Field of the invention
[0001] The present invention generally relates to the field of laundry treatment machines (hereinafter, concisely, "laundry machines"), and particularly to laundry machines for treating, e.g. washing, items (such as linen, clothes, garments, shoes, and the like), such as laundry washing machines and laundry washing machines also implementing laundry drying functions (also referred to as washers/dryers). More particularly, the present invention relates to a laundry machine with an improved rinsing system and to a corresponding method for treating laundry.
Background of the invention
[0002] According to known techniques, laundry machines are configured to perform laundry treatment cycles (hereinafter, concisely, "treatment cycles") which typically include different phases during which laundry to be washed is subjected to corresponding treatments. A treatment cycle usually comprises at least one washing phase in which laundry to be washed is treated by means of water and a laundry detergent, followed by one or more rinsing phases. Each rinsing phase provides for treating laundry with the addition of fresh water, i.e. water taken from the main water supply, and, after the treatment is over, a draining of said water. In order to provide the laundry with beneficial properties, such as for example softness, long lasting perfume, sanitization, and/or tear resistance, it is known to add a rinse additive during one or more of the rinsing phases. For example, a laundry softener may be added during the last rinsing phase.
[0003] For these purposes, a laundry machine typically comprises a drawer having drawer reservoirs for containing one or more laundry treatment agents (hereinafter, concisely, "treatment agents") comprising, among the others, laundry detergents and laundry softeners.
[0004] In the present disclosure, by "laundry detergent" it is intended a chemical product adapted to be used by the laundry machine in a washing phase of a laundry treatment cycle for removing stains and dirt from the laundry load.
[0005] Moreover, in the present disclosure, by "laundry softener" it is intended a chemical product adapted to be used by the laundry machine in a rinsing phase of a laundry treatment cycle subsequent to the washing phase for treating the laundry load in order to soften and relax the textile fibres or composition thereof, contributing to their preservation over time.
[0006] Standard laundry machines are equipped with a drawer usually comprising at least two drawer reservoirs each one adapted to contain a single dose of a respective treatment agent for performing a single treatment cycle. For example, a first mono-dose reservoir may be arranged to contain a single dose of a laundry detergent, and a second mono-dose reservoir may be arranged to contain a single dose of a laundry softener.
[0007] In an increasingly common type of laundry machine, the drawer comprises one or more reservoirs each one adapted to contain multiple doses of a respective treatment agent for performing multiple treatment cycles (hereinafter referred to as multi-dose reservoirs) by means of an auto-dosing system that is designed to dispense a metered amount of treatment agent to perform a treatment cycle. Just as an example, in case of two multi-dose reservoirs, a multi-dose reservoir may be arranged to contain multiple doses of a laundry detergent, whereas the other multi-dose reservoir may be arranged to contain multiple doses of a laundry softener. In this class of laundry machines, the laundry machine implements an auto-dosing functionality in which, at each treatment cycle (and when the auto-dosing functionality is activated), a predetermined amount of treatment agent (usually referred to as treatment agent dose) is automatically taken from the multi-dose reservoir(s) (e.g., by means of one or more pump devices associated therewith) and dispensed to a treatment chamber (such as a washing tub).
Summary of invention
[0008] The Applicant has realized that washing machines of known type are not capable of applying softener to laundry in a satisfactory way. Indeed, Applicant has observed that laundry which has been treated in a standard washing machine with the use of laundry softener does not often benefit in full from the expected beneficial properties of the used softener.
[0009] Applicant has found that this drawback is caused by the presence of laundry detergent residuals on the laundry load which hinder a good and uniform adhesion of laundry softener to the textile fibres of the laundry load.
[0010] In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a laundry machine and a corresponding method able to overcome these, as well as other, drawbacks, and particularly it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for treating laundry in a laundry machine and a corresponding laundry machine which allow an improved benefit of the beneficial properties of laundry softener.
[0011] Applicant has found that when a laundry treatment cycle provides for the use of a laundry softener, it is advantageous to set the number of rinsing phases to be carried out to a number sufficiently high to remove from the laundry load residuals of laundry detergent which can hinder a good and uniform adhesion of laundry softener to the textile fibres of the laundry load.
[0012] An aspect of the present invention relates to a method for treating laundry in a laundry machine comprising a rotatable drum adapted to receive laundry to be treated and a washing tub enclosing said drum.
[0013] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the laundry machine comprises a water supply apparatus configured to supply water into said washing tub.
[0014] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the laundry machine comprises a control unit programmed to carry out a laundry treatment cycle.
[0015] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the laundry machine comprises a laundry treatment agent dispensing device adapted to deliver into the washing tub at least one laundry treatment agent between a laundry detergent and a laundry softener.
[0016] According to an embodiment of the present invention, said laundry treatment agent dispensing device comprises a first reservoir adapted to be at least partially filled with said laundry detergent and a second reservoir adapted to be at least partially filled with said laundry softener.
[0017] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the laundry machine comprises a control system, in signal communication with the control unit, providing a softener signal adapted to take a first value indicating that no laundry softener quantity will be delivered into the washing tub during said laundry treatment cycle, and a second value indicating that a laundry softener quantity will be delivered into the washing tub during said laundry treatment cycle.
[0018] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the method comprises performing a washing phase in which the laundry treatment agent dispensing device delivers said detergent into the washing tub.
[0019] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the method further comprises performing a number of rinsing phases wherein detergent used in the washing phase is removed from laundry by using water provided by said water supply apparatus.
[0020] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the control unit sets the number of rinsing phases to be performed according to whether the value taken by the softener signal is the first value or the second value.
[0021] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the control system sets said softener signal to the second value in response to the reception of a command input by a user.
[0022] According to an embodiment of the present invention, said command input by the user is input by the user through a user device being external to the laundry machine.
