Laundry treating system and kit for use with a laundry treating appliance
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorsPhilip J. Czarnecki, Pamela R. Klyn, Eric W. Merrow, Jon Strait, Mary E. Zeitler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A laundry treating system includes a laundry treating appliance having a first basket for receiving a first laundry load and a first clothes mover disposed in the first basket. The laundry treating system is user configurable between first, second, and third configurations. A kit for customizing a laundry treating appliance can include a second clothes mover and a second basket configured to removably couple with the laundry treating appliance.
Claims23
A laundry treating system comprising:
- a laundry treating appliance;
- a first basket disposed within the laundry treating appliance for receiving a first laundry load for treatment;
- a first clothes mover disposed in the first basket and comprising a first connector;
- a second clothes mover removably coupled to the first clothes mover and comprising a second connector configured to releasably couple with the first connector, wherein one of the first or second connectors comprises a socket configured to receive the other of the first or second connectors and a cover selectively moveable between a closed position and an open position to allow access to the socket, wherein the cover is biased into the closed position;
- and
- a second basket removably coupled to the second clothes mover;
- wherein the laundry treating system is user configurable between:
- (a) a first configuration in which the second clothes mover is coupled to the first clothes mover and the second basket is coupled to the second clothes mover for receiving a second laundry load for treatment, the one of the first or second connectors received within the socket and pressing the cover into the socket to the open position to allow access to the socket;
- (b) a second configuration in which the second clothes mover is coupled to the first clothes mover and the second basket is decoupled from the laundry treating appliance, the one of the first or second connectors received within the socket and pressing the cover into the socket to the open position to allow access to the socket;
- and
- (c) a third configuration in which both the second clothes mover and the second basket are decoupled from the laundry treating appliance, the one of the first or second connectors withdrawn from the socket and the cover biased into the closed position to prevent access to the socket.
A kit for a laundry treating appliance having a first basket disposed within the laundry treating appliance for receiving a first laundry load for treatment, the kit comprising:
- a first clothes mover disposed in the first basket and comprising a first connector;
- a second clothes mover capable of being removably coupled to the first clothes mover and comprising a second connector configured to releasably couple with the first connector, wherein one of the first or second connectors comprises a socket configured to receive the other of the first or second connectors and a cover selectively moveable between a closed position and an open position to allow access to the socket, and wherein the cover is biased into the closed position;
- and
- a second basket capable of being removably coupled to the second clothes mover, wherein the kit is user configurable between:
- (a) a first configuration in which the second clothes mover is coupled to the first clothes mover and the second basket is coupled to the second clothes mover for receiving a second laundry load for treatment, the one of the first or second connectors received within the socket and pressing the cover into the socket to the open position to allow access to the socket;
- (b) a second configuration in which the second clothes mover is coupled to the first clothes mover and the second basket is decoupled from the laundry treating appliance, the one of the first or second connectors received within the socket and pressing the cover into the socket to the open position to allow access to the socket;
- and
- (c) a third configuration in which both the second clothes mover and the second basket are decoupled from the laundry treating appliance, the one of the first or second connectors withdrawn from the socket and the cover biased into the closed position to prevent access to the socket.
A laundry treating system comprising a laundry treating appliance and a first basket disposed within the laundry treating appliance for receiving a first laundry load for treatment and a first clothes mover disposed within the first basket and comprising a first connector, the laundry treating appliance customizable by a user to operate in one of three configurations comprising:
- a first configuration comprising a second clothes mover removably coupled to the first clothes mover and a second basket removably coupled to the second clothes mover for receiving a second laundry load for treatment, the second clothes mover comprising a second connector configured to releasably couple with the first connector, wherein one of the first or second connectors comprises a socket configured to receive the other of the first or second connectors and a cover selectively movable between a closed position and an open position to allow access to the socket, wherein the one of the first or second connectors is received within the socket and pressing the cover into the socket into the open position to allow access to the socket in the first configuration;
- a second configuration comprising the second clothes mover removably coupled to the first clothes mover and the second basket decoupled from the laundry treating appliance, the one of the first or second connectors received within the socket and pressing the cover into the socket to the open position to allow access to the socket in the second configuration;
- and
- a third configuration comprising the first clothes mover disposed in the first basket and both the second clothes mover and the second basket are decoupled from the laundry treating appliance, the one of the first or second connectors withdrawn from the socket and the cover biased into the closed position to prevent access to the socket in the third configuration;
- wherein one of the first, second, or third configurations is user selectable prior to executing a cycle of operation.
A laundry treating system comprising:
- a laundry treating appliance;
- a first basket disposed within the laundry treating appliance for receiving a first laundry load for treatment;
- a first clothes mover disposed in the first basket and comprising a first connector and a low profile impeller without a post extending upward into the first basket;
- a second clothes mover comprising a vertically oriented agitator post removably coupled to the laundry treating appliance, the second clothes mover comprising a second connector configured to releasably couple with the first connector, wherein one of the first or second connectors comprises a socket configured to receive the other of the first or second connectors and a cover selectively movable between a closed position and an open position to allow access to the socket, wherein the cover is biased into the closed position;
- and
- a second basket removably coupled to the laundry treating appliance;
- wherein the laundry treating system is configured to be selectively assembled and disassembled into different configurations for implementing different operations between:
- (a) a first configuration in which the second clothes mover is coupled to the laundry treating appliance and the second basket is coupled to the laundry treating appliance for receiving a second laundry load for treatment, the one of the first or second connectors received within the socket and pressing the cover into the socket to the open position to allow access to the socket;
- (b) a second configuration in which the second clothes mover is coupled to the laundry treating appliance and the second basket is decoupled from the laundry treating appliance, the one of the first or second connectors received within the socket and pressing the cover into the socket to the open position to allow access to the socket;
- and
- (c) a third configuration in which both the second clothes mover and the second basket are decoupled from the laundry treating appliance, the one of the first or second connectors withdrawn from the socket and the cover biased into the closed position to prevent access to the socket.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.