Laundry treating appliance and dispenser

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11214911-B2
Application number	US-202016850386-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 16, 2020
Priority date	Nov 17, 2016
Publication date	Jan 4, 2022
Grant date	Jan 4, 2022

Abstract

A method of selecting between liquid dispensing and powder dispensing in a laundry treating appliance having at least one dispensing chamber for holding a treating chemistry. The method comprises moving a siphon relative to the dispensing chamber between a first position, where the siphon draws liquid from the chamber, and a second position where the siphon opens an outlet in the chamber.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of selecting between liquid dispensing and powder dispensing in a laundry treating appliance having at least one dispensing chamber for holding a treating chemistry, the method comprising moving a siphon relative to the dispensing chamber between a first position, where the siphon draws liquid from the chamber, and a second position, where the siphon opens an outlet in the chamber, and wherein rotating an actuator moves the siphon between the first position and the second position.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein in the first position, the siphon closes the outlet.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein in the second position, the siphon does not draw liquid from the chamber.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein in the second position, the treating chemistry exits the chamber via the outlet opening.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising moving a shaft and pin on the siphon in a sleeve with a helical slot on the actuator.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising housing the at least one dispensing chamber in at least one treating chemistry compartment.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising at least partially covering the at least one treating chemistry compartment with a cover plate and coupling the actuator to the cover plate.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising marking the at least one of the cover plate or the actuator with indicia corresponding to the liquid and powder modes.

9. The method of claim 6 further comprising slidably mounting the siphon to the at least one treating chemistry compartment.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the siphon is slideably mounted to the at least one treating chemistry compartment by edges on the at least one treating chemistry compartment and corresponding grooves on the siphon that receive the edges of the at least one treating chemistry compartment.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising fluidly coupling an inlet tube of the siphon to the chamber, and fluidly coupling an outlet tube of the siphon to an exterior of the chamber when the siphon is in the first position.

12. A method of selectively dispensing a treating chemistry if the form of a liquid or a powder in a laundry treating appliance having a chemistry treating compartment with at least one dispensing chamber for holding the treating chemistry and defining an outlet opening fluidly coupling the chamber to an exterior of the chamber, the method comprising:
moving an actuator coupled to a siphon that is at least partially located within the chamber between a first position wherein the siphon closes the outlet opening to enable the dispenser to dispense the liquid, and a second position wherein the siphon opens at least a portion of the outlet opening to enable the dispenser to dispense the powder.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein rotating an actuator moves the siphon between the first position and the second position.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising moving a shaft and pin on the siphon in a sleeve with a helical slot on the actuator.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising at least partially covering the at least one treating chemistry compartment with a cover plate and coupling the actuator to the cover plate.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising marking the at least one of the cover plate or the actuator with indicia corresponding to the liquid and powder modes.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising slidably mounting the siphon to the at least one treating chemistry compartment.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the siphon is slideably mounted to the at least one treating chemistry compartment by edges on the at least one treating chemistry compartment and corresponding grooves on the siphon that receive the edges of the at least one treating chemistry compartment.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising fluidly coupling an inlet tube of the siphon to the chamber, and fluidly coupling an outlet tube of the siphon to the exterior of the chamber when the siphon is in the first position.

20. A method of selecting between liquid dispensing and powder dispensing in a laundry treating appliance having at least one dispensing chamber for holding a treating chemistry and housing the at least one dispensing chamber in at least one treating chemistry compartment, the method comprising moving a siphon relative to the dispensing chamber between a first position, where the siphon draws liquid from the chamber, and a second position, where the siphon opens an outlet in the chamber and at least partially covering the at least one treating chemistry compartment with a cover plate and coupling an actuator to the cover plate.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein in the first position, the siphon closes the outlet.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein in the second position, the siphon does not draw liquid from the chamber.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein in the second position, the treating chemistry exits the chamber via the outlet opening.

24. The method of claim 20 further comprising moving a shaft and pin on the siphon in a sleeve with a helical slot on the actuator.

25. The method of claim 20 further comprising marking the at least one of the cover plate or the actuator with indicia corresponding to the liquid and powder modes.

26. The method of claim 20 further comprising slidably mounting the siphon to the at least one treating chemistry compartment.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the siphon is slideably mounted to the at least one treating chemistry compartment by edges on the at least one treating chemistry compartment and corresponding grooves on the siphon that receive the edges of the at least one treating chemistry compartment.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising fluidly coupling an inlet tube of the siphon to the chamber, and fluidly coupling an outlet tube of the siphon to the exterior of the chamber when the siphon is in the first position.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Bronn Tobias
• Budicky Tibor
• Martinko Jan

Classifications

• D06F39/022

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

• D06F39/028

  Arrangements for selectively supplying water to detergent compartments · CPC title

• D06F39/02 Primary

  Devices for adding soap or other washing agents · CPC title