Patent Publication Number: US-8991223-B2

Title: Laundry treating appliance with balancing system

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Laundry treating appliances, such as clothes washers, refreshers, and non-aqueous systems, may have a rotatable drum defining a treating chamber for treating laundry according to a cycle of operation. For some laundry treating appliances, vibration and noise may be generated from an imbalance in the drum created by unevenly distributed laundry inside the treating chamber. Some laundry treating appliances may include a damping system, such as a suspension system or a balancing system, to reduce vibration and noise generated from the laundry treating appliance during a cycle of operation. In active balancing systems, one or more sensors may be employed to detect imbalances in the drum, and corrective action is taken to balance the drum based on the information from the sensors. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a laundry treating appliance having a cabinet defining an interior, a tub located within the interior and defining a liquid-holding chamber, a rotatable drum at least partially defining a treating chamber, at least one lifter provided on the drum, and a balancing system. The balancing system includes a first and second reservoir chamber located within the at least one lifter, and a liquid supply system fluidly coupled to the first and second reservoir chambers. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a laundry treating appliance according to a first embodiment of the invention, illustrating a drum with a balancing system. 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of a rear balancing ring for the balancing system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a rear view of a front balancing ring for the balancing system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is close-up view of a portion of the front balancing ring from  FIG. 3 , with a portion removed to illustrate features of the front balancing ring more clearly. 
         FIG. 5  is a rear perspective view of a feeder for the balancing system of  FIG. 1 , partially cut away to illustrate features of the feeder more clearly. 
         FIG. 6  is a front perspective view of a lifter of the drum of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the lifter through line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 8A  is a close-up review of a portion of  FIG. 1 , illustrating a liquid supply path through one of the lifters of the drum of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 8B  is a close-up review of a portion of  FIG. 1 , illustrating a liquid drain path through one of the lifters of the drum of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic view of a laundry treating appliance according to a second embodiment of the invention, illustrating a drum with a balancing system. 
         FIG. 10  is a front view of a rear balancing ring for the balancing system of  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 11  is a rear view of a front balancing ring for the balancing system of  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional view of the front balancing ring through line  12 - 12  of  FIG. 11 . 
         FIG. 13  is a front perspective view of a lifter of the drum of  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional view of the lifter through line  14 - 14  of  FIG. 13 . 
         FIG. 15A  is a close-up view of a portion of  FIG. 9 , illustrating a liquid supply path through one of the lifters of the drum of  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 15B  is a close-up view of a portion of  FIG. 9 , illustrating a liquid drain path through one of the lifters of the drum of  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 16  is a rear view of the front balancing ring and lifters of the balancing system of  FIG. 9 , illustrating a liquid drain path through the front balancing ring. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  schematically illustrates a first embodiment of the invention in the environment of a laundry treating appliance, such as a laundry treating appliance in the form of a clothes washing machine  10  comprising a cabinet  12 , which may be a housing having a chassis and/or a frame, defining an interior. As illustrated, the laundry treating appliance is a horizontal axis clothes washing machine; however, the laundry treating appliance may be any appliance which performs a cycle of operation on laundry, non-limiting examples of which include a vertical-axis washing machine; a combination washing machine and clothes dryer; a tumbling or stationary refreshing/revitalizing machine; an extractor; and a revitalizing machine. The washing machine  10  described herein shares many features of a traditional automatic clothes washing machine, which will not be described in detail except as necessary for a complete understanding of the invention. 
     A tub  14  may be provided in the interior of the cabinet  12  and may be configured to hold liquid. As such, the tub  14  defines a liquid-holding chamber. The tub  14  may be supported within the cabinet  12  by a suitable suspension system (not shown). A drum  16  may be provided within the tub  14  and may have an inner periphery at least partially defining a treating chamber  18  for receiving fabric, such as laundry to be treated according to a cycle of operation. The drum  16  may be mounted for rotation within the tub  14  about a rotational axis X. The inner periphery of the drum  16  defines an interior circumference of the drum  16 . The drum  16  includes a geometric center C which, in the illustrated embodiment, lies along the rotational axis X of the drum  16 . The drum  16  may have perforations that permit the flow of liquid between the drum  16  and the tub  14 . 
     The drum  16  may be coupled with a motor  20  through a drive shaft  22  for selective rotation of the treating chamber  18  during a cycle of operation. It may also be within the scope of the invention for the motor  20  to be coupled with the drive shaft  22  through a drive belt for selective rotation of the treating chamber  18 . The motor  20  may rotate the drum  16  at multiple or variable speeds and in opposite rotational directions. 
     The tub  14  and drum  16  may have aligned openings, which provide access to the treating chamber  18 . A door  24  may be provided to selectively close at least one of the aligned openings to selectively provide access to the treating chamber  18 . While the illustrated washing machine  10  includes both the tub  14  and the drum  16 , with the drum  16  defining the laundry treating chamber  18 , it is within the scope of the invention for the washing machine  10  to include only one receptacle, with the receptacle defining the laundry treating chamber for receiving the laundry load to be treated. 
     At least one lifter  26  may be provided in the drum to facilitate movement of the laundry load within the drum  16  as the drum  16  rotates. The lifter  26  may be provided on the inner periphery of the drum  16 . Multiple lifters  26  can be provided; as illustrated, three lifters  26  are provided, although only two lifters  26  are visible in  FIG. 1 , and are evenly spaced about the inner periphery of the drum  16 . 
     A dispensing system illustrated as a treating chemistry dispenser  30  may be provided within the cabinet  12  and may include at least one treating chemistry reservoir  32 . The treating chemistry dispenser  30  may be provided on an exterior or interior of the cabinet  12  and may be immediately accessible by the user or hidden behind a cover or an access panel. One or more treating chemistries may be provided in the treating chemistry reservoir  32  in any desirable configuration, such as a single charge, multiple charge (also known as bulk dispenser), or both. Examples of typical treating chemistries include, without limitation, water, detergent, bleach, fabric softener, and enzymes. An outlet conduit  34  may fluidly couple the treating chemistry dispenser  30  with the tub  14 . The outlet conduit  34  may couple with the tub  14  at any suitable location on the tub  14  and is shown as being coupled with a top wall of the tub  14  for exemplary purposes. The treating chemistry that flows from the treating chemistry dispenser  30  through the outlet conduit  34  to the tub  14  typically enters a space between the tub  14  and the drum  16 . 
