US 12,421,646 B2
Controlled moisture removal in a laundry treating appliance
Barbara A. Balinksi, Saint Joseph, MI (US); Floyd G. Jackson, Baroda, MI (US); and Karl David McAllister, Stevensville, MI (US)
Assigned to WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION, Benton Harbor, MI (US)
Filed by WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION, Benton Harbor, MI (US)
Filed on Oct. 17, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/488,540.
Application 18/488,540 is a division of application No. 17/532,063, filed on Nov. 22, 2021, granted, now 11,913,160.
Application 15/907,378 is a division of application No. 15/602,157, filed on May 23, 2017, granted, now 9,945,062, issued on Apr. 17, 2018.
Application 14/818,394 is a division of application No. 12/545,115, filed on Aug. 21, 2009, granted, now 9,109,317, issued on Aug. 18, 2015.
Application 17/532,063 is a continuation of application No. 16/845,183, filed on Apr. 10, 2020, granted, now 11,208,755, issued on Dec. 28, 2021.
Application 16/845,183 is a continuation of application No. 15/907,378, filed on Feb. 28, 2018, granted, now 10,633,776, issued on Apr. 28, 2020.
Application 15/602,157 is a continuation of application No. 14/818,394, filed on Aug. 5, 2015, granted, now 9,689,100, issued on Jun. 27, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2024/0044068 A1, Feb. 8, 2024
Int. Cl. D06F 25/00 (2006.01); D06F 34/18 (2020.01); D06F 34/20 (2020.01); D06F 39/04 (2006.01); D06F 58/38 (2020.01); D06F 101/00 (2020.01); D06F 103/02 (2020.01); D06F 103/08 (2020.01); D06F 103/36 (2020.01); D06F 103/40 (2020.01); D06F 105/12 (2020.01); D06F 105/22 (2020.01); D06F 105/24 (2020.01); D06F 105/28 (2020.01); D06F 105/30 (2020.01)
CPC D06F 39/04 (2013.01) [D06F 58/38 (2020.02); D06F 25/00 (2013.01); D06F 34/18 (2020.02); D06F 34/20 (2020.02); D06F 2101/00 (2020.02); D06F 2103/02 (2020.02); D06F 2103/08 (2020.02); D06F 2103/36 (2020.02); D06F 2103/40 (2020.02); D06F 2105/12 (2020.02); D06F 2105/22 (2020.02); D06F 2105/24 (2020.02); D06F 2105/28 (2020.02); D06F 2105/30 (2020.02)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An automatic washing machine for treating laundry according to a treating cycle of operation, comprising:
a cabinet;
a user interface arranged on the cabinet for receiving instructions from a user of the washing machine;
a drum housed within the cabinet and configured to rotate about an axis and defining a treating chamber within the cabinet for receiving laundry to be treated;
a door for selectively providing access to the treating chamber;
a water inlet for supplying water to the treating chamber;
a fan located within the cabinet and configured to rotate to draw air from an exterior of the cabinet towards the treating chamber;
a sensor for determining the presence of laundry in the treating chamber; and
a controller configured to control a plurality of cycles of operation of the washing machine, including at least one treating wash cycle where the water inlet supplies water to the treating chamber and a humidity reduction cycle without the addition of water, the controller configured to, in the humidity reduction cycle and in response to the sensor indicating the presence of laundry in the treating chamber, rotate the drum and the fan to draw air into the treating chamber.