# US 12,601,098 B2 · Washing machine appliance tub cover > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,601,098 B2 - Document ID: US12601098B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/756,826 - Filed: 2024-06-27 - Published: 2026-01-01 - Granted: 2026-04-14 - Earliest claimed: 2024-06-27 - Assignees: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. - Applicants: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. - Inventors: Jose Francisco Castillo; James Quentin Pollett - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12601098B2 ## CPC - D06F 37/26: Casings; Tubs - D06F 37/267: {Tubs specially adapted for mounting thereto components or devices not provided for in preceding subgroups (D06F37/206 takes precedence)} - D06F 23/04: and rotating or oscillating about a vertical axis - D06F 37/12: adapted for rotation or oscillation about a vertical axis - D06F: LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES ## Abstract A washing machine appliance includes a cabinet, a wash tub positioned within the cabinet, a wash basket rotatably mounted within the wash tub and defining a wash chamber for receiving a load of clothes, and a tub cover positioned over the wash tub. Rotation of the wash basket within the wash tub circulates a flow of air within the wash tub. The tub cover includes a main body including an edge defining a perimeter of the main body. The main body includes a top surface and a sloped surface connecting the top surface and the edge and defining a slope. Additionally, a plurality of top surface openings are defined through the top surface. Furthermore, a plurality of sloped surface openings are defined through the sloped surface for facilitating the flow of air into and out of the wash basket. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A washing machine appliance, comprising: a cabinet; a wash tub positioned within the cabinet; a wash basket rotatably mounted within the wash tub and defining a wash chamber configured for receiving a load of clothes; and a tub cover positioned over the wash tub, the tub cover comprising: a main body including an edge defining a perimeter of the main body, the main body further including a top surface and a sloped surface connecting the top surface and the edge and defining a slope; wherein: rotation of the wash basket within the wash tub circulates a flow of air within the wash tub; a plurality of top surface openings are defined through the top surface of the main body of the tub cover; and a plurality of sloped surface openings are defined through the sloped surface of the main body of the tub cover for facilitating the flow of air circulated by rotation of the wash basket into and out of the wash basket. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The washing machine appliance of claim 1, wherein the washing machine appliance does not include a blower for directing a flow of air into the washing machine appliance. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The washing machine appliance of claim 1, wherein: one or more vents are positioned within each of the plurality of sloped surface openings and moveable between an open position in which the flow of air passes through the sloped surface openings and a closed position in which the flow of air is inhibited from passing through the sloped surface openings. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The washing machine appliance of claim 1, wherein: the plurality of sloped surface openings are arranged in a plurality of circumferential rows of sloped surface openings. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The washing machine appliance of claim 4, wherein, the plurality of circumferential rows of sloped surface openings comprise: a first row of circumferentially aligned sloped surface openings; and a second row of circumferentially aligned sloped surface openings. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The washing machine appliance of claim 5, wherein: the sloped surface openings of the first row of circumferentially aligned sloped surface openings are arranged along a circumference of the sloped surface and are positioned closer to the top surface than the sloped surface openings of the second row of circumferentially aligned sloped surface openings. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The washing machine appliance of claim 5, wherein: the sloped surface openings of the second row of circumferentially aligned sloped surface openings are arranged along a circumference of the sloped surface and are positioned closer to the edge than the sloped surface openings of the first row of circumferentially aligned sloped surface openings. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The washing machine appliance of claim 5, wherein: the sloped surface openings of the first row of circumferentially aligned sloped surface openings are radially offset from the sloped surface openings of the second row of circumferentially aligned sloped surface openings. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The washing machine appliance of claim 1, wherein: a quantity of about 150 sloped surface openings are defined through the sloped surface of the main body of the tub cover. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The washing machine appliance of claim 1, wherein: each of the plurality of sloped surface openings is a circular hole. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The washing machine appliance of claim 10, wherein: a total area defined by the circular holes is about 4.71 inches. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The washing machine appliance of claim 10, wherein: each circular hole defines a diameter of about 0.2 inches. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The washing machine appliance of claim 10, wherein: at least a portion of the circular holes are aligned along a circumference of the sloped surface; and a center-to-center distance of each adjacent pair of the circumferentially aligned circular holes is about 0.8 inches. ### Claim 14 A tub cover for a washing machine appliance, the washing machine appliance including a cabinet, a wash tub positioned within the cabinet, and a wash basket rotatably mounted within the wash tub and defining a wash chamber configured for receiving a load of clothes, the tub cover comprising: a main body including an edge defining a perimeter of the main body, the main body further including a top surface and a sloped surface connecting the top surface and the edge and defining a slope; wherein: rotation of the wash basket within the wash tub circulates a flow of air within the wash tub; and a plurality of surface openings are defined through the main body of the tub cover for facilitating the flow of air circulated by rotation of the wash basket into and out of the wash basket. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The tub cover of claim 14, wherein: the plurality of surface openings correspond to a plurality of sloped surface openings defined through the sloped surface of the main body of the tub cover for facilitating the flow of air circulated by rotation of the wash basket into and out of the wash basket; and a plurality of top surface openings are defined through the top surface of the main body of the tub cover. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The tub cover of claim 15, wherein: the plurality of sloped surface openings are arranged in a plurality of circumferential rows of sloped surface openings. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The tub cover appliance of claim 16, wherein, the plurality of circumferential rows of sloped surface openings comprise: a first row of circumferentially aligned sloped surface openings; and a second row of circumferentially aligned sloped surface openings. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The tub cover of claim 17, wherein: the sloped surface openings of the first row of circumferentially aligned sloped surface openings are arranged along a circumference of the sloped surface and are positioned closer to the top surface than the sloped surface openings of the second row of circumferentially aligned sloped surface openings. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The tub cover of claim 17, wherein: the sloped surface openings of the second row of circumferentially aligned sloped surface openings are arranged along a circumference of the sloped surface and are positioned closer to the edge than the sloped surface openings of the first row of circumferentially aligned sloped surface openings. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The tub cover of claim 17, wherein: the sloped surface openings of the first row of circumferentially aligned sloped surface openings are radially offset from the sloped surface openings of the second row of circumferentially aligned sloped surface openings.