US 11,952,706 B2
Washing machine appliance and method for flood protection operation
Stephen Edward Hettinger, Louisville, KY (US); and Ryan Ellis Leonard, Louisville, KY (US)
Assigned to Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc., Wilmington, DE (US)
Filed by Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc., Wilmington, DE (US)
Filed on Nov. 3, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/517,988.
Prior Publication US 2023/0134278 A1, May 4, 2023
Int. Cl. D06F 39/08 (2006.01); D06F 33/42 (2020.01); D06F 33/47 (2020.01); D06F 103/18 (2020.01); D06F 103/24 (2020.01)
CPC D06F 39/082 (2013.01) [D06F 33/42 (2020.02); D06F 33/47 (2020.02); D06F 39/085 (2013.01); D06F 2103/18 (2020.02); D06F 2103/24 (2020.02)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A washing machine appliance, comprising:
a wash tub positioned within a cabinet;
a wash basket rotatably mounted within the wash tub and defining a wash chamber;
a motor assembly operably coupled to the wash basket for selectively rotating the wash basket;
a drain pump assembly fluidly coupled to the wash tub for selectively draining wash fluid from the wash tub;
a fluid level sensor configured to generate a fluid level signal corresponding to a fluid level at the wash tub; and
a controller operably coupled to the motor assembly and the drain pump assembly, the controller being configured to:
rotate the wash basket to at least a desired speed;
determine whether the wash basket is rotated to at least the desired speed within a period of time;
generate an output signal corresponding to fluid detection at the wash tub when the wash basket fails to rotate to at least the desired speed within the period of time; and
generate a sensor fault signal indicative of fluid level sensor failure when the fluid level at the wash tub is determined by the fluid level sensor to be above a fluid level threshold and when at least the desired speed of the wash basket is achieved within the period of time.