EP0281935B1 - Device for the dosed delivery of a detergent to a dish-washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The device for the metered delivery of a solid detergent in a dissolved form to dishwashing machines consists of a housing (1), receiving the solid detergent, with a closeable opening of a water spraying device (10), arranged on the bottom side, for dissolving the detergent and of an outlet for the dissolved detergent. In order to improve handling and reduce the space requirement, provision is made for the housing (1) to have, as closure, a front flap (4), attached near to the bottom, and for said front flap to have a receptacle (9), which projects inwards and is permeable to the water, for the solid detergent, and for the receptacle to be arranged with slight clearance above the spraying device (10) in the closed position of the front flap (4). <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a device for the metered feeding of a solid-state cleaner in dissolved form in dishwashers, consisting of a housing accommodating the solid body with a closable opening, a water-spray device arranged on the bottom for loosening the cleaner and a drain for the loosened cleaner.

Devices of the aforementioned structure are known (e.g. DE-GM 84 26 868). They usually consist of containers which are cylindrical or conical in cross-section and which have a water-permeable bottom in the lower region and into which the solid is introduced from above. The top of the container can be closed by means of a lid. A spray device in the form of one or more nozzles is arranged below the water-permeable, solid-receiving floor. The water leaving the nozzles is sprayed onto the solid from below and gradually dissolves it from below. The detergent dissolved in the water leaves the housing through a bottom drain to reach the dishwasher via a line. The dosing is carried out in such a way that the spraying device remains in operation as long as a cleaner is required in the dishwasher. When the spray device is stopped, which is controlled, for example, by a measuring device in the dishwasher, the dissolving and feeding process is also stopped for a short time. A similar embodiment is also known for powdered cleaners (DE-PS 26 56 413), the housing having a sieve bottom which retains the powder above the spraying device.

Such devices also mostly have control devices which, for example via control lamps, make the operating state visible to the outside. In order to obtain a clearly visible arrangement, these control devices must be attached to the front of the housing. Since these devices are generally mounted outside the dishwasher, if necessary also at least at a visual height on a wall of the room, it is difficult to load the container from above, since the container can often not be seen from above. On the other hand, the control device, which increases the overall depth of the container and thus hinders it, bothers.

In another known embodiment (EP-OS 0 020 709), the block-shaped solid-state cleaner is accommodated in a cartridge which is inserted obliquely from above into the housing. The water spray device is inserted into the housing from behind and the water hits the sloping surface of the cleaner. The overall oblique arrangement of the housing makes it unnecessary Construction depth necessary and control devices can no longer be attached to the device. The same disadvantages arise for loading, and the cartridges are otherwise complex.

The invention has for its object to develop the device mentioned in such a way that loading of the housing with the solid-state cleaner is facilitated and the overall depth is reduced.

This object is achieved in that the housing as a closure has a hinged front flap and this has an inwardly projecting water-permeable receptacle for the solid, and that the receptacle in the closed position of the front flap is arranged at a short distance above the spraying device.

According to the invention, the housing thus has a flap arranged at the front, which can be swung open to the front, so that the container can be charged with the solid-state cleaner from the front in the region of the viewing height or below. The loading is further particularly simplified in that the solid-state cleaner is simply pushed onto or placed on the inside of the front flap with the receptacle and, after the front flap has been pivoted into the closed position, is held by the receptacle in the position desired for the release process. When you close the front cover, the device is immediately ready for use. Furthermore, with this design it is possible to arrange any control and control device on the now closed ceiling of the housing, with which on the one hand control lamps can be arranged particularly visibly since they are practically visible from all sides. Furthermore, the overall depth of the device can be reduced as this only must still be a little larger than the outline shape of the solid-state cleaner.

According to one embodiment, the inside of the front flap has an open-topped container with a water-permeable bottom forming the receptacle.

In this embodiment, the solid-state cleaner can therefore be inserted directly into the container arranged on the front flap, so that after pivoting the front flap into the closed position it is in an exactly correct position with respect to the water spray device. Since the upper opening of the container is also located at the front in the open position of the front flap, loading is possible from the front, and the container can also be viewed, so any faults when inserting the solid-state cleaner are immediately noticeable. Any residues still present in the container, which could make loading difficult or impossible, can also be easily removed from the opening.

