U.S. patent application number 13/849801 was filed with the patent office on 2014-09-25 for interchanging washer/dryer device.
The applicant listed for this patent is Audie Poole, Sara Poole. Invention is credited to Audie Poole, Sara Poole.
Application Number | 20140283562 13/849801 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 51568132 |
Filed Date | 2014-09-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140283562 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Poole; Sara ; et
al. |
September 25, 2014 |
INTERCHANGING WASHER/DRYER DEVICE
Abstract
An interchanging washer dryer device including a housing, where
the housing is divided into a washer compartment and a dryer
compartment; a rotating motor centrally positioned within the
housing, where the rotating motor includes an arm; and two drums
attached to the arm of the rotating motor, where each drum includes
a plurality of collapsible blades to receive a load of clothing,
and where the rotating motor rotates drums between the washer
compartment and the dryer compartment.
Inventors: |
Poole; Sara; (Lakewood,
CO) ; Poole; Audie; (Lakewood, CO) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Poole; Sara
Poole; Audie |
Lakewood
Lakewood |
CO
CO |
US
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
51568132 |
Appl. No.: |
13/849801 |
Filed: |
March 25, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
68/19 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D06F 29/005 20130101;
D06F 58/04 20130101; D06F 37/04 20130101; D06F 25/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
68/19 |
International
Class: |
D06F 29/00 20060101
D06F029/00 |
Claims
1. An interchanging washer dryer device comprising: a. a housing,
where the housing is divided into a washer compartment and a dryer
compartment; b. a rotating motor centrally positioned within the
housing, where the rotating motor includes an arm; and c. two drums
attached to the arm of the rotating motor, where each drum includes
a plurality of collapsible blades to receive a load of clothing,
and where the rotating motor rotates the drums between the washer
compartment and the dryer compartment.
2. The interchanging washer dryer device according to claim 1,
where the washer compartment includes a plurality of delivery hoses
to dispense at least one laundering liquid into a first drum, where
the laundering liquid is held within a liquid receptacle.
3. The interchanging washer dryer device according to claim 2,
where the rotating motor includes a weight scale to weigh the drum
and determine a weight for the load of clothes.
4. The interchanging washer dryer device according to claim 3,
where the weight scale determines the amount of laundering liquid
to dispense from the plurality of delivery hoses.
5. The interchanging washer dryer device according to claim 1,
where the first drum transitions between an open position within
the washer compartment, and a closed position within dryer
compartment.
6. The interchanging washer dryer device according to claim 1,
where the housing includes a control panel and a display screen to
operate and select functions.
7. The interchanging washer dryer device according to claim 7,
where the control panel is a touch screen.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a washer and dryer
combination device that houses at least one drum for transfer
between washing and drying. The drum rotates within the housing
where active washing and drying is enabled.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] Washers and dryers are common household appliance used is
most homes on a regular basis. The washers and dryers are available
in a range of styles and include a range of features providing
customization and sophistication desired by the user. The washers
and dryers are typically placed in a laundry room, garage or
basement for convenient yet out of the way laundry services. Many
households include standard washers and dryers, which are
positioned side by side. Alternatively, a combination washer dryer
is a single unit with a washer placed below an elevated dryer.
[0005] While all washers and dryers are designed to be convenient
alternatives to hand washing and air drying clothing, washing and
drying clothes is still considered to be tedious chore. The washers
must be monitored as to when the cycles ends to ensure that the wet
clothes are placed into the dryer before odors or mildew develops
on the clean clothing. The user must manually transfer the clothes
from the washer to the dryer, often getting their own clothes wet
in the process. The task is time consuming, preventing the user
from abandoning the laundry for any extended period of time.
[0006] It would be beneficial in the art to provide a washer and
dryer combination that enables both washing and drying of a load of
laundry within the same device. It would also be desirable in the
art to provide a washer and dryer combination that automatically
transfers the load of laundry from the washer into the dryer
without requiring manual transfer by the user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the prior
art, the general purpose of the present invention is to provide an
interchanging washer dryer, configured to include all of the
advantages of the prior art, and to overcome the drawbacks inherent
therein.
[0008] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to
provide a device that includes both washing and drying capabilities
where two clothes drums individually transfer between the washer
portion to the dryer portion automatically.
[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
washer dryer device with two rotating drums to enable simultaneous
washing and drying cycles.
[0010] To achieve the above objects, in an aspect of the present
invention, an interchanging washer dryer device is described
comprising a housing, where the housing is divided into a washer
compartment and a dryer compartment; a rotating motor centrally
positioned within the housing, where the rotating motor includes an
arm; and drums attached to the arm of the rotating motor, where
each drum includes a plurality of collapsible blades to receive a
load of clothing, and where the rotating motor rotates each drum
between the washer compartment and the dryer compartment.
