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US 5,526,657 AGranted
Integrated tub and cabinet structure
AssigneeMaytag Corporation
InventorTroy Johnson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A laundry appliance cabinet includes a first panel member of integral construction and at least one additional panel member joined to the first panel member to form a plurality of exterior cabinet walls and a tub within those exterior walls.
Claims23
A laundry appliance cabinet comprising:
- a first cabinet panel member of one-piece construction;
- at least one additional cabinet panel member of one-piece construction matable to said first cabinet panel member to form a plurality of exterior cabinet walls and a chamber within said exterior cabinet walls;
- said chamber being fluid tight and capable of receiving a rotatable fabric basket therein;
- said chamber having a portion with a shape complimentary to the shape of said fabric basket;
- and
- said plurality of exterior cabinet walls comprise a top wall, a front wall, a rear wall, and side walls, said first cabinet panel member forming said front wall, said rear wall and said side walls, said at least one additional cabinet panel member forming said top wall.
3 more elements
A laundry appliance comprising:
- a cabinet having a first rectangular cabinet panel member forming a plurality of upright exterior cabinet walls and a tub within said exterior cabinet walls, said first cabinet panel member having a one-piece construction and being formed of plastic;
- a second cabinet panel member forming a top wall;
- a fabric basket rotatably mounted within said tub, said fabric basket having basket walls enclosing a fabric compartment therein, said basket walls having a plurality of apertures therein providing fluid communication from said fabric compartment to said tub, and one of said basket walls being cylindrical;
- said tub having a curved wall portion in spaced relation to said cylindrical wall of said basket walls;
- and
- power means drivingly connected to said fabric basket for causing rotation of said fabric basket within said tub.
3 more elements
A laundry appliance cabinet comprising:
- a first subassembly having a one-piece molded construction and comprising four upright external cabinet walls and a tub chamber within said external walls for receiving a rotatably mounted fabric basket therein, said tub chamber having an open upper end and said external cabinet walls each having a top edge;
- a second subassembly comprising a top cover operatively secured in covering relation over said top edges of said external walls.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.