Household appliances and methods of control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9416482-B2
Application number	US-201213596457-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 28, 2012
Priority date	Aug 28, 2012
Publication date	Aug 16, 2016
Grant date	Aug 16, 2016

Abstract

A household appliance having a treating chamber in which is received an article for treatment, a treating chemistry dispenser configured to receive a unit dose container for the treating chemistry, and a controller for executing at least one cycle of operation and a method of operating the household appliance to physically alter a unit dose container in conjunction with a at least one cycle of operation and sensing same.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of operating a household appliance having a laundry or dish treating chamber in which is received an article for treatment, a treating chemistry dispenser configured to receive a single unit dose container of treating chemistry, and a controller for executing at least one cycle of operation, the method comprising:
physically altering the container of the single unit dose container in conjunction with a first execution of at least one cycle of operation and where the container is altered in a location that does not release stored treating chemistry;
sensing, by a sensor, a physical alteration of the container of the single unit dose container, physically altered during the first execution, in conjunction with a second execution of another at least one cycle of operation or sensing a physical alteration of a container of another single unit dose container in conjunction with a second execution of another at least one cycle of operation;
determining a presence of a physically altered single unit dose container based on the sensing; and
providing an indication of the determined presence of the physically altered single unit dose container.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the physically altering the single unit dose container comprises cutting a portion of the single unit dose container.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein cutting the portion of the single unit dose container comprises forming a less stiff portion of the single unit dose container.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the sensing the physical alteration comprises sensing the less stiff portion of the single unit dose container.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein sensing the less stiff portion comprises contacting the less stiff portion with a pressure switch.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the determining the presence of the physically altered single unit dose container comprises determining a state of the pressure switch.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein cutting a portion of the single unit dose container comprises cutting a top of the container.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the sensing the physical alteration comprises sensing the cutting force.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the determining the presence of a physically altered unit dose container comprises comparing the sensed cutting force to a predetermined cutting force.

10. The method of claim 2 wherein cutting a portion of the unit dose container comprises severing an electrical conductor provided on the single unit dose container.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein sensing the physical alteration comprises applying an electric potential between the two ends of the electrical conductor.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the sensing the physical alteration comprises sensing the electrical current through the electrical conductor produced by the electric potential applied between the two ends of the electrical conductor to sense the conductance between the two ends of the electrical conductor.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the determining the presence of a physically altered unit dose container comprises comparing the sensed conductance to a reference conductance.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the physically altering comprises reducing a structural integrity of at least a portion of the single unit dose container.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the physically altering comprises altering a conductance of at least a portion of the single unit dose container.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the sensing the physical alteration comprises sensing a rigidity of at least a portion of the single unit dose container.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the sensing the physical alteration comprises sensing a conductance of at least a portion of the single unit dose container.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing the indication comprises failing to further implement the second execution.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing the indication comprises ceasing the second execution after implementing the second execution.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing the indication comprises providing an indication via a user interface of the appliance.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the providing an indication via the user interface comprises providing at least one of a visual indication or an aural indication via the user interface.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein the physically altering the single unit dose container comprises piercing a portion of the single unit dose container.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the sensing the physical alteration comprises optically sensing the physical alteration of the single unit dose container caused by the piercing.

Assignees

• Alexander Benjamin E
• Black Brian A
• Latack Thomas A
• Rhodes Matthew D
• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Alexander Benjamin E
• Black Brian A
• Latack Thomas A
• Rhodes Matthew D

Classifications

• A47L15/4463

  Multi-dose dispensing arrangements · CPC title

• A47L15/4472

  Blister packaging or refill cartridges · CPC title

• A47L15/4225

  Arrangements or adaption of recirculation or discharge pumps · CPC title

• D06F39/02 Primary

  Devices for adding soap or other washing agents · CPC title

• A47L15/449

  Metering controlling devices (A47L15/4229 takes precedence) · CPC title