Did Haier buy the Maytag patent?

[golittlesport]

This top loading Haier HE washer looks just like a Maytag inside...except for the extra tub door.

Haier top load washer

Designed for South Asian market, this Haier top load washing machine employs a groundbreaking touch sensor control for simple and intuitive handling of this top Read More

www.appliancist.com

 

[Brent-Aucoin]

Very Interesting Rich!
Brent

 

[vintagesearch]

how interesting....yes they did buy or use the maytag design im glad someone revived it!

 

[frigilux]

It certainly looks like the Maytag TL Neptune, but where's the fill flume in the lid? That was a prominent feature on the 'Tag.

 

[golittlesport]

There appears to be a dispenser system in the top lid. You can sort of see it behind the open inner lid. I wonder if this machine will operate with just the inner window lid closed...that would be cool to watch the action and not get splashed!

 

[vivalalavatrice]

What else....

appliances producers have to throw out of their minds always to avoid the horizontal axis?

I've never understood (and never will understand) why that missed tipology like the top loading horizontal axis should not be developed, improved, got in market more convinced that is the only manner to keep the top loading convenience with the tumbling action washing of horizontal axis efficiency.

Thouhg this is a very good design machine, I like that transparent porthole which allow you to look inside opening th drum without getting dropped :-DD

Bye
Diomede

 

[commodorejohn]

I inquired with Customer Service at MAYTAG awhile back about the design and manufacture of the Neptune TL. Was it actually a MAYTAG or a joint design with HAIER? I received an E-mail response from them stating that although Maytag(Whirlpool) is a "world Company" and contracts with other manufacturers for different washers, they were unable to provide me with "specifics" about the Neptune TL other than it was assembled in (I believe they said )"South Carolina". They said the life expectancy of the machine was approx 12 years, and assured me parts would be available for that length of time. You can make your own determination from that, but I will say both machines are incredibly similar!

 

[launderess]

Top Loading

Washers probably aren't on major American appliance makers radar (aside from the oft spoken of but yet seen Equator model), for many reasons.

First, unless a European brand such as Miele, Asko, or AEG decides to give up patent rights and or certain patents have lapsed, R&D cost for a totally new washer would be huge, with no promise of making a profit.

By and large top loading H-Axis machines sold in Europe and elsewhere outside the United States, tend to hold rather small capacity, 5kg to 6kg. As many European makers of washing machines found out the hard way, Americans by and large do not subscribe to doing laundry daily or even more than once a week (if that). Rather they want large machines that handle big loads all at once. It is going to take some good R&D to come up with a large H-Axis top loader that is safe, reliable and stable. There have been and still are large top loading h-axis washing machines sold for commercial use in the United States. However, such units require bolting down, and for the most part have low extraction.

Finally there is the safety and liability issue. Americans love to sue anything that moves, and the old style of H-Axis units with outer tubs that pinched, snapped and or otherwise closed before the lid was shut brings not only design problems, especially for those with motor problems, and of course children, but the real issue of a lawsuit if a consumer looses fingers, or some how is injured. Again many European units have moved towards single door style H-Axis machines, but those designs may be under patent.

Whirlpool, IIRC patented a H-Axis unit sometime ago, but nothing ever came of the thing.

 

[MrX]

Almost all European machines have single door H-Axis designs, the only exception to this is Asko which is a rather unusual design of machine and quite a rarity.

All European machines fully lock the porthole door either by menas of a bi-metalic switch controlled lock on cheaper models (the systems that require you to wait for up to 2 mins after the wash) or, by means of an electromechanical electronically controlled lock (seen on Miele, the Hotpoint-Ariston Aqaltis and quite a few other machines). These allow you to open the washing machine only if it's safe to do so i.e. only if the water is not above the door level and the washing is not more than 50C and there is no mechanical action going on. Otherwise, the door remains firmly locked shut.

In fact, many US machines would fail EU consumer safety legislation on the basis that it's possible to open the machine while it's in operation. The door interlock systems would have to be a lot tougher.

I'd suspect if H-axis US style machines were more main stream in Europe they would have a glass porthole with an electronic lock on the top of the machine that would remain locked down during the entire wash.

The normal European machines all have a rubber bellows seal between the outer tub and the door, which allows the drum to move while maintaining a water tight seal. This design is decades old at this stage and has proven to be very reilable and free from problems.

Asko's double door design seems to be setup in such a way that it's impossible to be injured by it. However, i would agree I don't like the design as I think it could potentially be dangerous for kids.

Dyson's double door required both doors to be shut before the machine would start.

The 5kg design was constrained by the standarisation of kitchen applainces in europe in to a single 'block' type unit. In the last 10 years we've seen most manufacturers hit 8kg and even 9kg without expanding beyond the standard design form.

I think the issue in the US is more one of marketing than anything else. US consumers are simply used to big bulky washing machines, even if a standard European sized machine with a 8 or indeed a 9kg capacity were sold on the market over there it would more than likely be considered too small, simply because of the size of the outer case.

The major marketing drive in Europe tends to be about style and integration into cabnetry. People like the idea of a slick looking machine that fits under a countertop as traditionally they're installed that way. Most utility rooms here look more like a small kitchen with a counter top and kitchen style cabinets installed etc.

And it's still quite common to install a washing machine or dryer in the kitchen.

In smaller homes and apartments, the washing machine and dryer are increasingly fully integrated and hidden behind a door in the kitchen cabnets.

 

[launderess]

That Is All Fine and Well

But we are discussing top (side)loading "H" Axis washer/extractors.

Cannot think of any front loading washing machine sold in the United States that does not have some method of locking the door when the unit powers on. As you stated correctly, the range runs various systems and methods, but the result is the same.

It does seem most side loading "H" Axis units sold commercially in the United States, at least modern ones have single door designs, rather than old outer door and door on cylinder of old.