     A liquid supply system  40  may also be included in the washing machine  10  to supply liquid to both the treating chemistry dispenser  30  and/or the tub  14 . More specifically, liquid such as water may be supplied from a water source, such as a household water supply  42 , to the washing machine  10  by operation of a valve  44  controlling the flow of liquid through an inlet conduit  46 . Another valve  48  may fluidly couple with the inlet conduit  46  and may have two outlets such that it may determine a flow of liquid through a first supply conduit  50  leading to the tub  14  and may determine a flow of liquid through a second supply conduit  52  leading to the treating chemistry dispenser  30 . 
     A liquid drain system  54  may be provided for draining liquid from the treating chamber  18 . The liquid drain system  54  may include a drain pump  56  and a drain conduit  58 . The drain pump  56  fluidly couples the tub  14  to the drain conduit  58  such that liquid in the tub  14  may be drained via the drain conduit  58 . The drain conduit  58  may be coupled with a household drain. The drain pump  56  may be located in a low portion or sump of the tub  14 . 
     A liquid recirculation system  60  may be provided for recirculating liquid to the treating chamber  18 . As illustrated, the recirculation system  60  includes a recirculation pump  62  and a spray conduit  64 . The recirculation pump  62  may fluidly couple the tub  14  to the spray conduit  64  such that liquid in the tub  14  may be supplied to the spray conduit  64 , where it may be sprayed into the treating chamber  18 . The recirculation pump  62  may be fluidly coupled to a low portion or sump of the tub  14 . The spray conduit  64  may direct the liquid from the recirculation pump  62  into the drum  16  in any suitable manner, such as by spraying, dripping, or providing a steady flow of the liquid. 
     A balancing system  66  may be provided for selectively balancing the drum  16  and ensuring that the laundry load is evenly distributed during a cycle of operation. The balancing system  66  may be a so-called “active balancing system”, which detects an imbalance in the drum  16  and takes corrective action to balance the drum  16 . Specifically, liquid can be strategically supplied to portions of the balancing system  66  to counterbalance the imbalance in the drum  16 . The liquid can be supplied from the liquid supply system  40 . 
     The balancing system  66  may include a first or rear balancing ring  68  provided on a rear end of the drum  16  and a second or front balancing ring  70  provided on a front end of the drum  16 . The rear balancing ring  68  includes spaced front and rear side walls  72 ,  74 , and spaced inner and outer walls  76 ,  78 , with the inner and outer walls  76 ,  78  extending between the front and rear side walls  72 ,  74 . Similarly, the front balancing ring  70  includes spaced front and rear side walls  80 ,  82 , and spaced inner and outer walls  84 ,  86 , with the inner and outer walls  84 ,  86  extending between the front and rear side walls  80 ,  82 . Alternatively, the balancing system  66  can include a single balancing ring provided on either the front or rear of the drum  16 . 
     The balancing rings  68 ,  70  may receive liquid from a feeder  88 , which may be fluidly coupled to the household water supply  42 . The rear balancing ring  68  may be fluidly coupled to the feeder  88  to receive liquid more or less directly from the feeder  88 . The front balancing ring  70  may be fluidly coupled to the feeder  88  via at least one of the lifters  26 , such that the front balancing ring  70  receives liquid indirectly from the feeder  88  via at least one of the lifters  26 . As such, the lifters  26  may be considered part of the balancing system  66 . It is also contemplated that the front balancing ring  70  may further receive liquid via the rear balancing ring  68  in addition to at least one of the lifters  26 . The rear and front balancing rings  68 ,  70  may drain liquid into the tub  14 . The rear balancing ring  68  may drain liquid more or less directly into the tub  14 , while the front balancing ring  70  may drain liquid indirectly into the tub  14  via at least one of the lifters  26 . From the tub  14 , the liquid drained from the balancing system  66  can be drained from the washing machine  10  via the liquid drain system  54 , or may be recirculated into the treating chamber  18  by the liquid recirculation system  60 . 
     The feeder  88  may be provided on a rear end of the drum  16  and may be an annulus with a rear face  90 , a front face  92 , and an outer peripheral face  94  joining the rear and front faces  90 ,  92 . The feeder  88  may include multiple channels  96  for supplying liquid to the balancing rings  68 ,  70  and a central opening  98  allowing the drive shaft  22  of the motor  20  to pass through the feeder  88  and couple to the drum  16 . Alternatively, the feeder  88  may be attached to the drive shaft  22  or mounted in some other manner such that the feeder  88  rotates with the drum  16 . 
     Each channel  96  may further include a dedicated spray nozzle  100  which supplies the channel  96  with liquid. The spray nozzles  100  may be fluidly coupled to the household water supply  42  by operation of one or more valves  102  controlling the flow of liquid through one or more conduits  104 . As illustrated, a valve  102  is provided for each channel  96 , such that liquid can be selectively directed to different portions of the balancing rings  68 ,  70  as needed to correct an imbalance in the drum  16 . 
     The balancing system  66  may further include means for detecting an imbalance in the drum  16 . The detecting means may further detect the location and/or magnitude of the imbalance. The specifics of the detecting means are not germane to the invention, and will not be described in detail herein. There are many known imbalance detection methods that are based on output from a motor controller, load cell, or accelerometer. Often, such methods process the torque signal from the motor. Some examples of suitable methods for determining imbalance conditions in a clothes washing machine are given in U.S. Pat. No. 7,296,445 to Zhang et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 7,739,764 to Zhang et al. In other detection methods, at least one sensor  106  for detecting an imbalance within the washing machine  10  during a cycle of operation may be provided. The sensor  106  may be positioned on the tub  14 . 
