Foreign particulate algorithm for a laundry appliance

Abstract

A laundry appliance includes a cabinet having a user interface. A drum is disposed within the cabinet and is operably coupled to a motor that rotates the drum. A blower delivers process air through an airflow path that includes the drum. A controller is communicatively coupled to the user interface, the motor, and the blower. The controller is configured to selectively operate a foreign particulate cycle that includes at least a soft-start feature.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A laundry appliance, comprising:
 a cabinet having a user interface;   a drum disposed within the cabinet and operably coupled to a motor that rotates the drum;   a blower that delivers process air through an airflow path that includes the drum; and   a controller communicatively coupled to the user interface, the motor, and the blower, wherein the controller is configured to selectively operate a foreign particulate cycle that includes at least a soft-start feature, wherein during operation of the foreign particulate cycle, the motor varies a rotational speed of the drum according to a speed modulation routine to agitate articles within the drum to dislodge foreign particulate from the articles, wherein operation of the blower directs the foreign particulate to a particulate filter, and wherein operation of the blower operates independently of the speed modulation routine of the motor for the drum.   
     
     
         2 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the speed modulation routine includes varying a speed of the drum between a first rotational speed and a second rotational speed after completion of the soft-start feature, wherein the first rotational speed is faster than the second rotational speed. 
     
     
         3 . The laundry appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the controller operates the speed modulation routine by altering an electrical current that is delivered to the motor. 
     
     
         4 . The laundry appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the foreign particulate cycle includes a rotation routine that is configured to alter a rotation of the drum between a clockwise direction and a counterclockwise direction during the foreign particulate cycle. 
     
     
         5 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the soft-start feature is configured to increase the rotational speed of the drum over a defined period of time and through an initial phase of the foreign particulate cycle. 
     
     
         6 . The laundry appliance of  claim 5 , wherein the initial phase of the foreign particulate cycle is approximately 10 minutes. 
     
     
         7 . The laundry appliance of  claim 4 , wherein the speed modulation routine and the rotation routine are performed contemporaneously. 
     
     
         8 . The laundry appliance of  claim 4 , wherein the speed modulation routine and the rotation routine are performed after completion of the soft-start feature. 
     
     
         9 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the blower operates using a dedicated fan motor, and wherein the dedicated fan motor is in communication with the controller. 
     
     
         10 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the process air is delivered through the drum at a consistent rate throughout the foreign particulate cycle. 
     
     
         11 . The laundry appliance of  claim 9 , wherein the foreign particulate cycle includes an airflow speed routine that modulates a speed of the process air that is delivered through the drum, wherein the speed of the process air is modulated by adjusting a speed of the dedicated fan motor. 
     
     
         12 . The laundry appliance of  claim 4 , wherein the rotation routine includes a predetermined alternating pattern of rotating the drum a predetermined number of rotations in the clockwise direction and the counterclockwise direction. 
     
     
         13 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the drum includes baffles that assist in agitating the articles within the drum to separate the foreign particulate from the articles. 
     
     
         14 . A method for operating a laundry appliance for removing and collecting foreign particulate, including pet hair, the method comprising:
 disposing articles to be processed within a rotating drum;   selecting a foreign particulate cycle using a user interface;   operating a soft-start routine, wherein a rotational speed of the drum gradually increases from a full stop to a full operating speed over a predetermined period of time;   operating a drum modulation routine after the drum reaches the full operating speed, the drum modulation routine including at least one of a drum rotation routine and a drum speed modulation routine;   completing the foreign particulate cycle; and   removing foreign particulate from a particulate filter.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the foreign particulate cycle includes an airflow speed routine that operates during the soft-start routine and the drum modulation routine, wherein the airflow speed routine modulates a speed of process air that is delivered through the drum. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the airflow speed routine operates independently of the drum speed modulation routine and the drum rotation routine. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the drum speed modulation routine and the drum rotation routine are performed contemporaneously. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the drum speed modulation routine and the drum rotation routine are performed after completion of the soft-start routine. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the drum speed modulation routine includes varying a speed of the drum between a first rotational speed and a second rotational speed after completion of the soft-start routine, wherein the first rotational speed is faster than the second rotational speed, wherein the drum rotation routine is configured to alter a rotation of the drum between a clockwise direction and a counterclockwise direction during the foreign particulate cycle, and wherein the soft-start routine is configured to increase the speed of the drum over a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         20 . A laundry appliance, comprising:
 a drum disposed within a cabinet and operably coupled to a motor that rotates the drum;   a blower that delivers process air through an airflow path that includes the drum; and   a controller communicatively coupled to a user interface, the motor, and the blower, wherein the controller is configured to selectively operate a foreign particulate cycle that includes a soft-start feature and an airflow speed routine and at least one of a speed modulating routine and a drum rotation routine that operate to agitate articles within the drum to separate foreign particulate from the articles, and wherein the airflow speed routine operates independently of the speed modulating routine and the drum rotation routine, wherein the airflow speed routine directs the foreign particulate to a particulate filter, and wherein the drum includes baffles that assist in agitating the articles within the drum to separate the foreign particulate from the articles.