Agitator with enhanced clothes engaging vane for automatic washer
US5651278A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 31, 1993 |
| Grant date | Jul 29, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 31, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC D)Textiles; Paper
- CPC primaryD06F13/02
- WIPO fieldOther consumer goods
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
An improved agitator construction is provided for an automatic clothes washing machine in which a surface or contour of a vane carried on a portion of the agitator which is intermittently rotated in a single direction is shaped to enhance engagement between the vane and the items being washed and to retard the items from moving at least one of radially and upwardly relative to the agitator. The vane, which may be a helical vane, may be provided with a lower surface angled downwardly and outwardly in a radial direction, or may be provided with one or more steps having a relatively steep sloped wall facing in a direction leading away from the direction of rotation of the agitator and a relatively shallow sloped wall facing in a direction leading toward the direction of rotation of the agitator, or both shapes.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.