Method for spin drying a clothes basket in a combination washer/dryer

• US 7,117,612 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2005
• Issued: 10/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: American Dryer Corp (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Original Assignee: American Dryer Corp (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Inventors: Slutsky, Dennis, Bliss, Craig F.
• Primary Examiner(s): GRAVINI, STEPHEN MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US11/094,580
• Publication Number:
  US 20050166420A1
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: 343/19, 343/21, 345/95, 345/96, 346/02, 346/04, 318/293, 615/8
• US Class Current: 34/321
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/16 Washing liquid temperature
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/32 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/28 Electric heating
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 25/00 Washing machines with receptacles, e.g. perforated, having a rotary movement, e.g. oscillatory movement, the receptacle serving both for washing and for centrifugally separating water from the laundry and having further drying means, e.g. using hot air control of washing or of washing and drying D06F33/00, D06F34/00; domestic laundry dryers D06F58/00
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/24 Liquid temperature
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/26 Condition of the drying air, e.g. air humidity or temperature
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/04 Heating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/263 Gas heating equipment
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/40 Control of the initial heating of the drying chamber to its operating temperature

Abstract

The combination washer/dryer and method for operating a combination washer/dryer. The washer/dryer has a containment drum which receives wash water, and includes a perforated clothes drum which rotates within the containment drum. A heat plenum is provided in heat transfer relationship with the containment drum, and a source of heat coupled to the heat plenum supplies heat for water in the containment drum. During a drying cycle, hot air from the heat source supplied from the fire box to the containment drum for heating wash water during a washing cycle, and for supplying hot air during a drying cycle. A drying air plenum is connected to receive drying air from the source of heat, delivering the drying air to the top of the containment drum, where it enters the rotating basket. An exhaust plenum discharges hot air laden with moisture from the containment drum through a lint filter.

Claims

1. A method for spin drying a clothes basket in a combination washer-dryer comprising:

rotating said clothes basket at a first speed to centrifugally dry said clothes for a first period of time;

pausing rotation of said clothes basket to a speed of substantially zero revolutions per minute for a second period of time which forces said clothes to drop from the surface of said clothes basket;

increasing said clothes basket rotational speed to a second speed equal to or higher than said first speed for further drying said clothes;

pausing said rotation of said clothes basket to a speed of substantially zero revolutions per minute a second time; and

prior to entering into a hot air drying mode for said washer-dryer, increasing said rotation of said clothes basket to a third speed, substantially higher than said second speed.

2. The method for spin drying according to claim 1 wherein said clothes are rotated at said third speed for a period of time greater than a time said basket is rotated at said first or second speeds.

3. The method for spin drying according to claim 1 wherein said basket rotational speed is increased to said second speed in steps.

4. A spin drying method in a combination washer/dryer having a rotating clothes basket comprising:

rotating the clothes basket to centrifugally force said clothes against the wall of said basket driving moisture from clothes through openings in said basket;

varying the speed of said clothes basket a plurality of times during rotation so that said clothes are alternatively forced against said walls as said speed increases, and dropped from said walls as said speed is reduced thereby reducing the clumping of said clothes together; and

subsequently rotating said clothes basket in a final spin cycle at a substantially constant rate for a period of time longer than the period of time said speed is varied.

5. The spin drying method according to claim 4 wherein said final spin cycle is followed by a hot air drying cycle.

6. The spin drying method according to claim 5 wherein said hot air drying cycle is followed by a cool down cycle.