[0011] These together with other aspects of the present invention,
along with the various features of novelty that characterize the
present invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims
annexed hereto and form a part of this present invention. For a
better understanding of the present invention, its operating
advantages, and the specific objects attained by its uses,
reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and
descriptive matter in which there are illustrated exemplary
embodiments of the present invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The advantages and features of the present invention will
become better understood with reference to the following detailed
description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings, wherein like elements are identified with like symbols,
and in which:
[0013] FIG. 1 depicts an internal view of an interchanging washer
dryer device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the
present invention; and
[0014] FIG. 2 depicts a drum in a collapsed position (A) and in an
open position (B) in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the
present invention.
[0015] Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the
description of several views of the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] The present invention relates to a washer and dryer
combination device that houses two drums for individual transfer
between washing and drying. Each drum rotates within the housing
where active washing and drying is enabled. The present invention
provides an interchanging washer dryer device to alleviate the
stress individuals face when doing laundry. The interchanging
washer dryer device enables a user to wash their clothes in a
washer compartment, and upon completion of the washing cycle, a
rotating internal arm moves the wet clothes into a dryer
compartment. After completion of both the washing and drying cycles
the user may then remove the clothes and refill the empty drum to
repeat the entire cycle again. The interchanging washer dryer
device includes two drums so that the active washing and active
drying may be performed simultaneously.
[0017] Turning now descriptively to the drawings, referring to FIG.
1, an internal view of an interchanging washer dryer device 100 is
shown in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention. The interchanging washer dryer device 100 includes a
housing 102 comprised of two compartments, a dryer compartment 104
and a washer compartment 106. The dryer compartment 104 and the
washer compartment 106 may be positioned adjacent to each other,
other alternatively one on top of the other. The dryer compartment
104 and the washer compartment 106 are separated with a divider
108. The divider 108 is a waterproof separator to the housing 102,
which maintains structural integrity between the dryer compartment
104 and the washer compartment 106.
[0018] The housing 102 includes drums 110a, 110b. The drums 110a,
110b attached to an arm 120, where the arm 120 is attached to a
centrally positioned rotating motor 118. The arm 120 and the
rotating motor 118 enable the drums 110a, 110b to rotate between
the dryer compartment 104 and the washer compartment 106. Within
the rotating motor 118 is a weight scale to determine the amount of
clothing in each drum 110a, 110b. The weight scale also determines
when clothes remain in the drum 110a while the drum 110a is in the
drying compartment 104, thereby preventing the rotating motor 118
from transferring the dry clothes into the washer compartment 106
before the drum 110a is empty.
[0019] Each drum 110a, 110b comprises a circular shape, with a
plurality of collapsible blades 112a, 112b attached around the
peripheral edge. The collapsible blades 112a, 112b may be a
waterproof plastic or aluminum material to withstand the prolonged
water exposure within the housing 102. The collapsible blades 112a,
112b include a plurality of vent holes 114a, 114b to circulate
water, air, detergent and the like during the washing and drying
cycles. A vented back wall 116a, 116b lies at the back of each drum
110a, 110b.
[0020] The drum 110a in the dryer compartment 104 is illustrated in
a collapsed position (A). The drum 110b in the washer compartment
106 is illustrated in an open position (B). Thus, the drum 110b is
in the open position (B) to receive the clothes in the washer
compartment 106 for laundering. After the clothes complete the wash
cycle, the drum 110b rotates into the dryer compartment 104, and
the clothes are dried. Finally, after the removal of the dry
clothes, the blades 112a, 112b collapse upon the drum 110a into the
collapsed position (A) for rotation back to the washer compartment
106.
[0021] A set of delivery hoses 130 may be within the washer
compartment 106. The delivery hoses 130 are connected to a
plurality of liquid receptacles 132 which receive the laundering
liquids to wash the clothes. The laundering liquids may include but
are not limited to detergent, softener, bleach and the like. The
delivery hoses 130 transfer the laundering liquids from the liquid
receptacles 132 into the drum 110b within the washer compartment
106. The liquid receptacles 132 may include fill holes 134 to
refill the receptacles 132 with the desired liquids. The delivery
hoses 130 respond to the weight scale within the rotating motor
118, to dispense the proper amount of laundering liquid into the
drum to coordinate with the amount of clothing being washed.
[0022] At a top portion of the housing 102 may be a control panel
136. The control panel 136 may be a plurality of buttons or a touch
screen to activate and deactivate the housing, select the type of
washing or drying cycles, and select soil level. The options for
selection may be shown on a display screen 138 also positioned at
the top of the housing 102. Sensors within the liquid receptacles
132 may display on the display screen 138 when the liquid is
running low or needs refilling.
[0023] Referring now to FIG. 2, a side view of the drums 110a, 110b
is shown in the collapsed position (A) and the open position (B) in
accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
In the collapsed position (A) the plurality of blades 112a are
overlapped upon each other, resting flush against the back wall of
the drum 110a. In the open position (B), the plurality of the
blades 112b extend perpendicularly from the peripheral edge of the
drum 110b to create a central opening 115 through which the clothes
are received.
[0024] The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the
present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration
and description. they are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit
the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many
modifications and variations are possible in light of the above
teaching. The exemplary embodiment was chosen and described in
order to best explain the principles of the invention and its
practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art
to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various
modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
* * * * *