Water recirculation assembly for a laundry appliance

Abstract

A laundry appliance includes a cabinet that includes a pump. A drum is disposed within the cabinet and a tub is operably coupled to the drum and is disposed proximate to the cabinet. A water recirculation assembly is operably coupled to the pump. The water recirculation assembly includes a first tube that is operably coupled to the pump within the cabinet, a second tube that is fluidly coupled to the first tube, and a gap that is defined between the first tube and the second tube.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A laundry appliance, comprising:
 a cabinet including a pump;   a drum disposed within the cabinet;   a tub operably coupled to the drum;   a frame operably coupled to the tub; and   a water recirculation assembly coupled to the tub, the water recirculation assembly including:
 an inlet tube; and 
 a manifold tube coupled to the inlet tube, the manifold tube defining a plurality of apertures along at least a portion of the manifold tube. 
   
     
     
         2 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet tube is operably coupled to the frame and the pump. 
     
     
         3 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein a space is defined between the tub and the drum, and wherein the water recirculation assembly is disposed within the space between the tub and the drum. 
     
     
         4 . The laundry appliance of  claim 3 , wherein the inlet tube is defined by the tub and is operably coupled to the manifold tube within the space defined between the tub and the drum. 
     
     
         5 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of apertures are configured to direct a liquid into the drum. 
     
     
         6 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet tube includes a linear body having a first end coupled to the pump and a second end coupled to the manifold tube, and wherein the manifold tube includes a circumferential body concentrically aligned with the drum. 
     
     
         7 . The laundry appliance of  claim 6 , wherein the circumferential body of the manifold tube is positioned to extend at least partially about an access opening defined within the cabinet, the access opening providing access to the drum. 
     
     
         8 . The laundry appliance of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of apertures are spaced about the circumferential body. 
     
     
         9 . The laundry appliance of  claim 7 , wherein the circumferential body extends fully around the access opening. 
     
     
         10 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet tube and the manifold tube are fixedly attached to one another. 
     
     
         11 . A laundry appliance, comprising:
 a cabinet;   a tub disposed within the cabinet, the cabinet having an access opening that provides access to the tub; and   a water recirculation assembly coupled to the tub, the water recirculation assembly including:
 a pump disposed within the cabinet; 
 an inlet tube coupled with the pump; and 
 a manifold tube coupled to the inlet tube and the tub, wherein the pump recirculates fluid from the tub and through the inlet tube and the manifold tube, and wherein the manifold tube directs the fluid into the tub. 
   
     
     
         12 . The laundry appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the manifold tube includes a plurality of apertures for directing the fluid into the tub. 
     
     
         13 . The laundry appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the manifold tube is a circumferential body that extends at least partially around the access opening. 
     
     
         14 . The laundry appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the tub includes a frame that is attached to the cabinet, and wherein at least one of the inlet tube and the manifold tube are attached to the frame. 
     
     
         15 . The laundry appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of apertures are spaced about a circumferential body that extends around the access opening. 
     
     
         16 . The laundry appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the inlet tube and the manifold tube are fixedly attached to one another. 
     
     
         17 . A laundry appliance, comprising:
 a cabinet;   a tub disposed within the cabinet;   a drum that rotationally operates within the tub, the cabinet having an opening that provides access to the drum; and   a water recirculation assembly coupled to the tub, the water recirculation assembly including:
 a fluid pump attached to the tub; 
 an inlet tube that receives recirculated fluid from the fluid pump; and 
   a manifold tube coupled to the inlet tube and the tub, the manifold tube defining a plurality of apertures along at least a portion of the manifold tube that directs the recirculated fluid into the tub and the drum.   
     
     
         18 . The laundry appliance of  claim 17 , wherein the manifold tube includes a circumferential body that defines the plurality of apertures, wherein the circumferential body extends at least partially around the opening. 
     
     
         19 . The laundry appliance of  claim 17 , wherein the inlet tube and the manifold tube are fixedly attached to one another. 
     
     
         20 . The laundry appliance of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of apertures are spaced about the circumferential body that extends around the opening.