CN115012173A

CN115012173A - Removable fluid pumping and filtering apparatus

Info

Publication number: CN115012173A
Application number: CN202210197720.6A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 阿努普·苏迪尔·巴弗萨; 贾林达·苏雷什·达万格; 本杰明·D·洛威尔; 埃里克·W·麦罗; 塞耶·J·墨菲; 尼古拉斯·C·斯库利; 托马斯·D·斯派塞; 埃里克·J·瓦斯科; 乔恩·D·斯特赖特; 格雷戈里·R·富尔默; 詹姆斯·D·杰弗里
Original assignee: Whirlpool Corp
Current assignee: Whirlpool Corp
Priority date: 2021-03-03
Filing date: 2022-03-02
Publication date: 2022-09-06
Anticipated expiration: 2042-03-02
Also published as: CN115012173B

Abstract

A removable fluid pumping and filtering device for a laundry treatment machine is provided. The device includes a handle portion. A filter section is configured to be selectively coupled to an impeller of the laundry treatment machine, the filter section defining a hollow interior, a lower water opening allowing water to flow from the interior space of the agitator, and an opening around an outer circumference of the filter section into which a removable filter is selectively attachable. A handle-pull locking post is disposed within the hollow interior of the apparatus, including a handle-pull portion at a top end for gripping the handle portion and at least one pin at a bottom end configured to selectively lock the apparatus into the base.

Description

Removable fluid pumping and filtering apparatus

Technical Field

Aspects of the present disclosure relate generally to removable agitators for laundry treatment appliances, and in particular to removable fluid pumping and filtering devices for laundry machine applications.

Background

Laundry treatment appliances, such as laundry washing devices, laundry dryers, washing machines, fresheners, and non-aqueous systems, may have a container-based configuration (such as a laundry basket or drum defining a drum opening) that is rotatable or non-rotatable and at least partially defines a treatment chamber in which laundry items are placed for treatment. The laundry treatment appliance may have a controller that implements a plurality of user-selectable, pre-programmed operating cycles having one or more operating parameters. Hot water, cold water or mixtures thereof, along with various treatment chemicals or detergents, may be supplied to the treatment chamber according to the operating cycle.

Laundry treatment appliances generally operate to treat laundry items by contacting the laundry items with a treatment fluid (such as a detergent/water mixture, sometimes referred to as wash liquor) and providing relative motion between the laundry items and the fluid. The controller may further control the motor to rotate the laundry basket or drum according to one of the preprogrammed operating cycles. The controller may also control a laundry mover disposed within the basket or drum and configured to transfer mechanical energy to articles of clothing within the treatment chamber according to a selected operating cycle. The laundry mover may include a plurality of components, such as a base that may be provided as an impeller plate and a drum that may be provided as a stirring column and may be coupled to the base.

Filters are used in laundry treatment appliances to capture pet hair, lint, and other particles from a load of clothing. The trapped particles are retained within the filter, allowing the consumer to clean the filter after the wash cycle is completed. Catching lint during the wash cycle is particularly important for customers who do not use a clothes drying appliance.

Disclosure of Invention

In one or more illustrative examples, a removable fluid pumping and filtering device for a laundry treatment machine is provided. The device includes a handle portion. A filter section is configured to be selectively coupled to an impeller of the laundry treatment machine, the filter section defining a hollow interior, a lower water opening allowing water to flow from the interior space of the agitator, and an opening around an outer circumference of the filter section into which a removable filter is selectively attachable. A handle-pull locking post is disposed within the hollow interior of the apparatus, including a handle-pull portion at a top end for gripping the handle portion and at least one pin at a bottom end configured to selectively lock the apparatus into the base.

In one or more illustrative examples, a removable filter for a removable fluid pumping and filtering device attached to a laundry treatment machine is provided. The filter includes a front portion having a curved front face, a bottom face, and parallel side faces extending inwardly from an inner side of the front face to selectively enclose a space against a back face and a top face of the back portion.

In one or more illustrative examples, a method for filtering wash water in a laundry treatment machine is provided. Spinning a removable fluid pumping and filtering apparatus relative to a basket during a wash cycle, the apparatus defining a hollow interior, a water opening allowing water to flow out of the hollow interior, and a side opening around an outer circumference of the apparatus, a removable filter being selectively attachable in the side opening such that water flows through the removable filter into the hollow interior and out of the water opening, wherein pet hair and other particles are retained in the removable filter.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a simplified cross-sectional view of a laundry treatment appliance including a removable agitator;

FIG. 2 is a simplified cross-sectional view of the laundry treatment appliance and the laundry mover of FIG. 1, with the agitator shown in an attached configuration and a detached configuration;

FIG. 3 is a perspective cut-away view of a blender coupled to an impeller for use with the laundry mover and laundry treatment appliance of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the agitator of FIG. 3 coupled to an impeller.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the agitator of FIG. 3 coupled to an impeller in a first position.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the agitator coupled to the impeller of FIG. 3 in a second position.

FIG. 7 is a side view of a removable agitator coupled to an impeller, the removable agitator shown in a first radial position about its longitudinal axis;

FIG. 8 is a side view of the removable whisk of FIG. 7, shown in a second radial position about its longitudinal axis;

FIG. 9 is a side view of the removable agitator of FIG. 7, shown in a first radial position about its longitudinal axis, separated from the impeller;

FIG. 10 is a side view of the removable agitator of FIG. 7, shown in a second radial position about its longitudinal axis, separated from the impeller;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the removable agitator of FIG. 7, shown from a lower vantage point, separated from the impeller;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the removable agitator of FIG. 7, shown from an upper vantage point, separated from the impeller;

FIG. 13 is a bottom view of the removable agitator of FIG. 7 separated from the impeller;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the removable agitator of FIG. 7 coupled to an impeller;

FIG. 15 is a front view of a removable filter of the removable blender of FIG. 7;

FIG. 16 is a rear view of a removable filter of the removable blender of FIG. 7;

FIG. 17 is a side view of a removable filter of the removable blender of FIG. 7;

FIG. 18 is a top view of a removable filter of the removable blender of FIG. 7;

FIG. 19 is a bottom view of the removable filter of the removable agitator of FIG. 7;

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a removable filter of the removable blender of FIG. 7, the removable filter shown in a closed position;

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a removable filter of the removable blender of FIG. 7, the removable filter shown in an open state; and is

FIG. 22 is a side perspective view of the removable filter of the removable blender of FIG. 7, shown in an open state.

