Washing machine appliances with temperature control features

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10023990-B2
Application number	US-201615009902-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 29, 2016
Priority date	Jan 29, 2016
Publication date	Jul 17, 2018
Grant date	Jul 17, 2018

Abstract

Washing machine appliances and methods for operating washing machine appliances are provided. A method includes receiving a desired water temperature selection, and causing water to be flowed through a valve assembly to a nozzle, the nozzle operable to flow water into a tub of the washing machine appliance. The method further includes receiving, when the desired water temperature selection is an unregulated water temperature, an initial sensed water temperature from a temperature sensor, and causing the valve assembly to adjust a temperature of the water flowed through the valve assembly when the desired water temperature selection is an unregulated water temperature and the initial sensed water temperature is below a predetermined temperature threshold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A washing machine appliance, the washing machine appliance comprising:
a cabinet;
a tub disposed within the cabinet;
a basket disposed within the tub and rotatable relative to the tub about a central axis;
a nozzle operable to flow water into the tub;
a valve assembly operable to regulate the flow of water to the nozzle, the valve assembly in fluid communication with a hot water source and a cold water source;
a temperature sensor for sensing a water temperature;
a control panel, the control panel comprising a water temperature selector;
an additive dispenser in fluid communication with the nozzle; and
a controller in communication with the valve assembly, the temperature sensor and the water temperature selector, the controller configured to execute:
receiving a desired water temperature selection transmitted by the water temperature selector;
causing water to be flowed through the valve assembly to the nozzle;
receiving, when the desired water temperature selection is an unregulated water temperature, an initial sensed water temperature from the temperature sensor; and
causing the valve assembly to adjust a temperature of the water flowed through the valve assembly and directing the water through the additive dispenser when the desired water temperature selection is an unregulated water temperature and the initial sensed water temperature is below a predetermined temperature threshold, wherein causing the valve assembly to adjust the temperature comprises dispensing additives from the additive dispenser with the water flowed therethrough at a temperature above the initial sensed temperature;

wherein causing the valve assembly to adjust the temperature of the water flowed through the valve assembly comprises flowing water for a predetermined temperature-adjusting time period according to a calculated ratio of a hot water flow time and a cold water flow time, wherein the calculated ratio is determined from an equation embodied as

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Assignees

• Gen Electric
• Haier Us Appliance Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Pollett James Quentin

Classifications

• D06F39/02

  Devices for adding soap or other washing agents · CPC title

• D06F39/088

  Liquid supply arrangements · CPC title

• D06F33/02

  Textiles & Paper · mapped topic

• D06F35/006

  for washing or rinsing only · CPC title

• D06F39/045 Primary

  Textiles & Paper · mapped topic