Abstract: A laundry appliance having a cabinet accommodating a laundry treatment chamber, a storage drawer comprising at least one compartment for containing laundry treatment agent and a drawer seat slidingly housing the storage drawer such that the storage drawer is slidable between a retracted position, in which the storage drawer is retracted inside the drawer seat, and an extracted position, in which the storage drawer is at least partially extracted from the drawer seat. The laundry appliance further comprises a drawer position detecting system for detecting when the drawer is in the retracted position. The drawer position detecting system comprises a target element on one of the cabinet and the drawer, and a sensor element on the other of the cabinet and the drawer. The detecting system is configured to sense a proximity of the target element to the sensor element.

Abstract: A laundry washing machine having a washing tub, a rotatable drum, a detergent dispenser, a fresh-water supply circuit, a water softening device, a brine reservoir, and a pump assembly to move the brine from the brine reservoir to the water softening device for regenerating the same. The machine also has a water distributor module having: a manifold body having a water inlet and a number of water outlets; an electrically-operated, internal water channelling means are at least partially located inside the manifold body and are structured to selectively put the water inlet of the manifold body in fluid communication with any one of the water outlets of the same manifold body; and a local electronic control unit which is accommodated in a corresponding seat formed on the manifold body and moreover powers and/or controls both the pump assembly and the electrically-operated, internal water channeling means.

Abstract: A laundry treatment appliance having: a drawer comprising first and second compartments each being adapted to contain multiple doses of a treatment agent for laundry treatment, first and second pumps adapted to draw up treatment agent doses from the first and second compartments, respectively, and a control unit for controlling the first and second pumps, wherein the control unit is configured to cause the first and second pumps to coordinately draw up the treatment agent doses over at least one washing cycle by determining a gradual concurrent emptying of the first and second compartments over said at least one washing cycle.

Abstract: A laundry appliance having a treatment chamber and a control unit configured to perform a first set of phases of a selected treatment cycle using a dose of a treatment agent, and a treatment agent delivering device. The control unit is further configured to: receive a first command that enables the delivering device and thereupon: calculate a first amount of treatment agent, and cause the delivering device to deliver the dose to the laundry treatment chamber; and, upon receiving a second command for an intensive treatment mode: cause the laundry appliance to perform a second set of phases in addition to said first set of phases, and calculate a second amount of treatment agent when both the first and second commands are received, so that said dose comprises said first amount of treatment agent plus said second amount of treatment agent.

Abstract: A method for operating a laundry treatment machine having a container for housing a laundry load to be treated and a pump. The pump has an electric motor adapted to be powered by a motor voltage (VMOT) and a motor current (IMOT). An air-water working condition of the pump is detected/evaluated based on values of the motor voltage (VMOT) and/or the motor current (IMOT) of the electric motor.

Abstract: A washing and/or drying appliance (100) includes an electric load (115; 144; 170; 177) and a driving apparatus (200) for driving the electric load (115; 144; 170; 177). The driving apparatus (200) includes: —a TRIAC (205) comprising a first anode terminal (M1) coupled with a first terminal (TN) of an AC electric power supply and a second anode terminal (M2) coupled with a first terminal of the electric load (115; 144; 70; 177). The electric load (115; 144; 170; 177) includes a second terminal coupled with a second terminal (TL) of the AC electric power supply; —a microcontroller (215) configured to generate a driving signal, and —a triggering circuit (208) for activating the TRIAC (205) by providing triggering pulse signals to a gate terminal (G) of the TRIAC (205) based on the driving signal.

Abstract: A method for operating a laundry washing machine (100; 300) having a controllable dosing device (120; 191) suitable to supply water from an external water supply line (E) into a container (110; 172) and a metering device (125; 192) arranged between the external water supply line (E) and the container (110; 172) for determining the amount of water flowing through the dosing device (120; 191). The method measures the surplus water flowing through the dosing device (120; 191) after deactivation of the latter in a first water conveying step for conveying a first amount of water from the external water supply line (E) into the container (110; 172) and controls the supply of water in a further water conveying step taking in account the surplus water previously measured.

