Patent Description:
Typical stain removal devices use mechanical action to brush or rub the stain out of the fabric. However, this practice often may lead to discoloration, fabric wear, or other damage to articles such as, but not limited to, clothing. <CIT> discusses an example of a stain removal tool, where liquid is sucked through the fabric.

Thus, there is a need to clean stains with pressurized water associated with a laundry washing machine to reduce damage.

Aspects of the present invention are set out in the accompanying claims. In some described examples, a stain removal tool for a laundry washing machine may include a wand positionable between a stowed position and a deployed position relative to a laundry washing machine. The wand may include a water supply head hingedly connected to a water drainage head by a hinge. When the wand is in the deployed position the water supply head may be hingedly moveable between a closed position and an open position relative to the water drainage head. Further, the water supply head may include one or more nozzles in fluid communication with a water supply line. Further, the water drainage head may be in fluid communication with the one or more nozzles of the water supply head when in the closed position. The water drainage head may be in fluid communication with one or more outlets.

The wand may include a through opening when in the closed position between the hinge and at least one of the water supply head or the water drainage head. The through opening may be defined by one or more L-shaped arms connecting the hinge to at least one of the water drainage head or the water supply head. Further, the wand may include a gasket sealingly engaging the water drainage head with the water supply head when in the closed position. In addition, the water drainage head and the water supply head may be spaced from the hinge by one or more arms. The water drainage head may include the one or more outlets. The wand may include one or more downstream drain lines.

In various embodiments, the laundry washing machine with a stain removal tool includes a laundry washing machine having a door defining an opening therein. Further, the opening may include a cover disposed about a wash tub. The laundry washing machine may include a wand positionable between a stowed position and a deployed position relative to the cover. Further, the wand may include a water supply head hingedly connected to a water drainage head by a hinge. Further, when the wand is in the deployed position the water supply head may be hingedly moveable between a closed position and an open position relative to the water drainage head. The water supply head may include one or more nozzles in fluid communication with a water supply line. In addition, the water drainage head may be in fluid communication with the one or more nozzles of the water supply head when in the closed position. The water drainage head may be in fluid communication with one or more outlets.

In addition, one or more arms may connect at least one of the water supply head or the water drainage head to the hinge. Further, the one or more arms may include the one or more outlets of the wand. The wand may operate at least when the door is open. Further in some embodiments, the water drainage head may include the one or more outlets of the wand and discharge into the wash tub. The one or more outlets of the wand may be in fluid communication with one or more downstream drain lines. In addition, the wand may further include one or more gaskets defining one or more substantially sealed cavities between the water supply head and the water drainage head when in the closed position. The wand may further include one or more L-shaped arms connecting at least one of the water supply head or the water drainage head to the hinge, and the one or more L-shaped arms may define a through opening adjacent at least one of the water supply head or the water drainage head when in the closed position.

In addition, the water drainage head may include the one or more outlets of the wand and discharge into the wash tub when in the deployed position. The wand may include one or more gaskets defining one or more substantially sealed cavities between the water supply head and the water drainage head when in the closed position. Further, the water drainage head may include one or more support members defining one or more openings downstream of the one or more cavities. Further, the one or more arms may include the one or more outlets. The one or more arms may be L-shaped to define a through opening when in the closed position. In addition, the one or more outlets may be adjacent a front edge of the water drainage head.

Numerous variations and modifications will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, as will become apparent from the description below. Therefore, the invention is not limited to the specific implementations discussed herein.

The embodiments discussed hereinafter will focus on the implementation of the hereinafter-described techniques within a top-load residential laundry washing machine such as laundry washing machine <NUM>, such as the type that may be used in single-family or multi-family dwellings, or in other similar applications. However, it will be appreciated that the herein-described techniques may also be used in connection with other types of laundry washing machines in some embodiments. For example, the herein-described techniques may be used in commercial applications in some embodiments. Moreover, the herein-described techniques may be used in connection with other laundry washing machine configurations. For example, a front-load laundry washing machine that includes a front-mounted door in a cabinet or housing that provides access to a horizontally-oriented wash tub housed within the cabinet or housing may be used. Implementation of the herein-described techniques within a front-load laundry washing machine would be well within the abilities of one of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the instant disclosure, so the invention is not limited to the top-load implementation discussed further herein.