[0023] According to an embodiment of the present invention, said second reservoir comprises a multi-dose reservoir configurable to contain a number of doses of said laundry softener sufficient to carry out several laundry treatment cycles.
[0024] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the method comprises automatically drawn up from said multi-dose reservoir a corresponding dose of laundry softener and deliver it into the washing tub during said laundry treatment cycle if the softener signal takes said second value.
[0025] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the control system sets said softener signal to the second value in response to the reception of a softener presence signal indicative of the presence of said laundry softener in the second reservoir.
[0026] According to an embodiment of the present invention, said second reservoir comprises a mono-dose reservoir configurable to be manually filled with a single dose of said laundry softener sufficient for a single laundry treatment cycle.
[0027] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the control unit sets a first number of rising phases, wherein said performing a number of rinsing phases comprises performing said first number of rinsing phases if the value taken by the softener signal is equal to the first value.
[0028] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the control unit modifies said first number of rinsing phases to a second number of rinsing phases if the value taken by the softener enabling signal is equal to the second value.
[0029] According to an embodiment of the present invention, said performing a number of rinsing phases comprises performing said second number of rinsing phases if the value taken by the softener signal is equal to the second value.
[0030] According to an embodiment of the present invention, if the control unit assesses that the second reservoir does not contain laundry softener, the second number of rinsing phases is set equal to the first number of rinsing phases.
[0031] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first number of rinsing phases is lower than the second number of rinsing phases.
[0032] According to an embodiment of the present invention, said having the control unit set a first number of rising phases or modify said first number of rinsing phases to a second number of rinsing phases if the value taken by the softener signal is equal to the second value comprises setting said first number of rinsing phases or modifying said first number of rinsing phases to the second number of rinsing phases according to one or more of the following:
- a laundry weight estimation performed in a laundry weight estimation phase;
- a laundry treatment cycle selection command set by a user in a laundry treatment cycle selection phase;
- a laundry type selection command set by a user in a laundry type input phase;
- a laundry treatment cycle duration time set by a user in a laundry treatment cycle duration time setting phase;
- a signal provided by a sensor adapted to sense the amount of detergent dispersed in water and/or the water turbidity during a rinsing phase and/or at the end thereof;
- a laundry treatment agent minimum dose selection command set by a user in a laundry treatment agent minimum dose input phase.
[0033] According to an embodiment of the present invention, during each rinsing phases the control unit controls the water supply apparatus to supply a respective amount of water into the washing tub.
[0034] According to an embodiment of the present invention, if the softener signal takes the second value and the control unit assesses that the second reservoir is lower than a predefined dose amount, the control unit controls the water supply apparatus during a last rinsing phase to supply an amount of water into the washing tub that it is lower than the amounts of water supplied by the water supply apparatus during the previous rinsing phases.
[0035] According to an embodiment of the present invention the control unit causes the laundry treatment agent dispensing device to deliver into the washing tub said laundry softener during a last rinsing phase of said number of rinsing phases if the softener signal takes the second value.
[0036] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a laundry machine comprising a rotatable drum adapted to receive laundry to be treated and a washing tub enclosing said drum.
[0037] According to an embodiment of the present invention, said laundry machine comprises a water supply apparatus configured to supply water into said washing tub.
[0038] According to an embodiment of the present invention, said laundry machine comprises a control unit programmed to carry out a laundry treatment cycle.
[0039] According to an embodiment of the present invention, said laundry machine comprises a laundry treatment agent dispensing device adapted to deliver into the washing tub at least one laundry treatment agent between a laundry detergent and a laundry softener.
[0040] According to an embodiment of the present invention, said laundry treatment agent dispensing device comprises a first reservoir adapted to be at least partially filled with said laundry detergent and a second reservoir adapted to be at least partially filled with said laundry softener.
[0041] According to an embodiment of the present invention, said laundry machine comprises a control system, in signal communication with the control unit, providing a softener signal adapted to take a first value indicating that no laundry softener quantity will be delivered into the washing tub during said laundry treatment cycle, and a second value indicating that a laundry softener quantity will be delivered into the washing tub during said laundry treatment cycle.
[0042] According to an embodiment of the present invention, said control unit is configured to perform a washing phase in which the laundry treatment agent dispensing device delivers said detergent into the washing tub.
[0043] According to an embodiment of the present invention, said control unit is further configured to perform a number of rinsing phases wherein detergent used in the washing phase is removed from laundry by using water provided by said water supply apparatus.
[0044] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the control unit is configured to set the number of rinsing phases to be performed according to whether the value taken by the softener signal is the first value or the second value.
[0045] According to an embodiment of the present invention, said second reservoir comprises a multi-dose reservoir configurable to contain a number of doses of said laundry softener sufficient to carry out several laundry treatment cycles and said laundry treatment agent dispensing device is adapted to automatically drawn from said multi-dose reservoir a corresponding dose of laundry softener and deliver it into the washing tub.
[0046] According to an embodiment of the present invention, said laundry machine further comprises a cabinet and a drawer adapted to slide with respect to the cabinet between an extracted position and a retracted position.
[0047] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the laundry treatment agent dispensing device is housed in the drawer.
[0048] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the laundry treatment agent dispensing device is housed in the cabinet outside the drawer.
[0049] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the laundry treatment agent dispensing device is in fluid communication with the cabinet.
[0050] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the laundry machine is a laundry washing machine or a combined laundry washer/dryer.
[0051] According to an embodiment of the present invention, said second reservoir comprises a mono-dose reservoir configurable to be manually filled with a single dose of said laundry softener sufficient for a single laundry treatment cycle.
[0052] According to an embodiment of the present invention, said mono-dose reservoir comprises a softener sensor in signal communication with the control system and configured to provide to the control system an indication about the presence or absence of laundry softener in the mono-dose reservoir.
