Method for operating a cleanout cycle in a dispensing dryer

• US 8,201,345 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2009
• Issued: 06/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Dalton, Michael T., Ghosh, Kaustav, McAllister, Karl D.
• Primary Examiner(s): GRAVINI, STEPHEN MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US12/489,529
• Publication Number:
  US 20100000114A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,092 Days
• Field of Search: 343/80, 343/81, 343/89, 344/27, 344/80, 345/24, 346/01, 34/90, 68/120.8, 68/120.9
• US Class Current: 34/389
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/203 Laundry conditioning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/30 Drying processes controlling a series of operations in domestic laundry dryers D06F58/32

Abstract

A method for operating a cleanout cycle to remove treating chemistry dispensed within a dispenser dryer.

Claims

1. A method of operating a laundry dryer comprising a rotatable drum at least partially defining a drying chamber for drying laundry, an airflow system fluidly coupled to the drying chamber for flowing air through the drying chamber, a heater for heating the air in the airflow system, a dispensing system fluidly coupled to the drying chamber for dispensing a treating chemistry into the drying chamber, a controller operably coupling the rotatable drum, airflow system, heater, and dispensing system, to selectively control their operation to implement a drying cycle stored in the controller to dry the laundry, the method comprising:

dispensing a treating chemistry into the drying chamber to treat the laundry; and

executing a clean-out cycle to remove the treating chemistry from the drying chamber after the removal of the laundry from the drying chamber.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the dispensing is implemented as part of the drying cycle.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the executing of the clean-out cycle is executed after completion of the drying cycle.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the dispensing is part of a treating cycle separate from the drying cycle.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the executing of the clean-out cycle is executed after completion of the drying cycle.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the executing of the clean-out cycle is executed after the removal of the laundry from the drying chamber.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining which clean-out cycle to execute from a plurality of clean-out cycles stored in the controller.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the determination of which clean-out cycle to execute comprises determining at least one previously dispensed treating chemistry.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the determination of which clean-out cycle to execute comprises determining at least one previously executed drying cycle.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the executing the clean-out cycle further comprises removing the treating chemistry from the dispensing system.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the executing the clean-out cycle comprises at least one of:

flowing air through the drying chamber;

heating the drying chamber;

rotating the drying chamber;

dispensing clean-out chemistry into the drying chamber; and

wiping the drying chamber.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the executing the clean-out cycle comprises flowing air through the drying chamber to remove particulates from the drying chamber.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the flowing of air comprises pulsing the flow of air through the drying chamber.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the flowing of air is a first action in the clean-out cycle.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the flowing of air comprises flowing air at the maximum flow rate of the airflow system.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the flowing of air comprises pulsing the flow of air through the drying chamber.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the executing the clean-out cycle comprises dispensing a clean-out chemistry from the dispensing system into the drying chamber to form a mixture of the clean-out chemistry and the treating chemistry.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the executing the clean-out cycle further comprises removing the mixture from the drying chamber.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the removing the mixture comprises wiping the mixture from the drying chamber.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the wiping the mixture from the drying chamber comprises using an accessory inside the dryer to wipe the inside of the drying chamber.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein the removing the mixture comprises draining the mixture from the drying chamber.

22. The method according to claim 18, wherein the executing the clean-out cycle further comprises heating the drying chamber to evaporate the mixture.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the executing the clean-out cycle further comprises flowing air through the drying chamber to remove the evaporated mixture.

24. The method according to claim 17, wherein the executing the clean-out cycle further comprises rotating the drum.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the drum is rotated during dispensing of the clean-out chemistry.

26. The method according to claim 17, wherein the executing the clean-out cycle further comprises heating the drying chamber.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the drying chamber is heated to a functional temperature for the clean-out chemistry.

28. The method according to claim 1, wherein the executing the clean-out cycle comprises cleaning out the dispensing system independently of the drying chamber.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the cleaning out the dispensing system comprises dispensing water through the dispensing system.

30. The method according to claim 1, wherein the executing the clean-out cycle comprises:

dispensing clean-out chemistry into the drying chamber while rotating the drum without flowing air through the drying chamber and without heating the drying chamber; and

flowing air through the drying chamber and heating the drying chamber after the dispensing of the clean-out chemistry while rotating the drum.

31. The method according to claim 30, wherein the executing the clean-out cycle further comprises dispensing water into the drying chamber after the drying chamber reaches a predetermined temperature.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein the executing the clean-out cycle further comprises removing a mixture of the clean-out chemistry, water, and treating chemistry from the drying chamber.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein the removing the mixture comprises wiping the drying chamber.

34. The method according to claim 33, wherein the wiping the drying chamber comprises using an accessory inside the dryer to wipe the inside of the drying chamber.

35. The method according to claim 1, wherein the executing the clean-out cycle comprises flowing air through the drying chamber while heating the drying chamber to a predetermined temperature.

36. The method according to claim 35, wherein the flowing of air comprises pulsing bursts of air through the drying chamber.

37. The method according to claim 35, wherein the flowing of air comprises flowing air at the maximum flow rate of the airflow system.

38. The method according to claim 37, wherein the flowing of air comprises pulsing bursts of air through the drying chamber.

39. The method according to claim 35, wherein the executing the clean-out cycle further comprises cleaning a lint filter in the airflow system.

40. A method of operating a laundry dryer comprising a rotatable drum at least partially defining a drying chamber for drying laundry, an airflow system fluidly coupled to the drying chamber for flowing air through the drying chamber, a heater for heating the air in the airflow system, a dispensing system fluidly coupled to the drying chamber for dispensing a treating chemistry into the drying chamber, a controller operably coupling the rotatable drum, airflow system, heater, and dispensing system, to selectively control their operation to implement a drying cycle stored in the controller to dry the laundry, the method comprising:

dispensing a liquid treating chemistry into the drying chamber to treat the laundry;

drying the laundry in the drying chamber by supplying heated air into the drying chamber to evaporate the liquid treating chemistry from the laundry; and

executing a clean-out cycle to remove the treating chemistry from the drying chamber.

41. A method of operating a laundry dryer comprising a rotatable drum at least partially defining a drying chamber for drying laundry, an airflow system fluidly coupled to the drying chamber for flowing air through the drying chamber, a heater for heating the air in the airflow system, a dispensing system fluidly coupled to the drying chamber for dispensing a treating chemistry into the drying chamber, a controller operably coupling the rotatable drum, airflow system, heater, and dispensing system, to selectively control their operation to implement a drying cycle stored in the controller to dry the laundry, the method comprising:

dispensing a liquid treating chemistry into the drying chamber to treat the laundry;

drying the laundry in the drying chamber by supplying heated air into the drying chamber to evaporate the liquid treating chemistry from dehydrate the laundry; and

executing a clean-out cycle to remove the treating chemistry from the drying chamber after the removal of the laundry from the drying chamber.