Turning now to the drawings, wherein like numbers denote like parts throughout the several views, <FIG> illustrates an example laundry washing machine <NUM> in which the various technologies and techniques described herein may be implemented. Laundry washing machine <NUM> is a top-load washing machine, and as such includes a top-mounted door <NUM> in a cabinet or housing <NUM> defining an opening <NUM> that provides access to a vertically-oriented wash tub <NUM> housed within the cabinet or housing <NUM>. Door <NUM> is generally hinged along a side or rear edge and is pivotable between the open position illustrated in <FIG> and a closed position (not shown). When door <NUM> is in the opened position, clothes and other washable items may be inserted into and removed from wash tub <NUM> through the opening <NUM> in the top of cabinet or housing <NUM>. Control over washing machine <NUM>, or more specifically the stain removal tool <NUM>, by a user is generally managed through a control panel <NUM> disposed on a backsplash and implementing a user interface <NUM> for the stain removal tool, and it will be appreciated that in different washing machine designs, control panel <NUM> may include various types of input and/or output devices, including various knobs, buttons, lights, switches, textual and/or graphical displays, touch screens, etc. through which a user may configure one or more settings and start and stop the stain removal cycle as described herein. For example, the control panel, or portions thereof, may be included with the stain removal tool or adjacent the stain removal tool within the opening of the washing machine. For example in some embodiments, portions of the controls may be accessible when the door is in the open position.

As shown in the Figures, the stain removal tool <NUM> may be positionable relative to the washing machine <NUM> between a stowed or un-deployed position (not shown) and a deployed position. Although the examples of the stain removal tool <NUM> are shown to deploy from the stowed position, it should be understood that embodiments of the stain removal tool <NUM> may be interchangeable with other components of the washing machine <NUM> when needed. As a result in some examples, the swapped out or bypassed component of the washing machine may lose its function while the stain removal tool is connected. Moreover for example, the stain removal tool <NUM> may be operatively connected to the washing machine <NUM> when needed. When in the deployed position as shown in <FIG>, the stain removal tool <NUM> may be used to remove stains from the article of clothing <NUM>. The article <NUM> may be a variety of items, not limited to clothing, that may need treated for a stain such as but not limited to backpacks, sheets, towels, rugs, curtains, blankets, toys, etc. It should be understood that the stain removal tool <NUM> may be operated when in the stowed position and/or in the deployed position in some examples. In the deployed position, the stain removal tool may be positionable between an open position and/or closed position. When in the open position <FIG> and <FIG>), the stain removal tool <NUM> may receive or engage the article of clothing. When in the closed position (<FIG> and <FIG>) the article of clothing 1may be secured and the stain may be removed or treated via water, pressurized and/or unpressurized, of a variety of temperatures and/or soap. Although in the example shown the stain removal tool <NUM> is deployed from a recess 17a of a cover 17disposed about the wash tub <NUM>, it should be understood that the stain removal tool <NUM> may be deployed from a variety of positions and/or orientations relative to the washing machine <NUM>. Further for example, the stain removal tool may be stored outside the compartment or opening <NUM> defined by the door12 in the closed position. Moreover for example, another embodiment of the stain removal tool <NUM> may be temporarily stored within a fixed receptacle 17b in the front of the cover <NUM> or temporarily removed from a drawer. The cover <NUM> may be a variety of shapes, sizes, and constructions.

