Additive vessel for a washing machine appliance and related methods

Abstract

A washing machine appliance includes a spray hose assembly fluidly connected to a water supply and configured for selectively providing a flow of wash fluid in a desired direction and location. A receptacle is defined in the spray hose assembly. The receptacle is configured to receive an additive vessel. The washing machine appliance also includes a controller in operative communication with the water supply and the spray hose assembly. The controller may be configured to receive a signal from the spray hose assembly. The signal from the spray hose assembly is indicative of a type of additive in the additive vessel. The controller is also configured to activate the water supply in response to the received signal to provide a flow of water to the spray hose assembly, whereby the flow of water mixes with the additive within the spray hose assembly to form the flow of wash fluid.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A washing machine appliance comprising:
 a spray hose assembly fluidly connected to a water supply and configured for selectively providing a flow of wash fluid in a desired direction and location;   a receptacle defined in the spray hose assembly, the receptacle configured to receive an additive vessel; and   a controller in operative communication with the water supply and the spray hose assembly, the controller configured to activate the water supply to provide a flow of water to the spray hose assembly, whereby the flow of water mixes with the additive within the spray hose assembly to form the flow of wash fluid.   
     
     
         2 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 receive a signal from the spray hose assembly, the signal indicative of a type of additive in the additive vessel; and   activate the water supply in response to the received signal to provide the flow of water to the spray hose assembly at a temperature corresponding to the indicated type of additive in the additive vessel.   
     
     
         3 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the receptacle comprises a plurality of electrical contacts and the spray hose assembly is configured to transmit the signal indicative of the type of additive in the additive vessel to the controller when a closed circuit is formed between two of the plurality of electrical contacts. 
     
     
         4 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the receptacle comprises a plurality of mechanical switches and the spray hose assembly is configured to transmit the signal indicative of the type of additive in the additive vessel to the controller when at least one of the plurality of mechanical switches of the receptacle is actuated. 
     
     
         5 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the receptacle comprises a plunger and the spray hose assembly is configured to transmit the signal indicative of the type of additive in the additive vessel to the controller in response to a position of the plunger. 
     
     
         6 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the receptacle comprises a radio-frequency identification tag reader and the spray hose assembly is configured to transmit the signal indicative of the type of additive in the additive vessel to the controller in response to a radio-frequency identification tag on the additive vessel. 
     
     
         7 . An additive vessel containing an additive for use in treating laundry articles, the additive vessel comprising:
 a wall defining an interior volume of the additive vessel, the additive contained within the interior volume; and   an additive identifier formed on an exterior surface of the wall, the additive identifier corresponding to a type of the additive contained within the interior volume of the additive vessel.   
     
     
         8 . The additive vessel of  claim 7 , wherein the additive identifier comprises two electrical contacts configured to form a closed circuit with two of a plurality of electrical contacts of a receptacle of a spray hose assembly of a washing machine appliance. 
     
     
         9 . The additive vessel of  claim 7 , wherein the additive identifier comprises a pattern of protrusions configured to actuate selected mechanical switches of a plurality of mechanical switches of a receptacle of a spray hose assembly of a washing machine appliance. 
     
     
         10 . The additive vessel of  claim 7 , wherein the additive identifier comprises an actuator configured to actuate a plunger of a receptacle of a spray hose assembly of a washing machine appliance to a predetermined position. 
     
     
         11 . The additive vessel of  claim 7 , wherein the additive identifier comprises a radio-frequency identification tag. 
     
     
         12 . A method of providing a flow of wash fluid to a washing machine appliance, the washing machine appliance comprising a spray hose assembly fluidly connected to a water supply and configured for selectively providing the flow of wash fluid in a desired direction and location, the method comprising:
 receiving an additive vessel within a receptacle of the spray hose assembly;   providing a flow of water to the spray hose assembly; and   mixing the flow of water with the additive within the spray hose assembly to form the flow of wash fluid.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising receiving a signal from the spray hose assembly, the signal indicative of a type of additive in the additive vessel and wherein the step of providing the flow of water to the spray hose assembly comprises providing the flow of water to the spray hose assembly in response to the received signal. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein providing the flow of water comprises providing the flow of water at a temperature corresponding to a type of the additive. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the receptacle comprises a plurality of electrical contacts and the additive vessel comprises two electrical contacts, wherein receiving the additive vessel within the receptacle comprises forming a closed circuit between the two electrical contacts of the additive vessel and two of the plurality of electrical contacts of the receptacle, the method further comprising transmitting the signal indicative of the type of the additive when the closed circuit is formed. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the receptacle comprises a plurality of mechanical switches and the additive vessel comprises a pattern of protrusions, wherein receiving the additive vessel within the receptacle comprises actuating selected mechanical switches of the plurality of mechanical switches with the pattern of protrusions, the method further comprising transmitting the signal indicative of the type of the additive based on the actuated mechanical switches. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the receptacle comprises a plunger and the additive vessel comprises an actuator, wherein receiving the additive vessel within the receptacle comprises actuating the plunger of the receptacle to a predetermined position with the actuator of the additive vessel, the method further comprising transmitting the signal indicative of the type of the additive based on the position of the plunger. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the receptacle comprises a radio-frequency identification tag reader and the additive vessel comprises a radio-frequency identification tag, wherein receiving the additive vessel within the receptacle comprises positioning the radio-frequency identification tag of the additive vessel proximate to the radio-frequency identification tag reader of the receptacle, the method further comprising transmitting the signal indicative of the type of the additive in response to the radio-frequency identification tag of the additive vessel. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising puncturing the additive vessel after receiving the additive vessel within the receptacle of the spray hose assembly and prior to providing the flow of water to the spray hose assembly. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising squeezing the additive vessel after receiving the additive vessel within the receptacle of the spray hose assembly and prior to providing the flow of water to the spray hose assembly.