Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02280341 2001-09-10
EQUIPMENT WASHER
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of devices for washing clothing or other
flexible articles.
Background of the Invention
Anyone who has played sports, or lived with a person who plays sports such as
football or hockey or like sports requiring the wearing of protective armour
such as helmets,
boots, shoulder pads and the like, is aware that, although i:he manufacturer
of the equipment
likely allows for the washing of such equipment, such equipment is only
infrequently washed
by hand due to the bulky nature of the pieces of equipment and hard armour
which make using
a conventional residential washing machine or Laundromat washing machine
tedious, difficult
and in some cases impossible. Further, in some instances sports apparel, such
as ballerina's
shoes, cannot be washed in conventional washing machines due to the nature of
the apparel,
for example, due to fragility of the material, or otherwise. Other flexible
articles such as
harnesses for lifting bed-ridden invalids often become soi ed and require
washing. Due to
their construction washing of such harnesses has in the past been done by
hand.
Certainly, in the prior art, conventional washing machines, for example of the
variety which have a wash tub with a generally centrally disposed vertically
upright washing
agitator, restrict the number or size of articles of sports equiipment that
may be washed at one
time. Consequently, numerous washing cycles are required to merely wash one
complete
outfit of sports equipment, and larger items may not fit into the washing
machine at all.
Further, it has been found that the movement of the agitator causes damage to
the equipment.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a device and in
a
preferred embodiment a cooperating bag, mesh container, or the like, so that
flexible apparel
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CA 02280341 2001-09-10
or most if not all of a sports equipment outfit may be placE;d into an easily
accessible washing
cage or basket, wherein the cage or basket is selectively clLosable and, once
closed, agitatable
within a water tight enclosure such as a washing machine tub. Specifically, it
is an object to
hold the article to be washed fixed in the cage or basket, anal to move the
entire cage or basket
relative to the enclosure to obtain the flushing of water in arid around the
articles.
In the prior art, Applicant is aware of various patents relating to the
placement
of cages or baskets within clothes dryers. In particular, United States Patent
Numbers
4,091,548 and 4,109,397 which issued to Daily for a Door Mounted Stationary
Drying Rack
and a Rotatable, Non-Tumbling Drying Rack Respectively disclose how to place
articles into
conventional tumbling dryers so as to prevent articles placed into the dryer
being, in the first
instance, rotated, and in the second instance tumbled. In the first instance
Daily teaches a
drying rack that maintains article stationary within an open lattice-work
basket while the
clothes dryer executes its tumble dry cycle. The basket is maintained
stationary relative to the
rotating drum of the dryer by being mounted to the dryer door. In the second
instance, the
basket is mounted to the drum of the dryer and provided with a cover which may
be closed
into the basket so as to apply pressure to articles in the basket so as to
hold the articles
stationary within the basket as the basket is rotated in the dryer drum.
Applicant is also aware of United States Patent Number 5,743,025 which issued
to Jordon, Jr. for a Dryer Basket for Sneakers Insertable into a Clothes
Dryer. As with the
Daily '397 patent, Jordan, Jr. discloses the use of an open lattice-work
basket mountable into
the drum of a clothes dryer. A plurality of such baskets are mounted within
the drum in
radially spaced relation, removably secured within the driun adjacent to the
drum tumbler
vanes. The baskets are adapted for holding sneakers within the dryer drum, for
tumbling of
the sneakers without the noise that would otherwise be associated with the
loose tumbling of
sneakers in the dryer drum. Ballast is provided for placement into the
baskets, the placement
of the ballast serving to maintain a balance load within the dryer.
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CA 02280341 2001-09-10
Applicant is further aware of United States Patent No. 3,724,095 which issued
to Laue et al for a Delicate Goods Tray which, similar to the Daily '548
patent teaches an open
lattice container for holding articles stationary during turning of a dryer
drum. Similarly,
United States Patent No. 4,617,743 which issued to Ba~rnard for a Dryer
Insert, Holder,
Container and United States Patent No. 5;276,979 which issued to Gordon, Sr.
for a Shoe
Drying Support Apparatus, both teach mounting an open lattice container into
the drum of a
dryer, the former for holding hosiery, tennis shoes and the like, and the
latter two position
canvas-type shoes and the like within the dryer drum. Both devices employ a
telescoping rod
to secure the container within the drum for rotation therewith.
