LAUNDRY TREATING APPLIANCE AND METHOD OF OPERATION FOR A LAUNDRY TREATING APPLIANCE

• US 20150007394A1
• Filed: 07/08/2013
• Published: 01/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: ASHRAFZADEH, FARHAD, CIVANELLI, CLAUDIO, IHNE, SARAH E.
• Granted Patent: US 10,273,619 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 8/137
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/18 Washing liquid level
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/42 Detergent or additive supply
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/58 Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/60 Audible signals
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/37 of metering of detergents or additives
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/32 characterised by graphical features, e.g. touchscreens

Abstract

A laundry treating appliance and a method operating a laundry treating appliance having a dye sensor configured to output a signal indicative of the amount of dye within liquid in the treating chamber, a controller having a memory in which is stored a set of executable instructions including at least one user-selectable cycle of operation, and a user interface operably coupled with the controller and providing an input and output function for the controller and provide information related to a dye release.

Claims

1. A method of operating a laundry treating appliance having a treating chamber for receiving laundry for treatment according to an automatic cycle of operation implemented by a controller of the laundry treating appliance and having a user interface for communication with a user of the appliance, the method comprising:

determine a dye has been released from the laundry within the treating chamber; and

indicate, on the user interface, information related to the dye release based on the determined dye release where the information comprises at least one of;

at least one action taken by the laundry treating appliance in response to the determined dye release, at least one consequence of the at least one action taken by the laundry treating appliance, or educational information to prevent future dye releases.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining the dye release comprises sensing a released dye within the treating chamber.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the sensing the released dye comprises sensing a released dye in liquid from the treating chamber.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the sensing the released dye comprises sensing an amount of dye color in liquid within the treating chamber.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising determining a dye release event when the amount of sensed dye color satisfies a threshold.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the indicating information on the user interface further comprises indicating on the user interface when a dye release event has been determined.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one action comprises altering the cycle of operation to reduce an amount of dye color in treating liquid.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the indicating, on the user interface, information indicating actions taken by the laundry treating appliance includes information regarding the altering of the cycle of operation.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the indicating, on the user interface, information indicating actions taken comprises indicating information including at least one of:

draining of liquid from the treating chamber, stopping of the cycle of operation, altering of a tumble pattern, adding of cool water to the treating chamber, or adding a rinse or a spin phase.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the indicating, on the user interface, information indicating consequences of actions taken by the laundry treating appliance comprises indicating information including that the cycle of operation used more water, that the cycle of operation was less energy efficient, that the cycle of operation time will be longer, or that there was reduced performance during the cycle of operation.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the indicating, on the user interface, educational information to prevent future dye release events comprises indicating information on proper laundry article separation.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising alerting a user in a manner including sending a text message to the user, sending an electronic mail to the user, or providing audio information to the user.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising indicating on the user interface that the released dye has been determined.

14. A laundry treating appliance for treating laundry in accordance with a treating cycle of operation, comprising:

a treating chamber receiving laundry for treatment;

a dye sensor configured to output a signal indicative of an amount of dye within liquid in the treating chamber;

a controller having a memory in which is stored a set of executable instructions comprising at least one user-selectable cycle of operation; and

a user interface operably coupled with the controller and providing an input and output function for the controller;

wherein the controller receives the output from the dye sensor and compares it with an amount threshold stored in the memory to determine when the amount of the dye satisfies the amount threshold and correspondingly activates an output on the user interface so that the user interface provides information related to the dye release based on the determined dye release where the information comprises at least one of;

at least one action taken by the laundry treating appliance in response to the determined dye release, at least one consequence of the at least one action taken by the laundry treating appliance, or educational information to prevent future dye releases.

15. The laundry treating appliance of claim 14 wherein the user interface comprises a LCD.

16. The laundry treating appliance of claim 15 wherein the LCD may provide the user with multiple screens of information related to information indicating actions taken by the laundry treating appliance, information indicating consequences of actions taken by the laundry treating appliance, or educational information to prevent future dye release events.

17. The laundry treating appliance of claim 14 wherein the controller is further configured to alter the cycle of operation to reduce an amount of dye color in treating liquid.

18. The laundry treating appliance of claim 14, further comprising an audible alert that the released dye has been determined.

19. The laundry treating appliance of claim 14 wherein the controller is further configured to send a text message to the user, send an electronic mail to the user, or provide audio information to the user.

20. A method of operating a laundry treating appliance having a treating chamber for receiving laundry for treatment according to an automatic cycle of operation implemented by a controller of the laundry treating appliance and having a user interface for communication with a user of the appliance, the method comprising:

determine a dye has been released from the laundry within the treating chamber by sensing a released dye in liquid in the treating chamber; and

indicate, on the user interface, information related to the dye release based on the determined dye release where the information comprises at least one of;

at least one action taken by the laundry treating appliance in response to the determined dye release, at least one consequence of the at least one action taken by the laundry treating appliance, or educational information to prevent future dye releases.