Washing machine appliance with a bulk dispense reservoir

• US 10,011,941 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2016
• Issued: 07/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Inventors: Leibman, Alexander B., Wright, Troy Marshall
• Primary Examiner(s): Cormier, David G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bucci, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US15/070,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20170268151A1
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 68 17 R, 68 1218, 68207, 68 3 R, 68 13 R, 68 18 F, 68 23 R, 68 1219, 68 13 A, 68133, 222651, 222 1, 222 52, 222129, 222132, 2221451, 222173, 222192, 2221456, 222416, 222630, 134 93, 1341001, 134108, 134 951
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 23/04 and rotating or oscillating about a vertical axis
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/022 in a liquid state D06F39/024 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/028 Arrangements for selectively supplying water to detergent compartments
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/088 Liquid supply arrangements

Abstract

A washing machine appliance includes a reservoir having a height along a vertical direction. The height of the reservoir is no greater than six inches. A supply conduit extends between the reservoir and a Venturi pump. The Venturi pump is coupled to the supply conduit such that the Venturi pump draws fluid additive from the reservoir when a water valve is open and water flows through the Venturi pump.

Claims

1. A washing machine appliance, comprising:

a cabinet having a top panel, the top panel of the cabinet defining an opening;

a tub disposed within the cabinet below the top panel;

a basket rotatably mounted within the tub;

a reservoir positioned below the top panel, an inlet of the reservoir positioned at the opening of the top panel, the reservoir defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction and a transverse direction that are mutually perpendicular to one another, the reservoir having a height along the vertical direction, the height of the reservoir being no greater than six inches;

a dispensing assembly mounted to the top panel, the dispensing assembly comprising a Venturi pump, a supply conduit and a water valve, the supply conduit extending between the reservoir and the Venturi pump, an exit of the Venturi pump positioned proximate the tub, the Venturi pump coupled to the supply conduit such that the Venturi pump draws fluid additive from the reservoir when the water valve is open and water flows through the Venturi pump,

wherein the cabinet extends between a front portion and a rear portion along the transverse direction, the opening of the top panel positioned at the front portion of the cabinet, the dispensing assembly positioned at the rear portion of the cabinet,

wherein an inlet of the supply conduit is disposed within the reservoir at a bottom wall of the reservoir, and

wherein the reservoir defines an internal volume for holding fluid additive, the internal volume of the reservoir being no less than twenty fluid ounces such that the reservoir is configured as a bulk dispense reservoir and the internal volume of the reservoir may hold fluid additive for a plurality of wash cycles.

2. The washing machine appliance of claim 1, wherein the reservoir has a width along the lateral direction, the width of the reservoir being less than twenty inches and greater than three inches, the reservoir has a breadth along the transverse direction, the breadth of the reservoir being less than thirty-five inches and greater than ten inches.

3. The washing machine appliance of claim 2, wherein the height of the reservoir is no greater than four inches.

4. The washing machine appliance of claim 1, wherein a portion of the supply conduit between the reservoir and the Venturi pump is positioned above the top panel along the vertical direction.

5. The washing machine appliance of claim 4, wherein the cabinet has a control panel that extends upwardly from the top panel, the portion of the supply conduit positioned above the top panel along the vertical direction disposed within the control panel.

6. The washing machine appliance of claim 1, wherein the reservoir comprises a planar sidewall and an arcuate sidewall that are spaced apart from each other along the lateral direction, the planar sidewall of the reservoir facing the cabinet, the arcuate sidewall of the reservoir facing the tub.

7. The washing machine appliance of claim 1, wherein the Venturi pump is configured for dispensing a mixture of fluid additive and water into the tub when the water valve is open and motive liquid flows through the Venturi pump.

8. The washing machine appliance of claim 1, wherein the height of the reservoir is no greater than six inches such that a priming time of the Venturi pump is essentially constant.

9. The washing machine appliance of claim 8, wherein the amount of fluid additive dispensed from the reservoir to the Venturi pump is essentially constant, regardless of a fill level of fluid additive within the reservoir.