United States Patent Number 5,546,771 which issued to Bonar for a
Combination Clothes and Dish Washer & Dryer discloses converting a clothes
washer to a
dish washer by removing the clothes washer agitator and installing a basket
for holding dishes.
A hot air dryer structure is mounted into the washer to dry the dishes when
the clothes washer
is used as a dish washer. In particular, an air dryer blower is provided for
circulating hot air
through the inside of the washing machine cabinet.
Summary of the Invention
In summary, the washing machine of the present invention includes a housing,
a tub rigidly mounted to the housing, and at least one basket rotatably
mounted inside the tub.
The basket is an open-lattice sided container having a releasably closable
lid. The basket is
adapted for holding articles of apparel or other flexible articles
substantially stationary relative
to the basket as the basket is rotated relative to the tub. A water supply
cooperates with the tub
for washing and rinsing the articles held in the basket. In other words, the
flexible articles are
held fixed in the basket and the basket is rotated through the water.
In one preferred embodiment, a mesh bag is provided for holding the articles.
The mesh bag may be removably securable within the basket and may be
compartmentalized
for simultaneously holding various articles in spaced apart aa~ray. The mesh
bag may include a
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CA 02280341 2001-09-10
main compartment of a generally rectangular parallelepipc;d shape mountable
into the basket
so as to lay the mesh bag flat.
The basket may be sized so as to fit therein t:he mesh bag folded in half and
laid
flat. A rigid, open-lattice spacer may be provided for placing sandwiched
between folded-over
halves of the mesh bags.
In a further aspect, the present invention may be described as washing and
drying device for flexible articles. The device includes a watertight housing,
a rotatable frame
rotatably mounted within the housing for rotation of the frame about an axis
of rotation, a
plurality of water porous baskets mounted to the frame. Each basket has a
releasably securable
lid and means for securing the flexible articles in the basket so as to
releasably hold the articles
substantially stationary relative to the basket as the frame is rotated
relative to the housing. A
selectively controllable drive rotates the frame relative to the housing. A
wash water supply
and drain cooperate with the housing for, respectively, pre:>surized supply of
wash water into
contact with the baskets, and for draining the wash water. A forced air dryer
may be mounted
to the housing for drying the articles in the baskets as the; baskets are
rotated on the frame
relative to the housing.
Advantageously, the forced air dryer has an inlet mounted to the housing at a
first position on the housing, and an exhaust outlet mounted to the housing at
a second position
on the housing. The second position is radially spaced from the first position
about the axis of
rotation so that, when rotated about the axis of rotation in .a first
direction, a basket rotates a
first distance from the inlet to the exhaust outlet. When rotated about the
axis of rotation in a
second direction opposite to the first direction about the axis of rotation,
the basket rotates a
second distance from the inlet to the exhaust outlet. When the first and
second distances are
not equal, during a drying cycle the frame and the baskets are rotated so as
to pass from the
inlet to the exhaust outlet along which ever distance is the longer distance
of either the first or
second distances. This provides a maximum dwell time in t:he housing of an
airstream forced
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CA 02280341 2001-09-10
into the housing through the inlet into drying contact with the articles in
the baskets before the
airstream exits the housing through the exhaust outlet.
The wash water supply may comprise at lf;ast one spray nozzle for injecting
wash water into the housing in a spray directed to include a portion of the
spray perpendicular
to the axis of rotation. The spray nozzles may include a pair of banks of
spray nozzles radially
spaced apart in the housing about the axis of rotation.
In a further aspect of the present invention each basket is drawer-mounted
into
the frame for sliding removal or exposure of each basket from the frame. A
door in the housing
provides access to the frame. The lid on each basket is operable once the
basket is slid from
inside the frame through the door so as to facilitate loading and unloading
the articles from the
basket. The frame may include slides so that each basket may be slid on the
slides generally
parallel to the axis of rotation through the door. Further, the slides may be
telescopic slides
mounted in sliding cooperation to the frame and to each basket. The frame may
be rotated so
as to sequentially position each basket adjacent the door for sequential
access to the plurality
of baskets.
