Water flow paths in a household cleaning appliance with single use and bulk dispensing

• US 8,813,526 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2008
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Doyle, Colleen M., Luckman, Joel Adam, Hendrickson, Michael S.
• Primary Examiner(s): CORMIER, DAVID G
• Application Number:
  US12/165,780
• Publication Number:
  US 20100000581A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,247 Days
• Field of Search: 134/99.2, 68/17.R
• US Class Current: 68/17.R
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/028 Arrangements for selectively supplying water to detergent compartments

Abstract

An apparatus with water flow paths 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 drawer slideably mounted to the cabinet for movement between a closed position at least in part interior of the cabinet and an opened position at least in part exterior of the cabinet;

a single use dispensing system comprising a dispensing cup coupled with the drawer and fluidly coupled to the treating chamber;

a bulk dispensing system having a bulk dispensing cartridge configured to store multiple charges of treating chemistry and coupled with the drawer and fluidly coupled to the treating chamber;

a housing fluidly coupling the single use dispensing system and the bulk dispensing cartridge to the treating chamber when the drawer is in the closed position;

a water supply line configured to supply water from a household water supply;

a single use dispensing flow path configured to supply water to the treating chamber through the dispensing cup to direct treating chemistry from the dispensing cup to the treating chamber;

a bulk dispensing flow path configured to supply water to the treating chamber through the housing while bypassing the drawer to direct a charge of treating chemistry dispensed from the bulk dispensing cartridge into the treating chamber;

a controller operably coupled to the water supply line and the bulk dispensing system, and configured to;

direct water from the water supply line down the single use dispensing flow path for manual dispensing; and

dispense a charge of treating chemistry from the bulk dispensing cartridge and direct water from the water supply line down the bulk dispensing flow path for bulk dispensing.

2. The household cleaning appliance of claim 1 wherein the bulk dispensing cartridge is fluidly coupled to the housing to dispense the charge of treating chemistry to the treating chamber through the housing while bypassing the drawer.

3. The household cleaning appliance of claim 1 wherein the single use and bulk dispensing water flow paths direct the treating chemistry from the dispensing cup and the charge of treating chemistry from the bulk dispensing cartridge to the treating chamber by flushing.

4. The household cleaning appliance of claim 1, further comprising a dispensing line fluidly coupling the housing to the treating chamber such that water flushed from the single use dispensing system and the bulk dispensing system is directed to the treating chamber by the dispensing line.

5. The household cleaning appliance of claim 1 wherein the single use and bulk dispensing water flow paths are independent from each other prior to reaching the housing.

6. The household cleaning appliance of claim 1 wherein the single use dispensing flow path comprises a path configured to supply water to the housing through the dispensing cup.

7. The household cleaning appliance of claim 1 wherein the bulk dispensing cartridge is configured to be carried by the drawer.

8. The household cleaning appliance of claim 1, wherein the controller is operably coupled to the bulk dispensing system and configured to determine whether to operate the appliance in a manual-dispensing mode or a bulk dispensing mode.

9. The household cleaning appliance of claim 8 wherein the controller is configured to receive input regarding a presence of the bulk dispensing cartridge and determine whether to operate in the manual-dispensing mode or bulk dispensing mode.

10. The household cleaning appliance of claim 1, further comprising a water diverter configured to selectively fluidly couple the water supply line to one of the single use dispensing flow path or the bulk dispensing flow path.