U.S. patent application number 17/149092 was filed with the patent office on 2021-05-06 for laundry treating appliance with stain station.
The applicant listed for this patent is WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION. Invention is credited to ERIC A. GALLAGHER, KURT L. MASCIOVECCHIO, MICHAEL T. MOORE, ROBERT J. PINKOWSKI, BRIAN ROGERS, DAVID SCHARICH, III, GUY STORMO, RAY THOMPSON.
Application Number | 20210131016 17/149092 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005341501 |
Filed Date | 2021-05-06 |
![](/patent/app/20210131016/US20210131016A1-20210506\US20210131016A1-2021050)
United States Patent
Application |
20210131016 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
GALLAGHER; ERIC A. ; et
al. |
May 6, 2021 |
LAUNDRY TREATING APPLIANCE WITH STAIN STATION
Abstract
A laundry treating appliance, such as a clothes washer, either
vertical or horizontal axis, can have a bulk dispenser capable of
dispensing multiple doses of treating chemistry from a reservoir of
treating chemistry. A housing fluidly couples a supply of water and
the treating chemistry for supplying both to a treating chamber
within the laundry treating appliance.
Inventors: |
GALLAGHER; ERIC A.;
(KALAMAZOO, MI) ; MASCIOVECCHIO; KURT L.;
(STEVENSVILLE, MI) ; MOORE; MICHAEL T.; (PAW PAW,
MI) ; PINKOWSKI; ROBERT J.; (BARODA, MI) ;
ROGERS; BRIAN; (WATERVLIET, MI) ; SCHARICH, III;
DAVID; (SAINT JOSEPH, MI) ; STORMO; GUY;
(STEVENSVILLE, MI) ; THOMPSON; RAY; (SOUTH BEND,
IN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION |
BENTON HARBOR |
MI |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005341501 |
Appl. No.: |
17/149092 |
Filed: |
January 14, 2021 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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15228603 |
Aug 4, 2016 |
10914028 |
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17149092 |
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62200706 |
Aug 4, 2015 |
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62345072 |
Jun 3, 2016 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D06F 34/28 20200201;
D06F 39/02 20130101; D06F 2204/088 20130101; D06F 2202/02 20130101;
D06F 39/088 20130101; D06F 39/12 20130101; D06F 2204/02 20130101;
D06F 33/00 20130101; D06F 35/006 20130101; D06F 39/022
20130101 |
International
Class: |
D06F 39/02 20060101
D06F039/02 |
Claims
1. A stain station for a laundry treating appliance having a
treating chamber for treating laundry according to a cycle of
operation, the stain station comprising: at least one treating
chemistry conduit; one or more nozzles for dispensing a volume of
treating chemistry to the treating chamber; and at least one
actuator disposed on the laundry treating appliance for selectively
dispensing treating chemistry from one or more of the nozzles.
2. The stain station of claim 1 further comprising at least one
sensor providing a sensor output indicative of an amount of
treating chemistry dispensed through one or more nozzles.
3. The stain station of claim 2 further comprising a controller
operably coupled to the at least one sensor to receive the sensor
output and reduce the treating chemistry supplied to the treating
chamber for a selected cycle of operation based on the sensor
output.
4. The stain station of claim 1 wherein the stain station is
fluidly coupled to at least one bulk treating chemistry
reservoir.
5. The stain station of claim 1 further comprising at least one
pump.
6. The stain station of claim 5 further comprising at least one
dedicated actuator, wherein actuation of the at least one dedicated
actuator causes the pump to discharge a treating chemistry from the
treating chemistry dispenser through the treating chemistry conduit
toward the treating chamber.
7. The stain station of claim 6 wherein the at least one treating
chemistry conduit is directed toward the treating chamber, and
wherein actuation of the at least one dedicated actuator causes a
discharge of treating chemistry from the at least one treating
chemistry conduit toward the treating chamber.
8. The stain station of claim 6 wherein the at least one dedicated
actuator comprises multiple actuators, and wherein the multiple
actuators are coupled to the one or more nozzles, with the multiple
actuators and nozzles arranged in pairs.
9. The stain station of claim 6 further comprising at least one
nozzle disposed on a terminal end of the treating chemistry
conduit.
10. The stain station of claim 9 further comprising at least one
sensor providing a sensor output indicative of an amount of
treating chemistry dispensed through the at least one treating
chemistry conduit.
11. The stain station of claim 9 further comprising a controller
operably coupled to the at least one sensor to receive the sensor
output and reduce a volume of treating chemistry supplied to the
treating chamber for a selected cycle of operation based on the
sensor output.
12. The stain station of claim 1 wherein the stain station further
comprises a water conduit, providing for a mixed discharge of water
and treating chemistry from the stain station.
13. A stain station for a laundry treating appliance having a
treating chamber for treating laundry according to a cycle of
operation, the stain station comprising: a treating chemistry
conduit; a bulk treating chemistry reservoir; at least one nozzle
fluidly coupled to the treating chamber; a pump fluidly coupling
the bulk treating chemistry reservoir to the treating chemistry
conduit; and at least one dedicated actuator corresponding to the
at least one nozzle and operably connected to the pump, wherein
actuation of the at least one dedicated actuator causes the pump to
discharge a treating chemistry through the treating chemistry
conduit toward the treating chamber and through the at least one
nozzle.
14. The stain station of claim 13, further comprising at least one
nozzle disposed on a terminal end of the treating chemistry
conduit.
15. The stain station of claim 14, wherein the at least one
dedicated actuator comprises multiple actuators, and the at least
one nozzle comprises multiple nozzles, and wherein the multiple
actuators are coupled to the multiple nozzles.
16. The stain station of claim 13, further comprising at least one
sensor providing a sensor output indicative of an amount of
treating chemistry dispensed through the treating chemistry
conduit.
17. The stain station of claim 16, further comprising a controller
operably coupled to the at least one sensor to receive a sensor
output and reduce a volume of treating chemistry supplied to the
treating chamber for a selected cycle of operation based on the
sensor output.
18. The stain station of claim 17, wherein the volume of treating
chemistry is reduced by an amount of treating chemistry indicated
by the sensor output.
19. The stain station of claim 18, further comprising a user
interface in communication with the pump, wherein the pump can be
selectively controlled by a user through the user interface.
20. The stain station of claim 13 further comprising a water
conduit, providing for a mixed discharge of water and treating
chemistry from the treating chemistry station.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a divisional of and claims the benefit
of U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 15/228,603,
filed Aug. 4, 2016, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional
Patent Application No. 62/200,706, filed Aug. 4, 2015, and U.S.
Provisional Patent Application No. 62/345,072, filed Jun. 3, 2016,
all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their
entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Laundry treating appliances, such as clothes washers,
refreshers, and non-aqueous systems, can have a configuration based
on a rotating drum that defines a treating chamber in which laundry
items are placed for treating. Historically, residential or
home-use versions of these appliances have single dose dispensers,
with provided compartment or cups, typically in a drawer or under a
cover, in which the user of the appliance would fill with a dose of
treating chemistry that was sufficient for the cycle of operation
to be selected. Recently, bulk dispensers, i.e. dispensers holding
multiple doses of a treating chemistry, have become more common,
yet with single dose dispensers still being dominate.
[0003] The bulk dispensers can be more convenient in that they
relieve the user from having to fill the single dose dispenser for
every cycle. However, the particular implementation of current bulk
dispensers has created its own inconvenience. In some
implementations, the bulk dispenser relies on a proprietary
cartridge, which some users find inconvenient. In some
implementations, the bulk dispenser was integrated with the
traditional single dose dispenser, which limited the bulk dispenser
to hold only a few doses of treating chemistry, which failed to
fully realize the convenience and benefit that can be provided by a
bulk dispenser.
[0004] Furthermore, user dosing of treating chemistry is typically
inaccurate based upon load size or soil level. A user will
arbitrarily add an amount of treating chemistry or a single dose of
treating chemistry, which is typically more or less chemistry than
what is needed to properly clean the laundry items. As such, a
typical user can waste a large amount of treating chemistry in an
attempt to properly dose the laundry.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0005] According to an aspect of the invention, a laundry treating
appliance for treating laundry according to a cycle of operation.
The laundry treating appliance includes a chassis defining an
interior and a treating chamber located within the interior
defining an access opening. A fascia couples to the chassis and
overlies at least a portion of the access opening. A treating
chemistry station includes an actuator and a treating chemistry
conduit. The actuator is located on the fascia where actuation of
the actuator causes a discharge of treating chemistry from the
treating chemistry conduit.
[0006] According to another aspect of the invention, a stain
station for a laundry treating appliance having a treating chamber
for treating laundry according to a cycle of operation includes a
fascia overlying at least a portion of the treating chamber. The
stain station further includes one or more nozzles for dispensing a
volume of treating chemistry to the treating chamber. At least one
actuator disposed on the fascia for selectively dispensing a volume
of treating chemistry from one or more of the nozzles.
[0007] According to yet another aspect of the invention, a method
of treating laundry in a laundry treating appliance according to a
selected cycle of operation includes: (1) determining an amount of
treating chemistry dispensed during a pre-treating operation to
define a determined amount of pre-treating chemistry; (2) reducing
a predetermined amount of treating chemistry for the selected cycle
of operation based on the determined amount of pre-treating
chemistry to define a reduced treating chemistry amount; and (3)
dispensing the reduced treating chemistry amount during the
executing of the selected cycle of operation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] In the drawings:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a laundry treating appliance
in the form of a washing machine and a bulk dispenser according to
a first embodiment of the invention.
[0010] FIG. 2 is a schematic of a control system of the laundry
treating appliance of FIG. 1 according to the first embodiment of
the invention.
[0011] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a contemporary retail store
shelf offering a variety of off-the-shelf bulk containers suitable
for use in the bulk dispenser, with one of the bulk containers
enlarged for detail.
[0012] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a container adapter for
coupling the bulk container of FIG. 3 to the bulk dispenser.
[0013] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one implementation of the
container adapter of FIG. 4.
[0014] FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the container adapter of FIG.
5.
[0015] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the container adapter of
FIG. 5 within optional sizing rings.
[0016] FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the container adapter of FIG.
7.
[0017] FIGS. 9-11 illustrate an umbrella seal for drawing ambient
air into a bulk container.
[0018] FIG. 12 is a schematic of the liquid interface.
[0019] FIG. 13 is an exploded view of one implementation of the
liquid interface of FIG. 12.
[0020] FIG. 14 is a perspective view illustrating the operational
positions of the liquid interface of FIG. 13.
[0021] FIG. 15 is a perspective view illustrating another
implementation of the liquid interface of FIG. 12.
[0022] FIG. 16 is a perspective view illustrating another
implementation of the liquid interface of FIG. 12.
[0023] FIGS. 17, 18A, and 18B illustrate a pump system and example
pumps for providing a volume of treating chemistry from a bulk
container to a water conduit.
[0024] FIG. 19 illustrates a venturi for providing a volume of
treating chemistry from a bulk container to the water conduit.
[0025] FIG. 20 is a schematic illustrating different treating
chemistry supply approaches.
[0026] FIGS. 21-23 illustrate spray patterns for dispensing
treating chemistry into a washing machine.
[0027] FIGS. 24-26 illustrate nozzles for dispensing treating
chemistry into the washing machine in the patterns of FIGS.
21-23.
[0028] FIGS. 27-28 illustrate a system for coupling a bulk
container to a water pressure pump in the washing machine.
[0029] FIG. 29 illustrates a dispensing system for providing
treating chemistry to the washing machine from two water pressure
pumps of FIGS. 27-28.
[0030] FIG. 30 illustrates the dispensing system of FIG. 29
including a tubed design.
[0031] FIG. 31 illustrates the dispensing system of FIG. 29
including a tubeless design.
[0032] FIG. 32 illustrates a flow path for the dispensing system of
FIG. 31.
[0033] FIGS. 33-37 illustrate different locations for the bulk
container relative to the washing machine.
[0034] FIGS. 38-39 illustrate a bulk container disposed behind a
user interface on the washing machine.
[0035] FIGS. 40-41 illustrate the bulk container of FIGS. 38-39
utilizing a valve connection integrated into the washing
machine.
[0036] FIGS. 42-43 illustrate the bulk container of FIGS. 38-39
with an outlet for connecting the bulk container to the washing
machine.
[0037] FIGS. 44-46 illustrate a bulk container mounted to the rear
of the washing machine having inlets disposed beneath a lid.
[0038] FIG. 47 illustrates a tip out panel for storing and
connecting a bulk container to a washing machine.
[0039] FIG. 48 illustrates a top view of the tip out panel of FIG.
47 having apertures for receiving a bulk volume of treating
chemistry.
[0040] FIGS. 49-50 illustrate examples of storing a bulk dispenser
or bulk container in the tip out panel.
[0041] FIG. 51 illustrates a slot in a seat at the door for
receiving a bulk container in the slot.
[0042] FIG. 52 illustrates inlets in a seat for receiving a door to
close a treating chamber, having bulk reservoirs fluidly coupled to
the inlets.
[0043] FIGS. 53-55 illustrate a bulk container integrated into a
washing machine door.
[0044] FIG. 56 illustrates a hyper-slippery coating or surface for
the bulk containers described herein.
[0045] FIG. 57 illustrates a fascia for protecting the nozzles of
FIGS. 24-26.
[0046] FIGS. 58A-58B illustrates a stain station for selectively
treating an article prior to a washing cycle.
[0047] FIG. 59 illustrates multiple methods for providing feedback
to a user indicating proper dispensing of treating chemistry.
[0048] FIG. 60 illustrates a bulk dispensing system for fitting a
washing machine for bulk dispensing.
[0049] FIG. 61 illustrates a connection chart detailing the
elements of the bulk dispensing system of FIG. 60.
[0050] FIG. 62 illustrates a schematic of a wall mounted bulk
dispensing unit for the bulk dispensing system of FIGS. 60-61.
[0051] FIG. 63 illustrates an overview of a bulk washing system
incorporating multiple elements from FIGS. 1-62.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0052] Embodiments of the invention relate to a laundry treating
appliance having a bulk dispenser with a treating chemistry
reservoir in the form of an off-the-shelf, container of treating
chemistry. Using the off-the-shelf container makes the container
independent of the bulk dispenser, unlike proprietary containers
that are dependent on a particular dispensing system, while
providing a much greater number of treating chemistry doses, which
increases the time between refills of the system.
[0053] While the embodiments of this description are primarily in
the environment of a horizontal axis clothes washer, embodiments of
the description can be implemented in any laundry treating
appliance that performs a cycle of operation to clean or otherwise
treat items placed therein, non-limiting examples of which include
a horizontal or vertical axis clothes washer; a combination washing
machine and dryer; a tumbling or stationary refreshing/revitalizing
machine; an extractor; a non-aqueous washing apparatus; and a
revitalizing machine.
[0054] It should be understood that as used herein, the term
"treating chemistry" can include any type of additive for
dispensing into a laundry appliance to treat or otherwise affect a
load of laundry during a cycle of operation. Such treating
chemistry can include detergents, bleach, fabric softener, or stain
treatments in non-limiting examples. It should be understood that
where one treating chemistry is described, such a description is
non-limiting and can include any alternative treating chemistry. In
some cases it can include water alone.
[0055] FIG. 1 illustrates a first embodiment of a laundry treating
appliance having a bulk dispenser in the form of a washing machine
10, which can include a structural support system comprising a
cabinet 12 which defines a housing within which a laundry holding
system resides. The cabinet 12 can be a housing having a chassis
and/or a frame, defining an interior enclosing components typically
found in a conventional washing machine, such as motors, pumps,
fluid lines, controls, sensors, transducers, and the like. Such
components will not be described further herein except as necessary
for a complete understanding of the invention.
[0056] The laundry holding system comprises a tub 14 supported
within the cabinet 12 by a suitable suspension system and an
imperforate container or drum 16 provided within the tub 14, the
drum 16 defining at least a portion of a treating chamber 18. The
drum 16 can include a plurality of perforations 20 such that liquid
can flow between the tub 14 and the drum 16 through the
perforations 20. A plurality of baffles 22 can be disposed on an
inner surface of the drum 16 to lift the laundry load received in
the treating chamber 18 while the drum 16 rotates. It is also
within the scope of the invention for the laundry holding system to
comprise only a tub with the tub defining the laundry treating
chamber 18.
[0057] The laundry holding system can further include a door 24
which can be movably mounted to the cabinet 12 to selectively close
both the tub 14 and the drum 16. A bellows 26 can couple an open
face of the tub 14 with the cabinet 12, with the door 24 sealing
against the bellows 26 when the door 24 closes the tub 14.
[0058] The washing machine 10 can further include a suspension
system 28 for dynamically suspending the laundry holding system
within the structural support system.
