Washing machine appliance with an integrated water-on-demand feature

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9879371-B2
Application number	US-201614996387-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 15, 2016
Priority date	Jan 15, 2016
Publication date	Jan 30, 2018
Grant date	Jan 30, 2018

Abstract

A washing machine having an integrated water-on-demand feature is provided. The washing machine appliance allows a user to adjust the water or wash liquid fill amount of the washing machine appliance using an actuator integrated into or positioned nearby the dispenser box, thereby enabling a simple, convenient, and effective manner of adding wash liquid without requiring a substantial number of additional parts or assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A washing machine appliance defining a vertical, a lateral, and a transverse direction, the washing machine appliance comprising:
a cabinet defining a top panel;
a tub positioned within the cabinet;
a wash basket rotatably mounted within the tub, the wash basket defining a wash chamber for receiving articles for washing;
an additive dispenser positioned within the cabinet and underneath the top panel such that it is accessible only when a lid of the washing machine appliance is open, the additive dispenser being configured to provide wash liquid to the tub, the additive dispenser comprising:
a mixing chamber configured to receive wash additive; and
a water valve configured to provide a flow of water to the mixing chamber from a water inlet;

a user input button for adding supplemental water to the tub, the user input button being mounted to a front surface of the additive dispenser; and
a controller in operative communication with both the user input button and the water valve, the controller configured to:
receive a user input to add a supplemental water fill amount to the tub; and
open the water valve to provide the tub with the supplemental water fill amount.

2. The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein the water valve is a solenoid valve that operates at approximately 120 volts.

3. The washing machine appliance of claim 2 , wherein the user input button is operatively connected to the controller and operates at approximately 5 volts, the controller selectively controlling the operation of the solenoid valve in response to the user input button.

4. The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein the water valve is a cold water valve and the user input button is a first user input button, the washing machine further comprising:
a hot water valve configured to provide a flow of hot water to the mixing chamber from a hot water inlet; and
second user input button for adding supplemental hot water to the tub,
wherein the controller is configured to open the cold water valve for a predetermined amount of time when the first user input button is pressed and open the hot water valve for a predetermined amount of time when the second user input button is pressed.

5. The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein the user input button is a momentary switch.

6. The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein when the controller is configured to open the water valve for a predetermined amount of time when the user input button is pressed.

7. The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein the user input button is configured for adding a mixture of supplemental water and a wash additive to the tub.

8. The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein the user input button is mounted between the top panel and the wash basket.

9. The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein the washing machine appliance is a vertical axis washing machine appliance.

10. A dispensing assembly for a washing machine appliance having a tub positioned within a cabinet, the dispensing assembly comprising:
a water valve configured to provide a flow of water from a water inlet;
a dispenser box positioned within the cabinet, the dispenser box comprising a mixing chamber configured to receive the flow of water and dispense the flow of water into the tub;
a user input button, the user input button being mounted to a front surface of the dispenser box, the dispenser box being located underneath a top panel of the cabinet such that it is accessible only when a lid of the washing machine appliance is open; and
a controller in operative communication with both the user input button and the water valve, the controller configured to open the water valve to provide the tub with a supplemental water fill amount responsive to the user input button being pressed.

11. The dispensing assembly of claim 10 , wherein the water valve is a solenoid valve that operates at approximately 120 volts.

12. The dispensing assembly of claim 11 , wherein the user input button is operatively connected to the controller and operates at approximately 5 volts, the controller selectively controlling the operation of the solenoid valve in response to the user input button.

13. The dispensing assembly of claim 10 , wherein the water valve is a cold water valve and the user input button is a first user input button, the dispensing assembly further comprising:
a hot water valve configured to provide a flow of hot water from a hot water inlet; and
second user input button,
wherein the controller is configured to open the cold water valve for a predetermined amount of time when the first user input button is pressed and open the hot water valve for a predetermined amount of time when the second user input button is pressed.

14. The dispensing assembly of claim 10 , wherein the user input button is a momentary switch.

15. The dispensing assembly of claim 10 , wherein when the controller is configured to open the water valve for a predetermined amount of time when the user input button is pressed.

16. The dispensing assembly of claim 15 , wherein the predetermined amount of time is 20 seconds.

17. The dispensing assembly of claim 10 , wherein the user input button is mounted between the top panel and the wash basket.

18. The dispensing assembly of claim 10 , wherein the user input button is configured for adding a mixture of supplemental water and a wash additive to the tub.

Assignees

• Gen Electric
• Haier Us Appliance Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Leibman Alexander Boris
• Didat Mark Anthony

Classifications

• D06F23/04

  and rotating or oscillating about a vertical axis · CPC title

• D06F39/02 Primary

  Devices for adding soap or other washing agents · CPC title

• D06F39/005

  Textiles & Paper · mapped topic

• D06F39/028 Primary

  Arrangements for selectively supplying water to detergent compartments · CPC title

• D06F33/34

  of water filling · CPC title