Household cleaning appliance with a dispensing system operable between a single use dispensing system and a bulk dispensing system

• US 8,677,538 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2012
• Issued: 03/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Hendrickson, Michael S., Luckman, Joel Adam, Doyle, Colleen M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Perrin, Joseph L
• Application Number:
  US13/472,845
• Publication Number:
  US 20120223097A1
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• Field of Search: 815/8, 815/9, 68/17.R
• US Class Current: 8/158
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/12 adapted for rotation or oscillation about a vertical axis
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/022 in a liquid state D06F39/024 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/026 the powder or tablets being added directly, e.g. without the need of a flushing liquid
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/028 Arrangements for selectively supplying water to detergent compartments

Abstract

In a household cleaning appliance configured to execute a cleaning cycle on an article, having a non-bulk dispersing system that stores a single dose of treating chemistry that the dispensing system dispenses to the treating chamber in total as part of the execution of the cleaning cycle, the method includes adding bulk dispensing functionality to the non-bulk dispensing system for operating the dispensing system as a bulk dispensing system.

Claims

1. In a laundry treating appliance configured to execute a cleaning cycle on a laundry article, having a non-bulk dispensing system only having at least one non-bulk laundry aid compartment fluidly coupled to a treating chamber, wherein the at least one non-bulk laundry aid compartment stores a single dose of treating chemistry that the dispensing system dispenses to the treating chamber in total as part of the execution of the cleaning cycle, a method comprising:

adding bulk dispensing functionality to the non-bulk dispensing system by inserting a liquid bulk dispensing cartridge, configured to contain multiple doses of liquid treating chemistry, into the at least one non-bulk laundry aid compartment.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the adding bulk dispensing functionality further comprises fluidly coupling the liquid bulk dispensing cartridge to the non-bulk dispensing system.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the dispensing system further comprises an access panel moveable between an opened position, where the at least one non-bulk laundry aid compartment is accessible, and a closed position, where the at least one non-bulk laundry aid compartment is inaccessible by a user.

4. The method according to claim 2 wherein the fluid coupling further comprises the liquid bulk dispensing cartridge being received in a drawer and a closing of the drawer effects the fluid coupling.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein the closing of the drawer fluidly couples the liquid bulk dispensing cartridge to a meter fluidly coupled to the non-bulk dispensing system.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising metering the liquid treating chemistry from the liquid bulk dispensing cartridge into a housing underlying the drawer.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising flushing the housing to dispense the metered liquid treating chemistry into the treating chamber.

8. The method according to claim 2 wherein the adding bulk dispensing functionality further comprises metering the liquid treating chemistry from the liquid bulk dispensing cartridge to the non-bulk dispensing system.

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein the metering further comprises dispensing the liquid treating chemistry into a conduit fluidly coupled to the treating chamber.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising flushing the conduit to dispense the metered liquid treating chemistry into the treating chamber.