Washer and washer control with cycles for laundry additives and color safe bleaches/in-wash stain removers

• US 9,091,010 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2007
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Luckman, Joel Adam, Aykroyd, Timothy Nicholas, Wright, Tremitchell, Hendrickson, Michael Stephen, Doyle, Colleen M., Riehle, Robert D., Adams, Joseph W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barr, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bucci, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US11/745,004
• Publication Number:
  US 20080276655A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,004 Days
• Field of Search: 68/120.2, 68/121.8, 68/13.R, 682/07, 814/7, 134/18, 134/56.R
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/12 Washing temperature
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/14 Time settings
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/02 Characteristics of laundry or load
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/16 Washing liquid temperature
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/18 Washing liquid level
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/38 Time, e.g. duration
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/04 from separate hot and cold water inlets
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/42 Detergent or additive supply
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/00 Control of operations performed in washing machines or washer-dryers D06F31/00 takes precedence; details of control systems therefor D06F34/00; control of operations performed in domestic laundry dryers D06F58/32
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/37 of metering of detergents or additives
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/06 Timing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/28 Arrangements for program selection, e.g. control panels therefor; Arrangements for indicating program parameters, e.g. the selected program or its progress
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 35/008 for disinfecting the tub or the drum
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/02 Devices for adding soap or other washing agents

Abstract

A washer and a control for an automatic washer to operate the washer through a wash cycle selected based upon a range of conditions of a fabric load to be washed. The control has a plurality of selectable stain type entrées, each with a particular dedicated wash cycle. The control also has dispensing control over at least two wash liquor additives, one being a detergent and the other being an oxidizing agent. The control operates the dedicated wash cycles, as selected, using both the detergent and the oxidizing agent, however, the detergent and the oxidizing agent may be dispensed in different orders and at different times and in different amounts, depending on the stain type selected.

Claims

1. A control for an automatic washer to operate the washer through a dedicated wash cycle automatically selected based upon a range of conditions of the fabric load to be washed,

the control having at least one of a control interface and an electronic input to permit the selection of one of a plurality of stain type entré

es stored in a memory of the control, each with a particular dedicated wash cycle also stored in the memory of the control,

the control being operatively connected to chambers for at least two wash liquor additives, comprising a detergent and an oxidizing agent, to provide dispensing control for selectively dispensing the detergent and the oxidizing agent during the wash cycle,

the control being operatively connected to control the dedicated wash cycles, as automatically selected, using both the detergent and the oxidizing agent, the dedicated wash cycles stored in the control memory being arranged to cause the dispensing of the detergent and the oxidizing agent in different orders, in different amounts and at different times, depending on the stain type selected.

2. The control according to claim 1, wherein the stain types include at least one of grass, blood, cocoa, carbon, red wine, tea, coffee perspiration, dirt, mud and oily soils.

3. The control according to claim 1, wherein the at least one of a control interface and an electronic input permit the selection of water level entré

es.

4. The control according to claim 3, wherein the water level entré

es comprise high, low and regular water levels.

5. The control according to claim 1, wherein the at least one of a control interface and an electronic input permit the selection of recirculation of the wash liquor.

6. The control according to claim 1, wherein the at least one of a control interface and an electronic input permit the selection of agitation time entré

es.

7. The control according to claim 6, wherein the agitation time entré

es comprise short, extended and regular agitation times.

8. The control according to claim 1, wherein the at least one of a control interface and an electronic input permit the selection of water temperature entré

es.

9. The control according to claim 8, wherein the water temperature entré

es comprise hot, warm, cold and any temperature.

10. The control according to claim 1, wherein the control is arranged to dispense the oxidizing agent either instantaneously in bulk or at a controlled rate.

11. The control according to claim 1, the control interface comprises a user input for selecting at least one of the stain type entré

es.

12. The control according to claim 1, wherein the electronic input is arranged to receive a signal indicative of at least one of the stain type entré

es.

16. A control according to claim 1, further including the control having dispensing control over hot water and cold water inlet valves, and the control having a timer.

17. The control according to claim 16, wherein the at least one of a control interface and an electronic input permit the selection of water level entré

es.

18. The control according to claim 16, wherein the at least one of a control interface and an electronic input permit the selection of agitation time entré

es.

19. The control according to claim 16, wherein the at least one of a control interface and an electronic input permit the selection of water temperature entré

es.

13. An automatic washer for cleaning a load of fabric, comprising:

a wash zone for receiving the load of fabric,

a first chamber for receiving a detergent additive,

a second chamber for receiving an oxidizing agent additive, and

a control arranged to operate the washer through a dedicated wash cycle automatically selected based upon a range of conditions of the fabric load to be washed,

the control having at least one of a control interface and an electronic input to permit the selection of one of a plurality of stain type entré

es stored in a memory of the control, each with a particular dedicated wash cycle also stored in the memory of the control,

the control being operatively connected to the first chamber and the second chamber to provide dispensing control for selectively dispensing the detergent and the oxidizing agent during the wash cycle,

the control being operatively connected to control the dedicated wash cycles, as automatically selected, using both the detergent and the oxidizing agent, the dedicated wash cycles stored in the control memory being arranged to cause the dispensing of the detergent and the oxidizing agent in different orders, in different amounts and at different times, depending on the stain type selected.

14. The automatic washer according to claim 13, wherein the wash zone is located in a rotatable drum.

15. The automatic washer according to claim 13, wherein the first and second chambers are separate from one another.

20. A method of controlling an automatic washer stored in a computer readable memory to permit a control for the automatic washer to operate the washer through a dedicated wash cycle automatically selected based upon a range of conditions of the fabric load to be washed, the steps of the method comprising:

receiving one of a plurality of selectable stain type entré

es, each entré

e having a particular dedicated wash cycle,

exerting dispensing control over at least two wash liquor additives, comprising a detergent and an oxidizing agent,

operating the dedicated wash cycles, as automatically selected, using both the detergent and the oxidizing agent, however, dispensing the detergent and the oxidizing agent in different orders, in different amounts and at different times, depending on the stain type selected.