Patent Application
20230104087
The present subject matter relates generally to washing machine appliances, and more particularly to methods for operating washing machine appliances, and washing machine appliances that perform such methods.
Washing machine appliances generally include a tub for containing wash liquid, e.g., water, detergent, and/or bleach, during operation of such washing machine appliances. A wash basket is rotatably mounted within the wash tub and defines a wash chamber for receipt of articles for washing, and an agitation element is rotatably mounted within the wash basket. Washing machine appliances are typically equipped to operate in one or more modes or cycles, such as wash, rinse, and spin cycles. For example, during a wash or rinse cycle, the wash fluid is directed into the wash tub in order to wash and/or rinse articles within the wash chamber. In addition, the wash basket and/or the agitation element can rotate at various speeds to agitate or impart motion to articles within the wash chamber, to wring wash fluid from articles within the wash chamber, etc.
A wash operation in a washing machine appliance may be interrupted or terminated prematurely for a variety of reasons. For example, a load of articles in the wash basket may be out of balance, the supply of electrical power to the washing machine appliance may be interrupted, or a user may manually interrupt the wash operation. As another example, the spin cycle may be paused, e.g., in response to an out of balance condition, and restarted without reaching a terminal or preferred rotational speed (such as the preferred speed to maximize moisture extraction from the articles) or the spin cycle may be otherwise limited or prevented from reaching or sustaining the terminal or preferred rotational speed. Such instances may result in diminished spin performance, e.g., excessive remaining moisture content after the wash operation is completed. Thus, the laundry articles may include a remaining moisture content and/or residual detergent that would be desirable to remove after the wash operation is completed or otherwise terminated.
Accordingly, a washing machine appliance including features and control algorithms for detecting an early termination or poor spin performance would be useful. Further, washing machine appliance including features and control algorithms that include a spin cycle in response to the detected early termination or poor spin performance would be particularly beneficial.
Aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be apparent from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.
In one exemplary embodiment, a method of operating a washing machine appliance is provided. The washing machine appliance includes a cabinet, a wash tub mounted within the cabinet and configured for containing fluid during operation of the washing machine appliance, and a wash basket rotatably mounted within the wash tub. The wash basket defines a wash chamber configured for receiving laundry articles. The method includes performing a wash operation on laundry articles received in the wash chamber of the wash basket. The method also includes determining that a remaining moisture content of the laundry articles after the wash operation is above a threshold and performing a spin cycle in response to the remaining moisture content of the laundry articles before a beginning of a subsequent wash operation.
In another exemplary embodiment, a washing machine appliance is provided. The washing machine appliance includes a cabinet, a wash tub mounted within the cabinet and configured for containing fluid during operation of the washing machine appliance, and a wash basket rotatably mounted within the wash tub. The wash basket defines a wash chamber configured for receiving laundry articles. The washing machine appliance further includes a controller. The washing machine appliance is configured for performing a wash operation on laundry articles received in the wash chamber of the wash basket. The washing machine appliance is also configured for determining, by the controller of the washing machine appliance, that a remaining moisture content of the laundry articles after the wash operation is above a threshold. The washing machine appliance is further configured for performing a spin cycle in response to the remaining moisture content of the laundry articles before a beginning of a subsequent wash operation.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures.
Repeat use of reference characters in the present specification and drawings is intended to represent the same or analogous features or elements of the present invention.
Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
As used herein, terms of approximation, such as “generally,” or “about” include values within ten percent greater or less than the stated value. When used in the context of an angle or direction, such terms include within ten degrees greater or less than the stated angle or direction. For example, “generally vertical” includes directions within ten degrees of vertical in any direction, e.g., clockwise or counter-clockwise.
As used herein, the terms “clothing” or “clothes” includes but need not be limited to fabrics, textiles, garments, linens, papers, or other items from which the extraction of moisture is desirable. Furthermore, the term “load” or “laundry load” refers to the combination of clothing that may be washed together in a washing machine or dried together in a dryer appliance (e.g., clothes dryer) and may include a mixture of different or similar articles of clothing of different or similar types and kinds of fabrics, textiles, garments and linens within a particular laundering process.