[0059] The washing machine 10 can further include a liquid supply
system for supplying liquid to the washing machine 10 for use in
treating laundry during a cycle of operation. The liquid supply
system can include a source of water, such as a household water
supply 40, which can include separate valves 42 and 44 for
controlling the flow of hot and cold water, respectively. Water can
be supplied through an inlet conduit 46 directly to the tub 14 by
controlling first and second diverter mechanisms 48 and 50,
respectively. The diverter mechanisms 48, 50 can be a diverter
valve having two outlets such that the diverter mechanisms 48, 50
can selectively direct a flow of liquid to one or both of two flow
paths. Water from the household water supply 40 can flow through
the inlet conduit 46 to the first diverter mechanism 48 which can
direct the flow of liquid to a supply conduit 52. The second
diverter mechanism 50 on the supply conduit 52 can direct the flow
of liquid to a tub outlet conduit 54 which can be provided with a
nozzle 56 configured to spray the flow of liquid into the tub 14.
In this manner, water from the household water supply 40 can be
supplied directly to the tub 14.
[0060] The washing machine 10 can also be provided with a
dispensing system for dispensing treating chemistry to the treating
chamber 18 for use in treating the laundry according to a cycle of
operation. The dispensing system can include both a bulk dispenser
60 and an optional single use dispenser 62, either of which can be
configured to dispense a treating chemistry directly to the tub 14
or mixed with water from the liquid supply system through a
dispensing outlet conduit 64. The dispensing outlet conduit 64 can
include a dispensing nozzle 66 configured to dispense the treating
chemistry into the tub 14 in a desired pattern and under a desired
amount of pressure. For example, the dispensing nozzle 66 can be
configured to dispense a flow or stream of treating chemistry into
the tub 14 by gravity, i.e. a non-pressurized stream. Water can be
supplied to the single use dispenser 62 from the supply conduit 52
by directing the diverter mechanism 50 to direct the flow of water
to a dispensing supply conduit 68. While only a single nozzle 66 is
illustrated, multiple nozzles 66 may be used, with each of the bulk
dispenser 60 and single use dispenser 62 having a dedicated nozzle
66 or using the same nozzle 66.
[0061] The single use dispenser 62 is illustrated as a traditional
drawer-type single use dispenser 110 having a drawer 112 in which
are provided one or more cups or recesses 114 in which treating
chemistry is added for each cycle of operation. Water from the
supply conduit 52 is then used to flush the cups 114, along with
the treating chemistry residing within the cup, out of the relevant
cup, with the resulting mixture of water and treating chemistry
flowing down the outlet conduit 64, out of the nozzle 66 and into
the treating chamber 18.
[0062] The bulk dispenser 60 includes a bulk container 120,
container adapter 122, a liquid interface 124, and a pump 126,
which has an output fluidly coupled to the outlet conduit 64. In
treating chemistry flow order, the container adapter 122 is
configured to mount to the bulk container 120 and establish fluid
communication with the contents of the bulk container 120. The
liquid interface 124 fluidly couples the container adapter 122 and
the pump 126 to establish fluid communication from the container
adapter 122 to the pump 126 via the liquid interface 124.
[0063] The pump 126 can be any suitable pump. However, as
illustrated, the pump 126 is a water pressure pump as described in
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/302,529, filed Jun. 12, 2014,
now U.S. Publication No. 20150360848, published Dec. 17, 2015, and
entitled "PRESSURE-DRIVEN METERED MIXING DISPENSING PUMPS AND
METHODS", now U.S. Pat. No. 9,790,935, issued Oct. 17, 2017, whose
disclosure is incorporated by reference. The water pressure pump of
the '529 application is beneficial in that it does not require
electricity and delivers small quantities of treating chemistry,
which are pre-mixed with water prior to delivery to the outlet
conduit 64 and nozzle 66. The small quantities of treating
chemistry delivered by the water pressure pump enables fine control
over the dispensing of the total amount of treating chemistry. The
pre-mixing by the water pressure pump is also great enough that the
shear forces acting on the treating chemistry during the pre-mixing
are great enough to break about the bonds of the different
components of the treating chemistry.
[0064] Non-limiting examples of treating chemistries that can be
dispensed by the dispensing system during a cycle of operation
include one or more of the following: water, enzymes, fragrances,
stiffness/sizing agents, wrinkle releasers/reducers, softeners,
antistatic or electrostatic agents, stain repellants, water
repellants, energy reduction/extraction aids, antibacterial agents,
medicinal agents, vitamins, moisturizers, shrinkage inhibitors, and
color fidelity agents, and combinations thereof.
[0065] The bulk dispenser 60 may also include a dedicated switch 67
located adjacent the nozzle 66. The switch 67 can be used to
actuate the bulk dispenser when the door 24 is opened. In this
manner, the user can provide spot treatment of a laundry item by
holding the portion of the laundry item desired to be treated below
the nozzle 66 and then actuation the switch 67 to cause the bulk
dispenser to deliver treating chemistry to the desired portion of
the laundry item.
[0066] The washing machine 10 can also include a recirculation and
drain system for recirculating liquid within the laundry holding
system and draining liquid from the washing machine 10. Liquid
supplied to the tub 14 through tub outlet conduit 54 and/or the
dispensing supply conduit 68 typically enters a space between the
tub 14 and the drum 16 and can flow by gravity to a sump 70 formed
in part by a lower portion of the tub 14. The sump 70 can also be
formed by a sump conduit 72 that can fluidly couple the lower
portion of the tub 14 to a pump 74. The pump 74 can direct liquid
to a drain conduit 76, which can drain the liquid from the washing
machine 10, or to a recirculation conduit 78, which can terminate
at a recirculation inlet 80. The recirculation inlet 80 can direct
the liquid from the recirculation conduit 78 into the drum 16. The
recirculation inlet 80 can introduce the liquid into the drum 16 in
any suitable manner, such as by spraying, dripping, or providing a
steady flow of liquid. In this manner, liquid provided to the tub
14, with or without treating chemistry can be recirculated into the
treating chamber 18 for treating the laundry within.
[0067] The liquid supply and/or recirculation and drain system can
be provided with a heating system which can include one or more
devices for heating laundry and/or liquid supplied to the tub 14,
such as a steam generator 82 and/or a sump heater 84. Liquid from
the household water supply 40 can be provided to the steam
generator 82 through the inlet conduit 46 by controlling the first
diverter mechanism 48 to direct the flow of liquid to a steam
supply conduit 86. Steam generated by the steam generator 82 can be
supplied to the tub 14 through a steam outlet conduit 87. The steam
generator 82 can be any suitable type of steam generator such as a
flow through steam generator or a tank-type steam generator.
Alternatively, the sump heater 84 can be used to generate steam in
place of or in addition to the steam generator 82. In addition or
alternatively to generating steam, the steam generator 82 and/or
sump heater 84 can be used to heat the laundry and/or liquid within
the tub 14 as part of a cycle of operation.
[0068] Additionally, the liquid supply and recirculation and drain
system can differ from the configuration shown in FIG. 1, such as
by inclusion of other valves, conduits, treating chemistry
dispensers, sensors, such as water level sensors and temperature
sensors, and the like, to control the flow of liquid through the
washing machine 10 and for the introduction of more than one type
of treating chemistry.
[0069] The washing machine 10 also includes a drive system for
rotating the drum 16 within the tub 14. The drive system can
include a motor 88, which can be directly coupled with the drum 16
through a drive shaft 90 to rotate the drum 16 about a rotational
axis during a cycle of operation. The motor 88 can be a brushless
permanent magnet (BPM) motor having a stator 92 and a rotor 94.
Alternately, the motor 88 can be coupled to the drum 16 through a
belt and a drive shaft to rotate the drum 16, as is known in the
art. Other motors, such as an induction motor or a permanent split
capacitor (PSC) motor, can also be used. The motor 88 can rotate
the drum 16 at various speeds in either rotational direction. Feet
108 can be used to balance the washing machine 10 upon a surface
such as the floor.
[0070] The washing machine 10 also includes a control system for
controlling the operation of the washing machine 10 to implement
one or more cycles of operation. The control system can include a
controller 96 located within the cabinet 12 and a user interface 98
that is operably coupled with the controller 96. The user interface
98 can include one or more knobs, dials, switches, displays, touch
screens and the like for communicating with the user, such as to
receive input and provide output. The user can enter different
types of information including, without limitation, cycle selection
and cycle parameters, such as cycle options.
[0071] The controller 96 can include the machine controller and any
additional controllers provided for controlling any of the
components of the washing machine 10. For example, the controller
96 can include the machine controller and a motor controller. Many
known types of controllers can be used for the controller 96. It is
contemplated that the controller is a microprocessor-based
controller that implements control software and sends/receives one
or more electrical signals to/from each of the various working
components to effect the control software. As an example,
proportional control (P), proportional integral control (PI), and
proportional derivative control (PD), or a combination thereof, a
proportional integral derivative control (PID control), can be used
to control the various components.
[0072] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the controller 96 can be provided
with a memory 100 and a central processing unit (CPU) 102. The
memory 100 can be used for storing the control software that is
executed by the CPU 102 in completing a cycle of operation using
the washing machine 10 and any additional software. Examples,
without limitation, of cycles of operation include: wash, heavy
duty wash, delicate wash, quick wash, pre-wash, refresh, rinse
only, and timed wash. The memory 100 can also be used to store
information, such as a database or table, and to store data
received from one or more components of the washing machine 10 that
can be communicably coupled with the controller 96. The database or
table can be used to store the various operating parameters for the
one or more cycles of operation, including factory default values
for the operating parameters and any adjustments to them by the
control system or by user input.
[0073] The controller 96 can be operably coupled with one or more
components of the washing machine 10 for communicating with and
controlling the operation of the component to complete a cycle of
operation. For example, the controller 96 can be operably coupled
with the motor 88, the pump 74, the single use dispenser 62, the
steam generator 82 and the sump heater 84 to control the operation
of these and other components to implement one or more of the
cycles of operation.
[0074] The controller 96 can also be coupled with one or more
sensors 104 provided in one or more of the systems of the washing
machine 10 to receive input from the sensors, which are known in
the art and not shown for simplicity. Non-limiting examples of
sensors 104 that can be communicably coupled with the controller 96
include: a treating chamber temperature sensor, a moisture sensor,
a weight sensor, a chemical sensor, a position sensor and a motor
torque sensor, which can be used to determine a variety of system
and laundry characteristics, such as laundry load inertia or
mass.
[0075] With the overview of the washing machine 10 and bulk
dispenser now complete, the details of the bulk dispenser 60 will
be described with respect to FIGS. 3 to 19. Beginning with FIG. 3,
a schematic is shown of a shelf 118 in a contemporary retail store,
with the shelf holding a sampling of currently available
off-the-shelf, bulk containers 120, intended for home or
residential use, with one of the off the-shelf bulk containers
enlarged for detail. The bulk containers 120 are suitable for use
as a treating chemistry reservoir for the bulk dispenser 60.
Looking now at the enlarged bulk container 120, it comprises a body
130 having a threaded collar 132 encircling a manually-actuable
valve 134, and a vent 136. The valve 134 and vent 136 are provided
on opposite ends of the body 130, with an integrally formed handle
138 in between. The body 130 defines an interior 140, which is in
fluid communication with the valve 134 and the vent 136. A threaded
cap 142 is initially provided with the bulk container 120 to
protect the valve 134.
[0076] The contemplated use for the bulk container 120 is to fill
single dose dispensers, like single use dispenser 62. In its
intended single dose implementation, the bulk container 120 is
typically stood on its side with the valve 134 down and the vent
136 up. In this manner, the valve 134 can be manually actuated to
release treating chemistry from the interior 140 through the valve
134 while air enters the vent 136 to replace the released treating
chemistry, and prevent a vacuum lock during dispensing.
[0077] While the bulk container 120 is intended to refill single
dose dispensers, embodiments of the current invention utilize the
bulk container as a treating chemistry reservoir for a bulk
dispenser. The illustrated bulk container 120 is just one of many
possible off-the-shelf treating chemistry containers that could be
used as treating chemistry reservoir for the bulk dispenser 60. As
illustrated, the bulk containers 120 are standard detergent
containers for well-known brands, which can be from the same or
different manufactures. Exemplary brands include CHEER.RTM.,
GAIN.RTM., ERA.RTM., TIDE.RTM., DOWNY.RTM., ALL.RTM., SUN.RTM.,
ULTRA.RTM., SNUGGLE.RTM., XTRA.RTM., ARM & HAMMER.RTM.,
PUREX.RTM., and PERSIL.RTM., to name a few.
[0078] One difficulty of using off-the-shelf containers is that
each manufacture independently selects and controls the shape of
the bulk container 120, including the size of the collar 132 and
the pitch of the threads. While a subset of many of the current
off-the-shelf bulk containers 120 do have a common diameter of 40.5
mm and thread pitch of 4.4 mm, the diameter and pitch thread do
vary. Thus, any bulk dispensing system 60 that is based on using an
off-the-shelf bulk container 120 will find it beneficial to be able
to accommodate the different size collars and thread pitch of the
different manufacturers.
[0079] FIG. 4 is a schematic of the container adapter 122, which
can adapt the off-the-shelf bulk container 120 for use in the bulk
dispensing system 60. The container adapter 122 has a threaded cap
150 from which depends a straw 152 and outwardly from which extends
a hose 154. A check valve 156 fluidly couples the straw 152 and
hose 154. A filter 158 can be provided on or integrated with the
straw 152. A decorative sleeve can be provided to cover the hose
154 for those users who prefer a different aesthetic than an
exposed hose 154.
[0080] The threaded cap 150 has threads 159 that match the threads
of the threaded cap 142 of the bulk container 120 to provide for a
simple mounting of the container adapter 122 to the bulk container
120. When the cap 150 is threaded onto the bulk container 120, the
straw 152 is received within the bulk container 120.
[0081] The straw 152 can bend, flex, deflect and/or be made of
multiple independently movable segments to enable the straw 152 to
bend after insertion into the bulk container 120. The ability of
the straw 152 to change configuration provides the functionality of
the straw being capable of being inserted within an otherwise
shorter container and still function without kinking, which might
negatively impact the flow of treating chemistry.
[0082] The hose 154 can be any type of tube extending from the cap
150. The hose 154 can be press-fit within a corresponding opening
in the cap, as illustrated, or the cap 150 can have a dedicated
fitting for the hose 154. The hose 154 can also be integrally
formed with the cap 150. The hose 154 can be of any degree of
transparency, including opaque, but it is contemplated that the
hose 154 will be transparent to aid in the visual and sensor
inspection of the treating chemistry passing through the hose
154.
[0083] The dimensions of the hose 154 can be helpful in ensuring
the proper flow of treating chemistry from the bulk container 120,
especially when using the water pressure driven pump. The
dimensions for a suitable hose 154 for the water pressure pump are
8 mm OD (outer diameter) and 5 mm ID (inner diameter).
[0084] The check valve 156 can be mounted to or integrated with the
threaded cap 150. It is contemplated that the check valve is
integrally formed with the cap 150. In this sense, the cap 150 can
have a recess or fitting in which the check valve 156 is received,
with the straw 152 being received within the same recess or
fitting, but upstream of the check valve 156.
[0085] FIG. 5 illustrates one example of a container adapter 122
having a cap 150, straw 152, transparent hose 154, and check valve
156 (FIG. 6). A fitting 160 is provided on the top of the cap 150
to connect the hose 154 to the cap 150.
[0086] The details of the check valve 156 and fitting 160 are best
seen in FIG. 6, which is a sectional view of the container adapter
122 of FIG. 5. The cap 150 has a centrally located stepped collar
162 having an upper collar 164 defining a recess open to the top of
the cap 150 and a lower collar 166 defining a through passage 168.
At the junction of the upper collar 164 and lower collar 166 is a
step 170. The fitting 160 is received within the upper collar 164
while the straw 152 is received within the lower collar 166.
[0087] The fitting 160 comprises an elbow 176 from which extends a
nipple 178 over which the hose 154 is received. The elbow 176
includes a tip 180 that is received within the upper collar 164 and
includes a seal 182, illustrated as an O-ring, which seals the tip
180 relative to the upper collar 164. The tip 180 and stepped
collar 162 can have co-operating structures and be made of suitable
material that permit a press-fit or snap-fit connection.
[0088] The check valve 156 comprises a spring 184 and a ball 186
located within the upper collar 164 between the elbow 176 and the
step 170. The spring 184 biases the ball 186 against the step 170,
which functions as a valve seat for the ball 186, to close the
passage 168. A guide pin 188 can extend from the tip 180 when the
spring 184 is a coil spring to aid in preventing the coil spring
from buckling. Treating chemistry flowing from the straw 152 to the
hose 154 is controlled by the check valve 156. Other types of check
valves than a ball/spring type can be used and include, for
example, umbrella check valves and flapper check valves.
[0089] In operation, for the treating chemistry to pass through the
straw 152 and out the hose 154, the treating chemistry must pass
through the check valve 156. Thus, the suction pressure by the pump
126 must be great enough to overcome the force of the spring 184 to
unseat the ball 186 and open the check valve 156. Once the suction
pressure from the pump 126 is relieved, the spring 184 biases the
ball 186 against the seat to close the check valve 156.
[0090] Referring to FIG. 7, the container adapter 122 can be
provided with optional sizing caps 190. The sizing caps 190 are
similar to cap 150 and have increasing diameters, which results in
each of the sizing caps having a larger diameter thread, which
permits the cap 150 to be indirectly mounted to bulk containers 120
having different diameter thread sizes than the cap 150.
