HOUSEHOLD CLEANING APPLIANCE WITH A DISPENSING SYSTEM OPERABLE BETWEEN A SINGLE USE DISPENSING SYSTEM AND A BULK DISPENSING SYSTEM

• US 20100000022A1
• Filed: 07/01/2008
• Published: 01/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: LUCKMAN, JOEL ADAM, DOYLE, COLLEEN M., HENDRICKSON, MICHAEL S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,196,441 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 8/137
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/12 adapted for rotation or oscillation about a vertical axis
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/022 in a liquid state D06F39/024 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/026 the powder or tablets being added directly, e.g. without the need of a flushing liquid
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/028 Arrangements for selectively supplying water to detergent compartments

Abstract

An apparatus and method for operating a dispensing system as a non-bulk dispensing system or a bulk dispensing system in a household cleaning appliance.

Claims

1. A household cleaning appliance configured to execute a cleaning cycle on an article, comprising:

a cabinet defining an interior;

a treating chamber located within the interior for receiving an article for cleaning;

a non-bulk dispensing system having a dispensing chamber fluidly coupled to the treating chamber, wherein the dispensing chamber stores a single dose of treating chemistry that the dispensing system dispenses to the treating chamber as part of the execution of the cleaning cycle;

a bulk dispensing cartridge configured to be received within the dispensing chamber and to store multiple doses of a treating chemistry; and

wherein when the bulk dispensing cartridge is received within the dispensing chamber, the non-bulk dispensing system is provided with the functionality of a bulk dispensing system.

2. The household cleaning appliance according to claim 1 wherein the bulk dispensing cartridge defines an interior treating chemistry chamber accessible through an opening configured to be selectively closed by a closing element that is operable between an open and closed position through which the interior treating chemistry chamber may be filled when the closing element is in the open position.

3. The household cleaning appliance according to claim 1, further comprising an indicator operable to indicate the amount of treating chemistry in the cartridge.

4. The household cleaning appliance according to claim 1, and further comprising a treating chemistry meter coupled with the bulk dispensing cartridge and the dispensing system, the treating chemistry meter operable to control the dosing of the treating chemistry from the bulk dispensing cartridge to the dispensing system.

5. The household cleaning appliance according to claim 4 wherein the treating chemistry meter is configured to dispense multiple doses of treating chemistry during the cleaning cycle.

6. The household cleaning appliance according to claim 4 wherein the treating chemistry meter comprises a pump.

7. The household cleaning appliance according to claim 6, further comprising a controller configured to implement the cleaning cycle and operably coupled to the dispensing system and pump to control the operation of the pump to thereby control the dosing of the treating chemistry from the bulk dispensing cartridge to the dispensing system.

8. The household cleaning appliance according to claim 1 wherein the dispensing system further comprises an access panel moveable between an opened position, where the dispensing chamber is accessible, and a closed position, where the dispensing chamber is inaccessible by a user.

9. The household cleaning appliance according to claim 1 wherein the dispensing system further comprises a drawer defining the dispensing chamber, and the drawer configured to be slideably moveable between an opened position, where the dispensing chamber is accessible exteriorly of the cabinet, and a closed position, where the dispensing chamber is within the cabinet.

10. The household cleaning appliance according to claim 9, further comprising a treating chemistry meter operable to couple the bulk dispensing cartridge to the dispensing system when the drawer is in the closed position to control the dosing of the treating chemistry from the bulk dispensing cartridge to the dispensing system.

11. The household cleaning appliance according to claim 10 wherein the dispensing system further comprises a housing located within the cabinet and underlying the drawer at least in part when it is in the closed position, and the treating chemistry meter is carried by the housing and has a fluid outlet coupled to the housing.

12. The household cleaning appliance according to claim 11, further comprising a fluid coupling configured to fluidly couple the bulk dispensing cartridge to the treating chemistry meter when the drawer is in the closed position such that the treating chemistry meter can dispense treating chemistry from the bulk dispensing cartridge and dispense it to the housing.

