US 12,392,070 B2
Systems and methods for drain pump operation in washing machine appliances
Wonmyung Seo, Seongnam (KR); and Taehyun Yoon, Gyeonggi (KR)
Assigned to Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc., Wilmington, DE (US)
Filed by Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc., Wilmington, DE (US)
Filed on Sep. 29, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/956,241.
Prior Publication US 2024/0110321 A1, Apr. 4, 2024
Int. Cl. D06F 33/42 (2020.01); D06F 23/04 (2006.01); D06F 34/06 (2020.01); D06F 34/24 (2020.01); D06F 39/08 (2006.01); D06F 103/20 (2020.01); D06F 103/16 (2020.01); D06F 103/18 (2020.01); D06F 105/08 (2020.01); D06F 105/56 (2020.01)
CPC D06F 33/42 (2020.02) [D06F 23/04 (2013.01); D06F 34/06 (2020.02); D06F 34/24 (2020.02); D06F 39/085 (2013.01); D06F 39/087 (2013.01); D06F 2103/16 (2020.02); D06F 2103/18 (2020.02); D06F 2103/20 (2020.02); D06F 2105/08 (2020.02); D06F 2105/56 (2020.02)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A washing machine appliance comprising:
a cabinet;
a wash tub positioned within the cabinet;
a wash basket rotatably mounted within the wash tub and accessible through an opening in the cabinet;
a pump configured to remove fluid from the wash tub;
a pressure sensor disposed at the wash tub;
a turbidity sensor, a conductivity sensor and a temperature sensor disposed in the cabinet;
a controller in signal communication with the pump, the pressure sensor, the turbidity sensor, the conductivity sensor, and the temperature sensor, the controller configured to
monitor a pressure measurement of the pressure sensor while the wash tub fills with water,
record an ambient temperature measurement from the temperature sensor in response to the monitored pressure measurement stabilizing, wherein the wash tub is filled with water,
activate the pump and a timer in response to a drain cycle starting,
record a turbidity measurement from the turbidity sensor, a conductivity measurement from the conductivity sensor, and a temperature measurement from the temperature sensor,
compare the turbidity measurement to a reference turbidity value, the conductivity measurement to a reference conductivity value, and the temperature measurement to the ambient temperature measurement,
determine either a presence or an absence of fluid in the wash tub based at least in part on the turbidity measurement, the conductivity measurement, and the temperature measurement, and
deactivate the pump in response to either the timer expiring or the determination of the absence of fluid in the wash tub.