Patent ID: 7039976
Filing Date: 2006-05-09
Classification: D06F

Abstract:
1. A washing machine comprising: a cabinet shell; an outer tub mounted within the cabinet shell; an inner tub rotatably mounted within the cabinet shell, said inner tub being adapted to receive articles of clothing which are to be subjected to a washing operation including at least a wash cycle and a spin cycle, with the spin cycle including an extraction phase during which the inner tub is rotated to dehydrate the articles of clothing, and a subsequent deceleration phase during which a rotational speed of the inner tub is decreased; a motor drivingly connected to the inner tub, said motor being adapted to rotate the inner tub during at least the extraction phase of the spin cycle; means for establishing a critical period of the deceleration phase for any given load size, with said critical period defining a critical speed range within which an out-of-balance condition is expected to occur; and braking means for rapidly decelerating the inner tub during the critical period, wherein the inner tub is caused to rapidly pass through the critical speed range such that the washing machine is not subject to high vibration levels.