EP0473532B1 - Procédé et dispositif distributeur pour laver le linge en machine à laver - Google Patents

Procédé et dispositif distributeur pour laver le linge en machine à laver Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0473532B1
EP0473532B1 EP91610067A EP91610067A EP0473532B1 EP 0473532 B1 EP0473532 B1 EP 0473532B1 EP 91610067 A EP91610067 A EP 91610067A EP 91610067 A EP91610067 A EP 91610067A EP 0473532 B1 EP0473532 B1 EP 0473532B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
receptacle
bag
dispensing
disintegrating
washing
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP91610067A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0473532A1 (fr
Inventor
Jorgen Bonde Eriksen
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Cleantabs AS
Original Assignee
Cleantabs AS
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Cleantabs AS filed Critical Cleantabs AS
Publication of EP0473532A1 publication Critical patent/EP0473532A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0473532B1 publication Critical patent/EP0473532B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F39/00—Details of washing machines not specific to a single type of machines covered by groups D06F9/00 - D06F27/00 
    • D06F39/02—Devices for adding soap or other washing agents
    • D06F39/024—Devices for adding soap or other washing agents mounted on the agitator or the rotating drum; Free body dispensers

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a method for washing clothes in a washing machine by employing a reusable receptacle for dispensing a detergent, said receptacle having a flexible bag-like body and an opening, said method comprising a solid detergent in the form of a tablet being placed in the dispensing receptacle, the latter then being put into the drum of the washing machine together with the clothes to be washed, whereupon the washing is started and carried out in the usual manner.
  • US-A 3.048.993 discloses the filling of washing powder into a bag in connection with machine washing of clothes, said bag being put into the drum of the washing machine together with the clothes to be washed.
  • the washing bag is made of a porous material. During the wash cycle the bag comes into contact with the wash water whereby the washing powder inside the bag is dissolved and permeates through its walls.
  • EP-A1 0343069 and EP-A1 0343070 disclose corresponding methods employing a reusable receptacle for dispensing a detergent, said receptacle having a flexible bag-like body and an opening, the receptacle being filled with the desired amount of solid detergent prior to being put into the drum of the washing machine together with the clothes to be washed. Then the wash cycle is started and carried out in the usual manner.
  • the dispensing receptacle disclosed in the first mentioned European patent specification comprises a closeable opening closed during the wash cycle, while the second mentioned patent specification discloses a dispensing receptacle, the opening of which is open during the wash cycle.
  • dispensing receptacles are advantageous in that direct contact between the undissolved detergent and the clothes and thus the risk of discolouration of the latter is avoided, and that all of the detergent powder is dissolved and available for washing instead of falling directly to the bottom of the machine and leaving it via the drain system without being used during washing.
  • a further advantage is that the annoying noise generated by known dispensing receptacles made of rigid plastics during the wash cycle is avoided.
  • EP-A1 0343069 indicates that the solid detergent may be in the form of tablets. If, however, the method disclosed in this patent specification is carried out without further measures, the dissolving time of the tablet is unacceptably long, especially for fine washing, i.e. a comparatively short wash cycle at low temperatures. This fact should be seen in the light of the difficulties in manufacturing detergent tablets having excellent transport and storage properties and at the same time being quickly dissolved.
  • the object of the invention is to provide a method of the above mentioned type allowing a quick dissolution of detergent tablets of good transport and storage properties.
  • the method according to the invention is characterized by a substantially freely movable disintegrating body being in the interior of the bag of the dispensing receptacle during the wash cycle.
  • the clothes compress the flexible body of the dispensing receptacle thus pressing the tablet or tablets in the interior of the receptacle against the disintegrating body, thus disintegrating said tablet(s).
  • the disintegrating body has a wearing effect on the tablet, grinding off the detergent.
  • the tablets are disintegrated in comparatively short time, the resulting increased free surface of the solid detergent causing a faster dissolution thereof.
  • the invention also relates to a dispensing device to be used for carrying out the method according to the invention and comprising a dispensing receptacle with a flexible bag-like body and an opening into the interior of the bag.
  • the dispensing device is characterized by further comprising a disintegrating body arranged substantially freely movable in the interior of the bag.
  • the disintegrating body may be connected to the dispensing receptacle via a flexible connecting means substantially not influencing the free movability of the disintegrating body. Since the disintegrating body is thus still connected to the dispensing receptacle, it is avoided that said body is lost during the use of the dispensing device.
  • the disintegrating body may according to the invention be of such a shape compared to the opening of the dispensing receptacle that it cannot leave the interior of the receptacle. Also this measure eliminates the risk of losing the disintegrating body during the use of the dispensing device.
  • the disintegrating body may according to the invention be of substantially convex shape.
  • the disintegrating body is able to subject the detergent tablet to a disintegrating force regardless of the orientation of said body in relation to said tablet, as the disintegrating body and the tablet do not possess conformal surfaces.
  • the disintegrating body may be substantially of spherical shape. This embodiment has given good results in practial applications.
  • the disintegrating body may have an uneven surface structure, thus optimizing the wear of the distintegrating body when grinding off detergent from the tablet.