In yet a further aspect, the housing is a cylindrical drum radially symmetric
about the axis of rotation and the frame is a cage symmetrically shaped
relative to the axis of
rotation, wherein the plurality of water porous baskets are mounted in
radially spaced array on
the cage, radially spaced about the axis of rotation. The baskets are slidably
mounted on the
cage for sliding of each basket from the housing when the cage is stationary
before engaging a
washing or drying cycle of the device.
Advantageously, the baskets are open-lattice rigid baskets and further
comprise
an air and fluid porous spacer for placing between the articles when held
within each basket
for facilitating fluid and air flow between the articles. Each basket may be
generally
rectangular, one side of the basket conformally curved to correspond in shape
to a cylindrical
inner surface of the housing. The cage may be a cylindrical frame-work of
rigid hoops held
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CA 02280341 2001-09-10
rigidly apart and rigidly perpendicular to a center axis member by radially
spaced apart spokes,
the center axis member co-axial with the axis of rotation. The hoops are sized
for snug fitment
within the inner surface of the housing. The inner surface of the housing may
be a rigid
perforated liner spaced radially inwardly from an exterior cylindrical wall of
the housing.
Each basket may further comprise a removable comparl:mentalized porous bag
releasably
mountable into each the basket. The bag may be sized to fold over the spacer
and when so
folded to snugly fit into the basket. The compartments within the bag are
porous and sized to
firmly hold specific articles within the bag in an optimized spatial
relationship relative to the
frame and the housing when the bag is releasably mounted in a basket for
optimized washing
penetration of the wash water into and through the articles and for optimized
penetration of
drying air into or through the articles. The articles may be held in the bag
in a substantially
laid-flat orientation relative to an inner side of the basket, t:he inner side
radially innermost in
relation to the axis of rotation.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Figure 1 is, in perspective cut away view, the sports equipment washer of the
present invention.
Figure 2 is, in perspective view, a compartmentalized mesh equipment
container laid flat according to a further aspect of the present; invention.
Figure 3 is, in partially cut away side elevation view, the compartmentalized
mesh equipment container of Figure 2, partially folded.
Figure 4 is, in left side section view, a washing machine containing the
sports
equipment washer of the present invention.
Figure 5 is, in right side section view, the washing machine of Figure 4.
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CA 02280341 2001-09-10
Figure 6 is, in perspective view, an overview of an alternative embodiment of
the machine of the present invention.
Figure 7a is, in front elevation view, the machine of Figure 6.
Figure 7b is, in partially cut-away right side elevation view, the machine of
Figure 6.
Figure 7c is, in plan view, the machine of Figure 6.
Figure 8a is, in front elevation view, one basket of the machine of Figure 6.
Figure 8b is, in side elevation view, the basket of Figure 8a.
Figure 8c is, in plan view, the basket of Figure 8a.
Figure 9a is, in front elevation view, the cage of the machine of Figure 6.
Figure 9b is, in side elevation view, the cage of Figure 9a.
Figure 1 Oa is, in front elevation view, the lower tub of the machine of
Figure 6.
Figure l Ob is, in side elevation view, the lower tub of Figure 10a.
Figure l Oc is, in plan view, the lower tub of Figure 10a.
Figure 11 a is, in front elevation view, the: drive motor and mount of the
machine of Figure 6.
Figure 1 1b is, in side elevation view, the drivE; motor and mount of Figure 1
la.
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CA 02280341 2001-09-10
Figure 12a is, in front elevation view, the upper tub of the machine of Figure
6.
Figure 12b is, in side elevation view, the upper tub of Figure 12a.
Figure 12c is, in plan view, the upper tub of lFigure 12a.
Figure 12d is a sectional view along line 12d-12d in Figure 12a.
Figure 13a is, in front elevation view, the door of the machine of Figure 6.
Figure 13b is, in side elevation view, the door of Figure 13a.
Figure 14a is, in diagrammatic front elevation view, the water control system
of
the machine of Figure 6.
Figure 14b is, in plan view, the spray nozzle water conduits of the water
control
system of Figure 14a.
Figure 14c is, in front elevation view, the water pump and valve arrangement
of
the water control system of Figure 14a.
Figure 15 is, in right side perspective view, the machine of Figure 6 with the
door open and a basket slid outwardly from the cage.
Figure 16 is, in front elevation view, the machine of Figure 15, with the door
open.
Figure 17 is, in left side perspective view, the machine of Figure 15.
