Method of operating a washing machine using steam
First Claim
1. A method for operating a washing machine having a tub with a drum rotatably mounted in the tub and configured to hold a fabric load and a liquid recirculation system configured to recirculate liquid from the tub to the drum, the method comprising:
- a pre-wash step comprising;
recirculating a first volume of liquid between the tub and the drum without submerging a portion of the drum in the liquid; and
rotating the drum;
a heating step comprising introducing steam into at least one of the tub-and the drum; and
a washing step comprising washing the fabric load with a second volume of liquid greater than the first volume of liquid.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for operating a washing machine having a tub with a drum rotatably mounted in the tub and configured to hold a fabric load and a liquid recirculation system configured to recirculate liquid from the tub to the drum comprises a pre-wash step; a heating step comprising introducing steam into the tub and/or the drum; and a washing step comprising washing the fabric load with a second volume of liquid greater than the first volume of liquid. The pre-wash step can comprise recirculating a first volume of liquid between the tub and the drum without submerging a portion of the drum in the liquid and rotating the drum. In another embodiment, the pre-wash step can comprise recirculating a first volume of liquid between the tub and the drum to achieve a fabric load weight to liquid weight ratio of between about 1:0.5 and 1:2.7.
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Citations
51 Claims
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1. A method for operating a washing machine having a tub with a drum rotatably mounted in the tub and configured to hold a fabric load and a liquid recirculation system configured to recirculate liquid from the tub to the drum, the method comprising:
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a pre-wash step comprising; recirculating a first volume of liquid between the tub and the drum without submerging a portion of the drum in the liquid; and rotating the drum; a heating step comprising introducing steam into at least one of the tub-and the drum; and a washing step comprising washing the fabric load with a second volume of liquid greater than the first volume of liquid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method for operating a washing machine having a tub with a drum rotatably mounted in the tub and configured to hold a fabric load and a liquid recirculation system configured to recirculate liquid from the tub to the drum, the method comprising:
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a pre-wash step comprising recirculating a first volume of liquid between the tub and the drum to achieve a fabric load weight to liquid weight ratio of between about 1;
0.5 and 1;
2.7;a heating step comprising introducing steam into at least one of the tub and the drum; and a washing step comprising washing the fabric load with a second volume of liquid greater than the first volume of liquid. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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Specification