An inlet or spout 72 is configured for directing a flow of fluid into wash tub 64. The spout 72 may be a part of a fluid circulation system of the washing machine appliance, such as an inlet of the fluid circulation system. In particular, inlet 72 may be positioned at or adjacent top portion 80 of wash basket 70. Inlet 72 may be in fluid communication with a water supply (not shown) in order to direct fluid (e.g., clean water) into wash tub 64 and/or onto articles within wash chamber 73 of wash basket 70. A valve 74 regulates the flow of fluid through inlet 72. For example, valve 74 can selectively adjust to a closed position in order to terminate or obstruct the flow of fluid through inlet 72. In some embodiments, the inlet 72 may be or include a drawer, such as a detergent drawer or additive drawer, through which water flows before flowing into the wash tub 64 and/or wash chamber 73. For example, in embodiments which include the drawer, the water may mix with an additive in the drawer, thereby creating a wash liquid comprising the water and the additive dissolved therein or intermixed therewith, and the wash liquid may then flow into the wash chamber 73 via the inlet 72 (which may be at least partially defined by, e.g., a wall or other portion of the drawer in such embodiments) after a certain liquid volume or level within the drawer has been reached.
A pump assembly 90 (shown schematically in
An agitation element 92, shown as an impeller in
Operation of washing machine appliance 50 is controlled by a processing device or controller 100, that is operatively coupled to the user interface input located on washing machine backsplash 56 for user manipulation to select washing machine cycles and features. In response to user manipulation of the user interface input, controller 100 operates the various components of washing machine appliance 50 to execute selected machine cycles and features.
Controller 100 may include a memory and microprocessor, such as a general or special purpose microprocessor operable to execute programming instructions or micro-control code associated with a cleaning cycle. The memory may represent random access memory such as DRAM, or read only memory such as ROM or FLASH. In one embodiment, the processor executes programming instructions stored in memory. The memory may be a separate component from the processor or may be included onboard within the processor. Alternatively, controller 100 may be constructed without using a microprocessor, e.g., using a combination of discrete analog and/or digital logic circuitry (such as switches, amplifiers, integrators, comparators, flip-flops, AND gates, and the like) to perform control functionality instead of relying upon software. Control panel 58 and other components of washing machine appliance 50 may be in communication with controller 100 via one or more signal lines or shared communication busses. It should be noted that controllers 100 as disclosed herein are capable of and may be operable to perform any methods and associated method steps as disclosed herein.
In an illustrative embodiment, laundry items are loaded into wash chamber 73 of wash basket 70, and washing operation is initiated through operator manipulation of control input selectors 60. Wash tub 64 is filled with water and mixed with detergent to form a wash liquid. Valve 74 can be opened to initiate a flow of water into wash tub 64 via inlet 72, and wash tub 64 can be filled to the appropriate level for the amount of articles being washed. Once wash tub 64 is properly filled with wash fluid, the contents of the wash basket 70 are agitated with agitation element 92 for cleaning of laundry items in wash basket 70. More specifically, agitation element 92 may be moved back and forth in an oscillatory motion. The wash fluid may be recirculated through the washing machine appliance 50 at various points in the wash cycle, such as before or during the agitation phase (as well as one or more other portions of the wash cycle, separately or in addition to before and/or during the agitation phase).
After the agitation phase of the wash cycle is completed, wash tub 64 is drained. Laundry articles can then be rinsed by again adding fluid to wash tub 64, depending on the particulars of the cleaning cycle selected by a user, agitation element 92 may again provide agitation within wash basket 70. One or more spin cycles may also be used. In particular, a spin cycle may be applied after the wash cycle and/or after the rinse cycle in order to wring wash fluid from the articles being washed. During a spin cycle, wash basket 70 is rotated at relatively high speeds. In various embodiments, the pump 90 may be activated to drain liquid from the washing machine appliance 50 during the entire drain phase (or the entirety of each drain phase, e.g., between the wash and rinse and/or between the rinse and the spin) and may be activated during one or more portions of the spin cycle.
While described in the context of a specific embodiment of washing machine appliance 50, using the teachings disclosed herein it will be understood that washing machine appliance 50 is provided by way of example only. Other washing machine appliances having different configurations (such as horizontal-axis washing machine appliances), different appearances, and/or different features may also be utilized with the present subject matter as well.
