Laundry machine apparatus including water detection and method of operating a laundry machine

Abstract

A method of operating a laundry machine apparatus includes determining that an amount of water above a predetermined amount is present within a tub, setting a limited rotational velocity of the drum, and determining a laundry load characteristic in order to rotate the drum at a standard rotational velocity above the limited rotational velocity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of operating a laundry machine appliance, the laundry machine appliance comprising a tub and a drum rotatably provided within the tub, the method comprising:
 supplying an amount of water to the tub;   determining that the amount of water supplied to the tub is greater than a predetermined amount;   setting a limited speed flag of the drum in response to determining that the amount of water is greater than the predetermined amount, the limited speed flag defining a limited rotational velocity below a standard rotational velocity of the drum; and   determining a load category of a laundry load within the drum in response to defining the limited rotational velocity of the drum.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the laundry machine appliance further comprises a pressure sensor for measuring a water pressure within the tub, and wherein the determining that the amount of water supplied to the tub is greater than the predetermined amount comprises:
 obtaining a measured water pressure using the pressure sensor; and   determining that the measured water pressure is greater than a predetermined water pressure.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the laundry machine appliance further comprises a flow meter for measuring the amount of water supplied to the tub, and wherein the determining that the amount of water supplied to the tub is greater than the predetermined amount comprises:
 obtaining a measured amount of supplied water using the flow meter; and   determining that the measured amount of supplied water is greater than the predetermined amount of supplied water.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining that a spin cycle is commencing after the limited speed flag has been set.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein determining the load category of the laundry load comprises determining that the laundry load is a water-shedding load. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 clearing the limited speed flag in response to determining that the laundry load is the water-shedding load; and   directing the drum to spin at the standard rotational velocity.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein determining the load category of the laundry load comprises determining that the laundry load is a non-water-shedding load. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 directing the drum to spin at the limited rotational velocity in response to determining that the laundry load is the non-water-shedding load.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 directing the drum to rotate at the standard rotational velocity in response to determining that the amount of water supplied to the tub is less than the predetermined amount.   
     
     
         10 . A laundry machine appliance, comprising:
 a tub mounted within a cabinet;   a drum rotatably mounted within the tub;   a motor operably connected to the drum for rotating the drum within the tub at a variable rotational velocity;   a water supply in fluid communication with the tub; and   a controller operably connected to the motor and configured to perform a series of operations, the series of operations comprising:
 supplying an amount of water to the tub via the water supply; 
 determining that the amount of water supplied to the tub is greater than a predetermined amount; 
 setting a limited speed flag of the drum in response to determining that the amount of water is greater than the predetermined amount, the limited speed flag defining a limited rotational velocity below a standard rotational velocity of the drum; and 
 determining a load category of a laundry load within the drum in response to defining the limited rotational velocity of the drum. 
   
     
     
         11 . The laundry machine appliance of  claim 10 , further comprising a pressure sensor supported by the tub for sensing a pressure within the tub, the pressure sensor being in communication with the controller, wherein determining that the amount of water supplied to the tub is greater than the predetermined amount comprises determining that a pressure of water within the tub via the pressure sensor is greater than a predetermined pressure. 
     
     
         12 . The laundry machine appliance of  claim 10 , further comprising a flow meter in fluid communication with the water supply, the flow meter being in communication with the controller, wherein determining that the amount of water supplied to the tub is greater than the predetermined amount comprises determining that a quantity of water supplied to the tub via the flow meter is greater than a predetermined quantity. 
     
     
         13 . The laundry machine appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the series of operations further comprises determining that a spin cycle is commencing after the limited speed flag has been set. 
     
     
         14 . The laundry machine appliance of  claim 13 , wherein determining the load category of the laundry load comprises determining that the laundry load is a water-shedding load. 
     
     
         15 . The laundry machine appliance of  claim 14 , wherein the series of operations further comprises directing the drum to spin at the standard rotational velocity in response to determining that the laundry load is the water-shedding load. 
     
     
         16 . The laundry machine appliance of  claim 13 , wherein determining the load category of the laundry load comprises determining that the laundry load is a non-water-shedding load. 
     
     
         17 . The laundry machine appliance of  claim 16 , wherein the series of operations further comprises:
 clearing the limited speed flag; and   directing the drum to spin at the limited rotational velocity in response to determining that the laundry load is the non-water-shedding load.   
     
     
         18 . The laundry machine appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the series of operations further comprises directing the drum to rotate at the standard rotational velocity in response to determining that the amount of water added is less than the predetermined amount.