EP0699410A1 - Dosiereinrichtung für Reinigungsmitteltabletten - Google Patents

Dosiereinrichtung für Reinigungsmitteltabletten Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0699410A1
EP0699410A1 EP94306373A EP94306373A EP0699410A1 EP 0699410 A1 EP0699410 A1 EP 0699410A1 EP 94306373 A EP94306373 A EP 94306373A EP 94306373 A EP94306373 A EP 94306373A EP 0699410 A1 EP0699410 A1 EP 0699410A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
dispensing device
tablet
liquid permeable
opening
detergent
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP94306373A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Joris Josef Gustaaf Tack
Anne Angele Jacqueline Guillou
Tanya Cecile Corneel Van Rompuy
Steven Frederick Kelsey
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.)
Procter and Gamble Co
Original Assignee
Procter and Gamble Co
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 Procter and Gamble Co filed Critical Procter and Gamble Co
Priority to EP94306373A priority Critical patent/EP0699410A1/de
Priority to PCT/US1995/009790 priority patent/WO1996006666A1/en
Publication of EP0699410A1 publication Critical patent/EP0699410A1/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L15/00—Washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware
    • A47L15/42—Details
    • A47L15/44—Devices for adding cleaning agents; Devices for dispensing cleaning agents, rinsing aids or deodorants
    • A47L15/4445—Detachable devices
    • 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
    • D06F39/026—Devices for adding soap or other washing agents the powder or tablets being added directly, e.g. without the need of a flushing liquid

