Method for automatically flushing a bulk dispensing system in a cleaning appliance

• US 8,789,226 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2013
• Issued: 07/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Dalton, Michael T., Hendrickson, Michael S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Perrin, Joseph L
• Application Number:
  US13/904,077
• Publication Number:
  US 20130240049A1
• Time in Patent Office: 426 Days
• Field of Search: 815/8, 815/9, 68/17.R, 134/18, 134/25.2
• US Class Current: 8/158
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0424 Liquid cleaning or flushing

Abstract

A household cleaning appliance includes a bulk dispensing system configured to receive a removable cartridge containing multiple doses of treating chemistry and configured to deliver a charge of treating chemistry from the cartridge to a treating chamber and a water supply configured to be selectively coupled to the bulk dispensing system to flush at least a portion of the bulk dispensing system.

Claims

1. A method for operating a household cleaning appliance having a treating chamber and a bulk dispensing system having a removable cartridge configured to contain a treating chemistry, the bulk dispensing system configured to deliver a charge of treating chemistry to the treating chamber, the method comprising:

determining, by a controller, a user-initiated flush input where the flush input is not utilized to dispense treating chemistry for use in a wash cycle; and

flushing at least a portion of the bulk dispensing system when the user-initiated flush input is determined.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein determining the user-initiated flush input includes receiving the input from a user interface.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the user-initiated flush input indicates the portion of the bulk dispensing system to be flushed.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the household cleaning appliance is a clothes washer.

5. A method for operating a household cleaning appliance having a treating chamber and a bulk dispensing system having a removable cartridge configured to contain a treating chemistry, the bulk dispensing system configured to deliver a charge of treating chemistry to the treating chamber, the method comprising:

determining, by a controller, a user-initiated flush input where the flush input is not utilized to dispense treating chemistry for use in a wash cycle and wherein the controller determines that the user-initiated flush input is inoperative when the bulk dispensing system contains the removable cartridge.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising determining a presence of the removable cartridge.

7. A method for operating a household cleaning appliance having a treating chamber and a bulk dispensing system having a removable cartridge configured to contain a treating chemistry, the bulk dispensing system configured to deliver a charge of treating chemistry to the treating chamber, the method comprising:

determining, by a controller, a presence of the removable cartridge within the bulk dispensing system and a user-initiated flush input, where the flush input is not utilized to dispense treating chemistry for use in a wash cycle; and

flushing at least a portion of the bulk dispensing system when the removable cartridge is determined to be present and the user-initiated flush input is determined.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising determining an open position of a closing element of the removable cartridge.

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein the flushing comprises flushing the removable cartridge through the closing element that is in the open position.

10. The method according to claim 7 wherein the flushing comprises flushing a housing of the bulk dispensing system containing the removable cartridge.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein the flushing comprises flushing a drawer carrying the removable cartridge and slideably mounted relative to the housing.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the flushing of the drawer effects flushing of the housing.

13. The method according to claim 11 wherein the drawer is a single use dispensing drawer having at least one treatment cup and the removable cartridge is removeably received in the treatment cup.