CN118186723A

CN118186723A - Household appliance and method for operating a household appliance

Info

Publication number: CN118186723A
Application number: CN202311698153.3A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 埃拉·布雷克; 弗朗切斯科·萨西洛托; 卡洛·安东尼奥·莱奥内; 马可·佩索特
Original assignee: Electrolux Appliances AB
Current assignee: Electrolux Appliances AB
Priority date: 2022-12-14
Filing date: 2023-12-12
Publication date: 2024-06-14
Also published as: EP4386123A1

Abstract

Disclosed are a home appliance and a method of operating the same. The household appliance includes a water softening system configured to receive fresh water having a first hardness level and provide softened water having a second hardness level that is lower than the first hardness level. The water softening system comprises: a water softener container configured to store a water softener capable of reducing the hardness of fresh water; a salt container removably received within the household appliance and hydraulically connected to the water softener container when received within the household appliance, configured to receive fresh water, generate a mixture of salt and fresh water to produce brine, and direct the brine into the water softener container to allow regeneration of the water softener; a salinity detecting unit for detecting a salinity level of the brine inside the salt container; a drain hydraulically connected to the salt container and configured to drain brine from the salt container; and a control unit configured to activate the discharge device to cause the brine to be discharged from the brine container when the salinity level of the brine is detected by the salinity detection unit to be below a threshold salinity level.

Description

Household appliance and method for operating a household appliance

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of laundry treatment appliances (hereinafter simply referred to as "home appliances"), and in particular to home appliances for treating (e.g., washing) laundry, such as laundry washing appliances, and laundry washing appliances (also referred to as washers/dryers) that also perform laundry drying functions, including water softening systems.

Background

Conventional household appliances are configured to treat laundry located in a (e.g., rotatable) drum by providing a process liquid in a wash tub containing the rotatable drum.

The process liquid may include fresh water (e.g., according to a selected treatment cycle and/or a current stage of a selected treatment cycle) or a treatment mixture including water mixed with suitable treatment agents including, but not limited to, laundry detergents, rinse detergents, bleaching agents, and softener detergents.

Modern types of household appliances include water softening systems configured to receive fresh water and provide softened water having a hardness lower than that of fresh water, as the hardness of the water (i.e., the amount of minerals, primarily calcium and magnesium, dissolved in the water) may negatively impact the performance of the household appliance (e.g., parts or components of the household appliance that are in direct contact with hard or overly hard water may bind limestone, thereby prematurely compromising its proper operation) and/or negatively impact the performance of the treatment cycle (e.g., clothing treated by using hard or overly hard water may become stiff, suffer premature tearing and wear and cause skin irritation).

Typically, the water softening system includes a water softener vessel configured to store a water softener (such as an ion exchange resin) capable of reducing the hardness of fresh water through the reaction of the fresh water with the water softener.

Typically, the water softening system comprises a salt container configured to store salt for regenerating the water softener contained in the water softener container during a water softener regeneration procedure. In particular, the salt vessel is configured to receive fresh water, generate a mixture of salt and fresh water to produce brine, and direct the brine into the water softener vessel to allow regeneration of the water softener.

The salt container is removably received within the household appliance so as to allow a user to refill the salt container with a new amount of salt.

Disclosure of Invention

The applicant has appreciated that the household appliances currently provided with a water softening system are not satisfactory.

According to the applicant, this is approximately due to the fact that: the salt level in the salt container is manually determined by the user, typically by visual inspection and/or subjective estimation.

It is inconvenient for the user to manually determine the salt level, who must frequently view the salt container. An inexperienced user may not know how much salt is needed for each regeneration, which may result in too frequent salt addition or poor water softening when salt addition is not frequent enough.

To avoid frequent visual inspection, users often prefer household appliances having a large-capacity salt container. However, a large-capacity salt container occupies a large amount of space, which may not be possible to use a bulky household appliance in a small living space.

It is also inaccurate to use a pointer rod with reference marks, similar to a scale, to assist the user in judging the depth of the salt in the salt container. In fact, as brine is produced, the salts are continually dissolved and redeposited due to the chemical equilibrium reaction. During salt deposition, salt bridges may form, which may alter the appearance of the salt volume within the salt container.

Last but not least, visual inspection and/or subjective evaluation is performed by extracting the salt container from the household appliance or from a drawer in which the salt container is arranged to determine the salt level within the salt container and to refill the salt.

However, spillage or overflow of saline may occur during the extraction movement, which may be annoying to the user.

In order to avoid spillage or overflow of brine upon withdrawal of the brine container, it is known to provide the brine container with a watertight closure or to provide the water softening device with a specific structure allowing the brine in the brine container to be emptied prior to withdrawal of the brine container, such as for example the structure disclosed in EP 3221501B 1.

EP 3221501B 1 discloses a washing machine having: a main drawer that is fitted/inserted in an extractable manner into a corresponding substantially tub-shaped drawer housing arranged in an upper portion of a casing of the washing machine; and a water softening device comprising a manually fillable regenerant compartment disposed in the main drawer; and a brine container located below the drawer housing and in communication with the bottom of the drawer housing so as to allow brine formed in the regenerant compartment to freely flow by gravity from the basin-like bottom portion of the drawer housing into the same brine container, thereby leaving the regenerant compartment empty after brine formation.

In view of the above, the applicant devised a household appliance that is not affected by the above-mentioned drawbacks, and in particular a household appliance that is capable of automatically detecting the salinity level of the brine inside the salt container and of discharging the brine from the salt container when the salinity level of the brine is below a threshold salinity level.

An aspect of the present disclosure relates to a home appliance.

According to an embodiment, a household appliance includes a water softening system configured to receive fresh water having a first hardness level and provide softened water having a second hardness level lower than the first hardness level.

According to an embodiment, a water softening system includes a water softener container configured to store a water softener capable of reducing the hardness of fresh water.

According to an embodiment, the water softening system comprises a salt container removably housed within the household appliance and hydraulically connected to the water softener container when housed within the household appliance.

According to an embodiment, the salt container is hydraulically connected to the water supply unit when housed within the household appliance.

According to an embodiment, the salt container is hydraulically connected to the drain when housed within the household appliance.

According to an embodiment, the salt container is configured to allow air to leave the salt container (air discharge) when housed within the household appliance.

According to an embodiment, the hydraulic connection between the salt container and the water softener container, the hydraulic connection between the salt container and the water supply unit and the exit of air from the salt container are each realized by means of a respective one or more check valves.

According to an embodiment, the hydraulic connection between the salt reservoir and the water softener reservoir, the hydraulic connection between the salt reservoir and the water supply unit and the exit of air from the salt reservoir are each realized by means of a respective pair of check valves. According to an embodiment, each pair of check valves comprises a check valve integral with (e.g. housed in) the salt container and one or more check valves integral with (e.g. housed in) a fixed part of the water softening system or the household appliance, relative to which the salt container is movable.

