CN114808396B - Pet hair filter - Google Patents

Abstract

A removable fluid pumping and filtering apparatus for a laundry treating machine is provided. The apparatus includes a plurality of selectively attachable and detachable stackable sections including a handle section and one or more further sections; wherein when attached together in a stacked arrangement to form an agitator, the plurality of sections collectively define: a cylindrical body; a hollow interior of the body; a first opening and a second opening around an outer circumference of the body to define a water flow path into and out of the hollow interior; and placing a removable filter along the water flow path within the hollow interior, and wherein the handle section includes an area for grasping and rotating the removable fluid pumping and filtration device to facilitate insertion and removal of the agitator.

Description

Pet hair filter

Cross Reference to Related Applications

The present application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 63/142,815, filed on 1 month 28 of 2021, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Technical Field

Aspects of the present disclosure relate generally to removable agitators for laundry treatment appliances, and in particular, to removable agitators having built-in filtering functionality.

Background

Laundry treatment appliances (such as washing machines, clothes dryers, washing machines, refreshers, and non-aqueous systems) may have a configuration based on a container (such as a laundry basket or a drum defining a drum opening) that may or may not rotate and at least partially define a treatment chamber in which laundry items are placed for treatment. The laundry treatment appliance may have a controller that implements a plurality of user-selectable preprogrammed operating cycles having one or more operating parameters. Hot water, cold water, or mixtures thereof, along with various treatment chemicals or detergents, may be supplied to the treatment chamber according to an operating cycle.

Laundry treatment appliances generally operate to treat laundry items by: the laundry items are placed in contact with a treatment fluid (such as a detergent/water mixture, sometimes referred to as a wash liquid) and relative movement between the laundry items and the fluid is provided. The controller may also control the motor to rotate the basket or drum according to one of the preprogrammed operating cycles. The controller may additionally control a garment mover disposed within the garment basket or drum and configured to transfer mechanical energy to the garment items within the processing chamber according to a selected operating cycle. The garment mover may include a plurality of components, such as a base that may be provided as an impeller plate, and a tub that may be provided as an agitator bar and that may be coupled to the base.

Filters are used in laundry treatment appliances to capture pet hair, lint, and other particulates from the laundry load. The captured particulates are retained inside the filter, allowing the customer to clean the filter after the washing cycle is completed. The trapping of lint during a wash cycle is particularly important to customers who do not use clothes drying appliances.

Disclosure of Invention

In one or more illustrative examples, a removable fluid pumping and filtering apparatus for a laundry treatment machine is provided. The apparatus comprises: a handle section defining a grip that facilitates insertion and removal of the apparatus in the laundry treatment machine; an impeller section defining a hollow interior having a closed bottom, a generally cylindrical side and an open top, the impeller section further defining a lower water opening to allow wash water to flow into or out of the hollow interior of the apparatus; and a filter section having a generally cylindrical shape and removably attachable between the handle section and the impeller section, an exterior of the filter section defining an intermediate section water opening to allow water to flow into or out of the interior of the apparatus, the filter section having a divider that further defines: a first interior space that opens into the hollow interior of the impeller section; a second outer space open to the intermediate section water opening but closed to the first space; and a filter region leading to the first space and the second space, the filter region configured to hold a removable filter to filter water flowing between the inner space and the outer space.

In one or more illustrative examples, a removable fluid pumping and filtering apparatus for a laundry treatment machine is provided. The apparatus comprises: a handle section defining a grip to facilitate insertion and removal of the apparatus in the laundry treatment machine, and an upper water opening to access an interior of the apparatus; and a filter section having a generally cylindrical shape removably attachable to a bottom of the handle section, the filter section defining a hollow interior having a closed bottom, a generally cylindrical side, an open top, and a lower water opening for allowing water to flow into or out of the hollow interior of the device, the filter section configured to hold a filter medium, wherein when the handle section is attached to the filter section, the handle section and the filter section collectively define a water flow path to pass wash water into or out of the upper water opening to the interior of the filter medium, through the filter medium, and into or out of the lower water opening.

In one or more illustrative examples, a removable fluid pumping and filtering apparatus for a laundry treatment machine is provided. The apparatus includes a plurality of selectively attachable and detachable stackable sections including a handle section and one or more further sections, wherein when attached together in a stacked arrangement to form an agitator, the plurality of sections collectively define a cylindrical body, a hollow interior of the body, and first and second openings around an outer circumference of the body to define a water flow path into and out of the hollow interior, wherein the agitator defines a filter holder within the hollow interior, the filter holder configured to hold a removable filter along the water flow path to capture particulates in wash water, and the handle section includes an area for grasping and rotating the removable fluid pumping and filtering apparatus to facilitate insertion and removal of the agitator relative to the laundry treatment machine.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a simplified cross-sectional view of a laundry treating appliance including a removable filter-type agitator;

FIG. 2 is a simplified cross-sectional view of the clothes treating appliance and clothes mover of FIG. 1, wherein the agitator is shown in an attached and detached configuration;

FIG. 3 is a perspective cross-sectional view of an agitator coupled to an impeller for use with the garment mover and garment treatment apparatus of FIG. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of an agitator coupled to the impeller of fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an agitator coupled to the impeller of fig. 3 in a first position.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an agitator coupled to the impeller of fig. 3 in a second position.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the removable agitator in a first radial position about its longitudinal axis;

FIG. 8 is a side view of the removable agitator of FIG. 7 in a second radial position about its longitudinal axis;

FIG. 9 is a side view of the removable agitator of FIG. 7 in a third radial position about its longitudinal axis;

FIG. 10 is a top view of the removable agitator of FIG. 7;

FIG. 11 is a bottom view of the removable agitator of FIG. 7;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional side view of the removable agitator of FIG. 7 in a first radial position;

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional side view of the removable agitator of FIG. 9 in a first radial position;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an impeller section of the removable agitator of FIG. 7;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a filter section and impeller section of the removable agitator of FIG. 7;

FIG. 16 is a side view of an alternative removable agitator in a first radial position about its longitudinal axis;

FIG. 17 is a side view of the removable agitator of FIG. 16 in a second radial position about its longitudinal axis;

FIG. 18 is a side view of the removable agitator of FIG. 16 in a third radial position about its longitudinal axis;

FIG. 19 is a top view of the removable agitator of FIG. 16;

FIG. 20 is a bottom view of the removable agitator of FIG. 16;

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the top of the lower section of the removable agitator of FIG. 16;

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of the bottom of the lower section of the removable agitator of FIG. 16;

FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional side view of the removable agitator of FIG. 16 in a first radial position; and is also provided with

Fig. 24 is a perspective view of an upper section of the removable agitator of fig. 16.

Detailed Description

As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.

Fig. 1 is a simplified view of a laundry treating appliance 10 including a removable filter-type agitator 150. The laundry treatment appliance 10 may be any laundry treatment appliance 10 that performs an operating cycle to clean or otherwise treat laundry items placed therein, non-limiting examples of which include horizontal or vertical axis washing machines; a clothes dryer; a combination washer and dryer; a dispensing dryer; tumbling or stationary refreshing/restoring machines; an extractor; a non-aqueous washing apparatus; and (3) recovering the machine. Although the laundry treatment appliance 10 is illustrated herein as a vertical axis, top loading laundry treatment appliance 10, aspects of the present disclosure are applicable to laundry treatment appliances having other configurations. The laundry treating appliance 10 shares many features of a conventional automatic washing machine and/or dryer, which will not be described in detail herein, except as needed for a complete understanding of exemplary aspects in accordance with the present disclosure.

Laundry treatment appliances are generally classified as either vertical axis laundry treatment appliances or horizontal axis laundry treatment appliances. As used herein, the term "horizontal axis" laundry treatment appliance refers to a laundry treatment appliance having a rotatable drum that rotates about a generally horizontal axis relative to a surface supporting the laundry treatment appliance. The drum is rotatable about an axis that is inclined relative to the horizontal axis, with fifteen degree inclination being one example of an inclination. Similar to a horizontal axis laundry treatment appliance, the term "vertical axis" laundry treatment appliance refers to a laundry treatment appliance having a rotatable drum that rotates about a generally vertical axis relative to a surface supporting the laundry treatment appliance. However, the axis of rotation need not be perfectly perpendicular to the surface. The drum is rotatable about an axis that is inclined relative to the vertical axis, with fifteen degree inclination being one example of an inclination.

In another aspect, the terms vertical and horizontal axis are often used as shorthand terms for the manner in which an appliance transfers mechanical energy to a garment even if the associated axis of rotation is not absolutely vertical or horizontal. As used herein, a "vertical axis" laundry treatment appliance refers to a laundry treatment appliance having a perforated or unperforated rotatable drum that retains fabric articles and optionally a garment mover (such as an agitator, impeller, nutator, etc.) within the drum. The clothes mover may move within the drum to transfer mechanical energy directly to the clothes or indirectly to the clothes through the wash liquor within the drum. The garment movers are typically movable in a reciprocating rotational movement. In some vertical axis laundry treatment appliances, the drum rotates about a vertical axis that is substantially perpendicular to the surface supporting the laundry treatment appliance. However, the axis of rotation need not be vertical. The drum is rotatable about an axis inclined relative to the vertical axis.

As used herein, a "horizontal axis" laundry treatment appliance refers to a laundry treatment appliance having a perforated or unperforated rotatable drum that holds laundry items and washes and/or dries laundry items. In some horizontal axis laundry treatment appliances, the drum rotates about a horizontal axis that is substantially parallel to the surface supporting the laundry treatment appliance. However, the axis of rotation need not be horizontal. The drum may rotate about an axis inclined or declined relative to the horizontal axis. In a horizontal axis laundry treating appliance, the clothes are lifted by a rotating drum and then fall in response to gravity to create a tumbling action. The mechanical energy is transferred to the garment by a tumbling action of the garment by repeated lifting and dropping of the garment. The biggest distinction between vertical axis and horizontal axis machines is the manner in which they transfer mechanical energy to the fabric article.

Regardless of the axis of rotation, the laundry treating appliance may be top-loaded or front-loaded. In top-loading laundry treatment appliances, laundry items are placed into the drum through an access opening in the top of the cabinet, whereas in front-loading laundry treatment appliances, laundry items are placed into the drum through an access opening in the front of the cabinet. If the laundry treating appliance is a top loading horizontal axis laundry treating appliance or a front loading vertical axis laundry treating appliance, the additional access opening will be located on the drum.

In more detail, the laundry treating appliance 10 may include a structural support assembly including a cabinet 14 defining a housing and an interior, within which the laundry holding assembly is located. The cabinet 14 may be a housing with a base and/or frame to which a decorative panel may or may not be mounted, the housing defining an interior, thereby enclosing components typically found in conventional laundry treatment appliances, such as automatic washing machines or dryers, which may include motors, pumps, fluid lines, controls, sensors, transducers, and the like. Such components will not be further described herein except as needed for a complete understanding of the present disclosure.

The illustrated laundry holding assembly of the exemplary laundry treating appliance 10 may include a rotatable basket 30 having an open top 13, which may be disposed inside the cabinet 14 and may at least partially define a rotatable treatment chamber 32 for receiving laundry items for treatment, and an access opening 15. The access opening 15 may provide access to the process chamber 32. The treatment chamber 32 is configured to receive a laundry load including laundry items for treatment, including, but not limited to: hats, scarves, gloves, sweaters, shirts, shorts, dress, socks and pants, shoes, undergarments, and jackets.

The open top 13 may be aligned with the access opening 15. The tub 34 may also be positioned within the cabinet 14 and may define an interior 24 in which the basket 30 may be positioned. The tub 34 may also at least partially define at least a portion of the process chamber 32. The tub 34 may have a generally cylindrical side or tub-like peripheral wall 12 closed at its bottom end by a base 16, which may at least partially define a sump 60. The tub 34 may be at least partially aligned with the access opening 15 and the open top 13. In one example, the tub 34, basket 30, along with the open top 13 and access opening 15, may have central axes that are coaxial with each other, or with at least one of the other axes, such that a common central axis is formed.

The basket 30 may have a generally peripheral sidewall 18 (which is shown as a cylindrical sidewall) that is closed at the basket end by a basket base 20 to further at least partially define a process chamber 32. The basket 30 may be rotatably mounted within the basket 34 for rotation about a vertical basket rotation axis and may include a plurality of perforations (not shown) such that liquid may flow between the basket 34 and the rotatable basket 30 through the perforations (not shown). Although the illustrated laundry treating appliance 10 includes both a tub 34 and a basket 30, wherein the basket 30 at least partially defines a treatment chamber 32, it is within the scope of the present disclosure to include only one receptacle, such as tub 34, without a laundry holding assembly having basket 30, wherein the receptacle defines a laundry treatment chamber 32 to receive a load to be treated.

The cabinet 14 may also define a top wall or top panel 36, which may include the shroud 29 or to which the shroud 29 may be coupled. The shroud 29 may define at least a portion of the access opening 15 such that the shroud 29 may at least partially surround the access opening 15. The shield 29 may be bent downward toward the process chamber 32 to guide the items of clothing into the basket 30. The shield 29 may cover a portion of the basket 30 such that laundry items do not fall between the basket 30 and the tub 34.