     A controller  108  may be located within the cabinet  12  for controlling the operation of the washing machine  10  to implement one or more cycles of operation, which may be stored in a memory of the controller  108 . Examples, without limitation, of cycles of operation include: wash, heavy duty wash, delicate wash, quick wash, refresh, rinse only, and timed wash. A user interface  110  that is operable coupled to the controller  108  may also be included on the cabinet  12  and may include one or more knobs, switches, displays, and the like for communicating with the user, such as to receive input and provide output. 
     During operation of the washing machine  10 , the controller  108  may be operably coupled with one or more components of the washing machine  10  for communicating with and controlling the operation of the component to complete a cycle of operation. For example, the controller  108  may be operably coupled with at least the motor  20 , the valves  44 ,  48 ,  102  the drain pump  56 , the recirculation pump  62 , and the sensor  106  to control the operation of these and other components to implement one or more of the cycles of operation. 
       FIG. 2  is a front view of the rear balancing ring  68 . The inner and outer walls  76 ,  78  of the rear balancing ring  68  are circular in shape, and respectively define an inner radius R 1  and an outer radius R 2  of the rear balancing ring  68 . The rear balancing ring  68  may further include at least one fluid chamber  112  into which liquid may be introduced. As illustrated, multiple chambers  112  can be provided; more specifically, three fluid chambers  112  are provided. The chambers  112  are separated by internal dividing walls  114  (shown in phantom line) extending between the inner and outer walls  76 ,  78 . 
     Each chamber  112  includes an inlet in fluid communication with the feeder  88  ( FIG. 1 ). The inlets in the illustrated embodiment are formed by inlet conduits  116  that extend from the inner wall  76  toward the center of the inner radius R 1 . The inlet conduits  116  may be evenly spaced about the inner wall  76 , with approximately 120° between adjacent inlet conduits  116 . 
     Each chamber  112  further includes at least one outlet in fluid communication with the tub  14 . In the illustrated embodiment, each chamber  112  is provided with two outlets formed by outlet conduits  118  that extend from the inner wall  76  toward the center of the inner radius R 1 . The outlet conduits  118  for each chamber  112  may be positioned near opposite ends of the chamber  112 , such as adjacent to the dividing walls  114  separating one chamber  112  from the adjacent chambers  112 . The length of the outlet conduits  118  may be determined based on an anticipated water level in the tub  14  during a cycle of operation, such that the opening into each outlet conduits  118  is above the anticipated water level. 
       FIG. 3  is a rear view of the front balancing ring  70 . The inner and outer walls  84 ,  86  of the front balancing ring  70  are circular in shape, and respectively define an inner radius R 1  and an outer radius R 2  of the front balancing ring  70 . The front balancing ring  70  may further include at least one fluid chamber  120  into which liquid may be introduced. As illustrated, multiple chambers  120  can be provided; more specifically, three chambers  120  are provided. The chambers  120  are separated by internal dividing walls  122  (shown in phantom line) extending between the inner and outer walls  84 ,  86 . 
     Each chamber  120  includes at least one outlet in fluid communication with one of the lifters  26  ( FIG. 1 ). In the illustrated embodiment, each chamber  120  is provided with two outlets formed by outlet ports  124  in the rear side wall  82 . The outlet ports  124  for each chamber  120  may be positioned near opposite ends of the chamber  120 , such as adjacent to the dividing walls  122  separating one chamber  120  from the adjacent chambers  120 . 
     Each chamber  120  further includes an inlet in fluid communication with one of the lifters  26  ( FIG. 1 ). The inlets in the illustrated embodiment are formed by passages  126  extending from the rear side wall  82  into one of the chambers  120 . The passages  126  may be evenly spaced about the rear side wall  82 , with approximately 120° between adjacent passages  126 . 
       FIG. 4  is close-up view of a portion of the front balancing ring from  FIG. 3 . The passages  126  may extend through a gap formed between adjacent chambers  120 . More specifically, the passages  126  may extend through the dividing wall  122  between adjacent chambers  120 . Each passage  126  may be angled or curved such that an entrance  128  and exit  130  of the passage  126  are not parallel to each other. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the entrance  128  to the passage  126  is formed in the rear side wall  82 , while the exit  130  from the passage  126  is formed in the dividing wall  122  leading to one of the chambers  120 . As such, there is an approximately 90° turn in the passage  126 . 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the outlet conduits  118  for the rear balancing ring  68  and the outlet ports  124  for the rear balancing ring  70  may be positioned closer to the inner radius R 1  of the respective balancing ring than the outer radius R 2 . When the drum  16  rotates, liquid in the balancing rings  68 ,  70  is forced toward the outer walls  78 ,  86  by centrifugal force, which spaces the liquid from the outlet conduit  118  or outlet port  124 , and prevents it from exiting the respective chamber  112 ,  120 . When the drum  16  stops rotating, liquid naturally flows back to the lowest point in the chamber  112 ,  120  by gravity; for chambers  112 ,  120  oriented at or near a 12 o&#39;clock position of the drum  16 , the lowest point is near at least one of the dividing walls  114 ,  122 , allowing liquid to flow out of the chamber  112 ,  120  through the outlet conduit  118  or outlet port  124 . Liquid may also drain from the chambers  112 ,  120  when rotating the drum  116  at a relatively low rotational speed, which is a function of the radius of the drum  16 . For example, a radius of approximately 21.6 inches for the drum  16  and a rotational speed of less than or equal to 25 RPM will provide insufficient centrifugal force to overcome the gravitational force acting on the liquid and the liquid will drain out of the balancing rings  68 ,  70 . 
       FIG. 5  is a rear perspective view of the feeder  88 , partially cut away to illustrate features of the feeder  88  more clearly. The number of channels  96  may be dictated by the number of chambers  112 ,  120  provided in the balancing rings  68 ,  70  ( FIG. 1 ), with at least one channel  96  provided per chamber  112 ,  120 . In the illustrated embodiment, since six total chambers  112 ,  120  are provided in the balancing rings  68 ,  70 , six channels  96  are provided in the feeder  88 . 
