Apparatus and method for controlling concentration of wash aid in wash liquid
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for operating an automatic washing machine during a wash cycle, the automatic washing machine having a cleaning chamber, a sump, a wash aid dispenser fluidly coupled with the cleaning chamber, and a water supply fluidly coupled with the dispenser for flushing wash aid from the dispenser into the cleaning chamber, whereby wash aid flushed from the dispenser mixes with the flushing water to form a wash liquid, the method comprising:
- flushing a portion of the wash aid from the dispenser by supplying water to the dispenser, thereby forming a wash liquid of wash aid and water and leaving a remaining portion of the wash aid in the dispenser;
supplying additional water to the wash liquid without flushing the dispenser;
monitoring the cumulative amount of water within the washing machine;
determining a characteristic indicative of the concentration of the wash aid in a wash liquid; and
controlling further flushing of the remaining portion of the wash aid from the dispenser and the supplying of additional water to obtain a wash liquid having a predetermined concentration and target volume based on the cumulative amount of water and the determined characteristic.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method of using an automatic washing machine to determine a concentration of a wash aid in a wash liquid, and implementing a controlled flushing of the wash aid in response to the determined concentration.
-
Citations
44 Claims
-
1. A method for operating an automatic washing machine during a wash cycle, the automatic washing machine having a cleaning chamber, a sump, a wash aid dispenser fluidly coupled with the cleaning chamber, and a water supply fluidly coupled with the dispenser for flushing wash aid from the dispenser into the cleaning chamber, whereby wash aid flushed from the dispenser mixes with the flushing water to form a wash liquid, the method comprising:
-
flushing a portion of the wash aid from the dispenser by supplying water to the dispenser, thereby forming a wash liquid of wash aid and water and leaving a remaining portion of the wash aid in the dispenser; supplying additional water to the wash liquid without flushing the dispenser; monitoring the cumulative amount of water within the washing machine; determining a characteristic indicative of the concentration of the wash aid in a wash liquid; and controlling further flushing of the remaining portion of the wash aid from the dispenser and the supplying of additional water to obtain a wash liquid having a predetermined concentration and target volume based on the cumulative amount of water and the determined characteristic. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A method for operating an automatic washing machine, the automatic washing machine having a cleaning chamber, a wash aid dispenser fluidly coupled with the cleaning chamber, and a water supply fluidly coupled with at least one of the dispenser and the cleaning chamber, the method comprising:
-
initiating a wash cycle; flushing a portion of wash aid from the dispenser by supplying water to the dispenser, thereby forming a wash liquid of the wash aid and the water and leaving a remaining portion of wash aid in the dispenser; supplying additional water to the wash liquid without flushing the dispenser; monitoring the cumulative amount of water within the washing machine; determining a characteristic indicative of the concentration of the wash aid in the wash liquid; controlling the flushing of the remaining portion of wash aid from the dispenser and the supplying of additional water to obtain a wash liquid having a predetermined concentration and target volume based on the cumulative amount of water and the determined characteristic; initiating at least one rinse cycle after the completion of the wash cycle; and initiating at least one spin cycle after the completion of one of the wash cycle and the at least one rinse cycle. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
-
27. A method for operating an automatic washing machine, the automatic washing machine having a cleaning chamber, a dispensing system having a bulk wash aid dispenser cartridge fluidly coupled with the cleaning chamber, and a water supply fluidly coupled with at least one of the dispensing system and cleaning chamber, the method comprising:
-
dispensing a volume of wash aid from the dispenser cartridge; flushing a portion of the dispensed volume of wash aid into the cleaning chamber to form a wash liquid, and leaving a remaining portion of the wash aid in the dispensing system; supplying additional water to the wash liquid without flushing the dispenser; monitoring the cumulative amount of water within the washing machine; determining a characteristic indicative of the concentration of the wash aid in the wash liquid residing in the cleaning chamber; and controlling further flushing of the remaining portion of the wash aid and the supplying of additional water to obtain a wash liquid having a predetermined concentration and target volume based on the cumulative amount of water and the determined characteristic. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
-
-
30. An automatic washing machine comprising:
-
a cleaning chamber for holding a laundry load for laundering; a tub enclosing the cleaning chamber; a dispensing system having a wash aid dispenser fluidly coupled with the cleaning chamber; a water supply fluidly coupled with the wash aid dispenser for flushing wash aid from the dispenser into the cleaning chamber; a sensor coupled with the tub for determining a characteristic indicative of the concentration of the wash aid in a wash liquid; and a controller operably coupled with the wash aid dispenser, the water supply, and the sensor, and suitable for controlling the following operations during a wash cycle; flushing a portion of a wash aid from the dispenser by supplying water to the dispenser, thereby forming the wash liquid from wash aid and water and leaving a remaining portion of the wash aid in the dispenser; supplying additional water to the wash liquid without flushing the dispenser; monitoring the cumulative amount of water within the washing machine; determining the characteristic indicative of the concentration of the wash aid in the wash liquid; and controlling further flushing of the remaining portion of the wash aid from the dispenser and the supplying of additional water to obtain a wash liquid having a predetermined concentration and target volume based on the cumulative amount of water and the determined characteristic. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
-
-
38. An automatic washing machine comprising:
-
a cleaning chamber for holding a laundry load for laundering; a tub enclosing the cleaning chamber; a dispensing system having a bulk wash aid dispenser cartridge fluidly coupled with the cleaning chamber; a water supply fluidly coupled with the dispensing system for dispensing a wash aid into the cleaning chamber; a sensor coupled with the tub for determining a characteristic indicative of the concentration of the wash aid in a wash liquid; and a controller operably coupled with the bulk wash aid dispenser cartridge, the water supply, and the sensor, and suitable for controlling the following operations; combining a portion of a volume of wash aid dispensed from the bulk wash aid dispenser cartridge with a volume of water to form a wash liquid, and leaving a remaining portion of the volume of wash aid in the dispensing system; supplying additional water to the wash liquid without flushing the dispenser; monitoring the cumulative amount of water within the washing machine; determining a characteristic indicative of the concentration of the wash aid in the wash liquid; and controlling further flushing of the remaining portion of the volume of wash aid and the supplying of additional water to obtain a wash liquid having a predetermined concentration and target volume based on the cumulative amount of water and the determined characteristic. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
-
Specification