US 11,864,708 B2
Washing machine, components thereof and methods of cleaning
Michael P. Licata, Lee's Summit, MO (US); Richard Powers, Overland Park, KS (US); and David Gast, Lenexa, KS (US)
Assigned to UNIFIED BRANDS, INC., Vicksburg, MS (US)
Filed by Unified Brands, Inc., Vicksburg, MS (US)
Filed on Sep. 18, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/025,343.
Application 17/025,343 is a continuation of application No. 15/499,221, filed on Apr. 27, 2017, granted, now 10,779,701.
Application 15/499,221 is a continuation in part of application No. 14/738,105, filed on Jun. 12, 2015, granted, now 10,292,562, issued on May 21, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/174,330, filed on Jun. 11, 2015.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/011,483, filed on Jun. 12, 2014.
Prior Publication US 2021/0000321 A1, Jan. 7, 2021
Int. Cl. A47L 15/00 (2006.01); A47L 15/08 (2006.01); A47L 15/42 (2006.01); B08B 3/02 (2006.01); A47L 15/02 (2006.01); A47L 15/16 (2006.01)
CPC A47L 15/0057 (2013.01) [A47L 15/08 (2013.01); A47L 15/4208 (2013.01); A47L 15/02 (2013.01); A47L 15/16 (2013.01); B08B 3/02 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A continuous motion style washing machine comprising:
(a) a wash tank for selectively holding a volume of washing fluid;
(b) a pump having an inlet and an outlet, said pump being in fluid communication with the volume of washing fluid;
(c) a discharge manifold coupled to said wash tank and said outlet of said pump such that washing fluid flowing from said outlet of said pump flows into an interior area of said discharge manifold prior to flowing into said wash tank; and
(d) a purging system, the purging system comprising:
(i) a plurality of purging ports, each purging port being configured to direct purging fluid into a concealed area of the washing machine, and
(ii) a selector valve in selective fluid communication with each purging port and moveable between multiple output configurations such that flow of said purging fluid is controlled by said selector valve,
wherein said purging system is configured for purging fluid through one or more of said purging ports into said concealed area of the washing machine once while the pump is idle and again while the pump is pumping washing fluid in one or more firing sequences for directing debris out said concealed area of the washing machine.