Laudry machines and/or methods of controlling the same

Control means for a laundry machine having a cabinet, a washing container within said cabinet, a rotatable assembly comprising a spin tub within said container and an agitator within said spin tub, disconnecting means for disconnecting said spin tub from said agitator for spinning action when required, a motor driving said agitator conjointly with said spin tub and separately on disconnection of said spin tub from said agitator as required, and washing liquid admission means, said control means comprising;

• sensing means to sense the changes in speed of said rotatable assembly including the mass of clothes load in said assembly relative to energy input to said motor;
• and washing liquid level control means arranged to control washing liquid level in said washing container in response to signals passed by said sensing means to said washing liquid level control means, the construction and arrangement being such taht said sensing means pass signals indicative of the total mass of said rotatable assembly including the washing liquid in said container and at least the clothes in said spin tub to said washing liquid level control means so taht said washing liquid level control means detect the point of disconnection of said spin tub from said agitator in response to said signals, said signals passed including a disconnection signal indicating the point of disconnection of said spin tub from said agitator and being indicative of the mass of said load of clothes, and so that upon detection of said disconnection, said control means also determine a desired washing liquid level dependent on said disconnection signal and control the supply of further washing liquid to said container to control the level of washing liquid to said desired level which is dependent on the mass of clothes load sensed by said sensing means and cause continuous washing action to start when said desired level is reached.

A laundry machine comprising:

• a cabinet;
• a washing container within said cabinet;
• a rotatable assembly comprising a spin tub within said container and an agitator within said spin tub;
• disconnecting means for disconnecting said spin tub from said agitator for spinning action when required;
• a motor driving said agitator conjointly withi said spin tub and separately on disconnection of said spin tub from said agitator as required;
• control means comprising sensing means to sense the changes in speed of said rotatable assembly including the mass of clothes load in said assembly relative to energy input to said motor;
• and washing liquid level control means arranged to control washing liquid level in said washing container in response to signals passed by said sensing means to said washing liquid level control means;
• the construction and arrangement being such that said sensing means pass signals indicative of the total mass of said rotatable assembly including the washing liquid in said container and at least the clothes in said spin tub to said washing liquid level control means so that said washing liquid level control means detect the point of disconnection of said spin tub from said agitator in response to said signals, said signals passed including an disconnection signal indicating the point of disconnection of said spin tub from said agitator and being indicative of the mass of said load of clothes, and so that upon detection of said disconnection, said control means also determine a desired washing liquid level dependent on said disconnection signal and control the supply of further washing liquid to said container to control the level of washing liquid to said desired level which is dependent upon the mass of clothes load sensed by said sensing means and causes continuous washing action to start when said desired level is reached.