WATER CONSUMING APPLIANCE AND A METHOD FOR OPERATING THE SAME

• US 20180112785A1
• Filed: 10/24/2016
• Published: 04/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Inventors: Shaffer, Ryan Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 10,801,751 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/071 Arrangement of safety devices in domestic pipe systems, e.g. devices for automatic shut-off
• CPC Class Codes: F17D 5/02 Preventing, monitoring, or locating loss
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 19/1051 for domestic hot water
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 2200/04 Gas or oil fired boiler
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 2200/08 Electric heater
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 2220/08 Storage tanks
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/12 Preventing or detecting fluid leakage
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/215 before heating
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/219 after heating
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/281 Input from user
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/31 of valves having only one inlet port and one outlet port, e.g. flow rate regulating valves
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/315 of mixing valves
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/355 Control of heat-generating means in heaters
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/395 Information to users, e.g. alarms
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/421 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/45 remotely accessible
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/2007 for water heaters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/15 Leakage reduction or detection in water storage or distribution
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0452 Detecting or repairing leak
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7306 Electrical characteristic sensing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7727 : Excessive flow cut-off
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7761 : Electrically actuated valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8342 : Liquid level responsive indicator, recorder or alarm

Abstract

A system and method of operating a water supply system with one or more water consuming appliances is provided. The water supply system includes a hot water heater for supplying a flow of heated water through a supply conduit to at least one water consuming appliance. The water consuming appliance receives the flow of heated water and provides an indication of a fault condition if excessive water accumulates in the appliance, which might indicate a malfunction with a drain pump or a water supply valve. A safety shutoff valve is positioned on the supply conduit and is in operative communication with the water consuming appliance. The safety shutoff valve is configured for stopping the flow of heated water when it receives the indication of the fault condition.

Claims

1. A water supply system comprising:

a hot water heater configured for heating cold water from a water supply and discharging a flow of heated water through a supply conduit;

a water consuming appliance configured for receiving the flow of heated water from the hot water heater through the supply conduit, the water consuming appliance comprising an appliance communication module; and

a safety shutoff valve positioned on the supply conduit and being in operative communication with the appliance communication module, the safety shutoff valve being configured to stop the flow of heated water when the appliance communication module provides an indication of a fault condition.

2. The water supply system of claim 1, wherein the fault condition is at least one of a leak event, an overflow condition, and a valve stuck in an open position.

3. The water supply system of claim 1, wherein the water consuming appliance includes a fault detection device configured for detecting the fault condition of the water consuming appliance.

4. The water supply system of claim 3, wherein the fault detection device is at least one of a flood float, a pressure switch, and a magnetic reed switch.

5. The water supply system of claim 1, wherein the safety shutoff valve comprises a valve communication module in communication with the appliance communication module.

6. The water supply system of claim 3, wherein the appliance communication module and the valve communication module are in wireless communication.

7. The water supply system of claim 1, wherein the hot water heater comprises the safety shutoff valve.

8. The water supply system of claim 1, wherein the water consuming appliance comprises the safety shutoff valve.

9. The water supply system of claim 1, wherein the safety shutoff valve is positioned on the supply conduit proximate the hot water heater.

10. The water supply system of claim 1, comprising a plurality of water consuming appliances, each of the plurality of water consuming appliance having an appliance communication module in operative communication with the safety shutoff valve.

11. The water supply system of claim 10, wherein the safety shutoff valve comprises a plurality of safety shutoff valves, each of the plurality of safety shutoff valves being operatively coupled to a respective one of the plurality of water consuming appliances.

12. A method for operating a hot water heater system, the method comprising:

providing a flow of heated water to a water consuming appliance;

receiving an indication of a fault condition from the water consuming appliance; and

regulating a safety shutoff valve to stop the flow of heated water to the water consuming appliance upon receiving the indication of the fault condition.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising sending a notification of the indication of the fault condition to a user of the water consuming appliance.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the notification comprises an instruction to the user of the water consuming appliance to implement at least one corrective action to resolve the fault condition.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving an error reset indication and resupplying the flow of heated water to the water consuming appliance.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the water consuming appliance is a dishwashing appliance or a clothes washing machine.

17. A method of operating a water consuming appliance comprising:

receiving a flow of water from a water supply;

determining the existence of a fault condition when the flow of water accumulates within the water consuming appliance beyond a predetermined amount; and

communicating an indication of the fault condition to the water supply, the water supply being configured regulate a safety shutoff valve to stop the flow of heated water to the water consuming appliance upon receiving the indication of the fault condition.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

operating a drain cycle to remove the accumulated water within the water consuming appliance;

regulating the safety shutoff valve to resupply the flow of water to the water consuming appliance;

communicating the fault condition to the water supply, the water supply being configured to stop the flow of water using the safety shutoff valve; and

sending an indication that the fault condition is recurring.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

leaving the safety shutoff valve in the closed position until the fault condition is rectified; and

sending a restart instruction to the water supply when the fault condition is rectified.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising sending a notification of the fault condition to a user of the water consuming appliance.