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US 12,716,155 B2Granted
Laundry washing machine with removable agitator
AssigneeWuxi Little Swan Electric Co., Ltd.
InventorBryan T. Snook
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A laundry washing machine includes a removable agitator that removably couples to an impeller base through a rock-in coupling that allows for relative movement between an agitator coupler of the removable agitator and a base coupler of the impeller base about a fulcrum that is radially offset from the axis of rotation of the impeller base.
Claims20
A laundry washing machine, comprising:
- a housing;
- a wash tub disposed within the housing;
- an impeller base disposed within the wash tub and configured to rotate about an axis of rotation, the impeller base including a base coupler defining a fulcrum disposed on one side of the axis of rotation, and a catch mechanism defined on an opposite side of the axis of rotation from the fulcrum;
- and
- a removable agitator including an agitator coupler configured to removably couple with the base coupler by rocking about the fulcrum defined on the base coupler to orient the removable agitator in a coupled position relative to the impeller base;
- wherein the agitator coupler includes:
- a release button coupled to the removable agitator and movable within a track along a release axis between depressed and extended positions;
- and
- a spring coupled between the removable agitator and the release button to bias the release button to the extended position;
- wherein the catch mechanism defines a catch aperture sized and configured such that the release button projects through the catch aperture when the removable agitator is in the coupled position and the release button is in the extended position;
- wherein the catch aperture is further sized and configured to engage the release button when the removable agitator is in the coupled position and the release button is in the extended position to restrict movement of the removable agitator away from the coupled position;
- wherein the catch aperture is further sized and configured to disengage from the release button when the release button is in the depressed position to allow for movement of the removable agitator away from the coupled position;
- wherein the fulcrum is defined on an inwardly-projecting ledge of the base coupler, and wherein the agitator coupler includes an outwardly-facing groove configured to receive the inwardly-projecting ledge of the base coupler to support the removable agitator on the impeller base as the removable agitator is rocked into the coupled position;
- and
- wherein the inwardly-projecting ledge and the outwardly-facing groove have respective mating surfaces sized and configured to align the agitator coupler with the base coupler as the removable agitator is rocked into the coupled position.
12 more elements
A laundry washing machine, comprising:
- a housing;
- a wash tub disposed within the housing;
- an impeller base disposed within the wash tub and configured to rotate about an axis of rotation, the impeller base including a base coupler defining a fulcrum disposed on one side of the axis of rotation, and a catch mechanism defined on an opposite side of the axis of rotation from the fulcrum;
- and
- a removable agitator including an agitator coupler configured to removably couple with the base coupler by rocking about the fulcrum defined on the base coupler to orient the removable agitator in a coupled position relative to the impeller base;
- wherein the agitator coupler includes a release button movable within a track along a release axis between depressed and extended positions and biased to the extended position, the release button configured to engage the catch mechanism when the removable agitator is in the coupled position and the release button is in the extended position;
- and
- wherein the base coupler further includes a collar extending partially around the axis of rotation on the opposite side of the axis of rotation from the fulcrum and forming a portion of an outer wall of the removable agitator when the removable agitator is in the coupled position;
- wherein the catch mechanism is disposed on the collar and at a higher elevation along the axis of rotation than the fulcrum.
6 more elements
A laundry washing machine, comprising:
- a housing;
- a wash tub disposed within the housing;
- an impeller base disposed within the wash tub and configured to rotate about an axis of rotation, the impeller base including a base coupler defining a fulcrum disposed on one side of the axis of rotation, and a catch mechanism defined on an opposite side of the axis of rotation from the fulcrum;
- and
- a removable agitator including an agitator coupler configured to removably couple with the base coupler by rocking about the fulcrum defined on the base coupler to orient the removable agitator in a coupled position relative to the impeller base;
- wherein the agitator coupler includes a release button movable within a track along a release axis between depressed and extended positions and biased to the extended position, the release button configured to engage the catch mechanism when the removable agitator is in the coupled position and the release button is in the extended position;
- wherein the base coupler includes a support surface configured to engage with a bottom surface of the agitator coupler as the agitator coupler is rocked about the fulcrum to the coupled position to support the removable agitator on the impeller base and a downwardly-projecting channel extending from the support surface;
- wherein the agitator coupler includes a downwardly-projecting protrusion sized and configured to be received in the downwardly-projecting channel as the agitator coupler is rocked about the fulcrum to form a mortise and tenon joint that restricts relative rotation between the removable agitator and the impeller base about the axis of rotation;
- and
- wherein the catch mechanism is disposed at a higher elevation along the axis of rotation than the fulcrum.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.