EP0685587B1 - Laundry washing machine with improved washing agent distribution - Google Patents

Laundry washing machine with improved washing agent distribution Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0685587B1
EP0685587B1 EP95108039A EP95108039A EP0685587B1 EP 0685587 B1 EP0685587 B1 EP 0685587B1 EP 95108039 A EP95108039 A EP 95108039A EP 95108039 A EP95108039 A EP 95108039A EP 0685587 B1 EP0685587 B1 EP 0685587B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
compartment
bleach
washing machine
laundry
laundry 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
EP95108039A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0685587A1 (en
Inventor
Dino Bongini
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.)
Whirlpool EMEA SpA
Original Assignee
Merloni Elettrodomestici SpA
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 Merloni Elettrodomestici SpA filed Critical Merloni Elettrodomestici SpA
Publication of EP0685587A1 publication Critical patent/EP0685587A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0685587B1 publication Critical patent/EP0685587B1/en
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

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a laundry washing machine, of the type comprising a container of the washing agents divided into compartments and precisely a compartment for the pre-wash detergents, a compartment for the detergents of the actual wash and a compartment for the softener.
  • Such dispensing device is usually composed of a container divided into a series of compartments, each of which destined to be loaded with a dose of detergents and/or additives to be used during the different phases of the washing program; in the working position of the dispenser, each of such compartments is placed in communication with appropriate water entry and drainage ducts, in such a way that a quantity of water can pass through conveying the washing agents to the tub.
  • the user therefore selects a washing program and provides for adding to the various compartments of the dispenser the appropriate quantity of the said washing agents; at an appropriate moment, upon a command of the control system (of the electromechanical or electronic type) of the machine, the water to be introduced to the washing tub of the machine is made to pass through each of the various compartments, so as to convey to the tub the relative washing agent; i.e. based on the selected program, and according to the phase of the wash reached, the control system provides for withdrawing at appropriate times the different washing agents from the relative compartments.
  • the control system of the electromechanical or electronic type
  • the detergents drawer is provided for the use of liquid detergents; such drawers, that therefore allow for the use of bleach usually have four compartments, and are therefore of considerable encumbrance and of complicated realisation, due to the necessity of having to allow for the use of both powder agents and liquid agents (see for instance EP-A-0 169 604).
  • Such machines are not usually equipped with an appropriate cycle for the bleach, therefore the user has to select one of the normal cycles provided by the machine, preferably a cycle of brief duration: the use of bleach does however require particular attention (as will result from the following), therefore the compromise of using an existing program of the machine does not allow for completely exploiting the characteristics of the bleach.
  • the drawer of the washing agents only has three compartments, precisely a compartment for powder detergents for the pre-wash, a compartment for powder detergents for the actual wash and a compartment for a liquid softener. It is therefore clear that with such machines the bleaching of laundry is not possible, if not using other solutions as a compromise.
  • the user has to load the laundry to be bleached in the machine, select a brief washing program and, while the machine charges the water in the tub, pour the bleach in the detergents compartment for the wash, with the dispenser open.
  • the machine consequently carries out such brief cycle and, after the final spinning phase, the user can then add any other laundry to be washed, insert the preferred powder detergent, in the dispenser or by way of the so called "ball", and select if possible a cycle without a pre-wash phase and being of a low temperature.
  • This sequence of operations is also that suggested by the bleach producers themselves.
  • the present invention is therefore based on the recognition of some important facts:
  • the aim of the present invention is therefore that of indicating a laundry washing machine with a detergents drawer having only three compartments that, without any substantial cost increases, is arranged for the use of bleach and in which an appropriate program is provided for the execution of an efficient bleaching of the laundry, without the known drawbacks.
  • Figure 1 represents a container making up part of the washing agents dispenser of the machine according to the present invention; such container, globally indicated with reference number 1, is realised as a parallelepiped drawer and in use results in being slidably inserted, in a known way, in an appropriate cavity situated in the command console of the laundry washing machine.
  • in the upper part of such cavity means are provided for the supply of the water that has to pass through the container 1, and a lower duct that places the drawer in communication with the inside of the washing tub of the machine.
  • the drawer container 1 is divided in three compartments, more precisely:
  • the compartment for the pre-wash 2 is realised in such a way that a small tank can be inserted within for containing a dose of bleach, to be utilised as an alternative to the powder detergent for the pre-wash.
  • a small tank which is removable, indicated with 5, has a lower downflow aperture 6, equipped with a suitable siphon 7, so as that the bleach does not exit the small tank until the programming device or timer of the machine does not command the conveyance of water in the compartment 2 necessary for the fulfilment of the bleaching phase.
  • the small tank 5 has a vertical blade centrally arranged, indicated with 8, having the purpose of facilitating the dosage of the bleach: in practice, references are present on such blade 8 (such as notches or different colours, indicating the different levels of the bleach dosage, according to the requirements of the bleaching operation).