[0091] As best seen in FIG. 8, which is a cross section of FIG. 7,
each of the sizing caps 190 are arranged in a nested relationship
of increasing size. The sizing caps 190 have a corresponding
stepped collar structure 192 similar to the upper collar 164 of the
cap 150, but with increasing diameters. The sizing caps 190 also
have external threads 194 as well as internal threads 196, with the
cap 150 threading onto the external threads 194 of one sizing cap
190 and the internal threads 196 threading onto the external
threads 194 of the other sizing cap 190. While only two sizing caps
190 are illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, any number of sizing caps 190
can be used.
[0092] The sizing caps 190 need not always have an increased
diameter and be for the purpose of accommodating different size
openings on the bulk containers 120. In some cases the bulk
container 120 may have a different thread pitch than the cap 150.
In such circumstances, the sizing cap 190 would have internal
threads 196 with a pitch suitable for the bulk container 120 while
the external threads 194 would match the internal threads of the
cap 150. In this way, the sizing caps 190 can be used to
accommodate different thread pitches.
[0093] It is also contemplated that the sizing caps 190 can be
press-fit to each other and/or to the cap 150, instead of being
threaded. The sizing caps 190 do not have to be threaded to each
other or the cap 150. While the threaded connection of the sizing
caps 190 and/or the cap 150 is often more secure than press-fit,
the likely environment of a home laundry room may not need a more
secure connection than what is obtainable from a press fit.
[0094] FIGS. 9-11 illustrate a cap with a vent for preventing a
vacuum from forming within a bulk dispenser 60. Referring to FIG.
9, a cap 590, which can be the cap of FIGS. 4-8 in non-limiting
examples, can include a vent 592. The vent 592 can be placed at the
top 594 of the cap 590, above a threaded portion 596 of the cap
590. The cap 590 can be coupled to a bulk dispenser 60 such as an
off-the-shelf bulk dispenser 60 (FIG. 3) in one example. While only
two vents 592 are shown, as few as one, or any number of vents 592
can be utilized in the cap 590.
[0095] FIG. 10 illustrates an enlarged view of the vent 592. The
vent 592 includes a seal 600 and two openings 602, while any number
of openings 602 is contemplated. The seal 600 has a body 604, a
valve 606 and a tail 608. An aperture 610 in the cap 590 holds the
seal 600 at the body 604. A lip 612 having a diameter greater than
the aperture 610 secures the seal 600 at the aperture 610 opposite
of the valve 606. The top 594 defines an interior 614 and an
exterior 616 of the cap 590, with the valve 606 disposed in the
interior 614. The valve 606 is illustrated as an umbrella valve,
but is not so limited and can be any other suitable valve to permit
the flow of air between the interior 614 and exterior 616 of the
cap 590.
[0096] FIG. 10 illustrates the umbrella valve 606 in the closed
position and FIG. 11 illustrates the umbrella valve 606 in the open
position. During operation, a pump or similar force draws a volume
of treating chemistry from a bulk dispenser or container to which
the cap 590 mounts. Drawing a portion of the treating chemistry
from the bulk dispenser creates a vacuum within the bulk dispenser.
Such a vacuum creates a force that opposes the pump in drawing
additional treating chemistry from the bulk dispenser. As more
treating chemistry is drawn, the greater the force of the vacuum.
Eventually, the force of the vacuum could be great enough to cause
the bulk container to partially implode or deform, which can cause
leaking or improper placement of the cap 590 for drawing additional
treating chemistry. Furthermore, the force created by the vacuum
can prevent a pump from accurately drawing a volume of treating
chemistry tailored to the particular cycle of operation.
[0097] Thus, the umbrella valve 606 is shaped to deform due to the
vacuum force. The umbrella valve 606 can be made of a resilient
material, such as formed rubber, permitting the umbrella valve 606
to deform and then return to its natural shape. For example, the
umbrella valve 606 is naturally shaped as is shown in FIG. 10. As a
vacuum force develops, the force draws the umbrella valve 606 into
the position shown in FIG. 11. In this position, the openings 602
permit air 618 to be drawn from the exterior 616 of the cap 590 to
the interior 614. Drawing the air 618 eliminates the vacuum force,
balancing the air pressure between the interior 614 and exterior
616 of the bulk dispenser, preventing the negative effects of the
vacuum. Once the air pressures have substantially equalized, the
umbrella valve 606 returns to the position shown in FIG. 10 to seal
the interior 614 of the cap 590. As the treating chemistry is
continuously drawn, the process repeats as is necessary to
continuously eliminate the vacuum.
[0098] The output from the container adapter 122 is provided to the
liquid interface 124, which is illustrated in more detail in FIG.
12. The liquid interface 124 includes a body 200, which can be a
housing or a frame, for example, which is mounted to the cabinet 12
of the washing machine 10. A hose coupling 202 located on an
exterior of the body 200 provides for coupling the hose 154 to the
liquid interface 124. A pump supply line 204 is located on an
interior of the body 200 and is fluidly coupled to the pump 126. A
sensor 206 is located in proximity to the pump supply line 204 and
senses characteristics of the treating chemistry passing through
the pump supply line 204. While the sensor 206 is shown as being
located on the pump supply line 204, it could as easily be located
on the hose 154, hose coupling 202 or body 200.
[0099] The hose coupling 202 can be any type of coupling suitable
for connecting to the hose 154, such as press-fit, snap-fit,
bayonet, quick-release, etc. The hose coupling 202 is fluidly
coupled with the pump supply line 204 such that treating chemistry
passing through the hose 154 flows into the pump supply line
204.
[0100] The container adapter 122 and/or sizing caps 190 can be
provided with the clothes washer 10 and/or sold with the bulk
container 120. In one example, a standard container adapter 122
could be provided with the clothes washer 10 and each bulk
container 120 could be provided with a corresponding sizing cap
190. In this manner, the container adapter 122 could have a
standardized cap 150 and threads 159, with the sizing cap 190
configured to mate to the standardized cap 150 and threads 159.
Alternatively, a container adapter 122 unique to the particular
bulk container 120 could be provided with the bulk container 120.
The container adapter 122, when provided with the bulk container
120, can be already installed on the bulk container 122 or just
packaged with the bulk container 120.
[0101] The pump supply line 204 can be any suitable conduit capable
of carrying the treating chemistry to the pump 126. The pump supply
line 204 can be any degree of transparency, including opaque. It is
contemplated that the pump supply line 204 is transparent so that
the sensor 206 can optically inspect the treating chemistry as it
flows through the pump supply line.
[0102] While the pump 126 is primarily described as a water
pressure-driven pump, the pump can also be a traditional electrical
pump. Any suitable electric pump can be used. One such pump is a
piston-type electrical pump.
[0103] The sensor 206 can be any sensor, including any of the
previously described sensors 104, suitable for sensing one or more
characteristics of the treating cases. It is contemplated that the
sensor 206 is an optical sensor that can determine reflectance,
color, etc. of the treating chemistry. The sensor 206 may also emit
light, visible or non-visible, onto the treating chemistry and then
sense an optical characteristic of the reflected light, such as,
without limitation, intensity, color, wavelength, reflectance, etc.
The received characteristic may be used to determine one or more
characteristics of the treating chemistry, such as, without
limitation, type of treating chemistry (detergent, softener, bleach
etc.) or concentration of treating chemistry, such as concentration
of surfactants in a detergent.
[0104] Specific examples of suitable sensors for determining
characteristics of the treating chemistry, and methods of
operation, are found in U.S. Pat. No. 8,628,024, entitled Removable
Component For A Consumable With Identifying Graphic, filed Mar. 25,
2013, and issued Jan. 14, 2014, and U.S. Publication No.
20140259450, entitled "Methods and Compositions for Treating
Laundry Items", published Sep. 18, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No.
9,689,101, issued Jun. 27, 2017, and, both of which are
incorporated by reference. Other suitable sensors, especially for
detecting bubbles in tubing, include photo resistors (visible
infrared and ultraviolet light), photo transistors, and ultrasonic
sensors (used in intravenous lines and intravenous pumps).
[0105] The sensor 206, more specifically an infrared sensor coupled
to the controller, can also be used to determine whether the pump
supply line 204 and by extension, the hose 154, is full or empty of
treating chemistry. As the bulk container 120 starts to empty, air
bubbles are introduced into the straw 152 and ultimately work their
way to the sensor 206. The detection of the air bubbles can be used
to determine the empty status of the bulk container 120. As an
extension, when a bulk container 120 is replaced, air bubbles will
be present for a period of time until the hose 154 is full again.
Also, when a container is first installed, air will be in the pump
supply line 204.
[0106] The detection of air bubbles in the pump supply line 204 can
be used by the controller 96 to implement several special,
non-treating, cycles of operation. For example, upon the first use
of the washing machine 10, the controller can presume that a bulk
container 120 is being installed for the first time. A special
"priming" cycle can be carried out, which includes activating the
pump 126 until the sensor 206 no longer detects air bubbles or for
some other standard that would typically fill the hose 154 and the
pump supply line 204 with treating chemistry. The controller can
store a flag indicating that the initial fill has already occurred.
Thus, any subsequent determination of air bubbles can be
interpreted as the present bulk container 120 being empty or that
the present bulk container 120 was replaced, and a suitable pumping
cycle is implemented until the air bubbles are eliminated.
[0107] In all of the above scenarios, the controller 96 can provide
an alert to the user via the user interface 98. The alert can be
audible, visual, or both. If the washing machine 10 is connected to
either a wired or wireless network, it can provide the alert to the
user's computer or wireless device. The alert can be a notification
to the user or it can be a request for information to help the
controller determine what special cycle to run. For example, the
controller can prompt the user as to whether the bulk container was
replaced or not. The controller can also alert the user that the
bulk container 120 is empty or near empty.
[0108] FIG. 13 illustrates one implementation of the liquid
interface 124, which has a body 200 comprising first body portion
200A and second body portion 200B. A tube fitting 210 couples to
the hose 154 and is received within the body 200. A clip 212 snaps
onto the tube fitting 210 and retains the tube fitting to the body
200.
[0109] The first and second body portions 200A, 200B have
complementary spring fingers 216 and apertures 218. The spring
fingers 216 are sized to be received within the apertures 218 in a
snap-fit connection to connect the first and second body portions
200A, 200B.
[0110] The first body portion 200A comprises a tube opening 220
into which the tube fitting 210 can be inserted. A key 222 is
located on one side of the first body portion 200A. A clip opening
224 is located on another side of the first body portion 200A and
is sized to receive the clip 212. A release opening 226 is located
on a face of the first body portion 200A.
[0111] The second body portion 200B includes a keyway 230 sized to
receive the key 222, which collectively provide an index for
aligning the first and second body portions 200A, 200B. A seal
opening 232 is located within the interior of the second body
portion 200B and is sized to receive the tube fitting 210 in a
liquid tight seal. A collar 234 encircles the seal opening 232 and
defines a recess in which the pump supply line 204 is received.
[0112] The tube fitting 210 includes a body 236 terminating at one
end with a nipple 238, sized to be received within the hose 154,
and at an opposing end in a seal structure 240 sized to be snap-fit
within the seal opening 232. First and second shoulders 242, 244
are provided in spaced relationship on the body 236, with the
spacing being great enough to receive the clip 212.
[0113] The clip 212 comprises a handle 250 with a pull 252
extending from one end of the handle 250. A pair of spaced
retaining fingers 254 extend from the handle 250. A pair of spring
fingers 256 extend from the handle 250 and are located between the
retaining fingers 254. The retaining fingers 254 can be temporarily
inwardly sprung to fit within the clip opening 224 to permit the
sliding of the clip 212 by use of the pull 252 in and out of the
clip opening 224, with the outer range of movement being limited by
the tips of the retaining fingers 254 contacting the first body
portion 200A defining the clip opening 224.
[0114] The pair of spring fingers 256 include an arcuate portion
258 that conforms to the curvature of the body 236 between the
first and second shoulders 242, 244 of the tube fitting 210. The
tips of the spring fingers 256 define a gap 260, which is less than
the diameter of the body 236 between the first and second shoulders
242, 244 of the tube fitting 210. With this configuration, when the
spring fingers 256 are slid over the body 236 between the shoulders
242, 244, the spring fingers must first deflect until the body 236
is received within the arcuate portions 258, leading to the spring
fingers "snapping" around the body 236 and provide tactile feedback
to the user.
[0115] To assemble and operate the liquid interface 124 into a
condition ready for operation, in no particular order, the
retaining fingers 254 are inserted through the clip opening 224
such that the tips of the retaining fingers lie within the body
200. The spring fingers 216 are inserted into the apertures 218 to
secure together the body portions 200A, 200B. The pump supply line
204 is press-fit within the collar 234. The nipple 238 of the tube
fitting 210 is inserted into the hose 154. The assembled body 200
is then mounted to the cabinet 12. With the body 200 mounted to the
cabinet 12, the body 236 is inserted into the tube opening 220
until the seal structure 240 seals with respect to the seal opening
232. The user can move the clip 212 by applying a sliding force to
the pull 252 to move the clip between an unlocked position and a
locked position, where the spring fingers 256 snap over the body
236 between the shoulders 242, 244 to retain the tube fitting 210
within the body 200.
[0116] FIG. 14 illustrates the operation positions of the liquid
interface 124 as the clip 212 is slid between the unlocked (dotted
lines) and locked (solid lines) positions. In the unlocked
position, the spring fingers 256 are remote of the body 236 of the
tube fitting, which enables the insertion and removal of the body
236 through the tube opening 220. In the locked position (solid
lines), the clip 212 is slid laterally to snap the spring fingers
256 over the body 236 until the body 236 is received within the
arcuate portions 258. In this position, the inherent resiliency of
the spring fingers 256 maintains the clip 212 in the locked
position and the tube fitting 210 cannot be withdrawn from the tube
opening without unclipping the clip 212 by sliding the clip 212
back to the unlocked position.
[0117] Another implementation of the liquid interface 124 is
illustrated in FIG. 15. The second implementation liquid interface
270 comprises a body 272 from which extends a spring finger 274 and
a tab 276, which couple the body 272 to the cabinet 12. A bayonet
mount in the form of a receiver 280 extending from the body 272 and
an insert 282 secured to the hose 154 couples the hose 154 to the
body 272. The receiver 280 has a least one channel 284 and the
insert 282 has at least one pin 286. The pin 286 is received in the
channel 284 and the insert 282 is rotated to drive the pin 286 to
the end of the channel 284, where the pin is received in a detent
288 formed in the channel 284. The pump supply line 204 is fluidly
coupled to the body 272 and in fluid communication with the hose
154 once connected to the body 272 by the bayonet connection.
[0118] Another implementation of the liquid interface 124 is
illustrated in FIG. 16. The third implementation liquid interface
290 is similar to the second implementation 270 except that the
bayonet mount is replaced with a traditional spring clip 292
located about a collar 294 forming a terminal end of the hose
154.
[0119] The pump 126, as previously stated, can be any suitable pump
capable of drawing treating chemistry from the bulk container 120.
As illustrated, the pump is a water pressure driven mixing pump 126
having a first inlet 300 fluidly coupled to the pump supply line
204, a second inlet 302 fluidly coupled to the supply conduit 52,
and an outlet 304 fluidly coupled to the dispensing outlet conduit
64, via line 308, which emits through the nozzle 66. This
configuration enables the pump 126 to drawing in treating chemistry
from the bulk container 120 via the container adapter 122 and
liquid interface 124 along with water from the household water
supply via supply conduit 52, mix the treating chemistry and water
within the pump 126, and dispense the mixture to the treating
chamber 18 via the dispensing outlet conduit 64 and the nozzle
66.
[0120] The pump 126 is beneficial in that it pumps in response to
water pressure from the household water supply 40 and does not
require electricity. Not only does this reduce costs and
complexity, but it also provides substantial design freedom on
where the pump 126 may be located.
[0121] That the pump 126 pre-mixes the treating chemistry and the
water prior to dispensing to the treating chamber 18 is further
beneficial in that the pre-mixing tends to yield a more evenly
distributed concentration of treating chemistry, which avoids
treating chemistry "hot spots" of high concentrations. The more
evenly distributed concentration makes it safer to directly
introduce the mixture into the treating chamber 18 without concern
for concentration effects on the laundry within the treating
chamber. The pre-mixing is further beneficial in that the mixing
from the pump 126 is sufficiently great enough to break up the
vesicle of amalgamated treating chemistry. The mixing within the
pump 126 produces sufficient shear forces to break of the vesicles
into the individual molecules, which promotes a more even
distribution of the treating chemistry within the mixture.
[0122] The pump 126 is further beneficial in that it outputs small
doses of treating chemistry, on the order of a few milliliters per
discharge. Thus, it is possible to dispense very accurate and well
controlled volumes of treating chemistry at very accurate and well
controlled concentrations. In one implementation, a dedicated
switch 305 (FIG. 2) can be provided on the user interface to
provide for the addition of a larger than normal dose of treating
chemistry when the user feels the laundry needs additional
detergent or cleaning. The switch could be labeled "turbo" or some
other similar indicia to provide the user with suitable notice for
the selection.
