US20140283562A1

US20140283562A1 - Interchanging washer/dryer device

Info

Publication number: US20140283562A1
Application number: US13/849,801
Authority: US
Inventors: Sara Poole; Audie Poole
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-03-25
Filing date: 2013-03-25
Publication date: 2014-09-25

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.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
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.
2. Description of Related Art
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.
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.
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

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.
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.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a washer dryer device with two rotating drums to enable simultaneous washing and drying cycles.
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.
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

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:

FIG. 1 depicts an internal view of an interchanging washer dryer device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

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.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the description of several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

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.
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.
The housing 102 includes drums 110 a, 110 b. The drums 110 a, 110 b 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 110 a, 110 b 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 110 a, 110 b. The weight scale also determines when clothes remain in the drum 110 a while the drum 110 a 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 110 a is empty.
Each drum 110 a, 110 b comprises a circular shape, with a plurality of collapsible blades 112 a, 112 b attached around the peripheral edge. The collapsible blades 112 a, 112 b may be a waterproof plastic or aluminum material to withstand the prolonged water exposure within the housing 102. The collapsible blades 112 a, 112 b include a plurality of vent holes 114 a, 114 b to circulate water, air, detergent and the like during the washing and drying cycles. A vented back wall 116 a, 116 b lies at the back of each drum 110 a, 110 b.
The drum 110 a in the dryer compartment 104 is illustrated in a collapsed position (A). The drum 110 b in the washer compartment 106 is illustrated in an open position (B). Thus, the drum 110 b 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 110 b rotates into the dryer compartment 104, and the clothes are dried. Finally, after the removal of the dry clothes, the blades 112 a, 112 b collapse upon the drum 110 a into the collapsed position (A) for rotation back to the washer compartment 106.
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 110 b 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.
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.
Referring now to FIG. 2, a side view of the drums 110 a, 110 b 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 112 a are overlapped upon each other, resting flush against the back wall of the drum 110 a. In the open position (B), the plurality of the blades 112 b extend perpendicularly from the peripheral edge of the drum 110 b to create a central opening 115 through which the clothes are received.
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.

Claims

What is claimed is:

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.