US 11,851,805 B2
Deflector assembly for laundry appliance
Darryl C. Bodine, St. Joseph, MI (US); and Ryan James Rutter, St. Joseph, MI (US)
Assigned to Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, MI (US)
Filed by WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION, Benton Harbor, MI (US)
Filed on Nov. 22, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/532,173.
Prior Publication US 2023/0160134 A1, May 25, 2023
Int. Cl. D06F 39/14 (2006.01); D06F 37/28 (2006.01)
CPC D06F 39/14 (2013.01) [D06F 37/28 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A laundry appliance, comprising:
a cabinet having a front panel defining an access opening;
a tub disposed within an interior of the cabinet;
a bellows extending between the cabinet and the tub;
a drum disposed within the tub;
a deflector assembly coupled to the front panel, wherein the deflector assembly includes:
a deflector having a rim extending about at least a portion of a perimeter of the access opening and a chute extending from the rim, over the bellows, and toward the drum; and
a lighting unit including light sources coupled to the deflector, wherein the light sources selectively direct light into the drum, and wherein the light includes an edge lighting effect along an interior edge of the deflector; and
a wiring harness disposed within the cabinet, wherein the lighting unit of the deflector assembly includes an electrical connector coupled with each light source, wherein the electrical connector is configured to couple with the wiring harness within the interior of the cabinet, and wherein the electrical connector extends from the deflector, through a connecting aperture defined by the front panel, and around the bellows to engage the wiring harness.