As shown in one example, the stain removal tool <NUM> may be a drawer positioned, manually and/or automatically, between a deployed position and a stowed position in a variety of methods and/or mechanisms. In one example shown in <FIG>, the stain removal tool <NUM> slides between the stowed position and the deployed position (<FIG>) by one or more rails <NUM> (i.e. horizontal rails). In the deployed position in the one embodiment shown, the stain removal tool <NUM> and/or outlet <NUM> may be positioned over the wash tub <NUM> and can subsequently returned or slid back at least partially into the recess 17a of the cover17 when in the stowed position. Other examples may pivot, flip, slide, rotate, etc. or combinations thereof into and/or out of multiple positions in configuring towards the stowed position and/or deployed position. In an embodiment shown that will be discussed in more detail below, the stain removal tool <NUM> may be handheld and removed from the stowed position to a handheld deployed position (<FIG>). With the handheldstain removal tool120 in the deployed position, the handheld stain removal tool120 may be movable to a variety of positions and/or orientations. For example, the handheld stain removal tool <NUM> may be at least partially positioned above and/or within the wash tub <NUM> by the user during the stain removal cycle or process.

In some example, the stain removal tool <NUM> may include a water supply head <NUM> and a water drainage head <NUM> moveable relative to each other between the closed position (<FIG> and <FIG>) and open position (<FIG> and <FIG>). In the closed position, the water drainage head <NUM> and the water supply head <NUM> define one or more cavities <NUM> to receive a portion of the article of clothing <NUM>. An outer periphery defining one or more cavities <NUM> may engage the article of clothing <NUM> to secure its relative position between the heads <NUM>, <NUM>. The water supply head <NUM> may include one or more nozzles <NUM> downstream of one or more upstream water inlet channels <NUM> and/or inlets <NUM>. Although the water inlet channel <NUM> is shown as within the water supply head <NUM>, it should be understood that a variety of upstream channels or passageways are contemplated. For example, the water inlet channels <NUM> may be included within the head <NUM>, <NUM> and/or arms <NUM>. The one or more nozzles may be a variety of sizes, orientations, quantities, and constructions to provide a variety of characteristics of the pressurized water entering the cavity <NUM> formed between the water supply head <NUM> and the water drainage head <NUM> when in the closed position. Water characteristics such as but not limited to speed, directional, spray pattern, volume dispensed, or the like. For example in some examples, the nozzles <NUM> or their output may be changed automatically and/or manually by the user depending on the application (i.e. nozzles interchangeable by a change out of parts or merely adjusted by an object interrupting or not interrupting the flow). Moreover for example, each nozzle may not be the same, pulsate water flow, and/or rotate/move to different positions relative to the stain. In some examples, one or more gaskets <NUM> may be used to create and define a substantially sealed cavity <NUM> when the stain removal tool <NUM> is closed. In the one example shown, the gasket <NUM> is secured against the water supply head <NUM> and engages and/or disengages from the water drainage head <NUM>. The gasket <NUM> may surround the outer periphery of the face that includes the nozzles <NUM> in some examples to sealingly engage the water drainage head with the water supply head when in the closed position. Although a gasket 60may be used in the one example shown, a gasket may not be used. For example, in some examples, the water supply head <NUM> may overlap the periphery of the water drainage head <NUM> to create a substantially sealed engagement therebetween.

The water drainage head <NUM> includes one or more openings <NUM> therein to receive upstream water exiting the nozzles <NUM> and/or cavity <NUM>. Although the openings <NUM> are defined by a grid like pattern of support members or web <NUM>, it should be understood that the openings and/or support members may be a variety of shapes, sizes, quantities and constructions. As is shown in one embodiment, the openings <NUM> are rectangular in shape, larger than the nozzles, and/or may receive the output from one or more nozzles. Moreover for example, the support members 42defining the openings <NUM> may be non-linear (i.e. wavy) or other shape to reduce the likelihood of a pattern to form on the clothing article due to the water pressure and/or forces applied thereto when the clothing may be pressed or held against the support members during increased water flow. Similarly, the gasket and/or abutment surfaces of the heads <NUM>, <NUM> therebetween may include a variety of patterns other than the embodiment shown. Although not shown, one or both of the heads <NUM>, <NUM> may also include a dispenser or outlet for soap or other additive that may enter into the cavity to assist in removing stains. The stain removal tool <NUM> may also dispense stain removal soap exterior to the cavity in some embodiments if used. The openings <NUM> of the water drainage head <NUM> may be upstream of one or more wastewater outlet channels <NUM> and outlets <NUM>. Although the wastewater outlet channel <NUM> is shown as within the water drainage head <NUM>, it should be understood that a variety of downstream channels or passageways are contemplated. For example, the wastewater outlet channels <NUM> may be included within the head <NUM>, <NUM> and/or arms <NUM>.