The container is advantageously of the same shape as the housing, but with a smaller outline, so that the housing - with the exception of the control device - must have a volume that is only slightly larger than that of the solid-state cleaner itself.

The container is expediently connected to the front flap via spacers in order to be able to manufacture it, for example, from a different material than the front flap forming the visible side of the housing.

Furthermore, it is expedient if the bottom of the container is designed as a perforated plate in order to allow the water to enter freely from the spray device.

In a device known from practice according to the preambles of claims 6 and 7, the solid cleaner is accommodated in a can-like plastic container which tapers in a flat-conical manner on its upper side and has a short cylindrical neck for a screw cap. The solid cleaner is commercially available in this container. After removing the screw cap, the consumer inserts the fallen container into the housing of the metering device, the water being sprayed into the container by means of the spray device and the detergent being released from the container. The detergent runs off through the opening of the container into the lower part of the metering unit housing and can then be drained into the dishwasher.

This known design of the device has the advantage in terms of occupational hygiene that the consumer no longer comes into contact with the cleaner. Another advantage is that the cleaner is properly packaged until the dosing device is inserted. A disadvantage is the fact that the cylindrical containers have a relatively large diameter, with the result that the metering device mounted on the wall or on the dishwasher has a correspondingly unfavorable projection. Furthermore, since the closure flap of the metering device forms the lid of the housing, the container must be inserted from above. The dosing device can only be inspected from above. This presupposes that the metering device is mounted at a correspondingly low height in order to be sufficiently accessible from an operational point of view. With regard to the arrangement of the control devices, the same applies as in the prior art described above.

In such a known embodiment, the object of the invention finds its solution in that the housing has a front flap hinged close to the floor and this has an inwardly projecting receptacle for the container with an opening for the passage of water, and in that the receptacle is in the closed position of the front flap is arranged at a short distance above the spray device.

This solution according to the invention brings with it the advantages already described above with regard to user-friendliness and size.

A further improvement, in particular with regard to the depth and space requirement, is achieved in that the container is designed as a rectangular bottle with an inwardly drawn neck having the opening, and in that the housing of the metering device has a rectangular shape adapted to the outline of the container.

Due to the elongated-rectangular design of the bottle-like container and the likewise rectangular shape of the housing of the metering device, the advantage initially arises that the metering device attached to the wall or on the dishwasher has a smaller projection and thus does not form an annoying obstacle. Furthermore, the largest possible amount of detergent can be accommodated in the rectangular container with the smallest space requirement.

In a preferred embodiment it is provided that the housing is cuboid and the receptacles are set up for at least two containers arranged side by side.

In this embodiment, the advantages of the rectangular cross-section come into play to a particular degree, since the largest possible amount of cleaner can be made available in the smallest space. Rectangular, bottle-like containers are also more accessible than round, can-like containers with a relatively large diameter.

A further advantageous embodiment is characterized in that the receptacles are formed by an intermediate floor arranged above the water spray device, which has at least two openings lying next to one another, the diameter of which is adapted to the diameter of the neck of the container, and that the water spray device is one of the Number of openings has a corresponding number of nozzles.

The bottle-like containers with the solid cleaner are inserted with their neck first into the openings in the intermediate floor and are held there perfectly. A nozzle of the water spray device is assigned to each container, so that the cleaner is simultaneously discharged from all containers in a dissolved form.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the front flap has the intermediate floor protruding into the housing near its lower edge. The intermediate shelf is thus moved out when the front flap is opened and brought into an angular position in which the insertion of the containers into the opening of the intermediate shelf is particularly simple. The containers used are then pivoted into their operating position when the front flap is closed.

Advantageously, the front flap is articulated about a horizontal axis arranged approximately at the level of the water spraying device, so that the lower part of the housing acts as a tub which is closed on all sides and into which the detergent is removed can be formed.

Appropriately, stops for limiting the pivoting angle of the front flap are arranged on the housing in the open position. For example, the stops can be arranged on the inside of the opposite side walls of the housing and in the pivoting area of the intermediate floor, so that the intermediate floor runs into the stops in the open position of the front flap.