According to an embodiment, when the salt container is inserted into the household appliance, the pair of check valves are opened (due to the interaction or cooperation of each pair of check valves), thereby allowing said hydraulic connection of the salt container and said exit of air, whereas when the salt container is withdrawn from the household appliance, the pair of check valves are closed (due to the loss of interaction or cooperation between each pair of check valves), thereby preventing said hydraulic connection of the salt container and said exit of air.

According to an embodiment, the salt vessel is configured to receive fresh water, generate a mixture of salt and fresh water to produce brine, and direct the brine into the water softener vessel to allow regeneration of the water softener.

According to an embodiment, the water softening system comprises a discharge device hydraulically connected to the salt reservoir and configured to discharge brine from the salt reservoir.

According to an embodiment, the drain is configured to drain brine from the salt container into the drain through a washing tub of the household appliance (i.e. by bypassing a process liquid supply appliance configured to supply process liquid into the washing tub and comprising e.g. a drawer). This avoids fouling of the process liquid supply means with brine and/or impurities thereof.

According to an alternative embodiment, the drain may be configured to drain brine from the salt container into the drain by bypassing both the process liquid supply and the washing tub. This avoids both the process liquid supply and the washing tub being soiled with brine and/or impurities thereof.

According to an alternative embodiment, the drain may be configured to drain brine from the salt container into the drain through the process liquid supply and the washing tub. In this embodiment, a dedicated channel may be provided within the process liquid supply for guiding the brine to be discharged.

According to an embodiment, the brine contained in the brine container is guided into the water softener container by the pressure of the fresh water entering the brine container. According to an alternative embodiment, the drain may be configured to drain brine from the brine container and to supply brine to the water softener container. In these alternative embodiments, the discharge means may be configured (e.g. under control of the control unit) to switch to the first active state or the second active state, thereby allowing saline to be fed from the salt reservoir to the discharge or the water softener reservoir, respectively, or to switch to the inactive state, thereby preventing saline from leaving the salt reservoir. According to other alternative embodiments, dedicated discharge means (in addition to the discharge means) may be provided for discharging brine from the salt reservoir and for supplying brine to the water softener reservoir.

According to an embodiment, the water softening system comprises a salinity detection unit for detecting the salinity level of the brine inside the salt container.

According to an embodiment, the water softening system comprises a control unit configured to activate the discharge means to discharge brine from the salt container when the salinity level of the brine is detected by the salinity detection unit to be below a threshold salinity level.

According to an embodiment, the water softening system further comprises a presence detection unit for detecting the presence or absence of the salt container within the household appliance.

According to an embodiment, the control unit is configured to activate the draining device to drain brine from the salt container when the presence detection unit detects the presence of the salt container within the household appliance and/or when the salinity detection unit detects that the salinity level of the brine is below a threshold salinity level.

According to an embodiment, the water softening system comprises a brine level detection unit for detecting a brine level in the brine container.

According to an embodiment, the control unit is configured to activate the draining device to drain brine from the salt container when the brine level detection unit detects that the brine level in the salt container is above a threshold brine level and when the salinity detection unit detects that the salinity level of the brine is below a threshold salinity level.

The presence detection unit may be omitted in this embodiment.

According to an embodiment, the control unit is configured to activate the drain to drain brine from the brine container when the salinity level of the brine is detected by the salinity detection unit to be below a threshold salinity level, the brine level in the brine container is detected by the brine level detection unit to be above a threshold brine level, and the presence detection unit detects the presence of the brine container within the household appliance.

According to an embodiment, the household appliance comprises a warning device configured to communicate with the control unit.

According to an embodiment, the warning device is configured to provide one or more warning indications to the user.

According to an embodiment, the warning device comprises one or more warning units of a physical user interface of the household appliance.

Additionally or alternatively, the warning device includes one or more warning functions associated with a virtual user interface of the household appliance. According to an embodiment, the virtual user interface may be provided by a mobile application running on an external device external to the household appliance, such as a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a smartphone, a tablet, a wearable smart device, such as a smartwatch, and communicatively coupled to the external device of the household appliance (e.g., through a wireless communication link).

According to an embodiment, the alert function may include a notification on the external device. The notification may be, for example, a push notification interrupting and blocking a view of any running application, such as a device screen and/or a banner on top of a dialog box, and may contain a text message and/or a voice message and/or an image message (possibly playing an alert sound further to attract the user's attention).

According to an embodiment, the control unit is configured to provide a signal indicating that the salt container is empty or substantially empty once salt water has been discharged from the salt container by the discharge means, and to activate the warning means to inform a user that the salt container can be withdrawn from the domestic appliance to refill salt.

According to an embodiment, the empty or substantially empty state of the salt container is checked based on a brine level detection signal from a brine level detection unit. Additionally or alternatively, the empty or substantially empty state of the salt container is checked based on a predetermined time interval deemed necessary to achieve the empty or substantially empty state. In this embodiment, the brine level detection unit may be omitted and it may be assumed that brine is discharged from the brine container when a predetermined time interval has elapsed since the discharge device was activated.

According to an embodiment, the water softening system comprises a housing for removably receiving a salt container therein. According to an embodiment, the housing represents said fixed part of the water softening system or the household appliance (the salt container is movable relative to said housing).

According to an embodiment, the housing is hydraulically connected to the salt container and the discharge device.

According to an embodiment, the salinity detection unit is arranged in the housing. According to an alternative embodiment, the salinity detection unit is arranged outside the housing.

According to an embodiment, the presence detection unit (when provided) is arranged in the housing. According to an alternative embodiment, the presence detection unit (when provided) is arranged outside the housing.

According to an embodiment, the brine level detection unit (when provided) is arranged in the housing. According to an alternative embodiment, the brine level detection unit (when provided) is arranged outside the housing.

According to an embodiment, the household appliance comprises a processing unit for receiving the salinity detection signal from the salinity detection unit and for providing an indication of the salinity level of the brine contained in the salt container to the control unit.

The processing unit may be omitted in the basic embodiment. In a basic embodiment, in which the processing unit is omitted, the salinity detection unit may be electrically connected (e.g., directly electrically connected) to the control unit. In these embodiments, the salinity detection unit may send a salinity detection signal to the control unit, and the control unit may determine an indication of the salinity level of the brine contained in the brine container based on the received salinity detection signal.

According to an embodiment, the processing unit (when provided) is arranged in the housing. According to an alternative embodiment, the processing unit (when provided) is arranged outside the housing.

According to an embodiment, the housing comprises a receiving portion for receiving the processing unit.

According to an embodiment, the processing unit is configured to receive the presence detection signal from the presence detection unit and to provide an indication to the control unit of the presence of the salt container within the household appliance.

In a basic embodiment, in which the processing unit is omitted, the presence detection unit (when provided) may be electrically connected (e.g. directly) to the control unit. In these embodiments, the presence detection unit may send a presence detection signal to the control unit, and the control unit may determine an indication of the presence or absence of the salt container within the household appliance based on the received presence detection signal.

According to an embodiment, the processing unit is configured to receive a brine level detection signal from the brine level detection unit and to provide an indication of the brine level in the brine container to the control unit.