FIG. 23 is a side cross-sectional view of the removable mixer of FIG. 7;

FIG. 24 is a cross-sectional view of an upper portion of the removable mixer of FIG. 7;

FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view of a lower portion of the removable mixer of FIG. 7;

FIG. 26 is a perspective view of a handle pull locking post of the removable mixer of FIG. 7;

FIG. 27 is a side view of a lower portion of a handle pull locking post of the removable mixer of FIG. 7; and is

Fig. 28 is a side cross-sectional view of water flow within the removable mixer of fig. 7, shown in a first radial position about its longitudinal axis.

Detailed Description

As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.

Fig. 1 is a simplified view of a laundry treatment appliance 10 comprising a removable agitator 150. The removable agitator 150 may be a filtration agitator, as shown in detail in fig. 7-28. The laundry treatment appliance 10 may be any laundry treatment appliance 10 that performs an operating cycle to clean or otherwise treat articles of clothing placed therein, non-limiting examples of which include horizontal or vertical axis laundry washing devices; a laundry dryer; a combination washer and dryer; a dispensing dryer (dispensing dryer); a tumbling or stationary tumbling/activating machine (revitalizing machine); a dehydrator; non-aqueous washing equipment; and an activator. While the laundry treatment appliance 10 is illustrated herein as a vertical axis, top loading laundry treatment appliance 10, aspects of the present disclosure are applicable to laundry treatment appliances having other configurations. The laundry treatment appliance 10 has many of the features of a conventional automatic laundry washing device and/or dryer, which will not be described in detail herein, except as necessary for a complete understanding of exemplary aspects in accordance with the present disclosure.

Laundry treatment appliances are generally classified as either vertical axis laundry treatment appliances or horizontal axis laundry treatment appliances. As used herein, the term "horizontal axis" laundry treatment appliance refers to a laundry treatment appliance having a rotatable drum that rotates about an axis that is substantially horizontal relative to a surface supporting the laundry treatment appliance. The drum is rotatable about an axis that is tilted with respect to a horizontal axis, with a tilt of fifteen degrees being one example of tilt. Similar to horizontal axis laundry treatment appliances, the term "vertical axis" laundry treatment appliance refers to a laundry treatment appliance having a rotatable drum that rotates about an axis that is substantially vertical relative to the surface supporting the laundry treatment appliance. However, the axis of rotation need not be completely perpendicular to the surface. The drum is rotatable about an axis that is tilted with respect to a vertical axis, with a tilt of fifteen degrees being one example of tilt.

On the other hand, the terms vertical axis and horizontal axis are often used as shorthand terms for the way in which the appliance transfers mechanical energy to the laundry, even when the associated axis of rotation is not absolutely vertical or horizontal. As used herein, a "vertical axis" laundry treatment appliance refers to a laundry treatment appliance having a perforated or imperforate rotatable drum that holds fabric articles and optionally a moss mover (such as a stirrer, impeller, nutator, etc. within the drum). The laundry mover is movable within the drum to transfer mechanical energy to the laundry directly or indirectly through wash liquid in the drum. The laundry mover is generally movable in a reciprocating rotational motion. In some vertical axis laundry treatment appliances, the drum rotates about a vertical axis that is substantially perpendicular to the surface supporting the laundry treatment appliance. However, the axis of rotation need not be vertical. The drum is rotatable about an axis that is inclined relative to a vertical axis.

As used herein, a "horizontal axis" laundry treatment appliance refers to a laundry treatment appliance having a rotatable drum with or without apertures that holds laundry items and washes and/or dries the laundry items. In some horizontal axis laundry treatment appliances, the drum rotates about a horizontal axis that is generally parallel to the surface supporting the laundry treatment appliance. However, the axis of rotation need not be horizontal. The drum is rotatable about an axis that is tilted or inclined relative to a horizontal axis. In a horizontal axis laundry treatment appliance, the laundry is lifted by the rotating drum and then falls under gravity to create a tumbling action. The mechanical energy is transferred to the laundry through a tumbling motion formed by repeated lifting of the laundry. The best difference between vertical axis and horizontal axis machines is the way they transfer mechanical energy to the fabric article.

Regardless of the axis of rotation, the laundry treatment appliance may be top-loading or front-loading. In a top loading laundry treatment appliance, the laundry items are placed into the drum through an access opening at the top of the cabinet, whereas in a front loading laundry treatment appliance, the laundry items are placed into the drum through an access opening at the front of the cabinet. If the laundry treatment appliance is a top-loading horizontal axis laundry treatment appliance or a front-loading vertical axis laundry treatment appliance, the additional access opening is positioned on the drum.

In more detail, the laundry treatment appliance 10 may include a structural support assembly including a cabinet 14 defining an outer shell and an interior within which the laundry holding assembly is located. The cabinet 14 may be an enclosure having a chassis and/or frame, which may or may not be fitted with a trim panel, that defines an interior, encloses components typically found in conventional laundry treatment appliances, such as automatic laundry washing devices or dryers, which may include motors, pumps, fluid lines, control devices, sensors, transducers, and the like. Such components will not be further described herein except as necessary for a complete understanding of the present disclosure.

The laundry retention assembly of the illustrated exemplary laundry treatment appliance 10 may include a rotatable basket 30 having an open top 13 that may be disposed within the interior of the cabinet 14 and may at least partially define a rotatable treatment chamber 32 for receiving articles of clothing for treatment, and an access opening 15. The inlet port 15 may provide access to the process chamber 32. The treatment chamber 32 is configured to receive a garment load including articles of clothing for treatment, including, but not limited to, hats, scarves, gloves, sweaters, shirts, T-shirts, shorts, dresses, socks, pants, shoes, undergarments, jackets, bedding, blankets, carpets, pillows, and the like.

The open top 13 may be aligned with the access port 15. The tub 34 may also be positioned within the cabinet 14 and may define an interior 24 within which the basket 30 may be positioned. The barrel 34 may also at least partially define at least a portion of the processing chamber 32. The tub 34 may have a generally cylindrical side or tub perimeter wall 12 closed at its bottom end by a base 16, which may at least partially define a storage tank 60. The barrel 34 may be at least partially aligned with the access opening 15 and the open top 13. In one example, the barrel 34, basket 30, and open top 13 and inlet 15 may have central axes that are coaxial with each other or with at least one of the other axes such that a common central axis is formed.

