System and associated method for preventing overfilling in a dishwasher

• US 8,876,980 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2010
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Incorporated (AB Electrolux)
• Original Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Incorporated (AB Electrolux)
• Inventors: Poyner, Dennis A., Mitchell, Glen, Duckworth, Jason, DeFilippi, John, Francisco, Virgil J.
• Primary Examiner(s): GOLIGHTLY, ERIC WAYNE
• Application Number:
  US12/827,784
• Publication Number:
  US 20120000535A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,588 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 134/18
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0049 Detection or prevention of malfunction, including accident prevention arrangements to prevent clogging of filters A47L15/4208; safety arrangements for preventing water damage A47L15/421
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4217 Fittings for water supply, e.g. valves or plumbing means to connect to cold or warm water lines, aquastops
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4223 Devices for water discharge, e.g. devices to prevent siphoning, non-return valves
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4244 Water-level measuring or regulating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/09 Water level
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/20 Time, e.g. elapsed operating time
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/22 Number of operational cycles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/01 Water supply, e.g. opening or closure of the water inlet valve
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/02 Water discharge, e.g. opening or closure of discharge valve
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/04 Water pressure or flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/05 Drain or recirculation pump, e.g. regulation of the pump rotational speed or flow direction
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/26 Indication or alarm to the controlling device or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0267 Fault communication, e.g. human machine interface [HMI]
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0291 Switching into safety or degraded mode, e.g. protection and supervision after failure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/729 Washing machine cycle control

Abstract

A method, system, and computer-program product for preventing overfilling in a dishwasher are disclosed herein. According to one embodiment, a method for preventing overfilling in a dishwasher is provided, wherein the dishwasher includes a water valve for providing water to the dishwasher and a drain pump for removing water from the dishwasher. The method comprises detecting an overfill condition in the dishwasher with at least one detection device, wherein the overfill condition corresponds to a water level in the dishwasher that is greater than a predetermined threshold. The method further includes controlling the drain pump and the water valve in response to detecting the overfill condition in order to facilitate removal of the overfill condition.

Claims

1. A method for preventing overfilling in a dishwasher, wherein the dishwasher comprises a water valve configured to provide water to the dishwasher and a drain pump configured to remove water from the dishwasher, the method comprising:

detecting an overfill condition in the dishwasher with at least one detection device, the overfill condition corresponding to a water level in the dishwasher that is greater than a predetermined threshold;

executing a pump-out cycle in response to detecting the overfill condition, wherein the pump-out cycle comprises actuating the drain pump and deactuating the water valve in order to facilitate removal of the overfill condition;

determining if the overfill condition has been removed; and

executing at least one error routine to diagnose an error in at least one component of the dishwasher in response to determining that the overfill condition has not been removed, wherein the at least one error routine comprises executing a water valve error routine, the water valve error routine comprising;

determining if a threshold number of consecutive overfill conditions have been detected; and

executing, in response to determining that the threshold number of consecutive overfill conditions has been detected, an ongoing pump-out cycle until the overfill condition is removed.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein executing the pump-out cycle comprises executing the pump-out cycle:

i.) until the overfill condition is removed, or ii.) for a predetermined amount of time.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising deactuating the drain pump when the overfill condition is removed.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein executing the water valve error routine further comprises:

determining a flow rate of the water through the water valve and an elapsed time between successive pump-out cycles; and

setting the ongoing pump-out cycle to correspond to the flow rate of the water through the water valve and the elapsed time between successive pump-out cycles.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein executing the water valve error routine further comprises providing a water valve error signal in response to determining that the threshold number of consecutive overfill conditions has been detected.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein executing the at least one error routine comprises executing a drain pump/detection device error routine, the drain pump/detection device error routine comprising:

