Washing machine appliance ventilation

Abstract

A washing machine appliance includes a cabinet with a wash tub positioned within the cabinet. The washing machine appliance also includes a wash basket rotatably mounted within the wash tub. The wash basket is rotatable within the tub along a direction of rotation. The washing machine appliance further includes a vent extending through the wash tub from a vent inlet along a longitudinal axis and a cutoff defined at an intersection of the vent and the wash tub.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A washing machine appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction that are mutually perpendicular to one another, the washing machine appliance comprising:
 a cabinet;   a wash tub positioned within the cabinet;   a wash basket rotatably mounted within the wash tub, the wash basket rotatable within the wash tub along a direction of rotation;   a vent extending through the wash tub from a vent inlet along a longitudinal axis; and   a cutoff defined at an intersection of the vent and the wash tub.   
     
     
         2 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal axis of the vent is tangential to the direction of rotation of the wash basket. 
     
     
         3 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the vent joins the wash tub at a first intersection along the direction of rotation of the wash basket and a second intersection after the first intersection along the direction of rotation, and wherein the intersection of the vent and the wash tub at which the cutoff is defined is the second intersection. 
     
     
         4 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the vent extends along the longitudinal axis from the vent inlet to an elbow. 
     
     
         5 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 4 , wherein the vent extends from the elbow to an outlet in an external surface of the cabinet. 
     
     
         6 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the vent extends along the longitudinal axis from the vent inlet to an angle fitting, the angle fitting defining an obtuse angle. 
     
     
         7 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 6 , wherein the vent extends from the angle fitting to a return coupled to the wash tub. 
     
     
         8 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 7 , further comprising a heating element between the vent inlet and the return. 
     
     
         9 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the direction of rotation extends around the transverse direction. 
     
     
         10 . A washing machine appliance, comprising:
 a cabinet;   a wash tub positioned within the cabinet;   a wash basket rotatably mounted within the wash tub, the wash basket rotatable within the wash tub along a direction of rotation;   a vent extending through the wash tub from a vent inlet along a longitudinal axis; and   a cutoff defined at an intersection of the vent and the wash tub.   
     
     
         11 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the longitudinal axis of the vent is tangential to the direction of rotation of the wash basket. 
     
     
         12 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the vent joins the wash tub at a first intersection along the direction of rotation of the wash basket and a second intersection after the first intersection along the direction of rotation, and wherein the intersection of the vent and the wash tub at which the cutoff is defined is the second intersection. 
     
     
         13 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the vent extends along the longitudinal axis from the vent inlet to an elbow. 
     
     
         14 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 13 , wherein the vent extends from the elbow to an outlet in an external surface of the cabinet. 
     
     
         15 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the vent extends along the longitudinal axis from the vent inlet to an angle fitting, the angle fitting defining an obtuse angle. 
     
     
         16 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 15 , wherein the vent extends from the angle fitting to a return coupled to the wash tub. 
     
     
         17 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 16 , further comprising a heating element between the vent inlet and the return. 
     
     
         18 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the direction of rotation extends around a horizontal direction.