Washing agent pump and laundry treating apparatus having the same

The detection function is extracted from the detergent container and relocated to the pump body. The pump includes a detection unit with electrodes that sense the liquid level in the supply passage, eliminating the need for sensors inside the container and allowing easy container removal and refilling while maintaining detection capability.

The liquid washing agent itself serves as an intermediary medium for detection. The detection unit uses electrodes that detect the presence or absence of liquid through electrical conductivity changes, allowing indirect measurement of residual quantity without physical contact with the container interior, thus facilitating easy access and refilling.

Instead of trying to eliminate air pockets from the detection path, the design accepts their presence and positions the detection unit downstream where air bubbles have already separated from the liquid. The detection occurs in a region where bubbles rise to the top, leaving clear liquid for accurate electrode sensing.

The detection system uses electrical field interaction rather than direct optical or physical contact methods. The electrodes detect liquid presence through changes in electrical capacitance or conductivity, creating an indirect measurement that is not affected by air bubbles in the fluid path, thus simplifying the overall system structure.