[0053] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the control system is configured to accordingly set the value of the softener signal according to said indication.
Brief description of the annexed drawings
[0054] These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be made apparent by the following description of some exemplary and non-limitative embodiments thereof; for its better intelligibility, the following description should be read making reference to the attached drawings, wherein:
Figures 1A and 1B show perspective views of a laundry machine according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 1C is a side view of the laundry machine without a side wall of the cabinet;
Figure 2A is a top view of a drawer of the laundry machine according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2B is a top view of a drawer of the laundry machine according to another embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 3, illustrates some components/units/modules/apparatuses of the laundry machine in terms of functional blocks, and
Figure 4 illustrates a flowchart of a method for treating laundry when a selected laundry treatment cycle is carried out by the laundry machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention
[0055] With reference to the drawings,
Figures 1A and
1B show perspective views of a laundry machine
100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0056] According to the exemplary, not limiting, embodiment herein considered, the laundry machine
100 is a laundry washing machine for treating, e.g. washing, laundry. In any case, although in the following description explicit reference will be made to a laundry washing machine, this should not to be construed as a limitation; indeed, the present invention applies to other types of laundry machines (for example combined washers/dryers, i.e. washing machines also having laundry drying functions).
[0057] The laundry machine
100 preferably comprises a number of electrical/electronic/mechanical/hydraulic components for the operation of the laundry machine
100. However, for the sake of conciseness, only components of the laundry machine
100 being relevant for the understanding of the present invention will be mentioned and discussed in the following.
[0058] The laundry machine
100 preferably comprises a (e.g., parallepiped-shaped) cabinet
105, which preferably accommodates a treatment chamber (i.e., a laundry washing chamber in the example herein considered of a washing machine) for performing a laundry treatment cycle on laundry load housed therein (e.g., a washing cycle or program in the example herein considered of a washing machine). As visible in
Figure 1C, which shows a side view of the laundry machine
100 without a side wall of the cabinet
105, the treatment chamber preferably comprises a washing tub
110 and, within it, a rotatable washing basket or drum
115 adapted to contain the laundry load to be treated (e.g., washed).
[0059] A cabinet front has a loading opening providing an access to the drum
115 for loading/unloading the laundry load, a door
120 (shown in a closed position in
Figures 1A-1C) being provided for sealably closing the loading opening during the operation of the laundry machine
100.
[0060] The laundry machine
100 preferably comprises a laundry treatment agent dispensing device
125 (only partially visible in
Figure 1A) for dispensing treatment agent towards the washing tub
110 to be used during the selected laundry treatment cycle.
[0061] The laundry treatment agent dispensing device
125 preferably comprises one or more reservoirs ("multi-dose reservoirs") each one adapted to contain a number of doses of a treatment agent (such as washing detergents, bleaches and softeners) sufficient to carry out several laundry treatment cycles.
[0062] In other words, the laundry machine
100 is advantageously configured to implement an auto-dosing functionality in which, at each laundry treatment cycle (and, preferably, when the auto-dosing functionality is activated), an amount of treatment agent (also referred to as treatment agent dose) is automatically taken (e.g. by means of pump devices) from the multi-dose reservoir(s).
[0063] In the exemplary considered embodiment, the multi-dose reservoirs are provided in a drawer
130 of the laundry machine
100. The drawer
130 is preferably provided on a top part of the cabinet front of the laundry machine
100, and is adapted to slide within a corresponding drawer seat
130(S), along a longitudinal or sliding direction
X, between an extracted position (shown in
Figure 1A) and a retracted position (shown in
Figure 1B). The sliding direction
X is for example parallel to a rest surface, such as the floor, on which the laundry machine
100 preferably rests in operation (i.e., when it is installed in the user premises). In operation, the laundry machine
100 rests on the rest surface, such as the floor, and uprightly extends from it along a vertical direction
Z orthogonal to the sliding direction.
[0064] According to alternative embodiments of the present invention, at least a portion of the laundry treatment agent dispensing device
125, such as for example the multi-dose reservoirs, is provided in a different section of the cabinet
105 (outside the drawer
130), or simply in fluid communication with the cabinet (such as in case the multi-dose reservoirs are external tanks located outside the cabinet and connected with the latter through external pipes).
[0065] With reference now also to
Figure 2A, it shows a top view of the drawer
130 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0066] The drawer
130 preferably comprises a drawer handle
205 allowing the user to slidably move the drawer
130 between the extracted position and the retracted position when it is fitted in the drawer seat
130(S), and a drawer body
210 to which the drawer handle
205 is adapted to be mounted or coupled or connected (advantageously, in a removable or reversible way). When the laundry machine
100 is installed and the drawer
130 is fitted in the drawer seat
130(S), the drawer handle
205 identifies, along the sliding direction
X, a drawer front (which advantageously forms part of the cabinet front when the drawer
130 is in the retracted position).
[0067] In the exemplary considered embodiment, the drawer
130 (particularly, the drawer body
210) comprises two multi-dose reservoirs
210(1), 210(2), with the multi-dose reservoir
210(1) that may for example be configurable to contain multiple doses of a (liquid) laundry detergent and with the multi-dose reservoir
210(2) that may for example be configurable to contain multiple doses of a (liquid) softener - although this should not be construed limitatively.
