Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.

General Electric Company

Brett Alan Farris

Michelle Diana Gross

Shaun Michael Ward

Ricardo Alberto Aguiar, Jr

Maria Alejandra Contreras

Timothy Scott Shaffer

Jonathan D Nelson

Steven Andrew Rice

Craig Iung-Pei Tsai

Timothy David Kaiser

Brian J Morman

Michael Lee Alsip

Blake Philip Bomar

Maegan Gail Williams

Eric Theodore Hervol

Barrett Wilson Brown

Eric Jeffrey Klingeman

A wash or dishwashing appliance may include a cabinet, a tub, a door, a fluid pump, a controller, a low-power input sensor, and a conditioning circuit. The controller may be configured to alternate between an active operational mode and a standby mode. The low-power input sensor may be configured to detect a fluid-loss event at the dishwashing appliance at the standby mode of the controller and transmit a fluid-loss signal in response to detecting the fluid-loss event. The conditioning circuit may be attached to the cabinet in electrical communication with the low-power input sensor and separate from the controller. The conditioning circuit may be configured to receive the fluid-loss signal apart from the controller at the standby mode and initiate a mitigation action in response to receiving the fluid-loss signal.

Dishwashing appliances and fluid-loss mitigation

A dishwashing appliance includes a tub defining a wash chamber therein for receipt of articles for washing. A method of operating the dishwashing appliance includes initiating a cycle of the dishwashing appliance. The method also includes, during the cycle of the dishwashing appliance, monitoring audio feedback from a component of the dishwashing appliance using a microphone mounted to the dishwashing appliance outside of the wash chamber.

Dishwashing appliance audio monitoring

An appliance, as provided herein, can include a direct current load and a current sensing circuit that can be coupled to the direct current load. The current sensing circuit can be configured to collect electrical data corresponding to the direct current load. The appliance can include one or more processors that can be coupled to the current sensing circuit. The one or more processors can be configured to identify at least one attribute of the direct current load based, at least in part, on the electrical data and activate at least one operation of the direct current load or the appliance based, at least in part, on identification of the at least one attribute of the direct current load.

Direct current load identification system

A consumer appliance, as provided herein, may include a cabinet, a user interface attached to the cabinet, a motor mounted within the cabinet, and a control board in electrical communication with the user interface and the motor. The user interface may include one or more connected electrical elements. The control board may be configured to initiate an initial operation. The initial operation may include activating the control board and detecting the one or more connected electrical elements from a predetermined plurality of potential electrical elements. The initial operation may further include selecting an operating personality from a plurality of preset personalities based on detecting the one or more connected electrical elements. The initial operation may still further include directing the motor according to the selected operating personality.

Consumer appliances and methods of operation

Systems and methods of for controlling and appliance are provided. A control system for operating a load of an appliance can be provided. The control system includes a processor and memory device. Memory device is configured to store instructions that when executed by processor cause the processor to perform operations. Operations include determining an operational state of a first load control device, generating a first control signal based on the operational state of the first load control device, determining the operational state of a first load control device enable circuit; generating a second control signal based on the operational state of the first load control device enable circuit; generating a first load control signal based on the first control signal and second control signal; and operating a second load control device based on the first load control signal.

Relay monitor circuit and secondary relay control for an appliance

An appliance with automatic sensing of printed circuit board (PCB) trace integrity and associated methods of sensing are provided. The appliance may include a controller operative to control operation of the appliance, a load in operative communication with the controller, and a PCB. The PCB may include a first trace supplying AC power to the load, a second trace supplying a return path for the AC power, a third trace supplying an alternate return path for the AC power, and current sensing circuitry. The current sensing circuitry may be configured to sense leakage current between the first trace and the third trace, with the leakage current being indicative of declining trace integrity of the PCB.

