Abstract: A method for estimating the moment of inertia of a rotating unit of a washing or washing-and-drying machine comprising the steps of: establishing one or more linear parameters; rotating the drum of the rotating unit in such a way as to reach a set of speeds of a pre-set value; once each speed of a pre-set value is reached, detecting the value of the torque provided to the rotating unit; and finally estimating the moment of inertia of the rotating unit through a linear combination of the torques detected and by means of the linear parameters.

Abstract: A method of measuring the electric power of a universal electric motor (4) connected to an electric power mains (6) by a Triac (7) and supplied by sinusoidal alternating voltage (V(t)), the method determining a first (ton) and a second (toff) instant at which the current (I(t)) supplied to the motor (4) passes from a zero value to a value other than zero; measuring the current supplied to the motor (4) at a third instant between the first (ton) and second (toff) instant; determining a fitting current time pattern (f(t)) approximating the real time pattern of the current (I(t)), and which has a zero current value at the first (ton) and second (toff) instant, and a current value equal to a sampled current at the third instant (tin); and calculating the mean electric power on the basis of the fitting current time pattern (f(t)).

Abstract: A method of sensing the motion of the wash assembly (3) of a washing machine (1) due to the dynamic unbalance of the laundry drum assembly (6), and which comprises the steps of: increasing the rotation speed (?) of a laundry drum (6) to a first rotation speed (?DIST); determining a first parameter (TFRICTION; AHFREF) related to the time pattern of the values of an unbalance function A=T?Jd?/dt; increasing the rotation speed (?) of the laundry drum (6) by a predetermined value (??) determining, at each increase (??) in rotation speed (?), a second parameter (ALF; AHF) related to the time pattern of the values of the unbalance function A=T?Jd?/dt filtered at the predetermined filtration frequency (LF; HF); calculating the difference (TdynLF; TdynHF) between the second parameter (ALF; AHF) and to the first parameter (TFRICTION; AHFREF).

Abstract: There is described a control system (15) for controlling unbalance of the wash assembly (5) in a vertical-rotation-axis washing machine (1), wherein a wash assembly (5) is housed inside a casing (2), and has a wash drum (8) rotating about an axis of rotation (R) substantially parallel to a vertical reference axis (V), and an electric drive unit (12) for rotating the wash drum (8) about the relative axis of rotation (R); said control system has first computing blocks (19, 20, 21) for determining a number of operating quantities (Cm(t), J, alpha (t)) associated with rotation of the wash drum (8), and for determining, as a function of the quantities, the time pattern of the amplitude (h(t)) of vertical oscillation of the centre of mass (B) of the wash assembly (5) in a first direction substantially parallel to the vertical reference axis (V); and a second computing block (23) for determining the maximum amplitude (H) of vertical oscillation of the wash assembly (5) within a given time interval (T); the second co

Abstract: Provided is a method of minimizing an unbalanced load of laundry within a clothes laundering machine before a high-speed spinning phase. The method includes rotating a drum of the clothes laundering machine at a suitable rotational speed to initially retain at least a portion of the laundry within the drum against an inner surface of the drum; and determining that an unbalanced distribution of the laundry exists within the drum. In response to determining that the unbalanced distribution of laundry exists within the drum, initiating a laundry distribution phase to redistribute the laundry within the drum to reduce at least one of the unbalance mass to a level that is less than or equal to a maximum allowable mass value, and the elevation torque to a level that is less than or equal to a maximum allowable elevation torque.

Abstract: Laundry washing machine (1) provided with a casing (2) and with a vibration damper (7) which is fixed to the casing (2) so as to reduce vibrations transmitted to the latter; the vibration damper (7) comprising a supporting frame (8) rigidly fixed to the casing (2), an oscillating mass (9) housed inside the supporting frame (8), and at least one block (10) of viscoelastic polymeric gel interposed between the oscillating mass (9) and the supporting frame (8) to floating support the oscillating mass (9).

Abstract: Provided is a method of minimizing an unbalanced load of laundry within a clothes laundering machine before a high-speed spinning phase. The method includes rotating a drum of the clothes laundering machine at a suitable rotational speed to initially retain at least a portion of the laundry within the drum against an inner surface of the drum; and determining that an unbalanced distribution of the laundry exists within the drum. In response to determining that the unbalanced distribution of laundry exists within the drum, initiating a laundry distribution phase to redistribute the laundry within the drum to reduce at least one of the unbalance mass to a level that is less than or equal to a maximum allowable mass value, and the elevation torque to a level that is less than or equal to a maximum allowable elevation torque.

Abstract: Household-type front loading and water-recirculating clothes washing machine adapted to automatically measure the nature of the dry clothes loaded in the machine for washing, in which the measurement of such weight of the washload is performed by measuring the amount of water that is absorbed by the clothes in the washload when this is soaked with water to a point at which it is in a dynamic saturation, i.e. steady-state condition. Said measurement of the amount of water absorbed in the clothes is obtained by subtracting the amount of water that is present in the machine, and that does not interact with the washload, from the total amount of water let into the wash tub. The nature of the load of clothes is finally calculated by processing and interpolating the amount of water that is released by said load with respect to the water previously absorbed, and comparing said data with corresponding data relevant to reference textiles, whose nature is known.

Abstract: Household-type front loading and water-recirculating clothes washing machine adapted to automatically measure the nature of the dry clothes loaded in the machine for washing, in which the measurement of such weight of the washload is performed by measuring the amount of water that is absorbed by the clothes in the washload when this is soaked with water to a point at which it is in a dynamic saturation, i.e. steady-state condition. Said measurement of the amount of water absorbed in the clothes is obtained by subtracting the amount of water that is present in the machine, and that does not interact with the washload, from the total amount of water let into the wash tub. The nature of the load of clothes is finally calculated by processing and interpolating the amount of water that is released by said load with respect to the water previously absorbed, and comparing said data with corresponding data relevant to reference textiles, whose nature is known.

Abstract: Washing machine comprising a rotating drum, an electric motor apt to put the drum into rotation, measurement means of the drum rotational speed, means able to detect the torque provided by said motor, computing and control means able to determine and control the instantaneous speed of the drum, wherein, before of the spinning phase, said computing and control means activates the machine into rotation at a predefined speed (Wmain) with the laundry retained on the drum inner wall, compute the static unbalance (m) and the elevation moment (Mel), check if both the following conditions are met: the static unbalance mass (m) is less than a pre-determined value and the absolute value of the elevation moment is less of a predetermined value; if at least one of the unbalancing mass values, or one of the values of said elevation momentum (Mel) are higher than a predetermined respective values, said computing means calculate the difference between the value of said unbalancing mass and the respective said predetermined