Braking control system for a washing machine
AssigneeMaytag Corporation
InventorJeffrey L. Sears
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An inner tub of a washing machine is rapidly braked during a portion of a deceleration phase following an extraction phase of an overall spin cycle. A controller establishes the braking operation over a critical speed band or resonant frequency zone during which excessive vibrations would be developed. The critical speed band is preferably determined based on one or more signals received from speed, load, and/or out-of-balance sensors.
Claims20
A washing machine comprising:
- a cabinet shell;
- an outer tub mounted within the cabinet shell;
- an inner tub rotatably mounted within the cabinet shell, said inner tub being adapted to receive articles of clothing which are to be subjected to a washing operation including at least a wash cycle and a spin cycle, with the spin cycle including an extraction phase during which the inner tub is rotated to dehydrate the articles of clothing, and a subsequent deceleration phase during which a rotational speed of the inner tub is decreased;
- a motor drivingly connected to the inner tub, said motor being adapted to rotate the inner tub during at least the extraction phase of the spin cycle;
- means for establishing a critical period of the deceleration phase, with said critical period defining a critical speed range within which an out-of-balance condition is expected to occur;
- and
- braking means for rapidly decelerating the inner tub during the critical period, wherein the inner tub is caused to rapidly pass through the critical speed range such that the washing machine is not subject to high vibration levels.
A washing machine comprising:
- a cabinet shell;
- an inner tub rotatably mounted within the cabinet shell, said inner tub being adapted to receive articles of clothing which are to be subjected to a washing operation including at least a wash cycle and a spin cycle, with the spin cycle including an extraction phase during which the inner tub is rotated to dehydrate the articles of clothing, and a subsequent deceleration phase during which a rotational speed of the inner tub is decreased, wherein the deceleration phase includes a critical speed range during which excessive vibrations can develop in the washing machine;
- and
- brake means for rapidly decelerating the inner tub during at least a portion of the critical speed range of the deceleration phase.
A method of operating a washing machine during a spin cycle comprising;
- spinning an inner tub during an extraction phase of the spin cycle to extract a wash liquid from a wash load in the inner tub;
- and
- decelerating the inner tub during a deceleration phase of the spin cycle including:
- decelerating the inner tub at a first rate for a first portion of the deceleration phase;
- determining a critical period, including a critical speed range of the deceleration phase, within which an out-of-balance condition can occur;
- rapidly decelerating the inner tub at a second rate during the critical period such that the inner tub is caused to quickly pass through the critical speed range;
- and
- allowing the inner tub to come to rest.
A method of performing a washing operation on articles of clothing comprising:
- placing articles of clothing within an inner tub;
- subjecting the clothes to a wash cycle;
- initiating an extraction phase of a spin cycle constituting spinning the inner tub to extract wash liquid from the articles of clothing;
- entering a deceleration phase of the spin cycle;
- rapidly decelerating the inner tub during an intermediate portion of the deceleration phase;
- and
- terminating the washing operation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.