Patent ID: 9228283
Filing Date: 2016-01-05
CPC Classification: D06F

Claim Text:
1. A vertical axis washing machine appliance, comprising: a cabinet; a lid rotatably mounted to the cabinet at a top portion of the cabinet, the lid having a first layer and a second layer, the first layer positioned above the second layer such that the first and second layers of the lid are separated by a gap defined by the first and second layers; a tub positioned within the cabinet; a basket disposed within the tub and rotatable about a vertical axis within the tub; a heater positioned within the tub at a bottom portion of the tub; an inlet conduit having an outlet positioned at the tub; a valve coupled to the inlet conduit; a controller in operative communication with the valve and the heater, the controller configured for selectively actuating the valve in order to direct liquid into the tub via the inlet conduit, the controller also configured for selectively operating the heater in order to generate steam from liquid within the tub; a garment hanger support positioned at the top portion of the cabinet over the basket, the garment hanger support positioned for supporting a garment hanger such that an article on the garment hanger is positioned within the wash chamber of the basket; wherein the controller is configured to execute a wash cycle and a steam cycle; further comprising a garment hanger sensor positioned at the garment hanger support configured to detect the presence of the garment hanger, the controller being in operative communication with the garment hanger sensor; wherein the controller only permits access to the steam cycle in response to the garment hanger being detected by the garment hanger sensor.