Household cleaning appliance with a single water flow path for both non-bulk and bulk dispensing

• US 8,397,544 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2009
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Hendrickson, Michael Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Perrin, Joseph L
• Application Number:
  US12/489,548
• Publication Number:
  US 20100000586A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,365 Days
• Field of Search: 68/17.R, 222/144.5, 222/630, 422/261
• US Class Current: 68/17.R
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4214 Water supply, recirculation or discharge arrangements; Devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4418 in the form of liquids A47L15/4409, A47L15/4436, A47L15/4445 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4463 Multi-dose dispensing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/449 Metering controlling devices A47L15/4229 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/02 Characteristics of laundry or load
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/06 Recirculation of washing liquids, e.g. by pumps or diverting valves
• 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: D06F 39/022 in a liquid state D06F39/024 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/028 Arrangements for selectively supplying water to detergent compartments

Abstract

An apparatus with a single water flow path suitable for a household cleaning appliance having both a non-bulk dispensing system and a bulk dispensing system.

Claims

1. A household cleaning appliance configured to execute a cleaning cycle on an article, comprising:

a cabinet defining an interior;

a treating chamber located within the interior for receiving the article for cleaning;

a dispensing system having multiple dispensing cups fluidly coupled to the treating chamber, with a first of the multiple dispensing cups defining a single use dispenser;

a bulk dispensing cartridge received in another one of the multiple dispensing cups to define a bulk dispenser, the bulk dispensing cartridge having an outlet fluidly coupled to the first of the multiple dispensing cups through a port defined between the another one of the multiple dispensing cups and the first of the multiple dispensing cups; and

a single water flow path supplying water to the dispensing system to flush treating chemistry from either of the single use dispenser or the bulk dispenser to the treating chamber.

2. The household cleaning appliance according to claim 1, wherein the dispensing system further comprises a water diverter fluidly coupling the single water flow path to any one of the multiple dispensing cups.

3. The household cleaning appliance according to claim 1, wherein the outlet is fluidly coupled to any one of the multiple dispensing cups to dispense the treating chemistry thereto.

4. The household cleaning appliance according to claim 1, wherein the outlet is fluidly coupled to the another one of the multiple dispensing cups in which the bulk dispensing cartridge is received.

5. The household cleaning appliance according to claim 1, wherein the bulk dispensing cartridge comprises a through passage through which the supplied water flows to flush the treating chemistry to the treating chamber.

6. The household cleaning appliance according to claim 5, wherein the outlet of the bulk dispensing cartridge is fluidly coupled to the through passage.

7. The household cleaning appliance according to claim 1, wherein the dispensing system further comprises a housing fluidly coupled to the treating chamber and underlying the multiple dispensing cups to direct the flushed treating chemistry into the treating chamber.

8. The household cleaning appliance according to claim 7, wherein the dispensing system further comprises a water diverter overlying the multiple dispensing cups and fluidly coupling the single water flow path to any one of the multiple dispensing cups.

9. The household cleaning appliance according to claim 8, wherein the dispensing system further comprises a drawer containing the multiple dispensing cups and slideably mounted to the cabinet for movement between a closed position overlying the housing and an opened position exterior of the housing.