Sequence Control Means Responsive To A Sensed Condition Patents (Class 68/12.02)
  • Patent number: 11959215
    Abstract: A method for detecting entrapment of an article within a laundry washing machine. The method includes rotating the drum to a target rotation speed, determining a respective drum motor torque value for each rotation, determining a distribution characteristic value of the drum motor torque values, comparing the distribution characteristic value to a predetermined threshold value, performing a correction operation to address an entrapment condition upon determining that the distribution characteristic value is above the predetermined threshold value, and proceeding with the laundry washing cycle upon determining that the distribution characteristic value is below the predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Alberto Moro, Andrea Franceschetti, Fabio Altinier, Daniele Beninato
  • Patent number: 11952696
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a closed drying air circuit and a drum in communication with the closed drying air circuit. A condenser is in communication with the closed drying air circuit. The condenser includes a cooled water inlet that directs cooled water into the heated air to remove moisture from the heated air. The condenser includes a condenser water outlet for egress of water from the condenser. The cooled water inlet of the condenser is configured to receive water from a tap water source. A thermoelectric apparatus having a cold side flow device arranged between the cooled water inlet of the condenser and the tap water source is included. The cold side flow device is configured to receive tap water from the tap water source and cool the tap water below a tap outlet temperature using the thermoelectric device before the tap water enters the cooled water inlet of the condenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Benny Leung, Howard Jay Kalnitz, Jason Allen Stamper, Carlos Amador Zamarreno
  • Patent number: 11952699
    Abstract: A washing machine includes a cabinet including an entrance which is formed in a front surface of the cabinet such that laundry is input into or output from the entrance, a tub mounted inside the cabinet, a drum received in the tub and rotatably provided, a motor to provide driving force to rotate the drum, and a vibration sensor to sense vibration of the tub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Younghan Cho
  • Patent number: 11952706
    Abstract: A washing machine appliance, a controller, and a method for operating a washing machine appliance are provided. The appliance includes a controller operably coupled to a motor assembly that is operably coupled to a wash basket, and a drain pump assembly. The controller is configured to rotate the wash basket to at least a desired speed; determine one or more of whether at least the desired speed of the wash basket is achieved within a period of time, or whether an energy parameter threshold of a motor assembly is exceeded when rotating the wash basket within the period of time; and generate an output signal corresponding to fluid detection at a wash tub when the wash basket fails to rotate to at least the desired speed within the period of time or, when the energy parameter threshold is exceeded when rotating the wash basket within the period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Edward Hettinger, Ryan Ellis Leonard
  • Patent number: 11954083
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a clothing information processing method, comprises: the server receives the clothing information sent by a washing device and saves it; the server receives request information sent by an intelligent terminal; the server obtains the corresponding clothing information according to the request information and sends it to the intelligent terminal. In this disclosure, the server receives the clothing information sent by the washing device and stores the clothing information. In this way, in the whole washing cycle, even after this washing cycle, the user can obtain the clothing information from the server through the intelligent terminal, which avoids that in the prior art, after the stage of uploading clothing information by the washing device is completed, the intelligent terminal can no longer obtain clothing information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignees: QINGDAO HAIER WASHING MACHINE CO., LTD., HAIER SMART HOME CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junming Yin, Shuai Wang, Sheng Xu
  • Patent number: 11946183
    Abstract: A method performed by one or more devices includes determining an information item indicative of at least one parameter affecting the treatment of a textile with the information item being detected by an information carrier of the textile (220) and/or a cleaning device (230), or a cleaning agent (210) and the textile (220), or the cleaning agent (210) and the cleaning device, or the cleaning agent (210) and the textile (220) and the cleaning device and the information carrier comprises a package, a label, an NFC chip or a combination thereof, determining at least one treatment parameter of the textile based at least in part on the determined information item, and outputting or triggering the outputting of the at least one determined treatment parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: HENKEL AG & CO. KGAA
    Inventors: Arnd Kessler, Christian Nitsch, Lars Zuechner, Georg Wawer, Alexander Mueller, Clemens Arth
  • Patent number: 11926947
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are a laundry apparatus and a control method thereof. According to an embodiment, the method of controlling a laundry apparatus including a tub, a drum, an induction heating module mounted on the tub to heat the drum, and a circulation pump configured to pump wash water from the tub to the drum includes supplying wash water into the tub through a water supply valve, circulating the wash water by operating the circulation pump and performing fabrics soaking by driving the drum after termination of the water supply, performing heating by driving the induction heating module after termination of the fabrics soaking, and performing washing by driving the drum after termination of the heating, wherein the heating is performed while a water level of the wash water is lower than a lowest end of the drum, the heating including heating the drum, the wash water, and fabrics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Changoh Kim, Sangwook Hong