13. The household cleaning appliance according to claim 12, further comprising a water diverter configured to divert a flow of water to the dispensing chamber in the absence of the bulk dispensing cartridge and to the housing in the presence of the bulk dispensing cartridge.

14. In a household cleaning appliance configured to execute a cleaning cycle on an article, having a non-bulk dispensing system having a dispensing chamber fluidly coupled to a treating chamber, wherein the dispensing chamber stores a single dose of treating chemistry that the dispensing system dispenses to the treating chamber in total as part of the execution of the cleaning cycle, the method comprising:

adding bulk dispensing functionality to the non-bulk dispensing system by inserting a bulk dispensing cartridge configured to contain multiple doses of treating chemistry into the dispensing chamber.

15. The method according to claim 14 wherein the adding bulk dispensing functionality further comprises fluidly coupling the bulk dispensing cartridge to the non-bulk dispensing system.

16. The household cleaning appliance according to claim 15 wherein the dispensing system further comprises an access panel moveable between an opened position, where the dispensing chamber is accessible, and a closed position, where the dispensing chamber is inaccessible by a user.

17. The method according to claim 15 wherein the fluid coupling further comprises the bulk dispensing cartridge being received in a drawer and the closing of the drawer effects the fluid coupling.

18. The method according to claim 17 wherein the closing of the drawer fluidly couples the bulk dispensing cartridge to a meter fluidly coupled to the non-bulk dispensing system.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising metering the treating chemistry from the bulk dispensing cartridge into a housing underlying the drawer.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising flushing the housing to dispense the metered treating chemistry into the treating chamber.

21. The method according to claim 15 wherein the adding bulk dispensing functionality further comprises metering the treating chemistry from the bulk dispensing cartridge to the non-bulk dispensing system.

22. The method according to claim 21 wherein the metering further comprises dispensing the treating chemistry into a conduit fluidly coupled to the treating chamber.

23. The method according to claim 22, further comprising flushing the conduit to dispense the metered treating chemistry into the treating chamber.

24. A household cleaning appliance configured to execute a cleaning cycle on an article, comprising:

a cabinet defining an interior;

a treating chamber located within the interior for receiving an article for cleaning;

a non-bulk dispensing system having a dispensing chamber fluidly coupled to the treating chamber, wherein the dispensing chamber stores a single dose of treating chemistry that the dispensing system dispenses to the treating chamber as part of the execution of the cleaning cycle;

a bulk dispensing cartridge configured to be received within the dispensing chamber and to store multiple doses of a treating chemistry;

a sensor that determines when a bulk dispensing cartridge is received within the dispensing chamber; and

a water diverter configured to divert a flow of water to the dispensing chamber in the absence of the bulk dispensing cartridge and to the housing in the presence of the bulk dispensing cartridge.

25. The household cleaning appliance according to claim 24 wherein the bulk dispensing cartridge defines an interior treating chemistry chamber accessible through an opening configured to be selectively closed by a closing element that is operable between an open and closed position through which the interior treating chemistry chamber may be filled when the closing element is in the open position.

26. The household cleaning appliance according to claim 24, and further comprising a treating chemistry meter coupled with the bulk dispensing cartridge and the dispensing system, the treating chemistry meter operable to control the dosing of the treating chemistry from the bulk dispensing cartridge to the dispensing system.

27. The household cleaning appliance according to claim 26 wherein the treating chemistry meter is configured to dispense multiple doses of treating chemistry during the cleaning cycle.

28. The household cleaning appliance according to claim 26 further comprising a controller configured to implement the cleaning cycle and operably coupled to the dispensing system and treating chemistry meter thereby control the dosing of the treating chemistry from the bulk dispensing cartridge to the dispensing system.

29. The household cleaning appliance according to claim 24 wherein the dispensing system further comprises a drawer defining the dispensing chamber, and the drawer configured to be slideably moveable between an opened position, where the dispensing chamber is accessible exteriorly of the cabinet, and a closed position, where the dispensing chamber is within the cabinet.