     The channels  96  may be formed in a stacked relationship, with each pair of channels  96  defining a rear channel and a front channel, which may be designated at  96 R and  96 F, respectively, for purposes of discussion. The channels  96  may further be formed in a concentric relationship, with a first pair of stacked channels  96  formed at an inner radial position adjacent to the central opening  98 , a second pair of stacked channels  96  formed radially outwardly from the first pair and a third pair of stacked channels  96  formed radially outwardly from the second pair. Other arrangements of channels  96  besides the stacked-and-concentric arrangement shown herein are possible. For example, the channels  96  may be concentric but not stacked. In another example, the channels  96  may be stacked but not concentric. In yet another example, the channels  96  may be provided on one or both of the rear and front faces  90 ,  92  of the feeder  88 . 
     Each pair of channels  96  is defined by an outer wall  132  having a partition  134  that separates the rear channel  96 R from the front channel  96 F and inner wall  136 . The inner wall  136  may be angled, which may help deflect liquid being drained out of the channels  96  to prevent the liquid from reentering the channels  96 . 
     Each pair of channels  96  further includes an inlet opening  138  formed in the rear face  90  of the feeder  88 . The spray nozzles  100  ( FIG. 1 ) may extend into the inlet openings  138  from the rear of the feeder  88 , and may be directed toward the outer wall  132  of each channel  96 . The inlet openings  138  may extend around the central opening  98  in concentric circles, which allows the spray nozzles  100  to remain stationary while supplying liquid to the rotating feeder  88 . 
     Each channel  96  further includes an outlet in fluid communication with the rear balancing ring  68  or with one of the lifters  26  ( FIG. 1 ). The outlets may be defined by outlet conduits  140  extending from each of the channels  96  to the outer peripheral face  94  of the feeder  88 . An entrance  142  to the outlet conduits  140  may be formed in the outer wall  132  of each channel  96  and an exit  144  from the outlet conduits  140  may be formed in the outer peripheral face  94 . The outlet conduits  140  may be evenly spaced about the circumference of the feeder  88 , although the length of the outlet conduits  140  may vary depending on the radial position of the channel  96  relative to the outer peripheral face  140 . When the feeder  88  rotates, liquid entering the channels  96  is forced toward the outer walls  132  by centrifugal force and flows out of the channels  96  through the outlet conduits  140  to either the rear balancing ring  68  or the lifters  26 . Each channel  96  supplies a different chamber  112 ,  120  in the balancing rings  68 ,  70 . 
       FIG. 6  is a front perspective view of one of the lifters  26 . The lifter  26  may be a generally triangular cross-sectional shape, with two side walls  146  that are inclined relative to each other, and which are joined at their outer ends by a base wall  148  and at their inner ends by a curved tip  150 . The lifter  26  may further have a front end wall  152  which is joined to the front ends of the side walls  146 . The front end wall  152  includes an outlet opening  154  of a supply conduit  156  and two drain inlets  158 . The lifter  26  may further have a rear end wall  160  which is joined to the rear ends of the side walls  146 . 
       FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the lifter  26  through line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 6 . The lifter  26  may have a substantially hollow interior, with a partition  162  that divides the hollow interior into a first chamber  164  and a second chamber  166 . The supply conduit  156  may pass lengthwise through the partition  162 , and may include a tube  168  that is formed within the partition  162 . 
       FIG. 8A  is a close-up review of a portion of  FIG. 1 , illustrating a liquid supply path through one of the lifters  26 . The rear end wall  160  of the lifter  26  further includes an inlet opening  170  of the supply conduit  156 , which supplies liquid from the feeder  88  ( FIG. 5 ) to the front balancing ring  70 , and an outlet conduit  172 , which drains liquid from the lifter  26 . The inlet opening  170  can be coupled to one of the outlet conduits  140  of the feeder  88  by a hose  171  or other suitable conduit. The outlet conduit  172  may extend outwardly from the rear end wall  160  and toward the rotational axis X ( FIG. 1 ) of the drum  16 . The length of the outlet conduit  172  may be determined based on an anticipated water level in the tub  14  during a cycle of operation, such that the opening into each outlet conduit  172  is above the anticipated water level. 
     The lifter  26  is mounted to the drum  16  with respect to the front balancing ring  70  such that the lifter  26  spans a portion of two fluid chambers  120 . At the rear end of the drum  16 , the outlet conduit  172  opens into a spaced in fluid communication with the liquid-holding chamber defined by the tub  14 . At the front end of the drum  16 , the outlet opening  154  of the supply conduit  156  is aligned with one of the passages  126  in the front balancing ring  70 . 
     The partition  162  may include a continuous wall that extends substantially from the rear end wall  160  to the front end wall  152  and substantially from the base wall  148  to the tip  150  of the lifter  26 ; however, in the illustrated embodiment, the partition  162  includes an opening  174  which fluidly connects the first chamber  164  to the second chamber  166 . The opening  174  may be formed closer to the tip  150  than the base wall  148 , such that the opening  174  is closer to the center of the drum  16  than the inner periphery. 
     The tube  168  forming the supply conduit  156  may be angled, such that one end of the tube  168  is radially closer to the rotational axis X of the drum  16  ( FIG. 1 ) than the other end. When the drum  16  rotates, liquid introduced into the supply conduit  156  is forced outwardly by centrifugal force, which naturally drives the liquid along the angled supply conduit  156  from the inlet opening  170  to the outlet opening  154 . As illustrated, the inlet opening  170  may be radially closer to the rotational axis X of the drum  16  than the outlet opening  154  and the radial distance from the rotational axis X to the supply conduit  156  increases along the length of the supply conduit  156  from the inlet opening  170  to the outlet opening  154 . The increase in radial distance between the rotational axis X and supply conduit  156  may be relatively constant, such that the radial distance never decreases along the length of the supply conduit  156 . As shown, the supply conduit  156  may be generally straight between the outlet and inlet openings  156 ,  170 ; alternatively the supply conduit  156  may be formed with sections that are more steeply angled than other sections. 
