Stain removal process control method using BPM motor feedback

• US 7,934,281 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2005
• Issued: 05/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Bernardino, Flavio Erasmo, Mueller, Dale E., Farrington, Erik K., Spindler, Leon H., Zeitler, Mary Ellen
• Primary Examiner(s): BLAN, NICOLE R
• Application Number:
  US11/273,207
• Publication Number:
  US 20070107138A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,996 Days
• Field of Search: 68/126
• US Class Current: 8/159
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/46 of the motor driving the drum
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/028 Arrangements for selectively supplying water to detergent compartments
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/06 Arrangements for preventing or destroying scum
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/083 Liquid discharge or recirculation arrangements

Abstract

Methods for laundering a textile wash load in a washing apparatus comprising the steps of pre-treating a textile wash load using methods that include a detection step selected from an airlock detection step, a water log detection step and combinations thereof.

Claims

1. A method for laundering a textile wash load in a washing apparatus comprising the steps of:

a. loading a textile wash load into a wash basket of the washing apparatus wherein the wash basket is surrounded by a stationary wash tub and is adapted to be rotated relative to the stationary wash tub by a wash basket motor;

b. introducing a volume of concentrated chemical solution into the washing apparatus;

c. applying at least a fraction of the concentrated chemical solution to the textile wash load through operation of a recirculation pump driven by a recirculation pump motor;

d. rotating the wash basket relative to the stationary wash tub by activating the wash basket motor;

e. performing a first air lock detection step to determine whether the recirculation pump is pumping air or foam; and

f. performing a first water log detection step to detect whether the wash tub includes excess solution impinging on the wash basket, wherein the first air lock detection step and the first water log detection step are performed based on feedback of a measured operating characteristic of the recirculation pump motor and the wash basket motor respectively.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the wash basket motor is a motor selected from the group consisting of a non-BPM electrical motor and a BPM motor.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the recirculation pump motor is selected from the group consisting of an non-BPM electric motor and a BPM electric motor.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein a drag recovery procedure is performed when water log is detected.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the drag recovery procedure comprises the further steps of:

i. recirculating at least a portion of the a concentrated chemical solution located in the wash tub onto the textile wash load in the wash basket; and

ii. performing a second water log detection step.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein an extraction step is performed if the second water log detection step does not detect wash basket drag wherein the extraction step includes the further steps of spinning the wash basket at a high spin speed for a predetermined period of time;

and recirculating at least a portion of the concentrated chemical solution in the wash tub onto the textile wash load in the wash basket while the wash basket is spinning at a low spin speed.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein, following the extraction step, the steps of spinning the wash basket at a high spin speed for a first predetermined period of time followed by recirculating a fraction of the concentrated chemical solution onto the textile wash load in the wash basket while the wash basket is spinning at a low spin are repeated a predetermined number of times.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein a second air lock detection step is performed after the predetermined number of times.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein steps (i) and (ii) are repeated a predetermined number of times after which at least a portion of the concentrated chemical solution is directed onto the textile wash load located in the wash basket while the wash basket is spinning at a low spin speed and performing a fourth airlock detection step.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein the steps of performing a drag recovery procedure and performing a water log detection step are repeated if drag is detected during the second water log detection step.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the drag recovery procedure is repeated a predetermined number of times if drag is detected.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein when the predetermined number of times is reached, then at least a portion of the concentrated chemical solution is directed onto the textile wash load located in the wash basket while the wash basket is spinning at a low spin speed after which another airlock detection step is performed.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein if no air lock is detected by the first air lock detection step, then an extraction step is performed on the textile wash load.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein, following the extraction step, the steps of spinning the wash basket at a high spin speed for a first predetermined period of time followed by recirculating a fraction of the concentrated chemical solution onto the textile wash load in the wash basket while the wash basket is spinning at a low spin are repeated a predetermined number of times.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein a second air lock detection step is performed after the predetermined number of times.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein a third airlock detection steps is performed and, when the third airlock detection step detects airlock, then a second volume of clean water is added to the wash tub and the textile wash load is processed by the further steps comprising:

1. recirculating essentially all of the clean water onto the textile wash load while the wash basket is spinning at a low spin speed;

2. halting the recirculation, increasing the spin speed of the wash basket and allowing the wash basket to spin at a high spin speed;

3. recirculating essentially all of any clean water in the wash tub onto the textile wash load while the wash basket is spinning at a low spin speed; and

4. performing a fourth air lock detection step.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein steps 1-4 are repeated at least once.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein, when no air lock is detected by second air lock detection step, then at least a portion of the concentrated chemical solution is directed onto the textile wash load while the wash basket is spinning at a low spin speed after which another airlock detection step is performed.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein when airlock is detected by the second airlock detection step, the textile wash load undergoes a water extraction step followed by a fresh water refill step.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein when airlock is detected by the first airlock detection step, the textile wash load undergoes a water extraction step followed by a fresh water refill step.

21. The method of claim 20 or 19 wherein the water extraction and fresh water refill steps comprise the further steps of:

spinning the wash basket at a high spin speed for a predetermined period of time;

adding a first volume of fresh water to the wash tub after a second predetermined period of time to form a once diluted concentrated chemical solution;

applying a predetermined volume of the once diluted concentrated chemical solution onto the textile wash load while the wash basket is spinning at a low spin speed;

halting the application of the once diluted concentrated chemical solution;

increasing the spin speed of the wash basket to a high spin speed for a third predetermined period of time and then reducing the wash basket spin speed to a low spin speed;

recirculating once diluted concentrated chemical solution in the wash tub onto the textile wash load while the wash basket is spinning at a low spin speed; and

performing another air lock detection step.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein after the fresh water refill step, a first volume of clean water is added to the wash tub after the second predetermined period of time to form a diluted concentrated chemical solution and the textile wash load is processed by the further steps comprising:

recirculating essentially all of the diluted concentrated chemical solution onto the textile wash load while the wash basket is spinning at a low spin speed;

halting the recirculation, increasing the spin speed of the wash basket and allowing the wash basket to spin at a high spin speed;

recirculating essentially all of any diluted concentrated chemical solution in the wash tub onto the textile wash load while the wash basket is spinning at a low spin speed; and

performing another air lock detection step.

23. The method of claim 1 including at least two air lock detection steps and at least one water log detection step.

24. The method of claim 23 include a plurality of air lock detection steps and a plurality of water log detection steps.

25. A method for laundering a textile wash load in a washing apparatus comprising the steps of:

a. loading a textile wash load into a wash basket of the washing apparatus wherein the wash basket is surrounded by a stationary wash tub and is adapted to be rotated relative to the stationary wash tub by a motor;

b. introducing a volume of concentrated chemical solution into the washing apparatus;

c. applying at least a fraction of the concentrated chemical solution to the textile wash load through operation of a recirculation pump driven by the motor;

d. rotating the wash basket relative to the stationary wash tub by activating the motor;

e. performing a first air lock detection step to determine whether the recirculation pump is pumping air or foam; and

f. performing a first water log detection step to detect whether the wash tub includes excess solution impinging on the wash basket, wherein both the first air lock detection step and the first water log detection step are performed based on feedback of a measured operating characteristic of the motor.

26. The method of claim 25 including at least two air lock detection steps and at least one water log detection step.