Abstract: A laundry washing machine having a washing tub, a rotatable drum, a detergent dispenser, a fresh-water supply circuit, a water softening device, a brine reservoir, and a pump assembly to move the brine from the brine reservoir to the water softening device for regenerating the same. The machine also has a water distributor module having: a manifold body having a water inlet and a number of water outlets; an electrically-operated, internal water channelling means are at least partially located inside the manifold body and are structured to selectively put the water inlet of the manifold body in fluid communication with any one of the water outlets of the same manifold body; and a local electronic control unit which is accommodated in a corresponding seat formed on the manifold body and moreover powers and/or controls both the pump assembly and the electrically-operated, internal water channeling means.

Abstract: A washing and/or drying appliance includes a heating circuit (140) for heating a washing liquid and/or a drying air flow. The heating circuit is connected to voltage distribution lines (105a,105b) distributing power inside the appliance and includes at least one heating resistor (205) in series to switch means (210a,210b) controlled by an appliance control unit (125) for selectively energizing the heating resistor when required. The switch means of the heating circuit includes first and second switches (210a,210b) in series to the heating resistor, the heating resistor being interposed between the first and second switch. A monitoring circuit arrangement is associated with the heating circuit. The monitoring circuit arrangement includes a resistive network including a first resistor (R1) connected to the heating circuit so as to be bypassed when the first switch is closed, the heating resistor, and a second resistor (R2) connected to the heating circuit so as to be bypassed when the second switch is closed.

Abstract: A washing and/or drying appliance circuit system having an electric load, first and second power supply terminals, first and second switching elements operable for coupling/decoupling the power supply terminals to terminals of the electric load, a control unit for operating the switching elements, and a conditioning arrangement. The conditioning arrangement has a unidirectional signal flow element coupled between the first supply terminal for receiving a supply signal and the second load terminal, and an impedance arrangement coupled between the first load terminal and the control unit. With the first and second switching elements in the opened-states the first supply terminal, the unidirectional signal flow element, the electric load and the impedance arrangement define a conductive path providing a check signal to the control unit. The control unit is configured for determining a fault in the circuit system based on the check signal.

Abstract: A household appliance has a heating circuit (140) for heating a fluid including a heating element (150) that can be selectively energized (155) to determine the heating of the fluid, and a monitoring unit (125) for monitoring the operation of the heating circuit. The monitoring unit (125) is configured to monitor at least one electrical potential internal to the heating circuit (140). The at least one electric potential internal to the heating circuit (140) is at least one among: an internal electric potential detected at a first terminal (160b) of the heating element (150) connected to an on/off switch (155) of the heating circuit (140); an internal electric potential detected at a second terminal (160a) of the heating element (150) connected to a main switch (135) of the appliance or to a safety switch provided for switching the heating circuit off in case of malfunction of the on/off switch (155).

Abstract: An electric appliance (100) is disclosed. The electric appliance has an electric load (205), and a driving element (215) for selectively energizing/de-energizing the electric load (205). The driving element (215) has a first driving terminal (A1) coupled to a first load terminal (T1) of the electric load, a second driving terminal (A2) coupled to a first power supply terminal (TN), and a control terminal (G) for switching on/off the driving element (215) thereby allowing said selective energization/de-energization, respectively. The electric appliance also has a switching element (230) for selectively coupling a second power supply terminal (TL) to a second load terminal (T2) of the electric load (205).

Abstract: A method for operating a laundry washing machine (100; 300) having a controllable dosing device (120; 191) suitable to supply water from an external water supply line (E) into a container (110; 172) and a metering device (125; 192) arranged between the external water supply line (E) and the container (110; 172) for determining the amount of water flowing through the dosing device (120; 191). The method measures the surplus water flowing through the dosing device (120; 191) after deactivation of the latter in a first water conveying step for conveying a first amount of water from the external water supply line (E) into the container (110; 172) and controls the supply of water in a further water conveying step taking in account the surplus water previously measured.