[0123] If the concentration of the mixture provided by the pump is
too high for the selected cycle of operation, the mixture can be
diluted by adding water directly to the treating chamber 18 from
the household water supply 40. One method of implementing the
dilution is to dispense the mixture from the pump 126 into the tub
14, and then supply water to the tub from the household water
supply 40 to create the diluted mixture, which can then be
recirculated into the treating chamber 18 using the recirculation
and drain system.
[0124] FIGS. 17-19 illustrate a pump system 630 for providing a
volume of treating chemistry from a bulk dispenser or a bulk
container to a washing machine 628, which can be any washing
machine as described herein. Referring to FIG. 17, a pump 638 can
be a water pressure pump as described in U.S. Publication No.
20150360848, published Dec. 17, 2015, and entitled "PRESSURE-DRIVEN
METERED MIXING DISPENSING PUMPS AND METHODS", now U.S. Pat. No.
9,790,935, issued Oct. 17, 2017, whose disclosure is incorporated
by reference. The washing machine 628 can be any washing machine
described herein, and is illustrated as a vertical axis washing
machine, for example. The pump system 630 includes a hot water
inlet 632 and a cold water inlet 634. A water conduit 636 is in
fluid communication with the hot and cold water inlets 632, 634.
The pump 638 couples to the water conduit 636. A chemistry conduit
640 also couples to the pump 638. A mixed conduit 642 extends from
the pump 638 to the washing machine 628.
[0125] The pump 638, as a water pressure pump, utilizes a flow of
water from the water conduit 636 to draw a volume of treating
chemistry from the chemistry conduit 640. The drawn treating
chemistry is mixed with the flow of water to provide a mixture of
treating chemistry and water into the mixed conduit 642, which can
be provided to the washing machine 628 during a cycle of
operation.
[0126] The washing machine 628 can be any suitable washing machine
628, such as a vertical or horizontal axis washing machine. As
shown, the washing machine 628 is a vertical axis washing machine
628 having a housing 644 to define an interior 646. A tub 648 and a
basket 650 are disposed in the interior 646. A treating chamber 652
is defined within the basket 650 for treating a load of laundry. An
outlet 654 can fluidly couple the mixed conduit 642 to the treating
chamber 652.
[0127] The pump system 630 can further include a controller 660.
The controller 660, for example, can be the controller of FIG. 2.
One or more sensors can be disposed in the pump system 630. As
illustrated, a pressure sensor 662 can be disposed on the water
conduit 636, a flow meter 664 can be disposed on the water conduit
636, a weight sensor 666 can be disposed on the basket 650, and a
load sensor 668 can be disposed on the housing 644. A communication
conduit 670 can communicatively couple each sensor to the
controller 660. The pressure sensor 662 can determine the water
pressure provided from the hot and cold water inlets 632, 634. The
flow meter 664 can determine the volume of water provided by the
hot and cold water inlets 632, 634 over time to determine a flow
rate. The weight sensor 666 can determine the weight of the water
added to the treating chamber 652. The load sensor 668 can
determine the volume of laundry and liquid in the treating chamber
652. It should be appreciated that the sensors as shown and
described are not limiting. More, less, or different sensors can be
included in the pump system 630. In a preferred embodiment, only a
single sensor is utilized to provide flow information to the
controller 660.
[0128] A valve 669 can be disposed in the water conduit 636. The
valve 669 can be communicatively coupled with the controller 660.
The controller 660 can selectively open and close the valve 669. As
such, opening and closing the valve 669 can selectively draw a
desired volume or rate of treating chemistry provided from the
chemistry conduit 640 by controlling the flow of water provided to
the pump 638.
[0129] The sensors provide different ways for measuring a volume of
water over a period of time or a water pressure. The sensors
provide such information to the controller 660. The controller 660
can communicatively couple to the pump 638 over a communication
conduit 672. The controller 660 controls the pump 638 based upon
information relating to the water flow rates or pressures from the
sensors. Based upon a signal from the controller 660, the pump 638
can control the volume, rate, or combination thereof of treating
chemistry provided by the pump 638 to the mixed conduit 642. Thus,
the pump 638 can provide the appropriate amount of treating
chemistry to the water being provided to the treating chamber 652.
The appropriate amount can be representative of a dilution, such as
a ratio of treating chemistry to water to effectively treat a
load.
[0130] The pump 638, in one example, can provide treating chemistry
by toggling the pump 638 on for a set period time and off for a set
period time, representing a duty cycle for the pump 638. Such
toggling of the pump 638 can be accomplished by opening and closing
the valve 669. One dose of treating chemistry can be represented as
a number of duty cycles. The dose can be altered by varying the
number or rate of the duty cycles in order to provide the
appropriate amount of treating chemistry. Such an amount can be
determinative of sensor information provided to the controller 660,
which, in turn, controls the pump 638 or the valve 669. The duty
cycle can vary between 7-20 actuations of the pump 638, for
example, representing a volume of treating chemistry for the
particular cycle of operation. Such a volume of treating chemistry
can be based upon, for example, measurements from the sensors, a
user selected cycle of operation, load size, load type, wash
temperature, or multiple other factors dependent upon the
particular load or cycle of operation.
[0131] Additionally, the volume, rate, ratio, or other value of
treating chemistry can be injected by the pump according to a Dose
Algorithm. A Dose Algorithm can be a set of instructions for
operating the pump 638. Such instructions can be based upon
measurements by the sensors 662, 664, 666, 668, as well as other
input communicated to the controller 660, such as a cycle of
operation entered at a user interface by a user, in one
non-limiting example. The Dose Algorithm can be used to control the
duty cycle of the pump 638 to provide a preferred amount of
treating chemistry into the water at a preferred rate in order to
minimize overall chemistry usage, while improving wash quality.
[0132] The controller 660 can particularly utilize the information
related to the flow rate or water pressure from the sensors to
optimize the duty cycle for the pump 638 or valve 669. The pumps
shown in FIGS. 18A and 18B can be alternative pumps to the water
pressure pump as described above, such as a piston-style or
electric pump that are operated by water pressure or resultant of a
water pressure or flow. Referring to FIG. 18A, illustrating one
alternative, exemplary pump 638, the pump 638 can be a piston style
pump and includes a housing 680. The pump 638 further includes a
cam 682, an arm 684, a piston 686, and a head 688. An inlet valve
690 and an outlet valve 692 enclose an interior 694 of the pump
638. A seal 696 is disposed between the piston 686 and the head
688.
[0133] In operation, the cam 682 can be driven by a flow of water
or by an electric signal from the controller representative of the
flow of water, or a rate or pressure thereof. The cam 682 drives
the arm 684 to reciprocate the piston 686. As the piston 686
reciprocates outwardly, a volume of treating chemistry is drawn
through the inlet valve 690 and into the interior 694. As the
piston 686 reciprocates inwardly, the volume of treating chemistry
698 is pushed through the outlet valve 692 where the treating
chemistry 698 can combine with water 700 to create a mixture 702 of
water 700 and treating chemistry 698 in the mixed conduit 642.
[0134] The rate of reciprocation of the piston 686 by the cam 682
can control the volume and rate at which the treating chemistry 698
is provided to the water conduit 636. Such a rate can also be
determined by the size of the interior 694 and the distance the
piston 686 travels.
[0135] Such rates and volumes can be utilized by the controller 660
based upon the flow rate or pressure of the water conduit 636 to
determine a pump duty cycle and apply the appropriate amount of
treating chemistry 698 to the water flow 700. For example, the
valve 669 of FIG. 17 can be selectively opened or closed to provide
a flow of water to the pump 638. Such a flow of water can drive the
cam 682 to provide a volume of treating chemistry to the mixed
conduit 642. Thus, it should be appreciated that the pump 638 can
provide a volume of treating chemistry as a function of the flow of
water. Such a function can be based upon measurements of the
sensors to control a duty cycle of the pump 638.
[0136] In another example, such information can be utilized as a
Dose Algorithm operating as a program within the controller. The
Dose Algorithm can be representative of the flow rates and volumes
of the water supply and the treating chemistry. The Dose Algorithm
can utilize the flow rates or pressures to minimize pump actuation,
thus minimizing the duty cycle of the pump 638 and improving cycle
times while minimizing treating chemistry usage. In a specific
example, the Dose Algorithm can take the measure flow rates or
pressures to selectively control the valve 669 to control the duty
cycle of the water pressure pump providing an optimized amount of
treating chemistry to the washing machine.
[0137] FIG. 18B illustrates another alternative pump as an electric
bellows pump 710. The bellows pump 710 includes an inlet 712, an
inlet chamber 714, an inlet valve 716, a bellows 718, an armature
720, a coil 722, a spring 724, an outlet valve 726, an outlet
chamber 728, and an outlet 730. The bellows defines an interior 717
of the bellows pump 710. During operation, a volume of treating
chemistry 698 is drawn in the inlet 712 and passes through the
inlet chamber 714 and passes through the inlet valve 716. The
armature 720 reciprocates via the coil 722 and the spring 724 to
increase and decrease the volume of the interior 717. The treating
chemistry 698 fills the interior 717 during an inlet stroke. During
an outlet stroke, the armature 720 closes, decreasing the volume of
the interior 717 and pushes the treating chemistry out the outlet
valve 726, into the outlet chamber 728 and exits through the outlet
730.
[0138] The coil 722 is a solenoid that drives the spring 724 to
actuate the armature 720 to operate the bellows pump 710. A contact
arm 732 can be in communication with a controller, such as the
controller 660 of FIG. 17, via a communication conduit 734. The
contact arm 732 can be selectively opened and closed to provide
electricity to the solenoid coil 722 to selectively actuate the
armature 720 to control the flow rate of the pump 710. Such control
of the contact arm 732 can be maintained by the controller 660,
which can be determined by information provided to the controller
660 by the sensors of FIG. 17. As such, the current provided to the
coil 722 can control the rate at which the pump 710 provides
treating chemistry or to selectively operate the pump 710.
[0139] In one example, operation of the bellows pump 710 can be
based upon the Dose Algorithm. The rate at which treating chemistry
is provided by the bellows pump 710 can minimize the duty cycle of
the strokes and the operation of the pump 710, as well as improving
cycle time and optimizing treating chemistry usage. The controller
660 can utilize water pressure or flow rate information to optimize
the operation of the bellows pump 710 input into the Dose
Algorithm.
[0140] FIG. 19 illustrates another method for providing a volume of
treating chemistry 698 to the water conduit 636. A venturi conduit
740 can couple to the water conduit 636 providing fluid
communication between the treating chemistry 698 and the water
supply 700. During operation, water 700 flows through the water
conduit 636. As the water 700 passes by the venturi 740, a vacuum
is created within the venturi conduit 740 as well as the reservoir,
such as a bulk container or dispenser, to which the venturi conduit
740 couples. Such a vacuum draws a volume of treating chemistry 698
into the water conduit 636. The venturi conduit 740 can be designed
to draw treating chemistry at a predetermined rate. For example,
the cross-sectional area of the venturi conduit 740 can be
predetermined to draw the treating chemistry 698 at a predetermined
rate relative to the flow rate of the water 700 through the water
conduit 636. Additionally, the venturi 740 can include a valve 742
in communication with the controller 660. The controller 660 can
selectively open the valve via the communication conduit 672 to
provide treating chemistry 698 at predetermined times. The
controller 660 can be in communication with sensors, such as those
of FIG. 17, to determine an appropriate rate for dispensing
treating chemistry from the venturi conduit 740. Such a rate can be
determined based upon a duty cycle operated through opening and
closing the valve 742. Additionally, such an operation of the valve
742 can be determined by a Dose Algorithm controlled by the
controller 660. For example, during a wash cycle, the valve 742 can
be opened to provide treating chemistry 698, but during a rinse
cycle, the valve 742 can be closed to prevent treating chemistry
from entering the water conduit 636.
[0141] As illustrated in FIG. 20, in the environment of a vertical
axis washing machine having a tub 14 and a drum 16 in the form of a
basket, a few of the treating chemistry supply scenarios for
exemplary treating chemistries of detergent, fresh fill water, and
fabric softener. The mixture of water and detergent outputted by
the pump 126 can be sprayed from the nozzle 66 generally directly
down and along a side of the basket while the basket is being
rotated. The fresh fill water can be sprayed across the basket from
the nozzle 56 after the laundry has been spun into an annulus, with
or without the spraying occurring during rotation of the basket.
Fabric softener can be sprayed directly from the pump 126 into the
center of the basket, especially after the laundry has been spun in
an annulus.
[0142] To implement the different spray scenarios in FIG. 20, it is
contemplated that a different nozzle 66 may be used for each of the
different spray patterns. The different nozzles 66 may be connected
to the dispensing outlet conduit 64 by a valve, which is controlled
by the controller 96 to select the appropriate nozzle.
[0143] FIGS. 21-26 illustrate different spray patterns for
providing treating chemistry to a washing machine 746 and nozzles
for providing the treating chemistry at such spray patterns. FIG.
21 illustrates a top view of the washing machine 746 having a
cabinet 748. The washing machine 746 is a vertical axis washing
machine, having an access opening 750, a basket 751 defining a
treating chamber 752, and a clothes mover 754. The user interface
98 is disposed on the top of the washing machine 746 behind the
access opening 750, but can be at other locations. The washing
machine 746 can further include one or more nozzles, illustrated as
a detergent nozzle 760, a softener nozzle 762, and a water nozzle
764. It should be understood that the nozzles as shown are
non-limiting, and more, less, or different nozzles are
contemplated.
[0144] The detergent nozzle 760 can spray a detergent mixture 770
toward one side of the basket 751. The detergent mixture 770 can be
a mixture of water and detergent treating chemistry. The mixture
770 is sprayed in a fanned pattern 768 in order to extend between
the basket 751 and the clothes mover 754. During spraying of the
mixture 770, the basket 751 can be rotated at an initial speed.
Such a rotation, for example, can be about 20 revolutions per
minute (rpm). By rotating the basket 751 and spraying the detergent
mixture 770 at the fanned pattern 768, a flat spray is provided to
the load and the detergent mixture 770 can be evenly applied to a
load of clothing within the treating chamber 752. The fanned
pattern 768 can provide a thin, flat curtain of the detergent
mixture 770 across the load. The fanned pattern 768 can be designed
to apply more detergent mixture to the area of the load that has
the most laundry. For example, if the majority of the load is
disposed in the radially outer two-thirds of the drum, the fanned
pattern 768 can provide the majority of the detergent to that area.
Twenty rpms is well below a "spin" speed, which is the rotational
speed at which the centrifugal force on the inner surface of the
drum is 1 g or greater. A spin speed for the wash of FIG. 45 is
typically in the range of 60-90 rpm, depending on the diameter of
the basket.
[0145] Typical washing machines can dispense detergent into the
sump or into the load in a concentrated dose. Such dispensing
results in uneven distribution of detergent. Utilizing the
detergent nozzle 760 to spray the detergent mixture 770 at the
fanned pattern 768 while rotating provides even distribution of the
detergent across the load to provide a consistent cleaning to the
load.
[0146] The softener nozzle 762 can spray a softener mixture 772 at
a cone-shaped pattern 774, which is narrower than the fanned
pattern 768, having a somewhat circular splash pattern. The
softener mixture 772 can be a mixture of fabric softener treating
chemistry and water. The softener mixture 772 can be sprayed at the
cone-shaped pattern 774 at the clothes mover 754 after the basket
has been rotated closer to or greater than a spin speed to form the
laundry into an annulus about the clothes move, and when there is
liquid at a level in the basket. Thus the cone-shaped pattern 774
will be directed into the liquid within the annulus of the laundry
and will not directly contact the laundry. This provides for a
uniform distribution of the softener, which is able to disperser
through the water first before coming into contact with the load,
which also prevents "hot spots" of softener on the load, which is
not desirable with fabric softener. It should be understood that
the cone-shaped pattern 774 is exemplary, and any shaped pattern
can be used to spray the softener into the basket without
contacting the laundry. However, since a spin cycle typically moves
the clothes radially outward along the basket, it is preferable to
spray the softener mixture 772 in a cone-shaped pattern 774 toward
the clothes mover 754 to avoid direct application to the
laundry.
[0147] The water nozzle 764 can spray water 776 at another streamed
pattern 778 onto the load across the basket 751. The streamed
pattern 778 can be a thick, flat flow of liquid extending across a
portion of the load between the basket 751 and the clothes mover
754. The streamed pattern 778 can be designed to provide a majority
of the liquid where the load will be during the high speed spin
portion of the cycle. The extended distance of the water 776 in the
streamed pattern 778 results in an even distribution of water among
the load rather than soaking a portion of the load and relying on
the water to pass among the rest of the load. During such a spray
of water 776, the basket 751 can be rotated, such as at least 1 g,
where g=gravitational acceleration, or above 65 rpm for typical
basket diameters. The rpm can be higher and heightened rotational
speed can help to reduce the amount of water needed to rinse the
load, however, such a rotational speed needs to be balanced between
improved cleaning and reduce water requirements with the tendency
of the spray water 776 to splash out at a higher rpm. Additionally,
spraying the water at the basket 751 can wash away any remaining
detergent to clean the basket 751 during the cycle of operation. As
such, proper detergent removal from the load during rinse is
facilitated while maintaining a clean basket 751.
