EP2644767B1 - Automatically controlled washing machine with a detergent dispensing device - Google Patents

Description

Automatic controlled washing machine having a Waschmitteleinspüleinrichtung formed in the housing as a drawer accessible from the front with at least one arranged in the front of the drawer chamber for the handdosed addition of a laundry treatment agent portion and with a mounted inside the drawer reservoir for liquid laundry treatment.

Such a washing machine is off DE 34 03 622 A1 known. Therein, a drawer for a Waschmitteleinspüleinrichtung is described, which has chambers for hand-dosed individual portions of liquid or powder laundry treatment agents in the front area. Behind this, one or more reservoirs are permanently installed in the drawer, in which liquid laundry treatment agents can be stored for a plurality of washing operations. The drawer occupies at least almost the entire depth of the washing machine housing, so that the largest possible amount of liquid laundry treatment agent can be stored. To fill this reservoir, a refill opening is mounted on the top thereof, which only comes to the fore and for the operator in an achievable position when the drawer beyond the distance that corresponds to the depth of the detergent chambers, has been pulled out of the housing of the washing machine. In most cases, the front edge of the top-concluding worktop protrudes something, so that the distance to reach the filling position is very large and thus makes high demands on the leadership of the drawer in the housing of Waschmitteleinspüleinrichtung.

For the in DE 34 03 628 A1 described washing machine was a general storage of liquid laundry treatment agents provided as a substitute for the manual individual dosage of liquid or powdered individual portions in each case arranged in the drawer chambers. For this purpose, all hitherto used chambers have been replaced by storage containers for keeping individual portions of laundry treatment agent available. The reservoirs occupy all the space that a detergent drawer between the front and rear walls of a washing machine can provide, with the exception of the space for one or more dosing devices. The possibility for manual single dosing By means of a metering chamber installed in front of the storage container, which in itself serves for metering stored laundry treatment agent, it is already clear that in no case is only one chamber exclusively provided for filling a single portion of liquid or powdered laundry treatment agent.

Another washing machine with a detergent dispenser formed in the housing as a front-loading drawer with arranged in the front of the drawer chambers for the hand-dose addition of detergent and with a mounted inside the drawer storage container for liquid detergent is off DE 10 2007 023 065 A1 known.

document DE 10 2007 050 920 B3 shows a washing machine with a Einspülkasten, in which a pull-out detergent drawer is arranged, which has a receptacle for inserting a cartridge. To replace cartridges, the drawer is pulled out, so that the convenient engagement can be made from above into the receiving compartments. As a dosing means attached to the cartridge, a stroke-actuated pump is used, which promotes a predetermined, substantially constant amount of liquid or viscous treatment agent per stroke as a subset of the amount to be dispensed from the cartridge. On the rear wall of the Einspülkastens an electrically driven actuator is arranged, which can provide the hub for the hubbetätigbare pump.

The invention has for its object to arrange reservoir in the drawer so that in each case of filling the reservoir, the drawer does not have to be pulled as far as before from the housing, although at least one chamber for a hand-metered addition of single portions of liquid or powdered Laundry treatment agent is present.

The invention solves this problem in a washing machine described above by the characterizing features of claim 1, after which space parts of the reservoir so far extend into the front of the drawer, that the space part (s) are located next to the chamber (s). Although the designer has a detergent dispenser with reservoir (s) still the free choice how he arranges the reservoir (s) and the chamber (s) in the drawer, if he only ensures that the or the reservoir at least partially until extend into the front area of the drawer. This ensures that the operator the refilling of laundry treatment supplies in one of the reservoir after pulling the drawer succeed over a short way. In this way it is also ensured that the drawer is still performed so well in this position that even when bumping a transport vessel from which the laundry treatment agent is to be transferred to the reservoir to the little drawer drawer a possibly forced movement, the filling opening on the reservoir not substantially from the prepared position. The risk of spillage is greatly reduced.

Of particular advantage is a development of the invention, in which larger areas of the reservoir or (s) are arranged in the pushing direction behind the chamber (s) of the drawer. Then the designer has great freedom with regard to the arrangement of the remaining chambers for individual hand tins of laundry treatment products. In addition, then the greater mass of stored laundry treatment agent is arranged in the rear of the drawer, which protects the drawer over a greater distance from tilting forward and down when pulling out. The larger mass simply keeps the drawer in the balance longer.

If at least one of the adjacent chambers in the direction of thrust is shorter than the adjacent chamber (s) and the space part (s) of the or the reservoir (s) protrude into the shortening space, for the aforementioned advantages also already a solution exists , which gives more space to the arrangement of chambers for hand-dosed single portions.

