Steam washing machine operation method having dry spin pre-wash

• US 20070283507A1
• Filed: 06/09/2006
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Wong, Nyik Siong, Vaidhyanathan, Raveendran, Hardaway, Anthony H., Luckman, Joel A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,941,885 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 8/149.300
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 35/006 for washing or rinsing only
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/40 Steam generating arrangements

Abstract

A method for operating a horizontal axis washing machine having a tub with a drum rotatably mounted in the tub and configured to hold a fabric load comprises introducing liquid into the drum to wet the fabric load and spinning the drum to distribute the fabric load about the drum prior to the introducing of the liquid.

Claims

1. A method for operating a horizontal axis washing machine having a tub with a drum rotatably mounted in the tub and configured to hold a fabric load, the method comprising:

introducing liquid into the drum to wet the fabric load; and

spinning the drum to distribute the fabric load about the drum prior to the introducing of the liquid.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the liquid is introduced while the drum is spinning.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising rotating the drum at a tumble speed after the spinning of the drum.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising recirculating the liquid between the tub and the drum.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the recirculating occurs during the spinning of the drum.

6. The method according to claim 4, further comprising adding liquid to at least one of the tub and the drum to compensate for liquid absorbed by the fabric load.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the adding, recirculating, and spinning repeats until a ratio of fabric load weight to liquid weight reaches a predetermined ratio.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the predetermined ratio is in a range of about 1:

0.5 and 1;

2.7.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the predetermined ratio is in a range of about 1:

1 and 1;

2.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising introducing steam into at least one of the tub and the drum.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the introducing of the steam occurs after the introducing of the liquid and the spinning of the drum.

12. The method according to claim 10, further comprising rotating the drum during the introduction of the steam.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the rotating of the drum during the introduction of steam comprises rotating the drum at a tumble speed.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the introducing and spinning are part of a pre-wash step, and a washing step follows the pre-wash step.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein a ratio of fabric load weight to liquid weight is greater during the pre-wash step than during the washing step.

16. The method according to claim 14, further comprising introducing steam into at least one of the tub and the drum at least one of during the pre-wash step, between the pre-wash step and the washing step, and during the washing step.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising a rinsing step and an extraction step following the washing step.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein the liquid comprises a detergent solution.