A selectively openable closure or lid (shown herein as including a lid 28) is movably mounted to or coupled to the cabinet 14 as shown for selective movement between an open position and a closed position to selectively open and close the access opening 15, respectively, and to selectively provide access to the laundry treatment chamber 32 through the access opening 15 of the basket 30. In one example, the cover 28 may be rotatable relative to the cabinet 14 between a closed position and an open position. As a non-limiting example, the cover 28 may be hingedly coupled to the cabinet 14 to move between an open position and a closed position. In the closed position, the lid 28 may seal against at least one of the access opening 15, the top panel 36, or the shroud 29, and may at least partially face the process chamber 32 when the lid 28 closes the access opening 15. In the open position, the lid 28 may be spaced apart from the access opening 15, the top panel 36, or the shroud 29 and may allow access to the top panel 36 and the access opening 15.

The garment mover 100 may be rotatably mounted within the basket 30 to transfer mechanical agitation and mechanical energy to a load of garment items placed in the basket 30 or the process chamber 32 according to an operating cycle. The garment mover 100 may oscillate or rotate about its vertical axis of rotation during an operating cycle to produce a load motion that effectively washes the load contained within the treatment chamber 32. The garment mover 100 may include a base or first garment mover (shown herein as an impeller 120), and a tub (shown herein as an agitator 150). The agitator 150 as shown herein may comprise a vertically oriented agitator rod that may be removably coupleable with the impeller 120, the agitator 150 protruding vertically from the impeller 120 within the process chamber 32 toward the open top 13 of the basket 30. In this aspect of the present disclosure, the garment mover 100 may be formed by coupling the additional component agitator 150 to the impeller 120 and may be considered to form a second garment mover.

The agitator 150 may comprise any configuration of blades, vanes, or other structural features for imparting mechanical energy to the article of clothing during an operating cycle. Generally, the degree of perpendicularity of the agitator 150, in combination with the blades, vanes, or other structural features, may impart mechanical action to the article of clothing, which provides improved cleaning performance and may be suitable for particularly dirty loads. Other exemplary types of clothing movers include, but are not limited to: individual agitators, wobble plates and mixing impellers/agitators.

The basket 30 and the garment mover 100 may be driven, such as to rotate within the tub 34, by a drive assembly 40 that includes a motor 41, which may include a gear box, operatively coupled with the basket 30 and the garment mover 100. The motor 41 may be a Brushless Permanent Magnet (BPM) motor having a stator (not shown) and a rotor (not shown). Alternatively, the motor 41 may be coupled to the basket 30 by a belt and drive shaft to rotate the basket 30, as is known in the art. Other motors, such as induction motors or Permanent Split Capacitor (PSC) motors, may also be used. The motor 41 may rotate the basket 30 in either rotational direction about a vertical rotational axis at various speeds during an operational cycle, including at high rotational speeds, wherein the centrifugal force at the inner surface of the basket sidewall 18 is 1g or greater. High rotational speeds are generally known for extracting liquid from the items of clothing in basket 30, such as after a washing or rinsing step in an operating treatment cycle. A motion loss device or clutch (not shown) may be included in the drive assembly 40 and may selectively operatively couple the motor 41 with the basket 30 and/or the garment mover 100.

The suspension assembly 22 may dynamically retain the tub 34 within the cabinet 14. The suspension assembly 22 may dissipate a determined degree of vibration energy generated by rotation of the basket 30 and/or the garment mover 100 during the operational treatment cycle. In sum, the tub 34, basket 30, and any contents of basket 30 (such as liquid and clothing items) define the hanging mass of the hanging assembly 22.

The laundry treatment appliance 10 may also include a liquid supply assembly to provide liquid (such as water or a combination of water and one or more wash aids such as detergents) into the treatment chamber 32 for treating laundry items during an operating cycle. The liquid supply assembly may include a water supply 44 configured to supply hot or cold water. The water supply 44 may include a hot water inlet 45 and a cold water inlet 46. The valve assembly may include a hot water valve 48, a cold water valve 50, and various conduits 52, 58 to selectively dispense water supply 44 from hot water inlet 45 and cold water inlet 46. Valves 48, 50 are selectively openable to provide water from a source of water, such as from a home water supply (not shown), to conduit 52. A second water conduit, shown as water inlet 58, may also be fluidly coupled with conduit 52 such that water may be supplied directly to process chamber 32 through the open top of basket 30. The water inlet 58 may be configured to dispense water and optionally treatment chemicals into the tub 34 in a desired pattern and under a desired amount of pressure. For example, the water inlet 58 may be configured to dispense a stream or stream of treatment chemical or water into the drum 34 by gravity (i.e., a non-pressurized stream). The valves 48, 50 may be opened individually or together to provide a mixture of hot and cold water at a selected temperature. While the valves 48, 50 and conduit 52 are shown as being external to the cabinet 14, it will be appreciated that these components may be internal to the cabinet 14.

A treatment chemical dispenser 54 may be provided for dispensing treatment chemical to the basket 30 for treating laundry items according to an operating cycle, either directly or in a mixed manner with water from the water supply 44. In non-limiting examples, the process chemistry dispenser 54 may be a single-use dispenser, a bulk dispenser, or a combination of integrated single-use and bulk dispensers, and is fluidly coupled to the process chamber 32. Although the treatment chemical dispenser 54 is shown herein as being provided at the top panel 36 or the shroud 29, it will be understood that other locations of the treatment chemical dispenser 54 are contemplated (such as at different locations within the cabinet 14). Additionally, the process chemistry dispenser 54 may be provided in a drawer configuration or as at least one reservoir fluidly coupled to the process chamber 32.

The treatment chemical dispenser 54 may include means for supplying or mixing detergent to or with water from the water supply 44. Alternatively, water from the water supply 44 may also be supplied to the tub 34 through the treatment chemical dispenser 54 without the addition of detergent. The treatment chemical dispenser 54 may be configured to dispense treatment chemicals or water into the tub 34 in a desired pattern and under a desired amount of pressure. For example, the treatment chemical dispenser 54 may be configured to dispense a stream or stream of treatment chemical or water into the drum 34 by gravity (i.e., a non-pressurized stream).

The process chemistry dispenser 54 may include a plurality of chambers or reservoirs fluidly coupled to the process chamber 32 to receive respective doses of different process chemistries. The treatment chemical dispenser 54 may be implemented as a dispensing drawer that is slidably received within the cabinet 14 or within a separate dispenser housing that may be provided in the cabinet 14. The treatment chemical dispenser 54 may be movable between a fill position, where the treatment chemical dispenser 54 is external to the cabinet 14 and is filled with treatment chemical, and a dispense position, where the treatment chemical dispenser 54 is internal to the cabinet 14.

Non-limiting examples of treatment chemicals that may be dispensed by the dispensing assembly during an operating cycle include one or more of the following: water, detergents, surfactants, enzymes, fragrances, stiffening/sizing agents, wrinkle release/reducing agents, softening agents, antistatic or static agents, stain repellents, water repellents, energy reducing/extraction aids, antibacterial agents, medicaments, vitamins, humectants, shrinkage inhibitors, and color fidelity agents, and combinations thereof. The treatment chemical may be in the form of a liquid, powder, or any other suitable substance in phase or state.