A very interesting solution for the development of the invention is to be seen in that the chamber (s) are arranged on one side of the drawer and the reservoir (s) on the other side of the drawer. Chambers located farther back in the drawer can still be hit well with no danger of spillage by adding hand-dosed single portions if the drawer has to be pulled out far to reach that rear chamber. In this case, a bumping through a transport container is not to be feared, because a hand dose is regularly accomplished by a blade for a single serving.

In the inventive arrangement of storage containers in the drawer, a restriction in the arrangement of chambers is possible. For example, it is possible to dispense with individual portions for a prewash detergent in that only one chamber each is provided for a hand-dosed main detergent and for a fabric softener. Since fabric softener is present in any case in liquid form, which offers itself foremost for automatic dosing from a reservoir, can be dispensed with a chamber and only one chamber for a hand-dosed pre-wash and a hand-dosed main wash can be provided. Ultimately, the restriction will even go so far that waiving individual portions for prewash and for fabric softeners only one chamber is provided for a hand-dosed main wash. Depending on the comfort features of a washing machine, the designer has a large number of possible variations when using the inventive idea.

Of great advantage is a development in which the space parts of the reservoir have a arranged on its top and as close as possible to the front of the drawer and closable refill opening. Above all, the front-side arrangement of the refill opening but also the closability should make a great advantage. As a result, a Ausschwappen from the refill opening is largely avoided, preferably with a full reservoir. Emerging laundry treatment agent could cause considerable difficulties on the drawer, the housing or on the two connecting guide, which are greatly reduced by the closeability of the refill opening.

Advantageously, in the washing machine according to the invention the dosage by automatic control is possible in that for the or each storage container, an electrically operable feed pump is provided, the suction side communicates with the interior of the reservoir. Such a feed pump, if its pressure side promotes a shaft, which is fluidly connected to the tub of the washing machine, be the least exposed to the risk of crusting and thereby fail.

The mentioned features of the claims are combined with the main feature of the characterizing part of claim 1 and with each other in any way, as far as the combinations are useful, without departing from the spirit.

Fig. 1

die Frontansicht einer automatisch gesteuerten Waschmaschine mit der Anordnung einer Waschmitteleinspüleinrichtung in der oberen linken Raumecke des Maschinengehäuses oberhalb des Schwingsystems,

Fig. 2

eine Ansicht der Waschmaschine gemäß Fig. 1 von oben bei abgenommener Arbeitsplatte,

Fig. 3

eine Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemäßen, aus der Gehäusehöhle entnommenen Waschmittelschublade und

Fig. 4 bis 10

je eine andere Ausführungsform von Schubladen gemäß Fig. 3.

Reference to some schematically illustrated in the drawings embodiments, the invention is explained below. Show it

Fig. 1

the front view of an automatically controlled washing machine with the arrangement Waschmitteleinspüleinrichtung in the upper left corner of the machine housing above the vibration system,

Fig. 2

a view of the washing machine according to Fig. 1 from above with removed worktop,

Fig. 3

an embodiment of the invention, taken from the housing cavity detergent drawer and

Fig. 4 to 10

depending on another embodiment of drawers according to Fig. 3 ,

Inside the housing 1 of the washing machine in Fig. 1 is indicated by a dashed line a swinging hooked tub assembly 2, the central opening is closed by a front door 3. The top of the front 1.1 ( Fig. 2 ) mounted control panel 4 includes fittings 5 and a display display 6 for setting programs that can be output from a program control device 7 and for controlling the mechanical operations, including those of the automatic dosing of laundry treatment agents serve.

In the upper left corner of the housing 1, a Waschmitteleinspüleinrichtung 8 is arranged, which contains a pull-out of the corresponding housing cavity drawer 9. At the front of the drawer 9, a handle plate 10 is mounted, which is flush with fully inserted into the housing cavity drawer 9 to the control panel 4.

An embodiment of a drawer according to the invention shows Fig. 2 , In it, two chambers 11 and 12 are arranged for individually dosed by hand portions of laundry treatment means in the front area of the drawer. In this case, the chamber 11 for receiving main wash and the chamber 12 for receiving fabric softener and has as a drain a notorious siphon 13. Behind the chambers 11 and 12, a shaft 14 is arranged through which the mixtures of water from the mains connection piece 15 at the rear wall 1.2 of the housing 1 is guided via a solenoid valve assembly 16 from above into the chambers 11 and 12, and laundry treatment agent via lines not shown in the tub (2) are transferred. Behind the shaft 14, a storage container 17 for the storage of a liquid or gel laundry treatment agent is integrated into the drawer 9, the holding capacity is sufficient for example, 20 requirements of laundry treatment agent cans. In the vicinity of the bottom of the reservoir 17 is connected to the supply line 19.1 on its suction side, a feed pump 18th attached, the pressure side of the respective dose laundry treatment agent via an output line 19.2 leads into the shaft 14.

