Laundry machine and method for operation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025043480-A1
Application number	US-202318364863-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 3, 2023
Priority date	Aug 3, 2023
Publication date	Feb 6, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A laundry washing machine appliance and method for operation are provided, including a wash basket rotatably mounted within a tub, the wash basket configured to receive laundry articles; a pump assembly configured to drain fluid from the wash basket; one or more sensors configured to obtain a pressure value, a humidity value, or both; and a controller configured to store instructions that, when executed, causes the appliance to perform operations. The operations include operating the pump assembly to perform a drain cycle; determining a pressure value over a period of time during the drain cycle; determining whether the pressure value over the period of time decreases at or above a pressure threshold rate; and operating the pump assembly in a preset cycle mode when the pressure value over the period of time is below the pressure threshold rate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A laundry washing machine appliance, comprising:
a wash basket rotatably mounted within a tub, the wash basket configured to receive laundry articles; a pump assembly configured to drain fluid from the wash basket; one or more sensors configured to obtain a pressure value, a humidity value, or both; and a controller configured to store instructions that, when executed, causes the appliance to perform operations, the operations comprising:
operating the pump assembly to perform a drain cycle;
determining a pressure value over a period of time during the drain cycle;
determining whether the pressure value over the period of time decreases at or above a pressure threshold rate; and
operating the pump assembly in a preset cycle mode when the pressure value over the period of time is below the pressure threshold rate.

2 . The laundry washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the pressure value over the period of time decreases at or above the pressure threshold rate starts when the drain cycle commences.

3 . The laundry washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein the period of time is within twenty seconds from the start of the pump assembly.

4 . The laundry washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein the preset cycle mode comprises operating the pump assembly for a predetermined period of time during the drain cycle without utilizing pressure values from the sensor.

5 . The laundry washing machine appliance of claim 1 , the operations comprising:
transmitting a communication signal indicating a sensor fault corresponding to the pressure value.

6 . The laundry washing machine appliance of claim 1 , the operations comprising:
determining a humidity value over the period of time during the drain cycle; determining whether the humidity value over the period of time decreases at or above a humidity threshold rate; and operating the appliance without the humidity value from the sensor when the humidity value over the period of time is below the humidity threshold rate.

7 . The laundry washing appliance of claim 6 , wherein determining whether the humidity value over the period of time decreases at or above the humidity threshold rate starts when the drain cycle commences.

8 . The laundry washing machine appliance of claim 7 , wherein the period of time is within twenty seconds from the start of the pump assembly.

9 . The laundry washing machine appliance of claim 6 , the operations comprising:
transmitting a communication signal indicating a sensor fault corresponding to the humidity value.

10 . The laundry washing machine appliance of claim 1 , the operations comprising:
operating the appliance in a non-fault operating condition when the pressure value over the period of time decreases at or above the pressure threshold rate.

11 . A method for operating a laundry washing machine appliance, comprising:
operating a drain pump to perform a drain cycle; determining a pressure value over a period of time during the drain cycle; determining whether the pressure value over the period of time decreases at or above a pressure threshold rate; and operating the drain pump in a preset cycle mode when the pressure value over the period of time is below the pressure threshold rate.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein determining whether the pressure value over the period of time decreases at or above the pressure threshold rate starts when the drain cycle commences.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the period of time is within twenty seconds from the start of the drain pump.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the preset cycle mode comprises operating the drain pump for a predetermined period of time during the drain cycle without utilizing pressure values from a sensor.

15 . The method of claim 11 , the method comprising:
transmitting a communication signal indicating a sensor fault corresponding to the pressure value.

16 . The method of claim 11 , the method comprising:
determining a humidity value over the period of time during the drain cycle; determining whether the humidity value over the period of time decreases at or above a humidity threshold rate; and operating the appliance without the humidity value from the sensor when the humidity value over the period of time is below the humidity threshold rate.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein determining whether the humidity value over the period of time decreases at or above the humidity threshold rate starts when the drain cycle commences.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the period of time is within twenty seconds from the start of the drain pump.

19 . The method of claim 16 , the method comprising:
transmitting a communication signal indicating a sensor fault corresponding to the humidity value.

20 . The method of claim 11 , the method comprising:
operating the appliance in a non-fault operating condition when the pressure value over the period of time decreases at or above the pressure threshold rate.

Assignees

• Haier Us Appliance Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Dayeon Wee
• Jo Jaewon
• Seo Wonmyung

Classifications

• D06F2105/52

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

• D06F2105/58

  Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user · CPC title

• D06F2105/08

  Draining of washing liquids · CPC title

• D06F2103/20

  Washing liquid condition, e.g. turbidity · CPC title

• D06F2103/08

  Humidity · CPC title