Method and apparatus for cleaning laundry

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020087828-A1
Application number	US-201816131941-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 14, 2018
Priority date	Sep 14, 2018
Publication date	Mar 19, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for controlling a laundry washing machine. The method includes: performing a tub loading process comprising operating supply valve(s) to provide a first volume of water through a detergent supply system and into a tub to fill the tub with wash liquid; performing a washing process comprising rotating a drum to agitate laundry in in the presence of the wash liquid; performing a static rinsing process comprising operating a pump to remove any free volume of wash liquid from the tub without rotating the drum; and performing one or more rinsing processes comprising: operating the supply valve(s) to provide a volume of clean rinse water to the tub, operating the pump to remove the rinse water from the drum, and operating the motor to spin the drum at high speed to extract rinse water from the laundry, while continuing to operate the pump.

First claim

1 . A method for controlling a laundry washing machine having a tub, a drum rotatably mounted within the tub, a motor configured to selectively rotate the drum, one or more supply valves connectable to a water supply system, a detergent supply system and a water draining pump, the method comprising:
performing a tub loading process comprising operating the one or more supply valves to provide a first volume of water through the detergent supply system and into the tub to fill the tub with wash liquid; performing a washing process comprising operating the motor to rotate the drum to thereby agitate laundry in the drum in the presence of the wash liquid; performing a static rinsing process comprising operating the water draining pump to remove any free volume of wash liquid from the tub without operating the motor to spin or rotate the drum; and performing one or more rinsing processes comprising:
performing a tub loading process comprising operating the one or more supply valves to provide a volume of clean rinse water to the tub,
operating the water draining pump to remove the rinse water from the drum, and
operating the motor to spin the drum at high speed to extract rinse water from the laundry, while continuing to operate the draining pump.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more rinsing processes further comprise:
operating the motor to rotate the drum after the step of performing the tub loading process and before the step of operating the water draining pump.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more rinsing processes comprise:
performing a tub loading process comprising operating the one or more supply valves to provide a first volume of clean rinse water to the tub, the first volume being greater than a typical volume used for rinsing; operating the water draining pump to remove rinse water from the drum; operating the motor to spin the drum at high speed to extract rinse water from the laundry, while continuing to operate the draining pump; and performing a first further one or more rinsing, draining and spinning processes.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more rinsing processes comprise:
performing a tub loading process comprising operating the one or more supply valves to provide a first volume of clean rinse water to the tub that is greater than a typical volume used for rinsing; operating the motor to rotate the drum and agitate the load for a period of time; operating the water draining pump to remove rinse water from the drum; operating the motor to spin the drum at high speed to extract rinse water from the laundry, while continuing to operate the draining pump; and
performing a first further one or more rinsing, draining and spinning processes.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more rinsing processes comprises operating the one or more supply valves to provide a first volume of clean rinse water to the tub that is greater than a typical volume used for rinsing.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein operating the one or more supply valves to provide a first volume of water through the detergent supply system and into the tub to fill the tub with wash liquid comprises mixing the wash liquid in a chamber before conveying the wash liquid to the tub.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the tub loading process further comprises: operating the one or more supply valves to provide a second volume of water through the detergent supply system and into the tub to fill the tub and at least a portion of the drum with wash liquid.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the second volume of water comprises hot water.

9 . A laundry washing machine comprising:
a tub; a drum rotatably mounted within the tub; a motor configured to selectively rotate the drum; one or more supply valves connectable to a water supply system; a detergent supply system; a water draining pump; and a control unit, the control unit being configured to:
perform a tub loading process comprising operating the one or more supply valves to provide a first volume of water through the detergent supply system and into the tub to fill the tub with wash liquid;
perform a washing process comprising operating the motor to rotate the drum to thereby agitate laundry in the drum in the presence of the wash liquid;
perform a static rinsing process comprising operating the water draining pump to remove any free volume of liquid solution from the tub without simultaneously operating the motor to rotate the drum; and
perform a one or more rinsing processes comprising:
performing a tub loading process comprising operating the one or more supply valves to provide a volume of clean rinse water to the tub,
operating the water draining pump to remove the rinse water from the drum, and
operating the motor to spin the drum at high speed to extract rinse water from the laundry, while continuing to operate the draining pump.

10 . The laundry washing machine of claim 9 , wherein the control unit is configured to perform the one or more rinsing processes by operating the motor to rotate the drum after the step of performing the tub loading process and before the step of operating the water draining pump.

11 . The laundry washing machine of claim 9 , wherein the control unit is configured to perform the one or more rinsing processes by:
performing a tub loading process comprising operating the one or more supply valves to provide a first volume of clean rinse water to the tub that is greater than a typical volume used for rinsing; operating the water draining pump to remove rinse water from the drum; operating the motor to spin the drum at high speed to extract rinse water from the laundry, while continuing to operate the draining pump; and performing a first further one or more rinsing, draining and spinning processes.

12 . The laundry washing machine of claim 9 , wherein the control unit is configured to perform the one or more rinsing processes by:
performing a tub loading process comprising operating the one or more supply valves to provide a first volume of clean rinse water to the tub that is greater than a typical volume used for rinsing; operating the motor to rotate the drum and agitate the load for a period of time; operating the water draining pump to remove rinse water from the drum; operating the motor to spin the drum at high speed to extract rinse water from the laundry, while continuing to operate the draining pump; and
performing a first further one or more rinsing, draining and spinning processes.

13 . The laundry washing machine of claim 9 , wherein the control unit is configured to perform at least one of the one or more rinsing processes by operating the one or more supply valves to provide a first volume of clean rinse water to the tub, the first volume being greater than a typical volume used for rinsing.

14 . The laundry washing machine of claim 9 , wherein the control unit is configured to mix the wash liquid in a chamber before conveying the wash liquid to the tub.

15 . The laundry washing machine of claim 9 , wherein the control unit is configured to perform the tub loading process by operating the one or more supply valves to provide a second volume of water through the detergent supply system and into the tub to fill the tub and at least a portion of the drum with wash liquid.

16 . The laundry washing machine of claim 15 , wherein the second volume of water comprises hot water.

17 . A laundry washing machine comprising:
a tub; a drum rotatably m

Assignees

• Electrolux Appliances AB

Inventors

• White Allison
• Bondi Martino
• Li Yihong
• Stabon Elisa
• Lucchetta Alberto

Classifications

• D06F2105/02

  Water supply · CPC title

• D06F2105/52

  Changing sequence of operational steps; Carrying out additional operational steps; Modifying operational steps, e.g. by extending duration of steps · CPC title

• D06F2101/02

  Characteristics of laundry or load · CPC title

• D06F2105/46

  Drum speed; Actuation of motors, e.g. starting or interrupting · CPC title

• D06F33/32 Primary

  Control of operational steps, e.g. optimisation or improvement of operational steps depending on the condition of the laundry · CPC title