Method for Washing Laundry in a Laundry Washing Machine

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for washing laundry in a laundry washing machine ( 1 ), the laundry washing machine comprising a washing tub ( 3 ) external to a washing drum ( 4 ) suited to receive the laundry ( 10 ) and comprising a heating device ( 20 ), wherein the method comprises a heating phase for heating the laundry The heating phase comprises a steps of providing a quantity of liquid into the washing tub ( 3 ) up to a level (Ld) at which the liquid touches the lower part of the washing drum ( 4 ), a step of heating the liquid by means of the heating device ( 20 ) and a step of controlling the liquid level to maintain the liquid at a contacting level so that the liquid touches the washing drum ( 4 ) in order to transfer the thermal energy from the liquid to the washing drum ( 4 ) and from the washing drum ( 4 ) to the laundry ( 10 ).

1 . Method for washing laundry in a laundry washing machine ( 1 ), said laundry washing machine ( 1 ) comprising a washing tub ( 3 ) external to a washing drum ( 4 ) suited to receive said laundry ( 10 ) and comprising a heating device ( 20 ), said method comprising a heating phase for heating said laundry ( 10 ), 
       characterized in that 
       said heating phase comprises the steps of:
 providing a quantity of liquid into said washing tub ( 3 ) up to a level (L d ; L dL ; L dH ) at which said liquid touches the lower part ( 4   a ) of said washing drum ( 4 ); 
 heating said liquid by means of said heating device ( 20 ); 
 controlling said liquid level to maintain said liquid at a contacting level (L d ; L dL ; L dH ) so that said liquid touches said washing drum ( 4 ) in order to transfer the thermal energy from said liquid to said washing drum ( 4 ) and from said washing drum ( 4 ) to said laundry ( 10 ). 
 
     
     
         2 . Method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that during said phase of controlling said liquid, the liquid does not substantially enter inside the washing drum ( 4 ). 
     
     
         3 . Method according to  claim 1  or  2 , characterized in that said contacting level (L dL ; L dH ) is less than 2 cm away from the level (L d ) of the lower part ( 4   a ) of said washing drum ( 4 ). 
     
     
         4 . Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said step of controlling said liquid level comprises adding water into said washing tub ( 3 ) if said liquid level is below said contacting level (L d ; L dL ; L dH ). 
     
     
         5 . Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said step of controlling said liquid level comprises draining liquid from said washing tub ( 3 ) if said liquid level is above said contacting level (L d ; L dL ; L dH ). 
     
     
         6 . Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises rotations of said washing drum ( 4 ) during said heating phase. 
     
     
         7 . Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said step of controlling said liquid level comprises sensing said liquid level by means of a pressure sensor ( 19 ) placed at the bottom of the tub ( 3 ). 
     
     
         8 . Method according to any of the claims from  1  to  6 , characterized in that said step of controlling said liquid level comprises sensing said liquid level by means of an optical sensor associated to the tub ( 3 ). 
     
     
         9 . Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said heating phase takes place for a predetermined heating time (t p ). 
     
     
         10 . Method according to  claim 9 , characterized in that said predetermined heating time (t p ) is based on the selected program by the user. 
     
     
         11 . Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said heating phase takes place activating continuously said heating device ( 20 ). 
     
     
         12 . Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said heating phase takes place activating intermittently said heating device ( 20 ). 
     
     
         13 . Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said heating phase takes place activating said heating device ( 20 ) on the base of the sensed temperature (T L ) of said liquid inside said washing tub ( 3 ). 
     
     
         14 . Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said heating phase takes place activating said heating device ( 20 ) which is located at the bottom of the tub ( 3 ). 
     
     
         15 . Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least a phase of wetting said laundry ( 10 ) before said heating phase.