In the embodiments shown, the one or more heads <NUM>, <NUM> may be pivotable relative to each other between an open position and closed position to engage and/or disengage from the article of clothing <NUM>. In some embodiments shown, the heads <NUM>, <NUM> may include one or more hinges <NUM> allowing the pivoting of the heads to one or more positions. The water supply head <NUM> may be hingedly moveable or connected to the water drainage head <NUM> by a variety of hinge mechanisms allowing pivot. The hinge <NUM> allows the water supply head <NUM>, if on the upper side of the water drainage head, to pivot upwardly and away from the lower water drainage head <NUM> to the open position. A hinge <NUM> may be spaced from the heads <NUM>, <NUM> by one or more arms <NUM>. The arms <NUM> may include a proximal end 50a adjacent the hinge <NUM> and a distal end 50b adjacent the water supply head <NUM> and/or the water drainage head <NUM>. The one or more arms <NUM> and/or the one or more heads <NUM>, <NUM> may define one or more through openings or cavities80. The through openings <NUM> may be in some examples as the space between the hinge and/or the heads. In other examples, the through opening may extend in areas beyond the extent of the arms, such as above, below, between adjacent sets of arms, lateral to the arms, and/or beyond the outer extent of one or more heads. In the example shown, the through opening <NUM> may be defined by one or more substantially L-shaped arms, (i.e. opposing arms relative to the hinge) in one example shown. For example, the L-shaped arm may extend only from the water supply head <NUM> in some examples. As is shown in the Figures, the smaller portions <NUM> of the L-shaped arms extend substantially in the opposite directions adjacent the hinge and/or proximal end 50a, thenthe larger portions <NUM> extend in the same transverse direction towards their respective head <NUM>, <NUM> and/or distal end 50b. As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the one or more through openings <NUM> between the hinged connection and the heads may allow the excess material of the article of clothing <NUM> to be temporarily retained to allow the cavity <NUM> defined by the heads <NUM>, <NUM> to reach an area the article of clothing that contains the stain therein. Moreover as shown in the example in <FIG>, the through opening may not be restricted by the hinge <NUM> connection along the entire pivot axis, since the space or through opening <NUM> between two adjacent pivoting sets of arms and/or hinges may provide additional unrestricted capacity not limited by the hinge connection for the excess article of clothing to collect.

