Pressure sensing automatic water level control
First Claim
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1. An automatic washing machine having a tub to receive washing liquid and a load of clothes to be washed therein including an automatic liquid fill control system comprising:
- supply means for supplying wash liquid to said tub;
means for measuring the head pressure of liquid in said tub;
means for agitating said liquid in said tub in an oscillatory manner to create pressure waves;
means for measuring the varying pressure of said pressure waves;
means for determining and storing the range of varying pressures of said pressure waves;
means for comparing a currently determined range with a stored largest range;
means for determining the optimum total volume of liquid required for washing said clothes load based on the pressure range comparison, andmeans for automatically controlling said supply means for admitting desired volumes of water into said tub.
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Abstract
A liquid control system is provided for an automatic washer which responds to a user'"'"'s input of fabric type to introduce into the tub of the washer an optimum volume of liquid to wash a clothes load in the tub based on sensed pressure wave changes as the tub is filled and agitated simultaneously.
52 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An automatic washing machine having a tub to receive washing liquid and a load of clothes to be washed therein including an automatic liquid fill control system comprising:
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supply means for supplying wash liquid to said tub; means for measuring the head pressure of liquid in said tub; means for agitating said liquid in said tub in an oscillatory manner to create pressure waves; means for measuring the varying pressure of said pressure waves; means for determining and storing the range of varying pressures of said pressure waves; means for comparing a currently determined range with a stored largest range; means for determining the optimum total volume of liquid required for washing said clothes load based on the pressure range comparison, and means for automatically controlling said supply means for admitting desired volumes of water into said tub. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. In a machine for liquid treatment of materials a liquid control system comprising:
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a container for receiving said materials; means for adding liquid to said container; means for determining the amount of liquid added to said container; means for agitating said liquid in said container to cause pressure waves; means for determining and storing the range of varying pressures of said pressure waves; means for comparing a current range with a previously stored largest range; means for determining an optimum value of additional liquid to be added based on the amount of liquid previously added and differences in pressure ranges; and means for introducing said additional liquid into said container. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of controlling the amount of liquid in a liquid treatment machine comprising:
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placing a specific mass of material to be treated in a container in the machine; filling the machine with liquid; agitating the material and liquid in the container during the filling step in an oscillatory manner; measuring the head pressure of the liquid during the agitating step; determining and storing the range of pressures during periods of oscillation; comparing a current range with a previously stored largest range; calculating an optimum value of additional liquid to be added based on the amount of liquid in the container and the differences in pressure ranges, and introducing additional liquid in an amount to achieve said optimum value.
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Specification