Clean status indicator
OwnerDavid A. Strahleinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A clean status indicator is disclosed for use with a cleaning device such as a dishwasher. At least one weight sensor may be configured to sense the weight of objects within the washing compartment. In some approaches at least one temperature sensor is configured to monitor a change of temperature occurring within a washing compartment. A visual display is positioned within a housing for conveying a clean/dirty status of objects within the washing compartment. A controller is in communication with the at least one sensor and the visual display. The controller includes a status logic receiving data from the at least one sensor to determine the clean/dirty status of objects within the washing compartment and display the clean/dirty status on the visual display.
Claims17
A clean status indicator for use on a dishwasher, the dishwasher including a frame with a base, a washing compartment within the frame, a door having an interior door surface and an exterior door surface, and at least one rack positioned within the washing compartment, the clean status indicator comprising:
- at least one weight sensor configured to removably mount to the device externally of the washing compartment of the dishwasher, the weight sensor configured to sense the weight of objects within the washing compartment;
- at least one temperature sensor configured to monitor the temperature within the washing compartment;
- a housing configured to removably mount to the exterior door surface;
- a power supply contained within the housing;
- a visual display positioned within the housing for conveying a clean/dirty status of objects within the washing compartment;
- a controller positioned within the housing and in communication with the at least one temperature sensor, the at least one weight sensor, and the visual display, the controller including a status logic configured to receive data from the at least one temperature sensor and the at least one weight sensor;
- and
- wherein the at least one weight sensor selectively has a first object weight threshold that reflects an increase of weight from a base weight when water is first added to the washing compartment, and a second object weight threshold that reflects a decrease in weight from a base weight when objects are removed from the washing compartment, the at least one temperature sensor selectively having a preset temperature threshold, the visual display reflecting “clean” when at least one of the first object weight threshold and the preset temperature threshold is met and the visual display reflecting “dirty” when the second object weight threshold is met.
A method for monitoring the clean/dirty status of a dishwasher including a frame with a base, a washing compartment within the frame, a door having an interior door surface and an exterior door surface, and at least one rack positioned within the washing compartment, comprising:
- removably mounting a controller, a visual display, and a temperature sensor to the exterior door surface, the temperature sensor monitoring the temperature within the washing compartment;
- removably mounting a weight sensor to the device externally of the washing compartment of the dishwasher, the weight sensor sensing the weight of objects within the washing compartment;
- receiving data from the temperature sensor and the weight sensor using the controller;
- evaluating the data from the temperature sensor to determine if the dishwasher has been operated using a status logic within the controller;
- setting the clean/dirty status to clean if the data from the temperature sensor indicates the dishwasher has been operated;
- evaluating the data from the weight sensor to determine if the dishwasher has been emptied using the status logic within the controller;
- setting the clean/dirty status to dirty if the data from the weight sensor indicates the dishwasher has been emptied;
- displaying the clean/dirty status on the visual display;
- comparing the data from the temperature sensor with a preset operating temperature threshold;
- and
- comparing the data from the weight sensor with a preset object weight threshold;
- receiving data from a manual override element, the manual override element configured to allow a user to manually adjust a determination of the clean/dirty status;
- using the data from the manual override element and the data from the temperature sensor for adjusting the preset operating temperature threshold;
- and
- using the data from the manual override element and the data from the weight sensor for adjusting the preset object weight threshold.
A clean status indicator for use with a device including a frame with a base, a washing compartment within the frame, a door having an interior door surface and an exterior door surface, the clean status indicator comprising:
- at least one weight sensor configured to mount to the device, the weight sensor configured to sense the weight of objects within the washing compartment;
- at least one temperature sensor configured to monitor the temperature within the washing compartment;
- a housing adjacent the washing compartment;
- a power supply;
- a visual display positioned within the housing for conveying a clean/dirty status of objects within the washing compartment;
- a controller in communication with the power supply, the at least one temperature sensor, the at least one weight sensor, and the visual display, the controller including a status logic configured to receive data from the at least one temperature sensor and the at least one weight sensor, utilize the data to determine the clean/dirty status of objects within the washing compartment, and display the clean/dirty status on the visual display;
- wherein the status logic selectively compares the data from the at least one temperature sensor to a preset operating temperature threshold;
- wherein the status logic compares the data from the at least one weight sensor to a preset object weight threshold to alter the clean/dirty status;
- and
- wherein the at least one weight sensor selectively has a first object weight threshold that reflects an increase of weight from a base weight when water is first added to the washing compartment and a second object weight threshold that reflects a decrease in weight from a base weight when objects are removed from the washing compartment, the status indicator reflecting “clean” when at least one of the first object weight threshold and the preset temperature threshold is met and the status indicator reflecting “dirty” when the second object weight threshold is met.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.