WASH CYCLES USING OXIDIZING AGENTS AND SENSORS

• US 20080276964A1
• Filed: 05/07/2007
• Published: 11/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: LUCKMAN, JOEL ADAM, DOYLE, COLLEEN M., HENDRICKSON, MICHAEL STEPHEN, WRIGHT, TREMITCHELL, AYKROYD, TIMOTHY NICHOLAS
• Granted Patent: US 7,904,985 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/18
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/04 Quantity, e.g. weight
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/04 Quantity, e.g. weight or variation of weight
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/20 Washing liquid condition, e.g. turbidity
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/42 Detergent or additive supply
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/37 of metering of detergents or additives
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/18 Condition of the laundry, e.g. nature or weight

Abstract

A substrate treating appliance utilizing a plurality of different chemistries for different cycles or different wash loads with a plurality of receptacles for receiving a plurality of cartridges containing the different chemistries. Each receptacle has one half of a lock and key connection arrangement providing a unique interconnection configuration at each receptacle, relative to the remaining receptacles, permitting only a selected type of chemistry cartridge to be accepted at a particular receptacle. A connection effected between the cartridge and the receptacle occurs by rotation of the cartridge relative to the receptacle between an insertion orientation and a locking orientation. Each receptacle is shaped to receive a cylindrical mouth wall of a particular type of chemistry cartridge. Each receptacle may also be uniquely sized, relative to the remaining receptacles, to accept only a selected type of chemistry cartridge. The plurality of receptacles may be arranged adjacent to one another with each cartridge having a configuration that prevents insertion of a cartridge into a receptacle unless every cartridge located in an adjacent receptacle is rotated to the locking orientation.

Claims

1. A wash cycle comprising the steps:

loading a wash machine with a fabric load for cleaning,

selecting a wash cycle based on at least a color of the fabric load,

determining a load size and type,

dispensing wash water into the wash machine to form a wash liquor,

sensing water quality of the wash water,

determining an amount of detergent to add into the wash liquor and a length of time for the wash liquor to be presented to the wash load based on the previous selecting, determining and sensing steps,

determining an amount of oxidizing agent to add into the wash liquor and a time for adding the oxidizing agent to the wash liquor based on the selecting, determining and sensing steps,

performing washing steps of flexing the fabric load in the presence of the wash liquor, rinsing the fabric load and extracting liquid from the fabric load, while dispensing the detergent and oxidizing agent in accordance with the determinations made, and

drying the load based on the selecting, determining and sensing steps.

2. The wash cycle according to claim 1, wherein the step of selecting a wash cycle based on at least a color of the fabric load includes a step of automatically sensing a color of the fabric load in the wash zone.

3. The wash cycle according to claim 2, wherein the step of automatically sensing a color of the fabric load includes lighting an interior of the wash zone once the fabric load has been loaded and capturing a digital image of the fabric load

4. The wash cycle according to claim 3, wherein the step of capturing a digital image includes translating pixels of the resultant image into specific red, green and blue components, determining an intensity or effective emissivity of each component and combining the determined intensities.

5. The wash cycle according to claim 4 wherein, the cycle is selected and controlled based on the determined intensity or effective emissivity.

6. The drying step according to claim 4, wherein the drying step is controlled based on the determined intensities or effective emissivity.

7. The wash cycle according to claim 2, wherein the step of automatically sensing a color of the fabric load includes lighting an interior of the wash zone once the fabric load has been loaded and scanning the fabric load using selective light filtering.

8. The wash cycle according to claim 1, further including a step of controlling at least one of the pH and ORP of the wash liquor during the performing step.

9. The wash cycle according to claim 1, wherein the step of sensing water quality of the wash water comprises sensing at least one of pH, ORP, temperature, conductivity and turbidity of the wash water.

10. The wash cycle according to claim 1, including a step of sensing quality of the wash liquor during each of the washing steps.

11. The wash cycle according to claim 10, wherein the step of sensing quality of the wash liquor comprises sensing at least one of pH, ORP, temperature, conductivity and turbidity of the wash water.

12. A wash cycle comprising the steps:

loading a wash machine with a fabric load for cleaning,

selecting a wash cycle based on at least a color of the fabric load,

dispensing a wash liquor into the wash machine,

determining an amount of detergent to add into the wash liquor and a length of time for the wash liquor to be presented to the wash load based on the selecting step,

determining an amount of oxidizing agent to add into the wash liquor and a time for adding the oxidizing agent to the wash liquor based on the selecting step,

performing washing steps of recirculating the wash liquor through the fabric load, rinsing the fabric load and extracting liquid from the fabric load, while dispensing the detergent and oxidizing agent in accordance with the determinations made.

13. The wash cycle according to claim 12, wherein the step of selecting a wash cycle based on at least a color of the fabric load includes a step of automatically sensing a color of the fabric load in the wash zone.

14. The wash cycle according to claim 13, wherein the step of automatically sensing a color of the fabric load includes lighting an interior of the wash zone once the fabric load has been loaded and capturing a digital image of the fabric load.

15. The wash cycle according to claim 14, wherein the step of capturing a digital image includes translating pixels of the resultant image into specific red, green and blue components, determining an intensity of each component and combining the determined intensities.

16. The wash cycle according to claim 13, wherein the step of automatically sensing a color of the fabric load includes lighting an interior of the wash zone once the fabric load has been loaded and scanning the fabric load using selective light filtering.

17. The wash cycle according to claim 12, further including the step of controlling at least one of pH and ORP of the wash liquor during the performing step.

18. The wash cycle according to claim 12, further including a step of sensing a quality of the wash liquor by sensing at least one of pH, ORP, temperature and turbidity of the wash liquor.

19. The wash cycle according to claim 12, including a step of sensing a quality of the wash liquor during each of the washing steps.

20. The wash cycle according to claim 19, wherein the step of sensing a quality of the wash liquor comprises sensing at least one of pH, ORP, temperature and turbidity of the wash liquor.

21. A wash appliance comprising:

a wash zone configured to receive a load of fabric to be washed in a wash liquor during a wash cycle,

lighting apparatus arranged to illuminate the wash zone and the fabric load in the wash zone,

a digital optical device arranged to capture a digital image of the illuminated fabric load in the wash zone,

at least one sensor arranged to sense a characteristic of the wash liquor during the wash cycle, the characteristic selected from the group consisting of pH, ORP, temperature, conductivity and turbidity.