Laundry appliance that identifies items not intended to be run through a washer or dryer cycle
First Claim
1. A laundry appliance comprising:
- a washing machine appliance;
the appliance having an opening for receiving clothes; and
a receiver that includes an antenna positioned adjacent the opening for detecting an item not intended to be laundered.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of the invention relate to the field of laundry appliances. In an embodiment, a laundry appliance system includes a laundry appliance such as a washing machine that includes an opening for receiving and removing clothes and a door that covers the opening during a washing cycle. The washer is equipped with a receiver comprising a computer, an RF reader, and an antenna positioned near the opening. The antenna, for example, may be positioned on or within the door. The antenna may also be a circular pass through antenna tailored to encircle the opening in a way that permits the door to be closed. RFID tags are provided for affixing to items not intended to be laundered (i.e., run through a washing cycle of washing machine or a drying cycle of a dryer appliance). Such items may include wallets, passports, watches, keys, phones, and other electronic devices or important documents that could be damages or destroyed if passed through a washing cycle. When the RF reader detects an RFID tag that has been affixed to an item not intended to be laundered, the receiver alerts the appliance operator by sound, visual information, or other information that an unintended item has been placed in the laundry appliance.
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Citations
54 Claims
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1. A laundry appliance comprising:
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a washing machine appliance; the appliance having an opening for receiving clothes; and a receiver that includes an antenna positioned adjacent the opening for detecting an item not intended to be laundered. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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15. A laundry appliance system comprising:
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a laundry appliance; the appliance having an opening for receiving clothes; a receiver comprising an RF reader that includes an antenna positioned adjacent to the opening; and an RFID tag for positioning on an item not intended to be laundered. - View Dependent Claims (16, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A detector adapted for use with a laundry appliance having an opening for receiving clothes in a chamber and for wirelessly detecting items not intended for the laundry, the detector comprising:
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a receiver comprising an RF reader that includes an antenna configured to be positioned adjacent to the opening; an RFID tag for positioning on an item not intended to be laundered; and wherein the receiver is configured to alert the appliance operator when the RF reader detects the RFID tag. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A laundry washing appliance comprising:
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a receiver that includes an antenna mounted to the appliance to detect an item not intended to be laundered when the item is positioned near the appliance; and wherein the receiver is configured to alert the appliance operator when the item is detected. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A laundry appliance comprising:
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a washing machine having an opening for receiving clothes within a chamber, a receiver that includes an antenna positioned to detect an item not intended to be laundered that has been passed through the opening and placed within the chamber; and wherein, to improve odds that the item is detected, the appliance incorporates a pre-laundering cycle in which the chamber is repositioned so that the item is repositioned within the chamber. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44)
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45. A laundry appliance comprising:
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a washing machine appliance; the appliance having a door that defines an opening for receiving clothes within a laundry chamber; and a receiver that includes an antenna positioned to detect unwanted items within the chamber. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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Specification