The basket 30 may have a generally peripheral sidewall 18, shown as a cylindrical sidewall, closed at the basket end by a basket base 20 to further at least partially define a process chamber 32. The basket 30 may be rotatably mounted within the tub 34 for rotation about a vertical basket rotation axis and may include a plurality of perforations (not shown) such that liquid may flow between the tub 34 and the rotatable basket 30 through the perforations (not shown). While the laundry treatment appliance 10 is shown to include both a tub 34 and a basket 30, with the basket 30 at least partially defining the treatment chamber 32, it is within the scope of the present disclosure for the laundry holding assembly to include only one container (such as the tub 34 without the basket 30) that defines the laundry treatment chamber 32 for receiving a load to be treated.

The cabinet 14 may further define a top wall or panel 36, which may include the shroud 29 or to which the shroud 29 may be coupled. The shroud 29 may define at least a portion of the inlet 15 such that the shroud 29 may at least partially surround the inlet 15. The shroud 29 may curve downwardly toward the treatment chamber 32 to direct articles of clothing into the basket 30. The shield 29 may cover a portion of the basket 30 so that articles of clothing do not fall between the basket 30 and the tub 34.

A selectively openable closure or cover (shown herein as including a lid 28) may be movably mounted or coupled to the cabinet 14 for selective movement between an open position and a closed position, as shown, to selectively open and close the access opening 15, respectively, and to selectively provide access to the laundry treatment chamber 32 through the access opening 15 of the basket 30. In one example, lid 28 may be rotatable relative to cabinet 14 between a closed position and an open position. By way of non-limiting example, the lid 28 may be hingedly coupled to the cabinet 14 for movement between an open position and a closed position. In the closed position, the lid 28 may seal at least one of the access opening 15, the ceiling 36, or the shield 29, and may at least partially face the process chamber 32 when the lid 28 closes the access opening 15. In the open position, lid 28 may be spaced apart from access port 15, top plate 36, or shroud 29 and may allow access to top plate 36 and access port 15.

The garment mover 100 may be rotatably mounted within the basket 30 to impart mechanical agitation and energy to a load of articles of clothing placed in the basket 30 or treatment chamber 32 according to an operating cycle. The laundry mover 100 may oscillate or rotate about its vertical axis of rotation during an operating cycle to produce a load motion that effectively washes a load contained within the treatment chamber 32. The laundry mover 100 may include a chassis or first laundry mover (shown herein as the impeller 120) and a drum (shown herein as the agitator 150). The agitator 150 as shown herein may comprise a vertically oriented agitator column that may be removably coupled with the impeller 120, the agitator 150 projecting vertically from the impeller 120 within the treatment chamber 32 and toward the open top 13 of the basket 30. In this aspect of the present disclosure, the laundry mover 100 may be formed by coupling an additional component, the agitator 150, to the impeller 120, and may be considered to form a second laundry mover.

The agitator 150 may include any configuration of blades, paddles, or other structural features for transferring mechanical energy to the articles of clothing during the operating cycle. In general, the vertical length of the agitator 150, in combination with the blades, paddles, or other structural features, may impart mechanical action to the articles of clothing, which provides improved cleaning performance and may be suitable for particularly dirty loads. Other exemplary types of garment movers include, but are not limited to, individual agitators, wobble plates, and mixing impellers/agitators.

The basket 30 and the laundry mover 100 may be driven by a drive assembly 40 including a motor 41, such as to rotate within the tub 34, which may include a gearbox operatively coupled with the basket 30 and the laundry mover 100. The motor 41 may be a Brushless Permanent Magnet (BPM) motor having a stator (not shown) and a rotor (not shown). Alternatively, the motor 41 may be coupled to the basket 30 by a belt and drive shaft to rotate the basket 30, as is known in the art. Other motors, such as induction motors or Permanent Split Capacitor (PSC) motors, may also be used. The motor 41 may rotate the basket 30 about the vertical axis of rotation at various speeds in either rotational direction during an operating cycle, including at rotational speeds where the centrifugal force at the inner surface of the basket side wall 18 is 1g or greater. Rotational speeds are generally known for extracting liquid from laundry items in basket 30, such as after a wash or rinse step in an operational treatment cycle. A lost motion device or clutch (not shown) may be included in the drive assembly 40 and may selectively operably couple the motor 41 with the basket 30 and/or the garment mover 100.

The suspension assembly 22 may dynamically retain the tub 34 within the cabinet 14. The suspension assembly 22 may dissipate a determined degree of vibrational energy generated by rotation of the basket 30 and/or the garment mover 100 during a processing cycle of operation. Any contents of the tub 34, basket 30, and basket 30 (such as liquids and laundry items) collectively define the suspension mass of the suspension assembly 22.

The laundry treatment appliance 10 may also include a liquid supply assembly to provide liquid, such as water or a combination of water and one or more washing aids, such as detergents, into the treatment chamber 32 for treating articles of clothing during a cycle. The liquid supply assembly may include a water source 44 configured to supply hot or cold water. The water source 44 may include a hot water inlet 45 and a cold water inlet 46. The valve assembly may include a hot water valve 48, a cold water valve 50, and various conduits 52, 58 for selectively dispensing the water source 44 from the hot water inlet 45 and the cold water inlet 46. The valves 48, 50 are selectively openable to provide water from a water source, such as from a domestic water supply (not shown), to a conduit 52. A second water conduit, shown as water inlet 58, may also be fluidly coupled to conduit 52 such that water may be supplied directly to the treatment chamber 32 through the open top of the basket 30. The water inlet 58 may be configured to dispense water and optionally treatment chemicals into the barrel 34 in a desired pattern and at a desired amount of pressure. For example, the water inlet 58 may be configured to distribute a flow or stream of treatment chemicals or water into the barrel 34 by gravity (i.e., a non-pressurized stream). The valves 48, 50 may be opened individually or together to provide a mixture of hot and cold water at a selected temperature. While the valves 48, 50 and conduit 52 are shown outside of the cabinet 14, it should be understood that these components may be inside the cabinet 14.

