Laundry Chemistry Dosing Control for Over-Sudsing Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Laundry treating appliances face challenges with over-sudsing conditions due to inaccurate user input of detergent concentration, as bulk dispensing systems rely on user-provided detergent concentration ratios, which can lead to excessive detergent usage and foam buildup, affecting cleaning efficiency and wasting detergent.
Innovation Solution
A laundry treating appliance that automatically detects over-sudsing conditions and adjusts the dosage of laundry treating chemistry by incrementing a cumulative counter and reducing the predetermined dosage when a threshold is met, allowing for real-time compensation of inaccurate user input or changes in detergent formulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If bulk dispensing systems automatically add detergent with user-input concentration, then dosing convenience is improved, but over-sudsing conditions occur due to inaccurate user input
Solution Approach 1:
The system monitors suds level during the wash cycle and uses this feedback to detect over-sudsing conditions. When over-sudsing is detected, the controller automatically adjusts the dosing amount for subsequent dispensing, creating a closed-loop control system that corrects inaccurate user input based on actual suds generation
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the dosing parameter dynamically based on detected over-sudsing conditions. The controller increments a cumulative total of over-sudsing conditions and adjusts the predetermined dosage accordingly, modifying the dosing parameter from the user-input value to a corrected value that prevents over-sudsing
2Ease of operation
If user inputs detergent concentration, then dosing is simplified, but detergent waste occurs due to excessive dosing
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses suds level monitoring to provide feedback on actual detergent effectiveness. When over-sudsing is detected, the system learns from this feedback and reduces subsequent dosing, preventing detergent waste while maintaining cleaning effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-adjustment of dosing parameters without requiring user intervention. The controller automatically increments the over-sudsing counter and adjusts dosing based on detected conditions, enabling the system to self-correct dosing errors and prevent waste
3Loss of time
If bulk dispensers hold multiple doses, then detergent refilling frequency is reduced, but over-sudsing detection and adjustment complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a relatively simple feedback mechanism using existing suds level sensors to detect over-sudsing conditions. This feedback loop triggers automatic dosing adjustments without requiring complex additional hardware, balancing the benefits of bulk dispensing with manageable control complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the existing suds level detection capability (originally designed for wash cycle control) for the additional function of over-sudsing detection and dosing adjustment. This multi-functional use of existing sensors avoids adding significant complexity while enabling automatic dosing correction
Data Source
AI summary
A method of automatically initiating a procedure to adjust dosing of laundry treating chemistry after satisfying a threshold of determined over-sudsing conditions in a laundry treating appliance during a cycle of operation. When an over-sudsing condition is detected, an over-sudsing counter is initialized, and the data is stored in the memory of a laundry treating appliance as an aggregate total. Once a predetermined threshold is satisfied, a predetermined dosage of laundry treating chemistry is reduced and the over-sudsing counter is reset. The over-sudsing counter can also be reset in the event of an operational event such as a replenishment of a bulk treating chemistry, input by a user of a default value, or passing of a temporal reference, wherein the predetermined dosage is reset to a default value.