Additionally, the liquid supply assembly and treatment chemical dispenser 54 may be configured differently than shown, such as by including other valves, conduits, wash aid dispensers, heaters, sensors (such as water level sensors and temperature sensors), etc., to control the flow of treatment liquid through the laundry treatment appliance 10 and to introduce more than one type of detergent/wash aid.

A liquid recirculation and drain assembly may be provided to the laundry treating appliance 10 to recirculate liquid from within the laundry holding assembly and drain liquid from the laundry treating appliance 10. Liquid supplied into the tub 34 or treatment chamber 32 through the water inlet 58 and/or treatment chemical distributor 54 typically enters the space between the tub 34 and basket 30 and may flow by gravity to the sump 60. More specifically, the sump 60 may be located at and partially formed by the bottom of the tub 34, and the liquid recirculation assembly may be configured to recirculate the treatment liquid from the sump 60 to the top of the laundry load located in the treatment chamber 32.

The pump 62 may be housed below the tub 34 and may have: an inlet fluidly coupled with the sump 60; and an outlet configured to fluidly couple to and direct liquid to either or both household drains 64, which may drain liquid from laundry treating appliance 10, or recirculation conduit 66. In this configuration, the pump 62 may be used to drain or recirculate the wash water in the sump 60. As shown, the recirculation conduit 66 may be fluidly coupled with the process chamber 32 such that the recirculation conduit supplies liquid from the recirculation conduit 66 into the open top of the basket 30. The recirculation conduit 66 may introduce the liquid into the basket 30 in any suitable manner, such as by spraying, dripping, or providing a steady flow of liquid. In this manner, liquid provided to the tub 34, with or without treatment chemicals, may be recirculated into the treatment chamber 32 to treat the laundry therein. The liquid recirculation and discharge assembly may include other types of recirculation assemblies.

It should be noted that the illustrated drive assembly, suspension assembly, liquid supply assembly, recirculation and discharge assembly, and dispensing assembly are shown for illustrative purposes only and are not limited to the assemblies shown in the figures and described above. For example, the liquid supply assembly and recirculation and pump assembly may differ from the configuration shown in fig. 1, such as by including other valves, conduits, sensors (such as level sensors and temperature sensors), etc. to control the flow of liquid through the laundry treatment appliance 10 and introduce more than one type of treatment chemical. For example, the liquid supply assembly may be configured to supply liquid into the interior of the basket 30 or into the interior of the tub 34 not occupied by the basket 30, such that liquid may be supplied directly to the tub 34 without traveling through the basket 30. In another example, the liquid supply assembly may include a single valve for controlling the flow of water from a domestic water source. In another example, the recirculation and pump assembly may include two separate pumps for recirculation and evacuation, rather than a single pump 62 as previously described.

The laundry treating appliance 10, and in particular the liquid supply assembly and/or the recirculation and discharge assembly, may be provided with a heating assembly (not shown) which may comprise one or more devices for heating the laundry and/or heating the liquid provided to the treatment chamber 32 as part of an operating cycle, such as for example a steam generator, which may be any suitable type of steam generator, such as a flow-through steam generator or a box steam generator, and/or a sump heater. Alternatively, a sump heater may be used to generate steam as an alternative or in addition to the steam generator. In one example, the heating assembly may include a heating element disposed in the sump 60 to heat the liquid collected in the sump 60. Alternatively, the heating assembly may comprise an in-line heater that heats the liquid as it flows through the liquid supply assembly, the dispensing assembly, and/or the recirculation assembly.

The laundry treatment appliance 10 may also include a control assembly (shown herein as controller 70) to control the operation of the laundry treatment appliance 10 and to couple with various working components of the laundry treatment appliance 10 to control the operation of the working components and to implement one or more operational treatment cycles. The control assembly may include a controller 70 located within the cabinet 14 and a user interface 26 operably couplable with the controller 70. The user interface 26 may provide input and output functions to the controller 70.

The user interface 26 may include one or more knobs, dials, switches, displays, touch screens, etc. to communicate with a user, such as to receive input and provide output. For example, the display may include any suitable communication technology, including a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), an array of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), or any suitable display communication technology that may communicate messages to a user. The user may enter different types of information including, but not limited to, loop selections and loop parameters (such as loop options). Other communication paths and methods may also be included in the laundry treating appliance 10 and may allow the controller 70 to communicate with the user in various ways. For example, the controller 70 may be configured to send a text message to the user, send an email to the user, or provide audio information to the user through the laundry treating appliance 10 or with another device, such as a cell phone.

The controller 70 may include a machine controller and any additional controllers provided for controlling any of the components of the laundry treatment appliance 10. For example, the controller 70 may include a machine controller and a motor controller. Many known types of controllers may be used for controller 70. It is contemplated that the controller is a microprocessor-based controller that implements control software and that sends/receives one or more electrical signals to/from each of the various working components to implement the control software. As one example, proportional control (P), proportional integral control (PI), and proportional derivative control (PD), or a combination thereof, proportional integral derivative control (PID) may be used to control various components of laundry treating appliance 10.

Referring now to fig. 2, the laundry treatment appliance 10 as described herein allows a user to customize the laundry treatment appliance 10 to handle one or more laundry loads to be treated. For example, the laundry treating appliance 10 may be utilized and operated in one of at least two different configurations, each utilizing a different type of clothing mover 100, which may be selected based on the user's treatment needs. Aspects of the laundry treatment appliance 10 described herein allow a user to selectively assemble and disassemble the agitator 150 (which may be considered to form a second garment mover) and the impeller 120 (which may be considered to be a first garment mover) to configure the laundry treatment appliance 10 in one of two configurations. The user may customize the garment mover 100 based on the user's personal preferences, based on the magnitude and/or type of mechanical action achieved by the different configurations of the garment mover 100, and/or based on the characteristics of the garment items to be treated, non-limiting examples of which include the amount of the garment items to be treated, the size of the one or more garment items to be treated, the degree of soiling of the garment items, the amount and/or type of mechanical energy to be applied to the garment items, the fabric type of the garment items (e.g., whether the garment is delicate or rough), and the fill level during treatment.

The laundry treating appliance 10 may be configured in a first configuration (shown by way of example as configuration a as shown and also as shown in fig. 1) by assembling the agitator 150 with the impeller 120 at the laundry treating appliance 10. In configuration a, a user may choose to use the garment mover 100 that includes the agitator 150 for handling the garment load. A configuration such as configuration a may be useful in the following cases: the user wishes to implement a treatment mode using agitator-based washing, such as for imparting a substantial or large amount of mechanical action to particularly soiled items of clothing, or the user wishes to perform deep water washing, or based on any other user preference (such as personal preference) for the garment mover 100 and agitator 150.