A treatment chemical dispenser 54 may be provided for dispensing treatment chemicals to the basket 30 for treating articles of clothing either directly or mixed with water from the water source 44 according to an operating cycle. In non-limiting examples, the treatment chemical dispenser 54 may be a single-use dispenser, a bulk (bulk) dispenser, or a combination of integrated single-use and bulk dispensers, and is fluidly coupled to the process chamber 32. Although the treatment chemical dispenser 54 is shown herein as being disposed at the top plate 36 or the shroud 29, it should be understood that other locations for the treatment chemical dispenser 54 are contemplated, such as being disposed at different locations within the cabinet 14. Further, the treatment chemical dispenser 54 may be disposed in a drawer-type configuration or as at least one reservoir fluidly coupled to the treatment chamber 32.

The treatment chemical dispenser 54 may include a means for supplying or mixing detergent to or with the water from the water source 44. Alternatively, water from the water source 44 may also be supplied to the tub 34 through the treatment chemical dispenser 54 without the addition of detergent. The treatment chemical dispenser 54 may be configured to dispense treatment chemicals or water into the barrel 34 in a desired pattern and at a desired amount of pressure. For example, the treatment chemical dispenser 54 may be configured to dispense a flow or stream of treatment chemical or water into the barrel 34 by gravity (i.e., a non-pressurized stream).

The treatment chemical dispenser 54 may include a plurality of chambers or reservoirs fluidly coupled to the treatment chamber 32 for receiving doses of different treatment chemicals. The treatment chemical dispenser 54 may be implemented as a dispensing drawer that is slidably received within the cabinet 14 or within a separate dispenser housing that may be disposed in the cabinet 14. The treatment chemical dispenser 54 is movable between a filling position, in which the treatment chemical dispenser 54 is outside the cabinet 14 and may be filled with treatment chemical, and a dispensing position, in which the treatment chemical dispenser 54 is inside the cabinet 14.

Non-limiting examples of treatment chemicals that may be dispensed by the dispensing assembly during an operating cycle include one or more of the following: water, detergents, surfactants, enzymes, fragrances, stiffening/sizing agents, de-wrinkling/de-wrinkling agents, softeners, antistatic or static agents, anti-fouling agents, water-proofing agents, energy-saving/energy extraction aids, antimicrobial agents, medicaments, vitamins, humectants, shrinkage inhibitors, and color retention agents, and combinations thereof. The treatment chemical may be in the form of a liquid, a powder, or any other suitable phase or state of matter.

In addition, the liquid supply assembly and treatment chemical dispenser 54 may be different from the configuration shown, such as by including other valves, conduits, wash aid dispensers, heaters, sensors (such as water level sensors and temperature sensors), and the like, to control the flow of treatment liquid through the laundry treatment appliance 10 and for introducing more than one type of detergent/wash aid.

A liquid recirculation and drain assembly may be provided with the laundry treatment appliance 10 for recirculating liquid from within the laundry holding assembly and draining liquid from the laundry treatment appliance 10. Liquid supplied into the tub 34 or the treatment chamber 32 through the water inlet 58 and/or the treatment chemical distributor 54 typically enters the space between the tub 34 and the basket 30 and may flow by gravity to the sump 60. More specifically, the sump 60 may be located in and partially formed by the bottom of the tub 34, and the liquid recirculation assembly may be configured to recirculate the treatment liquid from the sump 60 onto the top of the load of clothes located in the treatment chamber 32.

The pump 62 may be housed under the tub 34 and may have an inlet fluidly coupled with the sump 60 and an outlet configured to fluidly couple to and direct liquid to one or both of a household drain 64, which may drain liquid from the laundry treatment appliance 10, or a recirculation conduit 66. In this configuration, the pump 62 may be used to drain or recirculate the wash water in the sump 60. As shown, the recirculation conduit 66 may be fluidly coupled with the processing chamber 32 such that it supplies liquid from the recirculation conduit 66 into the open top of the basket 30. The recirculation conduit 66 may introduce liquid into the basket 30 in any suitable manner, such as by spraying, dripping, or providing a steady stream of liquid. In this manner, liquid, with or without treatment chemicals, provided to the tub 34 may be recirculated into the treatment chamber 32 for treating the laundry therein. The liquid recirculation and drain assembly may include other types of recirculation assemblies.

It is noted that the drive assembly, suspension assembly, liquid supply assembly, recirculation and drain assembly, and dispensing assembly shown are shown for exemplary purposes only and are not limited to the assemblies shown in the figures and described above. For example, the liquid supply assembly and recirculation and pump assembly may differ from the configuration shown in fig. 1, such as by including other valves, conduits, sensors (such as level and temperature sensors), etc. to control the flow of liquid through the laundry treatment appliance 10 and for introducing more than one type of treatment chemical. For example, the liquid supply assembly may be configured to supply liquid into the interior of the basket 30 or into the interior of the barrel 34 not occupied by the basket 30, such that liquid may be supplied directly to the barrel 34 without traveling through the basket 30. In another example, the liquid supply assembly may include a single valve for controlling the flow of water from a household water source. In another example, the recirculation and pump assembly may include two separate pumps for recirculation and discharge, rather than a single pump 62 as previously described.

The laundry treatment appliance 10, and in particular the liquid supply assembly and/or the recirculation and drain assembly, may be provided with a heating assembly (not shown) which may include one or more devices for heating the laundry, such as part of an operating cycle, and/or heating the liquid supplied to the treatment chamber 32, for example a steam generator which may be any suitable type of steam generator, such as a flow-through steam generator or a canister steam generator and/or a sump heater. Alternatively, the sump heater may be used to also generate steam in place of or in addition to the steam generator. In one example, the heating assembly may include a heating element disposed in the sump 60 to heat the liquid collected in the sump 60. Alternatively, the heating assembly may include an in-line heater that heats the liquid as it flows through the liquid supply assembly, the dispensing and/or the recirculation assembly.

The laundry treatment appliance 10 may also include a control assembly (shown herein as a controller 70) for controlling operation of the laundry treatment appliance 10 and coupled with various working components of the laundry treatment appliance 10 to control operation of the working components and implement one or more operational treatment cycles. The control assembly may include a controller 70 located within the cabinet 14 and a user interface 26 operatively coupled with the controller 70. The user interface 26 may provide input and output functions for the controller 70.