In a basic embodiment, in which the processing unit is omitted, the brine level detection unit (when provided) may be electrically connected (e.g. directly) to the control unit. In these embodiments, the brine level detection unit may send a brine level detection signal to the control unit, and the control unit may determine an indication of the brine level in the brine container based on the received brine level detection signal.

According to an embodiment, the discharge means comprises a discharge pump.

According to an embodiment, the housing comprises a seat for housing therein a discharge pump (or more generally a discharge device). According to an alternative embodiment, the discharge pump (or more generally the discharge device) is arranged outside the housing.

According to an embodiment, the housing comprises a first housing shell and a second housing shell removably connected to each other.

According to an embodiment, the housing is adapted to be fixed to a household appliance.

According to an embodiment, the housing is adapted to be fixed to the household appliance (such as to a base portion of the household appliance) by means of the fixing means. Additionally or alternatively, the housing is adapted to be secured to the household appliance (such as to a base portion of the household appliance) by a frictional engagement between the housing (e.g. a first housing shell or a second housing shell thereof) and a housing seat formed in the household appliance (such as a housing seat formed in a base portion of the household appliance).

Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a method of operating a household appliance comprising a water softener container configured to store a water softener capable of reducing the hardness of fresh water and a salt container configured to receive fresh water, generate a mixture of salt and fresh water to produce brine, and direct the brine into the water softener container to allow regeneration of the water softener.

According to an embodiment, the method comprises detecting the salinity level of the brine inside the salt vessel.

According to an embodiment, the method comprises activating a discharge device hydraulically connected to the salt container to expel brine from the salt container when the salinity level of the brine is below a threshold salinity level.

According to an embodiment, the method comprises outputting a message indicating a sufficient salinity level when the salinity level of the brine is above a threshold salinity level.

According to an embodiment, the method comprises outputting a corresponding error message if the brine level is below a threshold brine level. According to alternative embodiments, if the brine level is below the threshold brine level, no other action is performed.

According to an embodiment, the method comprises checking the presence or absence of the salt container within the household appliance.

According to an embodiment, the method comprises activating the draining means to drain brine from the salt container if the salinity level of the brine is below a threshold salinity level and if the salt container is present within the household appliance.

According to an embodiment, the method comprises checking for the presence of the salt container within the household appliance, and if the salt container is present within the household appliance, checking for the salinity level of the brine within the salt container. In a basic embodiment, the salinity level of the brine within the brine container may be checked without any prior presence check of the brine container. The presence check of the salt container may be performed and/or repeated at any suitable stage of the method without loss of generality.

According to an embodiment, the method comprises: checking the presence of the salt container in the household appliance, and if the salt container is present in the household appliance, performing a water softener regeneration procedure; and checking the salinity level of the brine in the brine container after the water softener regeneration procedure. Without loss of generality, the water softener regeneration procedure may be omitted, for example, after the end of the treatment cycle and before the method is run.

Checking for the presence or absence of a salt container within the household appliance may be omitted in the basic embodiment.

According to an embodiment, the method ends if the salt container is not present (i.e. not present) in the household appliance. According to an embodiment, a message may be output to the user indicating that the salt container is not present.

Drawings

These and other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description of exemplary and non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure; for a better understanding, the following description should be read with reference to the drawings in which:

fig. 1A illustrates a perspective view of a home appliance according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 1B illustrates, in simplified functional block form, a hydraulic/electrical circuit of the household appliance of FIG. 1A according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

Fig. 2A and 2B illustrate perspective front views of a housing for a salt container in a retracted position and a partially extracted position, respectively, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

Fig. 2C illustrates a perspective rear view of a housing according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 2D illustrates an exploded rear perspective view of a lower shell portion of a shell according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, an

Fig. 3 shows an activity diagram of a method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

Referring to the drawings, fig. 1A and 1B respectively show perspective views of a home appliance 100 and a hydraulic/electric circuit thereof according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Hereinafter, for the sake of brevity, only relevant components of the home appliance 100 (hereinafter, referred to as electric components) considered relevant to understanding the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be discussed.

Hereinafter, directional terms (such as above, below, front, rear, center, side, upper and lower) are used only to describe the home appliance (and the electric parts) according to their intended orientation use; therefore, directional terms should not be construed in any way as absolute terms. In particular, directional terminology refers to reference axes X, Y and Z being orthogonal to each other.

In fig. 1B, the hydraulic connection between the electrical components is graphically represented by double lines. Without loss of generality, the hydraulic connection may comprise a rigid tube and/or a semi-rigid (flexible) tube. In fig. 1B, the electrical connections between the electrical components are represented graphically in a single line (to distinguish the electrical connections from the hydraulic connections).

According to an exemplary embodiment, the home appliance 100 is a washing machine. In any event, although a washing machine will be explicitly mentioned in the following description, this should not be construed as a limitation; indeed, the present disclosure is equally applicable to other types of household appliances, such as combined washer/dryers (i.e. washing machines that also have laundry drying functions).

According to an exemplary embodiment, the home appliance 100 includes a control unit CU for controlling the home appliance 100.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the control unit CU is configured to control (e.g., drive, power, interact with and/or exchange data with) the electrical components (or a subset thereof, as will be described in greater detail in the following discussion) in order to manage the execution of the selected processing cycle.

The implementation of the control unit CU is not limited to the present disclosure.

By way of example only, the control unit CU may comprise: a plurality of dedicated electronic subunits (not shown), each dedicated electronic subunit being intended to control one or more respective electrical components; and a central electronic unit (not shown) for coordinating the plurality of dedicated control subunits.

As a further example only, the control unit CU may comprise a single, common electronic unit.

In the following, when one or more of the electrical components are referred to as operating under the control of the control unit CU, this means that these electrical components can be operated equally by the respective dedicated electronic unit or by a common electronic unit.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the home appliance 100 includes a cabinet 105 (e.g., of parallelepiped shape).

According to an exemplary embodiment, the household appliance 100 comprises a base portion (not shown) provided at the bottom of the household appliance 100 and adapted to receive or house one or more of the electrical components.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the home appliance 100 includes a laundry treatment chamber, such as a washing tub 110 (schematically shown in fig. 1B). According to an exemplary embodiment, the washing tub 110 is housed within the cabinet 105, the washing tub 110 resting, for example, on a base portion.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the household appliance 100 comprises a (e.g. rotatable) drum, not shown in the figures, adapted to receive laundry or laundry load to be treated (e.g. to be washed). According to an exemplary embodiment, the drum is accommodated within the tub 110.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the household appliance 100 (e.g., at the front of the cabinet) comprises a loading opening (not visible in the figures) that provides access to the drum (e.g., for loading/unloading laundry loads).

