Laundry treating appliance with integrated dynamic balancer

Abstract

A laundry treating appliance includes a rotatable drum for receiving a laundry load. The rotatable drum includes a cylindrical body with an cylindrical wall, and a cover at one or both ends. The cover has an annular groove formed by a first, second, and third walls. A fourth wall extends from the second wall. A first land is secured to the third wall and a second land is secured to the fourth wall. An adjoining piece has an adjoining wall that is attached to and extends between the first and second lands. A hollow space is bounded by the adjoining wall and the second and third walls. A movable mass is disposed in the space.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A laundry treating appliance with an integrated dynamic balancer comprising:
 a rotatable drum for receiving a laundry load wherein the rotatable drum includes a cylindrical body with a cylindrical wall about a longitudinal axis, and a cover at one end thereof, the cover having an annular groove formed by a first wall adjacent to the cylindrical wall, a second wall spaced from the first wall, a third wall extending between the first and second walls, and a fourth wall having at least a portion thereof extending from the second wall generally normal to the longitudinal axis,   a first land secured to the third wall, and a second land secured to the fourth wall,   a adjoining piece having at least one adjoining wall attached to and extending between the first and second lands wherein a hollow space is bounded by the at least one adjoining wall and the second and third walls, and   a mass disposed in the hollow space and movable therein.   
     
     
         2 . The laundry treating appliance of  claim 1  wherein the rotatable drum is rotatable relative to a vertical axis. 
     
     
         3 . The laundry treating appliance of  claim 1  wherein the rotatable drum is rotatable relative to a non-vertical axis. 
     
     
         4 . The laundry treating appliance of  claim 1  wherein the adjoining piece has a first adjoining wall and a second adjoining wall arranged in an L-shaped cross section. 
     
     
         5 . The laundry treating appliance of  claim 4  wherein the first adjoining wall has a support flange extending to the first wall. 
     
     
         6 . The laundry treating appliance of  claim 4  wherein the second adjoining wall includes an extending flange that attaches to the second land. 
     
     
         7 . The laundry treating appliance of  claim 6  comprising a chamfer at the extending flange that abuts the second wall. 
     
     
         8 . The laundry treating appliance of  claim 6  wherein the second land has a ridge and the extending flange has a groove configured to accept the ridge of the second land. 
     
     
         9 . The laundry treating appliance of  claim 4  wherein the first land has a chamfer that abuts the third wall. 
     
     
         10 . The laundry treating appliance of  claim 4  wherein the cover is formed of metal. 
     
     
         11 . The laundry treating appliance of  claim 4  wherein the first land has one of a ridge and a groove and the first adjoining wall has the other of a ridge and a groove configured to accept the one of the ridge and the groove of the first land. 
     
     
         12 . The laundry treating appliance of  claim 4  wherein the second land has a ridge and the second adjoining wall has a groove configured to accept the ridge of the second land. 
     
     
         13 . The laundry treating appliance of  claim 1  wherein the cover is a front cover having an opening through which the laundry load can be received. 
     
     
         14 . The laundry treating appliance of  claim 1  wherein the cover is a rear cover. 
     
     
         15 . The laundry treating appliance of  claim 1  wherein the mass includes at least one of balls, viscous fluid, or water. 
     
     
         16 . The laundry treating appliance of  claim 1  wherein the third wall and the fourth wall each have a rank of discontinuities and at least one rank of discontinuities comprises a fastener at each discontinuity to which one of the first and second lands is secured. 
     
     
         17 . The laundry treating appliance of  claim 16  wherein each fastener is a boss. 
     
     
         18 . The laundry treating appliance of  claim 17  wherein each boss is stamped into the cover. 
     
     
         19 . The laundry treating appliance of  claim 16  wherein each discontinuity is a perforation in the cover. 
     
     
         20 . A method of manufacturing, comprising:
 molding a first plastic pieces onto a cover of a washing machine basket having an annular groove, with the first plastic piece being at least partially in the annular groove;   molding a second plastic piece onto the cover of the washing machine basket having an annular groove, with the second plastic piece being one of at least partially in the annular groove or adjacent to the annular groove;   inserting a third plastic piece such that the third plastic piece makes contact with the first and second plastic pieces to substantially enclose at least a portion of the annular groove; and   joining the third plastic piece with the first and second plastic pieces to create a substantially fluid tight chamber enclosed by the cover of the washing machine, the first plastic piece, the second plastic piece, and the third plastic piece.