Water temperature control for automatic washers

• US 5,255,844 A
• Filed: 07/27/1992
• Issued: 10/26/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Miller, James C., Przygocki, David A., Miller, Lori S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tanner, Harry B.
• Application Number:
  US07/918,753
• Time in Patent Office: 456 Days
• Field of Search: 236/12.12, 236/12.14, 236/12.15, 68/12.03, 68/207, 134/57 D, 134/57 R
• US Class Current: 236/12.12
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1393 characterised by the use of electric means

Abstract

A water temperature control system for achieving one of a plurality of wash water temperatures for a washing machine having a hot water valve, a cold water valve and an inlet conduit for carrying a combined supply of water from the hot and cold water valves to a wash bath. If a WARM FILL option is selected by the user, the cold water valve is continuously energized thereby maintaining the valve in an open condition and a normally closed temperature responsive switch is connected in series with the hot water valve. The normally closed temperature responsive switch has a predetermined temperature set point and is located on the inlet conduit. The normally closed temperature responsive switch operates to cycle the hot water valve on and off to control the inlet wash water temperature at or below the first preselected set point. If a HOT FILL option is selected, the hot water valve is continuously energized and a normally open temperature responsive switch is connected in series with the cold water valve. The normally open temperature responsive switch has a predetermined temperature set point and is located on the inlet conduit. The normally open temperature responsive switch operates to cycle the cold water valve on and off to control the inlet wash water temperature to at or below the second preselected set point.

Claims

1. In an automatic washer having means for containing a wash bath, hot and cold water inlet valves connected to respective sources of hot and cold water, and conduit means for delivering a combined supply of water from said valves to said wash bath, the improvement in controlling the temperature of water delivered to said wash bath comprising:

a first sensing means for sensing the temperature of said combined supply of water through said conduit means to said wash bath; and

a first control means for maintaining the hot water inlet valve continuously open for a predetermined period of time and opening said cold water inlet valve in response to said first sensing means when the temperature of said combined supply of water through said conduit means is above a first predetermined temperature and for closing said cold water inlet valve in response to said first sensing means when the temperature of said combined supply of water through said conduit means is below said first predetermined temperature such that said cold water valve is cycled on and off for controlling the temperature of said flow of water to said first predetermined temperature, said first control means further including;

a first circuit for connecting said hot water inlet valve with a power supply for maintaining said hot water inlet valve continuously open for a predetermined period of time, said first circuit further including;

a cam driven switch having a first position and a second position, and

a first manual switch in series with said hot water valve, said first circuit being configured such that continuous power is supplied to said hot water inlet valve upon said cam driven switch being in said first position and said first manual switch being closed, and

a second circuit connecting said cold water inlet valve to said power supply in series with said first sensing means device.

2. The automatic washer of claim 1 wherein said first sensing means further comprises a first temperature responsive device normally open at or below said first predetermined temperature level and located on said conduit.

3. In the automatic washer of claim 1, the improvement further comprising:

a second sensing means for sensing the temperature of said combined supply of water through said circuit means to said wash bath; and

a second control means for maintaining the cold water inlet valve continuously open for a predetermined period of time and opening said hot water inlet valve in response to said second sensing means when the temperature of said combined supply of water through said conduit means is above a second predetermined temperature and closing said hot water inlet valve in response to said second sensing means when the temperature such that said hot water valve is cycled on and off for controlling the temperature of said combined supply of water to said second predetermined temperature, said second control means further including;

a third circuit for connecting said cold water inlet valve with a power supply for maintaining said cold water inlet valve continuously open for a predetermined period of time, said third circuit further including;

a second manual switch in series with said cold water inlet valve, and

said cam driven switch, said third circuit being configured such that continuous power is supplied to said cold water valve upon said cam driven switch being in said second position and said second manual switch being closed, and

a fourth circuit connecting said hot water inlet valve to said power supply in series with said second sensing means, said fourth circuit including said cam driven switch and a third manual switch in series with said second sensing means such that said hot water inlet valve is connected to said power supply in series with said second sensing means upon said cam driven switch being in said second position and said third manual switch being closed.

4. The automatic washer of claim 3 wherein the second sensing means further comprises a second temperature responsive device normally closed at and below said second predetermined temperature level and located on said conduit.

