Front loading washer foreign object guard

摘要

A front opening horizontal axis washing machine having an outer wash tub and a rotary inner tub basket for receiving items to be laundered. The inner and outer tub have an annular gap about respective frontal portions thereof, and an annular guard is fixed to the outer tub for reducing the size of the gap. The guard has an inner lip portion that extends radially inwardly and rearwardly with respect to the front opening of the basket for defining a relatively small axial gap with a front side of the inner rotating basket for more effectively preventing migration of foreign objects between the inner and outer tubs. The inner lip of the guard has a radial clearance with the frontal portion of the inner tub that is greater than the axial gap, but recessed from sight to a user of the machine.

主权项

1. A washing machine comprising:
a cabinet, an outer tub mounted within said cabinet, said outer tub having an open frontal portion an inner basket mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis within said outer tub, a drive for rotating said inner basket during a wash cycle, said inner basket having a cylindrical side wall and an open frontal portion for receiving items to be laundered, said open frontal portion being spaced from the open frontal portion of the outer tub, said frontal portion of said inner basket including a front panel extending inwardly from the cylindrical side wall of the inner basket and an annular lip extending forwardly of said front panel for defining a front opening of the basket, said frontal portion of the outer tub having an annular guard extending radially inwardly in spaced relation about the annular lip of said frontal portion of said inner basket, said guard having an outer mounting portion fixed to said outer tub with a radial wall portion of said guard at a location rearwardly of a forward end of the annular lip of said frontal portion, said guard having an inner lip portion extending radially inwardly and axially rearwardly with respect to said radial wall portion of the guard and with respect to the frontal portion of said inner basket for defining a predetermined small axial gap measured parallel to the axis of said inner basket between the inner lip portion of the guard and a front side of the frontal portion of the inner basket for impeding the migration and movement of articles between the outer tub and inner basket.