Laundry washing machine with automatic selection of load type

• US 10,273,622 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2016
• Issued: 04/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Midea Group Co., Ltd
• Original Assignee: Midea Group Co., Ltd
• Inventors: Hombroek, Phillip C., Hoppe, Christopher G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Perrin, Joseph L.
• Application Number:
  US15/198,865
• Publication Number:
  US 20180002856A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/00 User input for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/02 Characteristics of laundry or load
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/04 Quantity, e.g. weight or variation of weight
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/06 Type or material
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/18 Washing liquid level
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/02 Water supply
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/10 Temperature of washing liquids; Heating means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/48 Drum speed
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/58 Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/00 Control of operations performed in washing machines or washer-dryers D06F31/00 takes precedence; details of control systems therefor D06F34/00; control of operations performed in domestic laundry dryers D06F58/32
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/36 of washing
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/38 of rinsing
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/40 of centrifugal separation of water from the laundry
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/18 Condition of the laundry, e.g. nature or weight
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 35/005 Methods for washing, rinsing or spin-drying
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 35/006 for washing or rinsing only
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/087 Water level measuring or regulating devices
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/088 Liquid supply arrangements

Abstract

A laundry washing machine and method automate the selection of a load type for a laundry washing machine during an initial fill phase of a wash cycle and based in part on weight and fluid level sensed by weight and fluid level sensors operatively coupled to a wash tub and after a selected amount of water has been dispensed into the wash tub.

Claims

1. A laundry washing machine, comprising:

a wash tub disposed within a housing;

a water inlet configured to dispense water into the wash tub;

a weight sensor operatively coupled to the wash tub to sense a weight associated with the wash tub;

a fluid level sensor configured to sense a fluid level in the wash tub; and

a controller coupled to the water inlet and the weight and fluid level sensors, the controller configured to initiate an initial fill phase of a wash cycle by controlling the water inlet to dispense water into the wash tub and to dynamically select a load type from among a plurality of load types during the initial fill phase of a wash cycle based upon weight and fluid level values sensed respectively by the weight and fluid level sensors after a selected amount of water has been dispensed by the water inlet, wherein the controller is configured to select the load type prior to agitating the load.

2. The laundry washing machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to dynamically select the load type by:

controlling the water inlet to dispense the selected amount of water into the wash tub;

determining one or more water absorption parameters for the load using the weight and fluid level values sensed respectively by the weight and fluid level sensors; and

selecting the load type based upon the determined one or more water absorption parameters.

3. The laundry washing machine of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to determine the one or more water absorption parameters for the load by:

determining a first water absorption parameter for the load based upon the weight value sensed by the weight sensor after the selected amount of water is dispensed into the wash tub; and

determining a second water absorption parameter for the load based upon the fluid level value sensed by the fluid level sensor after the amount of water is dispensed into the wash tub.

4. The laundry washing machine of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to determine the first water absorption parameter using the equation:

Lim<sub>0→

X</sub>%M_TLC=(W_1X+W_2X−

W_0X)/(W_1X+W_2X)*100,

where X represents time, Lim<sub>0→

X</sub> % M_TLC is the first water absorption parameter, W₀ represents a dry load weight, W₁ represents a weight of water and load, and W₂ represents a weight of boundary water.

5. The laundry washing machine of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to determine the second water absorption parameter using the equation:

Lim<sub>0→

X</sub>%M_TPS=(PS_1X+PS_2X−

PS_0X)/(PS_1X+PS_2X)*100,

where X represents time, Lim<sub>0→

X</sub>% M_TPS is the second water absorption parameter, PS₀ represents a volume of water dispensed, PS₁ represents a volume of water detected, and PS₂ represents a volume of boundary water.

6. The laundry washing machine of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to select the load type by comparing the first and second water absorption parameters with a plurality of constants associated with the plurality of load types.

7. The laundry washing machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine an amount of water dispensed into the wash tub based upon an amount of time that the controller controls the water inlet to dispense water into the wash tub.

8. The laundry washing machine of claim 1, wherein the water inlet includes a flow sensor, and wherein the controller is configured to determine an amount of water dispensed into the wash tub based on a flow of water sensed by the flow sensor.

9. The laundry washing machine of claim 1, wherein the selected amount of water is less than a total amount of water dispensed during the initial fill phase, and wherein the controller is configured to select the load type prior to completing the initial fill phase.

10. The laundry washing machine of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to select the load type while pausing dispensing of water by the water inlet.

11. The laundry washing machine of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to determine a plurality of fluid level values sensed by the fluid level sensor while pausing dispensing of water by the water inlet, and to select the load type based upon the plurality of fluid level values.

12. The laundry washing machine of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to select the load type while controlling the water inlet to dispense water.

13. The laundry washing machine of claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to determine weight and fluid level values at a plurality of amounts of water dispensed by the water inlet, and to select the load type based upon the determined weight and fluid level values at the plurality of amounts of water dispensed by the water inlet.

