Laundry treating appliance having a removable clothes mover

Abstract

A laundry treating appliance for treating laundry items according to an automatic cycle of operation can include a cabinet defining an interior and having an access opening providing access to the interior. A tub can be located within the interior and can at least partially define a liquid chamber. A drum is rotatably mounted within the liquid chamber and at least partially defines a treating chamber. A clothes mover is located within the treating chamber and rotatable about a vertical axis. The clothes mover can include a base and a barrel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An agitator configured to be removably mounted to an impeller mount as a clothes mover, the agitator comprising:
 a post having a first end and an opposing second end;   a connector disposed at the first end of the post, the connector being configured to removably attach to a corresponding connector of the impeller mount; and   a lock controllable at the opposing second end of the post,   wherein the lock is configured to be adjusted between a locked position in which the agitator is secured to the impeller mount and an unlocked position allowing movement of the agitator with respect to the impeller mount.   
     
     
         2 . The agitator of  claim 1 , wherein the lock defines at least one locking pin at the first end of the post and a handle provided at the second end of the post, such that when in the locked position, the at least one locking pin protrudes downward from a lower end of the lock to inhibit movement of the agitator within the impeller mount, and when in the unlocked position, the at least one locking pin is raised to allow for movement of the agitator within the impeller mount. 
     
     
         3 . The agitator of  claim 2 , wherein the agitator is configured to mount to the impeller mount using a bayonet mount connection. 
     
     
         4 . The agitator of  claim 2 , wherein the agitator includes at least one agitator pin configured to be received into at least one respective channel of the impeller mount, such that
 in the unlocked position, the at least one locking pin is raised to allow for insertion and rotation of the agitator within the impeller mount, and   in the locked position, the at least one locking pin is lowered into the at least one respective channel to prevent rotation of the agitator with respect to the impeller mount.   
     
     
         5 . The agitator of  claim 1 , wherein the lock defines at least one locking pin at the first end of the post and a handle provided at the second end of the post, such that
 in the locked position, the at least one locking pin protrudes radially outward from the agitator to inhibit movement of the agitator within the impeller mount, and   in the unlocked position, the at least one locking pin is withdrawn to allow movement of the agitator within the impeller mount.   
     
     
         6 . The agitator of  claim 1 , wherein the lock comprises a locking latch actuator shaft having a lock button provided at the opposing second end of the post, the lock button functioning as a push button that can be pushed downwardly or raised upwardly to control the lock. 
     
     
         7 . The agitator of  claim 6 , further comprising locking latches movable relative to the locking latch actuator shaft, wherein the corresponding connector of the impeller mount defines at least one channel configured to engage with and receive a portion of the locking latches,
 wherein the locking latch actuator shaft is configured to translate axially vertical movement of the locking latch actuator shaft received to the lock button into radial movement of the locking latches to extend and to be biased radially outward and engage with a channel of the impeller mount to retain the agitator within the impeller mount.   
     
     
         8 . The agitator of  claim 1 , wherein the lock defines at least one locking ramp protruding downwardly from a lower end of the lock, the locking ramp defining a pair of spring-loaded detents biased outwardly and in opposite directions from one another, the corresponding connector of the impeller mount defining a channel configured to receive at least a portion of the locking ramp, the agitator further comprising:
 a cap portion at the second end of the agitator, the cap defining an actuator operably coupled with the lock,   wherein the actuator is pressable in the unlocked position to push the lock downwardly to cause the locking ramp to come into contact with the pair of detents to lock the detents into the channel,   wherein the actuator is further pressable in the locked position to lift the lock out of contact with the pair of detents to unlock the detents into the channel.   
     
     
         9 . The agitator of  claim 1 , further comprising an actuator spring configured to bias the lock into the locked position. 
     
     
         10 . The agitator of  claim 1 , wherein the impeller mount is configured to operate as a low-profile clothes mover independent of attachment of the agitator. 
     
     
         11 . A removable agitator system for a customizable laundry treating appliance, comprising:
 a base of the appliance having a first connector; and   an agitator comprising a post having a first end and an opposing second end, the agitator being configured to act as a clothes mover when coupled to the base, the agitator including a second connector configured to form a coupling with the first connector; and   a lock, at least partially integrated with the agitator and controllable at the second end of the post, having a first state providing for capture and release of the first and second connectors, and a second state preventing removal of the second connector of the agitator from the first connector of the base.   
     
     
         12 . The removable agitator system of  claim 11 , wherein the lock defines at least one locking pin at the first end of the post and a handle provided at the second end of the post, such that when in the locked position, the at least one locking pin protrudes downward from a lower end of the lock to inhibit movement of the agitator within the base, and when in the unlocked position, the at least one locking pin is raised to allow for movement of the agitator within the base. 
     
     
         13 . The removable agitator system of  claim 12 , wherein the agitator is configured to mount to the base using a bayonet mount connection. 
     
     
         14 . The removable agitator system of  claim 12 , wherein the agitator includes at least one agitator pin configured to be received into at least one respective channel of the base, such that
 in the unlocked position, the at least one locking pin is raised to allow for insertion and rotation of the agitator within the base, and   in the locked position, the at least one locking pin is lowered into the at least one respective channel to prevent rotation of the agitator with respect to the base.   
     
     
         15 . The removable agitator system of  claim 11 , wherein the lock defines at least one locking pin at the first end of the post and a handle provided at the second end of the post, such that
 in the locked position, the at least one locking pin protrudes radially outward from the agitator to inhibit movement of the agitator within the base, and   in the unlocked position, the at least one locking pin is withdrawn to allow for movement of the agitator within the base.   
     
     
         16 . The removable agitator system of  claim 11 , wherein the lock comprises a locking latch actuator shaft having a lock button provided at the opposing second end of the post, the lock button functioning as a push button that can be pushed downwardly or raised upwardly to control the lock. 
     
     
         17 . The removable agitator system of  claim 16 , wherein the agitator further comprises locking latches movable relative to the locking latch actuator shaft, wherein the corresponding connector of the base defines at least one channel configured to engage with and receive a portion of the locking latches,
 wherein the locking latch actuator shaft is configured to translate axial vertical movement of the locking latch actuator shaft received to the lock button into radial movement of the locking latches to extend and to be biased radially outward and engage with a channel of the base to retain the agitator within the base.   
     
     
         18 . The removable agitator system of  claim 11 , wherein the lock defines at least one locking ramp protruding downwardly from a lower end of the lock, the locking ramp defining a pair of spring-loaded detents biased outwardly and in opposite directions from one another, the corresponding connector of the base defining a channel configured to receive at least a portion of the locking ramp, the agitator further comprising:
 a cap portion at the second end of the agitator, the cap defining an actuator operably coupled with the lock,   wherein the actuator is pressable in the unlocked position to push the lock downwardly to cause the locking ramp to come into contact with the pair of detents to lock the detents into the channel,   wherein the actuator is further pressable in the locked position to lift the lock out of contact with the pair of detents to unlock the detents into the channel.   
     
     
         19 . The removable agitator system of  claim 11 , wherein the agitator further comprises an actuator spring configured to bias the lock into the locked position. 
     
     
         20 . The removable agitator system of  claim 11 , wherein the base is an impeller configured to operate as a low-profile clothes mover independent of attachment of the agitator.