       FIG. 8B  is a close-up review of a portion of  FIG. 1 , illustrating a liquid drain path through one of the lifters  26 . At the front end of the drum  16 , the first and second chambers  164 ,  166  (only chamber  166  is visible in  FIG. 8B ) in the lifter  26  are each aligned with one of the drain ports  124  in the front balancing ring  70 . Each of the first and second chambers  164 ,  166  may define at least a portion of a drain conduit that fluidly couples one of the chambers  120  in the front balancing ring  70  to the tub  14 , with the drain inlets  158  in the front end wall  152  of the lifter  26  forming an inlet into the drain conduits and the outlet conduit  172  forming an outlet from the drain conduits. The outlet conduit  172  may extend through the drum  16  such that the liquid is drained into the liquid-holding chamber defined by the tub  14 . Each chamber  164 ,  166  in the lifter  26  drains a different fluid chamber  120 . 
     The drain conduit may extend generally along an interior surface of the lifter  26  that may be defined by the tip  150 . The tip  150  of the lifter  26  may be sloped to create an angled drain conduit, such that one end of the lifter  26  is radially closer to the rotational axis X of the drum  16  ( FIG. 1 ) than the other end. As illustrated, the end of the lifter  26  near the rear end wall  160  may be radially closer to the rotational axis X of the drum  16  than the end of the lifter  26  near the front end wall  152 . When the drum  16  stops rotating, liquid entering the lifter  26  from the front balancing ring  70  naturally flows to the lowest point in the lifter  26  by gravity; for a lifter  26  oriented at or near a 12 o&#39;clock position of the drum  16 , the lowest point is near the rear end wall  160 , allowing liquid to flow out of the lifter  26  through the outlet conduit  172 . Liquid may also drain from the lifters  26  when rotating the drum  16  at a relatively low rotational speed that is a function of the radius of the drum  16 , such as less than or equal to 25 RPM for a drum with a radius of approximately 21.6 inches, such that gravity acting on the liquid overcomes the centrifugal force generated by the rotating drum  16 . 
     In operation, with reference to  FIG. 1 , when an imbalance in the drum  16  is detected by the sensor  106 , the controller  108  determines what corrective action is needed to counterbalance the imbalance in the drum  16 . This determination may include identifying one of the fluid chambers  112 ,  120  to receive liquid to at least partially offset an imbalance in the rotating drum  16 . Liquid from the household water supply  42  is directed to liquid channels  96  of the feeder  88  associated with the identified fluid chambers  112 ,  120  by opening the associated valves  102 . This is done while the drum  16  and feeder  88  are rotating together, such that liquid is distributed along the liquid channel  96  of the feeder  88  by centrifugal force. 
     If liquid is to be directed to one of the fluid chambers  112  in the rear balancing ring  68 , liquid from the feeder  88  is supplied via the associated outlet conduit  140  to the inlet conduit  116  of the fluid chamber  112 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the outlet conduits  140  can be coupled to the inlet conduit  116  by a hose  176  or other suitable conduit. Liquid is supplied while the drum  16 , feeder  88 , and rear balancing ring  68  are rotating together, such that the liquid is forced outwardly from the feeder  88  and through the inlet conduit by centrifugal force. Furthermore, liquid entering the fluid chamber  112  will be forced against the outer wall  78  of the rear balancing ring  68 , away from the outlet conduits  118 . 
     If liquid is to be directed to one of the fluid chambers  120  in the front balancing ring  68 , liquid from the feeder  88  is supplied via the associated outlet conduit  140  and hose  171  to the supply conduit  156  of the associated lifter  26 . The liquid passes through the supply conduit  156  and into the fluid chamber  120 . This is also done while the drum  16 , feeder  88 , lifter  26 , and front balancing ring  70  are rotating together, such that the liquid is forced outwardly from the feeder  88  and through the supply conduit  156  by centrifugal force. Furthermore, liquid entering the fluid chamber  120  will be forced against the outer wall  86  of the front balancing ring  70 , away from the outlet ports  124 . 
     The liquid may be drained from the balancing rings  68 ,  70  any time; it is no longer necessary to have the counterbalance, such as at the conclusion of a spin phase of a cycle of operation. To drain liquid from one of the fluid chambers  112  in the rear balancing ring  68 , the drum  16  may be rotated until the fluid chamber  112  is at or near a 12 o&#39;clock position of the drum  16 , allowing liquid to flow out of the fluid chamber  112  through the outlet conduits  118  and into the tub  14 . Alternatively, the liquid may be drained while the drum  16  rotates at a relatively low speed that is a function of the radius of the drum  16 , such as less than or equal to 25 RPM for a drum with a radius of approximately 21.6 inches, such that the gravitational force acting on the liquid overcomes the centrifugal force generated by the rotating drum  16 , allowing the liquid to drain out through the outlet conduits  118  as the drum  16  continues to rotate. From the tub  14 , the liquid may be drained via the liquid drain system  54 . 
     To drain liquid from one of the fluid chambers  120  in the front balancing ring  70 , the drum  16  may be rotated until the fluid chamber  120  is at or near a 12 o&#39;clock position of the drum  16 , allowing liquid to flow out of the fluid chamber  120  through the outlet ports  124  and into the drain conduits defined by the chambers  164 ,  166  in the lifter  26 , shown in  FIG. 8B . Since the outlet ports  124  of a single fluid chamber  120  are coupled to two different lifters  26 , liquid from one fluid chamber  120  may be drained via two different lifters  26 . The liquid passes through the lifter  26  and into the tub  14  via the outlet conduit  172 . Alternatively, the liquid may be drained while the drum  16  rotates at a relatively low speed that is a function of the radius of the drum  16 , such as less than or equal to 25 RPM for a drum with a radius of approximately 21.6 inches, such that the gravitational force acting on the liquid overcomes the centrifugal force generated by the rotating drum  16 , allowing the liquid to drain out through the lifters  26  as the drum  16  continues to rotate. From the tub  14 , the liquid may be drained via the liquid drain system  54 . 
