Bulk Dispenser Dose Tracking and User Feedback for Laundry Appliances
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Household cleaning appliances, such as washing machines, often require frequent refilling of treating chemistry dispensers, which can be inconvenient and lack clear user feedback on remaining doses or types of chemistry, leading to ambiguity in operation.
Innovation Solution
A bulk treating chemistry dispenser system with a controller and user interface that manages multiple doses of treating chemistry, providing user feedback on remaining doses and types through sensors and displays, allowing for controlled dispensing during cleaning cycles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If a bulk dispenser is used to hold multiple doses of treating chemistry, then the frequency of refilling is reduced, but the user lacks clear feedback on remaining doses and types of chemistry
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates sensors that detect the amount of treating chemistry remaining in the bulk dispenser and transmit this information to a user interface. The user interface displays real-time feedback on the number of doses remaining and the types of chemistry available, resolving the information loss problem while maintaining the bulk dispensing advantage of reduced refilling frequency
Solution Approach 2:
The bulk dispenser system automatically monitors its own contents through integrated sensors and communicates status information to the user without requiring manual intervention. The system self-manages the tracking of remaining doses and automatically provides updates, eliminating the need for users to manually check or track chemistry levels
2Ease of operation
If a bulk dispenser is used to hold multiple doses of treating chemistry, then operational convenience is improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bulk dispenser is designed to handle multiple types of treating chemistry simultaneously using separate chambers for different chemistry types. A single dispensing mechanism serves multiple functions by selectively dispensing from different chambers based on cycle requirements, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining versatility
Solution Approach 2:
The bulk dispenser is divided into multiple separate chambers, each dedicated to storing a specific type of treating chemistry. This segmentation allows the system to manage different chemistry types independently while using a unified control and dispensing mechanism, balancing complexity with functional requirements
Data Source
AI summary
A laundry treating appliance having a treating chamber and a bulk dispenser and a user interface configured to provide an indication to the user related to the bulk chemistry dispenser and a controller coupled with the user interface and the bulk treating chemistry dispenser and configured to execute an operating cycle including controlling the treating chemistry meter to dispense the predetermined amount of treating chemistry and determine a number of doses of treating chemistry available in the bulk treating chemistry dispenser and method of determining the number of doses and the types of a treating chemistry available in the bulk dispensing system, and providing an indication of the determination on a user interface.