Systems and methods for automatic dispensing of wash additives in a washing machine appliance

Abstract

A washing machine appliance includes a water supply configured to selectively dispense wash fluid into a wash tub, a bulk dispenser for selectively adding a wash additive to the wash fluid, and a conductivity sensor for measuring an electrical conductivity of the wash fluid collected in the wash tub. A controller is configured to determine that a requested cycle has a target set of cycle parameters, determine that the bulk dispenser has been refilled, obtain a historical average conductivity of cycles performed using the target set of cycle parameters, obtain a conductivity of the wash fluid during performance of the requested cycle using the conductivity sensor, determine that the conductivity is different than the historical average conductivity, and implement a responsive action in response to determining that the conductivity is different than the historical average conductivity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         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:
 determine that a requested cycle has a target set of cycle parameters; 
 determine that the bulk dispenser has been refilled; 
 obtain a historical average conductivity of cycles performed using the target set of cycle parameters; 
 obtain a conductivity of the wash fluid during performance of the requested cycle using the conductivity sensor; 
 determine that the conductivity is different than the historical average conductivity; and 
 implement a responsive action in response to determining that the conductivity is different than the historical average conductivity. 
   
     
     
         2 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the target set of cycle parameters comprises at least one of a load size, a water temperature, or a spin speed. 
     
     
         3 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 identify the target set of cycle parameters based on historical operating data of the washing machine appliance.   
     
     
         4 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 3 , wherein identifying the target set of cycle parameters based on the historical operating data of the washing machine appliance comprises:
 determining a most frequently used cycle of the washing machine appliance; and   setting the target set of cycle parameters equal to parameters used in the most frequently used cycle.   
     
     
         5 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 4 , wherein the historical average conductivity is obtained and averaged during multiple performances of the most frequently used cycle. 
     
     
         6 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the historical average conductivity is an average conductivity obtained over the last five cycles performed with the target set of cycle parameters. 
     
     
         7 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 1 , wherein determining that the bulk dispenser has been refilled comprises:
 determining that a tank low sensor or a tank empty sensor has been triggered; and   subsequently determining that the tank low sensor or the tank empty sensor is no longer triggered or that a tank full sensor is triggered.   
     
     
         8 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the conductivity is obtained during a wash cycle of the requested cycle. 
     
     
         9 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine that the conductivity is not different than the historical average conductivity; and   perform the requested cycle.   
     
     
         10 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine that the bulk dispenser was not refilled prior to the requested cycle; and   record the conductivity of the wash fluid during performance of the requested cycle as part of the historical average conductivity.   
     
     
         11 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 1 , wherein determining that the conductivity is different than the historical average conductivity comprises:
 determining that a difference between the conductivity and the historical average conductivity exceeds a predetermined conductivity change threshold.   
     
     
         12 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the predetermined conductivity change threshold is a 20% change from the historical average conductivity. 
     
     
         13 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 1 , wherein implementing the responsive action comprises:
 prompting a user to supply a product identification for the wash additive.   
     
     
         14 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 13 , wherein the controller is in operative communication with a remote device through an external network, and wherein the user is prompted to supply the product identification for the wash additive through the remote device. 
     
     
         15 . The washing machine appliance of  claim 13 , wherein implementing the responsive action comprises:
 adjusting operation of the bulk dispenser based at least in part on the product identification for the wash additive supplied by the user.   
     
     
         16 . A method of operating a washing machine appliance, the washing machine appliance comprising a water supply configured to selectively dispense wash fluid into a wash tub, a bulk dispenser for selectively adding a wash additive to the wash fluid, and a conductivity sensor for measuring an electrical conductivity of the wash fluid collected in the wash tub, the method comprising:
 determining that a requested cycle has a target set of cycle parameters;   determining that the bulk dispenser has been refilled;   obtaining a historical average conductivity of cycles performed using the target set of cycle parameters;   obtaining a conductivity of the wash fluid during performance of the requested cycle using the conductivity sensor;   determining that the conductivity is different than the historical average conductivity; and   implementing a responsive action in response to determining that the conductivity is different than the historical average conductivity.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 identifying the target set of cycle parameters based on historical operating data of the washing machine appliance.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein identifying the target set of cycle parameters based on the historical operating data of the washing machine appliance comprises:
 determining a most frequently used cycle of the washing machine appliance; and   setting the target set of cycle parameters equal to parameters used in the most frequently used cycle.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 determining that the bulk dispenser was not refilled prior to the requested cycle; and   recording the conductivity of the wash fluid during performance of the requested cycle as part of the historical average conductivity.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein implementing the responsive action comprises:
 prompting a user to supply a product identification for the wash additive.