       FIG. 9  is a schematic view of a laundry treating appliance according to a second embodiment of the invention. Like the first embodiment, the second embodiment of the laundry treating appliance is in the form of a clothes washing machine  10 , and like elements of the second embodiment will be referred to with the same reference numerals used in the second embodiment. The second embodiment of the clothes washing machine  10  is provided with a modified balancing system  178 . The balancing system  178  may include the same basic components, including the first or rear balancing ring  68 , the second or front balancing ring  70 , the feeder  88 , and the sensor  106 . The feeder  88  and sensor  106  may be substantially identical to those described for the first embodiment. The balancing system  178  is further provided with multiple lifters  180  that, like the balancing rings  68 ,  70  may selectively be supplied with liquid to counterbalance an imbalance in the drum  16   
       FIG. 10  is a front view of the rear balancing ring  68 . The rear balancing ring  68  may be substantially identical to that of the first embodiment, with the exception that each fluid chamber  112  includes at least a portion of a supply conduit in fluid communication with one of the lifters  180  ( FIG. 9 ), by which a portion of the liquid from the fluid chamber  112  can be supplied to the lifter  180  for counterbalancing purposes. The supply conduits in the illustrated embodiment are formed supply ports  183  in the front side wall  72 . The supply ports  183  may be evenly spaced about the front side wall  72 , with approximately 120° between adjacent supply ports  183 . 
       FIG. 11  is a rear view of the front balancing ring  70 . The front balancing ring  70  may be substantially identical to that of the first embodiment, with the exception of the inlets and outlets in fluid communication with one of the lifters  180  ( FIG. 9 ) and the inclusion of a transfer ring  184 . The transfer ring  184  may be provided on the rear side wall  82  and facilitates the transfer of liquid from the chambers  120  to the lifters  26  for draining purposes. The transfer ring  184  includes spaced inner and outer walls  186 ,  188  and a rear side wall  190  that extends between the inner and outer walls  186 ,  188 . A front side wall of the transfer ring  184  may be defined by the rear side wall  82  of the front balancing ring  70 . The inner and outer walls  186 ,  188  of the transfer ring  184  may be circular in shape. While the transfer ring  184  is shown as projecting rearwardly from the rear side wall  82 , the transfer ring  184  may also be provided within the front balancing ring  70  such that the volume of space taken up by the front balancing ring  70  remains the same. 
     The transfer ring  184  may further include at least one transfer conduit  192  into which liquid may be introduced. As illustrated, multiple chambers  192  can be provided; more specifically, three chambers  192  are provided. The chambers  192  are separated by internal dividing walls  194  (shown in phantom line) extending between the inner and outer walls  186 ,  188 . The transfer conduits  192  may be offset from the fluid chambers  120  in the front balancing ring  70 , such that one transfer conduit  192  overlies at least two different fluid chambers  120 , and vice versa. As shown, the transfer conduits  192  may be offset approximately 60° from the fluid chambers  120 . 
     Each transfer conduit  192  includes at least one outlet in fluid communication with one of the lifters  180  ( FIG. 9 ). In the illustrated embodiment, each transfer conduit  192  is provided with two outlets formed by outlet ports  196  in the rear side wall  190 . The outlet ports  196  for each transfer conduits  192  may be positioned near opposite ends of the transfer conduit  192 , such as adjacent to the dividing walls  194  separating one transfer conduit  192  from the adjacent transfer conduits  192 . 
     Each fluid chamber  120  further includes an inlet in fluid communication with one of the lifters  180  ( FIG. 9 ). The inlets in the illustrated embodiment are formed by inlet passages  198  extending through the transfer ring  184  and the rear side wall  82  and into one of the fluid chambers  120 . The inlet passages  198  may be evenly spaced about the rear side wall  82 , with approximately 120° between adjacent inlet passages  198 . 
     Each fluid chamber  120  includes at least a portion of a supply conduit in fluid communication with one of the lifters  180  ( FIG. 9 ), by which a portion of the liquid from the fluid chamber  120  can be supplied to the lifter  180  for counterbalancing purposes. The supply conduits in the illustrated embodiment are formed by supply passages  200  extending through the rear side wall  82  and the transfer ring  184  into one of the lifters  180 . The supply passages  200  may be evenly spaced about the rear side wall  82 , with approximately 120° between adjacent outlet passages  200 . The supply passages  200  may further be aligned in a radial direction with the inlet passages  198 , but may be farther from the inner radius R 1  of the front balancing ring  70  than the inlet passages  198 . 
       FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional view of the front balancing ring  70  through line  12 - 12  of  FIG. 11 . The inlet and outlet passages  198 ,  200  may extend through a gap formed between adjacent transfer conduits  192 . More specifically, the passages  198 ,  200  may extend through the dividing wall  194  between adjacent chambers  192 . Each fluid chamber  120  further includes an outlet in fluid communication with at least one of the transfer conduits  192 . In the illustrated embodiment, each fluid chamber  120  is provided with two outlets formed by drain conduits  202  extending through the rear side wall  82  of the front balancing ring  70 . For each one of the fluid chambers  120 , each drain conduits  202  is in communication with a different transfer conduit  192 . As such, a single transfer conduit  192  may receive liquid from two fluid chambers  120 . The drain conduits  202  for each fluid chamber  120  may be positioned near opposite ends of the fluid chamber  120 , such as adjacent to the dividing walls  122  in the front balancing ring  70 . The drain conduits  202  further extend in a forward direction from the rear side wall  82 . 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , the various outlets for the rear and front balancing rings  68 ,  70  and the transfer ring  180  may be positioned closer to the inner radius R 1  of the respective balancing ring than the outer radius R 2 . When the drum  16  rotates, liquid in the balancing rings  68 ,  70  is forced toward the outer walls  78 ,  86  by centrifugal force, which spaces the liquid from the outlet conduits  118  and drain conduits  202  respectively, and prevents it from exiting the chambers  112 ,  120 . When the drum  16  stops rotating, liquid naturally flows back to the lowest point in the chambers  112 ,  120  by gravity; for chambers  112 ,  120  oriented at or near a 12 o&#39;clock position of the drum  16 , the lowest point is near at least one of the dividing walls  114 ,  122 , allowing liquid to flow out of the chamber  112 ,  120  through the conduits  118 ,  202 . Liquid may also drain from the chambers  112 ,  120  when rotating the drum  116  at a relatively low rotational speed that is a function of the radius of the drum  16 , such as less than or equal to 25 RPM for a drum with a radius of approximately 21.6 inches, such that the gravitational force acting on the liquid overcomes the centrifugal force generated by the rotating drum  16 . 
