Washing machine appliances and methods of operation

Abstract

A washing machine appliance, including methods for operation thereof, is provided herein. The washing machine appliance may include a cabinet, a user interface, a tub, a rotation element, a motor, and a controller. The user interface may be mounted to the cabinet. The tub may be housed within the cabinet. The rotation element may be rotatably mounted within the tub. The motor may be in mechanical communication with the rotation element to selectively rotate the rotation element within the tub. The controller may be in operative communication with the motor and the user interface. The controller may be configured to initiate a washing operation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for operating a washing machine appliance, the washing machine appliance having a cabinet supporting a tub and a basket rotatably disposed within the tub, the method comprising:
 receiving a wash signal from a user interface;   initiating a wash cycle in response to receiving the wash signal, the wash cycle comprising flowing a volume of liquid into the tub;   receiving a pause signal from the user interface while the volume of liquid is within the tub;   halting the wash cycle for a pause period in response to receiving the pause signal;   agitating articles and the volume of liquid within the basket during the pause period; and   resuming the wash cycle following agitating articles.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein agitating articles comprises rotating the basket within the tub. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein agitating articles comprises rotating an agitation element within the basket. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising activating a heating element positioned within the cabinet during the pause period. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, during the pause period, motivating the volume of liquid through a recirculation assembly in fluid communication with the tub before returning the volume of liquid to the tub. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pause period is a predetermined time period, and wherein resuming the wash cycle occurs upon completion of the predetermined time period. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving a resume signal from the user interface after receiving the pause signal, wherein resuming the wash cycle occurs in response to receiving the resume signal. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein agitating articles is based on the wash signal. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising determining a basket pause speed based on the wash signal, wherein agitating articles comprises rotating a motor at the basket pause speed. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the wash signal comprises article type data for articles within the basket, and wherein agitating articles is based on the article type data. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the wash signal comprises load size data for articles within the basket, and wherein agitating articles is based on the load size data. 
     
     
         12 . A washing machine appliance comprising:
 a cabinet;   a user interface mounted to the cabinet;   a tub housed within the cabinet;   a rotation element rotatably mounted within the tub;   a motor in mechanical communication with the rotation element to selectively rotate the rotation element within the tub; and   a controller in operative communication with the motor and the user interface, the controller configured to initiate a washing operation comprising
 receiving a wash signal from the user interface, 
 initiating a wash cycle in response to receiving the wash signal, 
 flowing a volume of liquid into the tub during the wash cycle, 
 receiving a pause signal from the user interface while the volume of liquid is within the tub, 
 halting the wash cycle for a pause period in response to receiving the pause signal, 
 agitating articles and the volume of liquid with the tub during the pause period, and 
 resuming the wash cycle following agitating articles. 
   
     
     
         13 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 12 , wherein agitating articles comprises rotating the rotation element within the tub. 
     
     
         14 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 12 , further comprising a heating element mounted within the cabinet in thermal communication with the tub, wherein the washing operation further comprises activating the heating element during the pause period. 
     
     
         15 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 12 , further comprising
 a recirculation assembly mounted within the cabinet in fluid communication with the tub,   wherein the washing operation further comprises, during the pause period, motivating the volume of liquid through a recirculation assembly in fluid communication with the tub before returning the volume of liquid to the tub.   
     
     
         16 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the pause period is a predetermined time period, and wherein resuming the wash cycle occurs upon completion of the predetermined time period. 
     
     
         17 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the washing operation further comprises receiving a resume signal from the user interface after receiving the pause signal, wherein resuming the wash cycle occurs in response to receiving the resume signal. 
     
     
         18 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 12 , wherein agitating articles is based on the wash signal. 
     
     
         19 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 18 , wherein the washing operation further comprises determining a basket pause speed based on the wash signal, wherein agitating articles comprises rotating a motor at the basket pause speed. 
     
     
         20 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 18 , wherein the wash signal comprises article type data or load size data for articles within the basket.