Laundry treating appliance with removable basket

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Solution Overview

Problem

Laundry treating appliances lack effective separation between different wash environments, leading to cross-contamination of treating chemistries and unsuitable conditions for laundry loads, as existing systems do not adequately prevent the mixing of deleterious chemicals and ensure suitable conditions for each load.

Innovation Solution

A dual-basket system with a lower basket and a removable upper basket assembly, featuring a balance ring and interface seals to create separate treating chambers, which utilize a liquid-tight seal and additional sealing features like defectors and gaskets to prevent leakage and contamination, allowing for independent treatment of laundry loads with different chemistries.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a single basket system is used, then the device complexity is low, but cross-contamination between different wash environments occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprevention of cross-contaminationVSAvoidbasket system structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The washing machine is divided into two separate treating chambers (first basket and second basket) that can operate independently. Each basket can be used separately or together, allowing different chemistries and wash conditions without cross-contamination. The baskets are segmented with their own drums, clothes movers, and control systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The second basket is nested within the first basket, with the second basket's treating chamber positioned inside the first basket's treating chamber. This nested configuration allows both baskets to coexist in a single appliance while maintaining separate wash environments, effectively preventing cross-contamination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Reliability

If separate treating chambers are created, then cross-contamination is prevented, but the interface seal complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseal effectivenessVSAvoidinterface seal structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A flexible membrane or thin film seal is used at the interface between the first and second baskets. This flexible sealing element can accommodate slight misalignments and movements while maintaining the liquid-tight barrier, preventing chemistries from mixing between the separate treating chambers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Adaptability or versatility

If a removable basket assembly is implemented, then versatility is improved, but the balance ring and junction complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebasket configuration optionsVSAvoidbalance ring and junction structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The basket assembly is designed with movable and adjustable components, including a removable second basket that can be inserted or extracted from the first basket. The balance ring and junction structures are designed to accommodate these dynamic changes while maintaining structural integrity and proper balancing during operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS11781259B2Laundry treating appliance with removable basket

Publication Date: 2023.10.10 WHIRLPOOL CORP

AI summary

A laundry treating appliance includes a first basket assembly including a first basket defining a first treating chamber for receiving laundry for treatment in a first wash environment. A balance ring forms an upper periphery of the first basket assembly and is operably coupled to the first basket. A second basket is selectively receivable within at least a portion of the first treating chamber. The second basket defines a second treating chamber for receiving laundry for treatment in a second wash environment.