  • the opening of the dispensing receptacle is formed by a mouthpiece connected to the edge of the bag
  • the opening of said mouthpiece may have the shape of an elongated slot of a length slightly longer than the largest dimension of the detergent tablet and a width slightly larger than the smallest dimension of the detergent tablet.
  • the body of the dispensing receptacle may be of a porous material permeable for liquids, thus increasing inflow and outflow of liquid and thus the rate of dissolution of the solid detergent.
  • the mouthpiece of the dispensing receptacle may according to the invention be closeable, thus making sure that the solid detergent does not escape from the dispensing device undissolved.
  • the first embodiment of a dispensing device according to the invention shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a bag 1, the upper edge of which being connected to a mouthpiece 3, as well as a spherical disintegrating body 5 in the interior 4 of the bag. Moreover, two detergent tablets 6 in the form of cylindrical discs are placed in the interior 4 of the bag.
  • the mouthpiece 3 is substantially cup-shaped having a bottom wall 7 passing over into a cylindrical wall 8 at right angles to the bottom wall 7. Approx. in the middle seen in vertical direction, the cylindrical wall 8 is provided with a circumferential recess 9 substantially in the shape of a hemicircle seen in cross-sectional view.
  • the bottom wall 7 is provided with centrally located elongated slot 10 having a lenght L s slightly longer than the diameter D t of the tablet(s) 6 to be placed in the dispensing device and a width B s slightly larger than the height H t of the tablet 6, so that the tablet 6 may be inserted through the slot without any problems.
  • the bag 1 is preferably made of a porous material permeable for liquids such as fabric.
  • the bag surrounds the cylindrical wall 8 of the mouthpiece 3 by means of the upper edge 2.
  • the bag 1 is fastened to the cylindrical wall by means of an elastic band such as an O-ring 11, the ring being of such a dimension that it presses the portion 12 of the upper edge of the bag into the recess 9 of the cylindrical wall and that it is at least partially received in the recess 9.
  • an elastic band such as an O-ring 11
  • the spherical disintegrating body 5 is of a diamter D larger than the width of the slot B s so that said body cannot escape from the dispensing device. Thus it is avoided that the disintegrating body 5 is lost or disappears when using the dispensing device.
  • the dispensing device When the dispensing device is to be used for washing clothes in a washing machine, one or more washing tablets are inserted through the slot 10 of the mouthpiece 3 into the interior 4 of the dispensing device, whereafter the dispensing device is put into the drum of the washing machine together with the clothes to washed. Then the wash cycle is started and carried out in the usual manner. During the wash cycle, the clothes compress the bag 1 thus pressing the washing tablet(s) 6 against the disintegrating body 5 and disintegrating them. As a result the washing tablets are quickly pulverized and thus dissolved in the wash water flowing into the interior 4 of the dispensing device, partially through the porous wall 13 of the bag 1 and partially through the slot 10. When the wash cycle is over, the dispensing device is removed from the drum of the machine and can be used again for a new wash cycle in the same way as described above.
  • the second embodiment of the device according to the invention shown in Figures 3 and 4 comprises a bag 21 made of a porous material permeable for liquids, preferably a fabric, and comprising an upper opening to be closed.
  • the inner surface of the opposing upper edge portions 22 of the bag are provide with velcrobands 34, 35 having engaging means facing each other.
  • the interior 24 of the bag 21 comprises a spherical disintegrating body 25 connected to the wall 33 of the bag 21 by means of a flexible cord or string 36 of such a length and flexibility that the disintegrating body 25 is substantially freely movable in the interior of the bag 21.
  • the fact that the disintegrating body 25 is tethered to the bag 21 prevents the loss of the disintegrating body.
  • the dispensing device of Figures 3 and 4 When the dispensing device of Figures 3 and 4 is to be used, it is opened by separating the velcrobands, whereupon one or more washing tablets (not shown) are inserted through the opening into the interior 24 of the bag 21. Moreover, the disintegrating body 25 is positioned in the interior 24 of the bag 21, if it is not there already. Then the dispensing device is put into the drum of the washing machine together with the clothes to be washed. The wash cycle is carried out as described above in the usual manner, the disintegration of the tablets taking place as described above.
  • Figure 5 illustrates the left half of a spherical disintegrating body 45 having a smooth outer surface 46.
  • another spherical disintegrating body 55 is illustated, the latter having an uneven outer surface 56, as it is provided with a number of evenly distributed tooth-like projections 57.
  • the body 55 subjects the tablets to greater wear due to the tooth-like projections thus improving the pulverization and dissolution of said tablets.
  • Figure 6 illustrates a further embodiment of the disintegrating body 65 of cylindrical shape and provided with semi-spherical end surfaces 66, 67.
  • the disintegrating body 5, 25, 45, 55, 65 is made of a rigid material, preferably a rigid plastic material resistant to temperatures of at least 100° C.
  • the disintegrating body may either be a hollow or massive body. Its dimensions are selected in relation to the dimensions of the tablets in such a way that said body is able to exert the intended disintegrating effect. Trials with tablets of a diameter of 30 - 40 mm have shown satisfactory results when using a spherical cylindrical disintegrating body of a diameter of between 20 and 70 mm. Larger or smaller disintegrating bodies can, however, also give correspondingly satisfactory results.
  • the method and device may be varied in many ways, without thereby deviating from the scope of the invention.
  • the dispensing receptacle having an opening which cannot be closed may be made of a material not permeable for liquids.
  • the dispensing receptacle may be provided with any known closure device for closing the opening.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Detergent Compositions (AREA)