  • Patent number: 11891745
    Abstract: Washing appliance and a determination method for locking of a drum thereof. The washing appliance includes a drum for containing washing water, a drum motor for driving the drum to rotate and a locking structure for locking the drum. The drum motor drives the drum to rotate at a set power output, the locking structure generates a locking action for locking the drum, and until an output current of the drum motor is larger than a rated current, it is determined that the drum is locked by the locking structure; by comparing the output current of the drum motor with the rated current, until the output current of the drum motor is larger than the rated current. Whether the drum is locked by the locking structure or not can be accurately determined through the above determination, and therefore the drum locking accuracy can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignees: QINGDAO HAIER LAUNDRY ELECTRIC APPLIANCES CO., LTD., HAIER SMART HOME CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Zhiqiang Zhao, Sheng Xu
  • Patent number: 11876465
    Abstract: A motor driving apparatus includes: an inverter that includes at least one switching element and that is configured to output alternating current power to a motor, a vibration sensor configured to detect vibrations, and a controller (i) comprising a compensation signal generator that is configured to, based on an output value of the vibration sensor, generate a compensation signal and (ii) configured to generate a control signal for controlling the inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: In Woo Han, Sun Cheol Bae, Jung Hun Kim
  • Patent number: 11866867
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a laundry treatment machine. The laundry treatment machine according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a controller configured to increase or decrease stepwise a speed of a motor during dewatering. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce a speed ripple during dewatering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jungmoon Je, Kiwook Lee
  • Patent number: 11821128
    Abstract: A control method of washing machine includes: a first detection step of acquiring amount of laundry accommodated in a washing tub; a first washing step of performing washing based on a first laundry amount, when the first laundry amount acquired in the first detection step is equal to or larger than a preset first threshold value; a second detection step of, acquiring the laundry amount accommodated in the washing tub by an output of an output layer of an artificial neural network while using a current value inputted to a motor for rotating and acceleration of the washing tub as an input data of an input layer of the artificial neural network previously learned by machine learning; and a second washing step of performing washing based on a second laundry amount, when the second laundry amount acquired in the second detection step is smaller than the first threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Myunghun Im, Hwanjin Jung, Seonhwa Yu, Sunggyun Kim, Kyungchul Woo
  • Patent number: 11795597
    Abstract: Provided are a washing apparatus that is capable of being operated in an Internet of Things (IoT) environment over a 5G communication network and estimating additional laundry that is introduced and the amount of detergent that is additionally introduced based thereon through a neural network model generated based on machine learning, and a method of controlling the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Seung Chul Cha, Sang Hyun Lee, Hyunji Park, Bonkwon Koo
  • Patent number: 11773523
    Abstract: In particular, a method performed by one or more devices is disclosed, the method comprising: obtaining an intensity information item representative of a spectral image resulting from a soiling of a textile and/or from at least one part of a textile; determining at least one output variable dependent on the soiling of the textile and/or at least one property of the textile from the intensity information item, wherein the output variable is determined by employing an adaptive evaluation algorithm, in particular an artificial neural network, wherein parameters of the adaptive evaluation algorithm are calibrated based on a plurality of training cases; outputting or triggering outputting of the at least one output variable. Furthermore, a device and a system for performing the subject method is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: HENKEL AG & CO. KGAA
    Inventors: Arnd Kessler, Lars Zuechner, Peter Schmiedel, Christina Roeleke
  • Patent number: 11753022
    Abstract: A torque-speed curve or data of load that is used as a standard to determine an external condition in which an electric vehicle is operating such as incline or no incline, head wind or no headwind, high temperature or low temperature. The system compares samples of actual torque-speed of load data to the standard. Based on the comparison, the system determines the external condition (going up a hill, traveling into a headwind, operating at high temperature) or an abnormal operation of the vehicle powertrain, for example, low tire pressure, elevated friction, wheels out of alignment. Based on the determination, the system takes an action to govern a maximum torque output of the motor to control temperature of the vehicle battery; to raise a wind deflector; to govern maximum speed of the vehicle to reduce danger resulting from low tire pressure, elevated powertrain friction or out of alignment wheels; or to initiate an indication of abnormal conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Gogoro Inc.
