Clothes pre-wash compartment for an appliance
AssigneeMidea Group Co., Ltd.
InventorsZiqiang Hu, Paul R. Staun
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The specification discloses a basin disposed in a top portion of a drying appliance, the basin having a fluid drain therein connected to a basin drain line. The appliance includes a water valve in fluid communication with a water source having an outlet in fluid communication with the basin and a tee connector disposed in a drain line of a washing appliance for draining fluid from the basin.
Claims19
A system for treatment of an article, said system included in a drying appliance having a top surface comprising:
- a basin disposed in the top surface of said drying appliance, said basin having a fluid drain therein connected to a basin drain line;
- a water valve in fluid communication with a water source, said water valve having an outlet in fluid communication with said basin;
- a controller having a processor for executing instructions, a concomitant data memory, a communications interface for sending and receiving data, and a plurality of inputs and outputs for receiving and providing electrical signals for said system;
- an electrically actuated drain valve in said basin operatively coupled to an output of said controller for opening and closing said basin drain;
- and
- a tee connector configured to be coupled into a drain line of a washing appliance, said tee connector having an inlet in fluid communication with said basin drain line for removing water therefrom, and said tee connector including a fluid level sensor operatively coupled to said controller, whereby said controller prohibits actuation of said electrically actuated drain valve when said fluid level sensor indicates the presence of fluid in said tee connector.
A system for treatment of an article, said system included in a drying appliance having a top surface and a washing appliance, each of said appliances having a processor for executing instructions, a concomitant data memory, a communications interface for sending and receiving data, and a plurality of inputs and outputs for receiving and providing electrical signals for said system, the system comprising:
- a basin disposed in the top surface of said drying appliance, said basin having a fluid drain therein connected to a basin drain line;
- a water valve in fluid communication with a water source, said water valve having an outlet in fluid communication with said basin;
- and
- a tee connector disposed in a drain line of a washing appliance, said tee connector having an inlet in fluid communication with said basin drain line for removing water therefrom, said tee connector including a fluid level sensor configured to sense a presence of fluid in said tee connector to control draining of fluid from said basin.
A system for treatment of an article, said system included in a drying appliance having a top surface comprising:
- a basin disposed in the top surface of said drying appliance, said basin having a fluid drain therein connected to a basin drain line;
- a water valve in fluid communication with a water source, said water valve having an outlet in fluid communication with said basin;
- a first controller having a processor for executing instructions, a concomitant data memory, a communications interface for sending and receiving data, and a plurality of inputs and outputs for receiving and providing electrical signals for said system;
- and
- a tee connector configured to be coupled into a drain line of a washing appliance, said tee connector having an inlet in fluid communication with said basin drain line for removing water therefrom;
- wherein said first controller is configured to communicate a command signal to a second controller of the washing appliance to cause the second controller of the washing appliance to actuate a drain pump of the washing appliance to remove water from said basin drain line.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.