According to an exemplary embodiment, the household appliance 100 comprises a viewing window 115 (shown in fig. 1A in a closed position) for sealably closing the loading opening during operation of the household appliance 100.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the home appliance 100 includes a user interface.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the user interface comprises a physical user interface.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the user interface includes one or more interaction units associated with (e.g., for selecting and/or interacting with) corresponding functions of the household appliance 100, e.g., according to the type and/or model of the household appliance. According to an exemplary embodiment, the interaction unit includes one or more of buttons or keys (or more thereof) 120 ₁, knobs (or more thereof) 120 ₂, and displays (or more thereof) 120 ₃.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the control unit CU is configured to control the home appliance 100 according to an instruction received by a user through a user interface of the home appliance 100.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the user interface comprises warning means to provide one or more warning indications to the user.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the warning means comprises one or more warning units of the physical user interface or one or more warning units associated with the physical user interface.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the warning device is configured to communicate with the control unit CU. According to an exemplary embodiment, the control unit CU is electrically connected to the warning unit.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the warning device may be configured to provide one or more types of warning indications, such as optical indications and/or acoustic indications. For example only, the optical indication may include light and/or text messages and/or symbols/icons (e.g., static or animated symbols/icons for salt container extraction and/or for salt refilling). For example only, the acoustic indication may include a beep and/or a voice message.

Without loss of generality, the warning unit may include the display 120 ₃ and/or one or more sounders (not shown) of the home appliance 100.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the home appliance 100 includes a process liquid supply appliance for supplying a process liquid into the washing tub 110.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the process liquid may include water (such as fresh water or softened water, as discussed below) or a treatment mixture comprising a treatment agent mixed with water (i.e., a treatment agent mixed with fresh water or softened water).

According to an exemplary embodiment, the treatment agent may include one or more of a washing detergent, a rinsing detergent, a bleaching agent, and a softening agent.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the process liquid supply includes a drawer 125. According to an exemplary embodiment, drawer 125 is configured to store an amount of treatment agent sufficient to perform one or more treatment cycles and to selectively deliver a process liquid (i.e., water or treatment mixture) to wash tub 110.

According to an exemplary embodiment, drawer 125 is adapted to slide within a drawer housing (not shown) along a sliding direction between an extracted position (not shown) and a retracted position (shown in fig. 1A). According to an exemplary embodiment, the sliding direction (identified by the X-axis) is parallel to a resting surface (identified by the X-Y plane), such as a floor, on which the household appliance 100 rests in operation (i.e. when the household appliance 100 is installed in a user's premises).

According to an exemplary embodiment, the drawer 125 includes a water distribution system (not shown) for distributing water (e.g., fresh water or softened water) within the drawer 125 to obtain a process liquid. Without loss of generality, the water distribution system may include a flushing device (not shown) that flushes fresh or softened water toward a particular area of the drawer 125, such as a compartment and/or channel of the drawer 125. According to the exemplary embodiments as mentioned above, fresh or softened water from the flushing device (or more generally from the water distribution system) may be mixed with the treating agent (such that the process liquid provided to the washing tub 110 includes the corresponding treating mixture) or not mixed with any treating agent (such that the process liquid provided to the washing tub 110 includes fresh (fresh or softened) water).

According to an exemplary embodiment, the process liquid provided to the washing tub 110 may include a treatment mixture or fresh water, depending on the current phase of the selected (and ongoing) treatment cycle performed by the household appliance 100. For example only, the process liquid may include a treatment mixture during a pre-wash phase and a wash phase of a treatment cycle or fresh water during a wet phase and a rinse phase of a treatment cycle.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the process liquid provided to the washing tub 110 may include fresh or softened water, depending on the current phase of the selected (and ongoing) treatment cycle performed by the household appliance 100. For example only, the process liquid may include demineralized water during the pre-wash and wash phases of the treatment cycle or fresh water during the wet and rinse phases of the treatment cycle.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the home appliance 100 includes a drain 135 (schematically shown in fig. 1B) for allowing the process liquid contained in the washing tub 110 to be discharged from the home appliance 100. According to an exemplary embodiment, the drain 135 is located at the back of the cabinet, preferably at the top portion of the back of the cabinet.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the home appliance 100 includes a water supply unit 140 (schematically shown in fig. 1B) configured to supply fresh water to the home appliance 100. According to an exemplary embodiment, the water supply unit 140 is located at the cabinet back, preferably at the top portion of the cabinet back.

For the purposes of this disclosure, the fresh water supplied by the water supply unit 140 has a high or relatively high hardness level (i.e., a high or relatively high amount of dissolved minerals (mainly calcium and magnesium)). For purposes of this disclosure, the hardness level of fresh water is higher than the hardness level of softened water provided from fresh water by a water softening system (discussed below).

According to an exemplary embodiment, the water supply unit 140 includes a valve system.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the water supply unit 140 is connected to a fresh water hose (not shown). According to an exemplary embodiment, the fresh water hose is located behind the household appliance 100. According to an exemplary embodiment, the fresh water hose is connected to an external water supply (such as a water pipe, not shown). According to an exemplary embodiment, the water supply unit 140 may be operable to allow fresh water to be selectively supplied to the process liquid supply appliance and/or the water softening system (discussed below), or to prevent fresh water from being supplied to both the process liquid supply appliance and the water softening system.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the water supply unit 140 operates under the control of the control unit CU (as represented conceptually in the figures by an electrical connection between the control unit CU and the water supply unit 140). For purposes of this disclosure, the control unit CU may be configured to selectively allow or prevent fresh water from being supplied from the water supply unit 140 to the process liquid supply appliance, the water softener container (discussed below), and/or the salt container (discussed below).

According to an exemplary embodiment, the household appliance 100 includes a water softening system WSS configured to receive fresh water (e.g., from the water supply unit 140) and provide softened water (e.g., to a process liquid supply appliance).

According to an exemplary embodiment, the water softening system WSS comprises a water softener container 145.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the water softener container 145 is configured to store a water softener capable of reducing the hardness of fresh water. Without loss of generality, the water softener may comprise an ion exchange resin.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the water softener container 145 is configured to provide softened water obtained from fresh water (e.g., from the water supply unit 140) that reacts with the water softener. In other words, the water softener contained in the water softener container 145 reduces the hardness of the received fresh water, thereby obtaining corresponding softened water.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the water softener container 145 operates under the control of the control unit CU. For purposes of this disclosure, the control unit CU may be configured to selectively allow or prevent the supply of softened water from the water softener container 145 to the process liquid supply.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the water softening system WSS includes a salt container 150 configured to store salt. According to an exemplary embodiment, the salt stored in the salt container 150 is used to regenerate the water softener contained in the water softener container 145 during the water softener regeneration process. According to an exemplary embodiment, during the water softener regeneration process, the salt container 150 is configured to receive fresh water, generate a mixture of salt and fresh water to produce brine, and direct the brine into the water softener container 145 to regenerate the water softener therein.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the water softening system WSS includes a drain 155 configured to drain brine from the salt container 150 into the drain 135. Without loss of generality, the drain 155 may comprise a drain pump.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the drain 155 operates under the control of the control unit CU. According to an exemplary embodiment, as discussed better below, the control unit CU is configured to activate the drain 155 to drain brine from the salt container 150 when the salinity level of the brine is below a threshold salinity level.

