Additive delivery assembly for an appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10557228-B2
Application number	US-201815945780-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 5, 2018
Priority date	Apr 5, 2018
Publication date	Feb 11, 2020
Grant date	Feb 11, 2020

Abstract

An appliance that includes an additive delivery assembly is provided. The additive delivery assembly includes features that deliver a controlled amount of additive to a chamber of an appliance. Methods for delivering an additive to a chamber of an appliance are also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An additive delivery assembly for an appliance, the appliance defining a chamber in which an airflow is configured to flow, the additive delivery assembly comprising:
a tank defining a tank volume configured for receipt of an additive; and
a roller configured for rotation about an axis of rotation, the roller comprising a surface that defines a reference point that is exposed to the additive disposed within the tank when the roller is in a first position and the reference point of the surface is exposed to the chamber when the roller is in a second position, and wherein when the roller is rotated about the axis of rotation from the first position to the second position, the additive disposed on the surface of the roller at the reference point is exposed to the airflow flowing in the chamber of the appliance;
a motor mechanically coupled with the roller for driving the roller about the axis of rotation;
a controller communicatively coupled with the motor, and wherein the controller is configured to:
receive a request to deliver an amount of the additive to the chamber of the appliance;
receive one or more signals indicative of a liquid level of the additive within the tank;
determine an angular distance in which to rotate the roller about the axis of rotation based at least in part on the one or more signals; and
activate the motor to rotate the roller about the axis of rotation the determined angular distance.

2. The additive delivery assembly of claim 1 , wherein the appliance is a washing machine appliance.

3. The additive delivery assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
an additive level sensor communicatively coupled with the controller and configured to sense the liquid level of the additive disposed within the tank.

4. The additive delivery assembly of claim 1 , wherein the roller is rotated continuously about the axis of rotation for a predetermined time at a predetermined rotational speed.

5. The additive delivery assembly of claim 1 , wherein the surface of the roller is knurled.

6. The additive delivery assembly of claim 1 , wherein when the roller is in the first position, the reference point of the surface is submerged in the additive within the tank, and when the roller is in the second position, the reference point of the surface extends into and is exposed to the chamber of the appliance.

7. The additive delivery assembly of claim 1 , wherein the tank defines an opening and the roller is received within the opening, and wherein the additive delivery assembly further comprises:
a seal positioned at the opening and disposed between the roller and the tank.

8. The additive delivery assembly of claim 1 , wherein the appliance is a dryer appliance.

9. A method for delivering an additive disposed within a tank to a chamber defined by an appliance, the method comprising:
receiving a request to deliver an amount of the additive to the chamber of the appliance;
receiving one or more signals indicative of a liquid level of the additive within the tank;
determining an angular distance in which to rotate the roller about the axis of rotation based at least in part on the one or more signals;
rotating the roller about an axis of rotation the determined angular distance from a first position to a second position, the roller comprising a surface that defines a reference point, the reference point of the surface is submerged in the additive disposed within the tank when the roller is rotated about the axis of rotation to the first position and the reference point of the surface is exposed to the chamber when the roller is rotated about the axis of rotation to the second position; and
flowing an airflow within the chamber across the reference point of the surface of the roller when the roller is rotated to the second position such that additive disposed on the reference point of the surface of the roller is exposed to the airflow.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the airflow is generated by rotation of a basket or drum of the appliance.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the airflow is generated by a blower fan of a dryer appliance.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the surface of the roller is knurled.

13. A method for delivering an additive disposed within a tank to a chamber defined by an appliance, the method comprising:
receiving a request to deliver an amount of the additive to the chamber of the appliance;
determining a predetermined time and a rotational speed to rotate a roller continuously based at least in part on the request;
receiving a signal indicative of a speed of an airflow flowing through the chamber, wherein the predetermined time and the rotational speed in which to rotate the roller continuously is determined based at least in part on the signal indicative of the speed of the airflow flowing through the chamber;
rotating the roller comprising a surface about an axis of rotation continuously for the predetermined time and at the rotational speed, wherein at least a portion of the roller is positioned within the tank and submerged in the additive and at least a portion of the roller is positioned external to the tank and within the chamber such that the additive disposed on the surface of the roller is exposed to the airflow.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the roller is rotated about the axis of rotation continuously for the predetermined time at a rotational speed of greater than about eighty revolutions per minute (80 RPM).

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the roller is rotated about the axis of rotation continuously for the predetermined time at a rotational speed of greater than about one hundred revolutions per minute (100 RPM).

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the surface of the roller is knurled.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the appliance is a dryer appliance.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the appliance is a washing machine appliance.

19. The additive delivery assembly of claim 1 , wherein the tank has a top side that defines an opening, and wherein the roller is received within the opening such that a portion of the roller extends external to the tank volume and a portion of the roller is positioned within the tank volume.

20. The additive delivery assembly of claim 1 , wherein the tank has a bottom side that defines an opening, and wherein the roller is received within the opening such that a portion of the roller extends external to the tank volume and a portion of the roller is positioned within the tank volume.

Assignees

• Haier Us Appliance Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Leibman Alexander B

Classifications

• D06F58/20 Primary

  General details of domestic laundry dryers  (D06F59/00 takes precedence) · CPC title

• D06F39/02

  Devices for adding soap or other washing agents · CPC title

• D06F2103/60

  related to auxiliary conditioning or finishing agents, e.g. filling level of perfume tanks · CPC title

• D06F58/44

  of conditioning or finishing, e.g. for smoothing or removing creases · CPC title

• D06F2103/36

  Flow or velocity · CPC title