The water spray device advantageously has a water pipe running in the longitudinal axis of the cuboid housing, into which the nozzles are interchangeably inserted. In this way, on the one hand, the nozzles can be selected so that the jet angle can be adapted to the opening of the container. Furthermore, if necessary, the nozzle can be easily removed for cleaning or replacement purposes.

It is furthermore expedient if the intermediate base has side walls projecting upwards at least on its narrow sides in order to guide the containers used laterally and at the same time give the intermediate base the necessary stability.

Finally, the container is preferably made of a UV-shielding plastic. This takes into account in particular the fact that solid cleaners contain chemical components that are not UV-resistant. These include, for example, chlorine carriers. Otherwise, the containers can be reused by returning them to the supplier of the cleaner and filling the containers there again with solid detergent.

Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of claims 16 and 17.

Fig. 1

einen Querschnitt einer Ausführungsform der Vorrichtung;

Fig. 2

einen Längsschnitt der Vorrichtung gemäß Fig. 1;

Fig. 3

einen der Fig. 1 ähnlichen Querschnitt einer anderen Ausführungsform und

Fig. 4

eine der Fig. 2 entsprechende Ansicht dieser Ausführungsform.

The invention is described below with reference to exemplary embodiments shown in the drawing. The drawing shows:

Fig. 1

a cross section of an embodiment of the device;

Fig. 2

a longitudinal section of the device of FIG. 1;

Fig. 3

a cross-section similar to FIG. 1 of another embodiment and

Fig. 4

a view corresponding to FIG. 2 of this embodiment.

The device shown in Figures 1 and 2 has a rectangular narrow housing 1, which is provided in the region of its bottom with a water connection 2 and a water outlet 3 and on its front side with a front flap 4, which at 5 in the area near the floor on a horizontal Axis, e.g. B. a hinge od. Like. Is hinged. The front flap has a handle bar 6 on its upper side.

On the ceiling of the housing 1 there is another housing part with a control device 7 which has, for example, a plurality of control lamps 8.

Within the housing 1, in turn, a receptacle 9 in the form of a perforated plate is arranged in the area near the floor, which is arranged directly above a nozzle pipe 10 adjoining the water connection 2, which is arranged again extends from one narrow side to the other narrow side along the water-permeable receptacle 9.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the water-permeable receptacle 9 forms the bottom of a container 11 with a front wall 12, rear wall 13 and side walls 14, which is attached to the inside of the front flap 4 at a distance from it and at a distance from it. The top of the container 16 is open. The cuboid-shaped solid-state cleaner, which is not shown in the drawing, can be inserted through this opening 16 in the position shown in dash-dotted lines in FIG. 1 - the opening position - of the front flap 4. In the closed position of the front flap 4 shown in solid lines in FIG. 1, the bottom of the container 11 is located directly above the nozzle tube 10, so that the solid-state cleaner used is dissolved from below by the inflowing water. The detergent runs down through the floor and reaches outlet 3 through the dishwasher.

The embodiment according to FIGS. 3 and 4 differs from the one described above in that only the receptacle 9 is arranged on the front flap 4 and has two openings 17 arranged next to one another. When the front flap 4 is open, a rectangular bottle-shaped container 18 with the neck 19 containing the solid cleaner can be inserted into these openings.

The receptacle 9 in the manner of an intermediate floor is also attached to the lower edge of the front flap 4 in this exemplary embodiment, that is to say it can be pivoted together with the latter. The front flap 4 and the receptacle 9 can thus move from the position shown in solid lines in FIG. 2 into the position indicated by dash-dotted lines Position pivoted in which the container 18 can be inserted into the openings 17 of the receptacle 9 from the front. The opening position shown in dash-dotted lines is determined by stops 20 arranged inside the housing 1, against which the receptacle 9, which has 18 side cheeks 21 for holding the containers, runs against these side cheeks.

As can be seen from the drawing, the neck 19 of the container 18 inserted into the receiving openings 17 engages over the nozzle 22 to a small extent. In operation, the water is sprayed from the nozzles 22 at an angle, which is, for example, about 90 degrees, through the neck 19 onto the solid cleaner located in the container 18, so that it is dissolved and the cleaning solution into the tub 23 and from there via the drain not shown reaches the dishwasher. The water spray device is controlled by a concentration sensor in the dishwasher.