[0148] It should be appreciated that the organization of the
nozzles and the resultant spray pattern can evenly distribute
treating chemistries, a mixture of treating chemistries and water,
water, or any other treatment or combination in treatments in an
effective manner to provide even distribution among a wash
load.
[0149] FIG. 22 illustrates an alternative embodiment for a washing
machine 786 having a cabinet 788. The washing machine 786 can be
substantially similar to the washing machine 746 of FIG. 21 and
similar numerals will be used to describe similar elements. The
washing machine 786 can have a tub 790 disposed around the basket
751. A bezel or fascia 792 can mount to the access opening 750. A
first nozzle 794 can mount to the fascia 792 and a second nozzle
796 can mount to the tub 790 opposite of the fascia 792. The fascia
92 can include indicia, such as stickers, to indicate the washing
machine 786 is bulk enabled, beneficial to informing a consumer
about the bulk features of the washing machine 786 on a showroom
floor.
[0150] The first nozzle 794 can be similar to the water nozzle 764
of FIG. 21. The first nozzle 794 can spray a volume of water 800 in
a first pattern 798. The first pattern 798 can be defined by
spraying the water 800 across the basket 751 to evenly distribute
the water 800 among the load and to rinse the wash basket 751.
Additionally the load can be slowly spun during adding the water
800, such as at 20 rpm.
[0151] The second nozzle 796 can be disposed between the tub 790
and the basket 751. The second nozzle 796 can spray a low
concentration dose of detergent or fabric softener 802 at a second
pattern 804. The low concentration dose can be a mixture of water
and detergent or fabric softener to dilute the detergent or fabric
softener as initially provided by the user to the washing machine.
Spraying the low concentration detergent or fabric softener 802
between the basket 751 and the tub 790 can indirectly provide the
detergent, fabric softener 802 or other treating chemistry to the
load, where direct application can be detrimental to cleaning
effectiveness, or non-uniform among the entire load.
[0152] The second nozzle 796 can alternatively be a recirculation
nozzle 796. The recirculation nozzle 796 can provide recirculation
of liquid from the sump back into the basket. For example, a
detergent mixture that has drained from the load and the basket to
the tub, can pass to the sump where it can be recirculated and
reapplied to the load. As such, the load can receive increased
interaction with the treating chemistry or detergent, requiring a
lesser amount of treating chemistry per cycle. Additionally, the
second nozzle 796 as a recirculation nozzle can be sprayed at the
load while the basket is spinning to provide a more uniform
coverage of the recirculated mixture.
[0153] In another example, where the second nozzle 796 is a
recirculation nozzle during a rinse cycle, the water can be
recirculated from the sump to the load to remove a greater portion
of detergent or treating chemistry form the load. As such, a lesser
volume of water is required during the rinse cycle. Such a lesser
water volume can make the washing machine 786 more economical as
well as advantageous in areas where water availability is
diminished.
[0154] Additionally, the washing machine 786 can include a top wall
806 having the access opening 750 to provide access to the treating
chamber 752. The top wall 806 can include an aperture 808. A
conduit 810 can couple the aperture to the treating chamber 752.
The aperture 808 can be used for adding additional treating
chemistry to the treating chamber 752. For example, bleach can be
added via the aperture 808, without intermixing the bleach with the
nozzles for the other treating chemistry. Additionally, a supply of
water can be provided to the aperture 808 or conduit 810 to dilute
the treating chemistry provided through the aperture 808.
Furthermore, a cap or cover can be provided to close the aperture
808 when not in use. Providing the bleach to the aperture 808
prevents direct disposal onto the load, facilitating even
distribution of the bleach or other treating chemistry. It should
be appreciated that other treating chemistries beyond bleach are
contemplated, such as stain treatments in one non-limiting example.
Additionally, a cap or cover can be provided to close the aperture
808 when not in use.
[0155] FIG. 23 illustrates another embodiment for including nozzles
in a washing machine 811 having spray patterns for treating a load.
FIG. 23 can be substantially similar to FIGS. 21 and 46, and
similar numbers will be used to describe similar elements. The
fascia 792 can house or cover three nozzles, being a detergent
nozzle 812, a fabric softener nozzle 814, and a water nozzle 816.
Alternatively, the nozzles can be housed in a nozzle housing (see
FIGS. 29-32, for example) attached to the fascia 792 or the top
wall 806. The detergent nozzle 812 can spray a detergent mixture
818 in a wide pattern 820. The basket 751 can be rotated while
supplying the detergent mixture 818 to evenly treat the load as it
is rotated. The wide pattern 820 can be a line or rectangular
pattern that evenly covers the load between the clothes mover 754
and the basket 751. The fabric softener nozzle 814 can spray a
fabric softener mixture 822 at a pattern 824 similar to that of the
fanned pattern 774 of FIG. 21. The water nozzle 816 can be a wide
nozzle, spraying a wide, heavy flow 826 in a linear pattern 828
against the wash basket 751 opposite of the fascia 792. Such a
spray can be sprayed over the clothes mover 754 to hit the basket
751.
[0156] FIG. 24 illustrates a nozzle 840, which can be the detergent
nozzles 760, 812 of FIGS. 21 and 23. The nozzle 840 includes a
bracket 842, a conduit 844, and a head 846. The bracket 842 can
mount to the washing machine 10. The mounted bracket 842 positions
the conduit 844 to receive a volume of liquid, such as a mixture of
detergent and water, from the washing machine 10. The conduit 844
provides the liquid to the head 846. The head 846 can be shaped to
spray the mixture at the patterns 768, 820 seen in FIGS. 21 and 23.
The head 846 can be diverging and have a wide mouth 850 to provide
the wide spray pattern. The nozzle 840 is preferably targeted at
the bottom of the basket 751 at the 9:00 position when looking at
the vertical axis washing machine 10 from the front.
[0157] FIG. 25 illustrates a nozzle 852, which can be the softener
nozzles 762, 814 of FIGS. 21 and 23. The nozzle 852 includes a
bracket 854, a conduit 856, and a head 858, similar to the nozzle
840 of FIG. 24. The bracket 854 provides for mounting the nozzle
852 to the washing machine 10 and aligning the conduit 856 to
receive a supply of liquid, such as a mixture of fabric softener
and water. The conduit 856 can provide the supply of liquid to the
head 858 for spraying in a pattern, such as the fanned pattern 774,
824 of FIGS. 21 and 23. A mouth 860 can direct the supply of liquid
toward the clothes mover 754 at the bottom of the basket 751 as is
shown in FIGS. 21 and 23.
[0158] FIG. 26 illustrates yet another nozzle 862, which can be the
water nozzles 764, 816 of FIGS. 21 and 23. Similar to the nozzles
840, 852 of FIGS. 24 and 25, the nozzle 862 can include a bracket
864, a conduit 866, and a head 868. The bracket 864 provides for
mounting the nozzle 862 to the washing machine 10 and aligning the
conduit 866 to receive a flow of liquid, such as water, to be
provided to the head 868. The mouth 870 is wide to provide a wide
spray pattern, such as the patterns 778, 826 of FIGS. 21 and 23.
The size of the conduit 866 or the water pressure supplied from the
conduit 866 can be sufficient to cover the large pattern.
Additionally, the head 868 is diverging to provide for a widened
spray. The water can be provided to the wall of the basket 751 or
onto the load, while the basket 751 is rotated, to evenly provide a
supply of liquid to the load.
[0159] Additionally, the nozzles as described in FIGS. 21-26 are
organized to permit simultaneous use, without interfering with one
another. As such, a treating chemistry can be applied to the load
at the same time as water for filling the basket 751 without
sacrificing the benefits of providing the treating chemistry evenly
among the load.
[0160] Typical nozzles in the industry are made of rubber or
flexible material to prevent breaking. The nozzles extend at least
partially into the treating chamber, exposing them to the user
where loading laundry can damage the nozzles.
[0161] FIGS. 27-29 illustrate a connection system 900 for coupling
a bulk dispenser or a bulk container to a washing machine 901. The
connection system 900 includes a spigot 902, a ring 904, and a pump
906. The spigot 902 includes an inlet 908 and an outlet 910. The
inlet 908 has a male connector 912 for inserting into a conduit
914. The conduit 914 can couple the spigot 902 to the bulk
dispenser 60, such as those of FIG. 3 in one example. Such a
conduit 914 can be coupled to a cap 916, which can be any cap
described herein, such as the cap of FIGS. 4-11. Thus, the spigot
902 can receive a volume of treating chemistry from a bulk
dispenser 60, such as the bulk dispenser of FIG. 3.
[0162] The pump 906 can be any pump described herein, such as the
pump of FIGS. 17-19, and can be located within the washing machine
901. While only one pump 906 is shown, the washing machine 901 can
have multiple pumps 906. A female receptacle 918 can be disposed on
one end of the pump 906. The female receptacle 918 can couple to
the outlet 910 of the spigot 902 to fluidly couple the bulk
dispenser 60 to the washing machine 901.
[0163] An aperture 920 can be disposed in the washing machine 901.
The ring 904 can be sized to be received in the aperture 920. The
ring 904 can align with the pump 906 to guide insertion of the
spigot 902 at the ring 904 to couple the spigot 902 to the pump 906
by coupling the outlet 910 to the female receptacle 918. The ring
904 and spigot 902 can be colored similar to one another to
identify the appropriate spigot 902 to be connected to the
complementary pump 906. For example, the washing machine 901 can
have a pump 906 for supplying a volume of detergent. The ring 904
and spigot 902, for example, can both be colored blue. When a user
is attaching a bulk dispenser 60 to the connection system 900, they
can properly identify which treating chemistry is provided to the
proper pump 906 by attaching the colored spigot 902 to the similar
pump 906 at the similar colored ring 904. As such, if a washing
machine 901 includes pumps for multiple treating chemistries, a
user can properly provide the treating chemistries to the washing
machine 901 such that the loads are properly treated.
[0164] Referring to FIG. 28, the ring 904 can have an annular
portion 922 and a flange 923. Slits 924 can be disposed in the
annular portion 922. During manufacture of the washing machine 901,
the rings 904 can be inserted into the aperture 920. The slits 924
permit depression of the annular portion 922 for insertion into the
aperture 920, and expansion to secure the ring 904 within the
aperture 920. Thus, the pumps 906 for receiving a volume of
treating chemistry from a bulk container or dispenser can be
properly identified by the manufacturer to facilitate proper use
and performance of the washing machine 901 by the consumer.
[0165] Additionally, it is contemplated that the ring 904 or the
pump 906 can be communicatively coupled to the controller 96. Upon
interconnection of the connection system 900, the washing machine
901 can signal the user that the connection is proper or improper.
Examples of such signals can include but are not limited to a light
on the user interface or display, an audible sound, or the similar
sensor signals. In another example, if the connection is improper,
the washing machine 901 may prevent starting of a requested cycle
of operation until a proper connection is made.
[0166] Such improper or proper connections can be measured in
multiple ways. In one example, an electrical connection can be made
upon connecting the spigot 902 to the pump 906. Upon making the
electrical connection, a circuit can be completed. Such completion
can be communicated to the controller identifying the proper or
improper connection of the system 900.
[0167] FIG. 29 illustrates a bottom view of a top wall 926 having
an access opening 928 and a pump system 930. The pump system 930
includes at least one pump 932 and at least one nozzle 934,
illustrated as two pumps 932 and two nozzles 934. The pump system
930 can further include a manifold 936. The pumps 932 can be any
pump described herein, such as the pumps of FIGS. 17-19. The
nozzles 934 can be any nozzle described herein, such as the nozzles
of FIGS. 24-26. The nozzles 934 can be disposed underneath a fascia
938 for providing a volume of liquid to a treating chamber of the
washing machine 901, while protecting the nozzles 934 from damage.
A system of conduits 940 can couple the manifold 936 to the pumps
932 and nozzles 934, or the pumps 932 to the nozzles 934.
[0168] Referring to FIG. 30, the pump system 930 can include a
housing 950. A first pump 952 and a second pump 954 mount within
the housing 950. A manifold 956 can mount to the side of the
housing 950. Optionally, a spigot 958 can mount to the pumps 952,
954 through apertures 960 in the housing 950. Such an example is
illustrated in FIGS. 27 and 28. Three nozzles 962 (FIGS. 24-26) can
mount to the housing 950. A plurality of conduits 964 can
interconnect the nozzles 962, pumps 952, 954, and the manifold
956.
[0169] The manifold 956 can include a hot water inlet 966 and a
cold water inlet 968. The manifold 956 can provide a supply of
water to the nozzle 962 through a conduit 964 for providing water
to the treating chamber. Similarly, the manifold 956 can supply
water to the pumps 952, 954. The pumps 952, 954 can utilize the
water along with a volume of treating chemistry from the spigots
958 to create a mixture. Such a mixture can be provided from the
pumps 952, 954 to a nozzle 962 for dispensing into the treating
chamber for treating a load.
[0170] The housing 950 can be utilized to create a modular design
for providing a supply of water and treating chemistry to a washing
machine 10 while incorporating a bulk dispensing system.
[0171] FIG. 31 illustrates an alternate tubeless housing 980.
Tubeless should be understood to mean that the flow paths for any
fluids is integrated into the housing 980 to define the flow paths,
as opposed to dedicated tubed conduits. The housing 980 includes an
upper portion 982 and a lower portion 984, which can be thought of
as an un-hinged clamshell configuration. The upper portion 982
includes three spouts 986 and a system of seals 988. The lower
portion 984 includes three receptacles 990 and a system of channels
992. The system of channels 992 is complementary to the system of
seals 988. The lower portion 984 further includes two apertures
994. A pump 996, which can be the pumps of FIGS. 17-19, can be
included in each aperture 994. The lower portion 984 also five
outlets 998 and two inlets 1000. The nozzles of FIGS. 24-26, for
example, can mount at the outlets 998 to direct a flow of fluid
exiting the outlets 998.
[0172] The system of channels 992 includes three water channels
1002 and two mixed channels 1004. The water channels 1002 fluidly
couple the receptacles 990 to three outlets 998. Two of the outlets
998 can couple to pumps 996, while the third outlet 998 can provide
a flow of water directly to the treating chamber of the washing
machine 10. The two mixed channels 1004 fluidly couple two inlets
1000 to two outlets 998.
[0173] In operation, the upper portion 982 can fasten to the lower
portion 984 to seat the seals 988 at the channels 992, fluidly
sealing the channels 992. A flow of water is provided to the spouts
986, such as from the manifold of FIG. 30. From the spouts 986, the
water enters the receptacles 990 and is provided to the three water
channels 1002. One water channel 1002 can provide for delivering
the water directly to the treating chamber. The other two channels
1002 can provide a supply of water to the pumps 996. The pumps 996
can mix the volume of water with a supply of treating chemistry to
create a mixture. The mixtures from the pumps 996 can be returned
to the housing 980 via the inlets 1000 from the pumps 996. From the
inlets 1000, the mixtures can be provided to the remaining outlets
998 where the treating chemistry and water mixtures can be applied
to the treating chamber, such as from the nozzles.
[0174] FIG. 32 illustrates a top view of the housing 980 of FIG.
31, illustrating the flow paths through the housing 980. A supply
of water is provided to the manifold 956 from the pumps 996 or to a
water outlet nozzle 1006. The water outlet nozzle 1006 sprays a
volume of water 1008 to the treating chamber, such as in the
pattern of FIGS. 21-23. A volume of treating chemistry can be
supplied to the pumps 996 at pump inlets 1010. The pumps 996 can
combine the supply of treating chemistry with the supply of water
to provide a mixture 1012 to a first nozzle 1014 or a second nozzle
1016. Thus, separate treating chemistries, such as a detergent and
a fabric softener, can be supplied to the washing machine 10 at the
same internal housing 980. The mixtures 1012 can be sprayed out the
first and second nozzles 1014, 1016 in patterns such as those
illustrated in FIGS. 21-23.
[0175] FIGS. 29-32 can include a bulk dispenser system including a
distribution header including a housing, such as the housings 964,
980 of FIGS. 30-31. The housings can include multiple conduits,
being tubed, tubeless, or otherwise, such as water conduits or
treating chemistry conduits with at least one pump mount provided
on the housing. The conduits can be the conduits 940, 1002, 1004,
or other conduits for fluidly coupling a water supply, chemistry
supply, or mixture thereof. A pump, such as pumps 954, 996, can be
coupled to the bulk dispenser including a water inlet coupled to a
water conduit, a treating chemistry inlet coupled to a treating
chemistry conduit, and a wash liquid output for emitting a mixture
of the water and the treating chemistry to form the wash liquid for
the cycle of operation of the laundry treating appliance.
[0176] The housing can have at least one water supply connector or
bulk chemistry connector for fluidly coupling to a water supply or
a bulk treating chemistry supply. Additionally, the housing can
include on or more nozzles for dispensing the liquids into the
treating chamber. The nozzle, for example, can couple to the wash
liquid output, and can be a spray nozzle. The nozzle can couple to
a nozzle fitting on the housing, and be releasable mounted to the
nozzle fitting. Additionally, the pump mount can be releasable to
have the pump removably mounted to the housing.
