LAUNDRY APPLIANCE

• US 20120227189A1
• Filed: 05/21/2012
• Published: 09/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: DUNCAN, ANNA KATHRYN, HALL, ERIN LOUISE, WALKER, GEOFFREY, DUNCAN, GERALD DAVID, BERNARDINO, FLAVIO E., ZEITLER, MARY ELLEN, CARR, DAVID WAYNE
• Granted Patent: US 9,534,328 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 8/137
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 17/08 Driving arrangements for the impeller
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 17/10 Impellers
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 23/04 and rotating or oscillating about a vertical axis
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/40 for driving the receptacle and an agitator or impeller, e.g. alternatively D06F37/304, D06F37/308 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/083 Liquid discharge or recirculation arrangements

Abstract

A laundry machine configured to supply a first amount of water to the wash tub wherein a wash plate can be oscillated such that clothes items directly above and in contact with the impeller are frictionally dragged in a oscillatory manner with the wash chamber while continuing to oscillate said wash plate, an additional supply of water is added to said wash tub such that as cloth items lost frictional engagement with the wash plate, the cloth items continue to move along an inverse toroidal rollover path at higher water levels.

Claims

1. A method of operating a laundry treating appliance having a wash basket for receiving laundry items rotatably supported within a wash tub, a wash plate disposed in the wash basket, and a motor drivingly connected with the wash basket and the wash plate, the method comprising:

supplying a first amount of liquid to the wash tub to a first liquid level in which the laundry items come into frictional contact with the wash plate;

oscillating the wash plate such that laundry items directly above and in contact with the wash plate are frictionally dragged in an oscillatory manner and the laundry items roll over within the wash basket along an inverse toroidal rollover path;

supplying a second amount of liquid to the wash tub to a second liquid level, greater than the first liquid level, in which the laundry items lose frictional contact with the wash plate;

continuing to oscillate the wash plate during the supply of the second amount of liquid to maintain the rollover of the laundry items within the wash basket along an inverse toroidal rollover path as the laundry items lose frictional contact with the wash plate.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the wash plate is oscillated according to a first drive profile during the supply of the first and second amounts of liquid, and a second drive profile subsequent to the first drive profile, and wherein the first drive profile comprises at least one of longer strokes and higher angular velocities than the second drive profile.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising intermittently oscillating the wash plate according to the first drive profile subsequent to the second drive profile.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising recirculating liquid during the second drive profile.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first liquid level corresponds to a liquid to laundry items ratio of less than 10 litres/kg.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the second liquid level corresponds to a liquid to laundry items ratio of greater than 15 litres/kg.

7. A method of operating a laundry treating appliance having a wash basket for receiving laundry items rotatably supported within a wash tub, a wash plate disposed in the wash basket, and a motor drivingly connected with the wash basket and the wash plate, the method comprising:

operating the laundry treating appliance in one of a first mode and a second mode during a wash cycle;

the first mode comprising;

supplying a first amount of liquid to the wash tub to a first liquid level in which the laundry items come into frictional contact with the wash plate;

oscillating the wash plate such that laundry items directly above and in contact with the wash plate are frictionally dragged in an oscillatory manner and the laundry items roll over within the wash basket along an inverse toroidal rollover path;

wherein the amount of liquid in the wash tub is not substantially increased above the first liquid level during a wash phase; and

the second mode comprising;

supplying a second amount of liquid to the wash tub to a second liquid level in which the laundry items come into frictional contact with the wash plate;

oscillating the wash plate such that laundry items directly above and in contact with the wash plate are frictionally dragged in an oscillatory manner and the laundry items roll over within the wash basket along an inverse toroidal rollover path;

supplying a third amount of liquid to the wash tub to a third liquid level, greater than the second liquid level, in which the laundry items lose frictional contact with the wash plate; and

continuing to oscillate the wash plate during the supply of the third amount of liquid to maintain the rollover of the laundry items within the wash basket along an inverse toroidal rollover path as the laundry items lose frictional contact with the wash plate.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the second liquid level is the same as the first liquid level.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the wash plate is oscillated according to a first drive profile during the supply of the second and third amounts of liquid, and a second drive profile subsequent to the first drive profile, and wherein the first drive profile comprises at least one of longer strokes and higher angular velocities than the second drive profile.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising intermittently oscillating the wash plate according to the first drive profile subsequent to the second drive profile.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising recirculating liquid during the second drive profile.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein at least one of the first and second liquid levels corresponds to a liquid to laundry items ratio of less than 10 litres/kg.

13. The method of claim 7 wherein the third liquid level corresponds to a liquid to laundry items ratio of greater than 15 litres/kg.

14. A method of operating a laundry treating appliance having a wash basket for receiving laundry items rotatably supported within a wash tub, a wash plate disposed in the wash basket, and a motor drivingly connected with the wash basket and the wash plate, the method comprising:

supplying a first amount of liquid to the wash tub to a first liquid level;

oscillating the wash plate such that laundry items directly above and in contact with the wash plate are frictionally dragged in an oscillatory manner and the laundry items roll over within the wash basket along an inverse toroidal rollover path;

supplying a second amount of liquid to the wash tub to a second liquid level, greater than the first liquid level;

continuing to oscillate the wash plate during the supply of the second amount of liquid to maintain the rollover of the laundry items within the wash basket along an inverse toroidal rollover path.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the wash plate is oscillated according to a first drive profile during the supply of the first and second amounts of liquid, and a second drive profile subsequent to the first drive profile, and wherein the first drive profile comprises at least one of longer strokes and higher angular velocities than the second drive profile.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising intermittently oscillating the wash plate according to the first drive profile subsequent to the second drive profile.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising recirculating liquid during the second drive profile.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the first liquid level corresponds to a liquid to laundry items ratio of less than 10 litres/kg.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the second liquid level corresponds to a liquid to laundry items ratio of greater than 15 litres/kg.