Water extraction method and control for automatic washer
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorsArne M. Nystuen, David W. Mundy, John M. Kuss
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and control for an automatic washer is provided in which moisture extraction from a fabric load is controlled by extracting the moisture at increasingly faster levels of basket rotation. Initially the basket is rotated relatively slowly and it is subsequently rotated at successively faster speed levels, each increase occurring after substantially all of the moisture has been removed which is removable at a given speed level. Inertia of the fabric load is measured to determine the amount of incremental moisture removal. Use of such a method substantially reduces the force applied to the fabric load during the centrifugal extraction resulting in less wrinkling of the fabrics.
Claims37
A method of extracting moisture from a fabric load in an automatic washer which has a rotatable wash basket comprising the steps:
- rotating said basket at a first, low rotational speed level until all of the moisture removable at that rotational speed level has been removed;
- increasing the rotational speed of the basket to a next, higher rotational speed level until all of the moisture removable at that rotational speed level has been removed;
- and
- repeating the prior step until a desired degree moisture removal has occurred.
A method of extracting moisture from a fabric load in an automatic washer which has a rotatable wash basket comprising the steps:
- initially rotating said basket at a low spin speed level to begin removal of said moisture at said low speed level;
- periodically sensing the amount of moisture removed;
- incrementally increasing the speed of rotation of said basket to effectuate additional moisture removal from said fabric load until a predetermined condition determined from the measurement of removed moisture has occurred.
A method of extracting moisture from a fabric load in an automatic washer which has a rotatable wash basket comprising the steps:
- spinning said basket and periodically sensing the incremental amount of moisture removed;
- and
- terminating said spinning when said sensed incremental amount of moisture removed falls below a predetermined value.
A method of extracting moisture from a fabric load in an automatic washer which has a rotatable wash basket comprising the steps:
- (1) accelerating said basket from a low limit speed to a high limit speed,
- (2) measuring the time required for said acceleration,
- (3) decelerating said basket to said low limit speed,
- (4) repeating steps 1 and 2, and
- (5) comparing successive acceleration time to determine the extent of moisture extraction from said fabric load.
A control for use in an automatic washer which has a rotatable wash basket driven by an electric motor comprising:
- means for energizing said motor to rotate said basket at a first low speed level;
- means for periodically sensing an incremental amount of moisture removed from a fabric load within said wash basket;
- means for repeatedly increasing the rotational speed of said basket to a next higher speed level upon the occurrence of sensing an incremental amount of removed moisture below a preselected amount;
- and
- means for terminating the rotation of said basket when said increment amount of removed moisture is below a preselected amount at a predetermined maximum rotational speed level.
A control for use in an automatic washer which has a rotatable wash basket for receiving a fabric load driven by an electric motor comprising:
- means for energizing said motor to rotate said basket;
- means for alternately accelerating and decelerating said basket between a low limit speed and a high limit speed;
- means for measuring the time required for each acceleration;
- and
- means for comparing successive acceleration times;
- whereby, an incremental amount of moistured extracted can be determined.
A control for an automatic washer which has a rotatable wash basket for receiving a fabric load driven by an electric motor comprising:
- means for energizing said motor to rotate said basket at a first low speed level;
- means for periodically sensing the amount of moisture removed;
- and
- means for incrementally increasing the rotational speed of said basket until a predetermined condition determined from the measurement of removed moisture has occured;
- whereby, moisture will be removed from said basket at said low speed level and at subsequent higher levels.
A control for use in an automatic washer which has a rotatable wash basket driven by an electric motor, said control comprising:
- means for energizing said motor to rotate said basket;
- means for periodically sensing an incremental amount of moisture removed from a fabric load within said basket;
- and
- means for terminating said spinning when said sensed incremental amount of moisture removed from said fabric falls below a predetermined value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.