[0177] The appliance can further include a valve assembly, such as
any suitable combination of valves, carried by the housing for
introducing a supply of water, treating chemistry, bulk treating
chemistry, or other fluids. The valve assembly, for example, can
include at least one of a water supply valve or a treating
chemistry supply valve. Furthermore, the housing can include two
separate halves, such as that shown in FIG. 31.
[0178] FIGS. 33-37 illustrate different locations of the bulk
container 120 in both the horizontal axis and vertical axis washing
machine 10 environments. It is to be understood that the location
of the bulk container 120 as illustrated is not limited to the
particular washing machine selected for the environment.
[0179] FIG. 33 illustrates the bulk container 120 placed on top of
the washing machine 10. The bulk container 120 can be placed at any
location on the top of the washing machine 10. It is contemplated
that it can be placed near the rear of the cabinet 12. Optionally,
the washing machine 10 can include detents, recessed portions, or
other physical features, such as guides 309 or other geometries to
keep the bulk dispenser 60 in place. Additionally, such a guide 309
can indicate the proper storage position to the user.
[0180] FIG. 34 illustrates the bulk container 120 placed on a shelf
310 mounted to the cabinet 12, and in particular the rear of the
cabinet 12. The shelf 310 can be located below the top of the
cabinet 12 to better hide the bulk container 120 from view.
[0181] FIG. 35 illustrates the bulk container 120 in the shelf 310,
which is now mounted to a wall 312, instead of the cabinet 12.
[0182] FIG. 36 illustrates the bulk container 120 located within a
pedestal 314 supporting the washing machine 10. FIG. 37 illustrates
the pedestal 314 with a drawer 316 in an open position to show the
location of the bulk container 120. The pedestal 314 can be of any
suitable size, especially height, to accommodate the bulk container
120. It is contemplated that the height of the pedestal can be
about 15.5 inches to accommodate most off-the-shelf bulk containers
in an upright position with the container adapter 122 mounted to
the bulk container 120. Fifteen and a half inches is taller than
most commercially available pedestals, which most commonly 12
inches.
[0183] While the different embodiments are illustrated using a
single bulk container 120, it is contemplated that multiple bulk
containers 120 can be used, with the controller selecting the bulk
container 120 for the particular phase of the cycle of operation.
For example, one bulk container 120 could hold detergent, another
could hold bleach, and another could hold fabric softener, and yet
another could hold special detergent, such as for babies clothing.
The multiple bulk container 120 implementation can be accomplished
by providing a liquid interface 124 and pump 126 for each of the
different bulk containers 120. A sensor 206 can be provided for
each of the bulk containers 120 and can be used to also identify
the type of treating chemistry in the corresponding bulk container
120 and provide that data to the controller for subsequent use.
[0184] It is possible to fluidly couple all of the bulk containers
120 to a single pump 126 by locating a multiplexing valve or
multi-spigot tube between the multiple liquid interfaces and the
pump 126, for example. However, given that many of the contemplated
treating chemistries are deleterious to each other's functionality
when mixed, a special flushing cycle for the pump 126 would need to
be executed prior to switching chemistries to avoid
contamination.
[0185] While a bubble detection sensor was described for
determining when the bulk container 120 is empty or nearing empty,
an alternative would be to use one of the weight sensors 104, such
as a plate, on which the bulk container 120 is placed. Such a
weight sensor could be located at a predetermined portion of the
cabinet top, in the shelf 310, or in the drawer 316 of the pedestal
314.
[0186] FIGS. 38-43 illustrate a washing machine 338 having two
reservoir bulk containers 340. The bulk containers 340 can be
tailored to the particular washing machine 338 and positioned
behind the user interface 98. The washing machine 338 as described
in FIGS. 38-43 is a vertical axis washing machine, while it is
contemplated that the bulk containers 340 can be incorporated in a
horizontal axis washing machine in similar fashion. The bulk
containers 340 are not off-the-shelf containers, like bulk
containers 120. The bulk containers 340 are custom designed for one
or more specific washing machines, washing machine model, or
washing machine product line.
[0187] FIG. 38 illustrates two bulk containers 340 disposed behind
the user interface 98. The bulk containers 340 are at least
partially hidden, and can be fully hidden, behind user interface 98
for an aesthetically pleasing design while providing access for a
user to interact with the bulk containers 340. The user interface
98 as shown is exemplary, including a touch screen display 342 with
a plurality of buttons 344 and a time display 346.
[0188] FIG. 39 illustrates one example of the custom reservoir bulk
container 340. The bulk container 340 includes a housing 350, a cap
352 including a lid 354 and a handle 356. An interior 358 is
defined within the housing 350. Indicia 360 can be disposed on the
lid 354. The cap 352 mounts onto the housing 350 to enclose the
interior 358. The lid 354 can selectively provide access to the
interior 358 for filling the bulk container 340 with a volume of
treating chemistry. The handle 356 can be grasped by the user for
moving the bulk container 340, such as for filling and replacing on
the washing machine 338. The indicia 360 can identify the
particular treating chemistry associated with the particular bulk
container 340. As such, multiple bulk containers 340 can be used to
store different treating chemistries for the same washing machine
338.
[0189] FIG. 40 illustrates the bulk container 340 mounted onto the
washing machine 338 as a vertical axis washing machine. FIG. 40 can
be substantially similar to FIG. 34 and similar numbers will be
used to identify similar elements. A valve 362 can be integrated
into the bulk container 340. A washing machine seat 364 can be
provided on the washing machine 338 where the bulk container 340 is
stored having a container conduit 366. The seat 364 can receive the
bulk container 340, aligning the valve 362 to fluidly couple the
bulk container 340 to the pump 126.
[0190] FIG. 41 illustrates a rear view of the bulk container 340 in
a docking embodiment. The seat 364 can comprise a docking tray 368.
The docking tray 368 can rest on the washing machine 338 for
holding and aligning the bulk container 340. A docking seat 370 can
be formed as part of the docking tray 368. The valve 362, as shown,
is integrated into the bulk container 340, while it is contemplated
that the valve 362 can alternatively be integrated into the docking
tray 368, at the docking seat 370. The docking seat 370 can be
shaped to receive the valve 362 to align the valve 362 with the
container conduit 366. The docking seat 370 can fit within a
washing machine receptacle 371 to align the docking tray 368 to the
washing machine 338, aligning the bulk container 340 to the
container conduit 366. Furthermore, placing the docking seat 370
within the receptacle 371 can form a reservoir for any treating
chemistry that might leak at the valve 362, providing for easy
cleaning when removing the bulk container 340 and the docking tray
368.
[0191] FIG. 42 illustrates the bulk container 340 in a non-docking
embodiment. FIG. 43 can be substantially similar to FIG. 34 and
similar elements are identified by similar numerals. In the
non-docking embodiment, the bulk container 340 can include an
outlet 372. The washing machine 338 can include an inlet 374 with a
conduit 376. The conduit 376 can couple to the bulk container 340
to the outlet 372 at the inlet 374. The inlet 374 couples the
conduit 376 to the container conduit 366 to provide a volume of
treating chemistry from the bulk container 340 to the pump 126.
[0192] FIG. 43 illustrates a rear view of the non-docking bulk
container 340, best illustrating the outlet 372. The outlet 372 can
have threads providing for a threaded connection to the conduit
376. It should be appreciated that the outlet 372 can be located on
any wall of the non-docking bulk container 340, including the lid.
It should further be appreciated that the conduit 376 could be the
same as or similar to the container adapter 122. It should yet
further be appreciated that the non-docking bulk container 340 can
be positioned in different places relative to the washing machine
338. Such places can be any place illustrated herein, or mounted to
any place on the washing machine 338, or on a wall, cabinet,
counter, floor, or other appliance near the washing machine
338.
[0193] FIGS. 44-46 illustrate another embodiment for a bulk
container 380 for storing and providing treating chemistry to the
washing machine 378. It should be understood that while FIGS. 44-46
are directed toward a vertical axis washing machine 378, it will
have equal applicability to a horizontal axis or other washing
machine 378.
[0194] FIG. 44 illustrates the washing machine 378 having a
treating chamber 379 and user interface 98. A lid 382 mounts to
selectively open and close the treating chamber 379 for selectively
opening the treating chamber 18. A top wall 384 is disposed
underneath the lid 382. An aperture 386 defined in the top wall 384
provides access to the treating chamber 379 by opening the lid 382.
Two inlets 388 are disposed in the top wall 384. A cap 390 can
threadably mount at each inlet 388 to selectively open each inlet
388. It should be understood that the cap 390 can selectively
provide access to a bulk container located underneath the inlets
388 adjacent to the top wall 384. A user can easily remove the cap
390, pour a volume of treating chemistry into the bulk dispenser
through the inlet 388 for quick filling of bulk treating
chemistry.
[0195] Alternatively, the bulk container 380 can be disposed on the
rear wall 391 of the washing machine 378. FIG. 45 illustrates the
bulk container 380 mounted on the rear wall 391 of the washing
machine 378. The bulk container 380 includes a first inlet conduit
392 a second inlet conduit 394, a first outlet conduit 396, a
second outlet conduit 398, and four coupling caps 400. The first
and second outlet conduits 396, 398 extend along the rear of the
washing machine 378 from the bottom of the bulk container 380
toward the top of the washing machine 378. The bulk container 380
can be divided into sections, illustrated as a first half 402 and a
second half 404. It should be understood that the bulk container
380 as illustrated is exemplary, and can include any number of
sections being one or more. For example, the bulk container 380
could be separated into four sections. As such, the top wall 384
would include four inlets 388, having four inlet conduits coupled
to the bulk container 380 with four outlet conduits coupled to the
washing machine 378.
[0196] FIG. 46 is an isolated view of the system interconnecting
the bulk container 380 to the inlets 388. The inlets 388 can supply
a volume of treating chemistry to the bulk container 380 through
the first and second inlet conduits 392, 394. The first and second
outlet conduits 396, 398 can supply a volume of the treating
chemistry from the bulk container 380 to the washing machine 378,
such as to the pumps (FIGS. 17-19) or internal housing (FIGS.
29-32) described herein. The caps 400 threadably couple the
conduits 392, 394, 396, 398 to the bulk container 380.
[0197] The bulk container 380 further includes a channel 406
extending longitudinally along the bulk container 380. The channel
406 provides room for the first and second outlet conduits 396, 398
to extend from the bottom of the bulk container 380 to the top of
the washing machine 10. Additionally, the channel 406 can
effectively separate the bulk container 380 into the first and
second halves 402, 404.
[0198] Indicia 408 can be disposed on the caps 390 disposed on the
top wall 384. Such indicia 408 can identify the proper treating
chemistry to be supplied to the proper section of the bulk
container 380.
[0199] The bulk container 380 provides for storage of a large
volume of treating chemistry, while requiring a minimal amount of
space external of the washing machine 10, as well as being hidden
from view of the consumer.
[0200] It should be appreciated that while FIG. 46 illustrates the
cap system of FIG. 44 in combination with the bulk storage unit on
the rear wall 391 of FIG. 45, the two can be used independent of
one another. For example, the cap 390 of FIG. 44 can be used to
pour a bulk volume of treating chemistry into a different bulk
container immediately adjacent the cap 390 and inlet 388.
Alternatively, the bulk dispenser 380 can be supplied from
chemistry inlets disposed in alternatively places than that of FIG.
44 to fill the bulk dispenser 380.
[0201] FIGS. 47-50 illustrate another implementation for a bulk
container 420 within a tip out panel 422 for accessing the bulk
container 420. Referring to FIG. 47 in particular, the washing
machine 418 is a heightened unit, including a drum portion 424
positioned above the tip out panel 422 and a toe kick panel 426.
Alternatively, the toe kick panel 426 can be a pedestal or pull out
drawer having various uses such as a secondary treating chamber or
a storage space. The drum portion 424 includes the door 24 for
selectively accessing the treating chamber 18. The tip out panel
422 includes a panel door 428 having a handle 430. The panel door
428 can be selectively opened and closed via a hinged connection
431 to access the bulk container 420.
[0202] FIG. 48 illustrates a top view of the washing machine 418
with the tip out panel 422 in the open position. The bulk container
420 includes an internal dividing structure 432 defining a first
pour aperture 434 and a second pour aperture 436. Indicia 438 can
be disposed adjacent to the first and second pour apertures 434,
436. The indicia 438 can label the pour apertures 434, 436 such
that a user can properly dispense treating chemistry into the
proper aperture 434, 436. The pour apertures 434, 436 can define
reservoirs for holding a volume of treating chemistry, which can be
selectively supply to or drawn by the washing machine 418 for a
cycle of operation.
[0203] Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 48, two reservoirs 440 can
be disposed within the washing machine 418, shown in dashed line.
The reservoirs 440 can be located behind the tip out panel 422 in
the washing machine 418. In operation, treating chemistry can be
poured from a bulk dispenser 60 or other large volume of treating
chemistry into the first and second pour apertures 434, 436. The
volume of treating chemistry is provided from the apertures 434,
436 and stored in the reservoirs 440. The volume of treating
chemistry stored in the reservoirs 440 can be provided from the
reservoirs 440 to the treating chamber for treating a load. During
a cycle of operation, a controller can pump the treating chemistry
from the reservoirs 440 for providing the appropriate amount of
treating chemistry based upon the particular cycle of
operation.
[0204] It should be appreciated that the washing machine 418 having
the tip out panel 422 disposed above the toe kick panel 426
provides a geometry that is beneficial to locating the treating
chamber higher off of the ground than traditional treating
chambers. Such a position provides an ergonomic position for the
door facilitating loading and unloading of the washing machine 418
by a user. Similarly, the heightened position of the tip out panel
422 facilitates loading of treating chemistry into the washing
machine 418, rather than requiring a user to remove a bulk
dispenser or bend or stoop to fill or install a new bulk container
or dispenser. A typical horizontal axis washing machine has a door
position that requires a user to bend over or stoop to load. The
heightened treating chamber allows a user to load and unload the
washing machine 418 without bending or stooping. While the tip out
panel is well suited for a configuration where the treating chamber
is higher off the ground than normal, the tip out panel can be used
with a traditional height treating chamber. In another example, it
is contemplated that the washing machine 418 does not include a toe
kick panel 426 and that the tip out panel 422 is disposed at the
bottom of the washing machine 418 adjacent the floor or other
resting surface.
[0205] FIG. 49 illustrates a variation on the washing machine 418
of FIG. 48, having the tip out panel 450 adapted to receive the
bulk dispenser 60 or the bulk container 120. The tip out panel 422
includes a panel interior 452 with one or more conduits 454 having
a complementary cap 456. Bulk dispensers 60 can be placed in the
panel interior 452 for loading. The cap 456 can be the cap of FIGS.
4-11, for example. The cap 456 can screw onto the bulk dispensers
60. The conduit 454 fluidly couples the bulk dispenser 60 to the
washing machine 418 for providing a volume of treating chemistry to
the reservoir 440 in the washing machine 418 during a cycle of
operation. Alternatively, the conduit 454 can couple directly to a
pump for providing the treating chemistry to the treating chamber
without the intermediate reservoir 440.
[0206] FIG. 50 illustrates a variation on FIG. 49, having the tip
out panel 422 with dedicated bulk dispensers 458. The dedicated
bulk dispensers 458 include a handle 460 with a lid 462. An
interior 464 can be defined within the bulk dispenser 458 and
accessed by opening the lid 462. The interior 464 can be filled
with a volume of treating chemistry. During operation, the treating
chemistry can be provided to the internal reservoir 440 via the
conduit 454, or alternatively can couple to a pump for providing
the treating chemistry directly to the treating chamber during a
cycle of operation. The dedicated bulk dispensers 458 are removable
from the panel interior 452 for easy filling or cleaning external
from the washing machine 418.
[0207] FIGS. 51-55 illustrate embodiments of bulk container 120
integrated in the door 24 or at a seat where the door 24 closes the
treating chamber. While the embodiments are illustrated in the door
24 of a horizontal axis washing machine, the embodiments have equal
applicability to a lid enclosing a vertical axis washing
machine.
[0208] FIG. 51 illustrates a washing machine 468 having a front
load door 24. The door 24 includes a frame 470 and a window 472. A
hinge 474 connects the door 24 to the washing machine 468. The
washing machine 468 further includes a seat 478 defining an access
opening 476. A slot 480 is disposed in the seat 478. A bulk
container 482 defining an interior 486 is sized complementary to
the slot 480 and includes a lid 484. The interior 486 can be
separated into chambers 488 for holding different treating
chemistry for use in a cycle of operation.
[0209] In use, the bulk container 482 can be filled with a volume
of one or more treating chemistries. The bulk container 482 can be
removed from the slot 480 for filling. Upon removal of the bulk
container 482, the lid 484 is opened providing access to the
chambers 488. The different treating chemistries can be poured or
otherwise placed in the chambers 488 to keep them separate, such as
from the bulk dispenser 60 (FIG. 3).