[0068] The drawer
130 (particularly, the drawer body
210) preferably comprises one or more (two, in the example at issue) channels
215(1), 215(2) associated with the multi-dose reservoirs
210(1), 210(2) (in the example herein considered, each channel
215(1), 215(2) is associated with a respective one of the multi-dose reservoirs
210(1), 210(2), the channel
215(1) being for example associated with the multi-dose reservoir
210(1) and the channel
215(2) being for example associated with the multi-dose reservoir
210(2)). Each channel
215(1), 215(2) is preferably adapted to channel water and/or one or more treatment agent doses towards a region of the drawer seat
130(S) that allows a mixture between the water and the treatment agent dose(s) (hereinafter referred to as mixing region): the mixing region may for example be or comprise a bottom wall of the drawer seat
130(S) (not visible in the figures) in fluid communication with the washing tub
110.
[0069] As exemplary illustrated, the channels
215(1), 215(2) are preferably provided, along the sliding direction
X, behind the multi-dose reservoirs
210(1), 210(2) (from the drawer front).
[0070] Advantageously, the channels
215(1), 215(2) (or at least one thereof) extend vertically or substantially vertically with respect to the rest surface (such as the floor) on which the laundry machine
100 rests in operation (the channels
215(1), 215(2) thus extending substantially along the vertical direction
Z), thereby allowing the treatment agent dose(s) (and advantageously water from a water supply apparatus, as better discussed below) to fall towards the mixing region of the drawer seat
130(S) by gravity; in order to achieve it, each channel
215(1), 215(2) advantageously comprises a top channel input for receiving the water from the water supply apparatus, and a bottom channel output facing the bottom wall of the drawer seat
130(S); in operation, the bottom channel outputs of the channels
215(1), 215(2) are arranged for delivering the water and the treatment agent dose(s) to the bottom wall of the drawer seat
130(S), and hence to the washing tub
110.
[0071] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the laundry treatment agent dispensing device
125 also comprises one or more (e.g. two) drawer reservoirs each one adapted to contain a single dose of a respective treatment agent for performing a single treatment cycle.
[0072] For this purpose, in the exemplary considered embodiment, the drawer
130 also comprises one or more (e.g. two) drawer reservoirs
220(1), 220(2), preferably provided between the drawer handle
205 and the multi-dose reservoirs
210(1), 210(2) along the sliding direction
X, and each one adapted to contain a single dose of a respective treatment agent for performing a single treatment cycle (hereinafter referred to as mono-dose reservoirs
220(1), 220(2)).
[0073] For example, the mono-dose reservoir
220(1) may be arranged to contain a single dose of a powder or liquid laundry detergent, whereas the mono-dose reservoir
220(2) may be arranged to contain a single dose of a powder or liquid or pearl laundry softener.
[0074] The laundry machine
100 also comprises pump devices (such as peristaltic pump devices, for example fixed-flow or variable-flow peristaltic pump devices) adapted to draw up treatment agent doses from the multi-dose reservoirs
210(1), 210(2), with each pump device that is preferably associated with a respective multi-dose reservoir
210(1), 210(2). In the example herein considered of two multi-dose reservoirs
210(1), 210(2), two pump devices each one for drawing up treatment agent doses from a respective multi-dose reservoir
210(1), 210(2) are provided, each dose being adapted to be used for a corresponding laundry treatment cycle. The pump devices are not visible in the figure, in that they are advantageously enclosed (at least partially) in a same case
235.
[0075] The pump devices are preferably provided behind the channels
215(1), 215(2) (from the drawer front) along the sliding direction
X, and each one comprises a respective suction side in fluid communication (e.g., through a respective suction pipe of the drawer
130) with the multi-dose reservoir
210(1), 210(2) for drawing up the treatment agent dose(s) therefrom, and a respective delivery side in fluid communication (e.g., through a respective delivery pipe of the drawer
130) with the channel
215(1), 215(2) for delivering the treatment agent dose(s) thereto.
[0076] The concepts of the present invention directly apply also to laundry machines
100 equipped with a laundry treatment agent dispensing device
125 without multi-dose reservoirs, in which the drawer
130 comprises only the mono-dose drawer reservoirs
220(1), 220(2) (as shown in
Figure 2B).
[0077] As mentioned above, the laundry machine
100 preferably comprises a water supply apparatus
131 for feeding water towards the washing tub
110 during phases of a selected laundry treatment cycle.
[0078] In the exemplary considered embodiment, the water supply apparatus
131 forms a top of the drawer seat
130(S), thus allowing the water to be fed to the channels
215(1), 215(2) (and/or to the mono-dose reservoirs
220(1), 220(2), when provided) from above. The water supply apparatus may for example comprise water conduits and electrically-controlled valves, illustrated in
Figures 1A-1C through schematically representations thereof.
[0079] In the embodiment illustrated in
Figures 1A-1C, the water is supplied into the washing tub
110 from the water supply apparatus
131 by making it flow through the drawer
130 and then through the mixing region of the drawer seat
130(S).
[0080] The water which reached the washing tub
110 can, in this case, selectively contain one of the treatment agents contained in the reservoirs of the drawer
130. This situation corresponds to the case in which the auto-dosing functionality is activated and water is channelled through the channels
215(1), 215(2) together with a dose of treatment agent taken from a multi-dose reservoir
210(1), 210(2) (i.e., by activating the pump devices), or to the case in which the auto-dosing functionality is disabled and water is channelled through one of the mono-dose reservoirs
220(1), 220(2) containing treatment agent.
[0081] Moreover, water which reached the washing tub
110 can be clean if water is channelled through the channels
215(1), 215(2) without activating the pump devices or if water is channelled through an empty mono-dose reservoir
220(1), 220(2).
[0082] In an alternative embodiment of the invention, a separate water supply pipe (not illustrated) can be provided, which supply exclusively clean water into the washing tub
110, bypassing the drawer
130.