The user interface 26 may include one or more knobs, dials, switches, displays, touch screens, etc. for communicating with a user, such as to receive input and provide output. For example, the display may include any suitable communication technology, including Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs), Light Emitting Diode (LED) arrays, or any suitable display that may communicate information to a user. The user may enter different types of information including, but not limited to, loop selections and loop parameters, such as loop options. Other communication paths and methods may also be included in the laundry treatment appliance 10 and may allow the controller 70 to communicate with the user in a variety of ways. For example, the controller 70 may be configured to send a text message to the user, send an email to the user, or provide audio information to the user through the laundry treatment appliance 10 or with another device, such as a mobile phone.

The controller 70 may include a machine controller and any additional controllers provided for controlling any components of the laundry treatment appliance 10. For example, the controller 70 may include a machine controller and a motor controller. Many known types of controllers may be used for controller 70. It is contemplated that the controller is a microprocessor-based controller that implements control software and sends and receives one or more electrical signals to and from each of the various operational components to implement the control software. For example, proportional control (P), proportional integral control (PI) and proportional derivative control (PD), or a combination thereof, proportional integral derivative control (PID) may be used to control various components of the laundry treatment appliance 10.

Referring now to fig. 2, a laundry treatment appliance 10 as described herein allows a user to customize the laundry treatment appliance 10 to treat a load of laundry or a load to be treated. For example, the laundry treatment appliance 10 may be utilized and operated in one of at least two different configurations, each using a different type of laundry mover 100, which may be selected based on the treatment needs of the user. The aspects of the laundry treatment appliance 10 described herein allow a user to selectively assemble and disassemble the agitator 150, which may be considered to form the second laundry mover, and the impeller 120, which may be considered to be the first laundry mover, to configure the laundry treatment appliance 10 in one of two configurations. The user may customize the laundry mover 100 based on the user's personal preferences, based on the amount and/or type of mechanical action implemented by the different configurations of the laundry mover 100, and/or based on characteristics of the articles of clothing to be treated, including, by way of non-limiting example, the amount of articles of clothing to be treated, the size of articles of clothing to be treated, the soil level of the articles of clothing, the amount and/or type of mechanical energy to be applied to the articles of clothing, the fabric type of the articles of clothing (e.g., whether the clothing is delicate or rough), and the fill level of the liquid during treatment.

The laundry treatment appliance 10 may be configured in a first configuration, shown by way of example as configuration a as shown, and also as shown in fig. 1, by assembling the agitator 150 with the impeller 120 within the laundry treatment appliance 10. In configuration A, a user may select to use the garment mover 100 including the agitator 150 to treat a load of garments. Such a configuration, such as configuration a, may be useful if the user wishes to implement a treatment mode using agitator-based washing, such as for imparting a significant or substantial amount of mechanical action to particularly dirty clothing items, or if the user wishes to perform deep water washing, or based on any other preference (such as personal preference) of the user for the laundry mover 100 and the agitator 150.

In another example, the laundry treatment appliance 10 may also be configured in the second configuration by merely assembling the impeller 120 within the laundry treatment appliance 10 and detaching or removing the agitator 150, shown by way of example as configuration B as shown. In configuration B, the user chooses to use a garment mover 100 having a lower profile impeller 120 and not including the agitator 150 or any similar agitator post. Such a configuration as configuration B may be useful if the user wishes to implement a treatment mode using impeller-based washing, such as for low water level washing, for milder washing (where lower mechanical action is imparted to the clothing items), or for washing large items that may get tangled around the agitator 150, such as blankets or long scarves. When vertically oriented clothes movers 100 exist, such as configuration a including the agitator 150, large, bulky articles of clothing often do not fit well into the basket 30. Thus, a user may selectively configure the laundry treatment appliance 10 to use only the impeller 120 as shown in configuration B without the agitator 150 extending upwardly into the treatment chamber 32 for treating large and/or cumbersome loads or implementing a low water level treatment mode, for example or based on another preference of the user (such as personal preference).

The components of the laundry treatment appliance 10 are configured to allow a user to configure and reconfigure the laundry treatment appliance 10 into either of the agitator 150 configuration a and the impeller 120 configuration B as desired. The user may select either configuration a or B based on personal preferences of the particular type of garment mover 100 utilizing either configuration a or B over the other, the desired operating cycle to be implemented, and/or the characteristics of the article of clothing or the load of clothing.

Turning now to the process or method of configuring or reconfiguring the laundry treatment appliance 100 to operate the laundry treatment appliance 10 and to utilize configuration a in which the agitator 150 is present in the laundry treatment appliance 10, a user may assemble the agitator 150 into the laundry treatment appliance 10, such as by coupling or assembling the agitator 150 to the impeller 120 to form the laundry treatment appliance 100. The user may then implement a cycle of operation for a load of laundry using the laundry treatment appliance 10 in a conventional manner. Configuration a will include impeller 120 when agitator 150 is configured to be at least partially supported by impeller 120. Optionally, configuration a need not include impeller 120 if agitator 150 does not require impeller 120 for support, such as when agitator 150 may be supported by basket 30. In this alternative configuration a, the impeller 120 need not be present and the garment mover 100 may be used with only the agitator 150.

To operate the laundry treatment appliance 10 and utilize configuration B in which only impeller 120 is present in the laundry treatment appliance 10, a user detaches or detaches the removable agitator 150 from the impeller 120 and removes it from the laundry treatment appliance 10, and assembles the impeller 120 within the basket 30. To assemble impeller 120 within basket 30, agitator 150 may be configured to be decoupled from impeller 120 while impeller 120 remains coupled to drive assembly 40 and motor 41. The user may then implement a cycle of operation for a load of laundry using the laundry treatment appliance 10 in a conventional manner. The impeller 120 is configured to operate as a configuration B garment mover 100 during an operating cycle that is different from configuration a garment mover 100 and independent of the agitator 150. In this manner, the laundry treatment appliance 10 may be selectively reconfigured by a user between the first configuration and the second configuration as shown to utilize two different laundry movers 100.

