Washing machine
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorsDavid P. Goshgarian, Robert Jordan Rush, Santosh Winfred
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A washing machine includes a power source, a drum, and a transmission. The transmission is configured to deliver power from the power source to the drum. The transmission includes a housing, a shaft, and a bushing. The housing defines a cavity. The shaft is disposed within the cavity and is configured to receive power from the power source. The bushing is disposed about the shaft. The bushing defines grooves that establish fluid communication between the cavity and a space that is defined between an inner diameter of the bushing and an outer diameter of the input shaft.
Claims20
A washing machine comprising:
- a drum;
- an agitator disposed within the drum;
- an electric machine configured to generate power to rotate the drum and agitator;
- and
- a transmission configured to deliver power from the electric machine to the drum or agitator, the transmission having,
- a housing defining an upper cavity and a lower cavity,
- an input shaft configured to receive power from the electric machine, disposed within the lower cavity, and extending upward into the upper cavity,
- a bushing disposed within the lower cavity and about the input shaft, wherein the bushing defines grooves that establish fluid communication between the upper cavity and a space that is defined between an inner diameter of the bushing and an outer diameter of the input shaft, and
- a seal disposed within the lower cavity, about the input shaft, and below the bushing.
A washing machine transmission comprising:
- a housing defining a lower cavity and an upper cavity;
- an input shaft configured to receive power from an electric machine, disposed within the lower cavity, and extending upward into the upper cavity;
- an output shaft extending upward from the upper cavity and configured to deliver power to a drum or agitator;
- a gearing arrangement disposed within the upper cavity and configured to transfer power from the input shaft to the output shaft;
- and
- a bushing disposed within the lower cavity and about the input shaft, wherein the bushing defines grooves that channel oil from the upper cavity into a space that is defined between the bushing and the input shaft.
A washing machine comprising:
- a power source;
- a drum;
- and
- a transmission configured to deliver power from power source to the drum, the transmission having,
- a housing defining a cavity,
- a shaft disposed within the cavity and configured to receive power from the power source, and
- a bushing disposed about the shaft, wherein the bushing defines grooves that establish fluid communication between the cavity and a space that is defined between an inner diameter of the bushing and an outer diameter of the shaft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.