Bulk additive dispensing system for a dishwasher appliance

Abstract

A dishwasher appliance includes a water supply for providing water into a wash tub, an additive dispensing system comprising a bulk storage tank defining a plurality of additive chambers and a pump assembly for selectively urging a flow of wash additive from the plurality of additive chambers into the wash chamber, a turbidity sensor configured to measure a turbidity of wash fluid collected in the wash chamber, and a controller. The controller is configured to operate the water supply to add a volume of water into the wash tub, obtain a turbidity reading using the turbidity sensor, determine a target additive volume based on the turbidity reading, and operate the additive dispensing system to dispense the target additive volume into the wash tub.

1 . A dishwasher appliance comprising:
 a wash tub positioned within a cabinet and defining a wash chamber;   a door mounted to the cabinet to provide selective access to the wash chamber;   a water supply for providing water into the wash tub;   an additive dispensing system comprising a bulk storage tank defining a plurality of additive chambers and a pump assembly for selectively urging a flow of wash additive from the plurality of additive chambers into the wash chamber;   a turbidity sensor configured to measure a turbidity of wash fluid collected in the wash chamber; and   a controller in operative communication with the water supply, the additive dispensing system and the turbidity sensor, the controller being configured to:
 operate the water supply to add a volume of water into the wash tub; 
 obtain a turbidity reading using the turbidity sensor; 
 determine a target additive volume based on the turbidity reading; and 
 operate the additive dispensing system to dispense the target additive volume into the wash tub. 
   
     
     
         2 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 obtain an auxiliary turbidity reading using the turbidity sensor;   determine an auxiliary target additive volume based on the auxiliary turbidity reading; and   operate the additive dispensing system to dispense the auxiliary target additive volume into the wash tub.   
     
     
         3 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the soil level reading is obtained in a pre-wash cycle and auxiliary soil level reading is obtained during a main wash cycle. 
     
     
         4 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the turbidity reading is obtained a predetermined amount of time after adding the volume of water into the wash tub. 
     
     
         5 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 1 , wherein a relationship between the target additive volume and the turbidity reading is adjustable by a user. 
     
     
         6 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the target additive volume proportional to turbidity reading. 
     
     
         7 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the target additive volume is quantified as a multiple of a standard dispense volume. 
     
     
         8 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a user interface panel; and   fluid level sensors positioned within the plurality of additive chambers for detecting a volume of fluid in each of the plurality of additive chambers, wherein the controller is in operative communication with the fluid level sensors and a user interface panel and is configured to:   detect a remaining volume within each of the plurality of additive chambers using the fluid level sensors; and   displaying the remaining volume within each of the plurality of additive chambers on the user interface panel.   
     
     
         9 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 8 , wherein the user interface panel is an external device in operative communication with the controller through an external network. 
     
     
         10 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine a standard detergent volume;   receive a user input of a light cycle or a heavy cycle; and   decrease or increase the standard detergent volume by a predetermined percentage.   
     
     
         11 . A method of operating an additive dispensing system of a dishwasher appliance, the additive dispensing system comprising a bulk storage tank defining a plurality of additive chambers and a pump assembly for selectively urging a flow of wash additive from the plurality of additive chambers into a wash chamber, the method comprising:
 operating the water supply to add a volume of water into the wash tub;   obtaining a turbidity reading using the turbidity sensor;   determining a target additive volume based on the turbidity reading; and   operating the additive dispensing system to dispense the target additive volume into the wash tub.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 obtaining an auxiliary turbidity reading using the turbidity sensor;   determining an auxiliary target additive volume based on the auxiliary turbidity reading; and   operating the additive dispensing system to dispense the auxiliary target additive volume into the wash tub.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the soil level reading is obtained in a pre-wash cycle and auxiliary soil level reading is obtained during a main wash cycle. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the turbidity reading is obtained a predetermined amount of time after adding the volume of water into the wash tub. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein a relationship between the target additive volume and the turbidity reading is adjustable by a user. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the target additive volume proportional to turbidity reading. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the target additive volume is quantified as a multiple of a standard dispense volume. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 detect a remaining volume within each of the plurality of additive chambers using fluid level sensors; and   displaying the remaining volume within each of the plurality of additive chambers on a user interface panel.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the user interface panel is an external device in operative communication with the controller through an external network. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 determining a standard detergent volume;   receiving a user input of a light cycle or a heavy cycle; and   decreasing or increase the standard detergent volume by a predetermined percentage.