Claims (10)

  1. Procédé de lavage de linge dans une machine à laver en employant un récipient réutilisable destiné à distribuer un détergent, ledit récipient comprenant un corps souple (1) en forme de sac, et une ouverture, ledit procédé comprenant un détergent solide sous forme d'une tablette (6) qui est placée dans le récipient de distribution, ce dernier étant mis ensuite à l'intérieur du tambour de la machine à laver en même temps que le linge à laver, auquel moment le lavage est démarré et exécuté de la manière habituelle, caractérisé par un corps désagrégeant (5, 25, 45, 55, 65) qui peut se déplacer sensiblement librement et situé dans l'intérieur (4, 24) du sac (1, 21) du récipient de distribution au cours du cycle de lavage.
  2. Dispositif distributeur devant être utilisé pour mettre en oeuvre le procédé selon la revendication 1 et qui comprend un récipient de distribution avec un corps souple en forme de sac et une ouverture à l'intérieur du sac, caractérisé en ce qu'il comprend en outre un corps désagrégeant (5, 25, 45, 55, 65) disposé de façon à pouvoir se déplacer sensiblement librement dans l'intérieur (4, 24) du sac (1, 21).
  3. Dispositif selon la revendication 2, caractérisé en ce que le corps désagrégeant (25) est relié au récipient de distribution par un moyen de connexion flexible (36) n'influençant pas substantiellement la libre mobilité du corps désagrégeant (25).
  4. Dispositif selon la revendication 2 ou 3, caractérisé en ce que le corps désagrégeant (5) est d' une telle forme par rapport à l'ouverture (10) du récipient de distribution qu'il ne peut pas quitter l'intérieur (4) du récipient.
  5. Dispositif selon une ou plusieurs des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que le corps désagrégeant (5, 25, 45, 55, 65) est d'une forme sensiblement convexe.
  6. Dispositif selon une ou plusieurs des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que le corps désagrégeant (5, 25, 45, 55,) est d'une forme sensiblement sphérique.
  7. Dispositif selon une ou plusieurs des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que le corps désagrégeant (45) a une structure superficielle inégale.
  8. Dispositif selon une ou plusieurs des revendications précédentes, dans lequel l'ouverture du récipient de distribution est constituée par une embouchure reliée au bord du sac, caractérisé en ce que l'ouverture (10) de ladite embouchure (3) a la forme d'une fente allongée d'une longueur (Ls) légèrement plus grande que la plus grande dimension (Dt) de la tablette (6) de détergent, et d'une largeur (Bs) légèrement plus grande que la plus petite dimension (Ht) de la tablette (6) de détergent.
  9. Dispositif selon une ou plusieurs des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que le corps (1, 21) du récipient de distribution est d'une matière poreuse perméable aux liquides.
  10. Dispositif selon une ou plusieurs des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que l'embouchure du récipient de distribution peut être fermée.
EP91610067A 1990-08-23 1991-08-21 Procédé et dispositif distributeur pour laver le linge en machine à laver Expired - Lifetime EP0473532B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DK202690A DK164954C (da) 1990-08-23 1990-08-23 Fremgangsmaade og udleveringsindretning til vask af toej i en vaskemaskine
DK2026/90 1990-08-23