       FIG. 13  is a front perspective view of one of the lifters  180 . The lifter  180  includes two curved side walls  204  which are joined at their outer ends by a base wall  206  and at their inner ends by top wall  208 . The lifter  180  may further have a front end wall  210  which is joined to the front ends of the side walls  204 . The front end wall  210  includes an outlet opening  212  of a supply conduit  214 , an inlet port  216  opening into the lifter  180 , and two drain inlets  218 . The lifter  180  may further have a rear end wall  220  which is joined to the rear ends of the side walls  204 . 
     The side walls  204  may be generally concave and inclined relative to each other giving the top wall  208  an hourglass shape, and the lifter  180  an overall hourglass-type profile. The lifter  180  may be conceptually divided into opposing first and second end portions  180 A,  180 B connected by a middle portion  180 C. The end portions  180 A,  180 B generally coincide with the wider wedge-shaped ends of the lifter  180  while the middle portion  180 C generally coincides with the narrow middle section of the lifter  180 . Due to the hourglass-type profile of the lifter  180 , the volume of the middle portion  180 C is less than the volume of either of the first or second end portions  180 A,  180 B. 
       FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional view of the lifter  180  through line  14 - 14  of  FIG. 13 . The lifter  180  may have a substantially hollow interior, with a partition  222  that divides the hollow interior into a first or rear reservoir chamber  224  located within the first wedge-shaped end portion  180 A and a second or front reservoir chamber  226  located within the second wedge-shaped end portion  180 B. The partition  222  may be positioned at or near the middle portion  180 C of the lifter  180 . Due to the wedge-shape of the end portion  180 A, a greater volume of the rear reservoir chamber  224  is disposed closer to the rear end of the lifter  180  than near the partition  222 . Similarly, a greater volume of the front reservoir chamber  226  is disposed closer to the front end of the lifter  180  than near the partition  222 . One or more baffles  228  may optionally be provided within the lifter  180  to reduce slosh within the reservoir chambers  224 ,  226 . While not illustrated, baffles may also be provided within the fluid chambers  112 ,  120  of the balancing rings  68 ,  70  in any of the embodiments disclosed herein to reduce slosh within the fluid chambers  112 ,  120 . 
     The partition  222  may include a continuous wall that extends upwardly from the base wall  206  between the side walls  204 . A passage  230  is formed between the partition  222  and the top wall  208 , which fluidly connects the rear reservoir chamber  224  to the front reservoir chamber  226 . The supply conduit  214  may extend through the lifter  180 , passing through the partition  222 , and may include a tube  232  that is formed between the front and rear end walls  210 ,  220 . 
       FIG. 15A  is a close-up review of a portion of  FIG. 9 , illustrating a liquid supply path through one of the lifters of the drum of  FIG. 9 . The rear end wall  220  of the lifter  180  further includes an inlet opening  234  of the supply conduit  214 , which supplies liquid from the feeder  88  ( FIG. 9 ) to the front balancing ring  70 , an inlet port  236  opening into the lifter  180 , and a drain outlet  238 , which drains liquid from the lifter  180 . 
     At the rear end of the drum  16 , the inlet port  236  opening into the rear reservoir chamber  224  of the lifter  180  is aligned with one of the supply ports  183  in the rear balancing ring  68 . At the front end of the drum  16 , the outlet opening  212  of the supply conduit  214  is aligned with one of the inlet passages  198  in the front balancing ring  70 , the inlet port  216  opening into the front reservoir chamber  226  in the lifter  180  is aligned with one of the supply passages  200  in the front balancing ring  70 . 
     Like the first embodiment, the tube  232  forming the supply conduit  214  may be angled, such that one end of the tube  232  is radially closer to the rotational axis X of the drum  16  than the other end. However, instead of being generally straight, the supply conduit  214  may have a first portion  240  and a second portion  242 , wherein the first portion  240  is more steeply angled than the second portion  242 . As shown, the more steeply angled first portion  240  may be closer to the inlet opening  234  and the less steeply angled second portion  242  may be closer to the outlet opening  212 . When the drum  16  rotates, liquid introduced into the supply conduit  214  is forced outwardly by centrifugal force, which naturally drives the liquid along the angled supply conduit  214  from the inlet opening  234  to the outlet opening  212 . 
       FIG. 15B  is a close-up view of a portion of  FIG. 9 , illustrating a liquid drain path through one of the lifters of the drum of  FIG. 9 . Each of the front and rear reservoir chambers  224 ,  226  may define at least a portion of a drain conduit that fluidly couples one of the transfer conduits  192  in the transfer ring  184  to the tub  14  ( FIG. 9 ). At the front end of the drum  16 , the drain inlets  218 , only one of which is visible in  FIG. 15B , opening into the drain conduit defined by the lifter  180 , are aligned with the outlet ports  196  in the transfer ring  184 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 15A , the drain conduit may extend generally an interior surface of the lifter  180  that may be defined by the top wall  208 , through the passage  230 , from the drain inlets  218  ( FIG. 15B ) to the drain outlet  238 . The top wall  208  may be sloped to create an angled drain conduit, with one end of the top wall  208  radially closer to the rotational axis X of the drum  16  ( FIG. 1 ) than the other end. When the lifter  180  is at or near a 12 o&#39;clock position of the drum  16 , whether the drum  16  is stationary or rotating at a low speed, liquid in the drain conduit naturally flows to the low end of the drain conduit by gravitational force. As illustrated, the drain outlet  238  may be radially closer to the rotational axis X of the drum  16  than the drain inlets  218 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 9 , the rear reservoir chamber  224  has a first geometric center C 1  that is closer to the rear end of the drum  16  than a midpoint M 1  between the rear end of the drum  16  and the geometric center C of the drum  16 . Likewise, the front reservoir chamber has a second geometric center C 2  that is located closer to the front end of the drum  16  than a midpoint M 2  between the front end of the drum  16  and the geometric center C of the drum  16 . The apex of each wedge-shaped reservoir chamber  224 ,  226  is further directed toward the geometric center C of the drum  16 . This configuration places the majority of the liquid closer to the ends and periphery of the drum  16 , thereby optimizing the counterbalancing benefit of the lifters  180 . 
