Color sensor for washing machines

A laundry washing machine includes a housing with conventional washing elements within the housing. A door on a door opening of the housing enables access inside the housing to the conventional washing elements. A sensor senses color of cloth prior to passing the cloth through the door opening. The sensor is positioned so that it senses the cloth in a dedicated area outside of the machine adjacent to the door or door opening.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to laundry washing machines and, more particularly, to a washing machine including a sensor identifying the cloth color prior to passing the cloth into the washing machine.

BACKGROUND

When washing clothes, it is desirable to process loads of the same color. Accordingly, white clothes are washed with white clothes and colored clothes are washed with colored clothes. If washing occurs with a mixed loads, different colors, this may reduce the washing effectiveness and damage the clothes. One example can be a misplaced colored cloth between an all-white load. Here, depending upon the washing cycle selected, the color can be transferred to the white clothes. Another example can be the mistaken selection of a high temperature washing cycle for an all colored load. The washing cycle may impact the clothes color. Further, the sorting of laundry by color is very difficult or impossible for users with a partial or complete blindness disability.

Accordingly, this disclosure overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art. This is done by sensing the color of the cloth outside of the washing machine prior to passage of the cloth into the washing machine. Additionally, a control system can identify the color of the cloth and confirm that it can be washed with the selected washing programs. Also, it is possible that the control system will deny washing if a selected washing program does not correspond to the cloth color.

SUMMARY

Accordingly to an object of the disclosure, a laundry washing machine comprises a housing or cabinet with conventional washing elements, such as a drum and tub assembly, inside the housing or cabinet. A door is positioned at a door opening of the housing. The door and opening enable access inside of the housing to the conventional washing elements, drum and tub assembly. A sensor is positioned to sense color of the cloth prior to passing the cloth through the door opening. The sensor is positioned so that the sensor senses the cloth in a dedicated area outside of the washing machine adjacent the door opening. The sensor is capable of reading the color of the cloth. Further included is a control system that identifies color of the cloth and confirms the cloth can be washed in a selected program.

Accordingly to another object of the disclosure, a laundry washing machine for presorting clothes based on color comprises a housing with conventional washing elements within the housing. A door on a door opening of the housing. The door opening enables access inside the housing to the conventional washing elements. A sensor senses color of cloth. The sensor is positioned so that it senses the cloth in a dedicated area outside of the washing machine to enable a user to sort the cloth based on color. The sensor is capable of reading color of the cloth. The sensor sensing color of the cloth positioned on the housing. The sensor sensing the color of the cloth is positioned on the door. An alarm indicates the color of the cloth to enable sorting of the cloth by color. The alarm signal is audible, visual or haptic or combinations thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Turning to the figures, a laundry washing machine is illustrated and designated with the reference numeral10. The laundry washing machine10includes a housing or cabinet12that houses conventional components of a laundry washing machine, such as a drum and tub assembly. The housing12includes a door opening14to enable access inside of the housing12to the conventional components. A door16is mounted to the housing and covers the opening14when the laundry washing machine10is in an operational condition. A control panel18is associated with the housing12to enable programming of the washing machine10for a load that is placed into the washing machine drum and tub assembly.

A sensor20may be positioned on the housing12. The sensor20is electrically coupled with a controller22. The controller22is like that utilized for washing clothes. The sensor20is capable of reading the color of cloth24positioned outside of the housing12adjacent the door opening14. The sensor20senses the color of the cloth24prior to entry of the cloth24into the washing machine10. Thus, the color is sensed prior to passage through the door opening14. The sensing of the color of the cloth24takes place in a dedicated area generally in front of the washing machine near the door opening14. Thus, a user with a vision impairment is aware of the color of the cloth prior to the cloth being placed into the drum and tub assembly.

Also, the sensor20could be positioned anywhere on the door16, housing12or frame such that it is capable of reading the color of the cloth24prior to entry into the laundry machine10. The sensor20could be positioned on the inside of the door16so that when the door is open, the sensor20would be able to read the color of the cloth24prior to passage into the washing machine10.

The controller22would include a dedicated control system coupled with the sensor20. The system would be capable of identifying the color of the cloth. Once the color of the cloth is determined by the control system, the control system can determine if the colored cloth is able to be washed in the preselected washing program. If the colored cloth is able to be washed in the preselected washing program, then the controller will enable the load to be washed. If the control system senses that the color of the cloth is incapable of being washed in the preselected washing program, then the controller may set off an alarm indicating the color of the cloth is not compatible with the selected program. Thus, the controller would deny the selected washing program with the sensed cloth. The alarm may be an audible, visual, haptic signal or combinations of the signals.

Alternatively, since the sensor20and system determine the color the cloth prior to entering the washing machine, the cloth can be presorted outside of the machine. This enables colored loads and white loads to be prepared for washing during a presorting operation. The system could provide an alarm indicating the color of the cloth to ensure proper presorting. Thus, this ensures that like colors are washed together.