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a dispensing device for detergent tablet for use in dish and laundry washing machines.
  • Detergent compositions formed in non particulate solids such as bars or tablets or briquettes are known in the art.
  • tablette will refer to any form of non particulate solids.
  • the tablet provides a number of advantages to both the consumer and the manufacturer. Indeed, said tablet prevents spillage of the detergent composition. Furthermore, said tablet eliminates the need for the user to estimate the dosage of detergent composition required and ensures that the correct dosage of detergent composition per wash cycle is used by the user.
  • the tablets available on the market are generally sold packed in containers in a loose way or individually wrapped in bags. Therefore, the user needs if necessary to unwrap said tablet, to take a tablet between the fingers and eventually to put said tablet in the separate dispensing device.
  • small granules or particulate and/or fine dust of detergent are present on the tablets themselves or lying in the container.
  • the granules or particulate and/or dust are created by the friction between said tablet and the other tablets and/or the inner side walls of the container or bag.
  • the present invention provides a liquid permeable dispensing device (10) adapted to retain a detergent tablet.
  • Said dispensing device comprises a hollow body (12) having an opening (14) to allow the introduction of said tablet into said device.
  • Said dispensing device further comprises means (20) to take said detergent tablet from outside said device and introduce said tablet into said dispensing device.
  • Figures 1a is a perspective view and Figure 1b is a partial detail side view of a dispensing device of a first embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figures 2a to 2c show the sequence of handling and use of the embodiment of Figure 1 in a side view.
  • Figures 3a and 3b are a front view of a dispensing device in a second embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIGS 4a and 4b illustrates in side view the third embodiment of the present invention with its sequence of handling.
  • Figure 5a is a partial detail cross sectional front view and Figure 5b is a top view of a dispensing device according to the present invention with a child resistant restraint means.
  • any form of non particulate solids such as bars or tablets or briquettes will be encompassed by the term "tablet".
  • Said tablet is made by a detergent composition for laundry or dish washing. Said tablet may have any shape or dimension. Preferably, said solid, non particulate tablet is symmetrical to ensure the uniform dissolution of said tablet in the wash liquor.
  • the detergent tablet may comprise any ingredients known in the art.
  • ingredients may include surfactants, suds suppressers, bleaches, chelants, builders, enzymes, fillers and perfumes.
  • the detergent composition of the tablet is prepared in its granular or particulate form and then formed into tablets of the desired shape and size by any one of the methods known in the art. Suitable methods include compression, extrusion and casting.
  • the detergent composition may be homogeneously distributed throughout the tablet or may comprise distinct layers of certain detergent ingredients.
  • FIG. 1 shows a dispensing device (10) in a first embodiment of the present invention.
  • Said dispensing device (10) comprises a hollow body (12) and an opening (14).
  • Preferably said opening and said hollow body correspond to the configuration of the detergent tablet.
  • the shape and dimension of said opening is such that said tablet is able to be readily inserted into said device through said opening.
  • the shape and dimension of said hollow body (12) is adapted to retain the detergent tablet.
  • the dispensing device (10) of the present invention is liquid permeable. This means that said device allows liquid to enter inside said device itself. Therefore a detergent tablet contained in said device can be dissolved during a wash cycle, for example, by water. The dissolved detergent tablet forms a wash liquor. This wash liquor is able then to exit the liquid permeable dispensing device to be available in the wash cycle of the washing machine.
  • said hollow body (12) is a cage or a mesh or a perforated sheet structure, so that the device has multiple orifices. Said orifices are preferably evenly distributed throughout said hollow body of said device. The orifices are such that the detergent tablet cannot be removed from said dispensing device through said orifices.
  • said orifices are such to allow water to enter said dispensing device for dissolving the detergent tablet during the wash cycle of the washing machine, making said dispensing device liquid permeable.
  • said hollow body of said device has a cage structure.
  • said hollow body (12) of said dispensing device (10) comprises a rigid frame having a base (15) and sides (16).
  • said sides are substantially perpendicular to said base.
  • Said opening (14) is preferably opposite to said base (15).
  • another essential feature of said dispensing device (10) is a means (20) which allows to take said detergent tablet from outside the device, usually a container containing a plurality of tablets, and introduce said tablet into said dispensing device without having a contact between the fingers of a user and said detergent tablet. Therefore said dispensing device comprising said means is able, for example, to grip or scoop a detergent tablet and to insert said tablet directly into said dispensing device. It is believed that the present invention will be better understood with reference to a number of preferred embodiments of the invention and the associated drawings thereof.
  • the means (20) of the first preferred embodiment comprises at least a pair of pincer elements (22).
  • Said pincer elements are preferably attached to said side (16) of said dispensing device (10), opposing each other, elongated and extending beyond said opening (14) of said dispensing device (10).
  • Said pincer elements are flexible, i.e. they are able to be bent approaching each other by exerting a slight force on said elements.
  • the part of both pincer elements (22) extending beyond said opening has at least partially a flat surface.
  • said flat surfaces of said pincer elements correspond to each other.
  • the dispensing device (10) comprising said pincer elements (22) can be used in the following manner. Said dispensing device is held in a hand, in a manner that said opening (14) remains always unobstructed and at least two fingers are able to press onto the part of said pair of pincer elements (22) extending over said opening(14). In this manner, a detergent tablet can be grabbed and held in between said pair of pincer elements by squeezing the part of said pair of pincer elements (22) extending over said opening(14), as shown in Figure 2a. Afterwards, said dispensing device is rotated so that the tablet is held in between said pincer elements over said opening, as illustrated in Figure 2b.
