Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention pertains to the art of laundry appliances and, more specifically, to the incorporation of a versatile programming control arrangement in a laundry appliance.  
           [0003]    2. Discussion of the Prior Art  
           [0004]    In a laundry appliance, such as a clothes washer or dryer, it is necessary for a consumer to establish a certain operating cycle, as well as a desired operating time for the cycle. For example, in a washing machine, either before or after loading a tub of the machine with clothes to be laundered, the user must establish both a desired cycle and to establish an operating time for the cycle. Typically, a rotatable control knob is provided on a control panel of the appliance, with the knob having associated graphic zones thereabout to signify different, selectable cycles. For instance, a conventional washing machine would incorporate a knob which can rotate through 360° for use in selecting between the washing of whites, delicates or colors. The knob would have associated therewith an indicator which generally functions as a pointer to provide feedback to the user of the selected operation.  
           [0005]    The time needed to perform the selected operation depends on the positioning of the knob within a given cycle range. For example, the consumer can set the appliance to perform a light, normal or heavy washing operation, with each of these settings functioning to establish the length of time needed to perform the selected washing cycle. Additionally, the consumer could simply select a rinse mode, along with the time for the rinse mode.  
           [0006]    In such a commonly known cycle and time setting arrangement utilizing a rotatable control knob, the knob can only be rotated in one direction. As the cycles for whites, delicates and colors are sequentially arranged about the knob, the knob often has to be rotated through a significant angular range to reach a desired position. In addition, since the knob can only be rotated in one direction, if the user even slightly over-rotates the knob, the user must then rotate the knob through slightly less than 360° to finally reach the desired setting. Obviously, this overall control setting arrangement is quite inefficient.  
           [0007]    A similar rotatable control knob arrangement for use in selecting both cycle and operating times can also be found in many clothes dryers. That is, it is known to provide a rotatable knob on a clothes dryer wherein the knob is used to select both the drying cycle, generally based on the type of clothing articles to be dried, and the drying time. Therefore, the same type of disadvantages discussed above with respect to the known washing machine control arrangements can also pertain to clothes dryers. In any event, there exists a need in the art of laundry appliances for an improved operation cycle and time setting control device wherein operation cycles and times can be easily and efficiently established.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    The present invention pertains to a control device including a member which need only be manually shifted through a limited range of travel to establish a desired cycle and to adjust an operational time for the cycle in a laundry appliance. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the control member has associated therewith four movable contacts which are arranged in pairs and interposed between three fixed contacts. Shifting of the control member a small amount in a first direction will function to engage a single pair of the contacts which, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, will cause a slow increase in the cycle time for the appliance. A larger shift of the control member causes another one of the movable contacts to engage another fixed contact to cause a change in the operation cycle for the appliance, preferably towards a previous cycle.  
           [0009]    The control member is preferably biased to a center or neutral position. In a corresponding manner, a small shift of the control member from the neutral position in a second direction, opposite the first direction, causes a slow decrease in the cycle time. A larger shift of the control member in the second direction causes the system to advance to the next cycle. In any event, with this system, contacts which move with the control member can cooperate with fixed contacts to enable both time and cycle adjustments by the user through only a very limited range of travel of the control member.  
           [0010]    In accordance with the most preferred form of the invention, the control member constitutes a rotary knob which need only be rotated a few degrees in order to complete a programming operation in a quick and convenient manner. In one embodiment of the invention, the control knob can only be rotated through approximately 15° either direction from the neutral position. Around the rotary control knob is provided an annular graphic zone and an indicator is utilized to reflect the programmed information to the user. Most preferably, a light is provided in the annular zone to indicate both the cycle selected by the user and also the established cycle time. Therefore, the appliance control provides immediate feedback, in a consumer friendly manner, by lighting up a specified portion of an illumination track. When a rotary control member is utilized, the illumination track generally simulates a dial skirt.  
           [0011]    Additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein like reference numeral refer to corresponding parts in the several views.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a top loading washing machine incorporating the programming control device of the present invention;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 is enlarged, front view of a control dial incorporated in the programming control device of FIG. 1; and  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 3 depicts an electrical contact and rotary control arrangement according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0015]    With initial reference to FIG. 1, a laundry appliance constructed in accordance with the present invention is generally indicated at  2 . For exemplary purposes, laundry appliance  2  is shown to be constituted by a clothes washer. However, as will become more fully evident below, the invention is also applicable to clothes dryers as well. As shown, laundry appliance  2  includes an outer cabinet  5  provided with an upper opening  8  that can be selectively closed by means of a pivotable lid  12 . In a manner widely known in the art, lid  12  can be raised to provide access to a rotatable basket (not shown) mounted within cabinet  5 , with clothes to be laundered being adapted to be placed in the basket. In the preferred embodiment shown, lid  12  includes an angled front portion  15  to enhance access to within cabinet  5 .  
