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 loads in a washing machine by measuring angular acceleration is provided. The washing machine includes a washer basket and an agitator that can be angularly accelerated about a spin axis during a predetermined dry spin cycle. The system includes a magnetic source, such as a permanent magnet, positioned in the agitator for producing a predetermined magnetic field. A magnetic sensor, made-up of inductive coils or solid state sensors, is positioned to be electromagnetically coupled to the magnetic source for supplying an output signal that varies in a predetermined manner as the agitator is angularly accelerated 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 designed and/or programmed for measuring loads in the washer basket based on the output signal received from the magnetic sensor while the agitator is angularly accelerated relative to the magnetic sensor upon initiating the dry spin cycle.