US-12618187-B2 - Restrictor ring for an agitator of a washing machine appliance

US12618187B2US 12618187 B2US12618187 B2US 12618187B2US-12618187-B2

Abstract

An agitator for a washing machine appliance may define an axial direction and a radial direction. The agitator may include a cylindrical shaft that may include one or more dispense ports defined therethrough. The agitator may further include a cap assembly positioned at a top portion of the agitator. The agitator may additionally include a restrictor ring positioned within the agitator below the cap assembly. The restrictor ring may include a frustoconical wall, a first cylindrical wall, a second cylindrical wall, and a trough. The frustoconical wall may include a top surface and a bottom surface. The trough may be defined at the bottom surface of the frustoconical wall.

Inventors

Senthil Kandasamy
Troy Marshall Wright
Isaiah Littlejohn

Assignees

HAIER US APPLIANCE SOLUTIONS, INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20230809

Claims (20)

1 . A washing machine appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the washing machine appliance comprising: a cabinet; a tub positioned within the cabinet; a wash basket rotatably mounted within the tub; an agitator disposed in the wash basket to impart an oscillatory motion in the wash basket, the agitator defining an axial direction approximately parallel to the vertical direction, a radial direction, a circumferential direction extending around the axial direction, the agitator comprising a cylindrical shaft, the cylindrical shaft comprising one or more dispense ports defined therethrough; a cap assembly positioned at a top portion of the agitator; and a restrictor ring positioned within the cylindrical shaft below the cap assembly, the restrictor ring comprising a frustoconical wall, a first cylindrical wall, and a second cylindrical wall, the frustoconical wall comprising a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface positioned above the bottom surface approximately along the axial direction, the first cylindrical wall comprising a first surface and a second surface, the first surface of the first cylindrical wall positioned outward of the second surface of the first cylindrical wall approximately along the radial direction, the second cylindrical wall comprising a first surface and a second surface, the first surface of the second cylindrical wall positioned outward of the second surface of the second cylindrical wall approximately along the radial direction, wherein a pocket is defined between the bottom surface of the frustoconical wall, the second surface of the first cylindrical wall, and the first surface of the second cylindrical wall.
2 . The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein the frustoconical wall comprises a first edge and a second edge, wherein the first cylindrical wall is extended from the first edge, and wherein the second cylindrical wall is extended from the second edge.
3 . The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein the restrictor ring comprises a plurality of partitions positioned at the bottom surface of the frustoconical wall and a plurality of pockets defined in the pocket between adjacent partitions of the plurality of partitions.
4 . The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein the first cylindrical wall defines a first depth, wherein the second cylindrical wall defines a second depth, and wherein the first depth and the second depth are approximately the same.
5 . The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein the first cylindrical wall defines a first depth, wherein the second cylindrical wall defines a second depth, and wherein the first depth is greater than the second depth.
6 . The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein the first cylindrical wall is extended from a first edge of the frustoconical wall to a bottom edge of the first cylindrical wall, wherein the second cylindrical wall comprises a plurality of feet at the bottom edge, wherein the plurality of feet are spaced around a circumference of the second cylindrical wall and define a plurality of fluid passages.
7 . The washing machine appliance of claim 6 , wherein each fluid passage of the plurality of fluid passages is aligned with a dispense port of the one or more dispense ports.
8 . The washing machine appliance of claim 6 , wherein the agitator comprises a circumferential lip within the agitator and wherein the plurality of feet are positioned on the circumferential lip.
9 . The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein the cap assembly comprises a cap and a cup, wherein the cap is positioned atop the agitator, wherein the cup defines a fluid reservoir and comprises a base and a skirt extended downward from the base, and wherein the base comprises one or more apertures defined therethrough.
10 . The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein the second cylindrical wall is provided to arrest fluid during a wash cycle of the washing machine appliance.
11 . An agitator for a washing machine appliance, the agitator defining an axial direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction, the agitator comprising: a cylindrical shaft comprising one or more dispense ports defined therethrough; a cap assembly positioned at a top portion of the agitator; and a restrictor ring positioned within the cylindrical shaft below the cap assembly, the restrictor ring comprising a frustoconical wall, a first cylindrical wall, and a second cylindrical wall, the frustoconical wall comprising a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface positioned above the bottom surface approximately along the axial direction, the first cylindrical wall comprising a first surface and a second surface, the first surface of the first cylindrical wall positioned outward of the second surface of the first cylindrical wall approximately along the radial direction, the second cylindrical wall comprising a first surface and a second surface, the first surface of the second cylindrical wall positioned outward of the second surface of the second cylindrical wall approximately along the radial direction.
12 . The agitator of claim 11 , wherein the frustoconical wall comprises a first edge and a second edge, wherein the first cylindrical wall is extended downward approximately along the axial direction from the first edge, and wherein the second cylindrical wall is extended downward approximately along the axial direction from the second edge.
13 . The agitator of claim 11 , wherein the restrictor ring comprises a plurality of partitions positioned at the bottom surface of the frustoconical wall to subdivide a pocket into a plurality of pockets.
14 . The agitator of claim 11 , wherein the first cylindrical wall defines a first depth, wherein the second cylindrical wall defines a second depth, and wherein the first depth and the second depth are approximately the same.
15 . The agitator of claim 11 , wherein the first cylindrical wall defines a first depth, wherein the second cylindrical wall defines a second depth, and wherein the first depth is greater than the second depth.
16 . The agitator of claim 11 , wherein the first cylindrical wall is extended from a first edge of the frustoconical wall to a bottom edge of the first cylindrical wall, wherein the second cylindrical wall comprises a plurality of feet at the bottom edge, wherein the plurality of feet are spaced around a circumference of the second cylindrical wall and define a plurality of fluid passages.
17 . The agitator of claim 16 , wherein each fluid passage of the plurality of fluid passages is aligned with a dispense port of the one or more dispense ports.
18 . The agitator of claim 16 , further comprising a circumferential lip within the agitator and wherein the plurality of feet are positioned on the circumferential lip.
19 . The agitator of claim 11 , wherein the cap assembly comprises a cap and a cup, wherein the cap is positioned atop the agitator, wherein the cup defines a fluid reservoir and comprises a base and a skirt extended downward from the base, and wherein the base comprises one or more apertures defined therethrough.
20 . The agitator of claim 11 , wherein the second cylindrical wall is provided to arrest a fluid during a wash cycle of the washing machine appliance.

