BULK DISPENSE USER ADJUSTABLE CONTROLS

• US 20090095028A1
• Filed: 10/12/2007
• Published: 04/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Vasan, Keerthi, Vitan, Craig R., Schuckmann, John, Burt, Ashley, Recio, Steven, Risen, Carl, Hoppe, Christopher, Todd, John M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,802,335 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 68/12.04
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/04 Quantity, e.g. weight or variation of weight
• 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 34/28 Arrangements for program selection, e.g. control panels therefor; Arrangements for indicating program parameters, e.g. the selected program or its progress

Abstract

Systems and methods for delivering an additive to an appliance are disclosed. The systems may include a user interface configured to accept a user input and a controller connected to the user interface. The controller may be configured to receive the user input and cause an additive delivery system to deliver at least one additive to the appliance. The methods include receiving an amount of the additive to be delivered to the appliance and receiving a time at which the additive is to be delivered to the appliance during a cycle. The method may further include activating an additive delivery system to deliver the amount of the additive at the time to the appliance.

Claims

1. A method for custom delivery of at least one additive to a household appliance, the method comprising:

receiving user input of an amount of the at least one additive to be delivered to the household appliance;

receiving user input defining timing of delivery of the amount of the at least one additive;

delivering the at least one additive in accordance with the amount and timing defined by the user input, wherein the amount and timing of delivery of the at least one additive is variable and defined by the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein delivery of the at least one additive may be in accordance with a customized program which may be retrieved and implemented to activate and direct an additive deliver system to deliver the at least one additive according to the customized program and the user inputs.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a load type identifier; and

retrieving from a memory a preprogrammed routine, the preprogrammed routine including instructions for activating an additive delivery system in accordance with the load type identifier.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the load type identifier comprises at least one of the follow:

a bath load, a bedding load, a garment load, a pet bedding load, an energy saver load, and an athletic load.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a tank selection, wherein the tank selection identifies at least one tank in an additive delivery system from which the at least one additive is to be drawn.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second amount of the at least one additive to be delivered to the household appliance;

receiving a second time the at least one additive is to be delivered to the household appliance; and

delivering the second amount of the at least one additive to the household appliance at the second time.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one additive delivered at the second time is a different additive than the additive delivered at the first time.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising delivering a second amount of the at least one additive at a second time during the cycle.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a load weight measurement; and

adjusting the amount of the at least one additive defined by the user for delivery to the household appliance in response to the load weight measurement.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising adjusting the at least one time the at least one additive is delivered to the household appliance in response to the load weight measurement.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a soil level indicator data; and

adjusting the amount of the at least one additive defined by the user for delivery to the household appliance in response to the soil level indicator data.

12. A apparatus for controlling delivery of additives to a household appliance, the apparatus comprising:

a memory storage; and

a processing unit coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processing unit is operative to;

receive user input from a user interface, wherein the user input defines an amount of at least one additive to be delivered to the household appliance and timing of delivery of the amount of the at least one additive;

retrieve a preprogrammed routine from the memory storage, the preprogrammed routine including commands that implement the delivery of the at least one additive in accordance with the amount and timing defined by the user input; and

send the commands to the additive delivery system, wherein the commands indicate at least one additive is to be delivered to an appliance and at what time during a cycle the at least one additive is to be delivered to the appliance.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the preprogrammed routine includes instructions for activating the additive delivery system in accordance with a load type identified.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the load type comprises at least one of the follow:

a bath load, a bedding load, a garment load, a pet bedding load, an energy saver load, and an athletic load.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to receive a tank selection, wherein the tank selection indicates a tank in the additive delivery system from which the at least one additive is to be drawn.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processor may be further configured to:

receive a load weight measurement; and

adjust the amount of the at least one additive defined by the user for delivery to the household appliance in response to the load weight measurement.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to:

deliver a first additive of the at least one additive at a first time during the cycle; and

deliver a second additive of the at least one additive at a second time during the cycle.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a water hardness indicator indicating the hardness of the water being delivered to the household appliance for use during the cycle; and

adjust the amount of the at least one additive being delivered to the household appliance in response to the water hardness indicator.

19. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a soil level; and

adjust the amount of the at least one additive being delivered to the household appliance in response to the soil level.

20. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to cause the additive delivery system to purge delivery lines of the additive delivery system prior to delivering the at least one additive.

21. A method for controlling delivery of additives to a household appliance, the method comprising:

receiving an amount of the at least one additive to be delivered to the household appliance;

receiving a time at which the at least one additive is to be delivered to the household appliance during a cycle, wherein the time received may be any timing sequence defined by a user;

receiving data representative water hardness and adjusting the amount of the at least one additive being delivered to the household appliance in response to the data representative water hardness; and

activating an additive delivery system, wherein the additive delivery system delivers the amount of the at least one additive at the time at which the at least one additive is to be delivered to the household appliance.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving a load weight measurement indicator data indicating how heavy a load of laundry is; and

adjusting the amount of the at least one additive delivered to the household appliance in response to the load weight measurement indicator data.

23. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

receive a soil level indicator data; and

adjusting the amount of the at least one additive being delivered to the household appliance in response to the soil level indicator data.