METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING TREATING CHEMISTRY IN A LAUNDRY TREATING APPLIANCE

• US 20120266389A1
• Filed: 04/25/2011
• Published: 10/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: IHNE, SARAH, VALLEJO NORIEGA, ALVARO
• Granted Patent: US 8,438,881 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 8/137
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/02 Devices for adding soap or other washing agents
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/028 Arrangements for selectively supplying water to detergent compartments

Abstract

A laundry treating appliance and method for dispensing treating chemistry, where the laundry treating appliance includes a treating chamber, a single use dispenser and a bulk dispenser. Water may be supplied to the single use dispenser through a first water flow path, which directs a dose of treating chemistry dispensed from the single use dispenser into the treating chamber. Water may be supplied to the bulk dispenser through a second water flow path, which is configured to spray a dose of treating chemistry dispensed from the bulk dispenser into the treating chamber. The laundry treating appliance may determine the presence of treating chemistry within at least one of the single use dispenser and the bulk dispenser, and, based on this determination, supply water to the flow path associated with the dispenser which contains treating chemistry.

Claims

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

a cabinet defining an interior;

a tub located within the interior;

a drum located within the tub and defining a treating chamber configured to receive the article for cleaning; and

a dispensing system configured to dispense treating chemistry into the treating chamber, comprising;

a housing located within the interior of the cabinet;

multiple chambers located within the housing;

a single use dispenser configured to dispense a single dose of treating chemistry and comprising one of the chambers for receiving the single dose of treating chemistry;

a bulk dispenser configured to dispense multiple doses of treating chemistry and comprising a cartridge removably received within another one of the chambers and containing multiple doses of treating chemistry that are dispensed through an outlet in the cartridge;

a first water flow path passing through the housing and the one of the chambers and having an outlet comprising a dispensing nozzle in fluid communication with the treating chamber; and

a second water flow path comprising;

a conduit bypassing the housing and fluidly coupled to the cartridge outlet; and

an outlet comprising a spray nozzle in fluid communication with the treating chamber;

wherein the first water flow path is configured to direct the dose of treating chemistry dispensed from the single use dispenser into the treating chamber and the second water flow path is configured to spray the dose of treating chemistry dispensed from the bulk dispenser into the treating chamber.

2. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the one of the chambers comprises a dispensing cup.

3. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the second water flow path comprises a pump to direct treating chemistry to the treating chamber.

4. The laundry treating appliance of claim 3 wherein the bulk dispenser further comprises an in-line mixing chamber comprising a first inlet in communication with the pump, a second inlet in communication with a source of water, and an outlet in communication with the spray nozzle.

5. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1, further comprising a sensor for determining the presence of treating chemistry in one of the single use dispenser and the bulk dispenser.

6. The laundry treating appliance of claim 5 wherein the sensor is provided within the housing for determining the presence of the cartridge within the housing.

7. The laundry treating appliance of claim 5, further comprising a diverter valve coupled to the first and second water flow paths for selective fluid communication with one of the first and second water flow paths, wherein the position of the diverter valve is controlled based on the information from the sensor.

8. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the first and second flow paths are in fluid communication with a source of water, and further comprising a diverter valve coupled between the source of water and the first and second water flow paths for selective fluid communication of one of the first and second water flow paths with the source of water.

9. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the dispensing nozzle comprises a gravity-feed dispenser that is configured to direct a non-pressurized flow of treating chemistry into the treating chamber.

10. The laundry treating appliance of claim 9 wherein the gravity-feed dispenser comprises a conduit extending from the housing and terminating in the dispensing nozzle.

11. The laundry treating appliance of claim 10 wherein a portion of the housing underlies the one of the chambers.

12. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the spray nozzle comprises a pressurized spray nozzle that is configured to direct a pressurized spray of treating chemistry into the treating chamber.

13. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises a drawer slidably coupled to the cabinet.

14. A method of operating a laundry treating appliance comprising a cabinet defining an interior, a tub located within the interior, a drum located within the tub and defining a treating chamber configured to receive the article for cleaning, a single use dispensing system, and a bulk dispensing system, the method comprising:

determining the presence of treating chemistry within the bulk dispensing system;

supplying water to the single use dispensing system through a first water flow path and directing a charge of treating chemistry from the single use dispensing system into the treating chamber, when treating chemistry is determined to be not present within the bulk dispensing system; and

supplying water to the bulk dispensing system through a second water flow path and spraying a charge of treating chemistry from the bulk dispensing system into the treating chamber, when treating chemistry is determined to be present within the bulk dispensing system.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising fluidly communicating the first water flow path with a source of water when treating chemistry is determined to be not present within the bulk dispensing system.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising fluidly communicating the second water flow path with the source of water when treating chemistry is determined to be present within the bulk dispensing system.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein determining the presence of treating chemistry comprises determining at least one of the presence of a cartridge with the bulk dispensing system and the presence of treating chemistry in the single use dispensing system.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the directing the charge of treating chemistry comprises feeding the charge by gravity.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the directing the charge of treating chemistry comprises flushing treating chemistry from the single use dispensing system with the water supplied to the single use dispensing system.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein the spraying the charge of treating chemistry comprises spraying the charge under pressure.

21. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

rotating the drum to effect a first tumbling pattern when treating chemistry is determined to be not present within the bulk dispensing system; and

rotating the drum to effect a second tumbling pattern that is different than the first tumbling pattern when treating chemistry is determined to be present within the bulk dispensing system.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the second tumbling pattern comprises intermittently rotating the treating chamber.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the first treating pattern comprises intermittently rotating the treating chamber.

24. The method of claim 14, further comprising spraying water into the treating chamber prior to the directing the charge of treating chemistry when treating chemistry is determined to be not present within the bulk dispensing system.