Description

FIELD The present subject matter relates generally to a washing machine appliance, and more particularly to a restrictor ring for an agitator of a washing machine appliance. BACKGROUND Washing machine appliances generally include a wash tub for containing water or wash fluid (e.g., water, detergent, bleach, fabric softener, or other wash additives). A basket is rotatably mounted within the wash tub and defines a wash chamber for receipt of articles for washing. During normal operation of such washing machine appliances, the wash fluid is directed into the wash tub and onto articles within the wash chamber of the basket. The basket or an agitation element can rotate at various speeds to agitate articles within the wash chamber, to wring wash fluid from articles within the wash chamber, etc. Conventional washing machine appliances may include a fluid receptacle for receiving a wash substance, such as a fabric softener solution. Users may pour the wash substance into the fluid receptacle and the washing machine appliance is configured to dispense the fluid at a desired portion of the wash cycle. However, leakage of the wash substance may occur during or after the desired portion of the wash cycle. Such leakage may expose the wash basket to the wash substance at unwanted times which may lead to rust, degradation, or deterioration of the wash basket. Accordingly, an improved agitator that mitigates or eliminates the likelihood of wash substance leakage is desired. More specifically, a restrictor ring that may be configured to arrest residual wash substance leakage during operation of the washing machine appliance would be particularly beneficial. BRIEF DESCRIPTION Aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be apparent from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention. In one exemplary embodiment, a washing machine appliance is provided. The washing machine appliance may define a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction. The washing machine appliance may include a cabinet. The washing machine appliance may also include a tub positioned within the cabinet. The washing machine appliance may further include a wash basket rotatably mounted within the tub. The washing machine appliance may also include an agitator disposed in the wash basket to impart an oscillatory motion in the wash basket. The agitator may include a cylindrical shaft. The cylindrical shaft may include one or more dispense ports defined therethrough. The washing machine appliance may include a cap assembly positioned at a top portion of the agitator. The washing machine appliance may also include a restrictor ring positioned within the agitator below the cap assembly. The restrictor ring may include a frustoconical wall, a first cylindrical wall, and a second cylindrical wall. The frustoconical wall may include a top surface a bottom surface. The restrictor ring may define a trough at the bottom surface of the frustoconical wall. In another exemplary embodiment, an agitator for a washing machine appliance is provided. The agitator may define an axial direction and a radial direction. The agitator may include a cylindrical shaft that may include one or more dispense ports defined therethrough. The agitator may also include a cap assembly positioned at a top portion of the agitator. The agitator may further include a restrictor ring positioned within the agitator below the cap assembly. The restrictor ring may include a frustoconical wall, a first cylindrical wall, and a second cylindrical wall. The frustoconical wall may include a top surface a bottom surface. The restrictor ring may define a trough at the bottom surface of the frustoconical wall. These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures. FIG. 1 provides a perspective view of a washing machine appliance with a door in a closed position according to one or more exemplary embodiments of the present subject matter. FIG. 2 provides a perspective view of the exemplary washing machine appliance of FIG. 1 with the door in an open position. FIG. 3 provides a cut-away side view of the exemplary washing machine appliance of FIG. 1. FIG. 4 provides a cross-sectional view of an agitator that may be incorporated into the exemplary washing machine appliance of FIG. 1 according to one or more exemplary embodiments