Device, household appliance and method for identifying substance groups in a fluid within a household appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12516462-B2
Application number	US-202217938412-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 6, 2022
Priority date	Oct 7, 2021
Publication date	Jan 6, 2026
Grant date	Jan 6, 2026

Abstract

Device for detecting substance groups in a fluid within a household appliance, comprising an emission apparatus that emits a first electromagnetic radiation, characterized by an emission spectrum, into a test volume present with the fluid, further comprising a first measuring apparatus that detects a first spectrum of a second electromagnetic radiation led out of the test volume present with the fluid, further comprising an evaluation apparatus that is provided and designed to evaluate the first spectrum, whereby substance groups can be identified by using reference spectra, with the emission spectrum comprising a wavelength range of visible light and infrared radiation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A device for identifying substance groups in a fluid within a household appliance, comprising:
an emission apparatus which emits a first electromagnetic radiation, characterized by an emission spectrum, into a test volume present with the fluid; a first measuring apparatus that detects a first spectrum of a second electromagnetic radiation directed in a forward direction and led out of the test volume present with the fluid; and an evaluation apparatus that is provided and designed to evaluate the first spectrum, which makes it possible to identify substance groups by using reference spectra, wherein the emission spectrum comprises a visible light wavelength range and an infrared radiation wavelength range, and wherein a plurality of different reference spectra are retrieved by the evaluation apparatus from a memory unit and/or from a server, wherein the reference spectra are produced in advance for each substance group to be detected and/or from a combination of different substance groups, wherein a typical reference spectrum is assigned to each substance group and/or combination of different substance groups, wherein the device further comprises at least one second measuring apparatus for detecting at least one second spectrum of a third electromagnetic radiation away from a forward direction, wherein the third electromagnetic radiation is generated by scattering of the first electromagnetic radiation by the substance groups to be identified, wherein the evaluation apparatus is provided and designed to evaluate the first spectrum and the at least one second spectrum, wherein substance groups can be identified by using a combination of the first spectrum and the at least one second spectrum, wherein the memory unit and/or the server comprise reference spectra for the first spectrum, as well as reference spectra of the substance groups to a respective second spectrum, and wherein the first spectrum is preferably evaluated from a combination of IR range, visible range and UV range.

2 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the emission spectrum further comprises a wavelength range of ultraviolet radiation, wherein the wavelength ranges of ultraviolet radiation can be switched on and off.

3 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the first spectrum and the plurality of reference spectra include spectral information about substance group-specific absorption behavior, reflection behavior, scattered radiation behavior or luminescence behavior or any combination thereof.

4 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the emission apparatus comprises at least one emission unit comprising a broadband emitter.

5 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the first electromagnetic radiation can be introduced into the test volume from the emission apparatus via a first light guide, wherein the second electromagnetic radiation can be discharged from the test volume via a second light guide and led into the first measuring apparatus, wherein the first measuring apparatus comprises at least one pinhole diaphragm, a dispersion prism or an optical grating for spatial fanning-out of the first spectrum and at least one sensor unit.

6 . The device according to claim 5 , wherein the first light guide and the second light guide are formed in a rod-like manner along a longitudinal direction, at least in the test volume, and are arranged in parallel with one another, wherein the first electromagnetic radiation can be totally reflected at a first distal end of the first light guide into the fluid in the test volume, wherein the first electromagnetic radiation transitions into the second electromagnetic radiation due to interaction with the fluid along a test path in the test volume, wherein the second electromagnetic radiation can be totally reflected at a second distal end of the second light guide in an opposite direction to the longitudinal direction.

7 . A household appliance comprising a device according to claim 1 , and at least one control apparatus that is signaling connected to the evaluation apparatus, the control apparatus controlling further apparatuses of the household appliance depending on the identified substance groups.

8 . The household appliance according to claim 7 , wherein the reference spectra can be retrieved by the evaluation apparatus from a memory unit and/or from a server by means of a wireless connection.

9 . The household appliance according to claim 7 , wherein a main component of the fluid is air, wherein the control apparatus, depending on the identified substance groups, controls an air filter device and/or an air treatment device, and/or controls a communication apparatus that can transmit information to a user.

10 . The household appliance according to claim 7 , in particular a washing machine or a dishwasher, wherein a main component of the fluid is water, wherein the control apparatus, depending on the identified substance groups, controls a metering apparatus for cleaning agents that can add a type, a composition and/or a quantity of the cleaning agent to the water, and/or controls a supply apparatus that can supply a quantity of water, and/or controls an adjustment apparatus that can set a cleaning program selected from a plurality of cleaning programs.

11 . The household appliance according to claim 10 , wherein the test volume of the device is in a machine sump or in a fluidically separable bypass.

12 . A method for adapting a cleaning process of a water-conducting household appliance according to claim 10 on the basis of identified substance groups in the water of the household appliance, as well as at least one of the following method steps:
e. Controlling the metering apparatus for cleaning agents by means of the control apparatus, which can supply a type, a composition and/or a quantity of the cleaning agent to the water;
f. Controlling the supply apparatus by means of the control apparatus, which can supply a quantity of water;
g. Controlling the adjustment apparatus by means of the control apparatus, which can set a cleaning program selected from a plurality of cleaning programs.

13 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the second measuring apparatus detects information relating to a geometry of the scattering of the first electromagnetic radiation that generated the third electromagnetic radiation.

14 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the first measuring apparatus includes a dispersion element and a detector unit having an array of sensors.

15 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the emission apparatus comprises at least one emission unit comprising a white LED with an expanded emission in the IR range or the UV range.

Assignees

• Emz Hanauer Gmbh & Co Kgaa

Inventors

• Schade Lukas
• Sygnat Daniel
• Signorino Manfredi
• Brabec Martin

Classifications

• A47L15/4297

  Arrangements for detecting or measuring the condition of the washing water, e.g. turbidity · CPC title

• D06F33/37

  of metering of detergents or additives · CPC title

• D06F2103/22

  Content of detergent or additives · CPC title

• D06F2105/42

  Detergent or additive supply · CPC title

• G01N21/255

  Details, e.g. use of specially adapted sources, lighting or optical systems · CPC title