Home appliance and method of operating a home appliance

• US 10,585,407 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2017
• Issued: 03/10/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Bodine, Darryl C., Erickson, Donald E., Flachs, Michelle K., Litaker, Terry K., Paraskevopoulos, Chris W., Albright, Scott, Blake, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Huntley, Michael J
• Application Number:
  US15/595,351
• Publication Number:
  US 20170248926A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,030 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/00 Output in controlling method of washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware, i.e. quantities or components controlled, or actions performed by the controlling device executing the controlling method
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 29/005 the other separate apparatus being a drying appliance
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/30 Control of washing machines characterised by the purpose or target of the control controlling processes of washer-dryers D06F33/50
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/28 Arrangements for program selection, e.g. control panels therefor; Arrangements for indicating program parameters, e.g. the selected program or its progress
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/42 Safety arrangements, e.g. for stopping rotation of the receptacle upon opening of the casing door
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/14 Doors or covers; Securing means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/182 characterised by the machine tool function, e.g. thread cutting, cam making, tool direction control G05B19/21 - G05B19/40 take precedence

Abstract

A home appliance for treating an article according to an automatic cycle of operation, includes a treating chamber having an open face, a door for closing the open face of the treating chamber, two or more sensors on a housing of the home appliance, an actuator operably coupled with the door to move the door from a closed position of the door to an opened position of the door, and a controller.

Claims

1. A home appliance for treating an article according to an automatic cycle of operation, comprising:

a treating chamber having an open face;

a door for slidably closing the open face of the treating chamber in a vertical direction;

two or more sensors vertically arranged on a housing of the home appliance proximate to the open face, at least a first of the two or more sensors disposed vertically above or vertically below a second of the two or more sensors, and wherein the two or more sensors are arranged spanning a vertical length of the open face;

an actuator operably coupled with the door to vertically move the door from a closed position of the door to an opened position of the door; and

a controller for controlling operation of the home appliance and wherein the controller is configured to;

receive a first signal from the first of the two or more sensors;

receive a subsequent signal from the second of the two or more sensors;

determine that a predetermined gesture in a vertical direction has been made by a user based on the received signals; and

actuate the actuator to slide the door vertically based on the determination that the predetermined gesture has been made.

2. The home appliance of claim 1 wherein the two or more sensors are horizontally offset.

3. The home appliance of claim 1 wherein the two or more sensors are arranged on a common portion of the housing horizontal to the door.

4. The home appliance of claim 1 wherein the actuator is a spring configured to move the door to the opened position including that of a partially opened position.

5. The home appliance of claim 1 wherein the actuator is a motor.

6. The home appliance of claim 5 wherein the motor is configured to move the door to the opened position where the door is fully open.

7. The home appliance of claim 5 wherein the motor is configured to move the door from the opened position to the closed position.

8. The home appliance of claim 7, further comprising a button operably coupled with the controller that when activated by the user initiates the automatic closing of the door by the motor.

9. The home appliance of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to determine that the predetermined gesture has been made based on sensing a movement of the user between three or more predetermined locations.

10. The home appliance of claim 1 wherein at least the first of the two or more sensors is disposed vertically above the second of the two or more sensors.

11. The home appliance of claim 10 wherein the actuator is operably coupled with the door to vertically move the door from a higher closed position of the door to a lower opened position of the door.

12. The home appliance of claim 11 wherein the lower opened position of the door provides access to the open face.

13. The home appliance of claim 1 wherein at least the first of the two or more sensors is disposed vertically below the second of the two or more sensors.

14. The home appliance of claim 13 wherein the actuator is operably coupled with the door to vertically move the door from a lower closed position of the door to a higher opened position of the door.

15. The home appliance of claim 14 wherein the higher opened position of the door provides access to the open face.

16. The home appliance of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to partially actuate the actuator to slide the door vertically in matching motion of the predetermined gesture made by the user.

17. A home appliance for treating an article according to an automatic cycle of operation, comprising:

a user interface having physical interface elements;

a treating chamber having an open face;

a door for slidably closing the open face of the treating chamber in a vertical direction;

two or more sensors vertically arranged on a housing of the home appliance apart from the user interface, at least a first of the two or more sensors disposed vertically above or vertically below a second of the two or more sensors;

an actuator operably coupled with the door to vertically move the door from a closed position of the door to an opened position of the door; and

a controller for controlling operation of the home appliance and wherein the controller is configured to;

receive a first signal from the first of the two or more sensors;

receive a subsequent signal from the second of the two or more sensors;

determine that a predetermined gesture in a vertical direction has been made by a user based on the received signals; and

actuate the actuator to slide the door vertically.

18. The home appliance of claim 17 wherein the actuator is a motor.

19. The home appliance of claim 17 wherein the controller is configured to determine that the predetermined gesture has been made based on sensing a movement of the user between three or more predetermined locations.

20. The home appliance of claim 17 wherein the controller is further configured to partially actuate the actuator to slide the door vertically in matching motion of the predetermined gesture made by the user.