Further, to configure or reconfigure the laundry treatment appliance 10 from the first configuration (configuration a) to the second configuration (configuration B), the user removes or detaches the agitator 150 and sets it aside. Optionally, the laundry treatment appliance 10 may be configured to facilitate storage of the removable agitator 150 when not in use. For example, the laundry treatment appliance 10 may include a storage element, such as a hook, clip, hanger, or hanger bar, that suspends the removable agitator 150 from the laundry treatment appliance 10. In another example, the storage element may be in the form of a shelf, drawer, or cavity configured to support the removable whisk 150. In another aspect of the present disclosure, a companion laundry dryer or laundry module may include a storage element configured to store the removable agitator 150.

Referring now to fig. 3, the agitator 750 is coupled to the impeller 720 using a bayonet mount type connection to form the laundry mover 700. The agitator 750 includes a grip portion (shown herein as a handle portion 751 at an upper end of the agitator 750). The handle portion 751 may facilitate user insertion, removal, and storage of the agitator 750 by providing a convenient handle for a user to hold and rotate the agitator 750 as desired. The blender 750 also includes a handle pull lock column 753 disposed within the interior of the blender 750 such that the lock column 753 nests within the blender 750. The locking column 753 can include a handle pull portion 757 positioned such that a user can simultaneously grip the handle portion 751 of the blender 750 and the handle pull portion 757 of the locking column 753. The locking column 753 further defines at least one pin 759 projecting downwardly from a lower end of the locking column 753. The at least one pin 759 can be considered to form a portion of the first connector 752. The locking column 753 is movable within and relative to the agitator 750, for example, such that the locking column 753 can slide vertically within and relative to the agitator 750 between a lower locking position and a raised position. A biasing element (shown herein as a handle pull spring 761) extends between the handle portion 751 and the handle pull portion 757 to bias the locking column 753 downward from the handle portion 751 when uncompressed by a user.

Fig. 4 shows the second connector 722 including at least one channel 732 configured to receive at least one pin 756 carried by the first connector 752. At least one pin 759 (shown herein as a plurality of pins 759) can project downward from the locking column 753, and thus also from the agitator 750, adjacent to the at least one pin 756. In one example, the

pins

759 and 756 can be arranged in an alternating manner such that the pins 759 are received between the pins 756. The second connector 722 may further define at least one locking opening 737, which may be disposed in a bottom wall of the second connector 722. The second connector 722 optionally includes a biasing element (such as at least one spring) within the sleeve 726 that is compressed within the socket 726 when the agitator 750 is coupled with the impeller 720, as shown in fig. 3.

To assemble the laundry mover 700, the agitator 750 is aligned with the impeller 720 such that the at least one pin 756 is aligned with the at least one opening 734 of the channel 732. It is contemplated that a user may hold agitator 750 via handle portion 751 during insertion of agitator 750 into impeller 720. Further, the user can also simultaneously grip the handle pull portion 757 of the lock column 753, compressing the handle pull spring 761 and holding the lock column 753 in the raised position. The agitator 750 is moved toward the impeller 720 as indicated by arrow 738 to insert the first connector 752 into the second connector 722. When the first connector 752 is inserted into the second connector 722, the pin 756 travels into the channel 732. The locking column 753 can be held in the raised position by a user gripping on the handle pull portion 757 and the handle portion 751. The agitator 750 is then rotated, as indicated by arrow 740, to move the pin 756 into the locking portion 736 of the channel 732, as shown in FIG. 4. In one example, at least one locking opening 737 may be positioned below locking portion 736 of channel 732. Further, the first connector 752 and the second connector 722 can be positioned and sized such that the locking column 753 must remain in a raised position to prevent the pin 759 from protruding downward beyond the pin 756 and for the agitator 750 to rotate as shown by arrow 740.

As shown in FIG. 5, agitator 750 is coupled to impeller 720 with pin 756 engaging locking portion 736 of channel 732. The locking column 753 is still set in the raised position so that pin 759 does not extend downwardly beyond pin 756. When agitator 750 is coupled to impeller 720, a biasing element (such as a spring) of impeller 720 biases agitator 750 away from impeller 720, facilitating retention of pin 756 in locking portion 736. The biasing element exerts a force that presses the agitator 750, and thus the pin 756, upwardly, which presses the pin 756 upwardly against the wall forming the locking portion 736. Biasing the pin 756 against the wall of the locking portion 736 can inhibit the agitator 750 from inadvertently rotating relative to the impeller 720 during an operating cycle to a position where the pin 756 is aligned with the channel opening 734, which can result in inadvertent separation of the agitator 750 from the impeller 720.

Referring now to fig. 6, and to further inhibit inadvertent rotation of agitator 750 relative to impeller 720 during an operating cycle, once agitator 750 has been rotated to move pins 756 into locking portion 736, pins 759 of locking column 753 overlie and align with locking opening 737. The user can release the handle pull portion 757 and the handle portion 751, allowing the handle pull spring 761 to bias the locking column 753 downward. When the handle pull spring 761 biases the locking column 753 downwardly, the pin 759 moves downwardly for insertion and receipt within the locking opening 737. When the pin 759 is received within the lock opening 737, unintended rotation of the agitator 750 with respect to the impeller 720 during an operating cycle is inhibited. In addition, the engagement between pin 756 and locking portion 736 prevents accidental vertical movement of agitator 750 relative to impeller 720.

To disengage the agitator 750 from the impeller 720, the user can again grip the agitator 750 via the handle portion 751, and can also grip the handle pull portion 757 of the locking column 753 and compress the handle pull spring 761 to hold the locking column 753 in the raised position, thereby withdrawing the pin 759 from the locking opening 737 to allow rotational movement of the agitator 750. The agitator 750 may then be rotated in a direction opposite to arrow 740 of fig. 4 until the pin 756 is no longer aligned with the locking portion 736, but rather is aligned with the at least one opening 734 of the channel 732. When the pin 756 is aligned with the at least one opening 734, the agitator 750 may be withdrawn in a direction opposite to arrow 738 of FIG. 4.

