Household appliance having a physical alteration element

• US 9,970,148 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2012
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Alexander, Benjamin E., Black, Brian A., Latack, Thomas A., Rhodes, Matthew D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lorenzi, Marc
• Application Number:
  US13/596,357
• Publication Number:
  US 20140060595A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,086 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0055 Metering or indication of used products, e.g. type or quantity of detergent, rinse aid or salt; for measuring or controlling the product concentration
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4445 Detachable devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/02 Consumable products information, e.g. information on detergent, rinsing aid or salt; Dispensing device information, e.g. information on the type, e.g. detachable, or status of the device
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/30 Variation of electrical, magnetical or optical quantities
• 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 2103/44 Current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/38 Conditioning or finishing, e.g. control of perfume injection
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/42 Detergent or additive supply
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/58 Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/60 Audible signals
• 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 34/20 Parameters relating to constructional components, e.g. door sensors
• 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 39/02 Devices for adding soap or other washing agents
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/203 Laundry conditioning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/30 Drying processes controlling a series of operations in domestic laundry dryers D06F58/32

Abstract

A household appliance for treating at least one item according to at least one cycle of operation includes a treating chamber for receiving the at least one item for treatment according to the at least one cycle of operation, a treating chemistry dispenser receiving a unit dose container having an electrically conductive element, a physical alteration element located proximate to the treating chemistry dispenser and operable to physically alter at least a portion of the electrically conductive element and a sensor for sensing the physical alteration.

Claims

1. A household appliance for treating at least one item according to at least one cycle of operation, comprising:

a cabinet defining an interior;

a treating chamber for receiving the at least one item for treatment according to the at least one cycle of operation, where the treating chamber is located within the interior of the cabinet;

a treating chemistry dispenser located within the interior of the cabinet and exteriorly of the treating chamber and where the treating chemistry dispenser receives a unit dose container containing a treating chemistry and having an electrically conductive element;

a physical alteration element located proximate to the treating chemistry dispenser and operable between a (a) first position in which the physical alteration element does not physically alter at least a portion of the electrically conductive element and (b) a second position in which the physical alteration element physically alters at least a portion of the electrically conductive element;

an electrical sensor located proximate the unit dose container when the unit dose container is received within the treating chemistry dispenser, where the electrical sensor is configured to apply electricity to the electrically conductive element and electrically sense a characteristic of electricity flowing through the electrically conductive element with the physical alteration element in at least one of the first position, the second position, or the first and second positions, and provide an output indicative of the characteristic; and

a controller configured to;

determine that the unit dose container is one of an unused container or a previously used container based on the output received from the electrical sensor; and

control the at least one cycle of operation based on the determination that the unit dose container is an unused container or a previously used container including that the controller is configured to implement the at least one cycle of operation when the unit dose container is determined to be an unused container and cease the at least one cycle of operation when the unit dose container is determined to be a previously used container.

2. The household appliance of claim 1 wherein the physical alteration element comprises a piercer operable to perforate the unit dose container at a location of the electrically conductive element.

3. The household appliance of claim 2 wherein the piercer physically alters the electrically conductive element to electrically open the electrically conductive element.

4. The household appliance of claim 3 wherein the piercer completely severs the electrically conductive element.

5. The household appliance of claim 2 wherein the piercer comprises a piercing element movable between a piercing position, where the piercing element extends through the electrically conductive element and into the unit dose container, and a non-piercing position, where the piercing element resides exteriorly of the unit dose container.

6. The household appliance of claim 5 wherein the piercing element comprises a needle having a hollow interior through which the treating chemistry may be withdrawn.

7. The household appliance of claim 6 wherein the treating chemistry dispenser comprises a pump fluidly coupled to the hollow interior of the needle to pump the treating chemistry from the unit dose container.

8. The household appliance of claim 1 wherein the electrically conductive element comprises a conductive strip on the unit dose container.

9. The household appliance of claim 8 wherein the conductive strip has at least one of a resistance and a conductance different from an adjacent portion of the unit dose container.

10. The household appliance of claim 1 wherein the treating chemistry dispenser further comprises a drawer being slidable between a load position, where the unit dose container may be loaded into the drawer, and a use position, where the unit dose container is positioned for dispensing.

11. The household appliance of claim 1 wherein the electrical sensor is operably coupled to and controlled by the controller, which activates the physical alteration element after a dispensing of treating chemistry from the unit dose container during implementation of the at least one cycle of operation.

12. The household appliance of claim 1 wherein the electrical sensor is configured to apply an electrical potential between two portions of the electrically conductive element.

13. The household appliance of claim 12 wherein the electrical sensor is configured to sense an electrical current through the electrically conductive element to thereby sense a conductance.

14. The household appliance of claim 1 wherein the output is indicative of a resistance or conductance through the electrically conductive element.

15. The household appliance of claim 1 wherein the physical alteration element adds material to the electrically conductive element to change the conductance of the electrically conductive element.

16. The household appliance of claim 5 wherein the output is indicative of a resistance or conductance at a location where the piercing element extends through the unit dose container.