IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,633,776
Granted Patent B2
US 10,633,776 · App. 15/907,378 · Granted Apr 28, 2020

Controlled moisture removal in a laundry treating appliance

Inventors: Barbara A. Balinski (Saint Joseph, MI); Floyd G. Jackson (Baroda, MI); Karl David McAllister (Stevensville, MI)
Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
D06F25/00D06F33/02D06F39/04D06F58/28D06F2058/2819D06F2058/2864D06F2202/12D06F2204/04
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,633,776
App. No.
15/907,378
Granted
Apr 28, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of operating a laundry treating appliance for treating laundry according to a cycle of operation with the laundry treating appliance including a treating chamber for receiving laundry selectively accessible through a door, can include determining the removal of laundry after completion of the cycle of operation and reducing humidity in the treating chamber after determination of the removal of the laundry.

Claims (23)

1. A method of operating a laundry treating appliance for treating laundry according to a treating cycle of operation and comprising a treating chamber for receiving the laundry, which is selectively accessible through a door movable between opened and closed positions, the method comprising:

determining a removal of laundry from the treating chamber after a completion of the treating cycle of operation;

determining a user input of a desired air flow direction; and

reducing humidity in the treating chamber after the determination of the removal of the laundry by exhausting air from the treating chamber in accordance with the desired air flow direction.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining the removal of the laundry comprises determining an opening of the door after the completion of the treating cycle of operation.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the reducing humidity is done for a predetermined time after the determining the opening of the door.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising determining a subsequent closing of the door after determining the opening of the door.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the reducing humidity is done for a predetermined time after the determining the subsequent closing of the door.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the exhausting air comprises actuating a fan fluidly coupled to the treating chamber.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the exhausting air is continuous until terminated.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the reducing humidity further comprises heating air within the treating chamber.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the reducing humidity comprises heating air within the treating chamber.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the heating air comprises actuating a heat source within the treating chamber.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the desired air flow direction includes exhausting air from either a front of the laundry treating appliance or a back of the laundry treating appliance.

12. A method of reducing humidity in a laundry treating appliance configured to treat laundry according to a cycle of operation and comprising a rotatable drum defining a treating chamber for receiving the laundry, which is selectively accessible through a door movable between opened and closed positions, the method comprising:

determining a user input of a desired air flow direction;

reducing humidity initially in the treating chamber while the door remains closed after a predetermined time has occurred;

determining a removal of the laundry from the treating chamber after a completion of the cycle of operation; and

reducing humidity in the treating chamber after the determination of the removal of the laundry by exhausting air from the treating chamber in accordance with the desired air flow direction.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising rotating the rotatable drum at a predetermined speed during the reducing humidity initially in the treating chamber while the door remains closed.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein rotating the rotatable drum at the predetermined speed further comprises intermittently rotating the rotatable drum clockwise and counterclockwise at the predetermined speed.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein reducing humidity initially in the treating chamber while the door remains closed includes exhausting air from the treating chamber in accordance with the desired air flow direction.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein determining the removal of the laundry comprises determining opening of the door after the completion of the cycle of operation.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2018
From: BALINSKI, BARBARA A.; JACKSON, FLOYD G.; MCALLISTER, KARL DAVID
To: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 045059/0117 →
Continuity (4)
Division 15602157 · May 23, 2017
Continuation 14818394 · Aug 5, 2015
Division 12545115 · Aug 21, 2009
Related Publication 20180187356A1 · Jul 5, 2018
Cited By (1)
US 12,421,646