Combination laundry appliance with improved drying

Abstract

A laundry appliance includes a cabinet and a tub mounted within an interior volume of the cabinet. A laundry basket is rotatably mounted within the tub. The laundry basket defines a chamber for the receipt of articles for treatment. The laundry appliance also includes a heating system coupled to the tub. The heating system is in thermal communication with the chamber such that heated air flows from the heating system to the chamber. The laundry appliance further includes a controller. The controller may be configured for, and methods of operating the appliance may include, providing a flow of a liquid into a tub of the laundry appliance, rotating a laundry basket within the tub after providing the flow of the liquid into the tub, and activating the heating system of the laundry appliance during at least a portion of the step of rotating the laundry basket.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of operating a laundry appliance, comprising:
 providing a flow of a liquid into a tub of the laundry appliance;   rotating a laundry basket within the tub after providing the flow of the liquid into the tub; and   activating a heating system of the laundry appliance during at least a portion of the step of rotating the laundry basket.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of activating the heating system comprises continuously activating the heating system during and after the step of rotating the laundry basket. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of activating the heating system during at least the portion of the step of rotating the laundry basket comprises activating the heating system during an initial portion of the step of rotating the laundry basket, wherein the method further comprises deactivating the heating system for a remainder of the step of rotating the laundry basket after the initial portion of the step of rotating the laundry basket and activating the heating system after the step of rotating the laundry basket is completed. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the step of rotating the laundry basket within the tub comprises rotating the laundry basket at a first speed during the initial portion and rotating the laundry basket at a second speed greater than the first speed during the remainder of the step of rotating the laundry basket. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of activating the heating system during at least the portion of the step of rotating the laundry basket comprises activating a blower to motivate air through the laundry appliance. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein activating the blower to motivate air through the laundry appliance during at least the portion of the step of rotating the laundry basket comprises rotating the blower at a first speed, further comprising rotating the blower at a second speed greater than the first speed after the step of rotating the laundry basket. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the heating system comprises a heat pump heating system and wherein the step of activating the heating system during at least a portion of the step of rotating the laundry basket comprises activating a compressor of the heat pump heating system. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein activating the compressor during at least the portion of the step of rotating the laundry basket comprises activating the compressor at a first rotational speed, further comprising activating the compressor at a second rotational speed greater than the first rotational speed after the step of rotating the laundry basket. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein activating the compressor during at least the portion of the step of rotating the laundry basket comprises activating the compressor at a first rotational speed during an initial portion of the step of rotating the laundry basket and activating the compressor at a third rotational speed less than the first rotational speed for a remainder of the step of rotating the laundry basket after the initial portion of the step of rotating the laundry basket, further comprising activating the compressor at a second rotational speed greater than the first rotational speed after the step of rotating the laundry basket. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the third rotational speed is greater than zero. 
     
     
         11 . A laundry appliance, comprising:
 a cabinet defining an interior volume;   a tub mounted within the interior volume of the cabinet;   a laundry basket rotatably mounted within the tub, the laundry basket defining a chamber for the receipt of articles for treatment;   a heating system coupled to the tub, the heating system in thermal communication with the chamber whereby heated air flows from the heating system to the chamber; and   a controller, the controller configured for:
 providing a flow of a liquid into a tub of the laundry appliance; 
 rotating a laundry basket within the tub after providing the flow of the liquid into the tub; and 
 activating the heating system of the laundry appliance during at least a portion of the step of rotating the laundry basket. 
   
     
     
         12 . The laundry appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured for continuously activating the heating system during and after the step of rotating the laundry basket. 
     
     
         13 . The laundry appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured for activating the heating system during an initial portion of the step of rotating the laundry basket, and wherein the controller is further configured for deactivating the heating system for a remainder of the step of rotating the laundry basket after the initial portion of the step of rotating the laundry basket and activating the heating system after the step of rotating the laundry basket is completed. 
     
     
         14 . The laundry appliance of  claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured for rotating the laundry basket at a first speed during the initial portion and rotating the laundry basket at a second speed greater than the first speed during the remainder of the step of rotating the laundry basket. 
     
     
         15 . The laundry appliance of  claim 11 , wherein activating the heating system during at least the portion of the step of rotating the laundry basket comprises activating a blower to motivate air through the laundry appliance. 
     
     
         16 . The laundry appliance of  claim 15 , wherein activating the blower to motivate air through the laundry appliance during at least the portion of the step of rotating the laundry basket comprises rotating the blower at a first speed, wherein the controller is further configured for rotating the blower at a second speed greater than the first speed after the step of rotating the laundry basket. 
     
     
         17 . The laundry appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the heating system comprises a heat pump heating system and wherein activating the heating system during at least a portion of the step of rotating the laundry basket comprises activating a compressor of the heat pump heating system. 
     
     
         18 . The laundry appliance of  claim 17 , wherein activating the compressor during at least the portion of the step of rotating the laundry basket comprises activating the compressor at a first rotational speed, the controller further configured for activating the compressor at a second rotational speed greater than the first rotational speed after rotating the laundry basket. 
     
     
         19 . The laundry appliance of  claim 17 , wherein activating the compressor during at least the portion of the step of rotating the laundry basket comprises activating the compressor at a first rotational speed during an initial portion of the step of rotating the laundry basket and activating the compressor at a third rotational speed less than the first rotational speed for a remainder of the step of rotating the laundry basket after the initial portion of the step of rotating the laundry basket, the controller further configured for activating the compressor at a second rotational speed greater than the first rotational speed after the step of rotating the laundry basket. 
     
     
         20 . The laundry appliance of  claim 19 , wherein the third rotational speed is greater than zero.