US 12,000,072 B2
Responsive soak time in a washing machine appliance
Ryan James Scheckelhoff, 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 Oct. 8, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/497,276.
Prior Publication US 2023/0109803 A1, Apr. 13, 2023
Int. Cl. D06F 33/44 (2020.01); D06F 33/34 (2020.01); D06F 33/54 (2020.01); D06F 101/14 (2020.01); D06F 103/02 (2020.01); D06F 103/16 (2020.01); D06F 103/20 (2020.01); D06F 105/02 (2020.01); D06F 105/52 (2020.01); D06F 105/62 (2020.01)
CPC D06F 33/44 (2020.02) [D06F 33/34 (2020.02); D06F 33/54 (2020.02); D06F 2101/14 (2020.02); D06F 2103/02 (2020.02); D06F 2103/16 (2020.02); D06F 2103/20 (2020.02); D06F 2105/02 (2020.02); D06F 2105/52 (2020.02); D06F 2105/62 (2020.02)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of operating a washing machine appliance, the washing machine appliance comprising a cabinet and a wash tub mounted within the cabinet, the wash tub configured for containing fluid during operation of the washing machine appliance, the method comprising:
filling the wash tub with a wash liquid during a first cycle of the washing machine appliance;
receiving a pause input from a user interface of the washing machine appliance after filling the wash tub with the wash liquid during the first cycle and before draining the wash liquid from the wash tub during the first cycle;
pausing the first cycle of the washing machine appliance for a pause duration in response to the pause input;
resuming the first cycle of the washing machine at the end of the pause duration;
incrementing a pause counter in response to the pause input;
storing the pause duration after resuming the first cycle of the washing machine appliance;
filling the wash tub with a wash liquid during a second cycle of the washing machine appliance after the first cycle; and
automatically pausing the second cycle of the washing machine appliance after filling the wash tub with the wash liquid during the second cycle, based on the pause counter and the stored pause duration.