US 12,234,595 B2
Back wall enclosure for a drum within a laundry appliance that separates a processing space from a blower housing
Marco Angelini, Ascoli Piceno (IT); Matteo Carnevale, Esanatoglia (IT); Crescenzo Iannicelli, Fabriano (IT); and Mauro Mancini, Fabriano (IT)
Assigned to Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, MI (US)
Filed by WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION, Benton Harbor, MI (US)
Filed on Dec. 6, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/075,819.
Prior Publication US 2024/0183098 A1, Jun. 6, 2024
Int. Cl. D06F 37/26 (2006.01); D06F 25/00 (2006.01); D06F 37/04 (2006.01); D06F 37/30 (2020.01)
CPC D06F 37/267 (2013.01) [D06F 25/00 (2013.01); D06F 37/04 (2013.01); D06F 37/30 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A combination washing and drying appliance comprising:
a tub disposed within a cabinet;
a drum that is rotationally operable within the tub about a rotational axis, wherein an airflow path is defined within an interstitial space between the drum and the tub; and
a blower fan that operates to direct process air through the airflow path, the blower fan disposed within a blower enclosure defined by a back wall of the drum and a blower housing that is attached to the tub, wherein engagement of the back wall of the drum and the blower housing of the tub defines a slidable engagement that is selectively sealed during operation of the blower fan to prevent the process air from leaving the airflow path and to further prevent aspiration of ambient air to the airflow path.