    Inventors: Sung-Ching Lin, Kai-Chiang Li
  • Patent number: 11739457
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a laundry treatment machine and a method for controlling the same. An increased amount of wash water during dewatering is introduced into a pump by decreasing the speed of a pump motor provided in the pump and increasing it again based on changes in the speed of the main motor during dewatering, and the wash water introduced while the speed of the pump motor is increasing is drained. Thus, the amount of noise generated during drainage may be reduced, drainage performance may be improved, and drainage time may be shortened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Junsung Kim, Kiwook Lee, Jongseok Jung
  • Patent number: 11739463
    Abstract: A washing machine appliance includes a wash basket that is rotatably mounted within a wash tub and that defines a wash chamber for receiving a load of clothes. A camera assembly is mounted within the wash tub for taking images of the load of clothes during and/or after a wash or rinse cycle. A controller is operably coupled to the camera for obtaining and analyzing the images using a neural network image recognition process (such as an R-CNN process) to determine a whether the level of suds or bubbles exceeds a suds threshold. If there are too many suds in the wash tub, the controller may implement corrective action, e.g., by decreasing a water temperature, adding more water, or reducing the amount of detergent that is auto-dispensed in a subsequent wash cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Hoyoung Lee, Khalid Jamal Mashal, Je Kwon Yoon, JaeHyo Lee
  • Patent number: 11718944
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a laundry treatment machine. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a laundry treatment machine includes a controller controlling a motor, during dewatering, to be driven at a first speed when a lift is at a first level and to drive the motor at a second speed greater than the first speed when the lift is at a second level greater than the first level, wherein the lift is a difference between a water level of a water introduction part through which water flows into a drain pump and a water level of a water discharge part through which the water is discharged out of the drain pump. Accordingly, noise or vibration can be reduced even if the lift is changed during the dewatering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jungmoon Je, Kiwook Lee
  • Patent number: 11692293
    Abstract: Disclosed is an artificial intelligence (AI)-based laundry treatment apparatus comprising: a washing module; a camera to acquire an image of laundry; a memory for storing therein a laundry recognition model, wherein the model is trained using a machine learning or deep learning algorithm, wherein the model is configured to recognize laundry information about the laundry; and a processor configured to apply image data from the acquired image to the laundry recognition model to acquire the laundry information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jaehong Kim, Heeyeon Choi
  • Patent number: 11639572
    Abstract: A washing machine includes a water storage tank, a vibration sensor provided to the water storage tank, a washing tub rotatably disposed in the water storage tank and configured to accommodate laundry therein, a motor configured to rotate the washing tub, and a controller. The controller is configured to: measure an unbalance (UB) value based on rotating the washing tub during a dewatering stroke; control the motor to stop rotating the washing tub based on the UB value exceeding an allowable UB value included in a preset UB table; measure a dewatering time of the laundry and a vibration value during the dewatering stroke using the vibration sensor; and change the allowable UB value included in the preset UB table based on the dewatering time and the vibration value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Suncheol Bae, Jain Koo, Baekeun Kwon
  • Patent number: 11634848
    Abstract: A method of operating a pair of laundry appliances is provided. The pair of laundry appliances includes a washing machine appliance and a dryer appliance. The method includes determining a first moisture extraction curve of a spin cycle of the washing machine appliance and determining a second moisture extraction curve of the dryer appliance. The method further includes rotating a basket of the washing machine appliance at an extraction speed for a predetermined period of time. The predetermined period of time is based on the first moisture extraction curve and the second moisture extraction curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Holzen
  • Patent number: 11634849
