Cleaning apparatus indicating operational information for a bulk dispensing system

• US 8,650,917 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2012
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: McAllister, Karl D., Dalton, Michael T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Perrin, Joseph L
• Application Number:
  US13/608,139
• Publication Number:
  US 20130000361A1
• Time in Patent Office: 526 Days
• Field of Search: 68/121.8, 68/122.3, 68/17.R
• US Class Current: 68/12.18
• 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 15/4454 with automatic identification means, e.g. barcodes, RFID tags or magnetic strips
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2301/023 Quantity or concentration of the consumable product
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2301/026 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 2301/04 Operation mode, e.g. delicate washing, economy washing, reduced time, sterilizing, water softener regenerating, odor eliminating or service
• 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 2401/22 Number of operational cycles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/26 Indication or alarm to the controlling device or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/265 about the number of remaining operation cycles or the remaining operation time
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/00 User input for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/18 Washing liquid level
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/60 Audible signals
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/37 of metering of detergents or additives
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/57 of metering of detergents or additives
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/14 Arrangements for detecting or measuring specific parameters
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/30 characterised by mechanical features, e.g. buttons or rotary dials
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/32 characterised by graphical features, e.g. touchscreens
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/02 Devices for adding soap or other washing agents
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/022 in a liquid state D06F39/024 takes precedence

Abstract

An apparatus for determining the number of doses and the types of a treating chemistry available in a bulk dispensing system, and providing an indication of the determination on a user interface.

Claims

1. A cleaning apparatus having a laundry treating chamber, comprising:

a bulk treating chemistry dispenser configured to hold multiple doses of treating chemistry for dispensing into the laundry treating chamber;

a user interface configured to provide an indication to the user; and

a controller coupled with the user interface and the bulk treating chemistry dispenser and configured to execute an operating cycle and to control the user interface such that the user interface provides an indication of a number of doses of treating chemistry remaining in the bulk treating chemistry dispenser as the amount of treating chemistry is reduced from that of a filled dispenser to that of an emptied dispenser.

2. The cleaning apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a sensor operably coupled to the controller and configured to sense a condition of the treating chemistry in the bulk treating chemistry dispenser and provide a signal to the controller indicative of the number of doses of treating chemistry remaining in the bulk treating chemistry dispenser.

3. The cleaning apparatus of claim 2 wherein the controller controls the execution of the operating cycle based on the signal.

4. The cleaning apparatus of claim 2 wherein the controller controls the user interface to provide the indication of the number of doses remaining in the bulk treating chemistry dispenser on the user interface.

5. The cleaning apparatus of claim 4 wherein the user interface provides an iconic representation of the number of doses remaining in the bulk treating chemistry dispenser.

6. The cleaning apparatus of claim 5 wherein the iconic representation of the number of doses remaining in the bulk treating chemistry dispenser is an icon, an alpha-numeric reading, a bar reading to be proportionally illuminated, and/or a stack of lights to be proportionally illuminated.

7. The cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the indication of a number of doses of treating chemistry remaining in the bulk treating chemistry dispenser is an indication of a number of doses of treating chemistry, each dose having a pre-selected volume.