Washing machine with rotating joint

Abstract

A washer/dryer apparatus including a rotating joint to allow water and/or air to be introduced into the drum, despite rotation of the drum. In example forms, the apparatus includes a housing, a fixed bulkhead fixedly attached to the housing, and a drum mounted for rotation in at least one direction. In example forms, the drum adapted for containing a quantity of wash water, and the drum is sealingly mounted to the bulkhead at a rotating joint, in example forms, a portion of the drum is nestably and rotatably mounted within a portion of the bulkhead. In one form, one or more openings extend through the bulkhead portion for passage of air and/or water therethrough.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A washer machine for cleaning articles, the apparatus comprising:
 a housing;   a drum with a closed end, an open end, and a generally tubular part extending between the closed end and the open end, the closed end being affixed to the housing and the tubular part being rotatably and sealingly mounted to the closed end at a rotating joint such that the tubular part can rotate relative to the housing while the closed end does not.   
     
     
         2 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the closed end includes a bulkhead portion and a cylinder portion and wherein the cylinder portion receives a distal portion of the tubular part therein such that the distal portion of the tubular part can rotate within the cylinder portion of the closed end of the drum. 
     
     
         3 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the cylinder portion is tapered. 
     
     
         4 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the cylinder portion is non-tapered. 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 2  wherein a resilient seal is positioned between the cylinder portion of the closed end and the tubular part. 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the resilient seal comprises a dynamic lip seal. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the resilient seal comprises an O-ring. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the resilient seal comprises a flat O-ring. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising a roller bearing adjacent the rotating joint for minimizing friction as the tubular part rotates relative to the housing. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising a retainer for retaining the tubular part adjacent the closed end. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 2  further comprising one or more openings extending through the bulkhead portion for passage of air and/or water therethrough. 
     
     
         12 . A drum for use in a washer machine or a combination washer/dryer machine for cleaning articles, the machine of the type having a housing, the drum comprising:
 a closed end, an open end, and a generally tubular part extending between the closed end and the open end, the closed end being adapted to be affixed to the housing and the tubular part being rotatably and sealingly mounted to the closed end at a rotating joint such that the tubular part can rotate relative to the housing while the closed end does not.   
     
     
         13 . A drum as claimed in  claim 12  wherein the closed end includes a bulkhead portion and a cylinder portion and wherein the cylinder portion receives a distal portion of the tubular part therein such that the distal portion of the tubular part can rotate within the cylinder portion of the closed end of the drum. 
     
     
         14 . A drum as claimed in  claim 13  wherein the cylinder portion is tapered. 
     
     
         15 . A drum as claimed in  claim 13  wherein the cylinder portion is non-tapered. 
     
     
         16 . A drum as claimed in  claim 13  wherein a resilient seal is positioned between the cylinder portion of the closed end and the tubular part. 
     
     
         17 . A drum as claimed in  claim 16  wherein the resilient seal comprises a dynamic lip seal. 
     
     
         18 . A drum as claimed in  claim 16  wherein the resilient seal comprises an O-ring. 
     
     
         19 . A drum as claimed in  claim 16  wherein the resilient seal comprises a flat O-ring. 
     
     
         20 . A drum as claimed in  claim 12  further comprising a roller bearing adjacent the rotating joint for minimizing friction as the tubular part rotates relative to the housing. 
     
     
         21 . A drum as claimed in  claim 12  further comprising a retainer for retaining the tubular part adjacent the closed end. 
     
     
         22 . A drum as claimed in  claim 13  further comprising one or more openings extending through the bulkhead portion for passage of air and/or water therethrough. 
     
     
         23 . A washer/dryer combination apparatus, comprising:
 a housing;   a fixed bulkhead fixedly attached to the housing; and   a drum mounted for rotation in at least one direction, the drum adapted for containing a quantity of wash water, the drum sealingly mounted to the bulkhead at a rotating joint.   
     
     
         24 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 23  wherein a portion of the drum is nestably and rotatably mounted within a portion of the bulkhead. 
     
     
         25 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 23  further comprising one or more openings extending through the bulkhead portion for passage of air and/or water therethrough.