Washing machine water level controller

Abstract

The invention limits water level in a rinse cycle to a fraction of the water in the wash cycle. A microprocessor based electronic circuitry device that may be wired inside the front panel of the normal (factory) “top loading” automatic clothes washer or a “front loading” automatic clothes washer. Interfaces exist to the water valves and timer motor from the micro-controller. The retrofitted on original equipment micro-controller commands the hot and cold valves to start filling the tub and measures the analog water level input from the water level sensor. This number is stored in the micro-controller memory as a “wash water level” during a first cycle (wash cycle). If the Water Saver Disable switch is enabled by an operator the “Wash Water Level” is divided by two providing a “Rinse Water Level” (second cycle) that is one half the wash or first cycle, or another fraction of that amount.

1 . A washing machine water level controller comprising: 
 an over-ride circuit operatively connected to a cycle control circuit of a washing machine,    a timer of the circuitry operatively connected to the operation of the cycle control circuit of the washing machine,    a monitoring circuit monitoring a first cycle of the washing machine having a first water level,    a reduction circuit calculating a selected fraction of the water level of the first water level,    the over-ride circuit operatively connected to over-ride a second water level of the washing machine,    the over-ride circuit permitting the washing machine to fill to only a third water level,    the third water level being the selected fraction of the second water level.    
     
     
         2 . The reduction circuit of  claim 1  further comprising a reduction circuit calculating fractions of less than one selected from the group consisting of 1/10, 2/10, 3/10, 4/10, 5/10, 6/10, 7/10, 8/10, 9/10, ¼, and ¾.  
     
     
         3 . The washing machine water level controller of  claim 1  further comprising switches on the front panel selected from the group consisting of analog, digital, mechanical, slider, toggle, multi-positioning, button, and touch panel.  
     
     
         4 . The reduction circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the selected fraction comprises one member selected from the group consisting of ⅛, 1/16, 1/32, 1/64, ⅓, ⅔, ⅜, ⅝ and ⅞.  
     
     
         5 . The washing machine water level controller of  claim 4  further comprising the mechanical over-ride of a second rinse water level of the washing machine.  
     
     
         6 . The washing machine water level controller of  claim 4  further comprising the mechanical over-ride to a third rinse water level of the washing machine.  
     
     
         7 . The washing machine water level controller of  claim 1 , wherein the calculation of the fractional water level is performed on the basis of fill time during which the water valves are open.  
     
     
         8 . The reduction circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the selected fraction is determined by an analog input device operated by the user.  
     
     
         9 . The reduction circuit of  claim 8 , wherein the analog input device is a potentiometer.  
     
     
         10 . A method of washing clothing in an automatic washing machine, the method comprising the steps of: 
 a) monitoring a first cycle of the washing machine having a first water level,    b) calculating a selected fraction of the water level of the first water level,    c) permitting the washing machine to fill to only a third water level, the third water level being the selected fraction of the second water level.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the selected fraction comprises one member selected from the group consisting of: 1/10, 2/10, 3/10, 4/10, 5/10, 6/10, 7/10, 8/10, 9/10, ¼, ¾, ⅛, 1/16, 1/32, 1/64, ⅓, ⅔, ⅜, ⅝ and ⅞.