Laundry treating appliance and method of operation for a laundry treating appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11220773-B2
Application number	US-201916356653-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 18, 2019
Priority date	Jul 8, 2013
Publication date	Jan 11, 2022
Grant date	Jan 11, 2022

Abstract

A laundry treating appliance and a method operating a laundry treating appliance having a dye sensor configured to output a signal indicative of the amount of dye within liquid in the treating chamber, a controller having a memory in which is stored a set of executable instructions including at least one user-selectable cycle of operation, and a user interface operably coupled with the controller and providing an input and output function for the controller and provide information related to a dye release.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of operating a laundry treating appliance having a treating chamber for receiving laundry for treatment according to an automatic cycle of operation implemented by a controller of the laundry treating appliance and having a user interface for communication with a user of the appliance, the method comprising:
determining a dye has been released from the laundry within the treating chamber to define a determined dye release; and
indicating, on the user interface, information related to the determined dye release, where the information is separate from an alert that the released dye has been determined, and where the information comprises educational information to prevent future dye release or information regarding at least one consequence of at least one action taken by the laundry treating appliance including at least one of: that the treating cycle of operation used more water, that the treating cycle of operation was less energy efficient, that the treating cycle of operation time will be longer, or that there was reduced performance during the treating cycle of operation.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining the dye release comprises sensing a released dye within the treating chamber.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the sensing the released dye comprises sensing released dye in liquid from the treating chamber.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the sensing the released dye comprises sensing an amount of dye color in liquid within the treating chamber.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising determining a dye release event when the amount of sensed dye color satisfies a threshold.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the indicating information on the user interface further comprises indicating on the user interface when a dye release event has been determined.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising taking the at least one action to alter the cycle of operation to reduce an amount of dye color in treating liquid.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the at least one action comprises draining of treating liquid from the treating chamber, stopping of the cycle of operation, altering of a tumble pattern, adding of cool water to the treating chamber, or adding a rinse or a spin phase.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the educational information to prevent future dye release events comprises indicating information on proper laundry article separation.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising alerting a user in a manner including sending a text message to the user, sending an electronic mail to the user, or providing audio information to the user.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising indicating on the user interface that the released dye has been determined.

12. A method of operating a laundry treating appliance, the method comprising:
sensing a dye has been released from laundry within a treating chamber by sensing a released dye in liquid in the treating chamber or liquid from the treating chamber during a cycle of operation; and
indicating, on a user interface, information related to the released dye based on the sensing, where the information is separate from an alert that the released dye has been determined, and where the information comprises at least one consequence of at least one action taken by the laundry treating appliance including at least one of: that the treating cycle of operation used more water, that the treating cycle of operation was less energy efficient, that the treating cycle of operation time will be longer, that there was reduced performance during the treating cycle of operation, or educational information to prevent future dye releases including at least one of: information on proper laundry article separation, information related to label care information, color catcher information, or information on selection of a cycle parameter to reduce dye release.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising determining a dye release event when an amount of sensed dye color satisfies a threshold.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising indicating on the user interface that the released dye has been determined.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising taking the at least one action to alter the cycle of operation to reduce an amount of dye color in treating liquid.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the at least one action comprises draining of treating liquid from the treating chamber, stopping of the cycle of operation, altering of a tumble pattern, adding of cool water to the treating chamber, or adding a rinse or a spin phase.

17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising alerting a user in a manner including sending a text message to the user, sending an electronic mail to the user, or providing audio information to the user.

18. The method of claim 12 , further comprising indicating on the user interface that the released dye has been determined.

19. A method of operating a laundry treating appliance having a treating chamber for receiving laundry for treatment according to an automatic cycle of operation implemented by a controller of the laundry treating appliance and having a user interface for communication with a user of the appliance, the method comprising:
sensing, via a sensor, an amount of dye release;
comparing the amount of dye release to a predetermined amount threshold;
determining, via the controller, based on the comparing that a dye has been released from the laundry within the treating chamber to define a determined dye condition; and
indicating, on the user interface, information related to the dye release based on the determined dye condition, where the information is separate from an alert that the released dye has been determined, and where the information comprises educational information to prevent future dye releases including at least one of: information on proper laundry article separation, information related to label care information, color catcher information, or information on selection of a cycle parameter to reduce dye release.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising indicating on the user interface that the released dye has been determined.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Ashrafzadeh Farhad
• Civanelli Claudio
• Ihne Sarah E

Classifications

• D06F2105/60

  Audible signals · CPC title

• D06F2105/58

  Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user · CPC title

• D06F34/32

  characterised by graphical features, e.g. touchscreens · CPC title

• D06F33/37 Primary

  of metering of detergents or additives · CPC title

• D06F2105/42

  Detergent or additive supply · CPC title