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US5548978A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Front loading washing machine

Assignee: Whirlpool EMEA SpA
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Filing: 1994-11-29
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Granted: 1996-08-27
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Expires: 2014-11-29
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Abstract

Abstract A front loading laundry washing machine, of the domestic type, whereby the body of the washing agents distributor is mounted on the frontal wall of the washing chamber, in correspondence with the respective aperture, and facing towards the inside of the basket through the aperture of the latter.

Inventors

  • 👤 Dino Bongini
  • 👤 Sandro Duri
  • 👤 Andrea Stopponi

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 14:49
CPC Classifications
D; D06; D06F; D06F35/00; D06F39/00; D06F39/12; D06F39/14; D06F37/00; D06F37/26; D06F37/28; D06F39/02

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim 147 words
A front loading laundry machine, comprising: a housing having a front side provided with a door opening; a door mounted on said front side and displaceable between closed and open positions thereof, said door opening being closed by said door in the closed position thereof; a washing chamber mounted in said housing and formed with a respective front wall, said wall having a chamber opening and being juxtaposed with said front side of the housing; a laundry basket mounted in said chamber and rotatable about a horizontal axis and formed with a basket opening, the door, chamber and basket openings being aligned with one another; and washing agent distribution means for delivering a detergent into said basket in said closed position of the door, said distribution means being mounted on the front wall of said chamber and extending inwardly therefrom through said basket opening into said basket.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 147 words
A front loading laundry machine, comprising: a housing having a front side provided with a door opening; a door mounted on said front side and displaceable between closed and open positions thereof, said door opening being closed by said door in the closed position thereof; a washing chamber mounted in said housing and formed with a respective front wall, said wall having a chamber opening and being juxtaposed with said front side of the housing; a laundry basket mounted in said chamber and rotatable about a horizontal axis and formed with a basket opening, the door, chamber and basket openings being aligned with one another; and washing agent distribution means for delivering a detergent into said basket in said closed position of the door, said distribution means being mounted on the front wall of said chamber and extending inwardly therefrom through said basket opening into said basket.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 29 words
The laundry machine defined in claim 1 wherein said distribution means includes a removable body mounted on a lower edge of said chamber opening and protruding into the basket.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 17 words
The laundry machine defined in claim 2, further comprising supply means for delivering water to said body.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 27 words
The laundry machine defined in claim 3 wherein said body is formed with discharging means communicating with supply means for delivering a water-detergent mixture into said basket.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 40 words
The laundry machine defined in claim 4 wherein the body is formed with respective floor and side walls, the discharging means including a plurality of drain holes formed in said body and open into said basket for filtrating said mixture.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 24 words
The laundry machine defined in claim 5 wherein each of said holes is sufficiently small to contain the detergent but permeable to the mixture.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 18 words
The laundry machine defined in claim 5 wherein said holes are formed in said floor of said body.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 19 words
The laundry machine defined in claim 5 wherein said holes are formed in said side walls of the body.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 18 words
The laundry machine defined in claim in claim 3 wherein said body prevents voluntary exiting of the laundry.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 35 words
The laundry machine defined in claim in claim 1 wherein said housing is formed with a housing bottom, said chamber being formed with a chamber bottom spaced from said housing bottom at a substantial distance.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 20 words
The laundry machine defined in claim 1 wherein said chamber opening is formed in an upper half of said housing.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 76 words
The laundry machine defined in claim 1, further comprising a support formed on said front side and swingable about a support axis extending horizontally perpendicular to said horizontal axis between a rest position and a working position, said support having a support surface extending in a plane parallel to a plane of said front side in said rest position and lying in a plane perpendicular to said plane of the front side in the working position.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 27 words
The laundry machine defined in claim 12 wherein said front side is provided with a plurality of windows covered by said support in the rest position thereof.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 24 words
The laundry machine defined in claim 1 wherein a diameter of the basket opening is more than 0.6 of a diameter of the basket.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 18 words
The laundry machine defined in claim 1, further comprising a seal extending between said door and chamber openings.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 22 words
The laundry machine defined in claim 1 wherein said door is provided with a respective transparent window tapering inwardly toward the chamber.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 149 words
A front loading laundry machine, comprising: a housing having a front side provided with a door opening; a door mounted at said door opening on said front side and displaceable between closed and open positions thereof, said door opening being closed by said door in the closed position thereof; a washing chamber mounted in said housing and formed with a respective front wall, said wall having a chamber opening and being juxtaposed with said front side of the housing; a laundry basket mounted in said chamber and rotatable about a horizontal axis and formed with a basket opening, the door, chamber and basket openings being aligned with one another; and a washing agent distribution device, comprising a body forming a container for a washing agent mounted on an edge of said chamber opening and extending inwardly therefrom, whereby said body prevents involuntary exiting of the laundry from the basket.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 149 words
A front loading laundry machine, comprising: a housing having a front side provided with a door opening; a door mounted at said door opening on said front side and displaceable between closed and open positions thereof, said door opening being closed by said door in the closed position thereof; a washing chamber mounted in said housing and formed with a respective front wall, said wall having a chamber opening and being juxtaposed with said front side of the housing; a laundry basket mounted in said chamber and rotatable about a horizontal axis and formed with a basket opening, the door, chamber and basket openings being aligned with one another; and a washing agent distribution device, comprising a body forming a container for a washing agent mounted on an edge of said chamber opening and extending inwardly therefrom, whereby said body prevents involuntary exiting of the laundry from the basket.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1999-08-27 2000-02-26 2000-08-27 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2003-08-27 2004-02-26 2004-08-27 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2007-08-27 2008-02-26 2008-08-27 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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