Washing machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10689792-B2
Application number	US-201816106736-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 21, 2018
Priority date	Feb 16, 2017
Publication date	Jun 23, 2020
Grant date	Jun 23, 2020

Abstract

A washing machine can have at least one heating element and be configured to perform a cycle of operation. A method of operation of the washing machine can include signaling a relay circuit to switch operation of the at least one heating element. A washing machine and a dryer can each have at least one heating element and be configured to perform a cycle of operation. The washing machine and dryer can be connected to a shared power source. A method of sharing power between the washing machine and the dryer can include allocating power between the washing machine and the dryer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of sharing power between a washing machine and a dryer, each having at least one heating element and configured to perform a cycle of operation, and both connected to a shared power source, the method comprising:
providing an electrical circuit between the at least one heating element of one of the washing machine or the dryer and the shared power source,
controlling, by a controller connected to the electrical circuit, the cycles of operation of the one of the washing machine or the dryer, the controller further configured to communicate with an other of the washing machine or the dryer; and
allocating power between the washing machine and the dryer by adjusting operation of the at least one heating element of the one of the washing machine or the dryer in response to operational characteristics of the other of the washing machine or the dryer.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining whether the one of the washing machine or the dryer has the at least one heating element in the one of the washing machine or the dryer energized at a first power level.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising determining whether the other of the washing machine or the dryer needs to energize the at least one heating element in the other of the washing machine or the dryer in the cycle of operation in the other of the washing machine or the dryer.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising allocating power between the washing machine and the dryer by energizing the at least one heating element in the other of the washing machine or the dryer or adjusting the first power level of the at least one heating element in the one of the washing machine or the dryer to a second power level lower than the first power level and then energizing the at least one heating element in the other of the washing machine or the dryer.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the first power level is 240V AC and the second power level is 120V AC.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising validating the second power level of the one of the washing machine or the dryer.

7. A method of interoperation of a washing machine with a dryer, each having at least one heating element and configured to perform a cycle of operation, and both connected to a shared power source, the method comprising:
providing an electrical circuit between the at least one heating element of the washing machine and the shared power source;
controlling, by a controller connected to the electrical circuit, the cycles of operation of the washing machine, the controller further configured to communicate with the dryer; and
allocating power between the washing machine and the dryer by switching operation of the at least one heating element of the washing machine between at least two power levels in response to operational characteristics of the dryer.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the switching operation of the at least one heating element of the washing machine between the at least two power levels comprises energizing or de-energizing the at least one heating elements.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising reducing power consumed by the dryer depending on a power usage of the washing machine.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising automatically reducing electrical power consumed by the washing machine when simultaneous energization of the washing machine and the dryer occurs.

11. The method of claim 7 further comprising determining whether one of the washing machine or the dryer has the at least one heating element in the one of the washing machine or the dryer energized at a first power level.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising determining whether an other of the washing machine or the dryer needs to energize the at least one heating element in the other of the washing machine or the dryer in the cycle of operation of the other of the washing machine or the dryer.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising allocating power between the washing machine and the dryer by energizing the at least one heating element in the other of the washing machine or the dryer or adjusting the first power level of the at least one heating element in the one of the washing machine or the dryer to a second power level lower than the first power level and then energizing the at least one heating element in the other of the washing machine or the dryer.

14. A method of operation of a washing machine having at least one heating element and configured to perform a cycle of operation, the method comprising
providing an electrical relay circuit between the at least one heating element and a power supply;
controlling, by a controller connected to the electrical relay circuit, the cycles of operation of the washing machine; and
allocating power to the washing machine by signaling the electrical relay circuit to switch an operation of the at least one heating element between first and second power levels in response to an input to the controller.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the switch of the operation of the at least one heating element between the first and second power levels comprises energizing or de-energizing the at least one heating element.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising coupling a communication module to the controller such that the controller is configured to communicate with an other laundry treating appliance connected to the power supply, wherein the controller can allocate power between the washing machine and the other laundry treating appliance.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising connecting the washing machine and the other laundry treating appliance to the power supply by a piggyback power plug.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the piggyback power plug is connected to one of the washing machine or the other laundry treating appliance and has a rear facing electric socket configured to receive a plug from an other of the washing machine or the other laundry treating appliance.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the rear facing electric socket includes a unique power terminal layout configured to receive a compatible power plug.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the piggyback power plug is adapted to receive the compatible power plug of the other laundry treating appliance to allow the power sharing from the single power supply.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Bilionis Peter I
• Heater Timothy E

Classifications

• D06F58/48

  Control of the energy consumption · CPC title

• D06F34/08

  Control circuits or arrangements thereof · CPC title

• D06F25/00

  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 title

• D06F33/46 Primary

  Control of the energy or water consumption · CPC title

• D06F34/28

  Arrangements for program selection, e.g. control panels therefor; Arrangements for indicating program parameters, e.g. the selected program or its progress · CPC title