The stain removal tool <NUM> may include one or more water inlets <NUM> and/or one or more wastewater outlets <NUM> to allow water to be in fluid communication with the article of clothing <NUM>. One or more water inlets <NUM> of the stain removal tool <NUM> may be in fluid communication with one or more water supply lines <NUM> of the washing machine <NUM>. The water inlets <NUM> of the stain removal tool <NUM> may allow water to flow through one or more water inlet channels <NUM> of the stain removal tool <NUM> to communicate with the nozzles <NUM> and/or cavity <NUM>. In the example shown, the water inlet <NUM> is positioned adjacent or with the water supply head <NUM> with the one or more channels <NUM> within the water supply head connecting with the nozzles <NUM>. In some stain removal tool embodiments <NUM>, <NUM> as shown in <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG>, one or more arms <NUM> may be included with one or more inlets <NUM> and/or water inlet channels23 to transfer at least water to the nozzles <NUM>. The stain removal tool <NUM> includes one or more water inlet channels <NUM> through the arm <NUM> and water supply head <NUM> upstream from the nozzles <NUM>. One or more drain lines <NUM> may be included downstream of the drainage head. One embodiment example of the drain line <NUM> is shown in the stain removal tool <NUM> embodiment of <FIG>. In the one embodiment shown in <FIG>, the drain line <NUM> is downstream of the outlet <NUM> positioned in the handle or arm <NUM> of the stain removal tool <NUM>. The outlet <NUM> is positioned adjacent the hinge <NUM> and is in fluid communication with a wastewater outlet channel <NUM> within the arm <NUM> to the water drainage head <NUM>. The drain lines <NUM> may be in fluid communication with the wash basket or outer tub and/or directly to a discharge drain line from the machine. In some embodiments, the drain line <NUM> discharges the wastewater into the wash tub <NUM> thereby reducing contact with the user. If one or more drain lines <NUM> are used, the one or more outlets <NUM> may be in fluid communication with existing and/or dedicated drain lines of the washing machine <NUM>. Although not shown, a drain line may be connected to an outlet <NUM> of the water drainage head, instead of the arm <NUM> as is shown. Although not shown, a vacuum may recirculate water back through the water supply head and/or pump the wastewater from the water drainage head. In the stain removal tool <NUM>, <NUM> examples and embodiments shown in <FIG>, the water drainage head <NUM>, <NUM> include one or more outlets <NUM>. The outlets <NUM> in the stain removal tool <NUM> may be at the front edge <NUM> of the water drainage head <NUM> and include a portion of the front 40a and/or bottom 40b of the head. The outlet <NUM> may allow the wastewater to pour or free drain or flow via gravity into the wash tub <NUM>. When the stain removal tool <NUM>, <NUM> is deployed over and/or within the wash tub <NUM>, the outlet <NUM> may also be positioned over and/or within the wash tub <NUM> and allows the soiled waste water to discharge into the wash tub. With the discharge of wastewater at the front edge <NUM>, the user may be able to visually evaluate the discharge wastewater to see the progress of the stain removal based on, but not limited to, at least the reduction of soiled characteristics of the water and/or soap suds exiting the outlet <NUM> of the water drainage head <NUM>.

Several handheld embodiments of the stain removal tool <NUM>, <NUM> are shown in <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG> and may be used alone or in combination (<FIG>) with other examples such as the stain removal tool <NUM>. In the one embodiment shown in <FIG> and <FIG> of the handheld stain removal tool <NUM>, one or more hinges <NUM> interconnect two spaced apart arms <NUM> with their respective water drainage head <NUM> and the water supply head <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, the handheld stain removal tool is deployed from a receptacle 17b within the cover <NUM> and is illustrated engaging the article of clothing <NUM> in the closed position over the opening of the wash tub <NUM>. The receptacle may be but is not limited to a drawer, shelf, or the like. A portion of the article of clothing <NUM> may be received as shown within the through opening <NUM> defined by the arms. If used, a gasket <NUM> may be positioned between each head130, <NUM> in some embodiments. With the discharge of waste water at the front edge <NUM> of the water drainage head <NUM> in <FIG> and <FIG>, the user may be able to visually evaluate the discharge water to see the progress of the stain removal based on, but not limited to, at least the reduction of soiled characteristics of the water and/or soap suds exiting the outlet <NUM> of the water drainage head <NUM>. In the stain removal tool <NUM> embodiment shown in <FIG>, a drain line <NUM> may be used to discharge the wastewater into the wash tub through an arm <NUM> of the handle. Although the stain removal tool <NUM> as shown in <FIG> does not have a drain line, it should be understood that a drain line may be in fluid communication with the stain removal tool in some embodiments.

