Door assembly for a laundry treating appliance
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorRoy E. Masters
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A door assembly for selectively opening and closing an access opening to a treating chamber of a laundry treating appliance includes an inner door wall and an outer door wall adjacent to the inner door wall, wherein the outer door wall and the inner door wall at least partially define an internal volume. The inner door wall includes a portion that is configured to extend at least partially into the treating chamber when the door is closed, and includes an air inlet and an air outlet. The door assembly is configured such that the internal volume is in fluid communication with an airflow inside the treating chamber when the door assembly is closed.
Claims17
A laundry treating appliance, comprising:
- a cabinet defining an interior;
- a drum disposed within the cabinet and at least partially defining a treating chamber for treating laundry according to a cycle of operation;
- an appliance blower disposed within the cabinet and configured to supply an airflow into the treating chamber to evaporate moisture from the laundry during a cycle of operation;
- and
- a door assembly coupled to the cabinet and configured to selectively open and close an access opening to the treating chamber, the door assembly comprising:
- an inner door wall comprising a portion that extends at least partially into the treating chamber when the door assembly is closed, wherein the inner door wall includes an air inlet and an air outlet;
- an outer door wall adjacent to the inner door wall on a side of the inner door wall opposite the treating chamber, wherein the outer door wall and the inner door wall at least partially define an internal volume;
- at least one blower disposed within the internal volume of the door assembly and adjacent one of the air inlet, air outlet, or both, wherein the at least one blower is configured to move at least a portion of the airflow from the treating chamber of the drum through the internal volume and back into the treating chamber, wherein the internal volume is in communication with the treating chamber and is sealed from an environment exterior when the door assembly is in a closed position relative to the cabinet;
- and
- a baffle projecting from the inner door wall into the internal volume, wherein the baffle is disposed between the air inlet and the air outlet, and
- wherein at least a portion of the moisture evaporated by the airflow flows through the internal volume and condenses on the outer door wall.
A door assembly for selectively opening and closing an access opening to a treating chamber of a laundry treating appliance, the door assembly comprising:
- an inner door wall comprising a portion that is configured to extend at least partially into the treating chamber when the door assembly is closed, wherein the inner door wall includes an air inlet and an air outlet;
- an intermediate wall adjacent to the inner door wall, wherein the intermediate wall and the inner door wall at least partially define an internal volume;
- a baffle projecting from the inner door wall into the internal volume, wherein the baffle is disposed between the air inlet and the air outlet;
- a pump for draining liquid from the internal volume, wherein the pump is disposed within the internal volume;
- and
- an exterior door wall adjacent to the intermediate wall, opposite the inner door wall, wherein the exterior door wall and the intermediate wall at least partially define an external volume in fluid communication with ambient air,
- wherein the internal volume is in fluid communication with an airflow inside the treating chamber when the door assembly is closed;
- and
- at least one blower disposed adjacent one of the air inlet, air outlet, or both, wherein the at least one blower is configured to move at least a portion of the airflow through the internal volume, and wherein the at least one blower is configured to prevent addition of ambient air into the treating chamber via the inner door wall, the intermediate wall and the exterior door wall.
A door assembly for selectively opening and closing an access opening to a treating chamber of a laundry treating appliance, the door assembly comprising:
- an inner door wall comprising a portion that is configured to extend at least partially into the treating chamber when the door assembly is closed, wherein the inner door wall includes an air inlet and an air outlet;
- an outer door wall adjacent to the inner door wall, wherein the outer door wall and the inner door wall at least partially define an internal volume;
- a baffle projecting from the inner door wall into the internal volume, wherein the baffle is disposed between the air inlet and the air outlet;
- and
- at least one blower disposed within an interior volume and adjacent one of the air inlet, the air outlet, or both and configured to move an airflow from the treating chamber, through the internal volume and back into the treating chamber, wherein the at least one blower is configured to recirculate the airflow directly between the treating chamber and the interior volume and prevent entry of ambient air into the treating chamber via the inner and outer door walls.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.