Footwear cleaning basket for a washing machine appliance

Abstract

A washing machine appliance may include a wash basket rotatably mounted within the wash tub. The washing machine appliance may include an agitation element extending into the wash basket. The agitation element may include a threaded portion at a top of the agitation element. The washing machine appliance may include a footwear cleaning basket in selective threaded engagement with the threaded portion of the agitation element. The footwear cleaning basket may include a top wall and an outer wall extending downward from the top wall. The outer wall may include a bottom rim at a bottom thereof. The footwear cleaning basket and the wash basket may define a footwear cleaning space therebetween. The footwear cleaning basket may include a cleaning brush attached to the bottom rim of the footwear cleaning basket. The cleaning brush may extend downward from the bottom rim along the axial direction into the footwear cleaning space.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A washing machine appliance comprising:
 a wash tub positioned within a cabinet, the wash tub defining an axial direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction;   a wash basket rotatably mounted within the wash tub and defining a wash chamber configured for receiving a load of clothes;   an agitation element extending along the axial direction into the wash basket, the agitation element comprising a threaded portion at a top of the agitation element; and   a footwear cleaning basket positioned within the wash basket, the footwear cleaning basket in selective threaded engagement with the threaded portion of the agitation element, the footwear cleaning basket comprising:
 a top wall and an outer wall extending downward from the top wall along the axial direction, the outer wall comprising a bottom rim at a bottom thereof, the footwear cleaning basket and the wash basket defining a footwear cleaning space therebetween; and 
 a cleaning brush attached to the bottom rim of the footwear cleaning basket, the cleaning brush extending downward from the bottom rim along the axial direction into the footwear cleaning space. 
   
     
     
         2 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the top wall of the footwear cleaning basket comprises a complementary threaded portion, wherein the complementary threaded portion defines an agitation hole for receiving the agitation element, and wherein the threaded portion of the agitation element and the complementary threaded portion are in selective threaded engagement. 
     
     
         3 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the agitation element comprises a stem and a cap, wherein the cap is engaged the stem at a top thereof, and wherein the cap comprises the threaded portion of the agitation element. 
     
     
         4 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning brush comprises an annular brush attached to the bottom rim of the footwear cleaning basket. 
     
     
         5 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning brush comprises a plurality of brushes, and wherein the plurality of brushes are spaced circumferentially around the bottom ring. 
     
     
         6 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the outer wall defines a plurality of wash holes therethrough. 
     
     
         7 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the outer wall comprises defines a frustoconical shape. 
     
     
         8 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning brush is a first cleaning brush attached to the bottom rim, wherein the footwear cleaning basket further comprises a second cleaning brush extended outward from the outer wall into the footwear cleaning space, and wherein the second cleaning brush is positioned above the first cleaning brush along the axial direction. 
     
     
         9 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the wash basket defines a vertical height, and wherein the footwear cleaning space is positioned below a bottom fifty percent of the vertical height of the wash basket. 
     
     
         10 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the washing machine appliance further comprises:
 an impeller disposed at a bottom wall of the wash basket,   wherein the cleaning brush is seated on the impeller.   
     
     
         11 . A footwear cleaning basket for a top-load washing machine appliance, the top-load washing machine appliance comprising a cabinet, a wash tub positioned within the cabinet, a wash basket rotatably mounted within the wash tub and defining a wash chamber, and an agitation element extending into the wash basket, the agitation element comprising a threaded portion at a top of the agitation element, the footwear cleaning basket comprising:
 a top wall and an outer wall extending downward from the top wall along the axial direction, the outer wall comprising a bottom rim at a bottom thereof, the footwear cleaning basket and the wash basket defining a footwear cleaning space therebetween; and   a cleaning brush attached to the bottom rim of the footwear cleaning basket, the cleaning brush extending downward from the bottom rim along the axial direction into the footwear cleaning space.   
     
     
         12 . The footwear cleaning basket of  claim 11 , wherein the top wall comprises a complementary threaded portion, wherein the complementary threaded portion defines an agitation hole for receiving the agitation element, and wherein the threaded portion of the agitation element and the complementary threaded portion are in selective threaded engagement. 
     
     
         13 . The footwear cleaning basket of  claim 11 , wherein the agitation element comprises a stem and a cap, wherein the cap is engaged with the stem at a top thereof, and wherein the cap comprises the threaded portion of the agitation element. 
     
     
         14 . The footwear cleaning basket of  claim 11 , wherein the cleaning brush comprises an annular brush attached to the bottom rim of the basket. 
     
     
         15 . The footwear cleaning basket of  claim 11 , wherein the cleaning brush comprises a plurality of brushes, and wherein the plurality of brushes are spaced circumferentially around the bottom ring. 
     
     
         16 . The footwear cleaning basket of  claim 11 , wherein the outer wall defines a plurality of wash holes therethrough. 
     
     
         17 . The footwear cleaning basket of  claim 11 , wherein the outer wall comprises defines a frustoconical shape. 
     
     
         18 . The footwear cleaning basket of  claim 11 , wherein the cleaning brush is a first cleaning brush attached to the bottom rim, wherein the footwear cleaning basket further comprises a second cleaning brush extended outward from the outer wall into the footwear cleaning space, and wherein the second cleaning brush is positioned above the first cleaning brush. 
     
     
         19 . The footwear cleaning basket of  claim 11 , wherein the wash basket defines a vertical height, and wherein the footwear cleaning space is positioned below a bottom fifty percent of the vertical height of the wash basket. 
     
     
         20 . The footwear cleaning basket of  claim 11 , wherein the washing machine appliance further comprises an impeller disposed at a bottom wall of the wash basket, and wherein the cleaning brush is seated on the impeller.