In use, the stain removal tool <NUM> shown in <FIG> may be slid to the operating or deployed position from another location or stowed position (not shown) relative to the laundry washing machine <NUM>. Soap and stain remover may be applied to the stain on the garment manually by hand, or the device may dispense soap automatically. With the tool open, the tool is clamped around the stain within the article of clothing, and if needed a portion of the article of clothing may be retained in the one or more through openings <NUM> (<FIG>) to position the stain within the cavity <NUM> defined by the heads <NUM>, <NUM>. With the stain removal tool <NUM> deployed, the user may activate the pressurized water by the control panel <NUM> or switch when the stain removal tool is in the closed position. In some examples, the door <NUM> of the laundry washing machine <NUM> may need to be closed such that the stain removal tool <NUM> may allow water to flow therethrough. Further, a lid lock function may be used to prevent the lid from being opened when hot water and/or a temperature or range of temperature is selected or used. Although the control panel <NUM> may be outside the door <NUM> as shown, it should be understood that the controls may be adjacent to, i.e. within the door or cover, or combined with the stain removal tool. For example, the stain removal tool may have one or more activating triggers. With the door closed, a temperature range or value of the water may be available since the user is out of contact with the wash tub opening. Alternatively, another range of water temperature may be available if the lid is in an open position. In some embodiments such as with stain removal tools <NUM>, <NUM>, this temperature range when the lid is open may be lower than the temperature available when the door is closed. In the example of <FIG>, a drain line is not used. However, an example may include a drain line reducing the likelihood of contact with the user. The outlet <NUM> adjacent the front edge <NUM> of the water drainage head <NUM> may direct wastewater into the wash tub. The user may open the stain removal tool <NUM> to see the progress of the stains removal, reapply soap, and/or readjust the placement of the article of clothing within the clamped heads before closing and repeating the pressurized supply of water towards the stain. Although not shown, the stain removal tool may have one or more portions being see-through to observe the stain's removal, wastewater, soap, or other characteristics during the process. For example, the water supply head may be transparent. Upon the stain's removal, duration of water, soak duration, and/or one or more cycles of pressurized water, the stain removal tool may be opened and the article of clothing may be placed within the wash basket for a subsequent wash cycle if desired. Further in the one example, the stain removal tool <NUM> may be returned or slid to its stowed position within the cover.

In use, the handheld or wand type stain removal tool <NUM>, <NUM> may be stored in the stowed position in a variety of receptacles 17b (i.e. within the cover <NUM>) in the laundry washing machine <NUM>. Soap and stain remover may be applied to the stain on the garment manually by hand, or in some embodiments the device may dispense soap automatically. With the device open, the device is clamped around the stain within the article of clothing, and if needed a portion of the article of clothing may be retained in the through opening <NUM> to position the stain within the cavity defined by the heads. With the stain removal tool head over and/or within the wash basket by the user, the user may activate the pressurized water by the control panel or switch when the stain removal tool is in the closed position. Although the control panel may be outside the lid as shown, it should be understood that the controls may be adjacent to, i.e. within the lid or cover, or combined with the stain removal tool. For example, the stain removal tool may have one or more activating triggers. It should be understood that the stain removal tool could be operated without the user holding and/or with the lid closed in some embodiments. For example, the stain removal tool have a hook or other temporary holding mechanism to hang the stain removal tool adjacent to or within the wash tub <NUM> during stain removal. The temperature range or value may be limited in the free draining example of <FIG> when wastewater is draining above or within the wash tub <NUM>. In the embodiment of <FIG>, the drain line <NUM> may direct wastewater into the wash tub reducing the likelihood of contact with the user. The user may open the stain removal tool <NUM>, <NUM> to see the progress of the stains removal, reapply soap, and/or readjust the placement of the article of clothing within the clamped heads before closing and repeating the pressurized supply of water towards the stain. Although not shown, the embodiments of the stain removal tool may have one or more portions being see-through to observe the stain's removal, wastewater, soap, or other characteristics during the process. For example, the water supply head may be transparent. Upon the stain's removal, duration of water, soak duration, and/or one or more cycles of pressurized water, the stain removal tool may be opened and the article of clothing may be placed within the wash basket for a subsequent wash cycle if desired. Further, the stain removal tool may be returned to its stowed position within the receptacle.

