Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.

General Electric Company

Ryan Ellis Leonard

Stephen Edward Hettinger

Ryan James Scheckelhoff

Alexander Boris Leibman

Kyle Edward Durham

James Quentin Pollett

Errin Whitney Gnadinger

Je Kwon Yoon

Derek Lee Watkins

Troy Marshall Wright

Kyle Andrew Kozinski

Fikreadam Abebe Damtew

Aaron Lee Welch

Gary Lester Chastine

Aaron Matthew McDaniel

Darrin R Smith

John Alexander Gardner

Stannard Nathan Phelps

Nicholas Matthew Dillon

Mark William Thomas Worley

Adam Berry

A washing machine appliance and methods of operating a washing machine appliance are provided. The washing machine appliance includes a tub and a rotatable basket within the tub. A volume of water is flows into the tub, causing a load of articles in the basket to be wetted. A first weight of the load of articles is measured during an initial spin operation after flowing the volume of water into the wash tub. A water extraction operation is performed after measuring the first weight of the load of articles. A second weight of the load of articles is measured after the water extraction operation. A load type of the load of articles is determined based on the first weight and the second weight.

Washing machine appliance load type detection

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 method for operating a laundry apparatus, the laundry apparatus including a tub and a detergent dispenser, the method including initiating a washing cycle of a washing load; supplying a first fill of heated water and a dose of detergent to the tub via the detergent dispenser; performing a first agitation phase of the washing cycle; determining that a two-phase heated water fill condition exists; supplying a second fill of heated water to the tub; and performing a second agitation phase of the washing cycle.

Laundry treatment appliance incorporating a heated water replenishment method

A washing machine appliance may include a tub, a basket, a valve, a spout, a dispenser, a motor, and a controller. The basket may be rotatably mounted and define a chamber for receipt of articles for washing. The valve may be disposed upstream from the tub. The spout may be directed at the tub downstream from the valve. The dispenser may be upstream from the tub for dispensing detergent into the tub. The motor may be in mechanical communication with the basket. The controller may be configured for controlling the washing machine appliance. The controller may be configured to initiate an oversuds-sensitive operation. The oversuds-sensitive operation may include detecting one or more resultant conditions from one or more previous wash cycles of the washing machine appliance, determining an adjusted operating parameter based on the detected resultant conditions, and directing detergent dispensing according to the adjusted operating parameter.

Washing machine appliance and a method for preventing oversuds events

A method for operating a laundry apparatus, the laundry apparatus including a tub and a detergent dispenser, the method including initiating a washing cycle of a washing load; supplying a first dose of detergent to the tub via the detergent dispenser; performing a first agitation phase of the washing cycle; determining that a two-phase detergent condition exists; supplying a second dose of detergent to the tub via the detergent dispenser; and performing a second agitation phase of the washing cycle.

Laundry treatment appliance incorporating a detergent replenishment method

A washing machine appliance, a controller, and a method for operating a washing machine appliance are provided. The appliance includes a controller operably coupled to a motor assembly that is operably coupled to a wash basket, and a drain pump assembly. The controller is configured to rotate the wash basket to at least a desired speed; determine one or more of whether at least the desired speed of the wash basket is achieved within a period of time, or whether an energy parameter threshold of a motor assembly is exceeded when rotating the wash basket within the period of time; and generate an output signal corresponding to fluid detection at a wash tub when the wash basket fails to rotate to at least the desired speed within the period of time or, when the energy parameter threshold is exceeded when rotating the wash basket within the period of time.

Washing machine appliance and method for flood protection operation

A washing machine appliance includes a wash tub defining a wash chamber, a wash basket rotatably mounted within the wash tub, and a motor operably coupled to the wash basket for selectively rotating the wash basket. A controller is configured for accelerating the wash basket to a predetermined speed during an acceleration period and maintaining that speed during a steady state period. The controller further determines a power drop from the maximum power required to accelerate the wash basket to the power required to maintain the predetermined speed, and the dry load weight is calculated using this power drop and a transfer function.

System and method for determining dry load weight within a washing machine appliance

A method of operating a washing machine appliance is provided. The washing machine appliance includes a rotatable basket and a motor configured to drive the rotatable basket. The method includes sensing an attribute of articles in the basket. The method also includes determining a pause duration for an agitation operation based at least in part on the sensed attribute of the articles in the basket. The method further includes performing the agitation operation for a period of time. The agitation operation includes activating a motor of the washing machine appliance to agitate the articles within the basket for an agitation duration and deactivating the motor of the washing machine appliance for the pause duration. The period of time is equal to the sum of the agitation duration and the pause duration.

