# US 10,870,940 B2 · Washing machine appliance and methods for moisture removal > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,870,940 B2 - Document ID: US10870940B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/927,175 - Filed: 2018-03-21 - Published: 2019-09-26 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2018-03-21 - Assignees: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. - Applicants: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. - Inventors: Todd Boutiette - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10870940B2 ## CPC - D06F 58/38: of drying, e.g. to achieve the target humidity - D06F 39/14: Doors or covers; Securing means therefor - D06F 2103/08: Humidity - D06F 2103/34: Humidity - D06F 2103/36: Flow or velocity - D06F 2105/24: Flow or velocity - D06F 2105/30: Blowers - D06F 2105/44: Opening, closing or locking of doors - E05F 15/611: for swinging wings - E05Y 2900/312: for washing machines or laundry dryers - D06F: LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES - E05F: DEVICES FOR MOVING WINGS INTO OPEN OR CLOSED POSITION; CHECKS FOR WINGS; WING FITTINGS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, CONCERNED WITH THE FUNCTIONING OF THE WING - E05Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES E05D AND E05F, RELATING TO CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS, ELECTRIC CONTROL, POWER SUPPLY, POWER SIGNAL OR TRANSMISSION, USER INTERFACES, MOUNTING OR COUPLING, DETAILS, ACCESSORIES, AUXILIARY OPERATIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, APPLICATION THEREOF ## Abstract A washing machine appliance equipped with features for performing a moisture removal cycle is provided. When performing a moisture removal cycle, a door or lid of the washing machine appliance is moved to an open position so that moisture may be removed from a wash fluid compartment defined by a tub of the washing machine appliance. Methods for operating the washing machine appliance in a moisture removal cycle are also provided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for operating a washing machine appliance in a moisture removal cycle, the method comprising: receiving a signal indicative of a relative humidity of air within a wash fluid compartment defined by a tub; determining whether the relative humidity of air within the wash fluid compartment is greater than a relative humidity threshold based at least in part on the signal; and opening, if the relative humidity of air within the wash fluid compartment is greater than the relative humidity threshold, a door of the washing machine appliance to an open position to flow ambient air into the wash fluid compartment, wherein opening the door comprises activating a motor to drive the door to the open position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein after opening, the method further comprises: determining whether the relative humidity of air within the wash fluid compartment is less than or equal to the relative humidity threshold; and closing, if the relative humidity of air within the wash fluid compartment is less than or equal to the relative humidity threshold, the door of the washing machine appliance. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein after opening, the method further comprises: closing the door of the washing machine appliance if the door has been opened for a predetermined open time. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein if the relative humidity of air within the wash fluid compartment is greater than the relative humidity threshold, the method further comprises: activating a fan to facilitate the movement of air within the wash fluid compartment. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a signal indicative of a relative humidity of ambient air external to the wash fluid compartment; determining whether the relative humidity of air within the wash fluid compartment is greater than the relative humidity of ambient air external to the wash fluid compartment; wherein the door of the washing machine appliance is opened if the relative humidity of air within the wash fluid compartment is greater than the relative humidity of ambient air external to the wash fluid compartment. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the signal indicative of the relative humidity of ambient air external to the wash fluid compartment is received from an ambient humidity sensor mounted to the washing machine appliance. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the signal indicative of the relative humidity of ambient air external to the wash fluid compartment is received from a remote computing device over a network or a remotely mounted humidity sensor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: commencing the moisture removal cycle, wherein commencing the moisture removal cycle comprises activating the moisture removal cycle with a user device communicatively coupled with a controller of the washing machine appliance. ### Claim 9 A washing machine appliance configured for performing a moisture removal cycle, the washing machine appliance comprising: a cabinet; a tub disposed within the cabinet and defining a wash fluid compartment; a basket rotatably mounted within the tub, the basket defining a wash chamber for receipt of articles for washing; a lid coupled with the cabinet and movable between an open position and a closed position for selectively providing access to the wash chamber; a motor operatively coupled with the lid and configured for moving the lid between the open position and the closed position; a humidity sensor mounted to the washing machine appliance within the wash fluid compartment; a controller in operative communication with the motor and the humidity sensor, the controller configured to: receive a signal from the humidity sensor that is indicative of a relative humidity of air within the wash fluid compartment; determine whether the relative humidity of air within the wash fluid compartment is greater than a relative humidity threshold; and activate, if the relative humidity of air within the wash fluid compartment is greater than the relative humidity threshold, the motor to move the lid to the open position to flow ambient air into the wash fluid compartment. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The washing machine appliance of claim 9, wherein the washing machine appliance is a horizontal axis washing machine appliance or a vertical axis washing machine appliance. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The washing machine appliance of claim 9, wherein the relative humidity threshold is set as a relative humidity of ambient air external to the wash fluid compartment. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The washing machine appliance of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to: activate the motor to close the lid of the washing machine appliance if the lid has been opened for a predetermined open time. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The washing machine appliance of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to: activate the motor to close the lid of the washing machine appliance if the relative humidity of air within the wash fluid compartment is less than or equal to the relative humidity threshold. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The washing machine appliance of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to: activate the motor to lock the lid in a fixed position when the lid is moved to the open position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The washing machine appliance of claim 9, further comprising: a fan, and wherein the controller is further configured to activate the fan to facilitate the movement of air within the wash fluid compartment when the motor is activated to move the lid to the open position to flow ambient air into the wash fluid compartment. ### Claim 16 A method for operating a washing machine appliance in a moisture removal cycle, the method comprising: receiving a signal indicative of a relative humidity of air within a wash fluid compartment defined by a tub; receiving a signal indicative of a relative humidity of ambient air external to the wash fluid compartment; determining whether the relative humidity of air within the wash fluid compartment is greater than the relative humidity of ambient air external to the wash fluid compartment; and opening, if the relative humidity of air within the wash fluid compartment is greater than the relative humidity of ambient air external to the wash fluid compartment, a door of the washing machine appliance to an open position to flow ambient air into the wash fluid compartment, wherein opening the door comprises activating a motor to drive the door to the open position. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein after opening, the method further comprises: determining whether the relative humidity of air within the wash fluid compartment is less than or equal to the relative humidity of ambient air external to the wash fluid compartment; and closing, if the relative humidity of air within the wash fluid compartment is less than or equal to the relative humidity of ambient air external to the wash fluid compartment, the door of the washing machine appliance. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein after opening the door, the method further comprises: locking the door in a fixed position utilizing the motor.