Laundry treating appliance having a movable laundry guide

Abstract

A laundry treating appliance for treating laundry according to an automatic cycle of operation includes a cabinet defining an interior and at least partially defining a loading opening provided within a front surface of the cabinet. A drum is rotatable within the interior and at least partially defines a treating chamber located within the interior and accessible through the loading opening. The laundry treating appliance can further include a laundry guide.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A laundry treating appliance for treating laundry according to an automatic cycle of operation, the laundry treating appliance comprising:
 a cabinet defining an interior and at least partially defining a loading opening provided within a front surface of the cabinet;   a drum, rotatable within the interior, and at least partially defining a treating chamber located within the interior and accessible through the loading opening;   a movable laundry ramp provided within the treating chamber and overlying a portion of an inner surface of the drum, the movable laundry ramp movable between at least a non-lifted position and a lifted position relative to the drum for lifting laundry items toward the loading opening for removal from the drum; and   a collapsible chute coupled to the front surface of the cabinet and movable between at least a collapsed position and an extended position for receiving laundry items to be loaded into the treating chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The laundry treating appliance of  claim 1  further comprising a door assembly movably coupled to the cabinet for movement between closed and opened positions to selectively close and open the loading opening. 
     
     
         3 . The laundry treating appliance of  claim 2  wherein the collapsible chute is retained in the collapsed position when the door assembly is in the closed position. 
     
     
         4 . The laundry treating appliance of  claim 2  wherein the collapsible chute can only be moved to the extended position when the door assembly is in the opened position. 
     
     
         5 . The laundry treating appliance of  claim 1  wherein the collapsible chute extends outwardly from the front surface, away from the treating chamber, in the extended position. 
     
     
         6 . The laundry treating appliance of  claim 1  wherein the collapsible chute is biased toward the extended position. 
     
     
         7 . The laundry treating appliance of  claim 1  wherein the collapsible chute has a semi-circular cross-sectional shape at least when the collapsible chute is in the extended position. 
     
     
         8 . The laundry treating appliance of  claim 1  wherein the collapsible chute is coupled to the front surface of the cabinet adjacent to and at least partially underlying the loading opening. 
     
     
         9 . The laundry treating appliance of  claim 8  wherein the angle of the collapsible chute relative to the loading opening can be adjusted when the collapsible chute is in the extended position. 
     
     
         10 . The laundry treating appliance of  claim 1  further comprising a position sensor to determine when the rotatable drum is in an unloading rotational position. 
     
     
         11 . The laundry treating appliance of  claim 10  wherein the movable laundry ramp overlies a lowermost portion of the drum when the drum is in the unloading rotational position. 
     
     
         12 . The laundry treating appliance of  claim 11  wherein the movable laundry ramp is movable vertically upward from the drum when the drum is in the unloading rotational position. 
     
     
         13 . The laundry treating appliance of  claim 12  further comprising at least one linear actuator coupled with the movable laundry ramp to move the movable laundry ramp vertically upward from the drum. 
     
     
         14 . The laundry treating appliance of  claim 12  wherein the extent of the vertically upward movement of the movable laundry ramp can vary from a front to a rear of the movable laundry ramp such that a rear portion of the movable laundry ramp can be raised higher than a front portion of the movable laundry ramp. 
     
     
         15 . The laundry treating appliance of  claim 1  further comprising at least one lifter provided on the inner surface of the drum. 
     
     
         16 . The laundry treating appliance of  claim 15  wherein the movable laundry ramp overlies at least a portion of at least one lifter. 
     
     
         17 . A laundry treating appliance for treating laundry according to an automatic cycle of operation, the laundry treating appliance comprising:
 a cabinet defining an interior and at least partially defining a loading opening provided within a front surface of the cabinet;   a drum, rotatable within the interior, and at least partially defining a treating chamber located within the interior and accessible through the loading opening; and   a movable laundry ramp provided within the treating chamber and overlying a portion of an inner surface of the drum, the movable laundry ramp movable between at least a non-lifted position and a lifted position wherein at least a rear portion of the movable laundry ramp is lifted upwardly from a drum surface such that laundry items are lifted up toward the loading opening, and optionally can be urged toward the loading opening by angling the movable laundry ramp.   
     
     
         18 . The laundry treating appliance of  claim 17  further comprising a position sensor to determine when the rotatable drum is in an unloading rotational position. 
     
     
         19 . The laundry treating appliance of  claim 18  wherein the movable laundry ramp overlies a lowermost portion of the drum when the drum is in the unloading rotational position. 
     
     
         20 . The laundry treating appliance of  claim 19  wherein the movable laundry ramp is movable vertically upward from the drum when the drum is in the unloading rotational position.