    Abstract: A home appliance and a control method for the home appliance, which is operable in an IoT environment through a 5G communication network and uses a neural network model generated according to machine learning is provided. The home appliance may include a home appliance main body; a container mounted within the home appliance main body to accommodate a treatment target; a camera arranged to photograph the inside of the container; and one or more processors configured to control an operation of the home appliance, wherein the processor is configured to determine an amount of a treatment target based on feature shapes of the container identified in an image of the inside of the container photographed by the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Yun Sik Park, Dayun Han, Sung Mok Hwang
  • Patent number: 11632604
    Abstract: A sensor device is provided. The sensor device includes an energy harvester configured to generate electric energy, a monitoring circuit, a sensor, a communication circuit, and at least one processor configured to obtain information indicating a magnitude of the generated electric energy via the monitoring circuit, obtain a sensing value via the sensor, and transmit the sensing value and the information indicating the magnitude of the generated electric energy via the communication circuit to the other electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sungbum Park, Kyungwoo Lee, Jaehyun Park, Sungku Yeo, Jeongman Lee
  • Patent number: 11618986
    Abstract: Disclosed is an artificial intelligence laundry treatment apparatus including a washing tub configured to receive laundry, the washing tub being configured to be rotatable, a motor configured to rotate the washing tub, a controller configured to control the motor such that the washing tub is accelerated to a predetermined target speed at an acceleration gradient of 1.5 to 2.5 rpm/s within a range within which the laundry moves in the washing tub, and a current sensing unit configured to sense current of the motor, wherein the controller is configured to obtain at least one of laundry weight or laundry quality from output of an output layer of an artificial neural network pre-trained based on machine learning using a current value sensed by the current sensing unit during accelerated rotation of the washing tub as input of an input layer of the artificial neural network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Myunghun Im, Hwanjin Jung, Seonhwa Yu, Sunggyun Kim, Kyungchul Woo, Jaehyun Kim
  • Patent number: 11605419
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus that includes a plurality of memory sections each including a plurality of word lines, a predecoder circuit configured to generate predecoded section address signals to select one of the plurality of memory sections and predecoded word line address signals to select one of the word lines included in a selected one of the plurality of memory sections based on a row address, and a section address control circuit configured to retain the predecoded section address signals regardless of an update of the row address in a test operation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Satoshi Morishita, Yoshifumi Mochida
  • Patent number: 11591736
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an artificial intelligence-based laundry treating apparatus. The artificial intelligence-based laundry treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention receives big data about information of an external environment capable of affecting laundry and life log data including activity information of a user wearing the laundry and automatically sets an optimal laundry management course for the laundry based on input factors including the big data and the life log data. Further, the artificial intelligence-based laundry treating apparatus may operate based on the optimal laundry management course to clean the laundry. A washing machine of the present invention may be associated with an artificial intelligence module, a drone (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, UAV), a robot, an augmented reality (AR) device, a virtual reality (VR) device, a device related to a 5G service, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Yunsik Park
  • Patent number: 11572648
    Abstract: A method of operating and a laundry treating appliance, including a rotatable drum at least partially defining a treating chamber into which laundry may be placed for treatment according to a cycle of operation, a processor programmed to at least as the laundry is being placed in the treating chamber, at least one of measure, sense, analytically determine, estimate, or receive as an input used to determined a load size. A laundry fill indicator indicates information related to the determined load size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Barbara A. Balinski, Jason L. Barr, Andrew Leitert, Karl David McAllister, James A. Oskins, Matthew J. Quock, Jamal O. Wilson
  • Patent number: 11556977