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0473532A1 EP0473532A1 (fr) 1992-03-04
EP0473532B1 true EP0473532B1 (fr) 1995-04-05

Family

ID=8109561

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP91610067A Expired - Lifetime EP0473532B1 (fr) 1990-08-23 1991-08-21 Procédé et dispositif distributeur pour laver le linge en machine à laver

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0473532B1 (fr)
DE (1) DE69108643T2 (fr)
DK (1) DK164954C (fr)

Families Citing this family (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB9213167D0 (en) * 1992-06-22 1992-08-05 Unilever Plc Dispensing device
DK170077B1 (da) * 1993-06-11 1995-05-15 Cleantabs As Vaskemiddeludleveringsbeholder til brug ved maskinvask af tøj ved hjælp af et vaskemiddel i tabletform
DE19549440C2 (de) * 1995-12-20 2002-09-26 Henkel Kgaa Dosierspeicher
EP0846798A1 (fr) 1996-12-06 1998-06-10 The Procter & Gamble Company Dispositif distributeur de tablettes
GB2323606B (en) 1997-03-07 1999-12-29 Unilever Plc A process and a dispensing device for washing laundry in a washing machine
DE19717029C1 (de) * 1997-04-23 1998-06-10 Henkel Kgaa Vorrichtung zur Aufnahme und dosierten Abgabe eines Wasch- oder Reinigungsmittels
GB2327093B (en) * 1997-07-08 2002-03-13 Unilever Plc A detergent,detergent packaging and detergent dispensing device combination
EP1105559A1 (fr) 1998-08-10 2001-06-13 Jeyes Group Limited Lavage de lessive
EP1072715A1 (fr) * 1999-07-19 2001-01-31 The Procter & Gamble Company Distributeur de détergent en pastilles
GB0120284D0 (en) * 2001-08-21 2001-10-17 Newlands Technology Ltd Cleaning aid
GB2452477A (en) * 2007-08-16 2009-03-11 Matthew Samuel Grey Hand laundry system

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3947971A (en) * 1974-11-06 1976-04-06 John Levey Fabric softener and dispenser
FR2631639B1 (fr) * 1988-05-18 1991-06-21 Procter & Gamble Procede de lavage du linge en machine avec un produit particulaire et dispositif pour sa mise en oeuvre
FR2641551B2 (fr) * 1988-05-18 1991-11-22 Procter & Gamble Procede et dispositif pour le lavage du linge en machine avec un produit particulaire

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DK164954B (da) 1992-09-21
DE69108643D1 (de) 1995-05-11
DK202690A (da) 1992-02-24
DK164954C (da) 1993-02-15
DE69108643T2 (de) 1995-08-17
EP0473532A1 (fr) 1992-03-04
DK202690D0 (da) 1990-08-23

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