[0083] As illustrated in
Figure 1C, the laundry machine
100 comprises an electric motor
132 (e.g. a three-phase electric motor or a bi-phase electric motor, such as a permanently excited synchronous motor or an asynchronous motor or a brushless direct current motor or an induction motor) adapted to rotate the drum
115 within the washing tub
110. Preferably, the electric motor
132 is adapted to rotate the drum
115 at variable speeds, depending on the currently performed phase of the selected treatment cycle.
[0084] As can be seen in
Figure 1C, a heating system
133 (for example comprising a heating resistor) for heating the liquid inside the washing tub
110 is preferably provided at the bottom region of the washing tub
110.
[0085] The laundry machine
100 preferably comprises a drain apparatus
134 in fluid communication with a bottom region of the washing tub
110 and configured to withdrawn drain liquid (e.g., water possibly mixed with treatment agent and/or dirty particles) therefrom. The drain apparatus
134 is coupled with an outlet circuit (not illustrated) ending outside the cabinet
105 and, optionally, a recirculation circuit (not illustrated) adapted to recirculate the drained liquid back into the washing tub
110.
[0086] Returning back to
Figures 1A and
1B, the laundry machine
100 preferably comprises a user interface
135, the user interface
135 being preferably provided on the top part of the cabinet front, more preferably next to the drawer seat
130(S) along a transversal direction
Y orthogonal to the longitudinal
X and vertical
Z directions.
[0087] The user interface
135 may for example comprise a display unit (such as a light emitting polymer display (LPD), a liquid crystal display, a thin film transistor-liquid crystal display, or an organic light-emitting diode display) for visually displaying one or more pieces of information (such as information about a status of one or more components of the laundry machine
100 and/or information about a status of the treatment cycle, for example information about a residual time to the end of the ongoing treatment cycle, and/or information about a current phase of the ongoing treatment cycle, and/or selected parameters for the ongoing treatment cycle), and one or more control elements for allowing the user to select a treatment cycle and to control one or more operating parameters of the selected treatment cycle (such as, but not limited to, temperature, laundry load dirt level, spin speed, start time delay, drawer reservoir selection, selection of the type(s) of treatment agent). The control elements may for example comprise physical control elements, i.e. control elements whose activation/deactivation is associated with displacements of mechanical components (such as the rotary knob visible in
Figures 1A-1C), and/or one or more virtual control elements, i.e. control elements whose activation/deactivation is associated with touch-sensitive electric components.
[0088] The laundry machine
100 may also comprise a connection device (not illustrated), for example a network interface controller or network adapter, for allowing a (
e.g., wired or wireless) data exchange between the laundry machine
100 and an external, i.e. remote, device, for example a user device, being external to the laundry machine
100. The user device may for example be a personal digital assistant (PDA), a smartphone (as herein exemplary illustrated), a tablet, a wearable smart device (such as a smartwatch) or other mobile device having processing, input/output and memory units adapted to run software applications (
i.e. mobile applications in the example at issue of a smartphone as user device).
[0089] Even if in the present disclosure reference will be explicitly made to the case in which a user is interacting with the laundry machine
100 for providing inputs/commands through the user interface
135, the concepts of the present invention directly apply to the case in which said inputs/commands are provided to the laundry machine
100 through the abovementioned user device external to the laundry machine
100.
[0090] The laundry machine
100 preferably comprises a control unit
140 for controlling the laundry machine
100 (the control unit
140 being schematically illustrated as a dashed rectangle in
Figures 1A and
1B).
[0091] In order to show how the control unit
140 interacts with the laundry machine
100, reference will be now made to
Figure 3, in which some of the components/units/modules/apparatuses of the laundry machine
100 are schematically depicted through functional blocks.
[0092] The control unit
140 is coupled with the user interface
135 for receiving instructions input by the user, such as for example a selected treatment cycle and operating parameters thereof.
[0093] For the purposes of the present invention, according to the received instructions, the control unit
140 is configured to provide power and interact, during selected phases of the selected treatment cycle, with one or more of the following:
- the water supply apparatus 131 (for controlling the delivery of clean water and/or water mixed with selected treatment agents into the washing tub 110),
- the laundry treatment agent dispensing device 125 (for controlling the delivery of doses of selected treatment agents when the auto-dosing functionality is enabled),
- the heating system 133 (for setting the temperature of the water inside the washing tub 110),
- the electric motor 132 (for causing tumbling or spinning of the laundry load), and
- the drain apparatus 134 (for withdrawing liquid from the washing tub 110d.
[0094] Preferably, but not necessarily, the control unit
140 may be also interfaced with one or more sensor devices located in different portions of the laundry machine
100 and configured to collect data during the execution of the phases of the selected treatment cycle.
[0095] For example, the control unit
140 may be interfaced with one or more turbidity sensors
160 located in the washing tub
110 (see
Figure 1C) for receiving a turbidity signal
TS indicative of an amount of laundry detergent dispersed in the water included in the washing tub
110 and/or a turbidity level of the water included in the washing tub
110.
[0096] Moreover, the control unit
140 may be interfaced with a laundry load sensor
170 for receiving a laundry load signal
LS indicative of the amount (e.g., kilograms) of laundry loaded in the washing drum
115. As a non-limitative example, the laundry load sensor
170 may comprise a sensor located at the electric motor
132 (see
Figure 1C) and configured to measure electric quantities variations in the electric motor
132 induced by torque variations on the motor shaft depending on the amount of laundry load inside the washing drum
115.
[0097] Figure 4 illustrates a flowchart
400 of a method for treating laundry when a selected laundry treatment cycle is carried out by the laundry machine
100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0098] It has to be appreciated that the flow chart
400 illustrates only phases of the selected laundry treatment cycle which are relevant for the understanding of the embodiments of the invention, while other phases needed for the execution of the selected laundry treatment cycle that are well known to those skilled in the art will be neither depicted nor described for the sake of brevity.
