Night cycle algorithm for a laundry appliance to minimize operational noise
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorsRyan R. Bellinger, Matthew Edward Borgerson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A laundry dryer includes a cabinet, a user interface that is operably coupled to the cabinet, a motor that is disposed within the cabinet and communicatively coupled with the user interface, and a controller that is communicatively coupled with the user interface and the motor, respectively. The controller includes a memory storage that includes a plurality of night routines. The controller is configured with a selectable time point and is further configured to select at least one of the plurality of night routines at the selectable time point.
Claims18
A laundry appliance, comprising:
- a cabinet including a user interface;
- a drum disposed within the cabinet;
- a motor disposed within the cabinet and operably coupled to the drum;
- and
- a controller communicatively coupled with the user interface and the motor, wherein the controller includes a night cycle algorithm configured to minimize operational noise of the motor and the drum, and wherein the controller is configured to select from a plurality of routines of the night cycle algorithm, wherein the night cycle algorithm is configured to adjust a drainage operation of the drum via the controller, and wherein the night cycle algorithm includes a drainage routine that includes at least one of a high water routine and a time-based routine during which the controller is configured to activate the drainage operation.
A laundry dryer, comprising:
- a cabinet;
- a user interface operably coupled to the cabinet;
- a motor disposed within the cabinet and communicatively coupled with the user interface;
- and
- a controller communicatively coupled with the user interface and the motor, respectively, wherein the controller includes a memory storage that includes a plurality of night routines, and wherein the controller is configured with a selectable time point and configured to select at least one of the plurality of night routines at the selectable time point, wherein at least one of the plurality of night routines includes a motor activation routine that includes an alteration cycle and is configured to reduce a speed of the motor via the controller, and wherein the controller is configured to prolong activation of the motor during the alteration cycle.
A method for operating a laundry appliance, comprising:
- selecting a night cycle of a memory storage via a controller;
- adjusting a laundry cycle of the memory storage to the night cycle via the controller, wherein adjusting the laundry cycle to the night cycle includes activating at least one night routine of a plurality of night routines to minimize operational noise;
- disabling audio indicators via the controller including at least one of an end of cycle alert and remote notifications;
- and
- activating the at least one night routine, where the plurality of night routines includes at least one of:
- detecting a high water condition;
- reducing motor speed to prolong a duration of the laundry cycle of the night cycle;
- and
- reducing alteration of motor activation to decrease a number of activations of a motor and prolong each of the activations of the motor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.