Laundry appliance

Abstract

A laundry appliance includes a cabinet having a front panel that defines an opening, a drum accessible via the opening and configured for processing laundry, an access panel pivotably coupled to the front panel and operable to pivot between first and second conditions, and a first lint filter pivotably coupled to the front panel and operable to pivot relative to the front panel between a use position and a maintenance position in the second condition of the access panel. The access panel covers the first lint filter in the first condition, and access to the first lint filter is provided in the second condition of the access panel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A laundry appliance, comprising:
 a cabinet having a front panel that defines an opening;   a drum accessible via the opening and configured for processing laundry;   an access panel pivotably coupled to the front panel and operable to pivot between first and second conditions; and   a first lint filter pivotably coupled to the front panel and operable to pivot relative to the front panel between a use position and a maintenance position in the second condition of the access panel, wherein the access panel covers the first lint filter in the first condition, and access to the first lint filter is provided in the second condition of the access panel.   
     
     
         2 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second lint filter positioned proximate to the first lint filter, wherein the access panel covers the second lint filter in the first condition, and access to the first lint filter is provided in the second condition of the access panel.   
     
     
         3 . The laundry appliance of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a blower that delivers process air through an airflow path that includes the drum, wherein the first and second lint filters are positioned within the airflow path to filter particulate matter from the process air, and the process air flows through the first lint filter toward the access panel and through the second lint filter away from the access panel.   
     
     
         4 . The laundry appliance of  claim 3 , wherein the second lint filter is positioned downward of the first lint filter. 
     
     
         5 . The laundry appliance of  claim 4 , wherein the first lint filter includes a first lint filter frame and a first lint filter screen that extends across the first lint filter frame, the second lint filter includes a second lint filter frame and a second lint filter screen that extends across the second lint filter frame, and the first lint filter screen and the second lint filter screen are generally coplanar in the use position of the first lint filter. 
     
     
         6 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the drum is configured to rotate about an axis of rotation, and a midpoint of the opening is disposed upward of the axis of rotation. 
     
     
         7 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the first lint filter includes a first lint filter frame and a first lint filter screen that extends across the first lint filter frame and is shaped to form alternate ridges and grooves.