Laundry Dispenser Siphon Detection for Chemistry-Aware Wash Cycles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional laundry treating appliances lack the ability to detect the presence or absence of treating chemistries, leading to user frustration, increased cycle time, and energy consumption due to unnecessary assumptions about the presence of chemicals like bleach.
Innovation Solution
A laundry treating appliance with a sensor and controller system that detects the presence of treating chemistries by activating a siphon in a dispenser cup, allowing for automatic adjustment of the treatment cycle based on the detected presence or absence of chemicals, eliminating the need for user input.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the appliance assumes treating chemistry is always present, then the treatment cycle can be performed without user input, but cycle time and energy consumption increase unnecessarily
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of treating chemistry presence before initiating the treatment cycle. The controller checks whether bleach or other chemistries are in the dispenser cup, and only then proceeds with the appropriate cycle, avoiding unnecessary extended cycle times and energy consumption.
2Ease of operation
If the appliance assumes treating chemistry is always present, then the treatment cycle can be performed without user input, but energy consumption increases unnecessarily
Solution Approach 1:
The controller performs preliminary detection of treating chemistry presence before initiating the treatment cycle. By checking for bleach or other chemistries in the dispenser cup beforehand, the system avoids unnecessary energy consumption from running treatments that shouldn't be performed.
3Device complexity
If user interface elements for indicating chemistry presence are removed, then appliance aesthetics improve and complexity reduces, but the ability to detect and respond to chemistry presence is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the existing dispenser cup and siphon mechanism to automatically detect treating chemistry presence without requiring separate user interface elements. The siphon's activation state provides the detection capability, allowing the system to maintain aesthetics while preserving detection functionality.
4Device complexity
If the appliance does not detect treating chemistry, then the device complexity remains simple, but user frustration increases due to incorrect treatment cycles
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates feedback from the siphon activation state to determine treating chemistry presence. This feedback mechanism allows the controller to adjust the treatment cycle appropriately, ensuring reliable and accurate treatment while maintaining relatively simple device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances customer satisfaction by automatically performing intended treatments, reduces unnecessary user interface elements, and optimizes energy consumption by adjusting cycles based on detected chemistries, thereby improving appliance efficiency and aesthetics.
Implementation Method 1
a cup having a siphon, configured to dispense a treating chemistry into at least one of the tub or the drum
Data Source
AI summary
An example laundry treating appliance includes a tub, a rotatable drum disposed in the tub and defining a treating chamber in which laundry is received for treatment according to a cycle of operation, a treating chemistry dispenser having an outlet and a cup having a siphon, configured to dispense a treating chemistry into at least one of the tub or the drum, a sensor, and a controller configured to at least: introduce a predetermined amount of liquid into the cup sufficient to activate the siphon if a predetermined amount of the treating chemistry is present in the cup; detect whether the siphon activates in response to the predetermined amount of liquid based on an output of the sensor; and modify cycle of operation based on whether the siphon activates in response to the predetermined amount of liquid.