Abstract: A method of operating a laundry appliance includes rotating a laundry basket at a tumble speed during a drying cycle of a laundry appliance and energizing a conditioning system for process air. A fan is operated at a first speed to recirculate a flow of process air for a portion of a drying cycle. The conditioning system is deenergized and the fan is operated at a second speed during a second portion of the drying cycle where the second speed less than the first speed.

Abstract: A laundry appliance includes an apron extending between a bottom end and a top end along the vertical direction, an apron extension positioned on the top end of the apron and defining a mechanical compartment, wherein a rear wall of the apron extension extends past a rear wall of the apron along the transverse direction to define an overhang space under the apron extension, and a conditioning system positioned within the mechanical compartment and configured to heat and remove moisture from air flowing therethrough, the conditioning system comprising a compressor, an evaporator, and a condenser.

Abstract: A laundry appliance includes an apron extending between a bottom end and a top end along the vertical direction, wherein the apron defines a plurality of mounting studs extending along the vertical direction from the top end of the apron, an apron extension positioned on the top end of the apron and defining a mechanical compartment, the apron extension defining a plurality of keyhole slots configured to engage the plurality of mounting studs to secure the apron extension to the apron, and a conditioning system positioned within the mechanical compartment and configured to heat and remove moisture from air flowing therethrough, the conditioning system comprising a compressor, an evaporator, and a condenser.

Abstract: A laundry appliance includes a cabinet defining a front opening, a tub positioned within the cabinet, a wash basket rotatably mounted within the tub, the wash basket defining a chamber for receipt of articles for washing and drying, a conditioning system configured to heat and remove moisture from air flowing therethrough, the conditioning system comprising a compressor, an evaporator, and a condenser, a supply duct fluidly coupled to the conditioning system for providing a flow of process air into the chamber through a supply opening, and a door assembly rotatably mounted to the cabinet to provide selective access to the chamber through the opening. The door assembly includes a door frame rotatably mounted to the cabinet and a window mounted within the door frame, the window defining a low point and a high point, the low point being oriented toward the supply opening.

Abstract: A laundry appliance includes a cabinet, a tub positioned within the cabinet, and a basket supported for rotation within the tub. The laundry appliance includes a recirculating air flow system having a fan fluidly coupled to the tub and a vent tube with a first end fluidly coupled to a pressure side of the fan and a second end of the vent tube in fluid communication with an external atmosphere.

Abstract: A combination washer/dryer laundry appliance is provided, including a cabinet defining an interior volume, a tub mounted within the interior volume of the cabinet, a laundry basket rotatably mounted within the tub, the laundry basket defining a chamber for the receipt of laundry articles, and a dryer system coupled to the tub. The dryer system is in fluid communication with the chamber and configured to receive a flow of fluid from the chamber and remove moisture from the flow of fluid and provide dried air to the chamber. The laundry appliance configured to perform, at the laundry basket, a spin cycle, and operate the dryer system prior to completion of performing the spin cycle.

Abstract: A combination washer/dryer laundry appliance is provided, including a cabinet, a tub, a laundry basket forming a chamber for washing/drying laundry articles, a drying system and a blower configured to generate a flow of fluid through a flowpath including the chamber and the drying system, and a controller. The controller is configured to execute operations that include performing, at the laundry basket, a spin cycle, and operating the blower to inhibit the flow of fluid through a rear wall perforation at the laundry basket and a plenum between the laundry basket and the tub during the spin cycle.

Abstract: An airflow system for a laundry appliance is provided. The laundry appliance has a cabinet for receiving one or more articles for washing or drying. The airflow system includes a duct assembly, a heat exchanger, and a blower assembly. The duct assembly defines an airflow path between an air inlet for receiving air from the cabinet and an air outlet for returning air into the cabinet. The heat exchanger is disposed between the air inlet and the air outlet. The blower assembly directs airflow along the airflow path. Further, during operation of the laundry appliance, the blower assembly directs the airflow through the air outlet, across the heat exchanger, through the air inlet, and back into the cabinet.

Abstract: A blower assembly for an appliance defines a radial direction, a circumferential direction, and an axial direction. The blower assembly includes a motor, a housing, and an impeller. The housing has a front wall and a rear wall defining a volute with the impeller positioned therein. The impeller is mechanically coupled to the motor for rotating to direct a primary airflow into a primary airflow inlet of the housing and throughout the appliance. Further, the impeller includes a hub wall and a shroud wall. The should wall is spaced apart from the front wall of the housing along the axial direction to define a gap through which a secondary airflow can pass. An inner edge of the shroud wall has a shroud feature that causes the secondary airflow to align with the primary airflow entering the primary airflow inlet so as to minimize turbulence.