determining, in response to determining that the overfill condition has not been removed, if water is present in the dishwasher with a sensing device following execution of the pump-out cycle for a predetermined period of time.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the drain pump/detection device error routine further comprises providing a detection device error signal in response to sensing no water in the dishwasher.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the drain pump/detection device error routine further comprises providing a drain pump error signal in response to sensing the presence of water in the dishwasher.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the determining step comprises determining whether water is present in the dishwasher with a sensing device comprising a turbidity sensor.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein executing the at least one error routine comprises executing a clog error routine, the clog error routine comprising:

executing the pump-out cycle for a predetermined period of time; and

determining if the overfill condition has been removed after the predetermined period of time.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the clog error routine further comprises providing a drain filter error signal or a drain hose error signal in response to determining that the overfill condition has not been removed after the predetermined period of time.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the detecting step comprises detecting an overfill condition with at least one detection device comprising a float and a float switch, wherein the float is movable in relation to the float switch such that the float switch is configured to be actuated when the float is activated by an overfill condition.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein detecting comprises detecting an overfill condition with at least one magnetically actuated reed switch configured to be actuated in response to movement of a magnet associated with the float.

16. The system according to claim 5, wherein the float switch comprises at least one magnetically actuated reed switch configured to be actuated in response to movement of a magnet associated with the float.

14. A system for preventing overfilling in a dishwasher, the system comprising:

a water valve configured to provide water to the dishwasher;

a drain pump configured to remove water from the dishwasher;

at least one detection device configured to detect an overfill condition in the dishwasher, the overfill condition corresponding to a water level in the dishwasher that is greater than a predetermined threshold; and

a control device configured to execute a pump-out cycle in response to detecting the overfill condition, wherein the pump-out cycle comprises actuating the drain pump and deactuating the water valve in order to facilitate removal of the overfill condition, wherein the control device is further configured to determine if the overfill condition has been removed and execute at least one error routine to diagnose an error in at least one component of the dishwasher in response to determining that the overfill condition has not been removed, wherein the at least one error routine comprises executing a water valve error routine, the water valve error routine comprising;

determining if a threshold number of consecutive overfill conditions have been detected; and

executing, in response to determining that the threshold number of consecutive overfill conditions has been detected, an ongoing pump-out cycle until the overfill condition is removed.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the at least one detection device comprises a float and a float switch, wherein the float is movable in relation to the float switch such that the float switch is configured to be actuated when the float is activated by an overfill condition.

17. The system according to claim 14 further comprising a turbidity sensor for sensing the presence of water in the dishwasher and communicating with the control device.

19. The system according to claim 14, wherein executing the at least one error routine comprises executing a drain pump/detection device error routine, the drain pump/detection device error routine comprising:

determining, in response to determining that the overfill condition has not been removed, if water is present in the dishwasher with a sensing device following execution of the pump-out cycle for a predetermined period of time.

20. The system according to claim 14, wherein executing the at least one error routine comprises executing a clog error routine, the clog error routine comprising:

executing the pump-out cycle for a predetermined period of time; and

determining if the overfill condition has been removed after the predetermined period of time.

18. A computer program product for preventing overfilling in a dishwasher, wherein the dishwasher comprises a water valve configured to provide water to the dishwasher and a drain pump configured to remove water from the dishwasher, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

a first executable portion configured to detect an overfill condition in the dishwasher with at least one detection device, the overfill condition corresponding to a water level in the dishwasher that is greater than a predetermined threshold;

a second executable portion configured to execute a pump-out cycle in response to detecting the overfill condition, wherein the pump-out cycle comprises actuating the drain pump and deactuating the water valve in order to facilitate removal of the overfill condition;

a third executable portion configured to determine if the overfill condition has been removed; and

a fourth executable portion configured to execute at least one error routine to diagnose an error in at least one component of the dishwasher in response to determining that the overfill condition has not been removed, wherein the at least one error routine comprises executing a water valve error routine, the water valve error routine comprising;

determining if a threshold number of consecutive overfill conditions have been detected; and

executing, in response to determining that the threshold number of consecutive overfill conditions has been detected, an ongoing pump-out cycle until the overfill condition is removed.