    Abstract: An electronic device according to various embodiments of the present invention may include an antenna module configured to sense an electromagnetic (EM) signal generated from an external electronic device, a communication module, a processor operatively connected to the antenna module and the communication module, and a memory storing instructions which, are configured to, when executed, cause the processor to identify the external electronic device based on at least part of the EM signal sensed from the external electronic device via the antenna module, identify whether the identified external electronic device is registered in a designated control application, and provide information related to the external electronic device based on whether the external electronic device is registered. In addition, other various embodiments of the present invention may be possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Doosuk Kang, Seungnyun Kim, Bokun Choi
  • Patent number: 11540694
    Abstract: A method for setting a time of a release of a cleaning agent during a cleaning cycle in a household appliance includes obtaining an evolution over time of a local parameter inside the appliance, the local parameter comprising an acceleration induced by the cycle or a temperature inside the appliance; obtaining reference patterns of evolutions of the local parameter during a cycle comprising different cleaning steps including a step adapted for releasing the cleaning agent at a predetermined adapted time; comparing the evolution of the local parameter to the reference patterns and identifying a cleaning step within the cycle when a similarity between a reference pattern and the evolution is above a predetermined threshold, and setting the release of the agent at the predetermined adapted time within the identified cleaning step when the identified step corresponds to a step adapted for releasing the agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: HENKEL AG & CO. KGAA
    Inventors: Arnd Kessler, Thomas Juckel, Rayko Enz, Volker Hoppe, Lars Zuechner, Robert Ruiz Hernandez, Wolfgang Wick, Ingo Hardacker
  • Patent number: 11535975
    Abstract: A clothing treatment apparatus includes a plurality of inverters for controlling the motors of a drum, a compressor, and a blowing fan, a converter for converting input power input from an external source and outputting the converted power to the inverters, and a control unit for controlling the plurality of inverters and the converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Hansu Jung, Jaemin Kim, Sangwoo Park, Junho Lee, Lisuel Lim
  • Patent number: 11486075
    Abstract: A washing machine includes: a cabinet having a first opening and a washing space formed therein; and a door assembly provided to open and close the first opening, wherein the door assembly includes: a door body having a second opening and corresponding to the first opening and provided to rotate relative to the cabinet; door glass having a glass hole communicating with the inside of the cabinet and coupled with the rear surface of the door body; a guide duct that connects the second opening and the glass hole; and a sealing member. The sealing member can prevent washing water or internal air from escaping from the door assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jang Hoon Park, Min Jea Choi, Jae Young Kim, Zoo Hyeong Kim, Nae Young Park, Kwang Min Chun
  • Patent number: 11466389
    Abstract: Disclosed are a washing apparatus and a control method thereof using an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm and/or a machine learning algorithm in a 5G environment connected for Internet of things (IoT). A washing apparatus including a container in which laundry is accommodated includes a controller, a motor electrically connected to the controller and configured to rotate the container, a weight sensor electrically connected to the controller and configured to measure a weight of the laundry accommodated in the container, and a current sensor electrically connected to the controller and configured to measure a current value applied to the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Yun Sik Park
  • Patent number: 11390977
    Abstract: Disclosed is an artificial intelligence laundry treatment apparatus including a washing tub configured to receive laundry, the washing tub being configured to be rotatable, a motor configured to rotate the washing tub, a controller configured to control the motor such that the washing tub is rotated while being accelerated, and a current sensing unit configured to sense current of the motor at predetermined time intervals, wherein the controller is configured to input, to an input layer of an artificial neural network pre-trained based on machine learning, input data generated by processing current values sensed by the current sensing unit while the motor is accelerated within a range within which the laundry moves in the washing tub according to a predetermined parsing rule in order to obtain at least one of laundry weight or laundry quality from output of an output layer of the artificial neural network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Myunghun Im, Hwanjin Jung, Seonhwa Yu, Kyungchul Woo, Jaehyun Kim, Sunggyun Kim
  • Patent number: 11352730