Abstract: A laundry treatment appliance includes a cabinet; a drum rotatably mounted within the cabinet; a sealed system; a duct system; a blower fan capable of operating at variable rotational speeds; and a controller configured to perform an operation. The operation includes directing the blower fan at a preliminary rotational speed; determining a condensation capacity of the sealed system with regards to the process air in the duct system; determining a mass flow rate of moisture in the process air while directing the blower fan at the preliminary rotational speed; determining a target rotational speed of the blower fan corresponding to a set ratio of the determined condensation capacity to the determined mass flow rate; and directing the blower fan at the determined target rotational speed.

Abstract: A laundry appliance includes a cabinet defining an interior volume with a housing mounted within the interior volume of the cabinet. An air filter is positioned in the housing. The air filter may be positioned upstream of a heating system of the laundry appliance. The laundry appliance also includes a drain path extending through the housing.

Abstract: A heat pump appliance may include a cabinet, a sealed thermodynamic assembly, a blower fan, a temperature sensor, and a controller. The sealed thermodynamic assembly may include a fluid compressor, an evaporator, and a condenser disposed along the air path. The temperature sensor may be mounted to the evaporator to detect temperature at the evaporator. The controller may be configured to direct a drying operation. The drying operation may include activating the fluid compressor to motivate a refrigerant through the sealed thermodynamic assembly, activating the blower fan to motivate the airflow across the condenser, directing the fluid compressor to an inactive state following activating the blower fan, detecting an evaporator temperature at the temperature sensor while the fluid compressor is in the inactive state following activating the blower fan, and adjusting activation of the blower fan based on the detected evaporator temperature.

Abstract: A laundry appliance includes a cabinet with a drum rotatably mounted within the cabinet. The drum includes a chamber for receipt of articles for drying. The laundry appliance also includes a sealed system configured to heat and remove moisture from process air flowing therethrough. The sealed system includes a multi-pass heat exchanger and a refrigerant splitter upstream of the multi-pass heat exchanger. The refrigerant splitter is configured to direct a flow of refrigerant generally along a vertical direction and/or against the force of gravity.

Abstract: A laundry appliance uses a determination of a frequency of compressor temperature response, refrigerant mass flow rate, or both to determine accumulation of lint in a filter. Based on the determination, various corrective actions can be taken including notifying the user, shutting off the appliance, initiating an automatic cleaning sequence for one or more lint filters, and combinations thereof.

Abstract: A dryer appliance, a controller, and a method for operation are provided. The controller is configured to execute steps of a method including receiving an input indicative of a drying cycle end time; determining a moisture extraction rate based at least in part on the received input indicative of drying cycle end time, the moisture extraction rate indicative of a rate at which moisture is removed from articles within a chamber of the dryer appliance; determining a rate of change of moisture extraction rate corresponding to the drying cycle end time; and adjusting a condensation rate based at least on the rate of change of moisture extraction rate and the received input indicative of the drying cycle end time.

Abstract: A laundry appliance uses a determination of volumetric airflow rate after a steady state condition is reached to determine the accumulation of lint in filter. Based on the determination, various actions can be taken including notifying the user, shutting off the appliance, initiating an automatic cleaning sequence for one or more lint filters, and combinations thereof. One or more temperature sensors, relative humidity sensors, and weight sensors are used to provide measurements for determining the volumetric airflow rate.

Abstract: A laundry appliance is configured for and/or methods of operating a laundry appliance include determining a load size of articles to be dried in the laundry appliance and determining a load type of the articles to be dried in the laundry appliance. A termination criterion for a dry operation of the laundry appliance is determined based on the load size and the load type. The laundry appliance is further configured for and/or the method further includes performing the dry operation in the laundry appliance. The dry operation is terminated when the termination criterion is reached.

Abstract: A laundry appliance includes a cabinet and a tub mounted within an interior volume of the cabinet. A laundry basket is rotatably mounted within the tub. The laundry basket defines a chamber for the receipt of articles for treatment. The laundry appliance also includes a heating system coupled to the tub. The heating system is in thermal communication with the chamber such that heated air flows from the heating system to the chamber. The laundry appliance further includes a controller. The controller may be configured for, and methods of operating the appliance may include, providing a flow of a liquid into a tub of the laundry appliance, rotating a laundry basket within the tub after providing the flow of the liquid into the tub, and activating the heating system of the laundry appliance during at least a portion of the step of rotating the laundry basket.

Abstract: A method of operating a laundry appliance in a drying cycle includes motivating a flow of process air from a drum of the laundry appliance across an evaporator of a sealed system. Refrigerant in the evaporator of the sealed system absorbs heat from the flow of process air and the refrigerant circulates through the sealed system. The method also includes receiving, by a controller of the laundry appliance, an input indicative of a characteristic of the sealed system. The method further includes determining, by the controller, a dryness level of articles in the drum of the laundry appliance based on the received input indicative of the characteristic of the sealed system.

Abstract: A laundry appliance uses a determination of a frequency of compressor temperature response, refrigerant mass flow rate, or both to determine accumulation of lint in a filter. Based on the determination, various corrective actions can be taken including notifying the user, shutting off the appliance, initiating an automatic cleaning sequence for one or more lint filters, and combinations thereof.