Optimizing soak time in a washing machine appliance

A washing machine appliance includes a sump for collecting wash fluid, a water supply valve for supplying the wash fluid during a fill cycle, and a water level detection system including a pressure sensor for measuring sump pressures/fill levels. A controller is configured for operating the supply valve to fill the sump until a target volume is reached and obtaining a fill volume using the water level detection system. The controller determines that a fault condition exists based on a difference between the target volume and the fill volume, e.g., such as when the difference exceeds a predetermined fault threshold, and initiates a fault abatement process in response to determining that the fault condition exists.

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

A washing machine appliance includes a sump for collecting wash fluid, a supply valve for supplying the wash fluid, a drain assembly for discharging the wash fluid from the sump, and a water level detection system for measuring sump pressures/fill levels. A controller is configured to perform an initial fill cycle and determine a first volume of wash fluid required to reach a target pressure. The drain assembly then drains the sump and the process is repeated to determine a second volume of wash fluid required to reach the target pressure. The difference between the first volume and the second volume is at least partially a result of wash fluid that the drain assembly could not discharge through the drain hose. The controller may determine that the external drain is elevated, and compensate accordingly, if a difference between the first volume and the second volume exceeds a predetermined threshold.

System and method for detecting an elevated drain for a washing machine appliance

A washing machine appliance, as provided herein, may include a fluid additive dispenser and a controller. The fluid additive dispenser may include a housing, a dispenser drawer, a water supply conduit, a first water valve, a shower plate, and a second water valve. The water supply conduit may be directed to the pod compartment defined by the dispenser drawer and define a water inlet. The shower plate may be disposed upstream from a primary compartment and the pod compartment. The controller may be configured to initiate a washing operation that includes initiating a wetting water flow at the second water valve to the pod compartment through the shower plate, initiating a break water flow to the pod compartment through the water supply conduit following the wetting water flow, and initiating a fill water flow through the shower plate following the break water flow.

Additive dispenser for varying the types of additives within a washing machine appliance

A washing machine appliance includes a sump for collecting wash fluid and a water supply valve for supplying the wash fluid during a fill cycle. A controller is configured for detecting when a pressure sensor of a water level detection system is partially blocked and implementing an incremental fill process. Specifically, the controller is configured for determining a remaining fill volume for the wash fluid to reach the target fill volume, opening the supply valve to provide a fraction of the remaining fill volume into the sump and then closing the supply valve, determining that a sump pressure measured by the water level detection system has stabilized, and repeating these steps until a stopping criterion occurs, such as when a fill cycle limit or a target volume is achieved.

Water level detection system for a washing machine appliance and methods for operating the same

A washing machine appliance includes a sump for collecting wash fluid, a water supply valve for supplying wash fluid during a fill cycle, and a drain pump assembly for draining that wash fluid during a drain cycle. A controller is configured for monitoring the sump pressure using a water level detection system, detecting a fill sensing failure such as a slow pressure rise after the fill cycle, detecting a drain sensing failure such as a slow pressure drop during the drain cycle, and determining that the water level detection system is malfunctioning if the fill sensing failure and the drain sensing failure are detected.

A washing machine appliance includes a motor for selectively rotating a wash basket within a wash tub. A controller is configured for initiating a spin cycle by ramping up the speed of the wash basket to a target speed. The controller monitors a measured basket speed to determine whether the measured basket speed has reached a predetermined acceleration reference speed within an acceleration time limit or whether the measured basket speed has fallen below a dropout reference speed for a dropout time limit. If either condition exists, the controller adjusts the operation of the washing machine appliance, e.g., by reducing the wash basket speed to permit wash fluid entrained in the annulus to escape and reduce drag on the wash basket.

Spin inefficiency detection for a washing machine appliance

A method of testing a washing machine appliance includes performing a first fill test, performing a second fill test, performing an agitate test, performing a drain test, and performing a spin test. Each of the steps of performing the first fill test, performing the second fill test, performing the agitate test, performing the drain test, and performing the spin test are performed in a continuous process.

Growing community of inventors

Louisville, KY, United States of America

Ryan Ellis Leonard