US 11,713,532 B2 · Method of determining volume of water to add to first and second washing compartments of a washing machine as a function of determined moment of inertia

Abstract

A washing machine includes a first washing compartment to hold a first set of articles to be washed and a second washing compartment to holds a second set of articles to be washed, the second washing compartment having an inserted position and a removed position. A liquid flow valve is configured to connect to an external liquid source to selectively control flow of liquid from the external liquid source and into one or more of the first washing compartment and the second washing compartment. An electric motor is configured to rotate the first washing compartment, and the second washing compartment, when the second washing compartment is in the inserted position. A controller, in communication with the electric motor, determines a mass of the second set of articles and then determines, as a function of the determined mass, a volume of water to be added to the second washing compartment.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of adding a volume of water to a removable washing compartment of a washing machine comprising:

after a first set of articles is loaded into a first washing compartment of a washing machine and while a second washing compartment of the washing machine is in a removed position, estimating or calculating a mass of the first set of articles in the first washing compartment;
after the second washing compartment is placed into an inserted position and a second set of articles is loaded into the second washing compartment, estimating or calculating a mass of the second set of articles in the second washing compartment;
adding a second volume of water to the second washing compartment, without causing water added to the second washing compartment to overflow from the second washing compartment into the first washing compartment, the second volume of water determined as a function of the estimated or calculated mass of the second set of articles;
and
adding a first volume of water to the first washing compartment, the first volume of water determined as a function of the estimated or calculated mass of the first set of articles.

2 more elements

A method of operating a washing machine comprising:

with a washing machine that comprises (i) a first washing compartment;
(ii) a second washing compartment that has an inserted position and a removed position;
and (iii) an electric motor,
while the first washing compartment holds a first set of articles and the second washing compartment of the washing machine is in a removed position,
(1) with the electric motor, rotating the first washing compartment at a first substantially constant rotational speed (ω1);
(2) in a deceleration step, decelerating the first washing compartment from the first substantially constant rotational speed (ω1) to a second substantially constant rotational speed (ω2) over a first period of time (Δt1) for an average deceleration (αdown) of
(
ω
1
-
ω
2
)
Δ
t
⁢
1
;
(3) sensing, estimating, or calculating a torque (τdown) that the electric motor outputs during the deceleration step;
(4) in an acceleration step, accelerating the first washing compartment from the second substantially constant rotational speed (ω2) to the first substantially constant rotational speed (ω1) over a second period of time (Δt2) for an average acceleration (αup) of
(
ω
2
-
ω
1
)
Δ
t
⁢
2
;
(5) sensing, estimating, or calculating a torque (τup) that the electric motor outputs during the acceleration step;
and
(6) placing the second washing compartment in the inserted position;
and
while the second washing compartment is in the inserted position holding a second set of articles and the first washing compartment holds the first set of articles,
(1) with the electric motor, rotating the first washing compartment and the second washing compartment at a first substantially constant rotational speed (ω1);
(2) in a deceleration step, decelerating the first washing compartment and the second washing compartment from the first substantially constant rotational speed (ω1) to a second substantially constant rotational speed (ω2) over a first period of time (Δt1) for an average deceleration (αdown) of
(
ω
1
-
ω
2
)
Δ
t
⁢
1
;
(3) sensing, estimating, or calculating a torque (τdown) that the electric motor outputs during the deceleration step;
(4) in an acceleration step, accelerating the first washing compartment and the second washing compartment from the second substantially constant rotational speed (ω2) to the first substantially constant rotational speed (ω1) over a second period of time (Δt2) for an average acceleration (αup) of
(
ω
2
-
ω
1
)
Δ
t
⁢
2
;
(5) sensing, estimating, or calculating a torque (τup) that the electric motor outputs during the acceleration step;
and
(6) determining a volume of water (Vsecond) to add to the second washing compartment as a function of at least the torque (τup) and the torque (τdown) sensed, estimated, or calculated;
and
(7) adding the volume of water (Vsecond) to the second washing compartment.

67 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method of determining volume of water to add to first and second washing compartments of a washing machine as a function of determined moment of inertia

Life of this patent

Method of determining volume of water to add to first and second washing compartments of a washing machine as a function of determined moment of inertia

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20