Drive assembly for an appliance

A drive assembly, comprising:

• an output drive shaft configured for rotation in opposed first and second directions and having upper and lower engagement portions, wherein the lower engagement portion of the output drive shaft includes a receiving well that opens downwardly and is defined by a top wall and a sidewall with inner and outer surfaces surrounding a hollow interior cavity, wherein the upper engagement portion of the output drive shaft extends upwardly from the top wall of the lower engagement portion;
• a first bearing member received within the hollow interior cavity of the output drive shaft, wherein the first bearing member includes an outer race operably coupled to the inner surface of the sidewall of the lower engagement portion of the output drive shaft for rotation therewith, and further wherein the first bearing member includes a receiving bore;
• an input drive shaft having first and second portions, wherein the first portion of the input drive shaft is received in the receiving bore of the first bearing member for rotation therein in opposed first and second directions, and further wherein the first portion of the input drive shaft spins freely within the receiving bore of the first bearing member when the input drive shaft rotates in the first direction, and further wherein the input drive shaft directly drives rotation of the first bearing member when the input drive shaft rotates in the second direction;
• and
• a second bearing member having an outer race surrounding a receiving bore, wherein the second bearing member is operable for rotation between opposed first and second directions, wherein the lower engagement portion of the output drive shaft is received within the receiving bore of the second bearing member for rotation therein, and further wherein the lower engagement portion of the output drive shaft spins freely within the receiving bore of the second bearing member when the second bearing member and the output drive shaft rotate in the second direction, and further wherein the second bearing member drives rotation of the output drive shaft when the second bearing member rotates in the first direction.

A drive assembly, comprising:

• an output drive shaft having a lower engagement portion with a receiving well defined by a top wall and a sidewall, wherein the sidewall surrounds a hollow interior cavity and includes inner and outer surfaces, and further wherein the output driveshaft includes an upper engagement portion upwardly extending from the top wall of the lower engagement portion;
• a first one-way bearing received in the hollow interior cavity of the output drive shaft, wherein the first one-way bearing includes a receiving bore, and further wherein an outer surface of the first one-way bearing is engaged with the inner surface of the sidewall of the receiving well of the output drive shaft for rotation therewith;
• a second one-way bearing having a receiving bore, wherein the receiving well of the output drive shaft is received within the receiving bore of the second one-way bearing;
• and
• an input drive shaft having an upper portion thereof received in the receiving bore of the first one-way bearing, wherein the input drive shaft is configured for rotation in opposed first and second directions, and further wherein the first one-way bearing drives rotation of the output drive shaft at a first rotational speed when the input drive shaft rotates in the second direction, and further wherein the second one-way bearing drives rotation of the output drive shaft at a second rotational speed which is less than the first rotational speed when the input drive shaft rotates in the first direction.