LAUNDRY TREATING APPLIANCE WITH A STATIC TUB

• US 20150176166A1
• Filed: 03/09/2015
• Published: 06/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: ALEXANDER, BENJAMIN E., BURGESS, BRENT M., ERICKSON, DONALD E., MCCONNELL, KENNETH L., MORROW, BRADLEY D., MUELLER, DALE E., PAUSTIAN, MICHELE A., SHARP, BRENNER M., STRAIN, CHRISTINE L., TIETZ, DEAN L., LALONDE, LAUREN M., CLUSKEY, MICHAEL K., JONES, CHRISTOPHER A., LINDEN, AARON A.
• Application Number:
  US14/641,492
• Publication Number:
  US 20150176166A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 17/06 by rotary impellers
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/24 in machines with a receptacle rotating or oscillating about a vertical axis
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/085 Arrangements or adaptations of pumps
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/087 Water level measuring or regulating devices
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/088 Liquid supply arrangements

Abstract

A method of controlling a laundry treating appliance having a rotatable wash basket defining a treating chamber for receiving laundry items for treatment according to an automatic cycle of operation, the method comprising supplying liquid to the wash basket, draining liquid from the wash basket by gravity, and filling the wash basket to a predetermined fill level based on an amount of laundry, a type of laundry, a selected cycle of operation, or combinations thereof.

Claims

1. A laundry treating appliance for treating laundry items according to an automatic cycle of operation comprising:

a cabinet defining an interior;

a wash basket mounted within the cabinet for rotation about a vertical axis and defining a treating chamber for receiving laundry items for treatment;

a plurality of drain holes, provided in the wash basket, and configured to drain liquid supplied to the wash basket at a predetermined volumetric drain rate;

a motor located within the cabinet drivingly coupled to the wash basket for rotating the wash basket;

a catch basin coupled with the cabinet for accommodating liquid draining from the wash basket through the plurality of drain holes; and

a recirculation pump configured to supply liquid from the catch basin to the wash basket at a predetermined volumetric supply rate;

wherein the predetermined volumetric supply rate is controlled based on the predetermined volumetric drain rate to control an amount of liquid in the wash basket according to the automatic cycle of operation.

2. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the predetermined volumetric supply rate is greater than the predetermined volumetric drain rate such that liquid supplied to the wash basket accumulates within the wash basket to a predetermined fill level to treat laundry items according to the automatic cycle of operation.

3. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the predetermined volumetric supply rate is the same as the predetermined volumetric drain rate to maintain a liquid level in the wash basket at a predetermined fill level to treat laundry items according to the automatic cycle of operation.

4. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the predetermined volumetric drain rate is based on at least one of an amount of the drain holes, a shape of the drain holes, at least one dimension of the drain holes, or a location of the drain holes.

5. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the wash basket comprises an end wall and at least one side wall extending from the end wall to define the treating chamber and wherein at least a portion of the plurality of drain holes are provided in the end wall of the wash basket.

6. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the predetermined fill level is based on an amount of laundry, a type of laundry, a selected cycle of operation, or a combination thereof.

7. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the predetermined fill level satisfies a predetermined liquid-to-laundry ratio.

8. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the recirculation pump is operated to supply liquid to the wash basket at least one of as a continuous supply or in multiple discrete supplies.

9. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1, further comprising a valve coupled with the recirculation pump through a liquid supply conduit to supply liquid to the wash basket, and wherein the valve is operated to supply the liquid to the wash basket at the predetermined volumetric supply rate.

10. A method of controlling a laundry treating appliance having a rotatable wash basket defining a treating chamber for receiving laundry items for treatment according to an automatic cycle of operation, the method comprising:

supplying liquid to the wash basket at a predetermined volumetric supply rate;

draining liquid from the wash basket by gravity at a predetermined volumetric drain rate; and

filling the wash basket to a predetermined fill level based on an amount of laundry, a type of laundry, a selected cycle of operation, or combinations thereof;

wherein the predetermined volumetric supply rate is controlled based on the predetermined volumetric drain rate to control an amount of liquid in the wash basket according to the automatic cycle of operation.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the predetermined volumetric supply rate is greater than the predetermined volumetric drain rate such that liquid supplied to the wash basket accumulates within the wash basket to a predetermined fill level to treat laundry items according to the automatic cycle of operation.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the predetermined volumetric supply rate is the same as the predetermined volumetric drain rate to maintain a liquid level in the wash basket at a predetermined fill level to treat laundry items according to the automatic cycle of operation.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the wash basket comprises a plurality of drain holes configured to drain liquid supplied to the wash basket, and wherein the predetermined volumetric drain rate is based on at least one of an amount of the drain holes, a shape of the drain holes, at least one dimension of the drain holes, a location of the drain holes or combinations thereof.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the wash basket comprises an end wall and at least one side wall extending from the end wall to define the treating chamber and wherein the drain holes are provided in the end wall of the wash basket.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the predetermined fill level is based on an amount of laundry, a type of laundry, a selected cycle of operation, or a combination thereof.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the predetermined fill level satisfies a predetermined liquid-to-laundry ratio.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein the supplying liquid to the wash basket comprises at least one of a continuous supply of liquid or multiple discrete supplies of liquid.

18. The method of claim 10 wherein the supplying the liquid comprises supplying the liquid through a liquid supply conduit and a valve, and further comprising operating the valve at the predetermined volumetric supply rate to supply the liquid to the wash basket.