The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 08, 1996
Filed:
Jun. 19, 1995
Ertugrul Berkcan, Schenectady, NY (US);
Kenneth B Welles, II, Scotia, NY (US);
General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US);
Abstract
A system for sensing spin speed and an out-of-balance condition in a washing machine is provided. The washing machine includes a washer basket and an agitator that spin about a predetermined spin axis during a spin cycle. The OOB condition can be characterized by excursions, during the spin cycle, of a tub which encloses the washer basket. The tub excursions can be in a direction generally perpendicular to the spin axis of the washer basket, for example. The system includes a magnetic source, such as a permanent magnet, positioned in the agitator for producing a predetermined magnetic field. A magnetic sensor is positioned to be electromagnetically coupled to the magnetic source for supplying an output signal that varies as the agitator rotates relative to the magnetic sensor. A signal processor is coupled to the magnetic sensor for receiving the output signal supplied by the magnetic sensor. The processor is programmed for measuring spin speed during the spin cycle and for detecting any out-of-balance condition during the spin cycle based on the variations of the output signal received from the magnetic sensor.