US 12,467,186 B2
Detecting a presence of a rinse additive during a rinse cycle of a washing machine appliance
Mark Banta, Pewee Valley, KY (US); and James Quentin Pollett, Louisville, KY (US)
Assigned to Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc., Wilmington, DE (US)
Filed by Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc., Wilmington, DE (US)
Filed on Oct. 4, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/481,007.
Prior Publication US 2025/0116050 A1, Apr. 10, 2025
Int. Cl. D06F 23/04 (2006.01); D06F 33/34 (2020.01); D06F 33/36 (2020.01); D06F 33/38 (2020.01); D06F 33/44 (2020.01); D06F 34/22 (2020.01); D06F 103/22 (2020.01); D06F 105/02 (2020.01); D06F 105/52 (2020.01); D06F 105/56 (2020.01); D06F 105/58 (2020.01)
CPC D06F 34/22 (2020.02) [D06F 23/04 (2013.01); D06F 33/34 (2020.02); D06F 33/38 (2020.02); D06F 33/44 (2020.02); D06F 2103/22 (2020.02); D06F 2105/02 (2020.02); D06F 2105/52 (2020.02); D06F 2105/56 (2020.02); D06F 2105/58 (2020.02)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for operating a washing machine appliance, the method comprising:
initiating a rinse cycle of a washing machine appliance;
sensing, with a conductivity sensor disposed within a tub of the washing machine appliance, a conductivity measurement of a rinse fluid within the tube during the rinse cycle;
determining, based on the sensed conductivity measurement of the rinse fluid and a baseline conductivity measurement representative of a conductivity measurement of liquid water flowed to the tub during a previous rinse cycle, a change in conductivity value; and
detecting, based on the change in conductivity value, a presence of rinse additive within the rinse fluid.