[0099] Possible phases which can precede the phases depicted in
Figure 4 may comprise that the user loads laundry into the drum
115. Then, if the auto-dosing functionality is not activated, the user fills the mono-dose reservoir
220(1) with a dose of a laundry detergent, and, possibly, the mono-dose reservoir
220(2) with a dose of a laundry softener. If instead the auto-dosing functionality is activated, no manual filling of the mono-dose reservoirs
220(1), 220(2) is required since laundry detergent - and, possibly, laundry softener - doses are automatically drawn up from the multi-dose reservoirs
210(1), 210(2). Then, the user selects a desired laundry treatment cycle, and preferably controls one or more operating parameters thereof, through the user interface
135.
[0100] At this point, the laundry machine
100 starts to execute the selected laundry treatment cycle, such as for example with an optional pre-washing phase followed by a (main) washing phase, the latter being globally depicted in
Figure 4 with a functional block identified with reference
405. During the washing phase
405 the laundry is washed with the introduction of water and laundry detergent in the washing tub
110 - by means the water supply apparatus
131 and the laundry treatment agent dispensing device
125, respectively - and tumbled by rotation of the drum
115 - by means of the electric motor
132. During the washing phase
405, the water and the laundry detergent inside the washing tub
110 are preferably heated up at a proper temperature by means of the heating system
133. At the end of the washing phase
405, washing liquid (comprising water, laundry detergent and dirty particles) is advantageously drained to the outside of the laundry machine
100 by means of the drain apparatus
134.
[0101] The washing phase
405 is followed by a number N of rinsing phases directed to remove from the laundry residual of laundry detergent and/or remaining dirty particles.
[0102] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the number N of rinsing phases to be actually carried out after the washing phase
450 is set by the control unit
140 by taking into account whether or not laundry softener will be delivered into the washing tub
110 during the last rinsing phase.
[0103] More particularly, Applicant has found that when a laundry treatment cycle provides for the use of a laundry softener, it is advantageous to set the number of rinsing phases to be carried out to a number sufficiently high to remove from the laundry load residuals of laundry detergent which can hinder a good and uniform adhesion of laundry softener to the textile fibres of the laundry load.
[0104] For this purpose, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the control unit
140 is configured to set the number N of rinsing phases according to the value taken by a softener signal SS being indicative that laundry softener will be / is delivered into the washing tub
110.
[0105] According to an embodiment of the present invention, said softener signal SS is generated by a softener control system
190 in signal communication with the control unit
140 and is adapted to take a first value
SS(1) and a second value
SS(2), wherein:
- the control unit 140 is configured to cause the laundry treatment agent dispensing device 125 to deliver into the washing tub 110 a laundry softener quantity during the laundry treatment cycle if the softener signal SS takes the second value SS(2), and
- the control unit 140 is configured to control the laundry treatment agent dispensing device 125 in such a way that no laundry softener quantity is delivered into the washing tub 110 during the laundry treatment cycle if the softener signal SS takes the first value SS(1).
[0106] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the softener signal SS is set to the first value
SS(1) when:
- the auto-dosing functionality is activated and the selected laundry treatment cycle does not provide for the use of laundry softener, or
- the auto-dosing functionality is activated but the user has selected through the user interface 135 an option to disable the multi-dose compartment 210(2), or
- the auto-dosing functionality is not activated and the mono-dose reservoir 220(2) has not been manually filled by the user with a dose of laundry softener.
[0107] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the softener signal SS is set to the second value
SS(2) when at least one among the following conditions is verified:
- the auto-dosing functionality is activated and the selected laundry treatment cycle provides for the use of laundry softener,
- the auto-dosing functionality is activated, the selected laundry treatment cycle does not provide for the use of laundry softener but the user has selected through the user interface 135 an option to enable the multi-dose compartment 210(2) for the use of laundry softener during the selected laundry treatment cycle, and
- the auto-dosing functionality is not activated and the mono-dose reservoir 220(2) has been manually filled by the user with a dose of laundry softener.
[0108] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the control system
190 is in signal communication with the user interface
135 (see
Figure 3) for receiving from the latter indications about the selected laundry treatment cycle, preferably together with one or more operating parameters thereof input by the user through the user interface
135, and is configured to accordingly set the value of the softener signal
SS.
[0109] For example, if the auto-dosing functionality is activated and the selected laundry treatment cycle provides for the use of laundry softener, or if one of the operating parameters thereof set by the user provides for the use of laundry softener, the control system
190 sets the softener signal SS to the second value
SS(2). When instead the selected laundry treatment cycle or if one of the operating parameters thereof set by the user does not provide for the delivering of a quantity of laundry softener, the control system
190 sets the softener signal SS to the first value
SS(1).
[0110] In addition to or in place of the above, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the control system
190 is (also) in signal communication with a softener sensor
195 located in the mono-dose reservoir
220(2) (see
Figure 2A or
Figure 2B and
Figure 3) for receiving indications about of the presence (or absence) of a laundry softener in the mono-dose reservoir
220(2) of the drawer
130, and is configured to accordingly set the value of the softener signal
SS. For example, the softener sensor
195 may be an optical sensor, a level sensor provided with floating elements, a capacitive sensor, a conductivity sensor, or an electrode-based sensor.
[0111] For example, if the auto-dosing functionality is deactivated and the user has filled the mono-dose reservoir
220(2) with a dose of laundry softener, the presence of laundry softener in the mono-dose reservoir
220(2) is detected by the softener sensor
195 and the control system
190 may automatically set the softener signal SS to the second value
SS(2). If instead the auto-dosing functionality is deactivated but the mono-dose reservoir
220(2) is empty, the control system
190 may automatically set the softener signal SS to the first value
SS(2).
