Responsive soak time in a washing machine appliance
AssigneeHaier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
InventorRyan James Scheckelhoff
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of operating a washing machine appliance includes filling a wash tub with a wash liquid during a first cycle. The method also includes receiving a pause input after filling the wash tub and before draining the wash tub during the first cycle. In response to the pause input, the first cycle is paused for a pause duration. The method further includes incrementing a pause counter in response to the pause input and storing the pause duration after pausing the first cycle. The method also includes filling the wash tub with a wash liquid during a second cycle after the first cycle and automatically pausing the second cycle after filling the wash tub with the wash liquid during the second cycle, based on the pause counter and the stored pause duration.
Claims20
A method of operating a washing machine appliance, the washing machine appliance comprising a cabinet and a wash tub mounted within the cabinet, the wash tub configured for containing fluid during operation of the washing machine appliance, the method comprising:
- filling the wash tub with a wash liquid during a first cycle of the washing machine appliance;
- receiving a pause input from a user interface of the washing machine appliance after filling the wash tub with the wash liquid during the first cycle and before draining the wash liquid from the wash tub during the first cycle;
- pausing the first cycle of the washing machine appliance for a pause duration in response to the pause input;
- resuming the first cycle of the washing machine at the end of the pause duration;
- incrementing a pause counter in response to the pause input;
- storing the pause duration after resuming the first cycle of the washing machine appliance;
- filling the wash tub with a wash liquid during a second cycle of the washing machine appliance after the first cycle;
- and
- automatically pausing the second cycle of the washing machine appliance after filling the wash tub with the wash liquid during the second cycle, based on the pause counter and the stored pause duration.
A washing machine appliance comprising:
- a cabinet;
- a wash tub mounted within the cabinet, the wash tub configured for containing fluid during operation of the washing machine appliance;
- and
- a controller, the controller configured for:
- filling the wash tub with a wash liquid during a first cycle of the washing machine appliance;
- receiving a pause input from a user interface of the washing machine appliance after filling the wash tub with the wash liquid during the first cycle and before draining the wash liquid from the wash tub during the first cycle;
- pausing the first cycle of the washing machine appliance for a pause duration in response to the pause input;
- resuming the first cycle of the washing machine at the end of the pause duration;
- incrementing a pause counter in response to the pause input;
- storing the pause duration after resuming the first cycle of the washing machine appliance;
- filling the wash tub with a wash liquid during a second cycle of the washing machine appliance after the first cycle;
- and
- automatically pausing the second cycle of the washing machine appliance based on the pause counter and the stored pause duration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.