5. In an automatic washer having means for containing a wash bath, hot and cold water inlet valves connected to respective sources of hot and cold water, and conduit means for delivering a combined supply of water from said valves to said wash bath, the improvement in controlling the temperature of water delivered to said wash bath comprising:

a sensing means for sensing the temperature of said combined supply of water through said conduit means to said wash bath;

a control means for maintaining the cold water inlet valve continuously open for a predetermined period of time and opening said hot water inlet valve in response to said sensing means when the temperature of said combined supply of water through said conduit means is above a predetermined temperature and closing said hot water inlet valve in response to said sensing means when the temperature of the combined supply of water through said conduit means is below said predetermined temperature such that said hot water valve is cycled on and off for controlling the temperature of said combined supply of water to said predetermined temperature, said second control means further including;

a first circuit for connecting said cold water inlet valve with a power supply for maintaining said cold water inlet valve continuously open for a predetermined period of time, said first circuit further including;

a first manual switch in series with said cold water inlet valve, and

a cam driven switch having a first position and a second position, said first circuit being configured such that continuous power is supplied to said cold water valve upon said cam driven switch being in said second position and said second manual switch being closed, and

a second circuit connecting said hot water inlet valve to said power supply in series with said sensing means, said second circuit including said cam driven switch and a second manual switch in series with said sensing means such that said hot water inlet valve is connected to said power supply in series with said sensing means upon said cam driven switch being in said second position and said second manual switch being closed.

6. The automatic washer of claim 5 wherein the sensing means further comprises a temperature responsive device normally closed at and below said predetermined temperature level and located on said conduit.

7. In an automatic washer having means for containing a wash bath, hot and cold water inlet valves connected to respective sources of hot and cold water, and conduit means for delivering a combined supply of water from said valves to said wash bath, the improvement in controlling the temperature of water delivered to said wash bath comprising:

a first temperature responsive device normally open at or below a first predetermined temperature level located on said conduit means for sensing the temperature of said combined supply of water flowing through said conduit means to said wash bath;

a second temperature responsive device normally closed at or below a second predetermined temperature level located on said conduit means for sensing the temperature of said combined supply of water flowing through said conduit means to said bath;

a first circuit for connecting said hot water inlet valve with a power supply for maintaining said hot water inlet valve continuously open for a predetermined period of time, said first circuit further including;

a cam driven switch having a first position and a second position, and

a first manual switch in series with said hot water valve, said first circuit being configured such that continuous power is supplied to said hot water inlet valve upon said cam driven switch being in said first position and said first manual switch being closed, and

a second circuit connecting said cold water inlet valve to said power supply in series with said first temperature responsive device, said first circuit and said second circuit operate together such that when said cam driven switch is in said first position and said first manual switch is closed said hot water inlet valve is maintained continuously open for a predetermined period of time and said cold water inlet valve is opened when the temperature of said combined supply of water flowing through said conduit means is above said first predetermined temperature and said cold water inlet valve is closed when the temperature of said combined supply of water flowing through said conduit means is below said first predetermined temperature;

a third circuit for connecting said cold water inlet valve with a power supply for maintaining said cold water inlet valve continuously open for a predetermined period of time, said third circuit further including;

a second manual switch in series with said cold water inlet valve, and

said cam driven switch, said third circuit being configured such that continuous power is supplied to said cold water valve upon said cam driven switch being in said second position and said second manual switch being closed, and

a fourth circuit connecting said hot water inlet valve to said power supply in series with said second temperature responsive device, said fourth circuit including said cam driven switch and a third manual switch in series with said second sensing means such that said hot water inlet valve is connected to said power supply in series with said second sensing means upon said cam driven switch being in said second position and closing said third manual switch being closed, said third and fourth circuit operate together such that said cold water inlet valve is maintained continuously open for a predetermined period of time, and said hot water inlet valve is kept closed when the temperature of said combined supply of said water flowing through said circuit means is above said second predetermined temperature and the hot water inlet valve is opened when the temperature of said combined supply of water flowing through said conduit means is below said second predetermined temperature; and

said first manual switch and said third manual switch provide means for bypassing said first control means and said second control means.