With the space portion 20, the reservoir 17 extends into the front area of the drawer 9, here even to immediately behind the handle plate 10. On the top side of the room part 20, just behind the handle plate 10, a refill 21 is attached, which with a Slider 22 is closed.

The drawer 9 is within the housing cavity according to the arrow 23 out and pulled in or pushed and can even be completely removed from it. So that the operator can clearly find the location of the drawer in which the chambers are easily accessible, the drawer 9 and the housing of the Waschmitteleinspüleinrichtung 3 locking devices 24 and 25, which after moving over the distance A1 in the corresponding pulled out position mesh.

If instead of the space part 20, as usual in the prior art, still a chamber, for. As a Vorwaschmittelkammer installed, then the refill 21.1 (gray checkered) of the reservoir 17 would still be below the covering work plate 1.3 ( Fig. 1 ) of the washing machine. The drawer 9 would then have to be pulled out over the distance A2 to the front to make this far backward refill opening 21.1 accessible from above. In this position pulled out far enough, the guide of the drawer 9 would already be so unstable that when a transport container or any other object abuts the drawer 9, the refill opening 21.1 will come out of the currently established correlation with the effluent laundry treatment agent jet. In this position, already running out of the transport container laundry treatment agent would then no longer meet the refill but from the top of the reservoir immediately advised parts of the guide, where - if the drawer would not be cleaned immediately - could stick the parts and the leadership would be difficult.

At the in Fig. 3 Drawer shown is a similar to the Fig. 2 trained drawer. Here is a desire realized that the waiver of one of the chambers (the prewash according to Fig. 2 ) contradicts. The fabric conditioning chamber 312 does not necessarily require as much space as in Fig. 2 , There she is practically only the depth the main detergent chamber 11 adapted. In Fig. 3 For example, the softener compartment 312 is disposed between the main detergent compartment 311 and the pre-wash compartment 313, but not as deep as this (length in the direction of thrust of the drawer 309). Therefore, the space portion 320 can push from the depth of the drawer 309 ago in the free space forward to the fabric softener chamber 312 and there also the refill opening 321 may be arranged. All of the chambers 311 to 313 extend just beyond the handle plate 310. The pre-wash chamber 313 is again as long as the main wash chamber 312; behind both an upwardly open part 314 and 315 of the shaft is arranged through which the water-detergent mixtures are transported to the tub. Only up to the line 322, the drawer must be brought forward to fill the reservoir 317 via the refill port 321 again. In this position, the chambers 311 to 313 are accessible.

By the dotted line in Fig. 3 should be clarified that the reservoir 317 may also be divided along this line, so that each right and left of the line ever created a reservoir. Instead of the chamber 313 then the reservoir located to the right of the line can extend with its space part directly behind the handle plate 310. Furthermore, under certain circumstances, the chamber 312 may be omitted, so that the space portion 320 of the left of the line storage tank also extends beyond the handle plate 310.

The embodiments of the drawers in the Fig. 4 to 10 are set up in the view from above approximately at the place where in Fig. 2 the feed pump 18 is arranged springs 401 (FIG. Fig. 1 ) are provided for suspending the tub container assembly 2 on the upper frame of the housing 1. For this reason, the Wachmitteleinspüleinrichtungen and their drawers are the Fig. 4 to 10 retracted on the left rear side.

At the drawers of the 4 to 6 the chambers are arranged one behind the other on one side of the drawer and the reservoir (s) are arranged on the other side of the drawer. So are with the 4 and 5 both prewash chambers 413 and 513, as well as main detergent chambers 411 and 511 and fabric softener chambers 412 and 512 arranged one behind the other. Between the main detergent chamber 411 or 511 and the fabric softener chamber 412 or 512, the shaft 414 or 514 is still arranged. The fabric softener chamber 412 or 512 is particularly well suited because of its slim shape to the arrangement next to the collection 402 or 502. All of these chambers form a right-aligned escape, the prewash chamber 413 and 513 is located directly behind the handle plate 410 and 510.

The only reservoir 417 in Fig. 4 occupies the entire right space of the drawer, which is in Fig. 4 looks bigger than he really is; because - like out Fig. 1 it can be seen - the reservoir 417 can not extend very far down at least on his right side because of the resonant space below him. After all, this reservoir 417 can easily accommodate 20 portions of laundry treatment. At the top of this reservoir 417 has a closable refill opening 421st

In contrast to Fig. 4 has the drawer in Fig. 5 instead of the reservoir 417, the two 517 and 518, each with a directly behind the handle plate 510 lying Nachfüllöffnung 521 and 522nd

The drawer in Fig. 6 has the arrangements of the chambers 611 to 613 and the shaft 614 on the one hand and the reservoir 617 on the other reversed. In this case, the reservoir 617 nestles around the collection 602. But here, too, the refill opening 621 lies directly behind the grip 610.

