Department c't Energy

Washington, DC 20585,

November 27, 1996

Michael C. Thompson

Richard A. Best

Whirlpool Corporation

701 Main Street

St. Joseph, MI 49085 '\ '. '

The Department ofEnergy acknowledges receipt offour new clothes washer design

options submitted by Whirlpool Corporation for the purpose ofinclusion into the

Engineering Analysis portion ofthe clothes washer rulemaking proceedings. Each ofthe

four design options will be considered in its entirety as a separate line item in the

Engineering Analysis, and no. portion or component of any ofthese design options, or

their associated prototypes, will be separated from its origina.1 respective design option to

be used for analysis pl;1rposes.

We note that design option no. 3/4a is common to both H-'Axis design options and is

included for the purpose of demonstrating the improved consumer utility potential for a

horizontal axis clothes washer.

The four' new design options are identified as follows:

Design Opt'ion No. Description

1.

2.

3.

V-AXis I

V-Axis II

H-Axis GMethod ofwashing by moving clothes

on a vertical axis nutating-plate while

recirculating a wash solution through the

clothes load.

Meth0d of washing in a vertical axis

washer by accelerating the clothes load,

and then decelerating, causing the clothes

to tumble otframps on the basket. .

Method of washing clothes in a horizontal

axis washer by tumbling clothes at less

than Ig of centrifugal force.

.*Printed with SI:1'f ink on fl!CYCIed paper

5,507,053

5,191,667

5,219,370

 EE-RM-94-403 COMMENT 56

Michael C. Thompson 

Richard A. Best 

Whirlpool Corporation 

701 Main Street 

St. Joseph, MI 49085 " ' 

Department c't Energy 

Washington, DC 20585, 

November 27, 1996 

The Department of Energy acknowledges receipt of four new clothes washer design 

options submitted by Whirlpool Corporation for the purpose of inclusion into the 

Engineering Analysis portion of the clothes washer rulemaking proceedings. Each of the 

four design options will be considered in its entirety as a separate line item in the 

Engineering Analysis, and no, portion or component of any of these design options, or 

their associated prototypes, will be separated from its origina.1 respective design option to 

be used for analysis pl;1rposes. 

We note that design option no. 3/4a is common to both H-'Axis design options and is 

included for the purpose of demonstrating the improved consumer utility potential for a 

horizontal axis clothes washer. 

The four' new design options are identified as follows: 

Design Opt'ion No. 

1. V-AXis I 

2. V-Axis II 

3. H-Axis GDescription 

Method of washing by moving clothes 

on a vertical axis nutating-plate while 

recirculating a wash solution through the 

clothes load. 

Meth0d of washing in a vertical axis 

washer by accelerating the clothes load, 

and then decelerating, causing the clothes 

to tumble otframps on the basket. . 

Method of washing clothes in a horizontal 

axis washer by tumbling clothes at less 

than 1 g of centrifugal force. 

'* Printed with BI:I'f ink on fI!CYdad paper 

5,507,053 

5,191,667 

5,219,370 
Design Option No.

4. H-Axis G+

.3/4a H-Axis Utility ,

Description

Method of ~ashing clothes in a horizontal

axis washer by spinning basket to effect

more than 1g of centrifugal force on the

clothes load, and recirculating a wash

solution through the basket.

Top-loading horizontal axis washer in

whichJhe inner basket doors'are opened

automatically \vhen the cabinet iid is raised,

5,345,637

5,448,900

Ifyou have any further questions, please contact Marc'LaFranceat (202) 586-8423 or

Bryan Berringer at.(202) 586-0371. "

"'.....U<l..J--.1'~ .cCabe, Director

Office of odes and Standards

Building Technology, State and

Community Programs

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

 EE-RM-94-403 COMMENT 56

Design Option No. 

4. H-Axis G+ 

. 3/4a H-Axis Utility , 

Description 

Method of ~ashing clothes in a horizontal 

axis washer by spinning basket to effect 

more than 1 g of centrifugal force on the 

clothes load, and recirculating a wash 

solution through the basket. 

Top-loading horizontal axis washer in 

whichJhe inner basket doors'are opened 

automatically \V'hen the cabinet iid is raised. 

5,345,637 

5,448,900 

If you have any further questions, please contact Marc'LaFranceat (202) 586-8423 or 

Bryan Berringer at.(202) 586-0371. '. 

"' ...... U<l-o'-1'" cCabe, Director 

Office of odes and Standards 

Building Technology, State and 

Community Programs 

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy