Data transmission apparatus for household appliances, functional component and household appliance

• US 20110012749A1
• Filed: 07/15/2010
• Published: 01/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sanhua AWECO Appliance Systems GmbH (Sanhua Holding Group Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Sanhua AWECO Appliance Systems GmbH (Sanhua Holding Group Company Limited)
• Inventors: Lonski, Rudolf
• Application Number:
  US12/805,174
• Publication Number:
  US 20110012749A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/825.22
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/006 using wireless communication between internal components of the machine
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4293 Arrangements for programme selection, e.g. control panels; Indication of the selected programme, programme progress or other parameters of the programme, e.g. by using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4445 Detachable devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/449 Metering controlling devices A47L15/4229 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/46 Devices for the automatic control of the different phases of cleaning ; Controlling devices A47L15/449 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/12 Washing temperature
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/14 Time settings
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/16 Washing liquid temperature
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/18 Washing liquid level
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/20 Washing liquid condition, e.g. turbidity
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/40 Opening or locking status of doors
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/42 Detergent or additive supply
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/56 Remaining operation time; Remaining operational cycles
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/58 Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/04 Signal transfer or data transmission arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/02 Devices for adding soap or other washing agents
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/024 mounted on the agitator or the rotating drum; Free body dispensers

Abstract

The invention proposes a data transmission apparatus (8, 17, 31; 45, 46) for household appliances (1, 10, 20, 40), particularly washing machines, dishwashers or the like, for sending and/or receiving data between at least two functional components (2, 5, 11, 16, 21, 22, 26, 42, 43) for the household appliance. In order to allow improved data transmission, the data transmission apparatus has an optical interface (6, 7, 17, 28, 29, 30, 31, 45). In addition, the invention proposes a functional component for a household appliance and also a household appliance.

Claims

1. Data transmission apparatus (8, 17, 31;

45, 46) for household appliances (1, 10, 20, 40), particularly washing machines, dishwashers or the like, for sending and/or receiving data between at least two functional components (2, 5, 11, 16, 21, 22, 26, 42, 43) for the household appliance, characterized in that the data transmission apparatus has an optical interface (6, 7, 17, 28, 29, 30, 31, 45).

2. Data transmission apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the functional components is permanently installed in the household appliance.

3. Data transmission apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the functional components permanently installed in the household appliance is in the form of one of the following apparatuses:

a combined dosing apparatus (5, 43) for dosing a detergent or dish detergent,

a control unit (2, 11, 21, 42) for controlling the household appliance, particularly for controlling and/or regulating a wash program, the dosing, the wash duration, washing parameters, etc.

a control panel (22) on the household appliance for the user to set control parameters, e.g. for the wash program, wash duration, wash temperature, etc.

4. Data transmission apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the functional components is not permanently installed in the household appliance.

5. Data transmission apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the functional components which is not permanently installed in the household appliance is in the form of one of the following apparatuses:

a dosing apparatus (26) in the form of a dosing insert,

a supply receptacle (16) for supplying a detergent, dish detergent or the like,

a measuring apparatus for determining measured variables such as wash parameters, for example conductance, temperature, pH value, etc.

a control apparatus for controlling the working program of the household appliance, e.g. the cleaning program.

6. Data transmission apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the optical interface (45) is in the form of a measuring and/or display apparatus.

7. Data transmission apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the optical interface (45) is in the form of a filling level meter for a storage tank.

8. Functional component (2, 5, 11, 16, 21, 22, 26) for a household appliance (1, 10, 20), characterized in that it comprises a data transmission apparatus according to one of the preceding claims.

9. Functional component according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the functional component is permanently installed in a household appliance, particularly a combined dosing apparatus for dosing a detergent or dish detergent, control unit for controlling the household appliance, control panel on the household appliance for the user to set control parameters, or the like.

10. Functional component according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the functional component is not permanently installed in the household appliance.

11. Functional component according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the functional component which is not permanently installed in the household appliance is designed to be put into a holding apparatus of the household appliance.

12. Household appliance (1, 10, 20, 40), particularly washing machine, dishwasher or the like, characterized in that there is at least one functional component according to one of the preceding claims which is permanently installed in the household appliance and/or at least one data transmission apparatus according to one of the preceding claims.

13. Household appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a holding apparatus (15) is provided for holding the functional component.

14. Household appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the holding apparatus (15) comprises a data transmission apparatus (17) according to one of the preceding claims.