Restrictor ring for an agitator of a washing machine appliance
AssigneeHaier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
InventorsSenthil Kandasamy, Troy Marshall Wright, Isaiah Littlejohn
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An agitator for a washing machine appliance may define an axial direction and a radial direction. The agitator may include a cylindrical shaft that may include one or more dispense ports defined therethrough. The agitator may further include a cap assembly positioned at a top portion of the agitator. The agitator may additionally include a restrictor ring positioned within the agitator below the cap assembly. The restrictor ring may include a frustoconical wall, a first cylindrical wall, a second cylindrical wall, and a trough. The frustoconical wall may include a top surface and a bottom surface. The trough may be defined at the bottom surface of the frustoconical wall.
Claims20
A washing machine appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the washing machine appliance comprising:
- a cabinet;
- a tub positioned within the cabinet;
- a wash basket rotatably mounted within the tub;
- an agitator disposed in the wash basket to impart an oscillatory motion in the wash basket, the agitator defining an axial direction approximately parallel to the vertical direction, a radial direction, a circumferential direction extending around the axial direction, the agitator comprising a cylindrical shaft, the cylindrical shaft comprising one or more dispense ports defined therethrough;
- a cap assembly positioned at a top portion of the agitator;
- and
- a restrictor ring positioned within the cylindrical shaft below the cap assembly, the restrictor ring comprising a frustoconical wall, a first cylindrical wall, and a second cylindrical wall, the frustoconical wall comprising a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface positioned above the bottom surface approximately along the axial direction, the first cylindrical wall comprising a first surface and a second surface, the first surface of the first cylindrical wall positioned outward of the second surface of the first cylindrical wall approximately along the radial direction, the second cylindrical wall comprising a first surface and a second surface, the first surface of the second cylindrical wall positioned outward of the second surface of the second cylindrical wall approximately along the radial direction, wherein a pocket is defined between the bottom surface of the frustoconical wall, the second surface of the first cylindrical wall, and the first surface of the second cylindrical wall.
An agitator for a washing machine appliance, the agitator defining an axial direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction, the agitator comprising:
- a cylindrical shaft comprising one or more dispense ports defined therethrough;
- a cap assembly positioned at a top portion of the agitator;
- and
- a restrictor ring positioned within the cylindrical shaft below the cap assembly, the restrictor ring comprising a frustoconical wall, a first cylindrical wall, and a second cylindrical wall, the frustoconical wall comprising a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface positioned above the bottom surface approximately along the axial direction, the first cylindrical wall comprising a first surface and a second surface, the first surface of the first cylindrical wall positioned outward of the second surface of the first cylindrical wall approximately along the radial direction, the second cylindrical wall comprising a first surface and a second surface, the first surface of the second cylindrical wall positioned outward of the second surface of the second cylindrical wall approximately along the radial direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.