10. A vertical-axis washing machine appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction and a transverse direction that are mutually perpendicular to one another, the washing machine appliance comprising:

a cabinet extending between a front portion and a rear portion along the transverse direction, the cabinet having a top panel, the top panel of the cabinet defining an opening at the front portion of the cabinet;

a tub disposed within the cabinet below the top panel along the vertical direction;

a basket rotatably mounted within the tub;

a reservoir positioned below the top panel along the vertical direction, an inlet of the reservoir positioned at the opening of the top panel, the reservoir having a height along the vertical direction, the height of the reservoir being no greater than six inches;

a dispensing assembly mounted to the top panel at the rear portion of the cabinet, the dispensing assembly comprising a Venturi pump, a supply conduit and a water valve, the supply conduit extending between the reservoir and the Venturi pump, an exit of the Venturi pump positioned proximate the tub, the Venturi pump coupled to the supply conduit such that the Venturi pump draws fluid additive from the reservoir when the water valve is open and water flows through the Venturi pump,

wherein an inlet of the supply conduit is disposed within the reservoir at a bottom wall of the reservoir, and

wherein the reservoir defines an internal volume for holding fluid additive, the internal volume of the reservoir being no less than twenty fluid ounces such that the reservoir is configured as a bulk dispense reservoir and the internal volume of the reservoir may hold fluid additive for a plurality of wash cycles.

11. The washing machine appliance of claim 10, wherein the reservoir has a width along the lateral direction, the width of the reservoir being less than twenty inches and greater than three inches, the reservoir has a breadth along the transverse direction, the breadth of the reservoir being less than thirty-five inches and greater than ten inches.

12. The washing machine appliance of claim 11, wherein the height of the reservoir is no greater than four inches.

13. The washing machine appliance of claim 10, wherein a portion of the supply conduit between the reservoir and the Venturi pump is positioned above the top panel along the vertical direction.

14. The washing machine appliance of claim 13, wherein the cabinet has a control panel that extends upwardly from the top panel along the vertical direction, the portion of the supply conduit positioned above the top panel along the vertical direction disposed within the control panel.

15. The washing machine appliance of claim 10, wherein the reservoir comprises a planar sidewall and an arcuate sidewall that are spaced apart from each other along the lateral direction, the planar sidewall of the reservoir facing the cabinet, the arcuate sidewall of the reservoir facing the tub.

16. The washing machine appliance of claim 10, wherein the Venturi pump is configured for dispensing a mixture of fluid additive and water into the tub when the water valve is open and motive liquid flows through the Venturi pump.

17. The washing machine appliance of claim 10, wherein the height of the reservoir is no greater than six inches such that a priming time of the Venturi pump is essentially constant.

18. The washing machine appliance of claim 10, wherein the amount of fluid additive dispensed from the reservoir to the Venturi pump is essentially constant, regardless of a fill level of fluid additive within the reservoir.

19. A washing machine appliance, comprising:

a cabinet having a top panel, the top panel of the cabinet defining an opening;

a tub disposed within the cabinet below the top panel;

a basket rotatably mounted within the tub;

a reservoir positioned below the top panel, an inlet of the reservoir positioned at the opening of the top panel, the reservoir defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction and a transverse direction that are mutually perpendicular to one another, the reservoir having a height along the vertical direction, the height of the reservoir being no greater than six inches;

a dispensing assembly mounted to the top panel, the dispensing assembly comprising a Venturi pump, a supply conduit and a water valve, the supply conduit extending between the reservoir and the Venturi pump, an exit of the Venturi pump positioned proximate the tub, the Venturi pump coupled to the supply conduit such that the Venturi pump draws fluid additive from the reservoir when the water valve is open and water flows through the Venturi pump,

wherein the height of the reservoir is no greater than six inches such that a priming time of the Venturi pump is essentially constant,

wherein the amount of fluid additive dispensed from the reservoir to the Venturi pump is essentially constant, regardless of a fill level of fluid additive within the reservoir, and

wherein the reservoir is configured as a bulk dispense reservoir and an internal volume of the reservoir may hold fluid additive for a plurality of wash cycles.