    Abstract: A washing machine appliance as provided herein, may include a cabinet, a tub, a fluid additive dispenser, and a controller. The tub may be disposed within the cabinet. The fluid additive dispenser may include a housing, a dispenser drawer, a water supply conduit, a conduit water valve, and an optical sensor. The optical sensor may be mounted to a housing and directed at a pod compartment. The controller may be operably coupled to the fluid additive dispenser and may be configured to initiate a washing operation. The washing operation may include receiving an image signal from the optical sensor, determining a pod characteristic within the pod compartment based on the received image signal, and directing water to the pod compartment based on the determined pod characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: James Quentin Pollett, Fikreadam Abebe Damtew, Troy Marshall Wright
  • Patent number: 11339517
    Abstract: A laundry treating apparatus includes a control device that performs a control method to control operation of the laundry treating apparatus. The control device performs test driving of a motor part for driving a washing part, determines control pattern on the basis of a result of the test driving, and controls the motor part in accordance with the control pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Hyundong Kim, Jaehyun Kim, Kyungchul Woo, Junghoon Lee, Myunghun Im, Hwanjin Jung
  • Patent number: 11323054
    Abstract: A motor control device includes a driving circuit, a generator configured to generate a pulse-width modulation (PWM) signal, a resistor, an amplifier, a detector configured to detect a driving current flowing through a winding based on the signals output from the amplifier, a phase determiner configured to determine a rotational phase using the driving current detected by the detector and a control value set in advance, a controller configured to control the driving current based on a torque current component so that a deviation between the rotational phase and an instruction phase becomes small, and a setting unit configured to set the control value based on both a local maximum value and a local minimum value of the driving current flowing through the winding by a voltage applied to the winding based on the PWM signal of which a duty cycle is set to a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuta Nito
  • Patent number: 11284772
    Abstract: In a method for operating a dishwasher, in particular a domestic dishwasher, items to be washed arranged in an interior of the dishwasher are washed during a wash program. A quantity of a specific gas in the interior is determined during the wash program, and a hygiene program is started and/or a notification is outputted to a user of the dishwasher relating to a start of the hygiene program as a function of the determined quantity of the specific gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: BSH Hausgeräte GmbH
    Inventors: Alfredo Calvimontes, Kai Paintner
  • Patent number: 11136705
    Abstract: A method of detecting a mechanical decoupling in a laundry appliance is provided. The laundry appliance includes a rotatable basket and a motor configured to drive the rotatable basket. The method includes determining a target rotational speed and activating the motor at a first rotational speed proportional to the determined target rotational speed. The method further includes determining an actual rotational speed after activating the motor at the first rotational speed and comparing the actual rotational speed to the target rotational speed. When the actual rotational speed is greater than the target rotational speed, the method determines that the motor is decoupled from the basket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Byron Lee Boylston
  • Patent number: 11131054
    Abstract: A laundry treating apparatus includes: a tub; a drum; an agitator disposed in the drum; a stator; a rotor configured to rotate relative to the stator; a drum-rotating shaft coupled to the drum; an agitator-rotating shaft coupled to the rotor and the agitator; a first serration disposed at an end of the agitator-rotating shaft; a second serration disposed at an end of the drum-rotating shaft; a fixed body fixed between the tub and the rotor; a support body rotatably disposed within the fixed body; a body-driving system configured to move the support body relative to the fixed body; and a shaft-joint configured to reciprocate between a first point and a second point of the support body. The shaft-joint is configured to engage the first serration to the second serration at the first point, and decouple the first serration from the second serration at the second point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jaeyong Jeong, Keunjoo Kim, Dongsoo Lee
  • Patent number: 11131050
