System and method for dispensing product to a washing machine. A chemical dispensing system includes a system controller, machine interface, and pump controller that communicate through serial data buses. The system controller provides a user interface, retrieves washing machine status information from the machine interface, and issues product dispensing commands to the pump controller. The pump controller monitors pump status and dispenses product in response to commands from the system controller. The pump controller: (1) determines pump activation periods based on calibration data stored in a pump controller memory; (2) tracks pump usage and adjusts the activation period to compensate for pump wear as the pump ages; (3) disables the pump if conditions exists that preclude operating the pump; (4) monitors product levels, and (5) reports pump status to the system controller. Integral channels are included in the pump housing to provide stress relief to a squeeze tube.

The invention proposes a dishwasher comprising a working chamber (2), comprising at least one spray arm (5, 6) which is arranged in a rotatable manner in the working chamber (2), and comprising a metering apparatus (9) for supplying and metering a substance, such as detergent, rinse aid etc., into the working chamber (2), wherein the metering apparatus (2) is designed as an insert part (2) comprising a housing (20, 21) for insertion into a recess in an inner wall (7) of the working chamber (2), for example in the door (7) of the working chamber (2), and comprising a sensor unit (27, 28) for identifying a spray arm movement in the working chamber (2) of the dishwasher, which sensor unit is arranged at least partially in a housing (20, 21) of the metering apparatus (9), wherein the dishwasher has improved program control. According to the invention, this is achieved in that the sensor unit (27, 28) comprises at least one pressure sensor (27, 28) for detecting a water/liquid pressure.

A washing agent dispenser for washing machines comprises a fixed dispenser part (200) and a removable dispenser part (100). The removable dispenser part (100) comprises a hollow body (101) defining a tank for a washing agent. The tank has, in a lower part thereof, an outlet (112), in a back wall of the hollow body (101), which is couplable in a separable way to an inlet (210) at the front of the fixed dispenser part (200). A retention valve (230.sub.1) is mounted on the hollow body (101), in a position corresponding to the outlet (112) of at the tank. The retention valve (230.sub.1) is configured to assume a respective open position following upon coupling between the outlet (112) and the inlet (210), and to assume a respective closed position following upon uncoupling between the outlet (112) and the inlet (210).

A washing agent dispenser for washing machines has a dispenser body (100) designed for mounting on a wall (5) delimiting a washing machine wash-chamber, the dispenser body (100) being designed to be exposed at least in part towards inside the washing machine wash-chamber (3). A tank (R1) capable of containing a substance in liquid or semi-solid form is defined in the dispenser body (100), and the dispenser (10) comprises a dispensing arrangement which is configured for dispensing first dosed amounts of the substance. The dispenser moreover comprises a sensor device configured to provide an electrical signal representative of at least one qualitative characteristic of the substance contained within the tank (R1).

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 control box for a sprayer system is provided. The control box may include a wash flow path, a wash flow solenoid disposed in the wash flow path, a detergent supply assembly disposed in wash flow path, a rinse flow path, a rinse flow solenoid disposed in the rinse flow path, a common flow path, a flow switch disposed in the common flow path, an alternating relay, and a connection valve leading to a discharge flow path. The flow switch may be configured to provide a signal to the alternating relay. The alternating relay may be configured to control both the wash flow solenoid and the rinse flow solenoid. The connection valve may receive both the wash flow path and the rinse flow path. In another embodiment, a sprayer system including a control box and a sprayer unit is provided.

Among other things, a method is disclosed which comprises the following: acquiring at least one set of acceleration data indicative of a progression of measured acceleration values; determining at least one set of evaluation data at least partially based on the acquired acceleration data, wherein determining the evaluation data comprises determining whether one or more characteristic actions have been performed by a user, and if so, performing the following: storing an action data representing the one or more actions that is included in the determined evaluation data or is at least a part of the determined evaluation data; and outputting or causing the output of the determined evaluation data. A device for executing and/or controlling this method, a system with one or more devices for executing and/or controlling this method and a computer program for executing and/or controlling this method by a processor are further disclosed.

Among other things, a method is disclosed which comprises the following: acquiring at least one set of acceleration data indicative of a progression of measured acceleration values; determining at least one set of evaluation data at least partially based on the acquired acceleration data, wherein determining the evaluation data comprises determining whether one or more characteristic actions have been performed by a user, and if so, performing the following: storing an action data representing the one or more actions that is included in the determined evaluation data or is at least a part of the determined evaluation data; and outputting or causing the output of the determined evaluation data. A device for executing and/or controlling this method, a system with one or more devices for executing and/or controlling this method and a computer program for executing and/or controlling this method by a processor are further disclosed.

A method for setting a time of a release of a cleaning agent during a cleaning cycle in a household appliance includes obtaining an evolution over time of a local parameter inside the appliance, the local parameter comprising an acceleration induced by the cycle or a temperature inside the appliance; obtaining reference patterns of evolutions of the local parameter during a cycle comprising different cleaning steps including a step adapted for releasing the cleaning agent at a predetermined adapted time; comparing the evolution of the local parameter to the reference patterns and identifying a cleaning step within the cycle when a similarity between a reference pattern and the evolution is above a predetermined threshold, and setting the release of the agent at the predetermined adapted time within the identified cleaning step when the identified step corresponds to a step adapted for releasing the agent.

A recyclable container containing a substrate treatment liquid, configured for fluid connection to a fluid communication system of a substrate treatment machine e.g. washing machine, the storage container comprising: (i) a reservoir containing a multi-dose stock of the substrate treatment liquid; (ii) a container connector which is designed to be removably and fluidly connectable with a machine connector of the substrate treatment machine, said connectors together forming a container-machine connection, such that the substrate treatment liquid can controllably flow from the reservoir via the container-machine connection to said fluid communication system; and (iii) a valve which is movable between an open and a closed position to control the flow of substrate treatment liquid from the storage container, said valve comprising a biasing member such that the valve is biased toward an open or closed position within the housing; and wherein the reservoir, container connector and valve comprise a recyclable plastic and that the biasing member comprises a recyclable plastic having a shore A hardness of 30-95 degrees, preferably 40-90 degrees, more preferably 45-85 degrees.