According to an exemplary embodiment, drain 155 is configured to drain brine from salt container 150 through washing tub 110 (i.e., by bypassing the process liquid supply) into drain 135. This avoids fouling of the process liquid supply means with brine and/or impurities thereof.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the salt container 150 includes an inlet channel a (not shown in the drawing) through which the salt container 150 receives fresh water from the water supply unit 140 to generate brine.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the salt container 150 includes a first outlet passage B (not shown in the figures) through which the brine is directed into the water softener container 145 (to allow regeneration of the water softener) or the drain 135 (to allow safe and easy withdrawal of the salt container to perform refilling of salt, as better discussed below).

According to an exemplary embodiment, the brine contained in the brine container 150 is directed into the water softener container 145 through the first outlet channel B under pressure of the brine entering the brine container 150 or into the drain 135 by the drain 155 (i.e., when it is activated).

According to an exemplary embodiment, the salt container 150 comprises a second outlet channel C (not shown in the figures) for allowing air contained inside the salt container 150 to leave the salt container (i.e. for allowing air to escape).

According to an exemplary embodiment, the salt container 150 is removably housed within the household appliance 100, for example (as illustrated) at the bottom of the cabinet. According to an exemplary embodiment, the household appliance 100 (e.g., at the front of the cabinet) comprises an opening 160 for accessing the salt container 150 and allowing a user to refill the salt container 150 with a new amount of salt.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the home appliance 100 (e.g., at the front of the cabinet) includes a door D for selectively opening/closing the opening 160.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the water softening system WSS comprises a housing H for removably receiving the salt container 150 therein.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the salt container 150 is adapted to slide within the housing H along a sliding direction (identified by the X-axis) between a retracted position and an extracted position. According to an exemplary embodiment, in the retracted position, the salt container 150 is completely enclosed within the cabinet 105, and in the extracted position, the salt container 150 is completely or partially removed from the cabinet 105 through the opening 160 to allow for easy refilling of salt.

Without loss of generality, the salt container 150 may be operated between a retracted position and an extracted position by means of a push-push (push-push) mechanism (not shown).

According to an exemplary embodiment, when the salt container 150 is housed within the household appliance 100 (i.e., when the salt container 150 is in the retracted position within the housing H), the salt container 150 is hydraulically connected to the water softener container 145 through the respective check valve 165 _B disposed in the first outlet channel B of the salt container 150 and the respective check valve 170 _B disposed in the housing H.

According to an exemplary embodiment, when the salt container 150 is housed within the household appliance 100 (i.e., when the salt container 150 is in the retracted position within the housing H), the salt container 150 is hydraulically connected to the water supply unit 140 through the respective check valve 165 _A disposed in the inlet channel a of the salt container 150 and the respective check valve 170 _A disposed in the housing H.

According to an exemplary embodiment, when the salt container 150 is housed within the household appliance 100 (i.e., when the salt container 150 is in the retracted position within the housing H), the salt container 150 is hydraulically connected to the drain 155 through the check valve 165 _B and the check valve 170 _B.

According to an exemplary embodiment, when the salt container 150 is housed within the household appliance 100 (i.e., when the salt container 150 is in the retracted position within the housing H), the salt container 150 is fluidly connected to the surrounding area or environment outside the salt container 150 (so as to allow air contained inside the salt container 150 to be expelled or discharged into the surrounding area) by means of the respective check valve 165 _C disposed in the second outlet channel C of the salt container 150 and the respective check valve 170 _C disposed in the housing H.

Hereinafter, the check valves disposed in the salt container 150 (i.e., check valve 165 _A, check valve 165 _B, and check valve 165 _C) will also be denoted as container check valve 165 _A-165_C, and the check valves disposed in the housing H (i.e., check valve 170 _A, check valve 170 _B, and check valve 170 _C) will also be denoted as housing check valve 170 _A-170_C.

According to an exemplary embodiment, when the salt containers 150 are inserted into the household appliance 100, the check valves 165 _A、170_A、165_B、170_B、165_C、170_C are opened (due to the interaction or cooperation (e.g., coupling) between each container check valve 165 _A-165_C and the corresponding housing check valve 170 _A-170_C), thereby allowing hydraulic connection of the salt containers 150 to the water softener container 145, the drain 155, and the water supply unit 140, and fluid connection of the salt containers 150 to the surrounding area or environment to expel or vent air.

According to an exemplary embodiment, when the salt containers 150 are withdrawn from the household appliance 100 (and at least partially from the housing H), the check valves 165 _A、170_A、165_B、170_B、165_C、170_C are closed (due to the end or loss (e.g., decoupling) of the interaction between each container check valve 165 _A-165_C and the corresponding housing check valve 170 _A-170_C), thereby preventing hydraulic and fluid connection of the salt containers 150. By preventing the hydraulic connection of the salt container 150 with the water softener container 145 and the water supply unit 140 (due to the closing of the housing check valves 170 _A and 170 _B) when the salt container 150 is withdrawn from the home appliance 100, the overflow of the contents of the water softener container 145 into the housing H and the flow of fresh water into the housing H are prevented, respectively.

According to an exemplary embodiment, each check valve includes a valve body that is actuatable to allow fluid (e.g., water or air) to pass therethrough.

According to an exemplary embodiment, each housing check valve 170 _A-170_C includes an actuation member (e.g., in the form of a pin or rod as seen in fig. 1B and 2D) for valve body actuation.