[0210] The bulk container 482 can include a valve (not shown). Such
a valve can be similar to the valve 362 of FIG. 41. Each chamber
488 can have a dedicated valve for separately providing treating
chemistries to the washing machine 468. The valve couples the bulk
container 482 to the washing machine 468 for providing the treating
chemistry to the washing machine 468 during a cycle of operation. A
pump (FIGS. 17-19) can selectively draw a volume of the treating
chemistry from the bulk container 482 for providing the chemistry
to the treating chamber.
[0211] Alternatively, the bulk container 482 can operate as a
storage unit within the washing machine 468. When a user requires a
volume of treating chemistry, the bulk container 482 can be removed
from the slot 480 where a user can collect a volume of treating
chemistry from the bulk container 482 and dispense it to the
washing machine 468 for a cycle of operation. For example, the bulk
container 482 can hold a large volume of detergent where a user can
selectively provide the detergent to the washing machine 468. In
another example, the bulk container 482 can hold stain treating
chemistry, where a user can selectively provide the stain treating
chemistry to an article for pre-treatment as may be desired.
[0212] FIG. 52 illustrates yet another embodiment having a washing
machine 498 with a bulk receptacle 500 disposed in a door seat 502.
The door 24 includes a hinge 504 to mount to the washing machine
498. An access opening 506 is defined by the door seat 502. The
bulk receptacle 500 includes one or more inlets 508. The inlets 508
can have an optional lid 510 to selectively open and close the
inlets 508. The washing machine 498 can further include one or more
conduits 512 and complementary reservoirs 514. The conduits 512
fluidly couple the inlets 508 to the reservoirs 514.
[0213] In operation, the door 24 can be opened to provide access to
the bulk receptacle 500. The user can pour treating chemistry into
the inlets 508. The treating chemistry passes into the reservoirs
514 through the conduits 512. The inlets 508 can be labelled with
indicia (not shown) to instruct a user to input the proper treating
chemistry into the proper reservoir 514. Additionally, it is
contemplated that a fill-level for the reservoirs 514 can be
communicated to the user, such as through visual or audible
communication at the user interface, in one non-limiting
example.
[0214] FIG. 53 illustrates an alternative embodiment of FIG. 52,
having a two-door system. A washing machine 518 includes an access
opening 520 having a first door 522 and a second door 524. The
first door 522 can selectively provide access to the second door
524. The second door 524 includes a bulk container 526. The bulk
container 526 can be separated into multiple chambers 528. An
interior 530 is defined within each chamber 528. A lid 532 can be
located on each chamber 528. The lids 532 selectively open and
close the chambers 528 providing access to the interior 530.
[0215] The second door 524 can selectively open and close the
access opening 520 at a seat 540. One or more inlets (not shown)
can be disposed at the seat 540 complementary to the chambers 528.
The inlets can fluidly couple the chambers 528 of the bulk
receptacle 500 to the washing machine 518 for providing a volume to
treating chemistry to the washing machine 518 during a cycle of
operation.
[0216] The second door 524 closes the access opening 520 to the
washing machine 518. The first door 522 is selectively opened to
access the bulk container 526. In operation, a user opens the first
door 522 and can fill the bulk container 526 with a volume of
treating chemistry. The second door 524, in combination with the
first door 522, can be closed to enclose the access opening 520. In
the closed position, the treating chemistry from the individual
chambers 528 can be drawn by the washing machine 10 for use during
a cycle of operation.
[0217] Alternatively, the bulk container 526 can be separated by
chamber 528 into individual bulk containers 542. Each individual
bulk container 542 can include a handle 544 for removal for filling
and replacing. As such, the washing machine 10 can draw a volume of
treating chemistry directly from the bulk containers 542 without
requiring an internal reservoir for holding the treating
chemistry.
[0218] FIG. 54 illustrates another embodiment of a washing machine
548 having a bulk container 550 formed in a door 551. An inlet 552
is included in the door 551 in communication with the bulk
container 550. One or more partitions 554 can separate the inlet
552 into multiple openings 556. Indicia can be used to identify
each opening 556. Outlets 558 can be disposed on the bottom of the
door 551, complementary to the number of openings 556. A seat 560
can define an access opening 562 for the washing machine 548.
Receptacles 564 can be disposed in the seat 560 complementary to
the outlets 558.
[0219] A user can fill the bulk container 550 with a volume of
treating chemistry, storing the treating chemistry in the door 551.
During operation, the door 551 is closed, sealing the access
opening 562. The outlets 558 align with the receptacles 564 for
drawing a volume of treating chemistry from the bulk container 550
for use during a cycle of operation. Drawing of the treating
chemistry can be performed by a pump, such as the pumps of FIGS.
17-19.
[0220] FIG. 55 illustrates another embodiment of the bulk container
550, having a round door 568 with an arcuate top. The embodiment of
FIG. 55 can be substantially similar to that of FIG. 56. As such,
similar numerals will be used to describe similar elements. As is
appreciable, the openings 556 include indicia 566 to identify the
particular treating chemistry to be placed into each opening 556.
The round door 568 can include a bulk container 550 similar to that
of FIG. 54.
[0221] FIG. 56 illustrates a hydrophobic or hyper-slippery surface
utilized with any of the bulk containers or bulk dispensers
described herein. A bulk container 570 includes an interior 572 and
an outlet 574. A hyper-slippery coating 576 is disposed in the
interior 572. A volume of treating chemistry 578 is placed in the
interior 572. A lid 580, for example, can selectively open and
close the bulk container 570. The hyper-slippery coating 576 can be
any suitably material having a low coefficient of friction. Such a
hyper-slippery coating 576 can be formed for the particular bulk
container 570, such as by molding or extrusion in non-limiting
examples. In other, non-limiting examples, the hyper-slippery
coating 576 can be coated onto the interior 572 of the bulk
container 570, such as by spraying, brushing, pouring, or any other
method. The hyper-slippery coating 576 prevents build-up of
treating chemistry within the bulk container 570 and facilitates
cleaning. Additionally, any interior pumps, conduits, or other
connections through which the treating chemistry passes can be
coated with the hyper-slippery coating 576 to prevent internal
build-up. Such hyper-slippery coating 576 minimizes required
maintenance and cleaning of the bulk container 570 or the
particular washing machine. Additionally, a hydrophobic coating can
prevent the build-up of any material and provide for full usage of
treating chemistry by the user. Additionally, costs can be
minimized by eliminating the need to flush the system. Furthermore,
during operation, the hyper-slippery coating facilitates use of
nearly all of the treating chemistry within the bulk container or
dispenser, rather than leaving a portion of the treating chemistry
at the bottom of the container which may be otherwise inaccessible
by the particular washing machine. In one example, such a
hyper-slippery or hydrophobic coating can be made available by
LIQUIGLIDE.TM. of Cambridge, Mass.
[0222] Referring to FIG. 57, a washing machine 878 having a
treating chamber 879 includes a bezel or fascia 880 that can be
used to protect a set of nozzles 882. The nozzles 882 can be
exemplary, and can be any of the nozzles described herein and can
be communicatively coupled with the controller 96 (FIG. 1) via
conduits 886. The fascia 880 can extend partially over the treating
chamber 879 to cover the nozzles 882 during loading of the washing
machine 878. Thus, the fascia 880 protects the nozzles 882 from
user damage. The protected nozzles 882 can be made of any material,
and need not be a rubber or flexible material, which can reduce
nozzle cost. The fascia 880 can include indicia, such as stickers,
indicating to a consumer that that washing machine 878 is bulk
enabled. Such information is beneficial for informing customers of
the features of the washing machine 878 on a showroom floor. The
fascia 880 can further include buttons 884. The buttons 884 can be
in communication with the controller 96. Activating the buttons 884
can selectably dispense a portion of treating chemistry from the
nozzles 882 as may be desirable. The buttons 884 in combination
with the nozzles 882 collectively form a pre-treating station,
where stains or other spots on laundry can be treated prior to
wash.
[0223] For example, a user may have an article of laundry for
treatment which requires additional stain treatment. The user can
place the article underneath the fascia 880 and press one of the
buttons 884. The controller 96, being in communication with the
button 884, can provide a portion of treating chemistry from the
nozzles 882 related to the particular button 884 to treat the
particular article. Additionally, the controller 96 can record the
amount of treating chemistry applied to the article and subtract
that from the total amount of treating chemistry applied to the
load during a cycle of operation. As such, excessive use of the
treating chemistry is prevented, minimizing sudsing or overtreating
of the laundry. It should be understood that as used herein,
sudsing is the phenomenon where excessive soap bubbling occurs,
which can spill out from the washing machine making a mess.
Additionally, it is contemplated that nozzles can be utilized to
dispense stain treatment chemistry, as opposed to utilizing
detergent to treat the articles, permitting a full dosage of
detergent during the cycle of operation.
[0224] FIG. 58A includes the washing machine 1028 including a stain
station 1060 including a fascia 1062. The fascia 1062 mounts to a
chassis 1064 having a treating chamber 1066 disposed within the
chassis 1064. The stain station 1060 can be a treating chemistry
station including one or more actuators 1070, such as buttons or
manual pumps for dispensing treating chemistry. The fascia 1062 can
include mounted nozzles 1068. One or more conduits can couple the
nozzles to a pump 1076. While the pump is shown within the chassis
1064, it should be appreciated that the pump 1076 can mount to the
fascia 1062 or the stain station 1060. The conduits can also couple
to the actuators 1070 for pumping the treating chemistry into the
treating chamber 1066 from the nozzles 1068.
[0225] The pump 1076 as well as the stain station 1060 can
communicatively couple to a user inter face 1072 where a user can
selectively control the stain station 1060 from a human machine
interface (HMI) 1074.
[0226] Additionally, it is contemplated that a sensor can be
included with the stain station 1060. For example, a sensor could
detect the number of actuations of the actuator or could include a
flow meter disposed on the conduits. As such, the sensor can make a
measurement of the treating chemistry provided from the stain
station 1060 to determine a sensor output representative of the
treating chemistry dispensed.
[0227] In operation, the stain station 1060 can be used to dispense
a volume of treating chemistry form the pumps 1068 into the
treating chamber 1066 or onto an article of clothing that a user
holds underneath the fascia 1062. The nozzles 1068 can be multiple
nozzles 1068 coupled to multiple conduits for running multiple
different fluids, such as hot or cold water, or different treating
chemistries such as detergent, stain treatment, or fabric softener
in non-limiting examples.
[0228] A method of operation can include a user selecting a cycle
of operation at the HMI 1074. According to the selected cycle of
operation, the laundry treating appliance 1028 can determine an
amount of treating chemistry dispensed from the stain station 1060
during a pre-treating operation to define a determined amount of
pre-treating chemistry. The machine 1028, such as a controller
disposed therein, can reduce a predetermined amount of treating
chemistry for the selected cycle of operation based on the
determine amount of pre-treating chemistry to define a reduced
treating chemistry amount. Then, dispensing the reduced treating
chemistry amount during the execution of the selected cycle of
operation. As such, the user can selectively pre-treat the clothing
as is desirable, while the washing machine 1028 accurately records
the amount used in order to prevent over treating of the laundry by
excessive pre-treatment by the user. Thus, cleaning efficiency can
be improved and clothing degradation through wash, minimized.
[0229] FIG. 58B includes an alternative washing machine 1078
including a treating chamber 1079 for treating articles according
to a cycle of operation. A controller 1080 can communicatively
couple to a user interface, such as any UI described herein for
receiving instruction from a user for implementing the cycle of
operation. The washing machine 1078 can further include a bulk
container 1082, a water valve 1084 and a pump 1086. The controller
1080 can communicatively couple to the valve 1084 and the pump 1086
via communication conduits 1090, such as electronic wiring. As
such, the controller 1080 can operate the valve 1084 or pump 1086
according to the cycle of operation. The pump 1086 can fluidly
couple to the bulk container 1082 for drawing a volume of treating
chemistry from the bulk container.
[0230] A nozzle 1092 can be disposed at the treating chamber 1079
for providing a volume of fluid to the treating chamber 1079. The
nozzle 1092 can fluidly couple to the pump 1086 and the valve 1084
for receiving a volume of fluid, such as water and treating
chemistry, for providing to the treating chamber 1079. One or more
fluid conduits 1088 can fluidly couple the pump 1086 and the valve
1084 to the treating chamber 1079 or the nozzle 1092. The nozzle
1092 can mix the supply of water and treating chemistry for a mixed
application to the treating chamber 1079 or a load disposed
therein. Alternatively, the valve 1084 can fluidly couple to the
pump 1086. The water and detergent can mix at the pump 1086, with
the pump 1086 providing the mixture to the treating chamber 1079
via the nozzle 1092.
[0231] The washing machine 1078 can further include a stain station
such as a stain panel 1094 including at least one button 1096. The
stain panel 1094 can communicatively couple to the controller 1080
with a conduit 1088, similar to the valve 1084 and the pump 1086.
The buttons 1096 can generate and provide a signal to the
controller 1080 to selectively control the pump 1086, valve 1084,
or combination thereof to dispense a volume of water and treating
chemistry from the nozzle 1092. While only two buttons 1096 are
shown, the panel 1094 can include any number of buttons 1096, being
one or more, with each button relating to a different fluid, such
as water, detergent, stain chemistry, or any other chemistry
desirable for use in a washing machine 1078.
[0232] In operation, a user can operate the buttons 1096 to provide
a signal to the controller 1080. The controller 1080 can operate
the valve 1084 and the pump 1086 to provide a fluid to the treating
chamber 1079 at the nozzle 1092. A user can place an article under
or adjacent the nozzle 1092 to receive the fluid from the nozzle
1092 to treat, pretreat, or otherwise dispense the fluid to the
article as is desirable.
[0233] Additionally, in operation, the mixture of detergent and
water can be directly applied to the load form the nozzle, upon
mixing the water and detergent, for immediate application of the
mixture upon activation of the detergent in the water directly and
evenly to the load. Such an application can be accomplished through
slowly rotating the treating chamber. As such, application is
improved through contact during initial activation of the detergent
and even application among the load.
[0234] It should be further appreciated that the blend of water and
detergent can be delivered directly to the article in a more
concentrated form, yielding a detergent-rich prewash with the
washing machine 1078 of FIG. 58B. As such, cleaning can be enhanced
as the detergent can soak through a load from the top down, as
opposed to pre-activating the detergent, such as within the washing
machine sump, prior to contact with the clothing. Additionally, the
detergent can be dosed over time throughout the cycle or operation,
directly to the load, evenly applying the detergent upon initial
activation, as opposed to a single bulk dose initially contacting
only a portion of the load, or diluting in the water supply.
Finally, the user can provide a particular stain or spot treatment
to an article via the nozzle 1092 by actuating the buttons 1096.
The stain treatment can be improved with activation of the treating
chemistry at the nozzle 1092 upon direct application to the
article. Additionally, the controller 1080 can record the volume of
treating chemistry supplied during the stain or spot treatment to
prevent excessive detergent in the wash cycle, which can lead to
sudsing.
[0235] FIG. 59 illustrates a washing machine 1028 including
multiple methods for alerting a user regarding the treating
chemistry. The washing machine 10 includes a user interface 1030
with a light 1032, a speaker 1034, and a wireless module 1036. It
should be understood that while the wireless module 1036 is
illustrated as an antenna, the wireless module 1036 can be housed
within the user interface 98. The washing machine 10 also includes
at least one nozzle 1038 for dispensing a volume of treating
chemistry, water, or a mixture thereof 1040 into a treating chamber
1042.
[0236] During dispensing of the treating chemistry, water, or
mixture 1040, a volume of treating chemistry can be provided from a
bulk dispenser 60 or a bulk container 120, such as those of FIG. 3
or 33-55. The washing machine 10 can alert the user when the
dispensing of the treating chemistry 1040 is proper or improper.
For example, light 1032 or similar visual indicator, can be
illuminated on the user interface 1030 indicating the status of the
dispensing of the treating chemistry 1040. If the treating
chemistry 1040 is being improperly dispensed, the light 1032, for
example, can illuminate a refill dispenser indicia, informing the
user that the treating chemistry 1040 may be low.
[0237] In another example, the speaker 1034 or other audible
indicator, can indicate when the treating chemistry 1040 is
properly or improperly being dispensed. For example, the treating
chemistry 1040 is being improperly dispensed, a beeping or buzzing
noise can alert the user that the bulk dispenser may need to be
refilled. Additionally, the audible indicator can be a short
phrase, such as "Please Refill Detergent." Such a phrase can be
tailored to a particular status of the dispensing of the treating
chemistry. For example, the audible indicator can direct the user
to refill a bulk dispenser or container, or check the connection of
the bulk dispenser to the washing machine.
[0238] In yet another example, the wireless module 1036 can inform
the user of the status of dispensing of the treating chemistry
1040. The wireless module 1036 can be in communication with, for
example, a mobile device 1044, remote enabled computing device 1046
such as a desktop computer, network device 1048, or another
appliance 1050 in non-limiting examples. Such devices can be
connected over a network 1054, such as a local area network (LAN),
home area network (HAN), wireless area network (WAN), or the
internet in non-limiting examples. Additionally, a wired connection
is contemplated.
