Patent ID: 8943629
Filing Date: 2015-02-03
Classification: D06F

Abstract:
1. A method for determining parameters of a wash load held in a rotatable basket of a washing machine, comprising: rotating the rotatable basket to a first speed to urge a dry wash load radially outwardly in the basket; decelerating the rotatable basket with the dry wash load urged radially outwardly to or below a second predetermined threshold speed; measuring an amount of time from initial deceleration of the rotatable basket from the first speed until the rotatable basket decelerates to said second predetermined threshold speed; determining a load size of the dry wash load by using said measured amount of time including storing said dry weight of the dry wash load for use later in a wash cycle; washing and rinsing the dry wash load which causes the dry wash load to become a wet wash load; after washing and rinsing the wet wash load, rotating the rotatable basket to urge the wet wash load radially outwardly in the basket; decelerating the rotatable basket with the wet wash load urged radially outwardly to or below the second predetermined threshold speed; measuring a second amount of time from initial deceleration of the rotatable basket from the first speed with the wet wash load therein until the rotatable basket decelerates to said second predetermined threshold; and determining an amount of water retained in the wet wash load based on the measured second amount of time, including (i) correlating said measured second amount of time to a wet weight of the wet wash load, (ii) comparing said wet weight and said dry weight, and (iii) determining said amount of water retained in the wet was load.