Appliances with PCB trace integrity sensing

Hot water heater systems and methods for monitoring electronic mixing valves of hot water heater systems are provided. An electronic mixing valve provides a flow of water in a mixed output line. A method includes determining whether an output flow event is occurring, determining a first temperature value for water in the mixed output line when the output flow event is occurring, comparing the first temperature value to a setpoint temperature value to obtain a first temperature error value when the output flow event is occurring, and generating a failure signal when the first temperature error value is outside of a predetermined error range and the output flow event is occurring.

Hot water heater systems and methods for monitoring electronic mixing valves

A method for operating a water heater appliance includes determining a temperature, T, of water within a tank of the water heater appliance, a temperature, T, of water at an inlet conduit of the water heater appliance and an actual position, VMP, of a mixing valve of the water heater appliance. The method also includes calculating a theoretical position, VMP, of the mixing valve of the water heater appliance and establishing a lower flow rate limit for water exiting the water heater appliance and an upper flow rate limit for water exiting the water heater appliance.

Method for operating a water heater appliance

A heat pump water heater appliance includes a tank that defines an interior volume. A drain pan is positioned below an evaporator of a sealed system. A liquid monitoring sensor has a voltage divider with a pair of probes. The probes of the pair of probes extend into the drain pan. A related method for operating a heat pump water heater appliance is also provided.

Heat pump water heater appliance and a method for operating the same

A method for determining whether a water heater appliance is operating on a timer switch is provided. The method includes determining a power on time interval between a previous power interruption and a current power interruption if the current power interruption is a long power outage and establishing that the water heater appliance is not operating with a timer switch if the power on time interval is greater than a threshold time interval. A related water heater appliance is also provided.

Method for determining whether a water heater appliance is operating with a timer switch

Systems, circuits, and methods for providing operating power to a gas control circuit board are disclosed. A first power source for a gas control circuit board is derived from a utility supplied AC source while a backup supply is provided based on current flowing through an anode rod associated with the water heater as defined by Faraday's Law of Electrolysis. The backup supply based on anode current flow provided operating power for the gas control circuit in case of loss of power from the utility supplied AC source.

Gas water heater control alternate power source

Systems and methods for determining heating element and water heater status based on galvanic current are provided. An exemplary water heater includes a tank for holding a volume of water and an anode rod extending into the water. The anode rod has a core made of a conductive material. The water heater also includes at least one heating element configured to heat the water when energized. The water heater includes a current measurement circuit configured to generate a feedback signal describing a galvanic current flowing from the core of the anode rod to an electrical ground. The water heater also includes a controller configured to receive the feedback signal from the current measurement circuit and to control one or more operations of the water heater based on the feedback signal.

Determining heating element and water heater status based on galvanic current

Systems and methods for adjusting anode rod galvanic corrosion are provided. An exemplary water heater includes a tank for holding a volume of water. The water heater also includes an anode rod extending into the water and electrically connected to an electrical ground such that a galvanic current flows from the anode rod to the electrical ground. The water heater includes at least one heating element configured to heat the water when energized. The water heater also includes a resistor configuration connected between the anode rod and the electrical ground such that the galvanic current flows through the resistor configuration. The resistor configuration provides a variable resistance.

System and method for adjusting anode rod galvanic corrosion

A water heater appliance and a method for operating the same are provided. The method includes receiving a first temperature measurement from a temperature sensor of the water heater appliance, receiving a second temperature measurement from the temperature sensor of the water heater appliance, and establishing if water is flowing through a conduit of the water heater appliance based at least in part on the first and second temperature measurements.

Water heater appliance and a method for operating the same

The present subject matter provides a vertical axis washing machine appliance with features for applying steam to articles disposed therein. The washing machine appliance can be configured for filling a sump of the appliance with fluid and activating a pump in order to drain the sump of fluid. After the pump is activated, the washing machine appliance can be configured for submerging a heater in the appliance's sump with fluid and also starting the heater in order to heat the fluid in the sump and generate steam. Related methods are also provided.

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Louisville, KY, United States of America

Brett Alan Farris