WASHING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LOAD SIZE AND WATER RETENTION DETECTION

• US 20100154131A1
• Filed: 12/22/2008
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Hoppe, Christopher G., Risen, Carl W., Paul, Steven D., Katona, Russell, Vitan, Craig, Recio, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 8,943,629 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 8/159
• 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 2103/18 Washing liquid level
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/24 Spin speed; Drum movements
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/38 Time, e.g. duration
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/42 Detergent or additive supply
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/58 Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/18 Condition of the laundry, e.g. nature or weight

Abstract

A washing system and method for load size and water retention detection includes a cabinet, a tub position within the cabinet, a basket with a wash load received therein rotatably supported within the tub, and a drive system for rotating the basket. A controller is operatively coupled to the drive system. The controller rotates the rotatable basket to urge the wash load radially outwardly in the basket and then decelerates the rotatable basket with the wash load urged radially outwardly to or below a predetermined threshold speed. An amount of time from initial deceleration of the rotatable basket until the rotatable basket is at or below the predetermined threshold speed is measured and the measured amount of time is used to determine a parameter of the wash load.

Claims

1. A method for determining a parameter of a wash load held in a rotatable basket of a washing machine, comprising:

rotating the rotatable basket to urge the wash load radially outwardly in the basket;

decelerating the rotatable basket with the wash load urged radially outwardly to or below a first predetermined threshold speed;

measuring an amount of time from initial deceleration of the rotatable basket until the rotatable basket decelerates to said first predetermined threshold speed; and

using said measured amount of time to determine a parameter of the wash load.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the wash load is a dry wash load and said parameter of the wash load is a load size of the dry wash load.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein using said measured amount of time includes correlating said measured amount of time to a dry weight of the wash load to determine said load size of the wash load.

4. The method of claim 3 further including:

dispensing an amount of laundry additive into the rotatable basket, as a function of said determined load size.

5. The method of claim 3 further including:

storing said dry weight of the wash load for use later in a wash cycle.

6. The method of claim 5 further including:

washing and rinsing the wash load which causes the wash load be become a wet wash load;

after washing and spinning the wash load, rotating the rotatable basket to urge the wet wash load radially outwardly in the basket;

decelerating the rotatable basket with the wet wash load urged radially outwardly to or below a second predetermined threshold speed;

measuring a second amount of time from initial deceleration of the rotatable basket with the wet wash load therein until the rotatable basket decelerates to said second predetermined threshold; and

using said measured second amount of time to determine another parameter of the wash load.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said second predetermined threshold is equal to said first predetermined threshold.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein said another parameter of the wash load is an amount of water retained in the wash load.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein using said measured second amount of time includes:

correlating said measured second amount of time to a wet weight of the wash load; and

comparing said wet weight and said dry weight to determine said amount of water retained in the wash load.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein said parameter is an amount of water retention in the wash load.

11. The method of claim 10 further including washing and spinning the wash load prior to rotating and decelerating the rotatable basket, and wherein using said measured amount of time includes correlating said measured amount of time to a wet weight of the wash load and comparing said wet weight to a dry weight of the wash load to determine said amount of water retention in the wash load.

12. The method of claim 11 further including:

spinning the rotatable basket after said amount of water retention in the wash load is determined or a period of time established as a function of said amount of water retention in the wash load.

13. The method of claim 11 further including:

communicating said determined amount of water retention in the wash load to an associated dryer to facilitate settings of the dryer for drying the wash load.

14. A washing machine comprising:

a cabinet;

a tub positioned within said cabinet;

a basket with a wash load received therein rotatably supported within said tub; and

a drive system drivingly connected to said basket for rotating said basket;

a controller operatively coupled to said drive system, said controller configured to operate the drive system to accelerate rotation of said basket to a first speed and then decelerate rotation of said basket from said first speed to a second, lower speed, said controller further configured to measure an amount of time of deceleration from said first speed to said second speed to determine a parameter of said wash load.

15. The washing machine of claim 14 wherein said second speed is zero RPM.

16. The washing machine of claim 14 wherein said drive system includes a motor driven by an inverter.

17. The washing machine of claim 16 wherein said inverter is driven in reverse to decelerate said rotation of said basket.

18. The washing machine of claim 14 wherein said parameter of said wash load is a load size of said wash load and said controller correlates said measured amount of time to a dry weight of said wash load to determine said load size.

19. The washing machine of claim 18 further including a dispenser mounted in said cabinet that dispenses an amount of laundry additive into said basket corresponding to said dry weight of said wash load.

20. The washing machine of claim 18 wherein said controller is further configured to operate the drive system after washing of the wash load to again accelerate rotation of said basket to a third speed and then decelerate rotation of said basket from said third speed to said fourth speed, lower than said third speed, said controller further configured to measure another amount of time of deceleration from said third speed to said fourth speed, correlate said another amount of time to a wet weight of said wash load, and determine a water retention amount in said wash load by comparing said dry weight to said wet weight.

21. A The washing machine of claim 20 wherein said third speed equals said first speed and said fourth speed equals said second speed.

22. A method for determining load size of a wash load in a washing machine, comprising:

rotating a rotatable basket with a wash load held therein at a first speed to urge said wash load radially outwardly;

decelerating said rotatable basket with said wash load urged radially outwardly from said first speed to a second, lower speed;

measuring an amount of time of deceleration of said rotatable basket from said first speed to said second speed; and

correlating said measured amount of time to a weight of said wash load.