Washer and washer control with cycles for laundry additives and color safe bleaches/in-wash stain removers

• US 10,094,061 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2015
• Issued: 10/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Adams, Joseph W., Doyle, Colleen M., Hendrickson, Michael S., Luckman, Joel A., Wright, Tremitchel, Aykroyd, Timothy N., Riehle, Robert D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barr, Michael E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bucci, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US14/794,902
• Publication Number:
  US 20150368841A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,188 Days
• Field of Search: 68 17 R, 68207, 68 1227, 68 1218, 68 1212, 68 1202, 68 1223, 68 1201, 68 1219, 8158, 8159, 8137, 8111, 222 1, 222168, 222166, 222651, 222129
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/12 Washing temperature
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/14 Time settings
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/02 Characteristics of laundry or load
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/16 Washing liquid temperature
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/18 Washing liquid level
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/38 Time, e.g. duration
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/04 from separate hot and cold water inlets
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/42 Detergent or additive supply
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/00 Control of operations performed in washing machines or washer-dryers D06F31/00 takes precedence; details of control systems therefor D06F34/00; control of operations performed in domestic laundry dryers D06F58/32
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/37 of metering of detergents or additives
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/06 Timing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/28 Arrangements for program selection, e.g. control panels therefor; Arrangements for indicating program parameters, e.g. the selected program or its progress
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 35/008 for disinfecting the tub or the drum
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/02 Devices for adding soap or other washing agents

Abstract

A washer and a control for an automatic washer to operate the washer through a wash cycle selected based upon a range of conditions of a fabric load to be washed. The control has a plurality of selectable stain type entrees, each with a particular dedicated wash cycle. The control also has dispensing control over at least two wash liquor additives, one being a detergent and the other being an oxidizing agent. The control operates the dedicated wash cycles, as selected, using both the detergent and the oxidizing agent; however, the detergent and the oxidizing agent may be dispensed differently, depending on the stain type selected.

Claims

1. A washer for cleaning a load of fabric, comprising:

a wash zone for receiving the load of fabric;

a first chamber for receiving a detergent additive;

a second chamber for receiving an oxidizing agent additive; and

a control arranged to operate the washer through a dedicated wash cycle,

the control having a control interface to permit selection by a user of a selected stain type of a plurality of stain type entré

es stored in a memory of the control, wherein each of the stain type entré

es is associated with a particular dedicated wash cycle stored in the memory of the control,

the control being configured to automatically select the dedicated wash cycle associated with the selected stain type of the plurality of stain type entré

es,

the control being operatively connected to the first chamber and the second chamber to provide dispensing control for selectively dispensing the detergent additive and the oxidizing agent additive during the dedicated wash cycle,

the control being configured to operate the dedicated wash cycle, as automatically selected, using both the detergent additive and the oxidizing agent additive, and

the control being configured to dispense the detergent additive and the oxidizing agent additive in different orders, in different amounts, and at different times, based on the selected stain type.

2. The washer of claim 1, wherein the control determines a dispensing order for at least one of the detergent additive and the oxidizing agent additive based on the selected stain type.

3. The washer of claim 1, wherein the control dispenses the oxidizing agent additive during a predetermined time period after the detergent additive is dispensed, based on the selected stain type.

4. The washer of claim 1, wherein the control determines a dispensing method for the oxidizing agent additive based on the selected stain type.

5. The washer of claim 4, wherein the dispensing method includes at least one of a metered method and a bulk method.

6. The washer of claim 1, wherein each wash cycle includes a first predetermined time period having a first begin time and a first end time, the first predetermined time period ranging between 0 and 10 minutes from a start of the dedicated wash cycle, and a second predetermined time period having a second begin time and a second end time, the second predetermined time period ranging between 0 and 20 minutes from the start of the dedicated wash cycle.

7. The washer of claim 6, wherein the control selects one of the first and second predetermined time periods for dispensing the detergent additive, and the other of the first and second predetermined time periods for dispensing the oxidizing agent additive.

8. The washer of claim 7, wherein the control determines the selection of the first and second predetermined time periods based on the selected stain type.

9. The washer of claim 1, wherein the plurality of stain type entré

es is identified and selected by a control menu displayed by the control interface.

10. The washer of claim 1, wherein the plurality of stain type entré

es are electronically displayed in a control menu by the control interface.