Adaptive fill for dishwashers
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorLarry T. Bashark
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides an adaptive fill control for controlling the amount of liquid added in one or more liquid fill periods in a dishwasher cycle. The amount of liquid added in a liquid fill cycle is adjusted by activating the dishwasher drain pump while continuing to operate the dishwasher circulation pump. The accumulated time from the start of the drain pump operation until the circulation pump experiences a liquid starvation episode is compared to a predetermined optimum time period for the circulation pump to experience liquid starvation. The sign and difference between to accumulated time period and optimum time period is used to adjust the amount liquid added in the next liquid fill period. A number of sensors for detecting a circulation pump liquid starvation episode are disclosed.
Claims27
A method for adjusting the amount of liquid added to a dishwasher in one or more liquid fill periods in a dishwasher cycle comprising:
- activating the dishwasher drain pump to drain liquid from the dishwasher while continuing to operate the dishwasher circulation pump prior to the end of at least one liquid circulation period;
- accumulating the time from the start of the drain pump operation until the circulation pump experiences a liquid starvation episode;
- comparing the accumulated time period with a predetermined optimum time period for the circulation pump to experience liquid starvation;
- using the difference between the accumulated time period and the predetermined optimum time period to adjust the amount of liquid added in the next liquid fill period;
- and
- adding the adjusted amount of liquid during the next liquid fill period.
A method for adjusting the amount of liquid added to a dishwasher in one or more liquid fill periods in one or more dishwasher cycles each including a plurality of liquid fill periods, a plurality of liquid circulation periods and a plurality of liquid drain periods operated by a controller comprising:
- activate the dishwasher drain pump to drain liquid from the dishwasher while continuing to operate the dishwasher circulation pump near the end of at least one liquid circulation period;
- monitor operation of the circulation pump to accumulate a circulation pump starvation period beginning with activation of the drain pump and ending when the circulation pump experiences a liquid starvation episode;
- compare the circulation pump starvation period with a predetermined optimum time period for the circulation pump to experience liquid starvation to decrease or increase the amount of liquid added stored in the controller depending on whether the circulation pump starvation period is longer or shorter than the predetermined optimum time period to determine an adjusted amount of liquid;
- deactivate the circulation pump after the circulation pump experiences a liquid starvation episode and continue to operate the drain pump to complete draining of the liquid at the end of the liquid circulation period;
- store the adjusted amount of liquid in the controller for the next liquid fill period replacing the amount of liquid;
- and
- add the adjusted amount of liquid in the next liquid fill period of the dishwasher.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.