[0239] Connection of the washing machine 10 to these devices can
provide information related to proper or improper dispensing of the
treating chemistry 1040 over a wireless signal 1052. For example,
the washing machine 10 can send the wireless signal 1052 to the
mobile device 1044 indicating the status of the dispensing of the
treating chemistry 1040. In one particular example, the signal 1052
can include cycle status, informing the user of the current stage
in the cycle and that the detergent has been properly dispensed. In
another particular example, the signal 1052 can include that the
detergent has been improperly dispensed, such that the detergent
may need to be replaced or refilled. The signal 1052 can be
transmitted over the network 1054 to the mobile device 1044, the
remote enabled computing device 1046, the appliance 1050, or any
other device connected to the network 1054 where the signal can be
received and communicated to the user representative of the status
of the dispensing of the treating chemistry 1040.
[0240] Additionally, such a communication can be representative of
the bulk system being properly interconnected prior to the
beginning of a cycle of operation. For example, if the spigot
(FIGS. 27-28) is not properly connected to the pump, the light
1032, speaker 1034, wireless module 1036, or any other method can
alert a user that the bulk container or dispenser has not been
properly connected. One or more sensors (not shown) can be used
within the system to determine improper or proper connection of the
system, which can be communicated to the user.
[0241] FIG. 60 illustrates a stand-alone bulk dispenser system
1100. The system 1100 includes a washing machine 1102, bulk
dispensers 1104, a household water supply 1106, and a retro-fit
unit 1108. A system of conduits 1110 interconnects the parts of the
system 1100. The household water supply 1106 can include a hot
water supply 1112 and a cold water supply 1114. The hot and cold
water supplies 1112, 1114 couple to the retro-fit unit 1108 with
conduits 1110. The bulk dispensers 1104 can be a plurality of
dispensers for supplying different treating chemistries to the
retro-fit unit 1108. One or more mounts 1116 can be incorporated
with the washing machine 1102 for holding the bulk dispensers 1104.
Alternatively, the bulk dispensers 1104 can be incorporated with
any method described herein, such as shown in FIGS. 33-55. Such
bulk dispensers 1104 can couple to the retro-fit unit 1108 via the
conduits 1110. The retro-fit unit 1108 then couples to the washing
machine 1102 with one or more conduits 1110.
[0242] The retro-fit unit 1108 can be a single unit mountable to a
wall or building structure, for example, or can be placed on a
shelf. The retro-fit unit 1108 provides for receiving a flow of
water from the household water supply 1106 and receiving a volume
of one or more treating chemistries from the bulk dispensers 1104.
The retro-fit unit 1108 can selectively intermix the treating
chemistries from the bulk dispensers 1104 with the water supplies
1112, 1114 and provide such a mixture to the washing machine 1102
for use in a cycle of operation. Additionally, the retro-fit unit
1108 can provide a supply of water 1112, 1114 to the washing
machine 1102 without integrating any treating chemistry into the
supply. Thus, a washing machine 1102 without bulk dispensing
capabilities can be retrofitted to have bulk dispensing
capabilities.
[0243] FIG. 61 illustrates a flow chart schematic showing the
movement of liquids, such as the household water supply 1106 and
treating chemistries within the system 1100 of FIG. 60. The
household water supply 1106 includes one or more faucets 1130. The
retro-fit unit 1108 can include one or more water inlets 1132
complementary to the faucets 1130. A water hose 1134 fluidly
couples the faucets 1130 to the inlets 1132 for supplying a volume
of water to the retro-fit unit 1108 from the household water supply
1106.
[0244] The bulk dispenser 1104 defines a reservoir 1136 for storing
treating chemistry. In an example using a bulk dispenser 1104 as an
off-the-shelf consumer product, a reservoir cap 1138 can be applied
to the bulk dispenser 1104 having a reservoir hose 1140. At a
chemistry inlet 1142 on the retro-fit unit 1108, the reservoir hose
1140 can couple the bulk dispenser 1104 to the retro-fit unit 1108
for providing a volume of treating chemistry from the reservoir
1136.
[0245] The retro-fit unit 1108 contains a water check valve 1144, a
flow meter 1146, an appliance control unit (ACU) 1148, a chemistry
pump 1150, a chemistry check valve 1152, a chemistry injector 1154,
a mixed outlet 1156. The water check valve 1144 provides for
permitting a one-directional flow of water from the water inlet
1132, preventing any back flow of water. The flow meter 1146 can
measure the flow rate or water pressure provided from the water
supply 1106. The ACU 1148 is in communication with the flow meter
1146 to determine a rate, volume, duty cycle, or similar measured
value of treating chemistry to be provided from the bulk dispenser
1104 based upon the measurements of the flow meter 1146. The
chemistry pump 1150 selectively provides a volume of treating
chemistry from the chemistry inlet 1142. The chemistry pump 1150
can be a water pressure pump, such as the pumps of FIGS. 17-19.
Such a pump can integrate a flow of treating chemistry into a water
supply as a mixed flow. The chemistry check valve 1152 permits
one-directional flow of the treating chemistry, preventing any back
flow. The chemistry injector 1154 provides the volume of treating
chemistry from the chemistry pump 1150 into the household water
supply 1106. The chemistry pump 1150 can be a typical pump for
providing a controlled volume of treating chemistry to the
chemistry injector 1154. The chemistry injector 1154 can
selectively supply a volume of treating chemistry to the water
supply. Alternatively, the combined chemistry pump 1150, the check
valve 1152, and the chemistry injector 1154 can be combined as the
water pressure pump, such as the pumps of FIGS. 17-19. Such a water
pressure pump can automatically control and optimize the volume of
treating chemistry supplied based upon a measured water pressure or
flow rate. The mixed outlet 1156 supplies a liquid from the
retro-fit unit 1108, such as a supply of water, treating chemistry,
or a mixture thereof to the washing machine 1102.
[0246] A washer inlet 1158 can be any inlet on the washing machine
1102 for receiving a supply of liquid. An outlet hose 1160 can
couple the mixed outlet 1156 to the washer inlet 1158.
[0247] Optionally, the retro-fit unit 1108 can have a user
interface 1162. The user interface 1162 can be communicatively
coupled to the ACU 1148. A user can interact with the retro-fit
unit 1108 at the user interface to provide information to the
retro-fit unit 1108 regarding the particular washing machine 1102
or a cycle of operation to be performed by the washing machine
1102. As such, operation of the retro-fit unit 1108 can be tailored
to the particular washing machine 1102 or the particular cycle of
operation to be performed by the washing machine 1102. Such
tailoring can improve performance of both the retro-fit unit 1108
and the washing machine 1102, while minimizing consumption of
treating chemistry.
[0248] In order to set up the system 1100, the water hose 1134 can
couple the faucet 1130 to the inlet 1132, such as by threaded
connections. The reservoir cap 1138 can be screwed onto the bulk
dispenser 1104, having the reservoir hose 1140 coupled to the
reservoir cap 1138. The remaining end of the reservoir hose 1140
can couple to the chemistry inlet 1142, such as by a threaded
connection. The outlet hose 1160 couples the retro-fit unit 1108 to
the washing machine 1102, such as with similar threaded
connections.
[0249] In operation, a cycle of operation is selected on the
washing machine 1102 by a user. Optionally, such information can be
provided to the retro-fit unit 1108 at the user interface 1162. The
washing machine draws a volume of liquid from the retro-fit unit
1108 for performing the cycle of operation. A volume of water is
drawn from the water supply 1106 into the retro-fit unit 1108. If
the current phase of the cycle of operation only requires water,
such as a rinse phase, the water flows through the water check
valve 1144, the flow meter 1146, the chemistry injector 1154, and
out the mixed outlet 1156 to the washing machine 1102 at the washer
inlet 1158. The washing machine 1102 dispenses the water into the
treating chamber of the washing machine 1102.
[0250] If the current phase of the cycle of operation requires
treating chemistry, such as a wash phase or fabric softener phase
in non-limiting examples, the water is drawn from the water supply
1106 into the retro-fit unit 1108. The water flow rate or pressure
is measured by the flow meter 1146 and such measurements are
provided to the ACU 1148. The ACU 1148 instructs the chemistry pump
1150 to provide a volume of treating chemistry to the chemistry
injector 1154 through the chemistry check valve 1152. The rate at
which the treating chemistry is provided to the chemistry injector
can be determined by the ACU 1148 based upon the measurements of
the flow meter 1146. As such, the chemistry pump 1150 can provide a
volume of treating chemistry to the injector 1154 to mix the water
and treating chemistry in order to maximize efficiency of the
system 1100. Additionally, the volume of treating chemistry can be
accurately dispensed, rather than providing too much or too little
treating chemistry, typical to user dispensed treating chemistry or
single dose dispensing.
[0251] The chemistry injector 1154 mixes the treating chemistry
with the water and provide the mixture to the washing machine 1102
form the mixed outlet 1156, through the outlet hose 1160 and into
the washer inlet 1158.
[0252] As such, a user can easily interconnect the bulk dispenser
1104, washing machine 1102, and household water supply 1106 with
the retro-fit unit 1108. Such interconnection can be easily
accomplished by fastening threaded connections interconnecting the
system of conduits 1110. The retro-fit unit 1108 provides for
incorporating a bulk dispensing system into the washing machine
1102. Such a washing machine can be a new washing machine equipped
to receive the liquid supply from the retro-fit unit 1108, or can
be an existing washing machine being retrofitted to receive
treating chemistry and water from a bulk dispenser 1104.
[0253] It should be appreciated that while FIG. 61 is described as
being connected to a single faucet 1130 and a single bulk dispenser
1104, interconnection among multiple faucets 1130 and multiple bulk
dispensers 1104 is contemplated. Furthermore, it is contemplated
that the retro-fit unit 1108 can be interconnected with a plurality
of washing machines 1102, such as in a setting having multiple
simultaneous users. Such a system could provide water, treating
chemistries, or a mixture thereof to multiple washing machines 1102
or wash units from a single bulk treating chemistry source.
[0254] FIG. 62 illustrates an example schematic of the retro-fit
unit 1108 of FIG. 61. The water hose 1134 couples to the retro-fit
unit 1108 at the inlet 1132, such as by threaded connection. A
first water conduit 1170 couples the inlet 1132 to the water check
valve 1144. A second water conduit 1172 includes the flow meter
1146 and couples the water check valve 1144 to the chemistry
injector 1154.
[0255] The reservoir hose 1140 couples to the retro-fit unit 1108
at the chemistry inlet 1142. A first chemistry conduit 1174 couples
the chemistry inlet 1142 to the chemistry pump 1150. Optionally, an
air intake 1176 can be in communication with the pump 1150 via an
air conduit 1178 for providing a supply of air in the case where
the pump 1150 is a venturi-type pump. A second chemistry conduit
1180 contains the chemistry check valve 1152 and couples the
chemistry pump 1150 to the chemistry injector 1154.
[0256] The chemistry injector 1154 can selectively integration a
volume of treating chemistry into the water supply. A mixed conduit
1182 couples the chemistry injector 1154 to the mixed outlet 1156.
A mixer 1184 can be included in the mixed conduit 1182 for
intermixing the chemistry and the water downstream of the chemistry
injector 1154. The mixed outlet 1156 couples to the outlet hose
1160 for providing liquid from the retro-fit unit 1108 to the
washing machine.
[0257] Optionally, the chemistry pump 1150 can couple directly to
the mixed conduit 1182 with a third chemistry conduit 1186. A valve
1189 can couple at the junction between the mixed conduit 1182 and
the third chemistry conduit 1186. As such, chemistry can be
directly provided to the washing machine without intermixing with
the water supply. Alternatively, the third chemistry conduit 1186
can couple to a dedicated chemistry outlet (not shown) for
providing a volume of un-mixed treating chemistry to the washing
machine.
[0258] A plurality of communication conduits 1188 can
communicatively couple the ACU 1148 to the chemistry pump 1150, the
flow meter 1146, and the chemistry injector 1154. The ACU 1148 can
be a printed circuit board, in one example, and can include a CPU
1192 and a memory 1194. The memory 1194 can include stored software
or data relating to providing liquid to the washing machine and the
CPU 1192 can operate such software. Optionally, a communication
conduit can communicatively couple the user interface (not shown)
where the retro-fit unit 1108 includes the user interface. Such a
user interface can couple to the CPU to particularly control the
retro-fit unit 1108.
[0259] It should be appreciated that the retro-fit unit 1108
operates as a stand-alone unit for integrating a water supply and a
bulk dispenser external of a washing machine. Such a unit can be
utilized to save internal space of the washing machine, permitting
increased capacity. As such, the retro-fit unit 1108 can be
tailored to the particular washing machine. Additionally, the
retro-fit unit 1108 can be used to retrofit current washing
machines. The retro-fit unit 1108 can allow of utilizing bulk
dispensing with current washing machines. The retro-fit unit 1108
not only makes using the washing machine easier, but can accurately
dispense a volume of treating chemistry for optimally treating a
load of laundry without over-treating or under-treating the
load.
[0260] It should be appreciated that the concepts described herein
relate to utilizing bulk dispensing of treating chemistry. One or
more of the concepts described can be utilized with one another
within a single washing machine. As such, it is contemplated that
such concepts can be integrated into a washing machine with one
another as may be possible.
[0261] One such example is illustrated in FIG. 63, showing a bulk
dispensing system 1200. FIG. 63 utilizes an exemplary washing
machine 1202 that can be any washing machine described herein, such
as a vertical or horizontal axis washing machine in non-limiting
examples. A bulk dispenser 1204 or bulk container can store a
volume of treating chemistry. Such bulk dispensers 1204 can be
off-the-shelf bulk dispensers 1204, such as those seen in FIG. 3.
The bulk dispensers 1204 can be incorporated into the system 1200
in multiple ways, such as seen in FIGS. 33-37, and 49.
Alternatively, the bulk dispensers 1204 can be integrated into the
washing machine as bulk containers, such as those seen in FIGS.
38-48, and 50-55. Additionally, each integrated bulk container can
be treated with a hyper-slippery chemistry, such as that of FIG.
56, facilitating cleaning and dispensing of the treating
chemistry.
[0262] A dedicated cap 1206 can be used to couple the bulk
dispenser 1204 to the washing machine 1202. The cap 1206 can be the
cap of FIGS. 4-11. The cap 1206 can couple the bulk dispenser 1204
to the washing machine 1202 with a conduit 1208. The conduit
terminates at a spigot 1210, which can be the liquid interface of
FIGS. 12-16 or the spigot of 27-28. A ring 1212, such as the ring
of FIGS. 27-28 can be used to identify proper connection of the
bulk container to the washing machine for incorporating multiple
treating chemistries. A pump 1214 can couple to the spigot 1210 for
drawings a volume of treating chemistry into the washing machine
1202. Upon proper connection of the spigot 1210 to the pump 1214,
the washing machine can provide feedback to the user indicating
proper connection, such as an audible 1230 or visual 1232 response
at a user interface 1234 in non-limiting examples. The pump 1214
can be the pump of FIGS. 17-19. The pump 1214 provides the treating
chemistry to a housing 1216. While not shown, the pump 1214 can be
integrated within the housing 1216, such as shown in FIG. 29-32.
Within the housing 1216, a flow of water can be mixed with the
treating chemistry from the pumps 1214 or at the pumps 1214 to
provide a mixture of treating chemistry and water to a treating
chamber 1218 within the washing machine 1202. Such a mixture, as
well as only treating chemistry or only water, can be dispensed
from one or more nozzles 1220.
[0263] The nozzles 1220 can be the nozzles of FIGS. 24-26. The
nozzles 1220 can spray the liquid into the treating chamber 1218 in
one or more patterns 1222 to facilitate even distribution of
treating chemistry. Such patterns can be the patterns of FIGS.
20-23. Additionally, proper dispensing from the nozzles 1220 can be
communicated to the user, such as audibly 1230 or visually 1232
from the user interface 1234. The nozzles 1220 can be protected
from user damage while loading laundry by a fascia 1224. The fascia
1224 can be the fascia of FIG. 22-23 or 57. Additionally, the
fascia 1224 can be a stain station 1226, having one or more buttons
1228 to selectively dispense additional treating chemistry from the
nozzles 1220. The stain station 1226 can be the stain station of
FIG. 58.
[0264] Alternatively, the washing machine 1202 can be connected
with a universal bulk dispensing system 1236. The bulk dispensing
system 1236 can utilize the retro-fit unit of FIGS. 60-62.
[0265] Thus, it should be appreciated that the concepts as
described herein can be individually incorporated into a washing
machine or laundry unit, or can be combined utilizing two or more
of the concepts to integrate a bulk dispensing system into a
laundry machine, such as the washing machine as described
herein.
[0266] To the extent not already described, the different features
and structures of the various embodiments can be used in
combination with each other as desired. That one feature is not
illustrated in all of the embodiments is not meant to be construed
that it cannot be, but is done for brevity of description. Thus,
the various features of the different embodiments can be mixed and
matched as desired to form new embodiments, whether or not the new
embodiments are expressly described. All combinations or
permutations of features described herein are covered by this
disclosure.
[0267] This written description uses examples to disclose the
invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person
skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and
using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated
methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the
claims, and can include other examples that occur to those skilled
in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope
of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ
from the literal language of the claims, or if they include
equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from
the literal languages of the claims.
* * * * *