Fig. 7-28 depict an embodiment of a removable blender 850 having a removable fluid pumping and filtering apparatus. Fig. 7 is a side view of removable agitator 850 coupled to impeller 120, shown in a first radial position about its longitudinal axis. Fig. 8 is a side view of the removable agitator 850 of fig. 7, shown in a second radial position about its longitudinal axis. Fig. 9 is a side view of the removable agitator 850 of fig. 7, shown in a first radial position about its longitudinal axis, separated from the impeller 120. Fig. 10 is a side view of the removable agitator 850 of fig. 7, shown in a second radial position about its longitudinal axis, separated from the impeller 120. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the removable agitator 850 of FIG. 7, shown from a lower vantage point, separated from the impeller 120. Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the removable agitator 850 of fig. 7, shown from an upper vantage point, separated from the impeller 120. Fig. 13 is a bottom view of removable agitator 850 of fig. 7, separated from impeller 120. Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the removable agitator 850 of fig. 7 coupled to the impeller 120.

Referring to fig. 7-14, agitator 850 may include a handle section 751 (also referred to herein as handle section 751) and filter section 802. The bottom of the handle section 751 can be attached to the top of the filter section 802, and the bottom of the filter section 802 can be selectively coupled to the impeller 120, as discussed above. The handle section 751 may have a generally cylindrical shape and in some examples may taper inwardly, generally decreasing in diameter from a lower base of the handle section 751 to a top end of the handle section 751. As described above, handle portion 751 may facilitate insertion and removal of stirrer 850 by providing a user with a convenient handle to hold and rotate stirrer 850 as desired. Blender 850 also includes a handle pull locking column 753 that is disposed within the interior of blender 850 such that locking column 753 nests within blender 850. The locking column 753 can include a handle pull portion 757 positioned such that a user can simultaneously grip the handle portion 751 of the blender 850 and the handle pull portion 757 of the locking column 753. At least one first pin 759 (shown herein as a plurality of first pins 759) protrudes downwardly from the locking column 753, and thus also from the agitator 850, adjacent to the at least one second pin 756. In one example, the first pins 759 and the second pins 756 can be arranged in an alternating manner such that the first pins 759 are received between the second pins 756.

The filter section 802 may also have a generally cylindrical shape and may define a hollow interior. As shown, the filter section 802 has a closed bottom, a generally cylindrical side, and an open top. In some examples, filter section 802 may taper inwardly, generally decreasing in diameter from handle portion 751 to the bottom end of filter section 802 connected to impeller 120.

The filter section 802 may further define a lower water opening 804 to allow water to flow out of the interior space of the agitator 850. In one example, the lower water openings 804 may be formed as an array of evenly spaced slots extending horizontally or longitudinally around a portion of the exterior of the filter section 802. The slots may be sized large enough to provide water flow, but small enough to prevent fabric items from passing through or snapping into the lower water openings 804. It should be noted that this is just one example, and that the lower water openings 804 may take on different configurations, such as slots extending circumferentially around the filter section 802, a series of evenly spaced circular openings, a mesh, and so forth.

Filter section 802 may also include a configuration of vanes 806 for generating the necessary hydrodynamic pressure to support flow through the filtering apparatus. In addition, the vertical length of agitator 850, in combination with blade 806, may impart mechanical action to the laundry articles, which provides improved cleaning performance and may be suitable for particularly dirty loads. As shown, exemplary filter section 802 includes three equally spaced vertical vanes 806 extending radially outward from the cylindrical body of filter section 802. However, it should be noted that other numbers or arrangements of blades 806 may additionally or alternatively be used.

Filter section 802 may also house a removable filter 808. The filter section 802 may have a corresponding opening around its outer circumference into which a removable filter 808 may be attached. The removable filter 808 may be formed such that when the removable filter 808 is fully inserted into the filter section 802, the cylindrical front face of the filter section 802 may be flush with the exterior of the removable filter 808 to substantially continue around the cylindrical exterior of the filter section 802.

Fig. 15 is a front view of a removable filter of the removable agitator 850 of fig. 7. Fig. 16 is a rear view of a removable filter of the removable agitator 850 of fig. 7. Fig. 17 is a side view of a removable filter of the removable agitator 850 of fig. 7. Fig. 18 is a top view of a removable filter of the removable agitator 850 of fig. 7. Fig. 19 is a bottom view of a removable filter of the removable agitator 850 of fig. 7. FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a removable filter of the removable agitator 850 of FIG. 7, shown in a closed state. FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a removable filter of the removable blender 850 of FIG. 7, shown in an open state. FIG. 22 is a side perspective view of the removable filter of removable blender 850 of FIG. 7, shown in an open state.

Referring collectively to fig. 15-22, the removable filter 808 may include a front 810 and a back 812. When installed in filter section 802, front portion 810 may face outward, while rear portion 812 may face the substantially hollow interior of removable agitator 850.

The front portion 810 may have a curved front face 814, a bottom face 818, and parallel side faces 816 that extend inward from the inside of the front face 814 to selectively enclose a space against a back face 820 and a top face 822 of the back portion 812. The front portion 810 and the back portion 812 may be attached to each other by one or more hinges 824. As shown, the hinge 824 is formed by the front 810 and back 812 at the bottom end via the bottom 818 and back 820 to allow the front 810 and back 812 to pivot open from the bottom. The top surface 822 of the back portion 812 can define one or more recesses 826 into which snaps 828 of the parallel side surfaces 816 can fit to lock the filter 808 into the closed state. The removable filter 808 is shown in a closed state in fig. 15-20, and in an open state in fig. 21-22.

The curved front face of the front portion 810 may define a plurality of water inlets 830. These water inlets 830 are shown as an array of evenly spaced slots extending horizontally or longitudinally around the exterior of the front portion 810. The slots may be sized large enough to provide water flow, but small enough to prevent fabric items from passing through or snapping into water inlet 830. It should be noted that this is just one example, and that the water inlet 830 may take on different configurations, such as a slot extending circumferentially around the front 810 of the removable filter 808, a series of evenly spaced circular openings, a mesh, and so forth.

The rear 812 may also define a plurality of rear water openings 832. These rear water openings 832 are shown as an array of evenly spaced generally rectangular openings extending horizontally around the face of the rear portion 812. A fine filter material may cover the rear water openings 832 to help filter pet hair and particles from the wash water.