It some embodiments, the stain removal tool may also include soap dispensing. The soap may be used for the stain removal tool and/or for dispensing soap into the wash tub. Although not shown, for example the slide out drawer stain removal tool <NUM> may include a soap receptacle for the user to add quantities of soap for the wash tub16 and/or stain removal. The stain removal tool <NUM> may include a water supply line used for each of the soap dispensing andthe stain removal function, or a separate water lines may be used. The stain removal tool <NUM> may be interchanged with one or more parts of a soap dispensing tray when desired to operate the stain removal tool. This may remove the function of the soap dispensing tray until the swappable parts are returned. It is further contemplated that inside the door <NUM> may be areas to hold a stain removal stick and/or soap for use with the stain removal tool.

The stain removal tool may include one or more lights therein. The lights may aid the user to observe the stain removal process such as before, during, and/or after water flow. For example, the lights may turn on when the tool is in one or more of the open position, closed position, or deployed position.

Several locking mechanisms may be used to secure the stain removal tool in the closed position when engage the article of clothing. For example, a toggle clamp or vice-grip style lever may be used. Another example, the stain removal tool may magnetically hold the heads together when in the closed position. In some embodiments, such as the handheld wand, the user may clamp the device together by squeezing and/or holding the two arms of the handle together. It should be understood that a variety of latches or temporary retention device may be used in the embodiments. Further, release assists may be used to aid the user to position the stain removal tool into the open position.

In operation, embodiments of the stain removal tool may be operated by one or more control panels <NUM>. As is shown in the embodiments, a control panel18 may be outside the door <NUM>. However, the control panels may be inside and/or outside the door. In use, the one or more water temperatures, one or more durations of water flow, and/or one or more amounts of soap may be selected by the user. Therefore, in some embodiments, a timer may be used to determine the amount of water dispensed into the cavity <NUM> of the heads <NUM>, <NUM>. The duration, soap, and/or temperature may be preset, determined upon placing the article of clothing within the stain removal tool, or predetermined. For example, the washing machine and/or stain removal tool may include a slide/knob mechanism to adjust the water temperature or duration. Also, preprogramed cycles or modes may also be used such as for specific stains such as grass, blood, oil, etc and/or the type of the article such as cotton, polyester, silk, denim, wool, and/or percentages of each material. These cycles may automatically provide the water temperature mixture, duration, programmed spray/soak sequence, and/or select for certain stain/cleaner types, enzymes, or the like.

It should be understood that in some embodiments, laundry washing machine <NUM> may be, in whole or in part, under the control of a controller (not shown) that receives inputs from a number of components and drives a number of components in response thereto. Controller may, for example, include one or more processors and a memory (not shown) within which may be stored program code for execution by the one or more processors. The memory may be embedded in controller, but may also be considered to include volatile and/or non-volatile memories, cache memories, flash memories, programmable read-only memories, read-only memories, etc., as well as memory storage physically located elsewhere from controller, e.g., in a mass storage device or on a remote computer interfaced with a controller.

A controller may be interfaced with various components, including the aforementioned water supply or drainage lines, soap dispensing, temperature sensor (not shown), and flow sensor (not shown), timer, or the like. In addition, controller may be coupled to a user interface 19including various input/output devices such as knobs, dials, sliders, switches, buttons, lights, textual and/or graphics displays, touch screen displays, speakers, image capture devices, microphones, etc. for receiving input from and communicating with a user, e.g., as may be disposed in a control panel <NUM>. In some embodiments, a controller may also be coupled to one or more network interfaces, e.g., for interfacing with external devices via wired and/or wireless networks such as Ethernet, Bluetooth, NFC, cellular, and other suitable networks. Additional components may also be interfaced with a controller, as will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill having the benefit of the instant disclosure. Moreover, in some embodiments, at least a portion of controller may be implemented externally from a laundry washing machine, e.g., within a mobile device, a cloud computing environment, etc., such that at least a portion of the functionality described herein is implemented within the portion of the controller that is externally implemented.

