METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR USING GRAVITY TO PRECISELY DOSE DETERGENT IN A WASHING MACHINE

• US 20150330013A1
• Filed: 05/16/2014
• Published: 11/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: MILLER, CHRISTOPH J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,469,933 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/04 Quantity, e.g. weight
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/10 Spin speed
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/12 Washing temperature
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/20 Operation modes, e.g. delicate laundry washing programs, service modes or refreshment cycles
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/00 Parameters monitored or detected for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/18 Washing liquid level
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/22 Content of detergent or additives
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/02 Water supply
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/32 Air flow control means
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/42 Detergent or additive supply
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/46 Drum speed; Actuation of motors, e.g. starting or interrupting
• 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: G05B 19/0428 Safety, monitoring G05B19/0423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2633 Washing, laundry

Abstract

An appliance for washing clothes includes a detergent storage tank and a drum. Between the detergent storage tank and the drum is a diverter valve which has a detergent inlet connected to the detergent storage tank, an air vent connected to ambient air, and a detergent outlet. The diverter valve has an energized state wherein the detergent inlet is open and the air vent is closed, and a de-energized state wherein the detergent inlet is closed and the air vent is open. The appliance also has a flow meter connected to the diverter valve and the drum.

Claims

1. An appliance for washing clothes, comprising:

a detergent storage tank;

a drum;

a diverter valve comprising;

a detergent inlet in fluid communication with the detergent storage tank;

an air vent in fluid communication with ambient air; and

a detergent outlet; and

wherein the diverter valve has an energized state wherein the detergent inlet is open and the air vent is closed, and a de-energized state wherein the detergent inlet is closed and the air vent is open; and

a flow meter in fluid communication with the diverter valve and the drum.

2. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the diverter valve further comprises a solenoid and wherein the detergent storage tank is configured to receive at least one detergent from the detergent storage tank using gravity.

3. The appliance of claim 1, further comprising a controller operably coupled with the diverter valve configured to move between the energized state and the de-energized state in response to an electrical communication or signal from the controller.

4. The appliance of claim 3, wherein the controller is operably coupled with the flow meter configured to generate an electrical signal based on a predetermined amount of detergent through the flow meter.

5. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the appliance is free of a pump to urge detergent between the detergent storage tank and the drum.

6. The appliance of claim 4, further comprising a user interface which comprises an input for a user defined amount of detergent.

7. The appliance of claim 6, wherein the user interface is operably coupled with the controller configured to update the predetermined amount of detergent through the flow meter.

8. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the flow meter is disposed downstream from the diverter valve and configured to measure fluid flow amounts passing from the diverter valve and into the drum.

9. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the flow meter is disposed upstream from the diverter valve and configured to measure fluid flow amounts being delivered to the diverter valve.

10. A washing machine, comprising:

a detergent storage tank;

a cleaning chamber;

a detergent dispensing line comprising an upper part in fluid communication with the detergent storage tank and the detergent inlet, and a lower part in fluid communication with the detergent inlet and the cleaning chamber;

an air vent in fluid communication between the lower part of the detergent dispensing line and ambient air;

a diverter valve comprising;

a detergent inlet in fluid communication with the upper part and lower part of the dispensing line;

a solenoid mechanically engaged with and configured to open and close the detergent inlet;

wherein the diverter valve has an energized state wherein the detergent inlet is open, and a de-energized state wherein the detergent inlet is closed; and

a flow meter in fluid communication with the lower part of the dispensing line.

11. The washing machine of claim 10, wherein the solenoid is mechanically engaged with and configured to open and close the air vent and wherein the ambient air is outside the washing appliance.

12. The washing machine of claim 11, wherein when the diverter valve is in the energized state, the air vent is closed, and when the diverter valve is in the de-energized state, the air vent is open.

13. The washing machine of claim 10, further comprising:

a controller in electrical communication with the solenoid and the flow meter; and

a user interface in electrical communication with the controller.

14. A method of dosing detergent into a cleaning chamber of a washing machine using gravity, comprising:

providing an amount of detergent to be used in a washing machine;

providing a detergent storage tank;

providing a diverter valve comprising a detergent inlet, a detergent outlet, and an air vent;

presenting a user interface at a location accessible to a user for a user to input load characteristics;

relaying information via electrical signals from the user interface to a controller in electrical communication with the user interface;

determining a dosage requirement;

dispensing a fluid into a cleaning chamber by;

opening the detergent inlet side of the diverter valve;

determining how much fluid has been dispensed;

comparing how much fluid has been dispensed to the dosage requirement; and

closing the detergent inlet side of the diverter valve when the amount of fluid dispensed is substantially equal to the dosage requirement; and

venting the remaining fluid by opening of the air vent.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the determining a dosage step further comprises the step of inputting a desired cycle by a user into the user interface.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the determining a dosage step is completed at the point of manufacture of the flow meter.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the determining a dosage step is completed at the point of manufacture of the washing machine.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the opening step is performed by energizing a solenoid in operative connection with the diverter valve.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the opening step is performed by energizing a synchronous motor in operative connection with the diverter valve.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the closing step and the venting step are performed substantially simultaneously.