Appliance with leak detection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11859328-B2
Application number	US-202017016562-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 10, 2020
Priority date	Sep 10, 2020
Publication date	Jan 2, 2024
Grant date	Jan 2, 2024

Abstract

Appliances configured to detect leaks and methods of detecting leaks are provided. The appliance includes a grounded chassis. The appliance also includes a first levelling leg electrically coupled to the chassis and a second levelling leg electrically isolated from the chassis. The appliance also includes a controller in operative communication with the second levelling leg and the chassis. The controller is configured for, and related methods include, monitoring electrical continuity between the second levelling leg and the chassis and detecting water on the base surface in response to electrical continuity between the second levelling leg and the chassis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An appliance, comprising:
a chassis comprising an electrically conductive material, the chassis electrically coupled to a ground;
a first levelling leg comprising an electrically conductive material, the first levelling leg electrically coupled to the chassis and configured to support the appliance on a base surface;
a second levelling leg comprising an electrically conductive material, the second levelling leg electrically isolated from the chassis by one or more electrically insulating spacers and configured to support the appliance on the base surface; and
a controller in operative communication with the second levelling leg and the chassis, the controller configured for:
monitoring electrical continuity between the second levelling leg and the chassis; and
detecting water on the base surface in response to electrical continuity between the second levelling leg and the chassis.

2. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the appliance comprises a water supply valve, and the controller is further configured for closing the water supply valve after detecting water on the base surface.

3. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured for transmitting a user notification after detecting water on the base surface.

4. The appliance of claim 3 , further comprising a display, wherein the controller is configured to transmit the user notification to the display.

5. The appliance of claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to communicate wirelessly with a remote user interface device, and wherein the controller is configured to transmit the user notification to the remote user interface device.

6. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the second levelling leg is mechanically coupled to the chassis.

7. The appliance of claim 1 , further comprising a third levelling leg and a fourth levelling leg, the third levelling leg and the fourth levelling leg each comprising an electrically conductive material and electrically coupled to the chassis, wherein the controller is configured for detecting water on the base surface in response to electrical continuity between the second levelling leg and any one or more of the first levelling leg, the third levelling leg, and/or the fourth levelling leg.

8. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the second levelling leg is configured for electrical communication with the base surface.

9. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the appliance is a washing machine appliance comprising a housing mounted on the chassis and a tub positioned within the housing, the tub configured for receiving a wash volume of water for washing articles therein.

10. A method of detecting a leak from an appliance, the appliance comprising an electrically conductive chassis electrically coupled to a ground, a first levelling leg electrically coupled to the chassis and configured to support the appliance on a base surface, and a second levelling leg comprising an electrically conductive material, the second leveling leg electrically isolated from the chassis by one or more electrically insulating spacers and configured to support the appliance on the base surface, the method comprising:
monitoring electrical continuity between the second levelling leg and the chassis; and
detecting water on the base surface in response to electrical continuity between the second levelling leg and the chassis.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the appliance comprises a water supply valve, further comprising closing the water supply valve after detecting water on the base surface.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising transmitting a user notification after detecting water on the base surface.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein transmitting the user notification after detecting water on the base surface comprises transmitting the user notification to a display on the appliance.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein transmitting the user notification after detecting water on the base surface comprises wirelessly transmitting the user notification to a remote user interface device.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the second levelling leg is mechanically coupled to the chassis.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the appliance further comprises a third levelling leg and a fourth levelling leg, the third levelling leg and the fourth levelling leg each comprising an electrically conductive material and electrically coupled to the chassis, wherein detecting water on the base surface comprises detecting water between the second levelling leg and any one or more of the first levelling leg, the third levelling leg, and/or the fourth levelling leg.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the second levelling leg is in electrical communication with the base surface.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the appliance is a washing machine appliance comprising a housing mounted on the chassis and a tub positioned within the housing, the tub configured for receiving a wash volume of water for washing articles therein, and wherein the step of monitoring electrical continuity between the second levelling leg and the chassis is performed during an operation cycle of the washing machine appliance.

Assignees

• Haier Us Appliance Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Woodham Jr Richard Gary
• Beckley Bryan James

Classifications

• D06F33/04 Primary

  non-electrically · CPC title

• A47B91/16

  Self-levelling legs · CPC title

• D06F23/04

  and rotating or oscillating about a vertical axis · CPC title

• D06F33/34

  of water filling · CPC title

• D06F34/05

  for wireless communication between components, e.g. for remote monitoring or control · CPC title