     In operation, with reference to  FIG. 9 , when an imbalance in the drum  16  is detected by the sensor  106 , the controller  108  determines what corrective action is needed to counterbalance the imbalance in the drum  16 . This determination may include identifying one of the fluid chambers  112 ,  120  or one of the reservoir chambers  224 ,  226  to receive liquid to at least partially offset an imbalance in the rotating drum  16 . The determination may further include identifying one of the reservoir chambers  224 ,  226  to receive liquid via one the fluid chambers  112 ,  120  to at least partially offset an imbalance in the rotating drum  16 . Liquid from the household water supply  42  is directed to liquid channels  96  of the feeder  88  associated with the identified fluid chambers  112 ,  120  by opening the associated valves  102 . This is done while the drum  16  and feeder  88  are rotating together, such that liquid is distributed along the liquid channel  96  of the feeder  88  by centrifugal force. 
     If liquid is to be directed to one of the fluid chambers  112  in the rear balancing ring  68 , it may also be done in the same manner as described above for the first embodiment. Furthermore, if liquid is also to be directed to the rear reservoir chamber  224  in the lifter  180  associated with the fluid chamber  112 , an increased amount of the liquid may be supplied to the fluid chamber  112 . Once the liquid level in the fluid chamber  112  reaches the supply port  183 , shown in  FIG. 15A , liquid will begin to enter the rear reservoir chamber  224 . Liquid entering the rear reservoir chamber  224  will be forced against the base wall  206  by centrifugal force, and away from the drain port  238 . 
     Liquid may also be drained from the rear balancing ring  68  in much that same manner as described above for the first embodiment. Furthermore, when the lifter  180  is at or near a 12 o&#39;clock position of the drum  16 , whether the drum  16  is stationary or rotating at a low speed, liquid in the rear reservoir chamber  224  will flow along the inside of the top wall  208  and into the tub  14  through the drain outlet  238 . 
     If liquid is to be directed to one of the fluid chambers  120  in the front balancing ring  68 , liquid from the feeder  88  is supplied via the associated outlet conduit  104  to the supply conduit  214  of the associated lifter  180 . The liquid passes through the supply conduit  214  and into the fluid chamber  120 . This is also done while the drum  16 , feeder  88 , lifter  180 , and front balancing ring  70  are rotating together, such that the liquid is forced outwardly from the feeder  88  and through the supply conduit  214  by centrifugal force. Furthermore, liquid entering the fluid chamber  120  will be forced against the outer wall  86  of the front balancing ring  70 , away from the drain conduits  202  leading to the transfer ring  184 . 
     If liquid is also to be directed to the front reservoir chamber  226  in the lifter  180  associated with the fluid chamber  120 , an increased amount of the liquid may be supplied to the fluid chamber  112 . Once the liquid level in the fluid chamber  120  reaches the supply passage  200 , shown in  FIG. 15A , liquid will begin to enter the front reservoir chamber  226 . Liquid entering the front reservoir chamber  226  will be forced against the base wall  206  by centrifugal force, and away from the passage  230 . 
       FIG. 16  is a rear view of the front balancing ring  70  and lifters  180  of the balancing system  66  of  FIG. 9 , illustrating a liquid drain path through the front balancing ring  70 . To drain liquid from one of the fluid chambers  120  in the front balancing ring  70 , the drum  16  may be rotated until the fluid chamber  120  is at or near a 12 o&#39;clock position of the drum  16 , allowing liquid to flow out of the fluid chamber  120  through the drain conduits  202  and into the transfer conduit  192  in the transfer ring  184 , as indicated by arrows A. Depending on the position of the lifter  180 , liquid may drain into two transfer conduits  192 . Due to the arrangement of the transfer ring, the lifter  180  that supplies liquid to a given fluid chamber  120  may not be utilized to drain the liquid from the fluid chamber  120 . Instead, the two other lifters  180  are used to drain the liquid from the fluid chamber  120 . Since the fluid chamber  120  is at or near a 12 o&#39;clock position of the drum  16 , the liquid flows to the lower point of the transfer conduits  192 , which is near one of the dividing walls  194  and into the two other lifters  180  through the outlet ports  196 , as indicated by arrows B. The lifter  180  may be mounted to the drum  16  with respect to the front balancing ring  70  such that the lifter  180  spans portions of two fluid chambers  120  and spans a portion of just one transfer conduit  192 . 
     Referring back to  FIG. 15A , the liquid will then flow along the inside of the top wall  208 , through the passage  230 , and into the tub  14  through the drain outlet  238 . From the tub  14 , the liquid may be drained via the liquid drain system  54 . Furthermore, when the lifter  180  is at or near a 12 o&#39;clock position of the drum  16 , whether the drum  16  is stationary or rotating at a low speed, liquid in the front reservoir chamber  226  will flow along the inside of the top wall  208  and through the passage  230  into the rear reservoir chamber  224 . From the rear reservoir chamber  224 , the liquid will flow into the tub  14  through the drain outlet  238 . 
     While the invention has been specifically described in connection with certain specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that this is by way of illustration and not of limitation. Reasonable variation and modification are possible within the scope of the forgoing disclosure and drawings without departing from the spirit of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.