[0112] According to an embodiment of the present invention, when the mono-dose reservoir
202(2) contains an amount of laundry softener (condition detectable by means of the softener sensor
195), the control unit
140 may ask the user to confirm (through the user interface
135) the intention of using laundry softener during the execution of the selected laundry treatment cycle.
[0113] Returning back to
Figure 4, the way the control unit
140 sets the number N of rinsing phases according to the value taken by the softener signal SS according to an embodiment of the present invention is described hereinbelow.
[0114] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the control unit
140 is firstly configured to calculate (block
408) a first (preliminary) number
N1 of rinsing phases to be carried out after the washing phase
450 according to one or more of the following:
- a laundry treatment cycle selected by the user through a laundry treatment cycle selection command set by means of the user interface 135;
- an estimation of the weight of the laundry load performed in a laundry weight estimation phase (such as for example an automatic weight estimation carried out exploiting the laundry load signal LS generated by the laundry load sensor 170 or a manual weight estimation based on commands manually input by the user);
- a type of laundry load selected by the user through a laundry type selection command set by means of the user interface 135;
- a laundry treatment cycle duration time set by the user through the user interface 135;
- the turbidity signal TS generated by the one or more turbidity sensors 160;
- a minimum dose of treatment agent to be delivered by the laundry treatment agent dispensing device 125 selected by the user through a laundry treatment agent minimum dose selection command set by means of the user interface 135.
[0115] It has to be appreciated that while the calculation of the first number
N1 of rinsing phases corresponding to block
408 has been described to be carried out just after the washing phase
405, similar considerations apply if said calculation is made at a different time, such as for example before the washing phase
405 itself, e.g. when the laundry treatment cycle is started.
[0116] Then, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the control unit
140 is configured to check the value taken by the softener signal SS and modify the previously calculated first number
N1 of rinsing phase to a second number
N2 if the softener signal SS has taken the second value
SS(2), i.e., when the control unit
140 is configured to cause the laundry treatment agent dispensing device
125 to deliver into the washing tub
110 a laundry softener quantity (block
415).
[0117] According to an embodiment of the present invention, said second number
N2 is advantageously equal to or higher than the first number
N1 of rinsing phases. In other words, according to an embodiment of the present invention, when laundry softener is scheduled to be delivered into the washing tub
110 during a laundry treatment cycle, the control unit
140 is configured to (potentially) increase the number of rinsing phases to be carried out to a number sufficiently high to remove from the laundry load residuals of laundry detergent which can potentially hinder a good and uniform adhesion of laundry softener to the textile fibres of the laundry load.
[0118] Then, the control unit
140 is configured to cause the execution of N rinsing phases, with
N=
N1 if the softener signal SS has taken the first value
SS(1) and
N=
N2 if the softener signal SS has taken the second value
SS(2) (blocks
420(1) -
420(N)).
[0119] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first
N-1 rinsing phases are substantially equal to each other, and for this reason only the first one (identified in
Figure 4 with reference
420(1)) will be described in detail (blocks
430(1), 440(1), 450(1)).
[0120] The rinsing phase
420(1) provides for a first sub-phase in which the control unit
140 controls the water supply apparatus
131 for feeding clean water into the washing tub
110 (block
430(1)). The clean water removes from the laundry load residual detergent and/or remaining dirty particles.
[0121] Preferably, the control unit
140 then controls the electric motor
132 to rotate the drum
115 so as to causing tumbling of the laundry load (block
440(1)). In this way, dirty water is extracted from the laundry load.
[0122] At this point, the control unit
140 controls the drain apparatus
134 to withdrawn said extracted dirty water from the washing tub
110 (block
450(1)).
[0123] The last,
Nth, rinsing phase
420(N) differs from the previous
N-1 rinsing phases only if a laundry softener quantity is scheduled to be delivered into the washing tub
110 (i.e., when the softener signal SS has taken the second value
SS(2)). In this latter case, after a first sub-phase (block
430(N)) in which the control unit
140 controls the water supply apparatus
131 for feeding clean water into the washing tub
110, the control unit
140 controls the delivering of laundry softener into the washing tub
110 (block
460(N)), for example from the multi-dose reservoir
210(2) if the auto-dosing functionality is activated or from the mono-dose compartment
220(2) if the auto-dosing functionality is not activated. Then, the control unit
140 preferably controls the electric motor
132 to rotate the drum
115 so as to causing tumbling of the laundry load (block
440(N)) and the drain apparatus
134 to withdrawn said extracted dirty water from the washing tub
110 (block
450(N)).
[0124] If instead laundry softener is scheduled not to be delivered into the washing tub
110 (i.e., when the softener signal SS has taken the first value
SS(1)), only the sub-phases
430(N), 440(N) and
450(N) of the
Nth rinsing phase
420(N) are carried out.
[0125] It has to be appreciated that while the check of the value taken by the softener signal
SS and the potential modification of the previously calculated first number
N1 of rinsing phase to the second number
N2 corresponding to block
415 has been described to be carried out just after the calculation of the first number (phase
408), similar considerations apply in case if the operations corresponding to block
415 are carried out at any time after phase
408 and before the last rinsing phase rinsing phase
420(N).
[0126] According to an embodiment of the present invention, as in the case of the first number
N1 calculation, the control unit
140 may be also configured to calculate the value of the second number
N2 (when the softener signal SS has taken the second value
SS(2)) according to one or more among of the following:
- the selected laundry treatment cycle;
- the (estimation of the) weight of the laundry load;
- the type of laundry load;
- the duration type of the selected laundry treatment cycle;
- the turbidity signal TS;
- the laundry treatment agent minimum dose.
