Removable component for a consumable with identifying graphic

• US 8,628,024 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2013
• Issued: 01/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Dunsbergen, Kirk M., Ghosh, Kaustav, Pinkowski, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Labaze, Edwyn
• Application Number:
  US13/849,859
• Publication Number:
  US 20130214051A1
• Time in Patent Office: 295 Days
• Field of Search: 235/454, 235/375, 235/439, 235/487
• US Class Current: 235/494
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0055 Metering or indication of used products, e.g. type or quantity of detergent, rinse aid or salt; for measuring or controlling the product concentration
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/023 Quantity or concentration of the consumable product
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/026 Nature or type of the consumable product, e.g. information on detergent, e.g. 3-in-1 tablets, rinsing aid or salt
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/30 Regulation of machine operational steps within the washing process, e.g. performing an additional rinsing phase, shortening or stopping of the drying phase, washing at decreased noise operation conditions
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/02 Devices for adding soap or other washing agents
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06046 Constructional details

Abstract

A removable component for dispensing a physical resource from a dispensing system may include a body defining a reservoir in which a physical resource may be stored, a graphic provided on the removable component having information.

Claims

1. A removable component for dispensing a physical resource from a dispensing system, the removable component comprising:

a body defining a reservoir in which a physical resource may be stored;

a graphic provided on the removable component; and

a composite structure formed by the graphic, body, and reservoir and having first and second optically encoded information at first and second depths, respectively, in the composite structure, with the second depth being different than the first depth.

2. The removable component of claim 1 wherein the second depth is greater than the first depth.

3. The removable component of claim 2 wherein the first depth is at a surface of the graphic.

4. The removable component of claim 1 wherein the second depth is at a surface of the body.

5. The removable component of claim 1 wherein the second depth is at an interior of the graphic.

6. The removable component of claim 1 wherein the graphic comprises a label.

7. The removable component of claim 1 wherein the graphic comprises a substrate on which there is printed indicia.

8. The removable component of claim 1 wherein the composite structure comprises a plurality of layers.

9. The removable component of claim 8 wherein at least one of the plurality of layers has at least one of a thickness, a texture, a color, a refractivity, a reflectivity, an absorbance, a transmittance, an index of refraction and an optical polarity that is different than at least one other of the plurality of layers.

10. The removable component of claim 1 wherein the first optically encoded information is retrievable by illuminating the first depth at a first wavelength and the second optically encoded information is retrievable by illuminating the second depth at a second wavelength, with the second wavelength being different than the first wavelength.

11. The removable component of claim 1 further comprising a physical resource processor provided in the reservoir.

12. The removable component of claim 11 wherein the physical resource processor comprises filter material.

13. The removable component of claim 12 wherein the composite structure further comprises at least a portion of the filter material.

14. The removable component of claim 11 wherein the physical resource processor further comprises a physical resource.

15. A removable component for dispensing a physical resource from a dispensing system, the removable component comprising:

a body defining a reservoir in which a physical resource may be stored;

a graphic provided on the removable component; and

a composite structure formed by the graphic, body, and reservoir and having first and second optically encoded data at first and second depths, respectively, in the composite structure, with the second depth being different than the first depth.

16. The removable component of claim 15 wherein the second depth is greater than the first depth.

17. The removable component of claim 16 wherein the first depth is at a surface of the graphic.

18. The removable component of claim 15 wherein the second depth is at a surface of the body.

19. The removable component of claim 15 wherein the second depth is at an interior of the graphic.

20. The removable component of claim 15 wherein the graphic comprises a label.

21. The removable component of claim 15 wherein the graphic comprises a substrate on which there is printed indicia.

22. The removable component of claim 15 wherein the composite structure comprises a plurality of layers.

23. The removable component of claim 22 wherein at least one of the plurality of layers has at least one of a thickness, a texture, a color, a refractivity, a reflectivity, an absorbance, a transmittance, an index of refraction and an optical polarity that is different than at least one other of the plurality of layers.

24. The removable component of claim 15 wherein the first optically encoded data is retrievable by illuminating the first depth at a first wavelength and the second optically encoded data is retrievable by illuminating the second depth at a second wavelength, with the second wavelength being different than the first wavelength.

25. The removable component of claim 15 further comprising a physical resource processor provided in the reservoir.

26. The removable component of claim 25 wherein the physical resource processor comprises filter material.

27. The removable component of claim 26 wherein the composite structure further comprises at least a portion of the filter material.

28. The removable component of claim 25 wherein the physical resource processor further comprises a physical resource.