Importance

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Abstract

The present invention is directed to a washing machine with improvements to the hardware for direct steam injection. One improvement is a steam delivery tube (herein called a sparge tube) that penetrates a side wall above the water level, but releases steam below the water level. One improvement is a steam delivery tube (herein called a sparge tube) that penetrates a rotating side wall above the water level, but releases steam below the water level. Another improvement is the use of a curved sparge tube that can conform within and between the contours of (typically cylindrical) rotating side walls. Another improvement is a sparge tube that releases steam in a direction at least substantially parallel to the central axis of the washing chamber. Another improvement is a temperature probe that penetrates a rotating side wall above the water level, but extends and measures temperature below the water level. A controller controls the open/shut status of steam valve. This controller uses the temperature measured by the temperature probe.

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First Claim