Patent ID: 6378341
Filing Date: 2002-04-30
Classification: D06F

Abstract:
An automatically controlled washing machine, comprising:a laundry handling chamber having a bottom region and an upper region disposed above said bottom region; a pipeline for feeding a detergent solution into said upper region of said laundry handling chamber; a detergent-solution circulating system having a pump connected to said pipeline for generating a volumetric flow through said pipeline; said pump having a pumping direction for pumping the detergent solution from said bottom region of said laundry handling chamber and for feeding the detergent solution to said upper region of said laundry handling chamber via said pipeline; a fresh water supply line; a valve connected to said fresh water supply line and having an open position and a closed position; a sensor device connected to said pipeline for sensing the volumetric flow through said pipeline; said sensor device having a turbidity sensor with a measuring section; said sensor device having a body actuated by the volumetric flow prevailing in said pipeline; said body protruding into the measuring section and clearing the measuring section depending on one of a presence and an absence the volumetric flow; and said turbidity sensor controlling said valve to be in one of the open position and the closed position.