Combination washer/dryer cycle for a recreational vehicle
AssigneeHaier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
InventorsDavid Scott Dunn, Jivko Ognianov Djerekarov, Aaron Lee Welch
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A combination washer/dryer laundry appliance includes a recirculating process air flow system in fluid communication with a conditioning system for dehumidification and heating of the process air. The laundry appliance may be adaptable for use in a recreational vehicle with a water conservation mode setting for one or more laundry cycles. In the conservation mode, condensate water from a prior drying cycle is stored in a sump for use in a subsequent wash cycle.
Claims18
A laundry appliance comprising:
- a tub positioned within a cabinet;
- a laundry basket supported for rotation within the tub, the laundry basket defining a chamber for receipt of laundry articles for washing and drying;
- a conditioning system comprising a dehumidification section and a heating section;
- a recirculating process air flow system providing fluid communication between the chamber and the conditioning system, wherein the recirculating process air flow system, the conditioning system, and the laundry basket define a process air flow path;
- a fan operable to move a flow of process air through the process air flow path;
- a condensate line;
- a drain pump fluidly coupling a sump with a waste;
- and
- a controller storing a set of standard laundry profiles, the controller configured to:
- receive a command to initiate a conservation mode for modifying the set of standard laundry profiles;
- and
- implement a responsive action to reduce water consumption of the laundry appliance,
- wherein the condensate line fluidly couples the conditioning system with a bottom portion of the tub, and
- wherein the responsive action comprises:
- directing a flow of condensate water to the tub using the condensate line;
- holding a volume of condensate water in the sump;
- and
- using the condensate water in the sump for at least a portion of a wash fluid of a subsequent wash cycle.
A method of operating a laundry appliance, the laundry appliance comprising a tub positioned within a cabinet, a laundry basket supported for rotation within the tub, a drain pump fluidly coupling a sump with a waste, a conditioning system comprising a dehumidification section, a condensate line fluidly coupling the conditioning system with the tub, and a controller storing a set of standard laundry profiles and configured to perform the set of standard laundry profiles, the method comprising:
- receiving a command to initiate a conservation mode for the set of standard laundry profiles;
- and
- implementing a responsive action to reduce water consumption of the laundry appliance, the responsive action comprising:
- directing a flow of condensate water to the tub using the condensate line;
- holding a volume of condensate water in the sump;
- and
- using the condensate water in the sump for at least a portion of a wash fluid of a subsequent wash cycle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.