Laundry treating appliance having a user interface and methods of operating same
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorsMEGAN CLAYTON, FERDINANDO VALENTI
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A laundry treating appliance includes a treating chamber provided for receiving laundry for treatment, a controller having a memory in which is stored a set of executable instructions including a set of cycles of operations. The laundry treating appliance also includes a user interface operably coupled with the controller and having a touchscreen configured to provide an input and output function for the controller.
Claims20
A laundry treating appliance for treating laundry, comprising:
- a housing having an access opening;
- a treating chamber provided in the housing for receiving the laundry via the access opening for treatment according to a cycle of operation;
- a cover moveably mounted to the housing to selectively close the access opening;
- a lock mechanism moveable between an unlocked position and a locked position where the lock mechanism is configured to secure the cover closed over the access opening;
- a controller having a memory in which is stored a set of executable instructions comprising the cycle of operation, the controller operably coupled to the locking mechanism;
- and
- a user interface operably coupled with the controller and having a touchscreen configured to provide an input and output function for the controller;
- wherein the controller is configured to begin the cycle of operation, configured to determine when a garment can be added to the treating chamber during the cycle of operation, configured to provide an add garment button on the touchscreen when it is determined the garment can be added, configured to determine selection of the add garment button, and configured to pause the cycle and move the lock mechanism to the unlocked position when it is determined the add garment button has been selected.
The laundry treating appliance of 2 wherein the controller is further configured to repeatedly determine when the garment can be added and when the garment cannot be added.
A method of operating a laundry treating appliance having a housing having an access opening, a treating chamber provided in the housing for receiving the laundry via the access opening for treatment according to a cycle of operation, a cover moveably mounted to the housing to selectively close the access opening, a touchscreen user interface for communication with a user of the appliance, and a controller for implementing the cycle of operation, the method comprising:
- determining, via the controller, when a garment can be added to the treating chamber during the cycle of operation;
- providing an add garment button on the touchscreen when it is determined the garment can be added;
- determining selection of the provided add garment button;
- and
- pausing the cycle of operation when the selection has been determined.
A laundry treating appliance, comprising:
- a treating chamber for receiving laundry via an access opening;
- a cover moveable to selectively close the access opening;
- a controller having a memory in which is stored a set of executable instructions comprising at least one cycle of operation;
- and
- a user interface operably coupled with the controller and having a touchscreen configured to provide an input and output function for the controller;
- wherein the controller is configured to begin the at least one cycle of operation. determine when a garment can be added to the treating chamber during the at least one cycle of operation, the controller is configured to provide an add garment button on the touchscreen when it is determined the garment can be added, the controller is configured to determine selection of the provided add garment button and upon determining the selection the controller is configured to pause the at least one cycle of operation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.