Fig. 23 is a side cross-sectional view of a removable agitator. Fig. 24 is a cross-sectional view of the upper portion of the removable mixer of fig. 7. Fig. 25 is a cross-sectional view of the lower portion of the removable mixer of fig. 7. FIG. 26 is a perspective view of the handle pull locking post of the removable mixer of FIG. 7. FIG. 27 is a side view of a lower portion of the handle pull lock post of the removable mixer of FIG. 7. Fig. 28 is a side cross-sectional view of water flow within the removable mixer of fig. 7, shown in a radial position about its longitudinal axis 180 degrees from the rotation shown in fig. 7.

Removable filter 808 may be configured for selective attachment to and removal from filter section 802. To this end, the front portion 810 may define a tab 834 at its lower end to fit into a recess 836 of the filter segment 802 (as best shown in fig. 25), while the top of the front portion 810 may define a snap connector 838 configured to hold the filter segment 802 in place against an outer surface of the filter segment 802 (as best shown in fig. 24).

In addition to defining a handle pull portion 757 at the upper end of the handle pull lock 753 and defining a pin 759 projecting downwardly from the lower end of the lock column 753, the handle pull lock column 753 may further define an impeller 840 (as first shown in FIG. 23). An impeller 840 may be formed at a lower section of the handle pull lock column 753 above the pin 759, and may provide internal pumping of wash water within the filter section 802. In the illustrated example, the impeller 840 can define four equally spaced blades that extend laterally outward from the main shaft of the handle pull lock column 753. It should be noted that this is merely an example and that more, fewer or different arrangements of blades may be used. The impeller 840 may also define upwardly facing generally conical surfaces between the blades of the impeller 840 to further assist in directing the water flow through the filter section 802.

Referring more particularly to fig. 28, a flow 842 of water through removable agitator 850 is shown. This water flow 842 may be observed during the wash cycle operation of the laundry treatment appliance. As the removable agitator 805 rotates relative to the basket 30 during the wash cycle, the blades 806 and handle of the filter section 802 pull the impeller 840 of the locking column 753 to provide agitation to keep the water flow 842 moving through the removable agitator 850.

As shown, a flow 842 of water from the basket 30 enters the water inlet 830 of the front 810 of the removable filter 808. The water flow 842 then passes through the inner chamber formed between the front 810 and rear 812 of the removable filter 808 and through the mesh of rear water openings 832 and out of the rear 812 into the interior of the filter section 802. In doing so, pet hair and other particles are retained in the removable filter 808. The water flow 842 inside the filter section 802 is then directed by the surface of the impeller 840 and may flow out through the lower water openings 804 back into the basket 30.

When the wash cycle is complete, agitator 850 may be removed from basket 30 and removable filter 808 may be detached, opened, cleaned, or replaced from filter section 802. The removable filter 808 may then be reinserted into the filter section 802 and the agitator 850 may be replaced into the laundry treatment appliance to perform an additional wash cycle.

While exemplary embodiments are described above, these embodiments are not intended to describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. In addition, features of various implemented embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.

Claims

1. A removable fluid pumping and filtering device for a laundry treatment machine comprising:

a handle portion;

a filter section configured to be selectively coupled to a base of the laundry treatment machine, the filter section defining

The hollow interior is formed by a hollow inner portion,

a lower water opening allowing water to flow out of the hollow interior, an

A side opening around an outer circumference of the filter section, a removable filter being selectively attachable into the side opening; and

a handle-pull locking post disposed within the hollow interior of the device, including a handle-pull portion at a top end for gripping the handle portion and at least one pin at a bottom end configured to selectively lock the device into the base.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the handle portion comprises an area for holding and rotating the removable fluid pumping and filtering device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a bottom of the handle portion is attached to a top of the filter section, and the bottom of the filter section is selectively coupleable to the base of the laundry treatment machine.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the filter section has a generally cylindrical shape that decreases in diameter generally from the handle portion to the bottom end of the filter section that is connected to the base.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lower water openings are formed as an array of evenly spaced slots extending horizontally or longitudinally around a water delivery portion of the exterior of the filter section.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the filter section further comprises a configured vane about the outer circumference for transferring mechanical energy to the clothing article during an operating cycle.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the removable filter is formed such that when the removable filter is fully inserted into the filter section, a cylindrical front face of the filter section is flush with an exterior of the removable filter to substantially continue around a cylindrical exterior of the filter section.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the removable filter comprises a front portion and a rear portion, the front portion having a curved front face, a bottom face, and parallel side faces extending inwardly from an inner side of the front face to selectively enclose a space against a back face and a top face of the rear portion.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the curved front face defines a plurality of water inlets around an exterior of the front portion.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the rear portion defines a plurality of rear water openings extending around the rear face of the rear portion.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein a filter material covers the rear water opening to aid in filtering pet hair and particles from the wash water.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the front portion defines a tab at a lower end thereof to fit into a recess of the filter segment, and a top of the front portion defines a snap connector configured to hold the filter segment in place against an outer surface of the filter segment.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the handle pull lock post defines an impeller formed at a lower section of the handle pull lock post to provide internal pumping of wash water within the filter section.

14. A removable filter for attachment to a removable fluid pumping and filtering device of a laundry treatment machine, comprising:

a front portion; and

at the rear part of the body, a rear part,

the front portion has a curved front face, a bottom face, and parallel side faces extending inwardly from an inner side of the front face to selectively enclose a space against the back and top faces of the rear portion.

15. The removable filter of claim 14 wherein the curved front face defines a plurality of water inlets around an exterior of the front portion.

16. The removable filter of claim 14 wherein the rear portion defines a plurality of rear water openings extending around the rear face of the rear portion.

17. The removable filter of claim 16 wherein a filter material covers the rear water opening to aid in filtering pet hair and particles from wash water.

18. The removable filter of claim 14, wherein the front portion defines a tab at a lower end thereof to fit into a recess of a filter section of the device, and a top of the front portion defines a snap connector configured to hold the filter section in place against an outer surface of the filter section.

19. A method for filtering wash water in a laundry treatment machine, comprising:

rotating a removable fluid pumping and filtering apparatus relative to a basket during a wash cycle, the apparatus defining a hollow interior, a water opening allowing water to flow out of the hollow interior, and a side opening around an outer circumference of the apparatus, a removable filter being selectively attachable to the side opening,

causing a flow of water through the removable filter into the hollow interior and out of the water opening, wherein pet hair and other particles are retained in the removable filter.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising: detecting the removable filter from the apparatus for cleaning or replacement.