  • Figure 2 illustrates a container making up part of the washing agents dispensing device of the machine according to the present invention, in a second possible embodiment; in such figure 2 the same reference numbers of figure 1 have been maintained, for indicating technically equivalent elements.
  • the container 1 is not of the drawer type, instead it is of the angular movable type, having a circular sector shaped plan, according to the technique described in the European patent application EP-A-0327.043, in the name of the same Applicant.
  • the compartment 2 is destined for alternative use of powder detergents for the pre-wash or of bleach, by way of inserting in such compartment 2 the appropriate removable small tank 5.
  • FIG 3 the base of the containers 1 of figures 1 and 2 are illustrated, in the compartment 2 of which the small tank for the bleach is inserted.
  • the laundry washing machine according to the invention is also equipped with an appropriate program for using bleach, as an alternative to detergents for the pre-wash: advantageously such specific program for bleaching is obtained by way of several phases provided in a main washing program controlled by the timer of the machine, appropriately modified respect the known art.
  • FIG 4 illustrates in a schematic manner the course of the phases making up an intense washing program of the known type.
  • the prewash phase is indicated with P
  • the actual washing phase with L with A, B, C and D four rinses are indicated; upon termination of the final rinse D a high speed spinning phase E is provided; such spinning phase may eventually be followed by a drying phase, in the case of machines which provide for such a function.
  • the functions carried out during the mentioned phases are in themselves known, therefore they will not be described in detail; it is convenient to mention as to how, according to the known art, during each rinse the movement of the laundry in the cold water charged to the washing tub is in the order of 4-6 minutes.
  • Figure 5 illustrates in a schematic manner the course of the phases making up an intense washing program of the machine according to the present invention, a program within which a specific cycle for the use of bleach, eventually charged in the compartment 2, has been advantageously obtained.
  • the program of figure 5 has the great difference of comprising at least one rinse (BB) of a duration being substantially longer compared to that provided by the known art; in particular during the course of the second rinse (BB) provided according to the invention a movement of the laundry in the water takes place in the order of 10-20 minutes, for instance 15 minutes.
  • BB rinse
  • a movement of the laundry in the water takes place in the order of 10-20 minutes, for instance 15 minutes.
  • Such dedicated cycle is characterised therefore in the absence of heating the water present in the washing tub of the machine and comprises a first actual bleaching phase, obtained in the phase BB, of a duration being comprised of 10-20 minutes, followed by at least two rinsing phases C and D, each of which being of the usual duration, comprised for example of 4-6 minutes of movement of the laundry in the clean water; and finally providing a spinning phase E of a high rotational speed of the basket, for instance in the order of 600 rpm.
  • the functioning of the machine according to the invention is the following.
  • the user loads the laundry to be washed in the machine and the detergents in the container 2: in particular the detergents for the eventual pre-wash will be inserted in the compartment 2, the detergents for the wash in the compartment 3 and the liquid softener in the compartment 4.
  • the user by way of the dial of the programmer device or timer, selects the beginning of the intense program and starts the machine.
  • the user inserts the small tank 5 in the compartment 2 of the container 1, introduces the desired dose of bleach, loads the laundry to be bleached in the machine and selects by way of the dial of the timer the bleaching cycle.
  • the display of the timer provides an appropriate indication of the point in which the dial is to be positioned, in correspondence of which the machine is arranged for initiating the second rinse BB.
  • the machine continues the movement of the laundry in the water containing the bleach for approximately 15 minutes, it then discharges the water used for the bleaching; the two rinses C and D follow with clean water and then the final spinning phase E.
  • the dedicated bleaching cycle then terminates.
  • the described machine could be of the electronically controlled type and therefore have a microprocessor, in union with or in place of an electromechanical timer, which completely or partially takes care of controlling the washing programs.
  • the user could therefore be in a position to program beforehand the combined operations of bleaching and washing by way of simple command means, such as keys, without any other interventions.
  • the rinsing phase of the generic cycle in which the withdrawing of the bleach takes place does not necessarily have to be the second (BB), but could also be the first.
  • figure 6 illustrates a possible variant of the intense washing cycle according to the present invention; such cycle differs in practice from the cycle of figure 5 in that it eliminates a rinse and in that the rinse, indicated with AA, in which the withdrawal of the bleach takes place is the first of those provided, then followed by two usual rinses C and D and the final spinning phase E.
  • the cycle of figure 6 has an overall duration being less than that of figure 5 (and slightly greater than that of the known cycle of figure 4): it is however to be noted that with the purpose of the wash, the elimination of a rinse compared to the known art does not have negative effects, in that it is compensated by the lengthening of the rinse AA.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Detail Structures Of Washing Machines And Dryers (AREA)
  • Detergent Compositions (AREA)
  • Control Of Washing Machine And Dryer (AREA)
EP95108039A 1994-05-26 1995-05-26 Laundry washing machine with improved washing agent distribution Expired - Lifetime EP0685587B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT94TO000431A IT1266838B1 (it) 1994-05-26 1994-05-26 Macchina lavabiancheria a distribuzione di agenti di lavaggio migliorata
ITTO940431 1994-05-26

