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US 2012/0266388 A1Published application
Fabric softener sensing and reuse of grey water from the rinse cycle of a washing machine
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsJames Quentin Pollett, Matthew David Mersch
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The capture and reuse of the effluent, or grey water, from the rinse cycle of a washing machine appliance is provided. A determination is made regarding whether fabric softener is present in the effluent. If fabric softener is present, then the effluent can be reused during a rinse cycle of the washing machine so as to avoid undesirable interaction between the fabric softener in the effluent and the detergent of a rinse cycle.
Claims19
A method for operating a washing machine, comprising the steps of:
- capturing effluent from a rinse cycle of a washing machine;
- determining whether the effluent contains fabric softener;
- and,
- using the effluent in another rinse cycle of the washing machine if fabric softener is present.
1 more element
A washing machine, comprising:
- a wash chamber for containing articles to be washed;
- an agitation device present in said wash chamber for moving the articles to be washed within said wash chamber;
- and,
- at least one processing device configured for
- determining whether effluent from a rinse cycle contains fabric softener;
- and,
- using the effluent in a rinse cycle of the washing machine if fabric softener is present.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.