A retrofit auxiliary device for distributing cleaning resources to a household cleaning appliance having a treating chamber is described wherein the device can connect to various household cleaning appliances of different makes and models and can learn the flow of water and detergent during various stages of operation and then perform the dispensing itself.

A method for remotely monitoring and operating a dishwashing machine includes providing a remote appliance monitoring and control unit. The unit has a portable housing having an indicator, a wireless network interface, a processor, and a memory having machine readable instructions configured to be executed by the processor. The instructions are executed to determine an attribute of the dishwashing machine and to control the indicator based on the determination of the attribute. The method includes communicatively coupling the unit to the dishwashing machine, and using the unit to determine the attribute of the dishwashing machine. The method comprises causing the unit to wirelessly communicate the determined attribute to a remote user computer together with a geographic location of the dishwashing machine. The method includes taking a responsive action in response to the determined attribute.

A dispensing apparatus for dispensing substances, such as cleaning, washing, or dishwashing agents, in household appliances such as washing machines, dishwashers, or the like, having a dispensing unit having control means to control dispensing of the substances, and a tank receptacle, a tank for stocking the substances, the tank being embodied as a replaceable unit connectable to the tank receptacle, at least one connection for data transmission between the dispensing unit and the tank, at least one connection for data transmission between the household appliance and the tank and/or the dispensing unit.

A system includes a dishwasher including a receptacle for items to be washed, a control apparatus configured to execute a wash program in dependence upon a loading of the receptacle with items to be washed and a camera configured to capture an image of at least one partial region of the receptacle in dependence upon a pull-out position of the receptacle. The captured image is stored by the control apparatus in dependence upon the pull-out position in a memory location of a number of memory locations, which memory location is assigned to the pull-out position, with each of the number of memory locations being assigned a set of pull-out positions. An image analysis unit determines the loading of the receptacle in dependence upon images that are stored in the memory locations.

An anchoring system for use with a device having a clean status indicator may include at least one first slide component having at least one slot and at least one second slide component disposed within the at least one slot configured to move in relation to the at least one first slide component along at least a first axis extending along a length of the at least one slot, a second axis extending along a width of the at least one slot, and a third axis extending perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis. At least one of the at least one first slide component and the at least one second slide component may be configured to be secured to at least one of the device and a rigid support structure immediately adjacent to the device to allow for a controlled degree of movement of the device along at least the first axis, the second axis, and the third axis.

A dishwasher has a tub with tub walls and with an outlet, water pipes, valves, a pump, a water inlet into the tub, a dosing module in the tub that has supply compartments for additives and cleaning agents for a cleaning process, wherein the dosing module is designed as a self-contained structural unit independent of the dishwasher and removable therefrom. A control unit is provided for the dishwasher, for the dosing module, for the pump and for the valves. The dosing module has a communication module for communication with the control unit, wherein a planar transmission device having a plurality of L-C-resonant circuits inductively coupled to one another and each with a transmitting coil and a transmitting capacitor is arranged along a tub wall of the tub for transmitting signals and power. The transmission device connects the control unit and the dosing module to one another to permit signal transmission.

A dishwasher system for cleaning dishes may include a dishwasher tub configured to house dishes therein and run a dishwasher cycle, a door assembly configured to selectively seal the dishwasher tub, the door assembly including an inlet nozzle arranged on the inside of the door assembly, the inlet nozzle extending across the width of the door at the top of the door assembly to receive hot and moist air post wash from the dishwasher tub, and a duct fluidly connected to the inlet nozzle and configured to transfer the air through the door assembly and out an outlet nozzle during a drying phase of the dishwasher cycle prior to the door assembly being opened post-cycle.

A dishwasher, in particular a domestic dishwasher, includes a washing compartment for accommodating items to be washed, a container delimiting the washing compartment, a pump for circulating washing liquid in the container, a wash program control apparatus for executing at least one wash program and for activating the pump, and at least one optical detector connected to the wash program control apparatus for optically detecting at least one compartment section or segment of the washing compartment. The wash program control device adjusts the wash program based on the state in the washing compartment detected by the optical detector. The optical detector is rotatably mounted inside the container so that different compartment sections or segments of the washing compartment are detected by the optical detector in dependence on or as a function of the position and/or the location of the optical detector.

A dishwasher includes a door with at least a first part and a second part. The first part may be pivotally mounted to the dishwasher. The second part may be configured to be coupled to the first part for cooperative pivoting of the first part and the second part in one mode of operation. The second part may also be configured to move independently of the first part in another mode of operation.

A dishwasher having a tub having an open face and at least partially defining a treating chamber for holding dishes during an automatic cycle of operation, a door moveably mounted between an opened position, wherein a user the treating chamber is accessible, and a closed position, wherein the door closes the open face of the tub and dispensing assembly configured to activate an indicator to emit a human-detectable signal in response to a first signal indicating a predetermined amount of treating chemistry and a second signal indicating a predetermined amount of illumination.