Retrofittable bulk dispensing system for household appliances
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorsBENJAMIN E. ALEXANDER, JOEL M. SELLS, ERIC J. SCHUH
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A retrofit auxiliary device for supporting washing operations in various makes and models of multiple household appliances is described wherein the retrofit auxiliary device can monitor appliance health, regulate appliance function, and send the user useful data. Each of the multiple household appliances has a water line and a power line operably coupled to an appliance controller with at least one pre-programmed cycle of operation.
Claims20
A retrofit auxiliary device for supporting the washing operations of multiple household appliances, each of the multiple household appliances having a water line and a power line operably coupled to an appliance controller with at least one pre-programmed cycle of operation, the retrofit auxiliary device comprising:
- at least one water pass through channel coupling a household water supply to the water line of at least some of the multiple household appliances;
- a water flow meter operably coupled to the water pass through channel;
- a power pass through channel coupling a household power supply to the power line of at least some of the multiple household appliances;
- a power consumption monitor operably coupled to the power pass through channel;
- and
- a device controller receiving input from the water flow meter and the power consumption monitor during the operation of at least some of the multiple household appliances according to the at least one pre-programmed cycle as controlled by the appliance controllers, the device controller configured to monitor data from at least some of the multiple household appliances.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.