8
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CA 02280341 2001-09-10
Figure 18 is an enlarged view of the basked of Figure 17 with the basket lid
open.
Figure 19 is, in right rear perspective view, the machine of Figure 15.
Figure 20 is an enlarged view in left rear perspective view of the upper tub
and
spray nozzles of the machine of Figure 15.
Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments
Cage 10 as best seen in Figures 1, 4 and 5 may, as illustrated, be shaft
mounted
so as to extend between the laterally spaced-apart side walls of washing
machine 12 or
alternatively, wash tub 35. Cage 10 rnay be elongate, such <~s rectangular as
depicted, and may
be shaft mounted by means of longitudinally extending stub shafts or axles 14
rotatably
mounted within water tight or sealed bearings known in the art so as to be
journalled rotatably
through side walls 16 of washing machine 12 or through the walls of wash tub
36.
Advantageously, longitudinal stub shafts 14 lie along the longitudinal axis of
symmetry of
cage 10 so that, when empty, cage 10 is generally rotationally balanced about
shafts 14.
In the preferred embodiment illustrated, cage 10 has opposed upper and lower
baskets 18a and 18b respectively, the upper and lower baskets sharing a common
floor 20
which serves as a divider between the upper and lower baskets within cage 10.
Hinged covers
22, hingedly mounted to an edge of each basket, maybe pivoted on hinges 24 so
as to
selectively close the opening aperture into the respective upper or lower
basket. Latch or clasp
26 or the like may be provided to selectively releasably lack covers 22 down
onto upper or
lower baskets 18a or 18b respectively.
Articles of sports equipment requiring washing may thus be placed into the
upper or lower baskets and the covers 22 closed over the basket openings so as
to enclose the
articles of sports equipment within the baskets during the washing cycles.
Because washing of
9
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CA 02280341 2001-09-10
the items of sports equipment is facilitated by flushing water through cage
10,
advantageously, cover 22, baskets 18a and 18b, and floor 20 facilitate the
flow of water
therethrough by means of a grid work, perforations, mesh or a spaced-apart
array of elongate
members, which may be rigid, semi-rigid, or somewhat resilient bars, struts,
fabric, or mesh
webbing or string or rope webbing stretched between rigid frame members or any
like means
of forming a container which will remain structurally intact when agitated
about the axis of
rotation of shafts 14 during a washing cycle when cage 10 contains sodden
items of sports
equipment. Thus, as illustrated, cover 22 is a mesh, anti the upper and lower
baskets are
illustrated as comprising a spaced-apart array of generally horizontal bars
supported by vertical
posts, and floor 20 is illustrated as a grid work or mesh. It is understood
however the
illustrations are not intended to be limiting, as cage 10 may be constructed
by any appropriate
means such as described above or by other materials perforated or otherwise
which may be
known in the art to provide for the efficient passing of fluids therethrough
while providing
structural integrity while agitated as for example by means of the mechanism
illustrated in
Figures 4 and 5.
As seen in Figures 4 and 5, cage 10, which is. rigidly mounted to stub shafts
14,
may be agitated in direction A about the longitudinal axis passing through co-
linear shafts 14.
Agitation may be accomplished by means of a drive belt and pulley arrangement
wherein, for
example, a three-speed electric drive motor 28 rotates drive shaft 30 thereby
turning drive belt
32. Drive belt 32 turns pulley 34 rigidly mounted on to an end of one of stub
shafts 14
protruding from the side walls, where it is understood that tile side walls
may be side walls 16
or the side walls of washing machine tub 36 (shown in dotted outline)
contained internally
within washing machine 12. Thus if a programmable logic controller (not shown)
is provided,
electric motor 28 may be programmably driven to execute washing machine cycles
and to
alternate or change direction of agitation of cage 10 about shaft 14.