    Abstract: Present application discloses control method of controlling operation mode of washing machine by communication with washing machine. Control method includes obtaining vibration information indicative of vibration of washing tub of washing machine operating in predetermined first operation mode as operation mode; extracting predetermined feature amount having correlation with strength of floor on which washing machine is placed from vibration information; estimating strength of floor from extracted feature amount; determining whether or not operation mode needs to be changed from first operation mode based on estimated strength; and when determination is made that operation mode needs to be changed from first operation mode, outputting, to washing machine, instruction to change operation mode from first operation mode to second operation mode different from first operation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yu Sakata, Kazuki Sakamoto, Takayuki Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 11098428
    Abstract: A washer and a control for an automatic washer to operate the washer through a wash cycle selected based upon a range of conditions of a fabric load to be washed. The control has a plurality of selectable stain type entrees, each with a particular dedicated wash cycle. The control also has dispensing control over at least two wash liquor additives, one being a detergent and the other being an oxidizing agent. The control operates the dedicated wash cycles, as selected, using both the detergent and the oxidizing agent; however, the detergent and the oxidizing agent may be dispensed differently, depending on the stain type selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph W. Adams, Colleen M. Doyle, Michael S. Hendrickson, Joel A. Luckman, Tremitchel Wright, Timothy N. Aykroyd, Robert D. Riehle
  • Patent number: 10968555
    Abstract: A method for detecting an unbalance error of a machine-learning-based washing machine and the washing machine are provided. The method identifies whether laundry is within an inner drum of the washing machine using a laundry movement identifying model provided in an AI device of a server or the washing machine, measures an unbalance value on the basis of data of unbalance when the laundry is not moving, and then detects an unbalance error. The unbalance error can be more precisely detected without using additional components. The AI device for detecting the unbalance error of the present disclosure can be associated with drones (unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)), robots, augmented reality (AR) devices, virtual reality (VR) devices, devices related to 5G service, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sanghyun Lee, Bonkwon Koo, Hyunji Park, Seungchul Cha
  • Patent number: 10850711
    Abstract: An exterior display apparatus for a vehicle comprises a display panel comprising a display surface in connection with an exterior portion of the vehicle. The system further comprises an acoustic vibration device dynamically coupled to the display surface and a sensor configured to detect a foreign material on a portion of the display screen. A controller is configured to identify a temperature of an environment proximate the vehicle. In response to the detection of the foreign material, the controller is configured to activate a plurality of vibration control routines of the acoustic vibrational device based on the temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Cornel Lewis Gardner, David Brian Glickman, Kristopher Karl Brown, Joshua Wheeler
  • Patent number: 10834851
    Abstract: A washing machine appliance is provided herein. The washing machine appliance may include a cabinet, a heat-generating electronic circuit board, and a heat pipe. The cabinet may extend in a transverse direction from a front end to a rear end. The cabinet may define an interior volume therein. The cabinet may include a metal back panel positioned at the rear end and defining at least a portion of the interior volume. The heat-generating electronic circuit board may be positioned within the interior volume. The heat pipe may extend in conductive thermal communication between the heat-generating electronic circuit board and the metal back panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Patrick Martin, Ramasamy Thiyagarajan, Troy Marshall Wright
  • Patent number: 10731286
    Abstract: A machine and method for washing fabric articles adaptively fills a wash basin with water based on a time period between rotation reversal of the wash basin and a load present in the wash basin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Alliance Laundry Systems LLC
    Inventors: Wayne M Sharkey, Jeffrey R Hochtritt, Benjamin R Patri
  • Patent number: 10676850
    Abstract: A washing machine may include a drum rotationally arranged for containing laundry, a motion detector configured to detect a motion of the laundry, and a controller configured to control rotation speed of the drum based on the detected motion such that the laundry shows a predetermined motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Soon Cheol Kweon, Hee Jin Park, Young Uk Yun, Seung Eun Chung
  • Patent number: 10612178