Claims (18)

1. Device for the dosed delivery of a solid detergent in dissolved form to dishwashing machines, comprising a casing (1) receiving the solid with a closable opening of a water sprayer (10) located at the bottom for the purpose of dissolving the detergent and a drain (3) for the dissolved detergent, characterized in that the casing (1) has as a closure a front flap (4) articulated close to the bottom and the flap has an inwardly projecting, water-permeable receptacle (9) for the solid, and that the receptacle is at a limited distance above the sprayer (10) when the front flap (4) is in the closed position.
2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that on its inside the front flap (4) has a top-open container (11) with a water-permeable base (9) forming the receptacle.
3. Device according to claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the container (11) is formed in equicontour manner with the casing (1), but has a smaller circumference.
4. Device according to one of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the container (11) is connected by means of spacers (15) to the front flap (4).
5. Device according to one of the claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the base (9) of the container (11) is constructed as a perforated plate.
6. Device for the dosed delivery of a solid detergent in dissolved form to dishwashing machines, comprising a container (18) receiving the solid detergent and serving as a sales pack and a dosing mechanism receiving the container (18) with a downwardly directed opening and which has a casing with a closure, a water sprayer (10) for dissolving the detergent acting in the container opening and positioned close to the bottom, as well as a drain (3) for the dissolved detergent, characterized in that the casing (1) has as a closure a front flap (4) articulated close to the bottom and the flap has an inwardly projecting receptacle (9) for the container (18) with an opening (17) for the passage of the water and that the receptacle is placed at a limited distance above the sprayer (10) when the front flap is in the closed position.
7. Device for the dosed delivery of a solid detergent in dissolved form to dishwashing machines, comprising a container (18) receiving the solid detergent and serving as a sales pack and a dosing mechanism receiving the container with a downwardly directed opening, which has a casing (1) with a closure, a water sprayer (10) for dissolving the detergent acting in the container opening and positioned close to the bottom, as well as a drain (3) for the dissolved detergent, characterized in that the container (18) is constructed as a rectangular bottle with an inwardly drawn neck having the opening and that the casing (1) of the dosing mechanism has a rectangular shape adapted to the circumference of the container (18).
8. Device according to claims 6 or 7, characterized in that the casing (1) is parallelepipedic and the receptacles (9) are intended for at least two juxtaposed containers (16).
9. Device according to one of the claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the receptacle is formed by a partition placed above the water sprayer (10,22) and which has at least two juxtaposed openings (17), whose diameter is adapted to the diameter of the container neck (19) and that the water sprayer has a number of nozzles (22) corresponding to the number of openings (17).
10. Device according to one of the claims 6 to 9, characterized in that close to its lower edge, the front flap (4) has the partition projecting into the casing (1).
11. Device according to one of the claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the front flap (4) is articulated to a horizontal spindle (5) arranged roughly level with the water sprayer (10,22).
12. Device according to one of the claims 1 to 11, characterized in that stops (20) for limiting the pivoting angle of the front flap (4) in the open position are placed on the casing (1).
13. Device according to one of the claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the stops (20) are located on the inside of the facing side walls (1) of the casing (1) and in the pivoting area of the partition.
14. Device according to one of the claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the water sprayer has a water pipe (10) passing in the longitudinal axis of the parallelepipedic casing (1) and in which are placed in interchangeable manner the nozzles (22).
15. Device according to one of the claims 1 to 14, characterized in that, at least on its narrow sides, the partition has upwardly projecting sides (21).
16. Device according to one of the claims 1 to 15, characterized in that a checking device (7) is placed on the top of the casing (1).
17. Device according to one of the claims 6 to 16, characterized in that the partition and the nozzles (22) are so associated with one another that the neck (19) of the container (18) placed in the partition opening (17) projects over the nozzle (22).
18. Device according to one of the claims 6 to 17, characterized in that the container (18) is made from a plastics material giving protection against UV-radiation.

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