In an alternative preferred embodiment of the present invention, a mesh
equipment container in the nature of a garment bag is, a.s illustrated in
Figures 2 and 3,
provided for securely holding in a convenient container all of the articles of
sporting
CA 02280341 2001-09-10
equipment. The container may be then easily and efficiem':ly loaded into the
correspondingly
sized baskets of cage 10. Mesh equipment container 38 m;ay as illustrated,
take the form of a
garment bag having mesh side compartments 40 or the like: extending in opposed
relationship
outwardly of a centrally disposed hinge 42 and handle 44. Side compartments 40
may be
releasably closed by means of fasteners known in the art such as zippers or
strips of hook and
loop fasteners or the like, such that the openings which are conveniently
large, may be opened
to access the interior cavities of side compartments 40. Once articles of
sports equipment 46
(shown in dotted outline) have been inserted into their corresponding internal
compartments
within side compartments 40, and side compartments 4C1 closed by means of
releasable
fasteners 48, the mesh equipment container 38 may then be ;placed into a
basket within cage 10
without the worry that a piece of sporting equipment has either been left out
or may be left
behind were it not for the convenient compartmentalized containment of
equipment 46 within
container 38.
Although not intended to be limiting, it may be that each basket of cage 10 is
sized to receive one mesh equipment container 38 whether it be that container
38 is folded in
half about hinge 42 or laid flat placed into the basket. The scope of this
invention is not
limited to one particular set of relative dimensions of container 38 or the
corresponding
dimensions of each basket of cage 10 so that it may be that container 38 for a
particular sport
in no way resembles a garment bag whether laid flat or folded in half so long
as items of sports
equipment may be conveniently held within container 38 and container 38 placed
into cage 10,
and so long as container 38 is made of material allowing for the free passage
of water or
cleaning solution therethrough. In the embodiment as illustrated,
advantageously, tie down
rings 50 or clips may be provided to releasably secure container 38 within
cage 10. Tether 52
may be provided to assist holding sides 40 in a partially folded orientation
about hinge 42 so
that container 38 may be free standing allowing for draining and drying of
equipment 46 held
therein.
Thus to reiterate, in one preferred embodimf;nt the mesh equipment container
has two large separate compartments each of which can contain a number of
pockets which
11
CA 02280341 2001-09-10
accept specific items of sports equipment (hockey equipment being
illustrated). Modifications
may be made to suit different sports. A reinforcing strip of fabric or plastic
is positioned
transversely of the bag between the two compartments at the mid line, to
permit the bag to be
folded over conveniently in either direction. A carrying handle is attached to
the reinforcing
strip. At least one face of each compartment has a perimeter reinforcement,
plastic or metal
tubing to provide rigidity during the insertion of the soiled equipment.
Additional pockets are
provided in each compartment and need only to be attached to the same face as
the perimeter
reinforcement since items placed in the extremity of the bag must slip past
the pockets. A
hook at one end of the container permits hanging of the bag for drying - note
that hook may be
stored in a concealed manner - and when the container is hung up, the pants
and shoulder pads
are stretched by gravity into their normal shape. A strap is attached inside
to restrain shoulder
pads against movement during washing. Robust spring l;ype clips may be
attached to one
compartment for securing the padded hockey pants in place; during the washing
cycle, and an
additional pocket is also provided for odds and ends. The garment bag is also
provided with a
means whereby it can be suspended within the washer cage. As illustrated,
rings 50 around
the perimeter reinforcement are shown extending through the mesh bag.
In use, the bag is folded open against the carrying handle and placed in an
upright position supported by the perimeter reinforcement, a tether strap
which is attached to
one side of the bag is drawn toward and clipped to the otlher side of the bag
to prevent the
folded unit collapsing. The separate compartments which are closed by zippers
or other means
can be secured by the players personal identification tag. The internal
pockets may have self
closing elasticized openings. During transport, the bag is simply folded shut
to expose the
carrying handle and the tether strap is utilized to retain the bag in a closed
folded position.
In a further alternative embodiment, the cage 10 may be cylindrical for
insertion of sports items therein, or independently thereof or in addition
thereto. Cage 10 may
be a drum or frame over which, that is, on the outside surface of which, may
be releasably
mounted an equipment container 38 whether flexible, as in a mesh bag, or
inflexible as in a
pre-formed container, for example "C"-shaped.
12
CA 02280341 2001-09-10
In a further alternative preferred embodiment, as seen starting in Figure 6,
the
machine of the present invention is a combination washing and drying machine.
Machine 100
employs a plurality of baskets 102 which are mounted within a cylindrically
shaped cage 104.
