METHOD OF INDICATING OPERATIONAL INFORMATION FOR A BULK DISPENSING SYSTEM

• US 20100000023A1
• 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: MCALLISTER, KARL D., DALTON, MICHAEL T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,286,288 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 8/137
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0055 Metering or indication of used products, e.g. type or quantity of detergent, rinse aid or salt; for measuring or controlling the product concentration
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4454 with automatic identification means, e.g. barcodes, RFID tags or magnetic strips
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2301/023 Quantity or concentration of the consumable product
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2301/026 Nature or type of the consumable product, e.g. information on detergent, e.g. 3-in-1 tablets, rinsing aid or salt
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2301/04 Operation mode, e.g. delicate washing, economy washing, reduced time, sterilizing, water softener regenerating, odor eliminating or service
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/023 Quantity or concentration of the consumable product
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/026 Nature or type of the consumable product, e.g. information on detergent, e.g. 3-in-1 tablets, rinsing aid or salt
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/22 Number of operational cycles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/26 Indication or alarm to the controlling device or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/265 about the number of remaining operation cycles or the remaining operation time
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/00 User input for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/18 Washing liquid level
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/60 Audible signals
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/37 of metering of detergents or additives
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/57 of metering of detergents or additives
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/14 Arrangements for detecting or measuring specific parameters
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/30 characterised by mechanical features, e.g. buttons or rotary dials
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/32 characterised by graphical features, e.g. touchscreens
• 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 method of determining the number of doses and the types of a treating chemistry available in the bulk dispensing system, and providing an indication of the determination on a user interface.

Claims

1. A method of operating a cleaning appliance having a bulk treating chemistry dispenser, the method comprising:

determining the number of doses of treating chemistry in the bulk dispenser;

providing an indication of the determined number of doses.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the bulk treating chemistry dispenser is operably coupled to a controller having a user interface through which a user may select a cycle of operation to be implemented by the controller, and the indication of the determined number of doses may provided on the user interface.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining the number of doses comprises estimating the number of doses of treating chemistry in the bulk dispenser.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the estimating comprises setting a reference dose size and determining the number of reference doses in the bulk dispenser.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the setting comprises setting the reference dose size based on historical usage.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the setting comprises setting the reference dose size based on user input.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the user input is the load size.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing comprises providing a numerical representation of the determined number of doses.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing comprises providing an iconic representation of the determined number of doses.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the iconic representation of the determined number of doses is an icon, an alpha-numeric reading, a bar reading to be proportionally illuminated, and/or a stack of lights to be proportionally illuminated.

11. A method of operating a cleaning appliance having a bulk treating chemistry dispenser comprising multiple treating chemistries, the method comprising:

determining the types of treating chemistries available from the bulk treating chemistry dispenser;

providing an indication of the determined types of treating chemistries.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the bulk treating chemistry dispenser is operably coupled to a controller having a user interface through which a user may select a cycle of operation to be implemented by the controller, and the indication of the determined types of treating chemistries may provided on the user interface.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the providing comprises providing an alpha-numerical representation of the determined types of treating chemistries.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the providing comprises providing an iconic representation of the determined types of treating chemistries.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the iconic representation of the determined number of doses is an icon, an alpha-numeric reading, a bar reading to be proportionally illuminated, and/or a stack of lights to be proportionally illuminated.

16. A method of operating a cleaning appliance having a treating chemistry dispenser operably coupled to a controller, the method comprising:

determining that the treating chemistry was not dispensed according to the selected cycle of operation;

providing an indication that the treating chemistry was not properly dispensed.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the treating chemistry dispenser is operably coupled to a controller having a user interface through which a user may select a cycle of operation to be implemented by the controller, and the indication that the treating chemistry was not property dispensed may provided on the user interface.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the determining comprises determining that an insufficient amount of treating chemistry is present in the treating chemistry dispenser for the selected cycle of operation.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the determining comprises determining the absence of treating chemistry in the treating chemistry dispenser.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the providing comprises providing an alpha-numerical representation of the determination.

21. The method of claim 16 wherein the providing comprises providing an iconic representation of the determination

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the iconic representation of the determined number of doses is an icon, an alpha-numeric reading, a bar reading to be proportionally illuminated, and/or a stack of lights to be proportionally illuminated.

23. A method of operating a cleaning appliance having a bulk treating chemistry dispenser comprising multiple treating chemistries operably coupled to a controller, the method comprising:

determining the types of treating chemistries required for the selected cycle of operation;

providing an indication of the dispensing, while dispensing, for each of the required treating chemistries.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the bulk treating chemistry dispenser comprising multiple treating chemistries is operably coupled to a controller having a user interface through which a user may select a cycle of operation to be implemented by the controller, and the indication of the dispensing, while dispensing, may provided on the user interface.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein the providing comprises providing an indication for each treating chemistry at approximately the commencement of dispensing of each treating chemistry.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the indication is maintained until approximately the completion of dispensing for each treating chemistry.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein the providing comprises providing an alpha-numerical representation of the types of treating chemistries.

28. The method of claim 23 wherein the providing comprises providing an iconic representation of the types of treating chemistries.

29. A cleaning apparatus having a laundry treating chamber, comprising:

a bulk treating chemistry dispenser configured to hold multiple doses of treating chemistry for dispensing into the laundry treating chamber;

a user interface configured to provide an indication to the user; and

a controller coupled with the user interface and the bulk dispensing system and configured execute an operating cycle and to control the user interface such that the user interface provides an indication of the determined number of doses of treating chemistry in the bulk dispenser.

30. The cleaning apparatus of claim 29 further comprising a sensor operably coupled to the controller and configured to sense a condition of the treating chemistry in the bulk treating chemistry dispenser and provide a signal to the controller indicative of the remaining number of doses of treating chemistry.

31. The cleaning apparatus of claim 30 wherein the controller controls the execution of the operating cycle based on the signal.

32. The cleaning apparatus of claim 30 wherein the controller controls the user interface to effect the display the remaining number of doses on the user interface.

33. The cleaning apparatus of claim 32 wherein the user interface provides an iconic representation of the remaining number of doses.

34. The cleaning apparatus of claim 33 wherein the iconic representation of the determined number of doses is an icon, an alpha-numeric reading, a bar reading to be proportionally illuminated, and/or a stack of lights to be proportionally illuminated.