Laundry treating appliance and tub assembly and method of forming

Abstract

A laundry appliance for treating a load of laundry according to a cycle of operation comprises a cabinet and a tub assembly housed within the cabinet and comprising a front tub section, a rear tub section and at least one middle tub section provided between the front and rear tub sections.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A laundry appliance for treating a load of laundry according to a cycle of operation comprising:
 a cabinet;   a tub assembly having a longitudinal axis, housed within the cabinet and comprising:
 a front tub section having a first side wall with a first draft forming a first acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis; 
 a rear tub section having a second side wall with a second draft forming a second acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis; and 
 at least one middle tub section provided between the front tub section and the rear tub section, each of the at least one middle tub sections having at least a third side wall with at least a third draft forming a third acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis; 
   wherein the front, rear and at least one middle tub sections are assembled such that an angle formed by the meeting of any of the first, second, or the at least third side walls opens away from an interior of the tub assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1  wherein the front tub section is coupled to the at least one middle tub section by at least one of a mechanical fastener or a weld, or both. 
     
     
         3 . The laundry appliance of  claim 2  wherein the rear tub section is coupled to the at least one middle tub section by at least one of a mechanical fastener or a weld, or both. 
     
     
         4 . The laundry appliance of  claim 2  wherein the front tub section is coupled to the at least one middle tub section by a mechanical fastener or a weld and the rear tub section is coupled to the at least one middle tub section by the other of the mechanical fastener or weld. 
     
     
         5 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the front tub section, the rear tub section or the at least one middle tub section are formed from a molded polymeric material. 
     
     
         6 . The laundry appliance of  claim 5  wherein at least one of the at least one middle tub sections are formed from a casted metal-based material. 
     
     
         7 . The laundry appliance of  claim 5  wherein the front tub section, the rear tub section and the at least one middle tub section are formed from a molded polymeric material. 
     
     
         8 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1  wherein the first acute angle has a magnitude and a direction and the second acute angle has a magnitude that is the same as the first acute angle and a direction that is opposite of the first acute angle. 
     
     
         9 . The laundry appliance of  claim 8  wherein a magnitude of the third acute angle is the same as the magnitude of the first and second acute angles. 
     
     
         10 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1  wherein the at least one middle tub section comprises a single middle tub section having a side wall with at least two sections that draft in alternating directions. 
     
     
         11 . A laundry appliance for treating a load of laundry according to a cycle of operation comprising:
 a cabinet;   a tub assembly having a longitudinal axis, housed within the cabinet and comprising:
 a front tub section having a first side wall with a first draft forming a first acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis; 
 a rear tub section having a second side wall with a second draft in a direction opposite to the first draft and forming a second acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis; and 
 at least one middle tub section provided between the front tub section and the rear tub section, each of the at least one middle tub sections having at least a third side wall with at least a third draft forming a third acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis; 
   wherein the front, rear, and at least one middle tub sections are assembled such that an angle formed by the at least one middle tub section opens away from an interior of the tub assembly.   
     
     
         12 . The laundry appliance of  claim 11  wherein the front tub section is coupled to the at least one middle tub section by at least one of a mechanical fastener or a weld, or both. 
     
     
         13 . The laundry appliance of  claim 12  wherein the rear tub section is coupled to the at least one middle tub section by at least one of a mechanical fastener or a weld, or both. 
     
     
         14 . The laundry appliance of  claim 12  wherein the front tub section is coupled to the at least one middle tub section by a mechanical fastener or a weld and the rear tub section is coupled to the at least one middle tub section by the other of the mechanical fastener or weld. 
     
     
         15 . The laundry appliance of  claim 11  wherein at least one of the front tub section, the rear tub section or the at least one middle tub section are formed from a molded polymeric material. 
     
     
         16 . The laundry appliance of  claim 15  wherein at least one of the at least one middle tub sections are formed from a casted metal-based material. 
     
     
         17 . The laundry appliance of  claim 15  wherein the front tub section, the rear tub section and the at least one middle tub section are formed from a molded polymeric material. 
     
     
         18 . The laundry appliance of  claim 11  wherein the first acute angle has a magnitude and a direction and the second acute angle has a magnitude that is the same as the first acute angle and a direction that is opposite of the first acute angle. 
     
     
         19 . The laundry appliance of  claim 18  wherein a magnitude of the third acute angle is the same as the magnitude of the first and second acute angles. 
     
     
         20 . The laundry appliance of  claim 11  wherein the at least one middle tub section comprises a single middle tub section having a side wall with at least two sections that draft in alternating directions.