  • said dispensing device (10) further comprises a child resistant restraint means (Fig. 1b, 24).
  • Said restraint means is adapted to prevent the removal of said tablet through said opening (14) prior to the dissolution of the tablet in the wash liquor.
  • the wording child resistant restraint means refers to any mechanism whereby access to the tablet, once inserted in the dispenser, is reduced so that the tablet cannot be readily removed, especially by infants and children.
  • a possible child resistant restraint means (24) may be located onto and between said pincer elements (22) themselves.
  • a possible execution of such a child resistant restraint means is illustrated in Figure 1b.
  • Each of said pincer element (22) comprises a protrusion (23) in form of a hook.
  • These hooks protrusions (23) are located on the sides of said pincer elements which approach each other by squeezing said pincer elements and opposing each other.
  • said hook protrusions are engaged to each other.
  • said opening (14) is partially closed, so that the access to the tablet, once inserted into the dispenser, is reduced. In this manner, the tablet cannot be readily removed from said dispensing device (10).
  • Another possible child resistant restraint means (24) may be at least a resiliently hingeable (25a) or deformable element (25b) located in the region of said opening (14) as illustrated in detail in Figures 5a and 5b.
  • Said resiliently hingeable or deformable element is displaced from its rest position within said hollow body (12) of said dispensing device (10) by the insertion of the tablet.
  • Said element has minimal, preferably no opposite hingeable motion or deformability beyond its rest position, so that the tablet cannot be removed from said hollow body once inserted therein.
  • said resiliently hingeable or deformable element may entirely close or partially close said opening of said dispensing device. Any number and any positioning with any configuration of said resillently hingeable or deformable elements around said opening (14) may be variably chosen.
  • said dispensing device (10) has to be squeezed in order to separate said pincer elements (22) from each other.
  • the squeezing force may be exerted on part of the sides (16) of said dispensing device or on the part of said pincer elements extending beyond said opening of said dispensing device.
  • the user is able to pick up a tablet, as illustrated in Figure 3a. This tablet falls into said dispensing device (10) by releasing the squeezing force on said pincer elements, as shown in Figure 3b.
  • this embodiment may comprise any of the child resistant restraint means described before.
  • said dispensing device comprises a shovel element (26).
  • Said shovel element (26) is preferably hinged to a side of said hollow body (12) in the region of said opening (14) of said dispensing device.
  • Said shovel element preferably is able to close said opening (14) by pivoting along a hinged part (Fig. 5b, 26a).
  • Figure 5a shows said shovel element (26) in its open position. In this open position, said shovel element is able to scoop a tablet directly into said dispensing device through said opening (14).
  • said shovel element comprises a means (27) to improve the conveying of said scooped tablet into said dispensing device.
  • This means (27) is preferably attached to said shovel element (26) beneath said opening (14). Indeed, said means (27) helps in avoiding that said scooped tablet falls sideways, therefore avoiding a tedious filling of said dispensing device (see Figure 5a).
  • This means (27) may be a structure of crossed rods or a panel. Rotating said dispensing device upwards so that said scooped tablet is brought above said opening (14), said tablet is free to fall through said opening into said dispensing device, as shown in Figure 5b. Thereafter, said opening (14) can be closed by said shovel element (26) pivoting along said hinged part (26a). Thereby, also said means (27) slides inside said dispensing device.
  • said shovel element closes said opening (14) of said dispensing device by any child resistant restraint means.
  • a hook device which snaps locks on the body portion defining said opening is usable on this embodiment of the present invention. This hook device is secured by the exertion of manual force, causing the closure to expand and pass over the body portion. Subsequent contraction of the closure to its original size results in its inability to pass over the body portion without the application of force.
  • the hingeable (25a) or deformable element (25b) as described above is usable as a child resistant restraint means in this embodiment of the present invention.
  • the dispensing device of the present invention may be formed from any water resistant material that can withstand moderately elevated temperatures, such as those reached in automatic washing machines, e.g. about 95° C, for a relatively long period of time (about 3 hours) and which can be formed into the desired shape.
  • the dispensing device is made of low cost thermoplastic material such as polypropylene and formed by injection molding.
  • the means (20) which allows to take said detergent tablet and introduce said tablet into said dispensing device without having a contact between the fingers of a user and said detergent tablet is preferably formed from the same material as the body of said dispensing device.
  • the hollow body (12) of said dispensing device (10) may be of any shape such that it can readily accomodate the detergent tablet.
  • said dispensing device is substantially rectangular.
  • said dispensing device comprises a fastening means (Fig. 1b, 29).
  • fastening means refers to any means which can be adapted to secure the dispensing device to the interior of an automatic dish or laundry washing machine such that it can be released therefrom when required.
  • Said fastening means is prefereably made of similar or identical material to that of said dispensing device itself.
  • the fastening means may preferably located on said side wall (16) of said dispensing device.
  • the fastening means preferably comprises at least a hook, which extends along said side wall (16).
  • the dispensing device of the present invention may be located anywhere within the interior of the automatic dish or laundry washing machine.
  • the dispensing device is preferably attached to the exterior of the cutlery or crockery basket or the base tray in an automatic dish washing machine.
  • the present invention may be used in the following way:

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Detergent Compositions (AREA)
EP94306373A 1994-08-30 1994-08-30 Dosiereinrichtung für Reinigungsmitteltabletten Withdrawn EP0699410A1 (de)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP94306373A EP0699410A1 (de) 1994-08-30 1994-08-30 Dosiereinrichtung für Reinigungsmitteltabletten
PCT/US1995/009790 WO1996006666A1 (en) 1994-08-30 1995-08-03 A dispensing device for detergent tablet

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP94306373A EP0699410A1 (de) 1994-08-30 1994-08-30 Dosiereinrichtung für Reinigungsmitteltabletten

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0699410A1 true EP0699410A1 (de) 1996-03-06

Family

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP94306373A Withdrawn EP0699410A1 (de) 1994-08-30 1994-08-30 Dosiereinrichtung für Reinigungsmitteltabletten

Country Status (2)

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EP (1) EP0699410A1 (de)
WO (1) WO1996006666A1 (de)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2327093A (en) * 1997-07-08 1999-01-13 Unilever Plc Detergent packaging and detergent dispensing combination

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US11723510B2 (en) 2019-12-23 2023-08-15 Ecolab Usa Inc. Solid detergent dispenser for a washing machine

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1403674A1 (de) * 1961-02-22 1968-10-24 Siemens Elektorgeraete Gmbh Dosiereinrichtung fuer Geschirrspuel- und Waschmaschinen
US4253842A (en) * 1974-05-15 1981-03-03 Colgate-Palmolive Company Detergent compositions and washing methods including and utilizing separate tablets of components
EP0331542A2 (de) * 1988-02-03 1989-09-06 The Procter & Gamble Company Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Waschen von Wäsche in einer Waschmaschine
EP0395151A1 (de) * 1989-04-28 1990-10-31 The Procter & Gamble Company Kissen mit gewebepflegenden Stoffen mit wiederverwendbarem Griffstück
JPH02299693A (ja) * 1989-05-13 1990-12-11 Toshiba Corp 洗濯機等の洗剤供給装置
EP0479711A1 (de) * 1990-10-05 1992-04-08 Cleantabs A/S Vorrichtung zum Spenden von Waschmitteltabletten in einer Waschmachine während des Waschvorganges

Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2880077A (en) * 1955-12-08 1959-03-31 James D Floria Soap dissolving device
DE7834350U1 (de) * 1978-11-18 1979-03-22 Globol-Werk Gmbh, 8858 Neuburg Halterung fuer wc-desodorantien
US4770859A (en) * 1986-10-21 1988-09-13 Onshore Technology, Inc. Dispenser for chemicals
DE3639686A1 (de) * 1986-11-20 1988-05-26 Henkel Kgaa Wc-koerbchen
US4777670A (en) * 1988-01-13 1988-10-18 S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc. Under-the-rim dispensing unit
US5194230A (en) * 1991-12-02 1993-03-16 Ecolab Inc. Solid product static brake for solid block chemical dispensers

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1403674A1 (de) * 1961-02-22 1968-10-24 Siemens Elektorgeraete Gmbh Dosiereinrichtung fuer Geschirrspuel- und Waschmaschinen
US4253842A (en) * 1974-05-15 1981-03-03 Colgate-Palmolive Company Detergent compositions and washing methods including and utilizing separate tablets of components
EP0331542A2 (de) * 1988-02-03 1989-09-06 The Procter & Gamble Company Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Waschen von Wäsche in einer Waschmaschine
EP0395151A1 (de) * 1989-04-28 1990-10-31 The Procter & Gamble Company Kissen mit gewebepflegenden Stoffen mit wiederverwendbarem Griffstück
JPH02299693A (ja) * 1989-05-13 1990-12-11 Toshiba Corp 洗濯機等の洗剤供給装置
EP0479711A1 (de) * 1990-10-05 1992-04-08 Cleantabs A/S Vorrichtung zum Spenden von Waschmitteltabletten in einer Waschmachine während des Waschvorganges

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
DATABASE WPI Week 9104, Derwent World Patents Index; AN 91-027584 *

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2327093A (en) * 1997-07-08 1999-01-13 Unilever Plc Detergent packaging and detergent dispensing combination
GB2327093B (en) * 1997-07-08 2002-03-13 Unilever Plc A detergent,detergent packaging and detergent dispensing device combination

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO1996006666A1 (en) 1996-03-07

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