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0685587A1 EP0685587A1 (en) 1995-12-06
EP0685587B1 true EP0685587B1 (en) 1999-09-15

Family

ID=11412558

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP95108039A Expired - Lifetime EP0685587B1 (en) 1994-05-26 1995-05-26 Laundry washing machine with improved washing agent distribution

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0685587B1 (it)
DE (1) DE69512133T2 (it)
ES (1) ES2137404T3 (it)
IT (1) IT1266838B1 (it)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2133456A1 (en) 2008-06-13 2009-12-16 Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. Laundry washing and/or drying machine with a multifunction detergent dispenser, and relative operating method

Families Citing this family (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0995828B1 (en) * 1998-10-19 2005-02-16 CANDY S.p.A. A washing cycle for washing machine
ES2304668T3 (es) * 2005-09-16 2008-10-16 Whirlpool Corporation Dispensador de detergente para una lavadora de ropa.
DE102006002400B3 (de) 2006-01-17 2007-01-11 Miele & Cie. Kg Einspüleinrichtung für Behandlungsmittel zum Einsatz in einer Waschmaschine
DE102007028173A1 (de) * 2007-06-20 2008-12-24 BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH Automatisch gesteuerte Waschmaschine
US7900486B2 (en) 2007-08-20 2011-03-08 Whirlpool Corporation Agent dispenser
US8286288B2 (en) 2008-07-01 2012-10-16 Whirlpool Corporation Method of indicating operational information for a bulk dispensing system
US8196441B2 (en) 2008-07-01 2012-06-12 Whirlpool Corporation Household cleaning appliance with a dispensing system operable between a single use dispensing system and a bulk dispensing system
US8397544B2 (en) 2008-07-01 2013-03-19 Whirlpool Corporation Household cleaning appliance with a single water flow path for both non-bulk and bulk dispensing
US8813526B2 (en) 2008-07-01 2014-08-26 Whirlpool Corporation Water flow paths in a household cleaning appliance with single use and bulk dispensing
US20100000264A1 (en) 2008-07-01 2010-01-07 Whirlpool Corporation Method for converting a household cleaning appliance with a non-bulk dispensing system to a household cleaning appliance with a bulk dispensing system
US10138587B2 (en) 2008-07-01 2018-11-27 Whirlpool Corporation Household cleaning appliance with a dispensing system operable between a single use dispensing system and a bulk dispensing system
CN104652087A (zh) * 2013-11-25 2015-05-27 博西华电器（江苏）有限公司 洗衣机及其消毒洗涤方法、洗衣机控制器
EP3617380B1 (en) * 2018-08-30 2021-12-29 Electrolux Appliances Aktiebolag Laundry treatment appliance with coordinated drawing up of treatment agent

Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4188807A (en) * 1975-12-04 1980-02-19 Bosch-Siemens Hausgerate Gmbh Automatic washing machine for textiles having separate containers for washing substances, meters and common pre-mix channel for metered substances
JPS5369470A (en) * 1976-12-01 1978-06-20 Hitachi Ltd Mechanism for feeding bleach into washing machine
GB2161838A (en) * 1984-07-16 1986-01-22 Philips Electronic Associated Detergent dispenser for a washing machine
IT1220287B (it) 1988-02-02 1990-06-15 Merloni Elettrodomestici Spa Cassetto distributore di detersivi per macchine lavatrici
IT221565Z2 (it) * 1991-01-22 1994-07-22 Candy Spa Gruppo erogatore-distributore a struttura perfezionata, per macchine lavabiancheria.
DE4109728A1 (de) * 1991-03-25 1992-10-01 Licentia Gmbh Verfahren zum waschen und bleichen von waesche

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2133456A1 (en) 2008-06-13 2009-12-16 Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. Laundry washing and/or drying machine with a multifunction detergent dispenser, and relative operating method

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE69512133T2 (de) 2000-07-06
DE69512133D1 (de) 1999-10-21
ES2137404T3 (es) 1999-12-16
EP0685587A1 (en) 1995-12-06
IT1266838B1 (it) 1997-01-21
ITTO940431A0 (it) 1994-05-26
ITTO940431A1 (it) 1995-11-26

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