US 11,866,865 B2
Impeller for laundry washing machine
Bryan T. Snook, Louisville, KY (US); and Christopher G. Hoppe, Louisville, KY (US)
Assigned to MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD., Guangdong (CN)
Filed by Midea Group Co., Ltd., Foshan (CN)
Filed on Jun. 11, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/437,807.
Prior Publication US 2020/0392659 A1, Dec. 17, 2020
Int. Cl. D06F 17/10 (2006.01); D06F 17/08 (2006.01); D06F 37/40 (2006.01); D06F 23/04 (2006.01); D06F 39/08 (2006.01); D06F 21/00 (2006.01)
CPC D06F 17/10 (2013.01) [D06F 17/08 (2013.01); D06F 23/04 (2013.01); D06F 37/40 (2013.01); D06F 39/083 (2013.01); D06F 21/00 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An impeller in a laundry washing machine comprising:
a base plate having one or more openings extending from a top surface to a bottom surface of the base plate, wherein the base plate is positioned within a wash drum; and
at least one diverter positioned within the one or more openings and positionable between at least a first pivot position and a second pivot position, wherein in the first pivot position the opening defines a first fluid pathway from the bottom surface to the top surface and wherein in the second pivot position the opening defines a second fluid pathway different from the first fluid pathway;
wherein the at least one diverter has substantially flat shape and has two blades, the two blades are configured to pivot around a pivoting axis of the at least one diverter between the first pivot position and the second pivot position;
wherein the at least one diverter projects below the bottom surface of the base plate into a space beneath the base plate towards the wash drum in both the first pivot position and the second pivot position; and
wherein when in the first pivot position the first fluid pathway is open and the second fluid pathway is closed and wherein when in the second pivot position the first fluid pathway is closed and the second fluid pathway is open.