In another example, the laundry treatment appliance 10 may also be configured in a second configuration (shown by way of example as configuration B as shown) by assembling only the impeller 120 within the laundry treatment appliance 10 and dismantling or removing the agitator 150. In configuration B, the user chooses to use the garment mover 100 with the smaller profile impeller 120 without the agitator 150 or any similar agitator bars. A configuration such as configuration B may be useful in the following cases: the user wishes to implement a treatment mode using impeller-based washing, such as for shallow water washing, for milder washing in which small amplitude mechanical movements are imparted to the items of clothing, or for washing heavy items (such as carpets or quilts) that may become entangled around the agitator 150. When there is a vertically oriented agitator-type garment mover 100 (such as configuration a including agitator 150), larger bulky items of clothing are often not well contained in basket 30. Thus, a user may selectively configure the laundry treating appliance 10 as shown in configuration B to utilize only the impeller 120 without having the agitator 150 extending up into the treatment chamber 32, for example for treating heavy and/or cumbersome loads or to achieve a shallow water treatment mode, or to configure the laundry treating appliance based on another preference of the user (such as a personal preference).

The components of the laundry treating appliance 10 are configured to allow a user to configure and reconfigure the laundry treating appliance 10 to either one of the agitator 150 configuration a and the impeller 120 configuration B as desired. The user may select either of configurations a or B based on personal preferences of utilizing a particular type of configuration a or B over another configuration, desired operating cycles to be achieved, and/or characteristics of the clothing item or clothing load.

Turning now to the process or method of configuring or reconfiguring the clothes mover 100, to operate the clothes treating appliance 10 and utilizing the configuration A in which the agitator 150 is present in the clothes treating appliance 10, a user may assemble the agitator 150 in the clothes treating appliance 10, such as by coupling or assembling the agitator 150 to the impeller 120 to form the clothes mover 100. The user may then utilize the laundry treating appliance 10 in a conventional manner to effect an operational cycle on the laundry load. When the agitator 150 is configured to be at least partially supported by the impeller 120, configuration a will include the impeller 120. Optionally, if the agitator 150 does not require the impeller 120 to be supported, such as when the agitator 150 may be supported by the basket 30, configuration a need not include the impeller 120. In this alternative configuration a, the impeller 120 need not be present and a garment mover 100 having only the agitator 150 may be utilized.

To operate the laundry treatment appliance 10 and to utilize the configuration B in which only the impeller 120 is present in the laundry treatment appliance 10, the removable agitator 150 is detached or detached from the impeller 120 and removed from the laundry treatment appliance 10 by a user, and the impeller 120 is assembled within the basket 30. To assemble the impeller 120 within the basket 30, the agitator 150 may be configured to be separated from the impeller 120 while the impeller 120 remains coupled to the drive assembly 40 and the motor 41. The user may then utilize the laundry treating appliance 10 in a conventional manner to effect an operational cycle on the laundry load. The impeller 120 is configured to operate as a configuration B garment mover 100 during an operating cycle that is different from the configuration a garment mover 100 and independent of the agitator 150. In this manner, the laundry treating appliance 10 is selectively reconfigurable by a user between a first configuration and a second configuration as shown to utilize two different garment movers 100.

In addition, to configure or reconfigure laundry treating appliance 10 from the first configuration (configuration a) to the second configuration (configuration B), the user removes or removes agitator 150 and sets it aside. Optionally, the laundry treatment appliance 10 may be configured to facilitate storage of the removable agitator 150 when the removable agitator is not in use. For example, the laundry treatment appliance 10 may include a storage element, such as a hook, clamp, hanger, or hanger bar, that hangs the removable agitator 150 in the laundry treatment appliance 10. In another example, the storage element may be in the form of a shelf, drawer, or cavity configured to support the removable agitator 150. In another aspect of the present disclosure, a companion laundry dryer or laundry module may include a storage element configured to store a removable agitator 150.

Referring now to fig. 3, agitator 750 is coupled to impeller 720 using a bayonet mount connection to form garment mover 700. The agitator 750 includes a gripping portion (shown here as handle portion 751) at an upper end of the agitator 750. The handle portion 751 can assist a user in inserting, removing, and storing the agitator 750 by giving the user a convenient handle to grasp and rotate the agitator 750 as desired. The agitator 750 also includes a handle pull type locking lever 753 disposed inside the agitator 750 such that the locking lever 753 nests within the agitator 750. The locking bar 753 may include a handle pull portion 757 that is positioned such that a user may grasp the handle portion 751 of the agitator 750 and the handle pull portion 757 of the locking bar 753 simultaneously. The locking lever 753 further defines at least one pin 759 protruding downward from a lower end of the locking lever 753. At least one pin 759 may be considered to form part of the first connector 752. The locking bar 753 may be movable, for example, within and relative to the agitator 750 such that the locking bar 753 may slide vertically within and relative to the agitator 750 between a lower locking position and a raised position. A biasing element (shown herein as handle pull spring 761) extends between handle portion 751 and handle pull portion 757 to bias locking bar 753 downwardly from handle portion 751 when not compressed by a user.

Fig. 4 illustrates a second connector 722 that includes at least one channel 732 configured to receive at least one pin 756 carried by a first connector 752. At least one pin 759 (shown herein as a plurality of pins 759) may protrude downwardly from the locking bar 753 and thus also from the agitator 750, adjacent to the at least one pin 756. In one example, pins 759 and 756 may be provided in an alternating fashion such that pins 759 are received between pins 756. The second connector 722 may also define at least one locking opening 737, which may be provided in a bottom wall of the second connector 722. The second connector 722 optionally includes a biasing element (such as at least one spring) within the socket 726 that is compressed within the socket 726 when the agitator 750 is coupled with the impeller 720 as shown in fig. 3.

To assemble the garment mover 700, the agitator 750 is aligned with the impeller 720 such that the at least one pin 756 is aligned with the at least one opening 734 in the channel 732. It is contemplated that a user may grasp the agitator 750 by the handle portion 751 during insertion of the agitator 750 into the impeller 720. In addition, the user can also simultaneously grasp the handle pulling portion 757 of the locking lever 753, thereby compressing the handle pulling spring 761 and holding the locking lever 753 in the raised position. The agitator 750 is moved toward the impeller 720 as indicated by arrow 738 to insert the first connector 752 into the second connector 722. Upon insertion of the first connector 752 into the second connector 722, the pin 756 travels into the channel 732. The locking lever 753 may be maintained in the raised position by grasping the handle pull portion 757 and the handle portion 751 by a user. The agitator 750 is then rotated as indicated by arrow 740 to move the pin 756 into the locking portion 736 of the channel 732 as shown in fig. 20. In one example, at least one locking opening 737 may be positioned below the locking portion 736 of the channel 732. Additionally, the first connector 752 and the second connector 722 may be positioned and sized such that the locking bar 753 must be held in a raised position to prevent the pins 759 from protruding downward beyond the pins 756 and to cause the agitator 750 to rotate as shown by arrow 740.

