US 12,460,335 B2
Systems and methods for automatic dispensing of wash additives in a washing machine appliance
Oluwatosin Fagbuyi, Dallas, TX (US); Seonghoon Ryu, Suwan-si (KR); Noushin Mir, Louisville, KY (US); and Je Kwon Yoon, Hwaseong-si (KR)
Assigned to Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc., Wilmington, DE (US)
Filed by Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc., Wilmington, DE (US)
Filed on May 18, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/319,696.
Prior Publication US 2024/0384456 A1, Nov. 21, 2024
Int. Cl. D06F 33/37 (2020.01); D06F 23/04 (2006.01); D06F 33/34 (2020.01); D06F 34/04 (2020.01); D06F 34/22 (2020.01); D06F 39/02 (2006.01); D06F 103/18 (2020.01); D06F 103/22 (2020.01); D06F 105/02 (2020.01); D06F 105/42 (2020.01); D06F 105/58 (2020.01)
CPC D06F 33/37 (2020.02) [D06F 23/04 (2013.01); D06F 33/34 (2020.02); D06F 34/04 (2020.02); D06F 34/22 (2020.02); D06F 39/022 (2013.01); D06F 2103/18 (2020.02); D06F 2103/22 (2020.02); D06F 2105/02 (2020.02); D06F 2105/42 (2020.02); D06F 2105/58 (2020.02)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A washing machine appliance, comprising:
a wash tub positioned within a cabinet;
a wash basket rotatably mounted within the wash tub and defining a wash chamber configured for receiving a load of clothes;
a water supply configured to selectively dispense wash fluid into the wash tub;
a bulk dispenser for selectively adding a wash additive to the wash fluid;
a conductivity sensor for measuring an electrical conductivity of the wash fluid collected in the wash tub; and
a controller operably coupled to the water supply, the bulk dispenser, and the conductivity sensor, the controller being configured to:
obtain a first additive conductivity metric of the wash additive stored within the bulk dispenser using the conductivity sensor;
determine that the bulk dispenser has been refilled;
obtain a second additive conductivity metric of the wash additive stored within the bulk dispenser using the conductivity sensor, wherein obtaining the second additive conductivity metric comprises operating the water supply to dispense the wash fluid into the wash tub, obtaining a first conductivity reading of the wash fluid in the wash tub using the conductivity sensor, operating the bulk dispenser to dispense the wash additive into the wash tub, obtaining a second conductivity reading of the wash fluid in the wash tub using the conductivity sensor, and determining the second additive conductivity metric based at least in part on the first conductivity reading and the second conductivity reading;
determine that the second additive conductivity metric is different than the first additive conductivity metric; and
implement a responsive action in response to determining that the second additive conductivity metric is different than the first additive conductivity metric.