In some embodiments, a controller may operate under the control of an operating system and may execute or otherwise rely upon various computer software applications, components, programs, objects, modules, data structures, etc. In addition, controller may also incorporate hardware logic to implement some or all of the functionality disclosed herein. Further, in some embodiments, the sequences of operations performed by controller to implement the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented using program code including one or more instructions that are resident at various times in various memory and storage devices, and that, when read and executed by one or more hardware-based processors, perform the operations embodying desired functionality. Moreover, in some embodiments, such program code may be distributed as a program product in a variety of forms, and that the invention applies equally regardless of the particular type of computer readable media used to actually carry out the distribution, including, for example, non-transitory computer readable storage media. In addition, it will be appreciated that the various operations described herein may be combined, split, reordered, reversed, varied, omitted, parallelized and/or supplemented with other techniques known in the art, and therefore, the invention is not limited to the particular sequences of operations described herein.

For example, the soap, duration,and/or temperature ofthe supplyingwaterto the stain removal toolmay be manually and/or automatically started and/or ended by the laundry washing machine. The user may manually start and/or end the water cycle to the stain removal tool. For example, an on and/or off switch may be used by the user to operate the water cycle. In other embodiments the water/temperature may be automated. For example, the mere presence of an object within the closed stain removal tool may start a stain removal cycle and/or lack thereof or lid opening may stop a stain removal cycle.

While several embodiments have been described and illustrated herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily envision a variety of other means and/or structures for performing the function and/or obtaining the results and/or one or more of the advantages described herein, and each of such variations and/or modifications is deemed to be within the scope of the embodiments described herein. More generally, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that all parameters, dimensions, materials, and configurations described herein are meant to be exemplary and that the actual parameters, dimensions, materials, and/or configurations will depend upon the specific application or applications for which the teachings is/are used. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific embodiments described herein. It is, therefore, to be understood that the foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only and that, within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereto, embodiments may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described and claimed. Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to each individual feature, system, article, material, and/or method described herein.

It is to be understood that the embodiments are not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the description or illustrated in the drawings. Unless limited otherwise, the terms "connected," "coupled," "in communication with," and "mounted," and variations thereof herein are used broadly and encompass direct and indirect connections, couplings, and mountings. In addition, the terms "connected" and "coupled" and variations thereof are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings.

Claim 1:
A laundry washing machine (<NUM>) having a door (<NUM>) defining an opening (<NUM>) therein, a cabinet (<NUM>) and a wash tub (<NUM>), whereby the opening (<NUM>) includes a cover (<NUM>) disposed about the wash tub (<NUM>) and a receptacle (17b) within said cover (<NUM>), wherein, when the door (<NUM>) is in the opened position, clothes and other washable items may be inserted into and removed from the wash tub (<NUM>) through the opening (<NUM>) in a top of the cabinet (<NUM>) of the laundry washing machine (<NUM>), said laundry washing machine (<NUM>) further comprises a handheld stain removal tool (<NUM>; <NUM>) having a wand positionable between a stowed position and a deployed position relative to said laundry washing machine (<NUM>), wherein in the stowed position the wand is stored inside the receptacle (17b), and in the deployed position the wand is removed from the receptacle (17b), wherein:
said wand includes a water supply head (<NUM>; <NUM>) hingedly connected to a water drainage head (<NUM>; <NUM>) by a hinge (<NUM>);
when said wand is in said deployed position said water supply head (<NUM>; <NUM>) is hingedly moveable between a closed position and an open position relative to said water drainage head (<NUM>; <NUM>);
said water supply head (<NUM>; <NUM>) includes one or more nozzles (<NUM>) in fluid communication with a water supply line (<NUM>);
said water drainage head (<NUM>; <NUM>) is in fluid communication with said one or more nozzles (<NUM>) of said water supply head (<NUM>; <NUM>) when in said closed position; and
said water drainage head (<NUM>; <NUM>) is in fluid communication with one or more outlets (<NUM>).