    Abstract: A locking mechanism of an inner tub comprises a locking rod and a driving unit for moving the locking rod in an axial direction. A lower end of the locking rod is connected with a link of a crank-link structure, and an idle stroke is arranged between the link and a crank and/or between the link and the locking rod. A locking hole is formed in the bottom of the inner tub. When the locking rod sticks out but not into the locking hole, the locking rod sticks to the bottom of the inner tub, the driving motor drives the crank or the link to move in the idle stroke. When the driving motor drives to move over the highest point, the driving motor further drives the locking rod to move downwards to reset and to re-enter the next working circle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: QINGDAO HAIER WASHING MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Peishi Lv, Lin Yang, Jie Xu, Dafeng Fang, Lingchen Wang
  • Patent number: 10584439
    Abstract: A drainage mechanism of a washing machine having an inner tub and an outer tub includes a water sealing cover, a lever structure and a driving device, a resistance arm end of the lever structure is connected with the water sealing cover, the driving device for driving the lever structure to work is arranged at an driving arm end of the lever structure, a drainage outlet is formed in a bottom wall of the inner tub, and the lever structure is driven by the driving device and drives the water sealing cover to close the drainage outlet in the washing and rinsing procedures and to open the drainage outlet in a draining procedure. The resistance arm end of the lever structure moves upwards and downwards to drive the water sealing cover to close and open the drainage outlet, thereby implementing drainage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: QINGDAO HAIER WASHING MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Peishi Lv, Lin Yang, Gangjin Zhang, Yun Tian, Jianshe Liu
  • Patent number: 10577740
    Abstract: In a washing machine, a discharge hole is formed at the bottom of an inner tub, and a discharge control mechanism capable of blocking the discharge hole is arranged at the bottom of an outer tub; the discharge control mechanism includes a stretchable and contractible valve plug; the valve plug moves upward to close the discharge hole; and the valve plug moves downward to open the discharge hole. During washing, the discharge hole is closed, there is no washing water between the inner tub and the outer tub, resulting in the characteristic of water conservation; and during draining and/or dewatering, the first discharge hole is opened, and the washing water in the inner tub and impurities such as dirt and sand from the clothes are discharged via the discharge hole at the lower part to the outer tub, thus achieving quick draining and good draining and contamination discharging effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: QINGDAO HAIER WASHING MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Peishi Lv, Lin Yang, Lingchen Wang, Yun Tian, Baozhen Cheng, Gangjin Zhang
  • Patent number: 10513818
    Abstract: A laundry washing machine (1) connectable to a water mains (E, E?) has a cabinet (2) supporting a washing tub (3) external to a rotatable washing drum (4) suited to receive laundry and a treating agents dispenser (20) connectable to the water mains (E, E?) by means of at least one supply valve (40a, 40b, 40c, 40d, 40e). The treating agents dispenser (20) has a drawer (22) and a supporting structure (21) on which the drawer (22) can slide along a sliding axis (S). A water distributor (35) includes at least one inlet connector (36a, 36b, 36c, 36d, 36e) adapted to connect the at least one supply valve (40a, 40b, 40c, 40d, 40e) to at least one water conveying line (120a, 120b, 120c, 120d, 120e) for conveying water to a reservoir (23a, 23b, 23c, 23d) or to the washing tub (3). The at least one inlet connector (36a, 36b, 36c, 36d, 36e) extends along a main axis (X) which is inclined with respect to the sliding axis (S).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: Electrolux Appliances Aktiebolag
    Inventors: Daniele Favaro, Maurizio Del Pos
  • Patent number: 10513816
    Abstract: Provided is a drum washing machine, enabling a drum and a rotating body to rotate by a driving part, wherein the driving part includes: a driving motor; a first rotating shaft; a second rotating shaft; drum belt wheels; wing belt wheels; and a clutch mechanism part switching a driving form of the driving part between a biaxial driving form and a uniaxial driving form, wherein the biaxial driving form is a form that enables the drum and the rotating body to rotate at different rotating speeds through connecting the second rotating shaft and the wing belt wheels, and the uniaxial driving form is a form that enables the drum and the rotating body to rotate at a same rotating speed through connecting the second rotating shaft and the drum belt wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignees: Haier Asia Co., Ltd., Qingdao Haier Washing Machine Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shigeharu Nakamoto