Baskets 102 are radially spaced in cage 104 about its axis of rotation B. Cage
104 is rotatably
mounted so as to be free to turn about axis of rotation B within a cylindrical
outer housing
consisting of an upper tub 106 and a lower tub 108. Door 110 provides access
into the front of
upper tub 106. Door 110 is hinged to lower tub 108 and so may be folded down
in direction C
into its position shown in Figure 7b which allows one or more baskets 102 to
be telescopically
slid outwardly in direction D from the interior of upper tub 106. This
provides access to the
interior of the basket or baskets as further described below. Water for use
during the wash
cycle is stored in a reservoir water tank 112. Motor drive 114 rotates cage
104 and baskets
102 within the housing during the wash and dry cycles, for example by means of
a belt drive
linkage 116. A frame assembly 118 provides the supporting structure for the
components.
As better seen in Figures 8a-8c, baskets 102 are advantageously each identical
to one another, being constructed of an open weave mesh on the like, reference
numeral 120 in
the figures, rigidly mounted to rigid basket frame 122. Basket lid 124 also
constructed of a
mesh mounted within an outer frame, is mounted to basket flame 122 by means of
hinges 126.
Basket lid 124 may be closed in direction E and releasably :fastened by means
of clasps or the
like in the closed position so as to enclose mesh equipment container 38
within the basket.
Where the basket is sized so as to retain equipment container 38 in its folded
position folded
over about hinge 42, advantageously a rigid wire frame :spacer 128 is placed
between the
folded over halves of equipment container 38 so as to allow the passage of
water between the
folded over halves.
Sliders 130 are rigidly mounted so as to face outwardly from one side of frame
122. Sliders 130 allow for the telescopic mounting of baskets 102 into cage
104.
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CA 02280341 2001-09-10
As best seen in Figures 9a and 9b, cage 104 has rings 132 rigidly mounted to
radial spokes 134. Rings 132 and spokes 134 are maintained in rigid parallel
spaced apart
relation by stringers 136. Center plates 138 are mounted rigidly at the
intersection of the
spokes. Stub shaft 146 is mounted to one of center plates 138 co-axially with
axis of rotation
B. Slider angle brackets 140 extend rigidly between the spokes parallel to
axis of rotation B
and center support 148. Slider plates 144 are mounted parallel to the
stringers between rings
132.
As better seen in Figures l0a-lOc, lower tub 108 has shell 150 rigidly mounted
to stiffeners 152 so as to define, in cross section, a semi-circle. The front
and back of shell
150, that is, between the interior of semi-circular stiffeners 152 is sealed
by means of rigid
plates 154 and 156. Rigid plates 156 are mounted within supporting stiffeners
158. Extending
rigidly between the ends of stiffeners 152 are side angle members 160 and
extending between
the ends of the parallel adjacent stiffeners 152 across the upper edges of
shell 150 are end
angle members 162.
Plates 156 each have shaft apertures 164 formed therein for journalled
mounting therethrough, through appropriate bearings, stub shaft 146 through
one of the
apertures and a drive shaft better described below through the opposite
aperture. Motor mount
166 is mounted to one of stiffeners 152, so as to, for example, lay generally
midway along one
of the quadrants defined by stiffeners 152.
As better seen in Figures lla and 11b, motor mount flange 168 is rigidly
mounted perpendicularly to motor mount 166. Drive motor 170, which is
advantageously a
reversible electric motor, is rigidly mounted to motor mount flange 168. Drive
motor 170
may, for example be a BaldorTM No. VN3611T 3 horsepower reversible electric
motor. Drive
motor 170 drives rotation of drive shaft 172 via sheave 174., timing belt 176,
and sheave 178.
Drive shaft 172 and stub shaft 146 are rotatably mounted within apertures 164
by their
respective flange bearings 180 mounted to plates 156. Spacers 184 are rigidly
mounted to side
walls 154 and the interior of lower tub 108 through which cage 104 rotates
when driven by
14
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CA 02280341 2001-09-10
drive motor 170. In the preferred embodiment, spacers 184 are perforated so as
to assist in
trapping or at least in dampening the energy of spray within the housing so as
to facilitate
drainage through pipe coupling 182.
Lower tub 108 may be drained of water through pipe coupling 182.
As seen in Figures 12a-12d, upper tub 106 has a semi-circular shell 186
extending between end angle members 188. Inlet duct 190 and exhaust duct 192
are mounted
onto shell 186 so as to provide a drying airflow into, and out of, the
interior of the housing
comprising the upper and lower tubs. Inlet duct 190 has corresponding inflow
axis F which
intersects the outflow axis G of exhaust duct 192 at the center of curvature
of shell 186.