In fig. 5, agitator 750 is coupled to impeller 720 with pins 756 engaging locking portions 736 of channels 732. The locking lever 753 is still in the raised position so that the pin 759 does not pass downwardly beyond the pin 756. When the agitator 750 is coupled to the impeller 720, a spring (not shown) or other biasing element biases the agitator 750 away from the impeller 720, thereby helping to maintain the pin 756 in the locking portion 736. A spring (not shown) applies a force that presses the agitator 750, and thus the pin 756, upward, which presses the pin 756 upward against the wall forming the locking portion 736. Biasing the pin 756 against the wall of the locking portion 736 may inhibit the agitator 750 from being undesirably rotated relative to the impeller 720 to a position where the pin 756 is aligned with the passage opening 734 during an operating cycle, which may result in unintended detachment of the agitator 750 in the impeller 720.

Referring now to fig. 6, and to further inhibit unintended rotation of the agitator 750 relative to the impeller 720 during an operational cycle, once the agitator 750 has been rotated to move the pins 756 into the locking portions 736, the pins 759 of the locking bars 753 cover and align with the locking openings 737. The user can release the handle pull portion 757 and the handle portion 751, allowing the handle pull spring 761 to bias the locking bar 753 downward. When the handle pulls the spring 761 to bias the locking lever 753 downward, the pin 759 moves downward to be inserted into and received within the locking opening 737. When the pin 759 is received within the locking opening 737, unintended rotation of the agitator 750 relative to the impeller 720 during an operating cycle is inhibited. Additionally, the engagement between the pin 756 and the locking portion 736 prevents unintended vertical movement of the agitator 750 relative to the impeller 720.

To detach the agitator 750 from the impeller 720, the user may again grasp the agitator 750 by the handle portion 751, and may also grasp the handle pull portion 757 of the locking lever 753 and compress the handle pull spring 761 to hold the locking lever 753 in the raised position, thereby removing the pin 759 from the locking opening 737 to permit rotational movement of the agitator 750. The agitator 750 may then be rotated in the opposite direction of arrow 740 of fig. 5 until the pin 756 is no longer aligned with the locking portion 736, but instead is aligned with the at least one opening 734 of the channel 732. When the pin 756 is aligned with the at least one opening 734, the agitator 750 may be removed in the opposite direction of arrow 738 of FIG. 4.

Fig. 7-15 depict an embodiment of a removable agitator 850 having an internal filtering function. Fig. 7 is a side view of the removable agitator 850 in a first radial position about its longitudinal axis. Fig. 8 is a side view of the removable agitator 850 of fig. 7 in a second radial position about its longitudinal axis. Fig. 9 is a side view of the removable agitator 150 of fig. 7 in a third radial position about its longitudinal axis. Fig. 10 is a top view of the removable agitator 150 of fig. 7. Fig. 11 is a bottom view of the removable agitator 150 of fig. 7. Fig. 11 is a bottom view of the removable agitator 150 of fig. 7. Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional side view of the removable agitator of fig. 7 in a first rotation. Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional side view of the removable agitator of fig. 9 in a first rotation.

The agitator 850 may comprise a plurality of selectively attachable and detachable sections that when attached together in a stacked arrangement form a generally cylindrical body. From top to bottom, these sections include a handle section 802, a filter section 804, and an impeller section 806. The bottom of the handle section 802 may be attached to the top of the filter section 804, and the bottom of the filter section 804 may be attached to the impeller section 806. The bottom of the impeller section 806 may be selectively coupled to the impeller 120 as discussed above. As shown in fig. 7-13, the sections 802, 804, 806 are connected together in an attached state.

Fig. 14 shows a perspective view of the impeller section 806 of the removable agitator of fig. 7. In this view, the impeller section 806 has been detached from the filter section 804. Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the filter section 804 and impeller section 806 of the removable agitator of fig. 7. In this view, the filter section 804 and the impeller section 806 are attached to each other, while the handle portion 802 has been detached.

Referring collectively to fig. 7-15, the handle section 802 may have a generally cylindrical shape with a handle portion 751 at an upper end of the handle section. In some examples, the handle portion 751 may taper inwardly, whereby the diameter generally decreases from a lower bottom of the handle portion 751 to a top end of the handle portion 751. As noted above, the handle portion 751 may facilitate insertion and removal of the agitator 850 by presenting a convenient handle to a user to grasp and rotate the agitator 850 as desired. The agitator 850 also includes a handle pull type locking lever 753 disposed inside the agitator 850 such that the locking lever 753 nests within the agitator 850. The locking bar 753 may include a handle pull portion 757 that is positioned such that a user may grasp the handle portion 751 of the agitator 850 and the handle pull portion 757 of the locking bar 753 simultaneously. At least one first pin 759 (shown herein as a plurality of first pins 759) protrudes downwardly from the locking bar 753 and thus also protrudes from the agitator 850, adjacent to the at least one second pin 756. In one example, the first pins 759 and the second pins 756 may be provided in an alternating fashion such that the first pins 759 are received between the second pins 756.

The handle section 802 also includes an upper water opening 808 that extends into the passageway of the interior of the agitator 850. The upper water opening 808 may extend circumferentially around the side of the handle section 802. The upper water opening 808 may generally allow water to flow into or out of the interior of the agitator 850. A screen or other mesh may cover the upper water opening 808 to prevent fabric items from penetrating or snapping into the upper water opening 808.

The impeller section 806 may also have a generally cylindrical shape and may define a hollow interior. As shown, the impeller section 806 has a closed bottom, a generally cylindrical side, and an open top. The impeller section 806 may also define a lower water opening 812 to allow water to flow into or out of the interior space of the agitator 850. In one example, the lower water openings 812 may be formed as an array of evenly spaced slots that extend circumferentially around a portion of the exterior of the impeller section 806. The slots may be sized to be large enough to provide water flow, but small enough to prevent fabric items from penetrating or getting stuck in the lower water opening 812.

The impeller section 806 may also include blades 816 configured to transfer mechanical energy to the article of clothing during an operating cycle. Generally, the vertical extent of agitator 850 in combination with blade 816 may impart mechanical motion to the article of clothing, which provides improved cleaning performance and may be suitable for particularly dirty loads. As shown, the example impeller section 806 includes three equally spaced vertical blades 816 extending radially outward from the cylindrical body of the impeller section 806. However, it should be noted that other numbers or arrangements of blades 816 may additionally or alternatively be used.

The impeller section 806 also includes an impeller 818. As best seen in fig. 14, the impeller 818 may be vertically centered within the cylindrical interior chamber of the impeller section 806 and may fit around and freely rotate about the handle pull locking lever 753. The impeller 818 may define a series of blades that extend radially outward from the center of the impeller 818 to provide agitation of the water within the impeller section 806. In some examples, the impeller 818 may be actively rotated by deriving power via a transmission in the impeller 120 that is selectively connected when the impeller section 806 is connected to the impeller 120.

