US 12,234,594 B2
Suspension system
Clóvis Douglas Minchola De Assis, Rio Claro (BR); Afrânio Berti Chinchilha, Rio Claro (BR); Thiago Vianna Galavotti, Rio Claro (BR); and Blessing Chidinma Ifekaibeya, Campinas (BR)
Assigned to Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, MI (US)
Filed by WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION, Benton Harbor, MI (US)
Filed on Dec. 21, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/392,231.
Application 18/392,231 is a continuation of application No. 17/562,294, filed on Dec. 27, 2021, granted, now 11,885,059.
Application 17/562,294 is a continuation of application No. 16/701,631, filed on Dec. 3, 2019, granted, now 11,242,637, issued on Feb. 8, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0167214 A1, May 23, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. D06F 37/24 (2006.01); D06F 37/26 (2006.01); F16C 11/06 (2006.01)
CPC D06F 37/24 (2013.01) [D06F 37/268 (2013.01); F16C 11/06 (2013.01); F16C 11/0614 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A laundry appliance, comprising:
a cabinet having a cabinet frame disposed therein, wherein the cabinet frame defines receiving apertures;
a tub disposed within the cabinet frame; and
a suspension system operably coupled to the cabinet frame and the tub to support the tub in the cabinet, the suspension system including:
suspension supports coupled to the cabinet frame, wherein each suspension support defines a channel that aligns with a respective one of the receiving apertures, and wherein each of the suspension supports includes an upper engagement portion with an apex along an upper surface that includes an ejection surface sloping in a first direction from the apex and an assembling surface sloping in a second direction from the apex; and
suspension rods coupled to the tub, wherein each suspension rod is configured to extend through a respective one of the receiving apertures and a corresponding one of the channels of the suspension supports, wherein each suspension rod includes a hook to couple with a respective one of the suspension supports, and wherein for each corresponding pair of the suspension rods and the suspension supports when an end of the hook engages the ejection surface the end of the hook slides along the ejection surface to disengage from the suspension support due to gravitational forces from a weight of the tub and provide visual feedback to a user of misalignment of the suspension rod, and further wherein for each corresponding pair of the suspension rods and the suspension supports when the end of the hook engages the assembling surface the end of the hook slides along the assembling surface due to the gravitational forces to an installed position supporting the tub on the cabinet frame.