Patent ID: 9657423
Date: 2017-05-23
CPC Classifications: D06F

Claim:
1. A system for controlling a concentration of ozone of a washing machine so as to be at or below a target ozone concentration value, measured in parts per million, so that a cumulative contact time value, measured in parts per million multiplied by minutes, of the ozone with laundry being washed by the washing machine reaches a target contact time value over a duration of time in minutes of an entire wash cycle of the washing machine, thereby ensuring killing of any infectious diseases contained within the laundry, and the duration of time of the entire wash cycle being measured from a time the washing machine starts commences washing the laundry to a time the washing machine completes washing the laundry, and the entire wash cycle including an initial wash stage ac at least one subsequent wash stage, the system comprising: a washing machine, for washing the laundry, having an internal drum for containing the laundry and a quantity of a water; an ozone generator, connected to the washing machine, for supplying ozone to the washing machine to sanitize the laundry while assisting with the washing of the laundry; the ozone generator supplying ozonated water to the washing machine upon initially filling the washing machine with filling water, and supplying additional ozone to the wash machine during at least one of the initial wash stage and the at least one subsequent wash stage; an ozone sensor for sensing a current level of ozone in the washing machine during operation thereof; a control panel being coupled to the ozone sensor and the ozone generator; the control panel facilitating modification of production of ozone, based upon the sensed current level of ozone determined by the ozone sensor during each of the initial wash stage and the at least one subsequent wash stage, to be approximately equal to the target ozone concentration value; the control panel determining, for each of the initial wash stage and the at least one subsequent wash stage, a current stage contact time value, and the control panel adding each of the current stage contact time values with one another to obtain the cumulative contact time value, and the control panel controlling operation of the washing machine so that the cumulative contact time value of the ozone with the laundry is at least 60% of the duration of time of the entire wash cycle; and if the cumulative contact time value of the ozone with the laundry is less than 60% of the duration of time of the entire wash cycle, then the control panel indicates that the laundry is not sanitized and the laundry must be rewashed.