Methods and apparatus to detect treating chemistries in laundry appliances

• US 9,587,339 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2014
• Issued: 03/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Goshgarian, David P., McAllister, Karl David
• Primary Examiner(s): Perrin, Joseph L
• Application Number:
  US14/506,753
• Publication Number:
  US 20160097149A1
• Time in Patent Office: 883 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/00 Parameters monitored or detected for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/52 Changing sequence of operational steps; Carrying out additional operational steps; Modifying operational steps, e.g. by extending duration of steps
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/30 Control of washing machines characterised by the purpose or target of the control controlling processes of washer-dryers D06F33/50
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/022 in a liquid state D06F39/024 takes precedence

Abstract

An example laundry treating appliance includes a tub, a rotatable drum disposed in the tub and defining a treating chamber in which laundry is received for treatment according to a cycle of operation, a treating chemistry dispenser having an outlet and a cup having a siphon, configured to dispense a treating chemistry into at least one of the tub or the drum, a sensor, and a controller configured to at least: introduce a predetermined amount of liquid into the cup sufficient to activate the siphon if a predetermined amount of the treating chemistry is present in the cup; detect whether the siphon activates in response to the predetermined amount of liquid based on an output of the sensor; and modify cycle of operation based on whether the siphon activates in response to the predetermined amount of liquid.

Claims

1. A laundry treating appliance comprising;

a tub;

a rotatable drum disposed in the tub and defining a treating chamber in which laundry is received for treatment according to a cycle of operation;

a treating chemistry dispenser having an outlet and a cup having a siphon, configured to dispense a treating chemistry into at least one of the tub or the drum;

a sensor to sense the presence of an amount of liquid; and

a controller configured to;

introduce a predetermined amount of liquid into the cup sufficient to activate the siphon if a predetermined amount of the treating chemistry is present in the cup;

determine whether the siphon activates in response to the predetermined amount of liquid based on an output of the sensor; and

modify the cycle of operation based on whether the siphon activates in response to the predetermined amount of liquid.

2. A laundry treating appliance as defined in claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

introduce an additional predetermined amount of liquid into the cup sufficient to activate the siphon if another predetermined amount of treating chemistry is present in the cup;

determine whether the siphon activates in response to the additional predetermined amount of liquid based the output of the sensor; and

modify the cycle of operation based on whether the siphon activates in response to the additional predetermined amount of liquid.

3. A laundry treating appliance as defined in claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises an analog pressure sensor output associated with a sump of the laundry treating appliance, and wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine an initial in rush of liquid into the sump based on the analog pressure sensor output; and

collect samples of a signal output by the analog pressure sensor subsequent to the in rush; and

detect a progressive increase of liquid in the sump based on the collected samples.

4. A laundry treating appliance as defined in claim 1, wherein the sensor is associated with the cup.

5. A laundry treating appliance as defined in claim 4, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a displacement sensor, a mass sensor, a Hall Effect sensor, an accelerometer, a capacitive sensor, or a float.

6. A laundry treating appliance as defined in claim 1, wherein the sensor is associated with the siphon.

7. A laundry treating appliance as defined in claim 6, wherein the sensor comprises a capacitive sensor.

8. A laundry treating appliance as defined in claim 1, wherein the sensor is associated with the outlet of the dispenser.

9. A laundry treating appliance as defined in claim 8, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a turbidity sensor or a piezoelectric sensor.

10. A laundry treating appliance as defined in claim 1, wherein the controller comprises:

a processor; and

processor-readable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to;

introduce the predetermined amount of the liquid into the cup;

determine whether the siphon activates in response to the predetermined amount of liquid; and

modify the cycle of operation based on whether the siphon activates in response to the predetermined amount of liquid.