Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.

Darrin R Smith

James Quentin Pollett

Ryan Ellis Leonard

Stannard Nathan Phelps

Mark William Thomas Worley

Adam Berry

Charles Derek Hibdon

A washing machine appliance includes a tub and a rotatable basket therein. Methods of operating the washing machine appliance may include, and/or the washing machine appliance may be configured for, measuring a first inertia of a load of articles in the basket by rotating the basket at rotational speeds outside of a resonance speed zone. A water extraction operation is performed after measuring the first inertia of the load of articles. The water extraction operation includes rotating the basket at speeds outside of the resonance speed zone. A second inertia of the load of articles after the water extraction operation is measured by rotating the basket at rotational speeds outside of the resonance speed zone. A load type of the load of articles is determined based on the second inertia. The basket is rotated at speeds within the resonance speed zone only once prior to the water extraction operation.

Washing machine appliance non-shedding load detection

A washing machine appliance and methods of operating a washing machine appliance are provided. The washing machine appliance includes a motor and a rotatable basket. The motor is operated to rotate the basket. While operating the motor to rotate the basket, a power consumption and a balance condition of a load of articles in the basket are determined. A size of the load of articles in the basket of the washing machine appliance is determined based on the power consumption and the balance condition. Based on the determined size of the load, one or more operating parameters of the washing machine appliance are selected and an operation of the washing machine appliance is performed according to the one or more selected operating parameters.

Washing machine appliance load size detection using power and balance

A washing machine appliance is provided including a sump positioned at a bottom of a wash tub for collecting wash fluid, a drain pump assembly for selectively draining the sump, a measurement device configured for measuring movement of the wash tub, and a water level detection system comprising a pressure sensor fluidly coupled to the sump. A controller is configured to operate the drain pump assembly to drain the wash fluid, measure the movement of the wash tub using the measurement device, measure a water level within the sump using the water level detection system, and identify a fault condition in the water level detection system upon determining that the measured movement indicates that the sump is empty and the measured water level indicates that the sump is not empty.

Fault detection for a water level detection system of a washing machine appliance

A washing machine appliance and a method of detecting and mitigating out-of-balance conditions includes obtaining a subwasher load weight after adding water to the wash tub and obtaining a displacement threshold based at least in part on the subwasher load weight. The wash basket is spun at a first, low speed and the displacement amplitude of the wash tub is measured using a measurement device, such as an accelerometer and gyroscope. The measured displacement amplitude is then compared to the displacement threshold and if the displacement amplitude exceeds the displacement threshold, an agitation element is rotated to agitate or redistribute the load of articles.

Washing machine appliance and methods for out-of-balance detection and mitigation

A washing machine appliance and a method of preventing and mitigating out-of-balance conditions during a spin cycle are provided. In one example aspect, liquid is flowed into the tub and articles within a basket rotatably mounted in a tub of the washing machine appliance are agitated for a first time period. The movement of the tub during the first time period is measured and a trend line is calculated based on the movement of the tub over the first time period. A time remaining is calculated based at least in part on the trend line. If the time remaining is less than a time remaining threshold, and if the determined time remaining is less than the time remaining threshold, the articles within the basket are agitated by an extended agitation time period in which the washing machine appliance attempts to more evenly distribute the articles prior to a spin cycle.

Washing machine appliance and methods for preventing spin out-of-balance conditions

Washing machine appliances and methods of operating a pump thereof are provided herein. The washing machine appliance may include a tub, a basket, a nozzle, a measurement device mounted to the tub, a motor, a drain pump, and a controller. The basket may be rotatably mounted within the tub. The nozzle may be in fluid communication with the tub to selectively flow liquid thereto. The motor may be in mechanical communication with the basket to selectively rotate the basket within the tub. The drain pump may be in fluid communication with the tub to selectively motivate wash fluid therefrom. The controller may be operative communication with the measurement device, the motor, and the drain pump. The controller may be configured to initiate a washing operation.

Washing machine appliances and methods of pump operation

Washing machine appliances and methods of operating a washing machine appliance, for instance, during a spin cycle are provided herein. The washing machine appliance may include a tub, a basket, a nozzle, a measurement device mounted to the tub, a motor, a drain pump, and a controller. The basket may be rotatably mounted within the tub. The nozzle may be in fluid communication with the tub to selectively flow liquid thereto. The motor may be in mechanical communication with the basket to selectively rotate the basket within the tub. The drain pump may be in fluid communication with the tub to selectively motivate wash fluid therefrom. The controller may be operative communication with the measurement device, the motor, and the drain pump. The controller may be configured to initiate a washing operation.

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Louisville, KY, United States of America

Darrin R Smith