         [0016]    At a rear portion of cabinet  5  is arranged a control panel  20  that includes various control units which can be used to program a desired laundering operation for appliance  2 . In the preferred embodiment shown, control panel  2  includes a first control unit  30  having a vertically shiftable knob  32 . Knob  32  is adapted to be shifted between raised and lowered positions in order to enable a user of appliance  2  to select a desired load size. For instance, knob  32  can be shifted between mini, medium, large and super load capacity positions, as well as potential reset position. Control panel  20  also includes a second control unit  35  that is defined by a plurality of buttons  38 - 41 . Second control unit  35  is provided in accordance with the exemplary embodiment of the invention of a washer machine in connection with establishing wash and rinse temperatures. Therefore, button  38  is used to establish hot/cold wash/rinse temperatures; button  39  is used to establish warm/warm wash/rinse temperatures; button  40  is used to establish warm/cold wash/rinse temperatures; and button  41  is used to establish cold/cold wash/rinse temperatures respectively.  
         [0017]    Adjacent second control unit  35  is a third control unit  45  which is defined, in the preferred embodiment shown, by buttons  48 - 50 . Third control unit  45  can be used by a consumer to selectively establish a super wash operation through the use of button  48 , the application of a second rinse through button  49 , and to cancel either of these control features through button  50 .  
         [0018]    In addition to these operating parameters, it is also necessary to establish both a desired cycle and operational time for a laundry operation to be performed within appliance  2 . To this point, it should be recognized that first, second and third control units  30 ,  35  and  45  are dedicated for use in connection with the preferred embodiment of laundry appliance  2  being a washing machine. Obviously, the need for this number of control units and/or the functions performed thereby would change when utilizing the invention in connection with a clothes dryer. In general, the structure described above with respect to laundry appliance  2  is already known in the art and does not constitute part of the present invention. Therefore, this structure has only been described for the sake of completeness. Instead, the present invention is particularly directed to the structure and function of a fourth control unit  55  formed as part of control panel  20 .  
         [0019]    As shown in both FIGS. 1 and 2, fourth control unit  55  includes a control member  59  that preferably takes the form of a rotatable knob. About control member  59  is provided graphic indicia generally indicated at  63  which, in the preferred embodiment shown, is essentially divided into first, second and third graphic zones  66 ,  70  and  74  respectively. First graphic zone  66  is used in connection with the preferred embodiment of the invention to represent a washing cycle for whites; second graphic zone  70  represents a washing zone for delicate clothing articles; and third graphic zone  74  represents a washing cycle selection zone for colored garments. As will be readily evident to the reader of this disclosure, the provision of indicia defined within zones around a rotatable knob within a washing machine is also quite prevalent in the art. However, it is particularly the manner in which control member  59  is shifted to establish a particular operation cycle as represented by the various zones, along with the operational time for the selected cycle, that is of particular concern as will be more detailed more fully below.  
         [0020]    Disposed annularly about control member  59  and radially positioned between control member  59  and graphic indicia  63  is an annular illumination track  80  as clearly shown in FIG. 2. Disposed within annular illumination track  80  is an indicator  84  which is preferably constituted by a light element such as an LED or diode. Indicator  4  is used to convey to the user of appliance  2  an established desired cycle and operational time for a laundry operation. For example, in the position shown in FIG. 2, indicator  84  represents a selected cycle for whites, with the operation being established for a relatively short cycle due to light clothes soiling.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 3 illustrates details of control member  59 . More specifically, control member  59  includes an inner body portion  90  that is rotatable about an axis  92 . As will be detailed fully below, body portion  90  is only rotatable about a limited angular range in opposing directions. That is, body portion  90  is biased to a neutral position as shown in FIG. 3 and can be rotated either clockwise or counterclockwise. In the most preferred embodiment, body portion  90  is biased by means of a torsion spring  95  including a first end  98  attached to body portion  90  adjacent axis  92  and a second end  99  that is fixed at  100 . As shown, body portion  90  includes angled side portions  104  and  105  which are adapted to cooperate with stop abutments  106  and  107  respectively for limiting the rotational angle or shifting of control member  59 . In a preferred embodiment of the invention, this angular movement is limited to a range of no more than 45°. In the most preferred embodiment, body portion can only be shifted from the neutral position through approximately 15° in either the clockwise or counterclockwise rotational directions.  
