APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING BULK DISPENSING OF WASH AID BY SENSING WASH AID CONCENTRATION

• US 20100000265A1
• Filed: 08/20/2008
• Published: 01/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: FAWOLE, AYOMIDE, KEHL, DENNIS L., HENDRICKSON, MICHAEL STEPHEN
• Granted Patent: US 8,266,748 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 68/12.18
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/022 in a liquid state D06F39/024 takes precedence

Abstract

An automatic treatment machine includes a treatment chamber, a bulk treatment aid dispenser fluidly coupled with the treatment chamber, and optionally a water supply fluidly coupled with at least one of the dispenser and the treatment chamber. A method for dispensing a treatment aid from the bulk treatment aid dispenser into the automatic treatment machine in accordance with a selected treatment cycle includes selecting a treatment cycle, determining a concentration of the treatment aid, determining a volume of the treatment aid to be dispensed based upon the determined concentration, dispensing the determined volume of the treatment aid from the bulk treatment aid dispenser, and initiating the selected treatment cycle.

Claims

1. A method for dispensing a treatment aid from a bulk treatment aid dispenser into a treatment chamber of an automatic treatment appliance in accordance with a selected treatment cycle, the method comprising:

automatically determining a concentration of the treatment aid;

determining a volume of the treatment aid to be dispensed based upon the determined concentration and the selected treatment cycle; and

dispensing the determined volume of the treatment aid from the bulk treatment aid dispenser.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein determining the concentration of the treatment aid comprises sensing the concentration of the treatment aid.

3. The method in accordance with claim 2 wherein the sensing of the concentration comprises sensing a refractive index of the treatment aid.

4. The method in accordance with claim 3 wherein the determining of the concentration further comprises determining a concentration from the sensed refractive index.

5. The method in accordance with claim 4 wherein the determining a concentration comprises looking up a concentration corresponding to the sensed refractive index.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising introducing a bulk treatment aid dispenser cartridge containing a quantity of a treatment aid into the bulk treatment aid dispenser.

7. The method in accordance with claim 3 wherein the concentration of the treatment aid is determined when the treatment aid is in the bulk wash aid dispenser cartridge.

8. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the concentration of the treatment aid is determined when the treatment aid is in the bulk treatment aid dispenser.

9. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the determining of the concentration of the treatment aid comprises sensing at least one of the electrical conductivity, pH, oxidation/reduction potential, and chemical composition of the wash aid.

10. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the treatment aid comprises at least one of a detergent, a water softener, a fabric softener, an anti-sudsing agent, a fabric whitening agent, a fabric brightening agent, an anti-spotting agent, a fragrance agent, a deodorizing agent, and a disinfectant.

11. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the automatic treatment appliance comprises one of a clothes washing machine, clothes dryer, combination clothes washer/dryer, dishwashing machine, fabric freshener, and trash compactor.

12. A treatment aid dispensing apparatus for an automatic treatment appliance, the automatic treatment appliance having a treatment chamber, and optionally a water supply fluidly coupled with the treatment chamber, the apparatus comprising:

a bulk treatment aid dispenser fluidly coupled with the treatment chamber and operable to dispense a selected volume of treatment aid into the treatment chamber;

a sensor coupled with the treatment aid dispenser for outputting information indicative of a concentration of the treatment aid; and

a controller coupled with the sensor and the treatment aid dispenser for processing information received from the sensor and controlling the operation of the treatment aid dispenser;

wherein a quantity of the treatment aid can be determined by the controller for dispensing from the bulk treatment aid dispenser into the treatment chamber based upon the determined concentration of the treatment aid.

13. The treatment aid dispensing apparatus in accordance with claim 12 wherein the sensor comprises a refractive index sensor.

14. The treatment aid dispensing apparatus in accordance with claim 12 wherein the bulk treatment aid dispenser further comprising a bulk treatment aid dispenser cartridge for fluid coupling with the treatment aid dispenser, the bulk treatment aid dispenser cartridge containing a quantity of a treatment aid.

15. The treatment aid dispensing apparatus in accordance with claim 14 wherein the concentration of the treatment aid is determined when the treatment aid is in the bulk treatment aid dispenser cartridge.

16. The treatment aid dispensing apparatus in accordance with claim 15 wherein the sensor comprises a refractive index sensor.

17. The treatment aid dispensing apparatus in accordance with claim 14 wherein the concentration of the treatment aid is determined when the treatment aid is in the bulk treatment aid dispenser cartridge.

18. The treatment aid dispensing apparatus in accordance with claim 12 wherein determining the concentration of the treatment aid comprises sensing at least one of the electrical conductivity, pH, oxidation/reduction potential, and chemical composition of the treatment aid.

19. The treatment aid dispensing apparatus in accordance with claim 12 wherein the treatment aid dispenser comprises a dispenser drawer movable between an open position and a closed position.

20. The treatment aid dispensing apparatus in accordance with claim 12, further comprising the water supply being fluidly coupled to the bulk treatment aid dispenser such that the dispensed treatment aid is flushed into the treatment chamber by water from the water supply.

21. The treatment aid dispensing apparatus in accordance with claim 12 wherein the treatment aid comprises at least one of a detergent, a water softener, a fabric softener, an anti-sudsing agent, a fabric whitening agent, a fabric brightening agent, an anti-spotting agent, a fragrance agent, a deodorizing agent, and a disinfectant.

22. The treatment aid dispensing apparatus in accordance with claim 12 wherein the automatic treatment appliance comprises one of a clothes washing machine, clothes dryer, combination clothes washer/dryer, dishwashing machine, fabric freshener, and trash compactor.