The filter section 804 may also have a generally cylindrical shape. The exterior of the filter section 804 defines a mid-section water opening 812 to allow water to flow into or out of the interior of the agitator 850. In one example, the middle section water openings 812 may be formed as an array of evenly spaced slots that extend circumferentially around a portion of the exterior of the filter section 804. The slots may be sized to be large enough to provide water flow, but small enough to prevent fabric items from penetrating or getting stuck in the lower water opening 812.

The filter section 804 may also include a vertical partition 822 to divide the interior space of the filter section into two parts. As best seen in fig. 13, the first interior space defined within the vertical partition 822 may open into the hollow interior of the impeller section 806. Additionally, a second outer space may be defined between the exterior of the vertical partition 822 and the inner wall of the filter section 804. As best seen in fig. 15, the intermediate section water opening 812 may open into the second space, but is closed to the first space.

The filter section 804 may also house a removable filter drawer 809. The removable filter drawer 809 can have a bottom, a front, a back, and an open exterior side. The filter section 804 may have a corresponding opening around its outer circumference into which a removable filter drawer 809 may be inserted horizontally. The back of the removable filter drawer 809 can be formed to accommodate the contour of the vertical partition 822. The vertical partition 822 may also define a stop such that the removable filter drawer 809 can only be inserted to a predefined extent. The front face of the removable filter drawer 809 may be formed such that when the removable filter drawer 809 is fully inserted against the vertical partition 822, the cylindrical front face of the filter section 804 may be flush with the exterior of the filter section 804 to generally continue the cylindrical exterior around the filter section 804.

The back of the filter drawer 809 may include a mesh or other filter material, and the vertical partition 822 of the filter section 804 may open to the back of the filter drawer 809. This may allow water to achieve a filtered flow between the inner space within the vertical partition 822 and the outer space of the filter section 804. The filter section 804 may also define a latch 820 configured to hold the removable filter drawer 809 in place within the filter section 804 during a wash cycle. During the wash cycle, lint, pet hair, or other particulates in the wash water may be captured by the filter material as the water travels through the filter material on the back side. After a wash cycle, the latch 820 may be disengaged and the filter drawer 809 may be removed from the filter section 804 and cleaned and/or replaced.

Fig. 16-24 depict alternative embodiments of removable agitators 950 with filtering functions implemented in different configurations. Fig. 16 is a side view of an alternative removable agitator 950 in a first radial position about its longitudinal axis. Fig. 17 is a side view of the removable agitator 950 of fig. 16 in a second radial position about its longitudinal axis. Fig. 18 is a side view of the removable agitator 950 of fig. 16 in a third radial position about its longitudinal axis. Fig. 19 is a top view of the removable agitator 950 of fig. 16. Fig. 20 is a bottom view of the removable agitator 950 of fig. 16. Fig. 21 is a perspective view of the top of the lower section 904 of the removable agitator 950 of fig. 16. Fig. 22 is a perspective view of the bottom of the lower section 904 of the removable agitator 950 of fig. 16. Fig. 23 is a cross-sectional side view of the removable agitator 950 of fig. 16 in a first rotation. Fig. 24 is a perspective view of an upper section 902 of the removable agitator 950 of fig. 16.

Similar to agitator 850, agitator 950 may comprise a plurality of selectively attachable and detachable sections that when attached together in a stacked arrangement from top to bottom generally form a cylindrical body. From top to bottom, these sections may include a handle section 902 and a filter section 904. As discussed above, the bottom of the handle section 902 may be attached to the top of the filter section 904, and the bottom of the filter section 904 may be selectively coupled to the impeller 120. As shown in fig. 16-20 and 23, these sections 902 and 904 are connected together in an attached state. As shown in fig. 21 and 22, the filter section 904 is separate and has been detached from the handle section 902. As shown in fig. 23, the handle section 902 is separate and has been detached from the filter section 804.

Referring collectively to fig. 16-24, the upper section 902 can have a generally cylindrical shape with a handle portion 751 at an upper end of the agitator 950. As noted above, the handle portion 751 can facilitate insertion and removal of the agitator 950 by presenting a convenient handle to a user to grasp and rotate the agitator 950 as desired.

However, in the agitator 950, the locking bar 753 is a two-piece bar, rather than the solid bar design of the agitator 850. The upper locking lever 753A includes a handle pulling portion 757 that is positioned so that a user can grasp the handle portion 751 of the agitator 950 and the handle pulling portion 757 of the upper locking lever 753A at the same time. The upper locking bar 753A extends centrally downwardly through the interior of the agitator 950 to mate with the connector of the lower locking bar 753B. For example, the lower end of the upper locking bar 753A may include a clamp connector 908 (best shown in fig. 24) configured to attach to a top end connector 910 (best shown in fig. 21) of the lower locking bar 753B. Attachment of the clip connector 908 to the tip connector 910 may be accomplished in various ways, as two possibilities, such as magnetically or using a snap-fit mechanism. Similar to the agitator 950, a plurality of pins 759 project downwardly from the lower locking bar 753B and thus also project from the agitator 950, adjacent to the at least one pin 756. Thus, when the upper locking lever 753A and the lower locking lever 753B are connected, a user can grasp the handle portion 751 of the agitator 850 and the handle pulling portion 757 of the locking lever 753 at the same time to lift the plurality of pins 759.

The handle section 902 also includes an upper water opening 906 that opens into the interior of the agitator 950. The upper water opening 906 may extend circumferentially around the lower end of the side of the handle section 902. The upper water opening 906 may generally allow water to flow into or out of the interior of the agitator 950. A screen or other mesh may cover the upper water openings 906 to prevent fabric items from penetrating or seizing into the upper water openings 906.

The filter section 904 may have a generally cylindrical shape and may define a hollow interior provided for the internal flow of wash water, the filter section 904 having a closed bottom (except for the lower water opening 812), a generally cylindrical side, and an open top.

The filter section 904 may also include vanes 816 configured to transfer mechanical energy to the article of clothing during an operating cycle. As shown, the example filter section 904 includes three equally spaced vertical vanes 816 extending radially outward from the cylindrical body of the filter section 904. However, it should be noted that other numbers or arrangements of blades 816 may additionally or alternatively be used. As best seen in fig. 21, and in contrast to the closed blades 816 of the agitator 805, the blades 816 of the agitator 950 are hollow and open into the interior of the filter section 904.

The filter section 904 may also define a lower water opening 812 to allow water to flow into or out of the interior space of the agitator 950. In one example, the lower water openings 812 may be formed as an array of openings that extend circumferentially around a lower portion of the exterior of the filter section 904. The slots may be sized to be large enough to provide water flow, but small enough to prevent fabric items from penetrating or getting stuck in the lower water opening 812. In some examples, the lower water openings 812 may extend upward along the blades 816, providing additional flow of wash water between the interior of the impeller section 806 and the basket 30.

