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AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsRichard Edward Hornung, David Anthony Schneider, Dennis Dane Tremblay
Estimating the term…
An automatic temperature control system which limits the total number of valve cycles for the cold and hot water valves to, for example, a total of ten cycles yet also provides the desired temperature control of water supplied to the wash tub is described. To limit the number of valve cycles, and in one embodiment, the automatic temperature control (ATC) system includes a microprocessor which integrates the temperature of the water provided to the wash tub over time to predict the length of the time period required for the next water valve cycle. The integration balances the energy input on the “OFF” cycle with the energy input during the “ON” cycle. Such balancing limits the number of valve cycles thereby reducing the possibility for premature valve failure and facilitating reduced noise. The ATC control system also provides a pre-treater function. When the pre-treater function is selected, e.g., by depressing a momentary switch mounted on the control panel, and provided that the lid is open, the control system energizes the cold water valve for 7 seconds. As a result, cold water flows into the wash tub. The system provides temperature control yet limits the number of valve cycles during a fill even with extreme water temperatures. Even with such cycle limitations, the control provides the desired temperature control.
An automatic temperature control system for a washing machine including a mixing nozzle in flow communication with a wash tub, a hot water conduit and a cold water conduit in flow communication with the-mixing nozzle, a cold water valve controlling flow of water from the cold water conduit to the mixing valve, and a hot water valve for controlling flow of hot water from the hot water conduit to the mixing valve, said system comprising:
A washing machine comprising:
A method for controlling a flow of hot and cold water to a wash tub in a washing machine during a fill operation, the washing machine including a mixing nozzle, a hot water conduit and a cold water conduit in flow communication with the mixing nozzle, a cold water valve controlling flow of hot water from the cold water conduit to the mixing valve, and a hot water valve for controlling flow of hot water from the hot water conduit to the mixing valve, the washing machine further including a control panel having a pretreater switch mounted thereto, said method comprising the steps of:
A pretreater control system for a washing machine including a mixing nozzle in flow communication with a wash tub, a cold water conduit in flow communication with the mixing nozzle, a cold water valve controlling flow of water from the cold water conduit to the mixing valve, and a pretreater selection control actuatable by an operator, said system comprising:
An automatic temperature control system for a washing machine including a mixing nozzle in flow communication with a wash tub, a hot water conduit and a cold water conduit in flow communication with the mixing nozzle, a cold water valve controlling flow of water from the cold water conduit to the mixing valve, and a hot water valve for controlling flow of hot water from the hot water conduit to the mixing valve, said system comprising:
A washing machine comprising:
A method for controlling a flow of hot and cold water to a wash tub in a washing machine during a fill operation, the washing machine including a mixing nozzle, a hot water conduit and a cold water conduit in flow communication with the mixing nozzle, a cold water valve controlling flow of water from the cold water conduit to the mixing valve, and a hot water valve for controlling flow of hot water from the hot water conduit to the mixing valve, said method comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.