US 6,553,594 B2 · Control system for clothes washing machine incorporating heater

Abstract

A washing machine includes a control system which regulates a heater based on selected cycle operations and selected cycle operations based on heater related parameters. User cycle selections, along with sensed operating parameters including the level and temperature of a washing medium, are used to control the activation state of the heater to control the washing medium to within a preset range of a target temperature. Preferably, the heater is de-activated after a predetermined period of activation has been reached, whenever a door of the washing machine is opened, and during certain selected operating cycle portions, including a bleach fill and latter time cycle portions.

Claims27

Dependent claims

A clothes washing machine comprising:

a cabinet shell including a door;
an outer tub mounted within the cabinet shell;
an inner tub mounted for rotary movement within the outer tub, said inner tub being adapted to receive a washing solution and articles of clothing to be laundered in the washing solution;
a heater arranged within the outer tub;
a control panel for inputting information concerning desired washing operations, with the desired washing operations including at least normal and stain removal cycles;
and
a device for regulating the heater, wherein the heater is regulated differently between the normal and stain removal cycles.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

09/956,131Filed 20 Sep 2001

Published

US 2003/0051296 A120 Mar 2003

Granted

29 Apr 2003

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

D06F 33/36
Control of operational steps, e.g. optimisation or improvement of operational steps depending on the condition of the laundry: of washing
D06F 34/24
Condition of the washing liquid, e.g. turbidity: liquid temperature
D06F 34/32
Arrangements for programme selection, e.g. control panels therefor; Arrangements for indicating programme parameters, e.g. the selected…
D06F 2101/12
User input for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers: washing temperature

Control system for clothes washing machine incorporating heater

Life of this patent

Control system for clothes washing machine incorporating heater

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims27