# US 11,993,891 B2 · Laundry treating appliance with foreign object barrier > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,993,891 B2 - Document ID: US11993891B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/671,066 - Filed: 2022-02-14 - Published: 2023-08-17 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2022-02-14 - Assignees: Whirlpool Corporation - Applicants: Whirlpool Corporation - Inventors: Clovis Douglas Minchola De Assis; Thiago Francisco Buzzo; Leonardo Souza Campos; Wagner Jose Finassi Pinto - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11993891B2 ## CPC - D06F 39/10: Filtering arrangements - D06F 39/085: {Arrangements or adaptations of pumps} - D06F: LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES ## Abstract Household appliances, such as for laundry treatment, can be configured with a sump and an outlet having a barrier for foreign objects. Foreign objects such as pocket items can inadvertently be added to the appliance along with the wash items. A barrier secured in the opening of the outlet can prevent pocket items from entering the drain. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A laundry treating appliance comprising: a tub having a wall having an outer surface and an inner surface, with the inner surface at least partially defining a liquid chamber; an outlet formed in the wall; a foreign object barrier having a filter extending through the outlet and into the liquid chamber, and a stop extending from a portion thereof, the stop confronting the outer surface; and a pump case fluidly coupled to the outlet and having a catch, the catch located on an opposite side of the stop than the outer surface to trap the stop between the outer surface and the catch. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The laundry treating appliance of claim 1, wherein the wall includes a sump and the outlet is in the sump. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The laundry treating appliance of claim 1, wherein the filter comprises multiple slits for liquid to pass through. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The laundry treating appliance of claim 3, wherein the filter comprises multiple, spaced fingers forming the multiple slits. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The laundry treating appliance of claim 4, wherein the spaced fingers are deflectable. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The laundry treating appliance of claim 5, wherein the stop comprises multiple, spaced tangs, with at least some of the spaced tangs extending from some of the spaced fingers. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The laundry treating appliance of claim 6, wherein the filter further comprises multiple fins, with at least some of the spaced fingers having at least one of the multiple fins. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The laundry treating appliance of claim 7, wherein the multiple fins define a first effective diameter that is larger than a diameter of the outlet. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The laundry treating appliance of claim 8 wherein the multiple fins define a second effective diameter near the inner surface that is less than the first effective diameter. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The laundry treating appliance of claim 9 wherein each of the multiple fins has a tip overlaying the inner surface while the spaced tangs overlie the outer surface in a preinstallation position. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The laundry treating appliance of claim 1, wherein the pump case includes a pump conduit having the catch. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The laundry treating appliance of claim 1, wherein the stop is configured to prevent movement of the foreign object barrier. ### Claim 13 A laundry treating appliance comprising: a tub having a wall having an outer surface and an inner surface, with the inner surface at least partially defining a liquid chamber; an outlet formed in the wall; a foreign object barrier having a filter extending through the outlet and into the liquid chamber, and a stop in the form of a collar, wherein the collar is non-continuous, the stop confronting the outer surface; and a pump case fluidly coupled to the outlet and having a catch located on an opposite side of the stop than the outer surface to trap the stop between the outer surface and the catch. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The laundry treating appliance of claim 13, wherein the collar comprises multiple circumferentially spaced tangs. ### Claim 15 A laundry treating appliance comprising: a tub having a wall having an outer surface and an inner surface, with the inner surface at least partially defining a liquid chamber; an outlet formed in the wall; a filter having a resilient sieve, at least partially overlying the inner surface, and a collar, at least partially overlying the outer surface, wherein the collar is non-continuous; and a pump assembly having a portion confronting the collar, thereby limiting the axial movement of the filter toward the portion of the pump assembly. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The laundry treating appliance of claim 15 wherein the filter comprises a first effective diameter portion, less than the outlet and passing through the outlet, and a second effective diameter portion, greater than the outlet and located above the inner surface. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The laundry treating appliance of claim 16 wherein the filter further comprises multiple, spaced, deflectable fingers forming the second effective diameter portion. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The laundry treating appliance of claim 17 wherein at least some of the deflectable fingers comprise a fin to define a set of fins. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The laundry treating appliance of claim 18 wherein at least some of the set of fins terminate prior to the first effective diameter portion. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The laundry treating appliance of claim 18 wherein at least some of the deflectable fingers comprise a tang to define a set of spaced tangs, with the set of spaced tangs defining the collar.