Laundry washing machine with laterally coupled removable agitator

Abstract

A laundry washing machine includes a removable agitator that removably couples to an impeller base through a lateral coupling that allows for relative movement between an agitator coupler of the removable agitator and a base coupler of the impeller base along a lateral coupling axis that intersects the axis of rotation of the impeller base.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A laundry washing machine, comprising:
 a housing;   a wash tub disposed within the housing;   an impeller base disposed within the wash tub and configured to rotate about an axis of rotation, the impeller base including a base coupler; and   a removable agitator including an agitator coupler configured to removably couple with the base coupler through movement along a lateral coupling axis that intersects the axis of rotation and to thereby removably secure the removable agitator to the impeller base.   
     
     
         2 . The laundry washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the lateral coupling axis is generally transverse to the axis of rotation. 
     
     
         3 . The laundry washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the lateral coupling axis forms a predetermined acute angle with a radial direction that is generally transverse to the axis of rotation. 
     
     
         4 . The laundry washing machine of  claim 3 , wherein the predetermined acute angle is between about 15 degrees and about 45 degrees. 
     
     
         5 . The laundry washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the lateral coupling axis has a transverse component that extends generally transverse to the axis of rotation and an axial component that extends generally parallel to the axis of rotation. 
     
     
         6 . The laundry washing machine of  claim 5 , wherein the transverse component of the lateral coupling axis is greater than or equal to the axial component of the lateral coupling axis. 
     
     
         7 . The laundry washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the base coupler and the agitator coupler form a T-slot coupling arrangement. 
     
     
         8 . The laundry washing machine of  claim 7 , wherein the base coupler includes pair of projections defining a T-shaped void that includes an axial portion extending axially between the pair of projections and a transverse portion disposed at an impeller base facing end of the base coupler, and wherein the agitator coupler includes a pair of channels sized and configured to receive the pair of projections of the base coupler. 
     
     
         9 . The laundry washing machine of  claim 8 , wherein each of the pair of projections is L-shaped in cross-section, and wherein each of the pair of channels includes at least one guide ramp configured to align a respective projection of the pair of projections within the respective channel. 
     
     
         10 . The laundry washing machine of  claim 8 , further comprising a cap including a cap coupler, the cap coupler including a pair of channels sized and configured substantially similar to the pair of channels of the agitator coupler to engage the base coupler when the removable agitator is disconnected from the impeller base. 
     
     
         11 . The laundry washing machine of  claim 10 , wherein the removable agitator includes a storage coupler disposed at an opposite end from the agitator coupler, the storage coupler including a pair of projections sized and configured substantially similar to the pair of projections of the base coupler to engage the cap coupler when the cap is removably secured to the removable agitator. 
     
     
         12 . The laundry washing machine of  claim 10 , wherein the cap further includes a locking mechanism including a release actuator configured to pivot about a pivot axis and operably coupled to a latch that is biased to a locking position by at least one spring, wherein the base coupler includes a catch that engages the latch of the of the locking mechanism when the cap is secured to the impeller base to restrict removal of the cap from the impeller base along the lateral coupling axis, and wherein actuation of the release actuator disengages the latch from the catch to permit removal of the cap from the impeller base along the lateral coupling axis. 
     
     
         13 . The laundry washing machine of  claim 7 , wherein the removable agitator further includes a locking mechanism including a release actuator operably coupled to a latch that is biased to a locking position by at least one spring, wherein the base coupler includes a catch that engages the latch of the of the locking mechanism when the removable agitator is secured to the impeller base to restrict removal of the removable agitator from the impeller base along the lateral coupling axis, and wherein actuation of the release actuator disengages the latch from the catch to permit removal of the removable agitator from the impeller base along the lateral coupling axis. 
     
     
         14 . The laundry washing machine of  claim 13 , wherein the locking mechanism further includes a rocker arm configured to pivot about a first pivot axis, wherein the removable agitator is configured to pivot about a second pivot axis and is operably coupled to a first end of the rocker arm, and wherein the latch is operably coupled to a second end of the rocker arm such that actuation of the release actuator pivots the rocker arm about the first pivot axis to disengage the latch from the catch. 
     