Advantageously, inlet duct 190 and exhaust duct 192 open into upper tub 106
across
substantially the entire depth of the tub. A large volume of hot air as better
described below,
may thus be blown into the interior of the housing through inlet duct 190 an
extracted as
moisture laden air through exhaust duct 192.
Shell 186 is also braced by means of side angle members 194. End plate 196 is
rigidly mounted to the back of shell 186 so as to seal the back of upper tub
106. The front of
shell 186 is sealed when door 110 is closed, for example so as to compress an
arcuate resilient
door seal member 198 between door 110 and door frame 200. In the embodiment
illustrated,
door 110 is of a substantially transparent material so that the interior of
upper tub 106 may be
viewed when door 110 is closed. Door seal 198 may be held in place by means of
a door seal
retainer 202.
Further apertures are also provided through shell 186 into which are mounted
pipe couplings 204 which in one preferred embodiment are l./2 inch NPT pipe
couplings. Pipe
couplings 204 may have longitudinal flow axes H which may also intersect the
center of
curvature of shell 186. Pipe couplings 204 provide for inlet nozzles for the
pressurized
injection of soapy water or rinse water during the washing cycle as better
described below.
15
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CA 02280341 2001-09-10
As also seen in Figure 12a a perforated splashguard 206 is mounted as a liner
within shell 186 and provides for dampening of water spray within the tub, for
example
thrown from baskets 102 during the spin-dry cycle.
As better seen in Figures 13a and 13d door :l 10 may be a transparent sheet
208,
for example a polycarbonate sheet of 1/4 inch thickness preferably with a
scratch resistant
coating. Sheet 208 is releasably locked into its closed position against door
frame 200 and
corresponding door seals 202 by turning handles 210 so as t:o engage latches
212. With latches
212 disengaged from engagement with door frame 200, sheet 208 may be pivoted
downwardly
about hinges 214 in direction C into the door's open position so as to provide
access into the
upper tub.
As seen in Figures 14a-14c, the control system of the present invention,
programmed as would be known to one skilled in the art and user actuated by
on/off switches
252 directs water from water tank reservoir 112, advantageously holding
approximately 80
gallons, through jet pump 216 mounted to base plate 2113, via electrically
actuated control
valve 220 and reservoir water line 222. Water is drawn from the reservoir and
pumped by jet
pump 216 through water line 224 and water conduits 226 via "Y" junction 228 so
as to supply
water to spray nozzles 230.
Spray nozzles 230 are mounted to pipe couplings 204 so as to project into the
interior of upper tub 106 through splashguard 206. Water conduits 226 form a
yoke having
longitudinally extending arms extending across the depth of upper tub 106 so
as to provide
pressurized water flow to pipe couplings 204 via "T'°- couplings 232.
Water flow into water conduits 226 via water line 224 from jet pump 216 is
controlled by electrically actuated valve 234. Once the contents of water tank
reservoir 112
has been pumped into the tub housing, that is, the housing; comprising the
upper and lower
tubs, valve 220 is actuating so as to close off water line 22.2 and open drain
line 236. Drain
line 236 drains water from drain pipe coupling 182, that is, t:rom the bottom
of lower tub 108.
16
CA 02280341 2001-09-10
Thus either soapy water during the wash cycle or rinse water during the rinse
cycle may be
recycled into the tub by being pumped from the drain back up to the spray
nozzles during both
the wash and rinse cycles. Once each cycle has completf;d, it is then
necessary to drain the
tub, for example of either the wash water or the rinse water before the next
sequential cycle
may be commenced. This is accomplished by actuating valve 234 so as to
redirect water being
pumped from jet pump 216 from water line 224 to water discharge line 238. The
timed
actuation of valves 220 and 234 in conjunction with the cycling of motor drive
170 as better
described below, is controlled by programmable logic controllers or the like
such as would be
known in the art. Thus as the wash cycle is progressing, once reservoir 112
has been depleted
and water line 222 shut off by actuation of valve 220, reservoir 112 is
replenished awaiting
either a further wash cycle or a rinse cycle. Soap for the wash cycle may be
introduced by
various means, for example either manually or automatically using liquid
detergent or
dissolvable solid detergent injected into the tub or an infeed water line, for
example by use of
an automatic dissolvable cartridge-type solid detergent dispenser 244 such as
sold under their
trademark PrizmTM and manufactured by Sunburst Cherriicals of Minneapolis,
Minnesota,
U.S.A. Dispenser 244 dispenses soap via feed line 246.
