has a fragrance container storage section lateral width (150) perpendicular to the sagittal plane, the detergent container storage section lateral width being greater than the fabric softener container storage section lateral width and the fragrance container storage section lateral width, and the fabric softener container storage section lateral width is different from the fragrance container storage section lateral width.

7. The laundry processing device of claim 5 or 6, further comprising a heater (170) in thermal communication with a heated air transport section (190), the heated air transport section being in fluid communication with the drum, and when the laundry processing device is in an operable position, the sagittal plane is between the detergent container receiving section and at least a portion of the heater, and the heater is higher in height than the axis of rotation or lower in height than the axis of rotation when the laundry processing device is in an operable position.

8. A laundry processing device as described in any one of claims 5 to 6, wherein the detergent container storage section has a detergent container storage section bottom wall (44), the fabric softener container storage section has a fabric softener container storage section bottom wall (54), the fragrance container storage section has a fragrance container storage section bottom wall (64), the detergent container storage section bottom wall is lower than the fabric softener container storage section bottom wall relative to the device base, and the fabric softener container storage section bottom wall is lower than the fragrance container storage section bottom wall relative to the device base.

9. 9. The laundry processing device of claim 5, wherein the drum has an inner diameter (ID), the detergent container housing has a detergent container housing center point (245), the fabric softener container housing has a fabric softener container housing center point (255), and the fragrance container housing has a fragrance container housing center point (265), and each of the detergent container housing center point, the fabric softener container housing center point, and the fragrance container housing center point are spaced from the axis of rotation by less than 85% of the inner diameter.

10. A laundry processing device as described in any one of claims 5 to 9, wherein the fragrance container housing protrudes further from the transverse plane (TP) than the fabric softener container housing, the fabric softener container housing protrudes further from the transverse plane than the detergent container housing, and the transverse plane is perpendicular to the base, intersects the midpoint of the rotation axis (MP), and is perpendicular to the sagittal plane.

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