APPLIANCE WITH WATER HARDNESS DETERMINATION

• US 20100287709A1
• Filed: 05/13/2009
• Published: 11/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: MARTIN, JULIE L., LUCKMAN, JOEL ADAM, DOYLE, COLLEEN M., HENDRICKSON, MICHAEL S.
• Application Number:
  US12/465,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20100287709A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 8/137
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0023 Water filling A47L15/4244 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2301/00 Manual input in controlling methods of washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware, i.e. information entered by a user
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/11 Water hardness, acidity or basicity
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/07 Consumable products, e.g. detergent, rinse aids or salt
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/30 Regulation of machine operational steps within the washing process, e.g. performing an additional rinsing phase, shortening or stopping of the drying phase, washing at decreased noise operation conditions
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/04 Quantity, e.g. weight
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/06 Type or material
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/12 Washing temperature
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/14 Time settings
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/20 Washing liquid condition, e.g. turbidity
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/42 Detergent or additive supply
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/52 Changing sequence of operational steps; Carrying out additional operational steps; Modifying operational steps, e.g. by extending duration of steps
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/32 Control of operational steps, e.g. optimisation or improvement of operational steps depending on the condition of the laundry
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/37 of metering of detergents or additives
• 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 39/088 Liquid supply arrangements

Abstract

An appliance and method for operating the appliance based on a water hardness determined from a water supply identifier indicative of the geographical source of the water.

Claims

1. A method for operating a cleaning appliance having a controller configured to execute a water consuming operating cycle having at least one operating parameter:

receiving a water supply identifier indicative of the geographical source of the water;

determining a water hardness from the water supply identifier; and

setting a parameter of the operating cycle based on the water hardness.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving of the water supply identifier comprises receiving the water supply identifier from a user of the cleaning appliance.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving of the water supply identifier comprises manually entering the water supply identifier into the controller.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the manually entering the water supply identifier into the controller comprises manually entering the water supply identifier into a user interface operably coupled to the controller.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the water supply identifier comprises a geographic code.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the geographic code is at least one of a postal ZIP code, postcode and postal code.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the geographic code is at least one of a telephone area code and telephone number.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the water supply identifier comprises at least one of an alphanumeric, numeric and alphabetic indicia.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the water supply identifier indicates the geographical source of the water as one of a household well, a municipal, a city, a town, a village, a district and a township water supply system.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining the water hardness comprises looking up the water hardness in a table of corresponding water hardness values and water supply identifiers.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the table is stored in a memory associated with the controller.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the table is stored in a memory external to the cleaning appliance.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the setting of the parameter comprises setting at least one of:

an amount of a wash aid to be dispensed;

an amount of a drying additive to be dispensed;

an amount of a scent additive to be dispensed

a duration of a wash cycle; and

a duration of a rinse cycle.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the setting of the parameter further comprises setting the parameter based on the determined water hardness and a user-selected parameter.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the user-selected parameter comprises at least one of:

load size,

load type,

cycle,

soil level,

treating chemistry concentration,

temperature,

spin speed,

number of rinses in a cycle, and

duration of rinse in a cycle.

16. A cleaning appliance comprising:

a cleaning chamber for receiving an article to be cleaned;

a water supply fluidly coupled with the cleaning chamber to supply water from a water supply source to the cleaning chamber;

a user interface configured to receive a water supply identifier indicative of a geographical source for the water supply source; and

a controller operably coupled to the water supply and the user interface and configured to determine a water hardness based on the water supply identifier and execute a water consuming cycle of operation based on the determined water hardness.

17. The cleaning appliance according to claim 16 wherein the controller comprises a table of corresponding water hardness values and water supply identifiers.

18. The cleaning appliance according to claim 17 wherein the appliance comprises a clothes washer comprising:

a rotatable drum defining the cleaning chamber for receiving an article to be cleaned;

a bulk dispenser fluidly connected with at least one of the water supply and the cleaning chamber and configured to dispense an amount of at least one of a wash aid, a drying additive and a scent additive;

a controller operably connected with the bulk dispenser for determining the at least one of an amount of a wash aid, a drying additive and a scent additive to be dispensed; and

a controller operably connected with the rotatable drum and the water supply for determining at least one of a duration of a wash cycle and a rinse cycle.

19. The cleaning appliance according to claim 18, comprising a bulk dispenser operably coupled to the controller and configured to dispense a selectively variable amount of wash aid.

20. The cleaning appliance according to claim 19, wherein the controller controls the bulk dispenser to dispense an amount of wash aid based on the determined water hardness.