As an example of the wash cycle, although not intended to be limiting, drive
motor 170 may rotate cage 104 and baskets 102 in a first rotational direction
about axis B for
two minutes and then sequentially reverse directions ever; two minutes
thereafter until the
wash cycle is complete, for example after a total of 9 or 10 minutes. The wash
cycle is
accomplished by spinning rotation as opposed to agitation style rotation. The
soapy water is
then pumped from the tub and either another wash cycle commenced with fresh
soapy water or
the rinse cycle commenced. The speed of rotation of cage 104 during the wash
cycle is
relatively low, for example 9 rpm. The speed of rotation of the cage during
the rinse cycle
may typically also be 9 rpm. During a spin-dry cycle, however, the rotational
speed of the
cage is increased to at least 200 rpm so as to centrifugally force water
radially outwardly from
the articles contained in the baskets. The subsequent drying cycle is
accomplished by forcing
hot air into the tub while rotating the cage in direction I at 9 rpm. Cage 104
is rotated in
direction I so as to draw the hot air being forced into the tub along axis F
through inlet duct
17
CA 02280341 2001-09-10
190 around the longest circumferential path (labelled path 248 in Figure 12a)
within the tub
between inlet duct 190 and exhaust duct 192. It has been found that otherwise,
the hot air
being forced through inlet duct 190, if cage 104 is being rotated in a
direction counter to
direction I, exits through exhaust duct 192 (i.e., along path 250) with a
minimal drying effect
on the contents of baskets 102.
Hot air is provided by furnace 240 through flume 242, for example at 2500
c.fm. As would be known to one skilled in the art, the water in reservoir 112
may be supplied
at or heated to a selectively controllable temperature (controlled by for
example thermostat
254). The hot air being forced through inlet duct 190 would also be supplied
at a selectively
controllable temperature by the furnace.
As seen in Figure 15, baskets 102 telescope outwardly from cage 104 by means
of sliders 130a telescopically sliding along telescopic :members 240. In the
preferred
embodiment, telescopic members 240 are oblong blocks of ultra-high molecular
weight
(UHMW) polyethylene slidably mounted along one side thereof to sliders 130a on
baskets 102
and slidably mounted on their opposite sides to slider angle brackets 140.
Sliders 130b
slidably engage slider plates 144.
As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the foregoing
disclosures, many alterations and modifications are possible in the practice
of this invention
without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. Accordingly, the scope of
the invention is
to be construed in accordance with the substance definf;d by the following
claims. In
particular it would be recognized by those skilled in the art that the washing
and drying
machine of the present invention is not to be restricted to sporting equipment
which in the past
has been difficult if not impossible to clean such as helmets, body armor, ski
boots with or
without the liner removed, but also applies to many other articles that are
generally difficult if
not impossible to clean without having to be washed by hand. Thus, for example
the machine
of the present invention may be applied to the washing of hire-fighter suits,
flight suits, tents,
equestrian equipment, bulky fabrics, backpacks, cloth carriers for bulletproof
vests, military
18
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CA 02280341 2001-09-10
and army body armor, harnesses used for lifting the disabled and elderly from
beds or
wheelchairs, and includes generally any other article which requires the use
of an abundance
of hook and loop fasteners which if placed in a conventional washing machine
would become
balled or knotted due to tumbling.
Agitation by conventional agitators it has been found in many articles causes
damage to the articles. Such includes the padding coming out of sports
equipment, or the
fabric becoming entangled and jammed and the agitator wears on the material or
tears the
fabric. Further, such articles make an easily unbalanced load during the spin
cycle.
It would be recognized then that many soft or flexible articles may be placed
into the baskets of the present invention, whether or not the articles are
contained within a
mesh bag as taught or the like, and once so held within the baskets, so as to
be held relatively
stationary relative to the cage, are rotated within the tub in contra-
distinction to merely being
placed into a tub and agitated.
19
