Fabric treating appliance comprising a bulk dispenser

• US 10,422,069 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2017
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Cannon, Marcus A., Ramasco, Bruno T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ko, Jason Y
• Application Number:
  US15/634,147
• Publication Number:
  US 20180371674A1
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 13/00 Washing machines having receptacles, stationary for washing purposes, with agitators therein contacting the articles being washed plungers or the like adapted for removable mounting on receptacles D06F5/04
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 23/04 and rotating or oscillating about a vertical axis
• 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 34/30 characterised by mechanical features, e.g. buttons or rotary dials
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/12 adapted for rotation or oscillation about a vertical axis
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/02 Devices for adding soap or other washing agents
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/022 in a liquid state D06F39/024 takes precedence

Abstract

A bulk dispenser for a fabric treating appliance wherein the fabric treating appliance has a tank defining a bulk dispensing reservoir and a timer valve that is fluidly coupled to the bulk dispensing reservoir. A time selector is located on the tank and operably coupled to the timer valve. The time selector has non-time selection indicia such as load amount, liquid volume, or soil level. The timer valve is a mechanical timer valve.

Claims

1. A fabric treating appliance comprising:

a cabinet defining an interior and having a top wall defining an access opening;

a cover movable relative to the cabinet between opened/closed positions to selectively close the access opening;

a tub located within the interior and having an upper edge defining an open top;

a rotatable basket located within the tub and having an upper edge defining a loading opening;

a shroud extending from the cabinet and having a dispenser opening;

a manually operable bulk dispenser having;

a dispensing reservoir, and

a mechanical timer valve fluidly coupled to the dispensing reservoir; and

a time selector carried by the bulk dispenser and operably coupled to the timer valve and having non-time selection indicia corresponding to at least one characteristic of load amount, liquid volume, or soil level,

wherein the time selector is an input movably mounted to the bulk dispenser wherein the physical position of the input sets an activation time for the mechanical timer valve.

2. The fabric treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the input is rotatably mounted to the bulk dispenser and the rotational position sets the activation time.

3. The fabric treating appliance of claim 2 wherein the input is at least one of a knob or wheel.

4. The fabric treating appliance of claim 3 wherein the bulk dispenser comprises a tank having a side and the time selector is located on the side.

5. The fabric treating appliance of claim 4 wherein the side is a face.

6. The fabric treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the bulk dispenser comprises an outlet and the timer valve fluidly connects the reservoir to the outlet.

7. The fabric treating appliance of claim 6 wherein the timer valve is located within the reservoir.

8. The fabric treating appliance of claim 2 wherein the bulk dispenser comprises a face confronting the basket and the input is located on the face.

9. The fabric treating appliance of claim 8 wherein the dispenser reservoir has an outlet overlying the loading opening of the basket.

10. The fabric treating appliance of claim 9 wherein the mechanical timer valve is located within the reservoir and fluidly connects the reservoir to the outlet.