As may be seen in
As illustrated in
As illustrated at step 410 in
As illustrated at step 420 in
In some embodiments, the wash operation 300 may include a final spin cycle. In such embodiments, determining that the remaining moisture content of the laundry articles after the wash operation is above the threshold comprises determining that the wash operation terminated during the final spin cycle. In that case, the responsive spin cycle at step 420 of method 400 may be a drain and spin cycle. For example, the drain and spin cycle may include draining water from the tub, e.g., by activating the drain pump, and then rotating the wash basket at an extraction speed, such as a maximum extraction speed, to wring moisture from the articles therein, and the drain and spin cycle may not include adding any water or other additives to the wash basket or wash tub. Also in embodiments where the wash operation 300 includes the final spin cycle, determining that the remaining moisture content of the laundry articles after the wash operation is above the threshold may include determining that a maximum spin speed during the final spin cycle is less than a maximum extraction speed. As another example when the wash operation 300 includes the final spin cycle, determining that the remaining moisture content of the laundry articles after the wash operation is above the threshold may include determining that a time duration during which the maximum spin speed of the final spin cycle exceeded a maximum extraction speed is less than a predetermined time limit. For example, the method 400 may include, and/or the controller 100 may be configured for, determining whether the spin speed for the final spin cycle of the wash operation 300 did not get above X RPM (e.g., where X represents an extraction speed, such as max extraction speed) for longer than Y time (e.g., in minutes), where Y represents the predetermined time limit.
In some embodiments, the wash operation 300 may include a wash spin cycle. In such embodiments, determining that the remaining moisture content of the laundry articles after the wash operation is above the threshold may include determining that the wash operation terminated during the wash spin cycle. Thus, the spin cycle at step 420 in response to the remaining moisture content of the laundry articles may be a rinse and spin cycle. For example, the rinse and spin cycle may include adding a rinse volume of water to the wash tub prior to rotating the wash basket at an extraction speed, such as a maximum extraction speed. For example, the rinse and spin cycle may include adding the rinse volume, draining the wash tub after adding the rinse volume, and then rotating the wash basket after rinsing and draining.
In some embodiments, the wash operation 300 may include a rinse cycle. In such embodiments, the spin cycle of step 420 may be the rinse and spin cycle when the wash operation 300 terminates prior to or during the rinse cycle of the wash operation 300, and the spin cycle of step 420 may be the drain and spin cycle when the wash operation 300 terminates after the rinse cycle of the wash operation 300. For example, determining that the remaining moisture content of the laundry articles after the wash operation is above the threshold may include determining that the wash operation terminated before the rinse cycle, and thus the spin cycle in response to the remaining moisture content of the laundry articles may be the rinse and spin cycle.
In various embodiments, the responsive spin cycle of step 420 may be performed automatically or in response to a user input. For example, the responsive spin cycle of step 420 may be performed automatically immediately after detecting the wet load or may be performed automatically the next time a user interface of the washing machine is activated, such as by pushing an “ON” button or power button of the input selectors 60 on the control panel 58. For example, the spin cycle in response to the remaining moisture content of the laundry articles at step 420 may be performed automatically after determining that the remaining moisture content of the laundry articles after the wash operation is above the threshold.
In some embodiments, the method 400 may include, and/or the washing machine appliance 50 may be configured for, providing a user notification after determining that the remaining moisture content of the laundry articles after the wash operation is above the threshold. The user notification may be provided on a user interface of the washing machine appliance or on a remote user interface, such as on a smartphone, tablet, personal computer, smart home system or other similar device that is not physically connected to the washing machine appliance. For example, the user notification may be provided in an application or “app” running on a smart phone that communicates wirelessly with the washing machine appliance. In such embodiments, the method 400 may further include, and/or the washing machine appliance may be further configured for, receiving an input from a control input selector of the washing machine appliance responsive to the user notification, and then performing the spin cycle in response to the received input. For example, the user notification may include illuminating, e.g., blinking, an indicator associated with the spin cycle. The user notification may also or instead include a text notification recommending the responsive spin cycle (e.g., drain and spin cycle or rinse and spin cycle, as described above) on the display 61 and/or on a remote user interface device such as a smartphone, as mentioned above.
In some embodiments, determining that the remaining moisture content of the laundry articles after the wash operation is above the threshold may include detecting detergent within the washing machine appliance, e.g., the presence of detergent may also at least imply the presence of moisture, such as wash liquid which the detergent is dissolved in and/or intermixed with. In such embodiments, the spin cycle in response to the remaining moisture content of the laundry articles may be the rinse and spin cycle. For example, the washing machine appliance 50 may include one or more sensors, such as a turbidity sensor, and the detergent within the washing machine appliance may be detected with such sensors, such as by measuring or detecting a turbidity of wash liquid within the washing machine appliance, where a turbidity above a predetermined threshold limit may indicate the presence of detergent in the washing machine appliance 50.
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.