14. The laundry washing machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to select the load type prior to agitating the load and prior to draining fluid from the wash tub.

15. The laundry washing machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to control a wash or rinse temperature, a wash or rinse water amount, an agitation duration, an agitation stroke, a soak duration, a spin speed, a spin duration, a cycle time, or a number of phase repeats in response to the selected load type.

16. The laundry washing machine of claim 1, wherein the weight sensor includes a load cell coupled to a suspension system for the wash tub, wherein the fluid level sensor includes a pressure sensor in fluid communication with the wash tub, and wherein the fluid level value includes a pressure value.

17. The laundry washing machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to determine a dry weight of the load using the weight sensor prior to controlling the water inlet to dispense the selected amount of water into the wash tub, and to select the load type further based upon the dry weight of the load.

18. A laundry washing machine, comprising:

a wash tub disposed within a housing;

a water inlet configured to dispense water into the wash tub;

a weight sensor operatively coupled to the wash tub to sense a weight associated with the wash tub;

a fluid level sensor configured to sense a fluid level in the wash tub; and

a controller coupled to the water inlet and the weight and fluid level sensors, the controller configured to initiate an initial fill phase of a wash cycle by controlling the water inlet to dispense water into the wash tub and to dynamically select a load type from among a plurality of load types during the initial fill phase of a wash cycle based upon weight and fluid level values sensed respectively by the weight and fluid level sensors after a selected amount of water has been dispensed by the water inlet, wherein the controller is configured to dynamically select the load type by controlling the water inlet to dispense the selected amount of water into the wash tub, determining one or more water absorption parameters for the load using the weight and fluid level values sensed respectively by the weight and fluid level sensors, and selecting the load type based upon the determined one or more water absorption parameters, and wherein the controller is configured to determine the one or more water absorption parameters for the load by determining a first water absorption parameter for the load based upon the weight value sensed by the weight sensor after the selected amount of water is dispensed into the wash tub, and determining a second water absorption parameter for the load based upon the fluid level value sensed by the fluid level sensor after the amount of water is dispensed into the wash tub.

19. The laundry washing machine of claim 18, wherein the controller is configured to determine the first water absorption parameter using the equation:

Lim<sub>0→

X</sub>%M_TLC=(W_1X+W_2X−

W_0X)/(W_1X+W_2X)*100,

where X represents time, Lim<sub>0→

X</sub> % M_TLC is the first water absorption parameter, W₀ represents a dry load weight, W₁ represents a weight of water and load, and W₂ represents a weight of boundary water.

20. The laundry washing machine of claim 18, wherein the controller is configured to determine the second water absorption parameter using the equation:

Lim<sub>0→

X</sub>%M_TPS=(PS_1X+PS_2X−

PS_0X)/(PS_1X+PS_2X)*100,

where X represents time, Lim<sub>0→

X</sub>% M_TPS is the second water absorption parameter, PS₀ represents a volume of water dispensed, PS₁ represents a volume of water detected, and PS₂ represents a volume of boundary water.

21. The laundry washing machine of claim 18, wherein the controller is configured to select the load type by comparing the first and second water absorption parameters with a plurality of constants associated with the plurality of load types.

22. A laundry washing machine, comprising:

a wash tub disposed within a housing;

a water inlet configured to dispense water into the wash tub;

a weight sensor operatively coupled to the wash tub to sense a weight associated with the wash tub;

a fluid level sensor configured to sense a fluid level in the wash tub; and

a controller coupled to the water inlet and the weight and fluid level sensors, the controller configured to initiate an initial fill phase of a wash cycle by controlling the water inlet to dispense water into the wash tub and to dynamically select a load type from among a plurality of load types during the initial fill phase of a wash cycle based upon weight and fluid level values sensed respectively by the weight and fluid level sensors after a selected amount of water has been dispensed by the water inlet, wherein the selected amount of water is less than a total amount of water dispensed during the initial fill phase, and wherein the controller is configured to select the load type prior to completing the initial fill phase and prior to agitating the load.

23. The laundry washing machine of claim 22, wherein the controller is configured to select the load type while pausing dispensing of water by the water inlet.

24. The laundry washing machine of claim 23, wherein the controller is configured to determine a plurality of fluid level values sensed by the fluid level sensor while pausing dispensing of water by the water inlet, and to select the load type based upon the plurality of fluid level values.

25. The laundry washing machine of claim 22, wherein the controller is configured to select the load type while controlling the water inlet to dispense water.

26. The laundry washing machine of claim 25, wherein the controller is configured to determine weight and fluid level values at a plurality of amounts of water dispensed by the water inlet, and to select the load type based upon the determined weight and fluid level values at the plurality of amounts of water dispensed by the water inlet.

27. The laundry washing machine of claim 22, wherein the controller is configured to control the water inlet to dispense additional water for the initial fill phase into the wash tub after selecting the load type.

28. The laundry washing machine of claim 27, wherein the controller is configured to determine an amount of additional water to dispense for the initial fill phase based upon the selected load type.