     
         15 . The laundry washing machine of  claim 14 , wherein the release actuator comprises a depressible release button accessible from a sidewall of the removable agitator. 
     
     
         16 . The laundry washing machine of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a connecting structure arranged on the impeller base and the removable agitator and configured to allow the impeller base and the removable agitator to move along the lateral coupling axis between connected and disconnected states; and   a positioning structure arranged on the impeller base and the removable agitator to limit the position of the impeller base and the removable agitator in the connected state.   
     
     
         17 . The laundry washing machine of  claim 16 , wherein a width of the connecting structure changes monotonically along the lateral coupling axis and increases with an increase of axial height of the connecting structure. 
     
     
         18 . The laundry washing machine of  claim 16 , wherein the connecting structure includes a mortise and tenon structure arranged at an axial end of the removable agitator and an axial end of the impeller base, wherein at least a portion of the positioning structure is located in the mortise and tenon structure. 
     
     
         19 . The laundry washing machine of  claim 18 , wherein the positioning structure includes:
 a positioning hole that extends axially through the mortise and tenon structure; and   a telescopic rod that selectively engages the positioning hole when switching between a positioning state and an unlocked state.   
     
     
         20 . The laundry washing machine of  claim 19 , wherein the positioning structure further includes a handle coupled to the telescopic rod and disposed at an opposite end of the removable agitator from the mortise and tenon structure. 
     
     
         21 . The laundry washing machine of  claim 20 , wherein the positioning structure further includes a spring coupled to the telescopic rod to bias the positioning structure to the positioning state. 
     
     
         22 . The laundry washing machine of  claim 19 , wherein the mortise and tenon structure includes a tenon coupled to the removable agitator and a mortise coupled to the impeller base. 
     
     
         23 . The laundry washing machine of  claim 22 , further comprising a mortise and tenon pin capable of being secured in the mortise of the impeller base when the removable agitator is disconnected from the impeller base. 
     
     
         24 . The laundry washing machine of  claim 23 , wherein the telescopic rod is a first telescopic rod, and wherein the mortise and tenon pin includes:
 a pin body including a channel extending in the axial direction; and   a second telescopic rod that selectively engages the positioning hole when the mortise and tenon pin is positioned in the mortise of the impeller base.   
     
     
         25 . The laundry washing machine of  claim 24 , wherein the mortise and tenon pin further includes a spring coupled to the second telescopic rod to bias the second telescoping rod to engage the positioning hole when the mortise and tenon pin is positioned in the mortise of the impeller base. 
     
     
         26 . The laundry washing machine of  claim 19 , wherein the tenon is trapezoidal in cross-section. 
     
     
         27 . A laundry washing machine, comprising:
 a housing;   a wash tub disposed within the housing;   an impeller base disposed within the wash tub and configured to rotate about an axial direction;   a removable agitator positioned above the impeller base and removably coaxially connected to with the impeller base;   a connecting structure arranged on the impeller base and the removable agitator and configured to allow relative movement between the impeller base and the removable agitator to move in a radial direction that is generally transverse to the axial direction between connected and disconnected states; and   a positioning structure arranged on the impeller base and the removable agitator to limit the radial position of the impeller base and the removable agitator in the connected state.   
     
     
         28 . A laundry washing machine, comprising:
 a housing;   a wash tub disposed within the housing;   an impeller base disposed within the wash tub and configured to rotate about an axial direction;   a removable agitator positioned above the impeller base and removably coaxially connected to with the impeller base;   a connecting structure arranged on the impeller base and the removable agitator and configured to allow the impeller base and the removable agitator to move in a first direction between connected and disconnected states, wherein the first direction forms a predetermined acute angle with a radial direction that is generally transverse to the axial direction; and   a positioning structure arranged on the impeller base and the removable agitator to limit the position of the impeller base and the removable agitator in the connected state.