Apparatus and method for using a dispensing system utilizing a Venturi component

• US 8,850,856 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2010
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Acharya, Alaknanda, Dunn, David Scott, Kappler, Jerrod Aaron, Welch, Aaron Lee, Leibman, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): KO, JASON Y
• Application Number:
  US12/969,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20120151970A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,391 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 68/12.18
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/00 Details of washing machines not specific to a single type of machines covered by groups D06F9/00 - D06F27/00 control of washing machines D06F33/00, D06F34/00

Abstract

An apparatus is provided herein. The apparatus includes, a clothes basket rotatable about an axis, a motor coupled to the clothes basket, an additive tank, a Venturi component comprising a hole connecting to a water inlet, a hole connecting to the additive tank, and a hole connecting to the clothes basket, a first valve, a second valve, and a processor coupled to the first valve and the second valve, the processor being operative to carry out a dispensing phase of the apparatus, wherein the dispensing phase comprises dispensing additive to the clothes basket, and carry out a self-cleaning phase of the apparatus, wherein the self-cleaning phase comprises washing the additive tank.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a clothes basket rotatable about an axis;

a motor coupled to the clothes basket;

an additive tank;

a liquid level sensor configured to determine a level of additive in the additive tank;

a Venturi component having a first hole fluidly connecting to a water inlet, a second hole fluidly connecting to the additive tank, and a third hole fluidly connecting to the clothes basket;

a first valve located between the water inlet and the Venturi component;

a second valve located between the Venturi component and the clothes basket; and

a processor coupled to the first valve and the second valve, the processor being configured to;

carry out a dispensing phase of the apparatus by opening the first valve and opening the second valve so as to create a vacuum in an area where the Venturi component is connected to the additive tank resulting in suction of additive from the additive tank to the clothes basket; and

carry out a self-cleaning phase of the apparatus by;

opening the first valve and closing the second valve responsive to the liquid level sensor determining that the level of additive in the additive tank reaches a predetermined level so as to wash the additive tank; and

opening the second valve after a specified duration of time so as to create the vacuum in the area where the Venturi component is connected to the additive tank resulting in suction of waste-water from the additive tank to the clothes basket.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the axis comprises one of a substantially vertical axis and a substantially horizontal axis.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a diverter valve to dispense from and to multiple locations, and an electrical motor for rotating a nozzle of the diverter valve to selectively establish flow connection with at least one of the multiple locations.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising one or more flow restrictions to create back pressure in the apparatus.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to carry out a default phase of the apparatus, wherein in carrying out the default phase, the processor is further configured to close the first valve and close the second valve to prevent water from flowing through the apparatus.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein in carrying out the dispensing phase, the suction of the additive from the additive tank comprises suction of the additive into the Venturi component, where the additive mixes with a water flow, wherein the additive is transferred, via the water flow, out of the Venturi component to the clothes basket.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second hole is fluidly connected to the additive tank through a dispensing hose, and wherein in carrying out the self-cleaning phase, water flows into the additive tank through the dispensing hose and the waste-water is removed from the additive tank via the vacuum created by the Venturi component.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to close the second valve after the waste-water has been removed from the additive tank to refill the additive tank with water to repeat the self-cleaning phase to a desired level of cleanliness.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a clothes basket rotatable about an axis;

a motor coupled to the clothes basket;

an additive tank;

a liquid level sensor configured to determine a level of additive in the additive tank;

Venturi component having a first hole fluidly connecting to a water inlet, a second hole fluidly connecting to the additive tank, and a third hole fluidly connecting to the clothes basket;

a first valve located between the water inlet and the Venturi component;

a second valve located between the water inlet and the additive tank; and

a processor coupled to the first valve and the second valve, the processor being configured to;

carry out a dispensing phase of the apparatus by opening the first valve so as to create a vacuum in an area where the Venturi component is connected to the additive tank resulting in suction of additive from the additive tank to the clothes basket; and

carry out a self-cleaning phase of the apparatus by;

opening the second valve responsive to the liquid level sensor determining that the level of the additive in the additive tank reaches a predetermined level so as to wash the additive tank; and

opening the first valve after a specified duration of time so as to create the vacuum in the area where the Venturi component is connected to the additive tank resulting in suction of waste-water from the additive tank to the clothes basket.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the axis comprises one of a substantially vertical axis and a substantially horizontal axis.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a diverter valve to dispense from and to multiple locations, and an electrical motor for rotating a nozzle of the diverter valve to selectively establish flow connection with at least one of the multiple locations.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising one or more flow restrictions to create back pressure in the apparatus.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to carry out a default phase of the apparatus, wherein in carrying out the default phase, the processor is further configured to close the first valve and close the second valve to prevent water from flowing through the apparatus.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein in carrying out the dispensing phase, the suction of the additive from the additive tank comprises suction of the additive into the Venturi component where the additive mixes with a water flow, wherein the additive is transferred, via the water flow, out of the Venturi component to the clothes basket.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein in carrying out the self-cleaning phase, water flows into the additive tank through a dispensing hose and the waste-water is removed from the additive tank via the vacuum created by the Venturi component.