Laundry appliance and removable door module

Abstract

A laundry appliance may include a cabinet, a basket, a door, and an insert module. The basket may be rotatably mounted within the cabinet. The basket may define a laundry chamber for the receipt of clothes. The door may be movably mounted to the cabinet to selectively restrict access to the basket. The door may include a perimeter rim defining a module pocket therein. The insert module may be received within the module pocket. The insert module may include a module faceplate supported on the door and movable relative thereto.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A laundry appliance comprising:
 a cabinet;   a basket rotatably mounted within the cabinet, the basket defining a laundry chamber for the receipt of clothes;   a door movably mounted to the cabinet to selectively restrict access to the basket, the door comprising a perimeter rim defining a module pocket therein; and   an insert module received within the module pocket, the insert module comprising a module faceplate supported on the door and movable relative thereto.   
     
     
         2 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the module pocket is defined at an upper half of the door above a rotation axis of the basket. 
     
     
         3 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the insert module is selectively attached to the door at the module pocket for selective separation of the insert module from the door. 
     
     
         4 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the insert module comprises a filtration media contained behind the module faceplate. 
     
     
         5 . The laundry appliance of  claim 4 , wherein the filtration media is in upstream fluid communication with laundry chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The laundry appliance of  claim 4 , wherein the module faceplate is pivotably attached to the door. 
     
     
         7 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller attached to the cabinet, wherein the insert module is mounted in electrical communication with the controller. 
     
     
         8 . The laundry appliance of  claim 7 , wherein the insert module is selectively separable from the door to detach the insert module from the door and break electrical communication with the controller. 
     
     
         9 . The laundry appliance of  claim 8 , wherein the insert module comprises a sealed backplate. 
     
     
         10 . The laundry appliance of  claim 7 , further comprising a separable electrical connection connecting the controller and the insert module, the separable electrical connection comprising
 a static electrical pad fixed to the cabinet, and   a movable electrical pad fixed to the insert module in selective contact with the static electrical pad in a closed position of the door.   
     
     
         11 . The laundry appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the insert module comprises a radial tab extending outward from the perimeter rim, and wherein the movable electrical pad is supported on the radial tab. 
     
     
         12 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the module faceplate comprises a digital display directed outward in front of the door. 
     
     
         13 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the insert module comprises an electronic speaker. 
     
     
         14 . The laundry appliance of  claim 13 , wherein the insert module comprises a module controller mounted therein in electrical communication with the electronic speaker. 
     
     
         15 . A laundry appliance comprising:
 a cabinet;   a basket rotatably mounted within the cabinet, the basket defining a laundry chamber for the receipt of clothes;   a door movably mounted to the cabinet to selectively restrict access to the basket, the door comprising a perimeter rim defining a module pocket extending therethrough; and   an airflow module received within the module pocket, the airflow module comprising
 a module faceplate supported on the door and movable relative thereto, and 
 a filtration media contained behind the module faceplate. 
   
     
     
         16 . The laundry appliance of  claim 15 , wherein the module pocket is defined at an upper half of the door above a rotation axis of the basket. 
     
     
         17 . The laundry appliance of  claim 15 , wherein the filtration media is in upstream fluid communication with laundry chamber. 
     
     
         18 . A laundry appliance comprising:
 a cabinet;   a basket rotatably mounted within the cabinet, the basket defining a laundry chamber for the receipt of clothes;   a door movably mounted to the cabinet to selectively restrict access to the basket, the door comprising a perimeter rim defining a module pocket extending therethrough;   a controller attached to the cabinet;   an electronic insert module received within the module pocket, the electronic insert module comprising
 a module faceplate supported on the door and movable relative thereto, and 
 an electronic component contained behind the module faceplate; and 
   a separable electrical connection connecting the controller and the electronic insert module, the separable electrical connection comprising
 a static electrical pad fixed to the cabinet, and 
 a movable electrical pad fixed to the electronic insert module in selective contact with the static electrical pad in a closed position of the door. 
   
     
     
         19 . The laundry appliance of  claim 18 , wherein the electronic component comprises an electronic speaker or a digital display directed outward in front of the door. 
     
     
         20 . The laundry appliance of  claim 19 , wherein the electronic insert module further comprises a radial tab extending outward from the perimeter rim, and wherein the movable electrical pad is supported on the radial tab.