According to an exemplary embodiment, when the salt container 150 is inserted into the household appliance 100, each actuation member actuates the valve body of the respective check valve 165 _A、170_A、165_B、170_B、165_C、170_C, thereby opening the check valve 165 _A、170_A、165_B、170_B、165_C、170_C to establish the respective hydraulic and fluid connection, while when the salt container 150 is withdrawn from the household appliance 100, the actuation members do not interact with the valve body of the respective check valve 165 _A、170_A、165_B、170_B、165_C、170_C such that each of the check valves 165 _A、170_A、165_B、170_B、165_C、170_C is closed, thereby preventing the respective hydraulic and fluid connection.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the water softening system WSS comprises a salinity detection unit 180 for detecting the salinity level (i.e. the saliency or the amount of dissolved salt) in the brine inside the salt container 150. Without loss of generality, the salinity detection unit 180 may be based, for example, on conductivity metering (in practice, water-salt solutions, such as brine, are more conductive than water) or refractive index metering (in practice, refractive index increases with solubility in aqueous solutions). According to an exemplary embodiment, as discussed better below, the control unit CU is configured to activate the drain 155 to drain brine from the salt container 150 in case the salinity level of the brine is detected by the salinity detection unit 180 to be below a threshold salinity level.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the water softening system WSS comprises a presence detection unit 185 for detecting the presence or absence of the salt container 150 within the household appliance 100. Without loss of generality, the presence detection unit 185 may be based on any suitable detection principle, such as mechanical detection, electrical detection, optical detection, or a combination thereof. According to an exemplary embodiment, as discussed better below, the control unit CU is configured to activate the drain 155 to drain brine from the salt container 150 if the salinity level of the brine is detected by the salinity detection unit 180 to be below a threshold salinity level and if the presence detection unit 185 detects the presence of the salt container 150 within the household appliance 100.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the water softening system WSS comprises a brine level detection unit 190 for detecting the brine level in the salt container 150. Without loss of generality, the brine level detection unit 190 may, for example, include a magnetic or mechanical float configured to shift (i.e., rise and fall) with changes in the brine level and convert the shift into a corresponding electrical signal, or include an electromagnetic sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a radar sensor, or an optical sensor for measuring the time of flight of a test signal emitted toward the brine surface. According to an exemplary embodiment, as discussed better below, the control unit CU is configured to check the salinity level of the brine in case the brine level detection unit 190 detects that the brine level in the brine container 150 is above a threshold brine level.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the water softening system WSS comprises a processing unit 195. Without loss of generality, the processing unit 195 may include a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) with one or more processors and/or microprocessors and one or more conductive traces and/or connectors for electrical connection.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the processing unit 195 is electrically connected to the control unit CU.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the processing unit 195 is electrically connected to the salinity detection unit 180, and the processing unit 195 is configured to receive the salinity detection signal from the salinity detection unit 180 and to provide the control unit CU with the salinity level (or an indication thereof) of the brine contained in the salt container 150.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the processing unit 195 is electrically connected to the presence detection unit 185, and the processing unit 195 is configured to receive the presence detection signal from the presence detection unit 185 and to provide an indication to the control unit CU that the salt container 150 is present in the household appliance 100.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the processing unit 195 is electrically connected to the saline level detecting unit 190, and the processing unit 195 is configured to receive a saline level detection signal from the saline level detecting unit 190 and to provide the saline level (or an indication thereof) contained in the saline container 150 to the control unit CU.

According to an exemplary embodiment, as discussed better below, when saline has been drained from the saline container 150 through the drain 155 (e.g., as indicated by a saline level detection signal from the saline level detecting unit 190 indicating that the saline container 150 is empty or substantially empty), the control unit CU is configured to activate the warning device to provide a corresponding warning indication, e.g., informing the user that the saline container 150 may be withdrawn from the household appliance 100 and/or that a refill of saline should be withdrawn from the household appliance 100 (the warning indication thereby prompting the user to perform a refill of saline).

According to an exemplary embodiment, as conceptually represented in fig. 1B, a salinity detection unit 180, a presence detection unit 185, and a brine level detection unit 190 are arranged in a housing H.

According to an exemplary embodiment, as conceptually represented in fig. 1B, a processing unit 195 is disposed in the housing H.

According to an exemplary embodiment, as conceptually represented in fig. 1B, the drain 155 is disposed in the housing H.

Fig. 2A and 2B illustrate perspective front views of a housing H housing a salt container 150 in a retracted position and a partially extracted position, respectively, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the housing H includes a first (e.g., lower) housing shell 205 ₁ and a second (e.g., upper) housing shell 205 ₂ (where the terms lower and upper refer to lower and upper positions along the Z-axis).

According to an exemplary embodiment, the lower housing shell 205 ₁ is made of a plastic (e.g., rigid or semi-rigid) material and/or a metallic material.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the upper housing shell 205 ₂ is made of a plastic (e.g., rigid or semi-rigid) material and/or a metallic material. Without loss of generality, the lower housing shell 205 ₁ and the upper housing shell 205 ₂ may be made of the same material, different materials, or partially different materials.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the lower housing shell 205 ₁ and the upper housing shell 205 ₂ are connected to each other. According to an exemplary embodiment, the lower housing shell 205 ₁ and the upper housing shell 205 ₂ are removably connected to each other.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the lower and upper housing shells 205 ₁, 205, ₂ are connected to each other by means of one or more snap-fit mechanisms, such as a plurality of snap-fit mechanisms provided at the lower and upper housing shells (e.g., at edge portions or peripheral portions of the lower and upper housing shells).

According to an exemplary embodiment, the lower housing shell 205 ₁ and the upper housing shell 205 ₂ are connected to each other by means of one or more cantilever snap-fit mechanisms, for example a plurality of cantilever snap-fit mechanisms. According to an exemplary embodiment, each cantilever snap-fit mechanism includes a protruding edge 210 _E disposed in the upper housing shell 205 ₂ and a corresponding snap-in region 210 _S disposed in the lower housing shell 205 ₁.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the housing H is adapted to be received in a corresponding housing seat (not shown), for example formed in a base portion of the household appliance 100. According to an exemplary embodiment, the housing seat has a profile that matches or substantially matches the profile of the lower housing shell 205 ₁.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the housing H is adapted to be fixed to the household appliance 100 so as to stably maintain the housing H firm when the salt container 150 is moved between the extracted position and the retracted position.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the housing H is adapted to be fixed to a base portion of the household appliance 100.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the housing H is adapted to be fixed to the household appliance 100 (such as to a base portion of the household appliance 100) by means of the fixing means 215. According to an exemplary embodiment, the fixture 215 comprises a bracket (or more thereof) and a screw (or more thereof) adapted to be screwed into a corresponding hole of the bracket and a corresponding hole (e.g., threaded hole) of the base portion, not shown. According to an exemplary embodiment, the bracket is rigidly connected to the lower housing shell 205 ₁, and the bracket 215 is formed as a single piece, for example, with the lower housing shell 205 ₁.

Referring also to fig. 2C and 2D, fig. 2C shows a perspective rear view of the housing H housing the salt container 150 in the retracted position, and fig. 2D shows a perspective exploded rear view of the lower housing shell 205 ₁.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the housing H includes a seat (hereinafter pump seat) 220 for receiving a discharge pump (or more generally, a discharge 155).

According to an exemplary embodiment, the pump mount 220 includes a lower pump mount portion 220 ₁ associated with the lower housing shell 205 ₁ (e.g., formed as a single piece with the lower housing shell 205 ₁) and adapted to house the drain pump (or, more generally, the drain 155) from below, and an upper pump mount portion 220 ₂ associated with the upper housing shell 205 ₂ (e.g., formed as a single piece with the upper housing shell 205 ₂) and adapted to cover the drain pump (or, more generally, the drain 155) from above. According to an exemplary embodiment, the pump mount 220 is configured to completely enclose the drain pump (or more generally, the drain 155) when the lower housing shell 205 ₁ and the upper housing shell 205 ₂ are connected to one another.

According to an exemplary embodiment, as seen in fig. 2C and 2D, the housing H includes one or more receiving portions for receiving one or more of the salinity detection unit 180, the presence detection unit 185, the brine level detection unit 190, and the processing unit 195.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the housing H comprises a receiving portion 225 for receiving the salinity detection unit 180, e.g. at a rear portion of the lower housing shell 205 ₁.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the housing H includes a receiving portion 230 for receiving the presence detection unit 185, for example, at a rear portion of the lower housing shell 205 ₁.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the housing H comprises a receiving portion 235 for receiving the brine level detection unit 190, e.g. at a rear portion of the lower housing shell 205 ₁.