         [0022]    Extending from body portion  90  are a plurality of spaced contact members  108 - 111 . Most preferably, each contact member  108 - 111  has arranged on a tip thereof an electrical contact, such as that indicated at  114 . Control member  59  also has associated therewith a plurality of fixed contact elements  121 - 123 . In a manner similar to contact members  108 - 111 , fixed contact elements  121 - 123  also have associated electrical contacts on tips thereof, such as indicated at  127 . As will be detailed further below, contact members  108 - 111  are adapted to be electrically interconnected with respective ones of fixed contact elements  121 - 123  through the engagement of electrical contacts  114  and  127  in order to complete an electrical circuit through body portion  90  in order to direct signals to a program module  133  of control panel  20  through various wires  136 .  
         [0023]    In the most preferred embodiment depicted in FIG. 3, contact members  108  and  109  are interposed between contact elements  121  and  122 , while contact members  110  and  111  are interposed between contact elements  122  and  123 . More specifically, while body portion  90  and, commensurately, overall control member  59 , is in a neutral position, contact member  108  is preferably spaced a distance X from contact element  121 . Contact member  111  is similarly distanced from contact element  123 . On the other hand, contact members  109  and  110  are spaced a greater distance than distance X from contact element  122 . In the most preferred form of the invention, contact members  109  and  110  are each spaced a distance equivalent to 2X from contact element  122 .  
         [0024]    With this arrangement, rotation of control member  59  in a first direction, such as a counterclockwise direction, will always initially cause contact member  108  to engage contact element  121 . That is, after body portion  90  has been shifted through an arcuate distance equal to X, the electrical contact  114  of contact member  108  will engage the electrical contact  127  of contact element  121  in order to send a signal through a respective wire  136  to program module  133 . Continued rotation of control member  59  in the counterclockwise direction will cause contact member  110  to engage contact element  122 . Of course, this engagement requires some flexing of either or both of contact member  108  and contact element  121 . In the most preferred form of the invention, each of contact members  108 - 111  and contact elements  121 - 123  can be elastically deflected. As indicated above, the distance X only represents a minimal angular shifting of body portion  90 , most preferably through approximately 15°.  
         [0025]    In a similar fashion, control member  59  can be rotated in the clockwise direction from the neutral position shown in FIG. 3 in order to initially engage contact member  111  with contact element  123  and, upon further rotation in the clockwise direction, to cause contact member  109  to engage contact element  122 . Again, each of these interengagements function to complete an electrical circuit whereby control signals are forwarded through wires  136  to program module  133  for appliance  2 .  
         [0026]    In the most preferred form of the invention, the engagement of contact member  108  with contact element  121  functions to slowly increase the cycle time for a laundry operation. Therefore, with the engagement of contact member  108  and contact element  121 , indicator  84  shown in FIG. 2 would slowly shift toward the “light” setting and, if maintained in engagement, further toward the “normal” and “heavy” settings. Further rotation of control member  59  will also cause the abutment of contact member  110  and contact element  122 . In accordance with the most preferred embodiment, this functions to shift the overall selected cycle for appliance  2  to a previous cycle. Therefore, if this momentary switch contact was made, indicator  84  would jump from the WHITES cycle setting to the COLORS cycle setting.  
         [0027]    On the other hand, rotation of body portion  90  in the clockwise direction will cause contact  111  to engage contact element  123  to slowly decrease the cycle time established for the particular laundry operation. Further rotation in the clockwise direction also causes engagement between contact member  109  and contact element  122  which functions to shift the overall selected cycle to the next cycle, i.e., in a clockwise direction about the illustrated graphic indicia  63 .  
         [0028]    With this arrangement, only limited rotational movement of control member  59  is required to easily establish and adjust desired cycle and operational times for a particular laundry operation to be performed within appliance  2 . If the desired setting position as represented to the user through indicator  84  is passed, it would not be necessary to rotate main selector knob through nearly 360° as with conventional, rotatable control knob arrangements. Instead, only a limited degree of rotation of control member  59  in a predetermined direction is required.  
         [0029]    Although described with respect to a preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be readily understood that various changes and/or modifications can be made to the invention without departing from the spirit thereof. For instance, although the engagement between the various contact members  108 - 111  and contact elements  121 - 123  have been disclosed with respect to performing particular setting functions, it should be readily understood that the arrangement of the functions could be readily altered. In addition, such a setting control arrangement could be employed for use in connection with other parameters needing to be set for appliance  2 . Furthermore, control member  59  could also be linearly shifted, instead of rotated in opposing directions from a neutral position to perform corresponding functions. Therefore, it is only important that limited shifting is required which enhances the ability for appliance  2  to be efficiently programmed in a quick and convenient manner. The use of indicator  84  and annular illumination track or zone  80  provides immediate feedback, in a consumer friendly manner, to the user. When control member  59  is rotary in accordance with the preferred embodiment, graphic indicia  63  generally simulates a conventional dial skirt which will be readily recognized by the user. In any event, the invention is only intended to be limited by the scope of the following claims.

Technology Category: d