Abstract: A water bearing household appliance (1) includes: a treating chamber (6) in which one or more items (7) can be loaded and treated with water and one or more additives; a logic unit (12) to control the electric and/or electronic components of the appliance (1) so as to make the latter to perform a treating cycle for treating the one or more loaded items (7) with water and one or more additives; a load amount acquiring device (13) for acquiring and communicating to the logic unit (12) information related to the amount of the one or more items (7) loaded in the treating chamber (6); and a user interface (14) configured for allowing a user to set parameters related to the treating cycle and to the one or more additives to be used during the treating cycle.

Abstract: A washing and/or drying appliance (100) is proposed. The washing and/or drying appliance (100) has a circuit system (200) comprising: an electric load (205) adapted to be energized by electrical coupling between first (TL) and second (TN) supply terminals of an electric power supply; first (SWL) and second (SWN2) switching elements operable between respective closed/opened states for coupling/decoupling the first (TL) and second (TN) power supply terminals to/from first (T1) and second (T2,205) load terminals of the electric load (205); a control unit (215) for operating the first (SWL) and second (SWN1,SWN2) switching elements, and a conditioning arrangement (D1,2201,R1A-R1C). The conditioning arrangement (D1,2201,R1A-R1C) has a unidirectional signal flow element (D1) coupled between the first supply terminal (TL) for receiving a supply signal (VSUPPLY) and the second load terminal (T2,205), and an impedance arrangement (220I,RIA-RIC) coupled between the first load terminal (T1) and the control unit (215).

Abstract: A washing and/or drying appliance (100) is provided.

Abstract: An electric appliance (100) is disclosed. The electric appliance comprises an electric load (205), and a driving element (215) for selectively energizing/de-energizing the electric load (205). The driving element (215) has a first driving terminal (A1) coupled to a first load terminal (T1) of the electric load, a second driving terminal (A2) coupled to a first power supply terminal (TN), and a control terminal (G) for switching on/off the driving element (215) thereby allowing said selective energization/de-energization, respectively. The electric appliance also comprises a switching element (230) for selectively coupling a second power supply terminal (TL) to a second load terminal (T2) of the electric load (205).

Abstract: The present invention is related to a water bearing household appliance (1) comprising: a treating chamber (6) in which one or more items (7) can be loaded and treated with water and one or more additives; a logic unit (12) to control the electric and/or electronic components of the appliance (1) so as to make the latter to perform a treating cycle for treating the one or more loaded items (7) with water and one or more additives; a load amount acquiring device (13) for acquiring and communicating to the logic unit (12) information related to the amount of the one or more items (7) loaded in the treating chamber (6); a user interface (14) configured for allowing a user to set parameters related to the treating cycle and to the one or more additives to be used during the treating cycle.

Abstract: A laundry machine (200) adapted to process laundry (220) by means of an operative fluid is provided. The laundry machine (200) comprises a drum (215) for housing the laundry (220), an electrical heater apparatus (280) configured to heat up the operative fluid, at least one electrical device (105), and an inverter supply block (100) for electrically supplying the at least one electrical device (105). The inverter supply block (100) comprises a bulk capacitor (130). The laundry machine (200) further comprises a limiter circuit (300; 280) configured to temporarily limit a charging current drawn by the inverter supply block (100) during a bulk capacitor (130) charging phase. The limiter circuit (300; 280; 330) is configured to selectively force the passage of the charging current through the electrical heater apparatus (280).

Abstract: A washing and/or drying appliance includes a heating circuit (140) for heating a washing liquid and/or a drying air flow, connected to voltage distribution lines (105a,105b) distributing power inside the appliance. The heating circuit includes at least one heating resistor (205) in series to switch means (210a,210b) controlled by an appliance control unit (125) for selectively energizing the heating resistor when required. The switch means of the heating circuit includes a first and a second switch (210a,210b) in series to the heating resistor, the heating resistor being interposed between the first and second switches. A monitoring circuit arrangement is provided, which includes a first resistor (R1) in shunt to the heating resistor and having a resistance substantially higher than that of the heating resistor, and a pull-up network connected between a first terminal (215b;215a) of the heating resistor and one of the voltage distribution lines.