Fabric treating appliance comprising a bulk dispenser

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11028521-B2
Application number	US-201916545720-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 20, 2019
Priority date	Jun 27, 2017
Publication date	Jun 8, 2021
Grant date	Jun 8, 2021

Abstract

A bulk dispenser for a fabric treating appliance wherein the fabric treating appliance has a tank defining a bulk dispensing reservoir and a timer valve that is fluidly coupled to the bulk dispensing reservoir. A time selector is located on the tank and operably coupled to the timer valve. The time selector has non-time selection indicia such as load amount, liquid volume, or soil level. The timer valve is a mechanical timer valve.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bulk dispenser for a fabric treating appliance comprising:
a tank defining a bulk dispensing reservoir;
a timer valve fluidly coupled to the bulk dispensing reservoir; and
a time selector carried by the tank and operably coupled to the timer valve and having non-time selection indicia corresponding to at least one characteristic of load amount, liquid volume, or soil level;
wherein the timer valve is a mechanical timer valve and the time selector is an input movably mounted to the tank wherein the physical position of the input sets an activation time for the mechanical timer valve.

2. The bulk dispenser of claim 1 wherein the input is rotatably mounted to the tank and the rotational position sets the activation time.

3. The bulk dispenser of claim 2 wherein the input is at least one of a knob or wheel.

4. The bulk dispenser of claim 1 wherein the tank comprises a side and the time selector is located on the side.

5. The bulk dispenser of claim 4 wherein the side is a face.

6. The bulk dispenser of claim 1 wherein the tank comprises an outlet and the timer valve fluidly connects the tank to the outlet.

7. The bulk dispenser of claim 6 wherein the timer valve is located within the tank.

8. The bulk dispenser of claim 1 wherein the dispenser tank has an outlet overlying a loading opening of the tank.

9. The bulk dispenser of claim 1 wherein the time selector comprises a pointer.

10. The bulk dispenser of claim 9 wherein the time selector can be rotated to align with one of the non-time selection indicia.

11. The bulk dispenser of claim 1 wherein the non-time selection indicia are distributed around the periphery of the time selector.

12. The bulk dispenser of claim 11 wherein the non-time selection indicia comprise a shape.

13. The bulk dispenser of claim 12 wherein the shape is one of a square, triangle, and circle.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Cannon Marcus A
• Ramasco Bruno T

Classifications

• D06F34/28

  Arrangements for program selection, e.g. control panels therefor; Arrangements for indicating program parameters, e.g. the selected program or its progress · CPC title

• D06F34/30

  characterised by mechanical features, e.g. buttons or rotary dials · CPC title

• D06F39/022

  in a liquid state (D06F39/024 takes precedence) · CPC title

• D06F39/02 Primary

  Devices for adding soap or other washing agents · CPC title

• D06F37/12

  adapted for rotation or oscillation about a vertical axis · CPC title