[0127] As an example of a method for treating laundry according to the flow chart
400, if the auto-dosing functionality is activated and at the same time the selected laundry treatment cycle does not provide for the delivering of a laundry softener quantity into the washing tub
110, or if one of the operating parameters set by the user does not provide for the delivering of a laundry softener quantity into the washing tub
110 (in both the two cases, the softener signal SS is set to the first value
SS(1)), the control unit
140 may set a first number
N1 of rinsing phases, where this first number
N1 may depend on an estimation of the weight of the laundry load.
[0128] For example, if the weight of the laundry load has been estimated to be lower than a weight threshold
WTH, the first number
N1 is set to 2, while if the weight of the laundry load has been estimated to be higher than said weight threshold
WTH, the first number is set to 3.
[0129] Then, since no laundry softener will be delivered into the washing tub
110 during said laundry treatment cycle, the control unit
140 controls the execution of a number
N =
N1 of rinsing cycles. In the exemplary case at issue, if the weight of laundry load has been assessed to be lower than the weight threshold
WTH, the control unit
140 controls the execution of
N =
N1 =
2 rinsing cycles, while if the weight of laundry load has been assessed to be higher than the weight threshold
WTH, the control unit
140 controls the execution of
N =
N1 =
3 rinsing cycles.
[0130] If instead the auto-dosing functionality is activated and at the same time the selected laundry treatment cycle provides for the delivering of a laundry softener quantity in the washing tub
110, or if one of the operating parameters set by the user provides for the delivering of a laundry softener quantity in the washing tub
110 (in both the two cases, the softener signal
SS is set to the second value
SS(2)), the control unit
140 may firstly set a first number
N1 of rinsing phases in the same way as for the previous case - i.e.,
N1 = 2 if the weight of the laundry load has been estimated to be lower than the weight threshold
WTH, and
N1 = 3 if the weight of the laundry load has been estimated to be higher than the weight threshold
WTH -, and then calculate a second number
N2 starting from said first number
N1. For example, if the first number
N1 has been set to 2, the control unit
140 modifies said first number
N1 = 2 to a second number
N2 = 3 (i.e., it increases the number of rinsing phases), while if the first number has been set to 3, the control unit
140 sets said second number
N2 to 3 (i.e., it confirms the number of rinsing phases previously calculated).
[0131] In other words, in case laundry softener has to be delivered into the washing tub
110, the control unit
140 acts in such a way that the number of rinsing phases that will be performed will be sufficient to favour a good and uniform adhesion of laundry softener to the textile fibres of the laundry load.
[0132] In the case in which the weight of the laundry load has been estimated to be lower than the weight threshold
WTH, while a laundry treatment cycle which does not require delivering of laundry softener is normally carried out with a low number (e.g., 2) of rinsing phases (in order to avoid waste of water), according to an embodiment of the present invention such laundry treatment cycle is carried out with an increased number (e.g., 3) of rinsing phases when delivering of laundry softener is expected in order to favour a good and uniform adhesion of laundry softener to the textile fibres of the laundry load.
[0133] In the case in which the weight of the laundry load has been estimated to be higher than the weight threshold
WTH, according to an embodiment of the present invention, even if delivering of laundry softener is expected, the number of rinsing phases may be not increased compared to the standard laundry treatment cycle, because the number of rinsing phases to be carried out for this case (e.g., 3) is considered to be already sufficient to favour a good and uniform adhesion of laundry softener to the textile fibres of the laundry load.
[0134] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the number of rinsing phases is always increased with respect to the first number
N1 when laundry softener is scheduled to be delivered into the washing tub
110.
[0135] According to a still another embodiment of the present invention, the control unit
140 is configured not to increase the number of rinsing phases when the softener signal SS is set to the second value
SS(2) (meaning that a laundry softener quantity is scheduled to be delivered into the washing tub
110) in response to a command input by the user through the user interface
135 irrespective of the actual weight of the laundry load if the control unit
140 recognizes that there is no laundry softener in neither the manual-dose reservoir
220(2) (condition recognizable through the softener sensor
195 located in the manual-dose reservoir
220(2)) nor in the multi-dose reservoir
210(2) (condition recognizable through a not illustrated softener sensor located in the multi-dose reservoir
210(2)).
[0136] In this case, the second number
N2 of rinsing phase is always set equal to the first number
N1 of rinsing phase, since no actual delivering of laundry softener is carried out, and therefore there is no more the reason to increase the number of rinsing phases even when the softener signal SS is set to the second value
SS(2).
[0137] According to another embodiment of the present invention, if the available amount of laundry softener in the multi-dose reservoir
210(2) or in the manual-dose reservoir
220(2) is assessed to be lower than a predefined dose amount (again, these conditions can be assessed through a not illustrated softener sensor located in the multi-dose reservoir
210(2) and/or through the softener sensor
195 located in the manual-dose reservoir
220(2)), if the softener signal SS is set to the second value
SS(2), the control unit
140 controls a reduction of the amount of clean water fed into the washing tub
110 by the water supply apparatus
131 during the first sub-phase
430(N) of the last,
Nth, rinsing phase
420(N).
[0138] In this way, it is advantageously avoided that the (reduced amount of) laundry softener delivered in the washing tub
110 during the sub-phase
460(N) of the last rinsing phase
420(N) is not too much diluted, which instead would occur if the amount of water delivered in the washing tub
110 during the last rinsing phase
420(N) was equal to the amount of water delivered in the previous
N-1 rinsing phases.
[0139] Naturally, in order to satisfy local and specific requirements, a person skilled in the art may apply to the invention described above many logical and/or physical modifications and alterations. More specifically, although the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it should be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form and details as well as other embodiments are possible. In particular, different embodiments of the invention may even be practiced without the specific details (such as the numeric examples) set forth in the preceding description for providing a more thorough understanding thereof; on the contrary, well known features may have been omitted or simplified in order not to obscure the description with unnecessary particulars.