The filter section 904 may be configured to retain the filter media 912. As shown, the filter medium 912 may be configured as an open ended hollow cylinder having a narrower diameter than the diameter of the interior of the agitator 950. When the filter section 904 is in the disassembled state, the filter media 912 may be placed vertically into the filter section 904 with the lower end placed in a position surrounding the lower locking bar 753B. As best seen in fig. 23, the upper end of the filter media 912 may fit inside a lip 914 that extends inwardly from the exterior of the body of the filter section 904. The lip 914 may serve not only to secure the upper end of the filter media 912, but also to direct the flow of water from above into the interior of the filter media 912.

The handle section 902 may be attached to the top of the filter section 904. Once installed, a water flow path may be defined from the upper water opening 906 to the interior of the filter media 912. The lip 914 may inhibit water from flowing from the upper water opening 906 to the exterior of the filter media 912. The water flow may continue through the filter media 912 and out the lower water opening 812. It should also be noted that the direction of water flow may be reversed and water may flow into the lower water opening 812, through the filter media 912 and up out of the upper water opening 906. Regardless of the orientation, lint, pet hair, or other particulates in the wash water may be captured by the filter medium 912 as the water travels through the filter medium 912 during the wash cycle.

The filter section 904 may also include a transparent window 919 made of a material such as transparent plastic. The window 919 may allow a user to see inside the filter section 904. This may allow a user to visually inspect the filter media 912 to see if the filter media 912 needs to be replaced.

The agitator 950 may include a locking mechanism that secures the handle section 902 and the filter section 904 together. For example, as best shown in fig. 23, the handle section 902 may include one or more hooks 916 that hook over a flange 918 of the filter section 904 in a locked state. The hooks 916 may each be biased generally outwardly relative to the corresponding pivot 920 to secure the filter section 904 to the handle section 902 in the attached state. The agitator 950 may also include a release mechanism 922 that, when pressed downward, presses inward against the catch 916 to overcome the bias and cause the catch 916 to rotate inward, releasing the handle section 902 from the filter section 904. This may allow a user to turn on the agitator 950 to clean or replace the filter medium 912.

While exemplary embodiments are described above, these embodiments are not intended to describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.

Claims (15)

1. A removable agitator with an in-line filter, comprising:

a handle section defining a grip portion that facilitates insertion and removal of the agitator in a laundry treatment machine;

an impeller section defining a hollow interior having a closed bottom, a generally cylindrical side and an open top, the impeller section further defining a lower water opening to allow wash water to flow into or out of the hollow interior of the agitator; and

a filter section having a generally cylindrical shape and removably attachable between the handle section and the impeller section, an exterior of the filter section defining an intermediate section water opening to allow water to flow into or out of the interior of the agitator, the filter section having a divider, the divider further defining: a first interior space that opens into the hollow interior of the impeller section; a second outer space open to the intermediate section water opening but closed to the first inner space; and a filter region leading to the first inner space and the second outer space, the filter region configured to hold a removable filter to filter water flowing between the inner space and the outer space; and

A handle pull lock bar disposed within the hollow interior of the agitator, the handle pull lock bar including a handle pull portion at a top end for gripping and at least one pin at a bottom end configured to selectively lock the agitator into the laundry treatment machine.

2. An agitator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the impeller section defines a blade arrangement around the circumference of the agitator to transfer mechanical energy to an article of clothing during an operating cycle.

3. The agitator of claim 1, wherein:

the lower water openings are formed as an array of evenly spaced slots extending circumferentially around a portion of the exterior of the impeller section; and/or

The intermediate section water openings are formed as an array of evenly spaced slots extending circumferentially around a portion of the outer portion of the filter section.

4. The agitator of claim 1, further comprising a removable filter drawer having a bottom, a front, a back, and an open outer side, wherein the filter sections define corresponding openings around an outer circumference thereof into which the removable filter drawer is horizontally insertable.

5. The agitator of claim 4, the back of the removable filter drawer being formed to accommodate a vertical profile of the divider, the divider defining a stop such that the removable filter drawer is insertable to a predefined extent.

6. The agitator of claim 5, wherein the front face of the removable filter drawer is formed such that when the removable filter drawer is fully inserted against the divider, the cylindrical front face of the filter section is flush with the exterior of the filter section to generally continue a cylindrical exterior around the filter section.

7. The agitator of claim 5, wherein the back face of the filter drawer comprises a mesh or other filter material, and the partition of the filter section opens to the back face of the filter drawer to allow filtered flow of the wash water between the inner space within the partition and the outer space of the filter section.

8. The agitator of claim 5, wherein the filter section defines a latch configured to hold the removable filter drawer in place within the filter section during a wash cycle.

9. A removable agitator with an in-line filter, comprising:

a plurality of selectively attachable and detachable stackable sections comprising a handle section and one or more further sections, wherein when attached together in a stacked arrangement to form the agitator, the plurality of sections collectively define:

a cylindrical body having a cylindrical shape,

a hollow interior of the body

A first opening and a second opening, the first opening and the second opening being around an outer circumference of the body to define a water flow path into and out of the hollow interior; and

a handle pull type locking lever provided to the hollow interior of the agitator, the handle pull type locking lever including a handle pull portion for gripping at a top end and at least one pin at a bottom end configured to selectively lock the agitator into a laundry treating machine,

wherein the agitator defines a filter holder within the hollow interior, the filter holder being configured to hold a removable filter along the water flow path to capture particulates in wash water, and the handle section includes a region for grasping and rotating the removable agitator to facilitate insertion and removal of the agitator relative to the laundry treatment machine.

10. The agitator of claim 9, further comprising: an impeller vertically centered within the hollow interior, the impeller configured to fit around the handle pull lock bar and freely rotate, wherein the impeller defines a series of blades extending radially outward from a center of the impeller to provide agitation of the water within the hollow interior.

11. An agitator as claimed in claim 10, wherein the impeller is actively rotated by power obtained via a transmission which is selectively connected when the agitator is connected to the base.

12. An agitator as claimed in claim 9, wherein one or both of the first and second openings are formed as an array of evenly spaced slots extending horizontally or longitudinally around at least a portion of the exterior of the removable agitator.

13. An agitator as claimed in claim 9, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of sections collectively define a blade arrangement around the circumference of the agitator to transfer mechanical energy to an article of clothing during an operating cycle.

14. An agitator as claimed in claim 9, wherein the one or more further sections comprise a filter section and an impeller section, wherein:

The bottom of the handle section is configured to attach to the top of the filter section,

the bottom of the filter section is configured to be attached to the top of the impeller section, and

the bottom of the impeller section is configured to be selectively coupled to the laundry treatment machine.

15. An agitator as claimed in claim 9, wherein the one or more further sections comprise impeller sections, wherein:

the handle section has a top and a bottom,

the impeller section has a top and a bottom,

the bottom of the handle section is configured to be attached to the top of the impeller section, and

the bottom of the impeller section is configured to be selectively coupled to the laundry treatment machine.