Dishwasher appliance equipped with flood protection
AssigneeHaier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
InventorsKyle Edward Durham, Craig Curtis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A dishwasher appliance equipped with flood protection features that proactively attempt to prevent, stop, and/or mitigate flood events is provided. The dishwasher appliance may also include features for determining the cause of the flood event. Moreover, methods for flood protection of the dishwasher appliance are also provided.
Claims18
A method for flood protection of a dishwasher appliance, the dishwasher appliance comprising a drain pump, a cabinet, and a tub positioned within the cabinet, the tub comprising a tub lip, the method comprising:
- determining whether wash fluid is present at or proximate the tub lip at a first time;
- activating the drain pump to run a drain cycle if wash fluid is present at or proximate the tub lip at the first time;
- ascertaining whether a current time is greater than or equal to a predetermined drain time;
- determining whether wash fluid is present at or proximate the tub lip at a second time if the current time is greater than or equal to the predetermined drain time;
- and
- pulsing the drain pump if wash fluid is present at or proximate the tub lip at the second time.
A method for flood protection of a dishwasher appliance, the dishwasher appliance comprising a drain pump, a water inlet valve, a cabinet, and a tub positioned within the cabinet, the tub comprising a tub lip, the method comprising:
- determining whether wash fluid is present at or proximate the tub lip at a first time;
- activating the drain pump to run a drain cycle if wash fluid is present at or proximate the tub lip at the first time;
- ascertaining whether a current time is greater than or equal to a predetermined drain time;
- determining whether wash fluid is present at or proximate the tub lip at a second time if the current time is greater than or equal to the predetermined drain time;
- deactivating the drain pump if wash fluid is not present at or proximate the tub lip at the second time;
- ascertaining if a count is greater than or equal to a count threshold;
- and
- pulsing the water inlet valve if wash fluid is present at or proximate the tub lip if the count is greater than or equal to the count threshold.
A dishwasher appliance, comprising:
- a cabinet;
- a tub positioned within the cabinet and defining a wash chamber for receipt of articles for washing, the tub comprising a tub lip;
- a tub lip sensor mounted on the tub lip and configured to detect wash fluid at or proximate the tub lip;
- a water inlet valve for selectively allowing wash fluid into the wash chamber;
- a drain pump for draining wash fluid from the tub;
- and
- a controller communicatively coupled with the tub lip sensor, the water inlet valve, and the drain pump, the controller configured to:
- determine, at a first time, whether the tub lip sensor has sensed wash fluid at or proximate the tub lip for a predetermined time;
- activate the drain pump to run a drain cycle if wash fluid is present at or proximate the tub lip at the first time;
- ascertain whether a current time is greater than or equal to a predetermined drain time;
- determine, at a second time, whether the tub lip sensor has sensed wash fluid at or proximate the tub lip for a predetermined time if the current time is greater than or equal to the predetermined drain time;
- and
- i) wherein if wash fluid is present at or proximate the tub lip at the second time:
- ascertain whether a pulse flag is less than or equal to a pulse threshold;
- and
- pulse the drain pump if the pulse flag is less than or equal to the pulse threshold;
- or
- ii) wherein if wash fluid is not present at or proximate the tub lip at the second time:
- deactivate the drain pump;
- ascertain whether a current count is greater than or equal to a count threshold;
- and
- pulse the water inlet valve if the current count is greater than or equal to the count threshold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.