According to an exemplary embodiment, each receiving portion 225, 230, and 235 is configured (e.g., shaped and sized) to house a corresponding component (i.e., salinity and presence detection units 180, 185, and brine level detection unit 190, respectively). According to an exemplary embodiment, each receiving portion 225, 230, and 235 is configured (e.g., shaped and sized) to provide a retaining effect for a corresponding component.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the housing H includes one or more (three in the example discussed) passages 240 _A、240_B and 240 _C, e.g., at a rear portion of the lower housing shell 205 ₁, each configured to receive a respective housing check valve 170 _A、170_B and 170 _C.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the channel 240 _A is an inlet channel that houses the housing check valve 170 _A and is configured to receive fresh water from the water supply unit 140.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the channel 240 _B is an outlet channel that houses the housing check valve 170 _B and is configured to direct the brine into the water softener container 145 and to direct the brine discharged from the salt container 150 when the discharge 155 has been activated.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the channel 240 _C is an air channel that is arranged above the liquid level in the interior top region of the housing H, housing the housing check valve 170 _C, for connecting the salt container 150 to a surrounding region outside the salt container 150, allowing air to leave the salt container 150.

According to an exemplary embodiment, when salt container 150 is inserted into housing H, channel a is hydraulically connected to channel 240 _A due to the coupling between container check valve 165 _A and housing check valve 170 _A, channel B is hydraulically connected to channel 240 _B due to the coupling between container check valve 165 _B and housing check valve 170 _B, and channel C is hydraulically connected to channel 240 _C due to the coupling between container check valve 165 _C and housing check valve 170 _C.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the housing H includes a closing cap 245 for closing a rear portion of the lower housing shell 205 ₁. According to an exemplary embodiment, the closure cap 245 is configured to be secured to a rear portion of the lower housing shell 205 ₁, for example by means of a snap closure.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the housing H includes a receiving portion 250 for receiving the processing unit 195. According to an exemplary embodiment, the receiving portion 250 is formed on an exterior face of the closure 245 opposite an interior face of the closure 245 such that in operation (i.e., when the closure 245 is secured to the housing H) the receiving portion 250 faces a rear portion of the lower housing shell 205 ₁.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the receiving portion 250 is configured (e.g., shaped and sized) to house the processing unit 195. According to an exemplary embodiment, the receiving portion 250 is configured (e.g., shaped and sized) to provide a retaining function for the processing unit 195.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the housing H includes a cover 255 for covering the processing unit 195. According to an exemplary embodiment, cover 255 is configured (e.g., shaped and sized) to be secured to closure 245, such as by means of a snap-fit engagement with (i.e., the edge bounding) the edge of receiving portion 250.

Referring now to fig. 3, a schematic diagram of a method 300 for operating a water softening system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the method 300 is performed by the control unit CU.

According to an exemplary embodiment, method 300 is performed when a softener regeneration procedure is requested (e.g., by a household appliance, such as automatically at the end of each treatment cycle or after a predetermined or selectable number of treatment cycles or by a user).

According to an exemplary embodiment, the method steps are implemented by a computer program product loadable into the internal memory of the control unit CU. According to an exemplary embodiment, the computer program product comprises software code means for configuring the control unit CU to perform the method steps when the computer program product is run.

By computer program product loadable into the internal memory of a device, such as the internal memory of the control unit CU, it is meant herein that a computer program may be introduced into the internal memory of the relevant device in order to realize that the device is programmed to be able or adapted to perform the corresponding method steps.

Without loss of generality, the computer program product implementing the method steps may comprise or be contained in firmware of the household appliance 100, which is stored for example in an internal memory of the control unit CU.

In general terms, as discussed better below, the method 300 includes activating the discharge device 155 to expel brine from the salt container 150 when the salinity detection unit 180 detects that the salinity level of the brine is below a threshold salinity level.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the method 300 comprises checking the presence or absence of the salt container 150 within the household appliance 100 (decision node 305). According to an exemplary embodiment, the presence or absence of the salt container 150 is checked by the control unit CU based on a presence detection signal from the presence detection unit 185 (e.g. based on a presence detection signal from the presence detection unit 185 to the processing unit 195 and based on a corresponding indication of the presence or absence of the salt container 150 from the processing unit 195 to the control unit CU).

It is particularly (although not exclusively) advantageous to check for the presence or absence of the salt container 150 within the household appliance 100 when the method 300 is not run until a long time (or after a relatively long time) after the end of the treatment cycle, as the salt container 150 may be accidentally (e.g., by a child) or voluntarily (e.g., by a user for cleaning or automatic refilling with salt) withdrawn during this time.

According to an exemplary embodiment, if the salt container 150 is not present within the household appliance 100 (exit branch N of the decision node 305), the method 300 ends (action node 310). According to an embodiment, the method 300 ends (action node 310) and no further actions are performed.

According to an exemplary embodiment, if the salt container 150 is present within the household appliance 100 (exit branch Y of decision node 305), the method 300 comprises performing a water softener regeneration procedure (action node 315). According to an exemplary embodiment, during the water softener regeneration procedure, the salt container 150 is configured to receive fresh water, generate a mixture of salt and fresh water to produce brine, and direct the brine into the water softener container 145.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the method 300 includes checking the salinity level of the brine within the brine container 150 (decision node 320). According to an exemplary embodiment, the salinity level of the brine within the salt container 150 is checked by the control unit CU based on the salinity detection signal from the salinity detection unit 180 (e.g., based on the salinity detection signal from the salinity detection unit 180 to the processing unit 195 and based on a corresponding indication of the salinity level from the processing unit 195 to the control unit CU).

According to an exemplary embodiment, if the salinity level is above the threshold salinity level (exit branch N of decision node 315), method 300 ends (act node 325). According to an exemplary embodiment, method 300 ends (action node 325) and no further actions are performed.

According to an exemplary embodiment, if the salinity level is below the threshold salinity level (exit branch Y of decision node 320), method 300 includes activating discharge 155 to cause the undersized brine to be discharged from salt container 150 (action node 330).

According to an exemplary embodiment, the method 300 includes checking the brine level in the brine container 150 (decision node 335). According to an exemplary embodiment, the brine level in the brine container 150 is checked by the control unit CU based on a brine level detection signal from the brine level detection unit 190 (e.g., based on a brine level detection signal from the brine level detection unit 190 to the processing unit 195 and based on a corresponding indication of the brine level from the processing unit 195 to the control unit CU).

According to an exemplary embodiment, if the brine level is below the threshold brine level (exit branch Y of decision node 335), then it is determined that the brine container 150 is in an empty or substantially empty state, thereby confirming that the draining of brine from the brine container 150 is properly performed.

According to an exemplary embodiment, activation of the drain 155 is performed to drain saline from the salt container 150 (action node 330) until the salt container 150 reaches an empty or substantially empty state. This is represented conceptually in the figure by the loop connection between exit branch N of decision node 335 and action node 330.

According to an exemplary embodiment, if the salt container 150 has not reached an empty or substantially empty state (exit branch N of decision node 335), no action is performed and the drain 155 continues to drain the salt water from the salt container 150 (action node 330).

