Laundry treating appliance and method of operation for a laundry treating appliance

• US 9,466,439 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2013
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Flachs, Michelle K., Litaker, Terry K., Paraskevopoulos, Chris W., Blake, Robert, Bodine, Darryl C., Erickson, Donald E., Albright, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): BARNES-BULLOCK, CRYSTAL JOY
• Application Number:
  US13/927,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20150005943A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,203 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4257 Details of the loading door
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4293 Arrangements for programme selection, e.g. control panels; Indication of the selected programme, programme progress or other parameters of the programme, e.g. by using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/40 Opening or locking status of doors
• 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 33/30 Control of washing machines characterised by the purpose or target of the control controlling processes of washer-dryers D06F33/50
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/28 Arrangements for program selection, e.g. control panels therefor; Arrangements for indicating program parameters, e.g. the selected program or its progress
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/04 adapted for rotation or oscillation about a horizontal or inclined axis
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/38 in opposite directions
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/083 Liquid discharge or recirculation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/087 Water level measuring or regulating devices
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/14 Doors or covers; Securing means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/40 Steam generating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2633 Washing, laundry
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 3/161 for actuation by moving a closing member, e.g. door, cover or lid the switch controlling enclosed equipment H01H9/226; switches operated by a removable member, wherein one single insertion movement of a key comprises an unlocking stroke and a switch actuating stroke, e.g. security switch for safety guards H01H27/002

Abstract

A laundry treating appliance and a method operating a laundry treating appliance having at least one automatic cycle of operation, a plurality of components selectively operable by a controller to implement the at least one cycle of operation on a load of laundry received within a treating chamber of the appliance with the controller having a user interface for receiving input from a user and a door for closing an open face of the treating chamber, the method comprising determining a movement of the door in a closing direction and actuating the user interface when it is determined the door is moved in the closing direction.

Claims

1. A method of operating a laundry treating appliance having at least one automatic cycle of operation, a plurality of components selectively operable by a controller to implement the at least one cycle of operation on a load of laundry received within a treating chamber of the appliance with the controller having a user interface for receiving input from a user and a door for closing an open face of the treating chamber, the method comprising:

determine, by the controller, a movement of the door in a closing direction; and

actuate the user interface when it is determined the door is moved in the closing direction; and

wherein the user interface is inactive when the door is open or partially open and activated when it is determined the door is moved in the closing direction.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining the movement of the door in the closing direction comprises determining the door is in a closed position.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining the movement of the door in the closing direction comprises determining the door is adjacent a seal near the open face.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining the movement of the door includes determining that the door is moving towards the open face.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the determining that the door is moving towards the open face includes determining that the door is moving within a predetermined range of motion towards the open face.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the actuating the user interface comprises providing power to the user interface.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the actuating the user interface comprises illuminating a portion of the user interface.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the illuminating the portion of the user interface comprises illuminating the entire user interface.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the illuminating the portion of the user interface comprises illuminating the portion of the user interface on a window of the door.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the actuating the user interface comprises activating the user interface so it is responsive to user inputs.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically moving the door towards a closed position of the door.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the moving the door is in response to a user initiated stimulus.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein automatically moving the door comprises one of sliding the door towards the closed position of the door or pivoting the door towards the closed position of the door.

14. A laundry treating appliance for treating laundry in accordance with a treating cycle of operation, comprising:

a treating chamber having an open face;

a door for selectively closing the open face of the treating chamber;

a user interface for communicating with a user of the laundry treating appliance; and

a controller for controlling operation of the laundry treating appliance and wherein the controller is configured to determine movement of the door in a closing direction and configured to actuate the user interface when it is determined the door is moved in the closing direction; and

wherein the user interface is inactive when the door is open or partially open and activated when it is determined the door is moved in the closing direction.

15. The laundry treating appliance of claim 14, further comprising a sensor operably coupled with the controller and providing a signal to the controller regarding a position of the door.

16. The laundry treating appliance of claim 15 wherein providing the signal to the controller regarding a position of the door comprises providing a signal regarding a change in position of the door within a predetermined range of positions.

17. The laundry treating appliance of claim 14, further comprising an actuator operably coupled with the door to move the door towards a closed position of the door.

18. The laundry treating appliance of claim 17 wherein the actuator is configured to close the door.

19. The laundry treating appliance of claim 17 wherein the actuator is operably coupled with an input device separate from the user interface.

20. The laundry treating appliance of claim 14 wherein the user interface comprises a circuit board having a plurality of switches that are accessible to the user and the controller activates the switches when it is determined the door is moving in the closing direction.

21. The laundry treating appliance of claim 14 wherein the user interface comprises a plurality of lights and where the controller illuminates at least some of the plurality of lights when it is determined the door is moving in the closing direction.

22. The laundry treating appliance of claim 14 wherein the door moves in a pivoting manner to close the open face.

23. The laundry treating appliance of claim 14 wherein the user interface is located in a window of the door.