Heater pocket for a household appliance

Abstract

A household appliance includes a tub having a rotating drum therein, the drum having an axis of rotation. The tub includes a heater pocket integrally formed in a lower portion of the tub, and forming a cavity in fluid communication with the drum. A cross-section of the heater pocket, which is taken in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the rotating drum, includes a first sidewall, a second sidewall opposed to the first sidewall, and a bottom wall connecting a lower side of the first sidewall to a lower side of the second sidewall, wherein each of the first sidewall and the second sidewall intersects the bottom wall at an angle other than 90°.

1 . A household appliance comprising:
 a housing having a door formed in a front panel thereof for accessing an interior of the housing; and   a tub disposed inside the housing, the tub having a rotating drum therein for receiving laundry through the door, the drum having an axis of rotation,   wherein the tub includes:
 a heater pocket integrally formed in a lower portion of the tub, the heater pocket forming a cavity in fluid communication with the drum, the heater pocket for at least partially surrounding a heating element for heating a washing liquid in the tub, 
 wherein a cross-section of the heater pocket, which is taken in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the rotating drum, includes:
 a first sidewall; 
 a second sidewall opposed to the first sidewall; and 
 a bottom wall connecting a lower side of the first sidewall to a lower side of the second sidewall, 
 wherein each of the first sidewall and the second sidewall intersects the bottom wall at an angle other than 90°. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The household appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the first sidewall is perpendicular to the second sidewall. 
     
     
         3 . The household appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the first sidewall is angled by a first angle θ 1  with respect to the bottom wall, and
 wherein the second sidewall is angled by a second angle θ 2  with respect to the bottom wall. 
 
     
     
         4 . The household appliance of  claim 3 , wherein a sum of the first angle θ 1  and the second angle θ 2  is 90°. 
     
     
         5 . The household appliance of  claim 3 , wherein the first angle θ 1  is less than the second angle θ 2 . 
     
     
         6 . The household appliance of  claim 3 , wherein a ratio of the second angle θ 2  to the first angle θ 1  is a 2 to 1 ratio. 
     
     
         7 . The household appliance of  claim 3 , wherein the first angle θ 1  is equal to the second angle θ 2 . 
     
     
         8 . The household appliance of  claim 1 , comprising a heating element having a heater coil disposed in the heater pocket. 
     
     
         9 . The household appliance of  claim 8 , wherein the bottom wall is substantially parallel to the heater coil of the heating element. 
     
     
         10 . The household appliance of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the first sidewall and the second sidewall guides the washing liquid one of below and around the heater coil. 
     
     
         11 . The household appliance of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the first sidewall and the second sidewall guides the washing liquid such that the washing liquid rotates below the heater coil. 
     
     
         12 . The household appliance of  claim 8 , wherein an interior surface of at least one of the first sidewall and the second sidewall guides the washing liquid one of below and around the heater coil at a substantially constant velocity and with a substantially uniform flow pattern. 
     
     
         13 . The household appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the heater pocket includes:
 a drain for draining the washing liquid from the tub,   wherein an interior surface of the bottom wall of the heater pocket is angled with respect to the axis of rotation of the drum toward the drain.   
     
     
         14 . The household appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the household appliance is a front-loading washer. 
     
     
         15 . A front-loading washer comprising:
 a housing having a door formed in a front panel thereof for accessing an interior of the housing; and   a tub disposed inside the housing, the tub having a rotating drum therein for receiving laundry through the door, the drum having an axis of rotation,   wherein the tub includes:
 a heater pocket integrally formed in a lower portion of the tub, the heater pocket forming a cavity in fluid communication with the drum, the heater pocket for at least partially surrounding a heating element for heating a washing liquid in the tub, 
 wherein walls of the heater pocket guide the washing liquid one of below and around the heating element at a substantially constant velocity and with a substantially uniform flow pattern. 
   
     
     
         16 . The front-loading washer of  claim 15 , wherein a cross-section of the heater pocket, which is taken in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the rotating drum, includes:
 a first sidewall;   a second sidewall opposed to the first sidewall; and   a bottom wall connecting a lower side of the first sidewall to a lower side of the second sidewall.   
     
     
         17 . The front-loading washer of  claim 16 , wherein each of the first sidewall and the second sidewall intersects the bottom wall at an angle other than 90°. 
     
     
         18 . The front-loading washer of  claim 16 , wherein the first sidewall is perpendicular to the second sidewall. 
     
     
         19 . The front-loading washer of  claim 16 , wherein the first sidewall is angled by a first angle θ 1  with respect to the bottom wall,
 wherein the second sidewall is angled by a second angle θ 2  with respect to the bottom wall, and 
 wherein a sum of the first angle θ 1  and the second angle θ 2  is 90°. 
 
     
     
         20 . The front-loading washer of  claim 16 , wherein the first sidewall is angled by a first angle θ 1  with respect to the bottom wall,
 wherein the second sidewall is angled by a second angle θ 2  with respect to the bottom wall, and 
 wherein the first angle θ 1  is less than the second angle θ 2 . 
 
     
     
         21 . The front-loading washer of  claim 16 , wherein the first sidewall is angled by a first angle θ 1  with respect to the bottom wall,
 wherein the second sidewall is angled by a second angle θ 2  with respect to the bottom wall, and 
 wherein a ratio of the second angle θ 2  to the first angle θ 1  is a 2 to 1 ratio. 
 
     
     
         22 . The front-loading washer of  claim 16 , wherein the first sidewall is angled by a first angle θ 1  with respect to the bottom wall,
 wherein the second sidewall is angled by a second angle θ 2  with respect to the bottom wall, and 
 wherein the first angle θ 1  is equal to the second angle θ 2 . 
 
     
     
         23 . A front-loading washer comprising:
 a housing having a door formed in a front panel thereof for accessing an interior of the housing; and   a tub disposed inside the housing, the tub having a rotating drum therein for receiving laundry through the door, the drum having an axis of rotation,   wherein the tub includes a heater pocket integrally formed in a lower portion of the tub, the heater pocket forming a cavity in fluid communication with the drum, the heater pocket for at least partially surrounding a heating element for heating a washing liquid in the tub,   wherein the heater pocket includes means for guiding the washing liquid one of below and around the heating element at a substantially constant velocity and with a substantially uniform flow pattern.   
     
     
         24 . The household appliance of  claim 1 , wherein an interior surface of one of the first sidewall, the second sidewall, and the bottom wall includes a diverter.