According to an exemplary embodiment, if the salt container 150 has reached an empty or substantially empty state (exit branch Y of decision node 335), the method 300 comprises enabling the warning means to provide a corresponding warning indication (action node 340), for example informing the user that the salt container 150 may be withdrawn from the household appliance 100 to refill salt.

Without loss of generality, the activation of the warning device may occur after or before or after the deactivation of the discharge device 155.

The home appliance 100 (and the corresponding method 300 implemented thereby) allows for automatically detecting the salinity level of the brine inside the salt container 150, which relieves the user of the burden and responsibility of determining the salt level inside the salt container 150 by visual inspection and/or subjective estimation. This avoids the user adding salt too frequently or not frequently enough. This also avoids the use of large-volume salt containers which may lead to the possibility of not using bulky household appliances in a small living space. This also avoids the use of an indicator stick to determine the amount of salt in the salt container, which may become inaccurate as the salt bridge may change the appearance of the salt volume.

The household appliance 100 (and the corresponding method 300 implemented thereby) allows for automatic draining of the brine from the salt container 150 when the salinity level of the brine is below a threshold salinity level, such that a user is allowed to withdraw the salt container 150 only when the salt container 150 is empty or substantially empty. This avoids spillage or overflow of the brine as the brine container 150 is withdrawn, without the need to provide a watertight closure, and without the need to envisage complex or relatively complex structural solutions for evacuating the brine of the brine container 150 prior to withdrawal.

Naturally, a person skilled in the art can apply to the disclosure as described above numerous logical and/or physical modifications and alterations to the disclosure as may be desired, both locally and as may be desired. More specifically, although the present disclosure has been described with a certain degree of particularity with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it should be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form and details as well as other embodiments are possible. In particular, various embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced without setting forth specific details (such as numerical examples) in the foregoing description for purposes of providing a more thorough understanding of the various embodiments of the present disclosure; conversely, well-known features may have been omitted or simplified in order not to obscure the description with unnecessary detail.

Claims

1. A household appliance (100), the household appliance (100) comprising a Water Softening System (WSS) configured to receive fresh water having a first hardness level and to provide softened water having a second hardness level lower than the first hardness level, wherein the water softening system comprises:

A water softener container (145), the water softener container (145) configured to store a water softener capable of reducing hardness of the fresh water;

a salt container (150) removably housed within the household appliance and hydraulically connected to the water softener container when housed within the household appliance, the salt container configured to receive the fresh water, generate a mixture of salt and fresh water to produce brine, and direct the brine into the water softener container to allow regeneration of the water softener;

A salinity detection unit (180), the salinity detection unit (180) being for detecting a salinity level of the brine inside the salt container,

-A drain (155), the drain (155) being hydraulically connected to the salt container and configured to drain the brine from the salt container; and

-A Control Unit (CU) configured to activate the discharge device (155) to discharge the brine from the brine container (150) when the salinity detection unit (180) detects that the salinity level of the brine is below a threshold salinity level.

2. The household appliance (100) as in claim 1, wherein said Water Softening System (WSS) further comprises: a presence detection unit (185), the presence detection unit (185) being adapted to detect the presence or absence of the salt container (150) within the household appliance, and/or

A brine level detection unit (190), the brine level detection unit (190) being adapted to detect a brine level in the brine container (150),

The Control Unit (CU) is configured to activate the drain (155) to further drain the brine from the salt container (150) when the presence detection unit (185) detects the presence of the salt container (150) within the household appliance and/or when the brine level detection unit (190) detects that the brine level in the salt container (150) is above a threshold brine level.

3. The household appliance (100) according to claim 2, wherein the household appliance (100) further comprises a warning device (120 ₃) configured to communicate with the Control Unit (CU), wherein the Control Unit (CU) is configured to provide a signal indicating that the salt container (150) is empty when the salt level detection unit (190) detects that the salt level in the salt container (150) is below the threshold salt level after the drain (155) is activated, and to activate the warning device (120 ₃) to inform a user that the salt container (150) can be withdrawn from the household appliance to refill salt.

4. The household appliance (100) as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said Water Softening System (WSS) comprises a housing (H) for removably housing said salt container (150) therein, wherein said housing is hydraulically connected to said salt container (150) and said drain (155).

5. The household appliance (100) as claimed in claim 4, wherein said salinity detection unit (180) is arranged in said housing (H).

6. Household appliance (100) according to claim 4 or 5 when depending directly or indirectly on claim 2, wherein the presence detection unit (185) and/or the brine level detection unit (190) are arranged in the housing (H).

7. The household appliance (100) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a processing unit (195) for receiving a salinity detection signal from the salinity detection unit (180) and for providing an indication of the salinity level of the brine contained in the salt container (150) to the Control Unit (CU).

8. The household appliance (100) as claimed in claim 7 when depending directly or indirectly on claim 4, wherein the processing unit (195) is arranged in the housing (H).

9. The household appliance (100) according to claim 7 or 8 when directly or indirectly dependent on claim 2, wherein the processing unit (195) is configured to:

receives a presence detection signal from the presence detection unit (185) and provides an indication of the presence of the salt container (150) within the household appliance to the Control Unit (CU), and/or

A brine level detection signal is received from the brine level detection unit (190) and an indication of a brine level in the brine container (150) is provided to the Control Unit (CU).

10. The household appliance (100) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the discharge device (155) comprises a discharge pump.

11. The household appliance (100) as claimed in claim 10 when directly or indirectly dependent on claim 4, wherein said housing (H) comprises a seat (220) for housing said discharge pump therein.

12. The household appliance (100) as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 11 when dependent directly or indirectly on claim 4, wherein the housing (H) comprises a first housing shell (205 ₁) and a second housing shell (205 ₂) removably connected to each other.

13. A method (300) of operating a household appliance (100), the household appliance (100) comprising a water softener container (145) configured to store a water softener capable of reducing the hardness of fresh water and a salt container (150) configured to receive the fresh water, generate a mixture of salt and fresh water to produce brine, and direct the brine into the water softener container to allow regeneration of the water softener, the method comprising:

-detecting (320) a salinity level of the brine inside the brine container;

A drain (155) hydraulically connected to the salt tank is activated when the salinity level of the brine is below a threshold salinity level to drain (330, 335) the brine from the salt tank.

14. The method (300) of claim 13, further comprising:

-detecting (305) the presence or absence of the salt container (150) within the household appliance, and/or

-Detecting (335) a brine level in the salt container (150), and

-Activating (330) the draining means (155) to drain the brine from the salt container (150) when a presence detection unit (185) detects the presence of the salt container (150) within the household appliance and/or if a brine level detection unit (190) detects that the brine level in the salt container (150) is above a threshold brine level.

15. The method (300) of claim 14, further comprising:

Providing a signal indicating that the salt container (150) is empty when the salt water level detection unit (190) detects that the salt water level in the salt container (150) is below the threshold salt water level after activating the drain (155).