Method of determining a load size in a laundry treating appliance

• US 10,156,037 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2016
• Issued: 12/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Leitert, Andrew, McAllister, Karl David
• Primary Examiner(s): Bell, Spencer E
• Application Number:
  US15/171,146
• Publication Number:
  US 20160273146A1
• Time in Patent Office: 929 Days
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/04 Quantity, e.g. weight
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/20 Operation modes, e.g. delicate laundry washing programs, service modes or refreshment cycles
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/02 Characteristics of laundry or load
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/04 Quantity, e.g. weight or variation of weight
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/58 Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
• 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 33/30 Control of washing machines characterised by the purpose or target of the control controlling processes of washer-dryers D06F33/50
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/18 Condition of the laundry, e.g. nature or weight
• 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 35/006 for washing or rinsing only

Abstract

Method of determining a laundry load size in a laundry treating appliance comprising a rotatable drum at least partially defining a treating chamber for receiving laundry for treatment in accordance with a treating cycle of operation, an imaging device, and a controller having a processor, the method includes generating an image, detecting markings in the generated image, and determining, by the controller, a load size based thereon.

Claims

1. A laundry treating appliance for treating laundry in accordance with an automatic treating cycle of operation, comprising:

a laundry treating chamber configured for receiving laundry for treatment in accordance with a treating cycle of operation;

detectable graduated markings located on at least a solid portion of the laundry treating chamber;

an imaging device configured to generate an image of a portion of the treating chamber where the detectable graduated markings are located; and

a controller operably coupled to the imaging device and configured to detect at least one of the detectable graduated markings located on the at least the solid portion of the laundry treating chamber in the generated image by processing the image with computer software stored in the controller and configured to determine a load size based on the detected at least one of the detectable graduated markings located on the at least the solid portion of the laundry treating chamber in comparison to reference information that indicates a free volume or free height associated with the detected at least one of the detectable graduated markings located on the at least the solid portion of the laundry treating chamber.

2. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1, further comprising a rotatable drum at least partially defining the laundry treating chamber.

3. The laundry treating appliance of claim 2 wherein the detectable graduated markings are located on a solid portion of the rotatable drum.

4. The laundry treating appliance of claim 2, further comprising a rear bulkhead and a front bulkhead and wherein the detectable graduated markings are located on a solid portion of the rear bulkhead or the front bulkhead.

5. The laundry treating appliance of claim 2, further comprising at least one of a door or window.

6. The laundry treating appliance of claim 5 wherein the detectable graduated markings are located on a solid portion of the at least one of the door or window.

7. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the detectable graduated markings are uniformly spaced.

8. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the detectable graduated markings are non-uniformly spaced.

9. The laundry treating appliance of claim 8 wherein at least some of the detectable graduated markings increase in number per unit height as the detectable graduated markings go up in height.

10. A laundry treating appliance for treating laundry in accordance with an automatic treating cycle of operation, comprising:

a generally cylindrical drum or a generally cylindrical tub configured for receiving laundry for treatment in accordance with a treating cycle of operation;

detectable graduated markings located on at least a portion of the generally cylindrical drum or the generally cylindrical tub;

an imaging device configured to generate an image of a portion of the generally cylindrical drum or the generally cylindrical tub where the detectable graduated markings are located; and

a controller operably coupled to the imaging device and configured to detect at least one of the detectable graduated markings located on at least a portion of the generally cylindrical drum or the generally cylindrical tub in the generated image by processing the image with computer software stored in the controller and configured to determine a load size based on the detected at least one of the detectable graduated markings located on at least a portion of the generally cylindrical drum or the generally cylindrical tub in comparison to reference information that indicates a free volume or free height associated with the detected at least one of the detectable graduated markings located on at least a portion of the generally cylindrical drum or the generally cylindrical tub.

11. The laundry treating appliance of claim 10 wherein the detectable graduated markings are uniformly spaced.

12. The laundry treating appliance of claim 10 wherein the detectable graduated markings are non-uniformly spaced.

13. The laundry treating appliance of claim 12 wherein at least some of the detectable graduated markings increase in number per unit height as the detectable graduated markings go up in height.

14. A laundry treating appliance for treating laundry in accordance with an automatic treating cycle of operation, comprising:

a perforated receptacle defining a laundry treating chamber configured for receiving laundry for treatment in accordance with a treating cycle of operation wherein perforations of the perforated receptacle define detectable graduated markings located on at least a portion of the laundry treating chamber;

an imaging device configured to generate an image of a portion of the treating chamber where the detectable graduated markings are located; and

a controller operably coupled to the imaging device and configured to detect at least one of the detectable graduated markings in the generated image by processing the image with computer software stored in the controller and configured to determine a load size based on the detected at least one of the detectable graduated markings in comparison to reference information that indicates a free volume or free height associated with the detected at least one of the detectable graduated markings located on at least a portion of the laundry treating chamber.

15. The laundry treating appliance of claim 14 wherein the detectable graduated markings are uniformly spaced.

16. The laundry treating appliance of claim 14 wherein the detectable graduated markings are non-uniformly spaced.

17. The laundry treating appliance of claim 16 wherein at least some of the detectable graduated markings increase in number per unit height as the detectable graduated markings go up in height.