At the drawers in the Fig. 7 to 10 again is the waiver of at least one of the chambers in the FIGS. 7 and 8 the prewash chamber and in Fig. 10 the fabric softener chamber and in Fig. 9 even the two of them, the pre-wash and the fabric softener chamber, in the foreground. In this case, the remaining chambers 711 and 712 for the main detergent and the fabric softener in Fig. 7 arranged next to each other immediately behind the handle plate 710, while the reservoir 717 similar to the (17) of Fig. 2 is pulled with a space portion 720 to immediately behind the handle plate 710 so that the refill opening 721 also comes to lie far ahead. Instead of a large reservoir 717 can also be two - similar to those of Fig. 5 - be provided. If, in a straight dividing line between the two containers, the one container volume would be too short, the dividing line may also be odd as the dashed line in Fig. 7 , But it can also have any other odd shape. As in the other drawers, the remaining main wash chamber 711 is associated with a well 714.

For the embodiment in Fig. 9 a sole arrangement of the main washing agent chamber 911 with shaft 914 has been considered sufficient, because for the fabric softener also a reservoir 918 is provided. This container 918 has only a small volume of, for example, 0.5 l, because fabric softener added on the one hand in smaller portions and on the other hand, is used less often than main wash. The reservoir 917 with its large volume (about 1.5 l) surrounds the fabric softener container 918 from the rear, but extends with its space part 920 to immediately behind the handle plate 910 forward. Instead, the chamber 911 for a hand-dosed main wash in the front left part of the drawer 9, which also has a sufficiently high space here (see Fig. 1 ), so that it is on the one hand in the favorable access area and on the other hand makes good use of the space before the confiscation 902. Both reservoirs 917 and 918 have front refill openings 921 and 922.

In Fig. 8 both softener (813) and main wash (811) chambers are separated from each other in front. Accordingly, the space portion 820 of the reservoir 817 extends between these chambers 811 and 813 to far forward directly behind the handle plate 810. Here also at the foremost portion of the space portion 820 a prismatic formation is provided which has a surface 822 lying obliquely to the viewer. Provided that the material of the reservoir 817 is at least translucent, can be read on the markings 823 on this inclined surface when the reservoir 817 is still half, three quarters or completely filled.

Analogously to the embodiment of the Fig. 7 is the drawer in Fig. 10 designed. Only in place of the softener compartment 712 is a pre-wash chamber 1013 installed which has a common well 1014 with the main detergent compartment 1011. The reservoir 1017 has a reservoir 717 very similar shape and can be divided in the same way as this along the dot-dash line.

As mentioned above, the inventive design of the drawer of a Waschmitteleinspüleinrichtung the designer any conceivable freedom to divide the drawer and the individual arrangement and volume adjustment of the chambers and the reservoir, so that the embodiments shown here only a small part show the variety of possibilities. In a sufficiently large number of storage containers or their volumes -. As with two or three reservoirs - may be sufficient for a single chamber for main detergent for manual dosing to leave enough space for the arrangement of two or three storage containers or their enlargement. At which point immediately behind the handle plate this main detergent chamber would be installed, can be left to the skill and considerations of tuning the volumes to each other and the practical handling of the drawer; a particularly practical arrangement shows Fig. 9 ,

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

casing

1.1

front

1.2

rear wall

1.3

countertop

2

Tub unit

3

front door

4

Control panel

5

fittings

6

display display

7

Program control device

8th

Washing agent

9

drawer

10, 310, 410, 510, 610, 710, 810, 910, 1010

grip plate

11, 12, 311, 312, 313, 411, 412, 413, 511, 512, 513

chamber

611, 612, 613, 711, 712, 811, 813, 911, 912, 1011, 1013

chamber

13

Saugheber

14, 314, 315, 414, 514, 614, 714, 814, 914, 1014

shaft

15

Mains socket

16

Solenoid valve group

17, 317, 417, 517, 518, 617, 717, 817, 917, 918, 1017

reservoir

18, 318

feed pump

19.1

supply line

19.2, 319

output line

20, 320, 420, 520, 620, 720, 820, 920, 1020

Partition

21, 21.1, 321, 421, 521, 522, 621, 721, 821, 921, 922, 1021

refill

22

pusher

23

thrust direction

24, 25

detents

322

line

401

feather

402, 502, 602, 702, 802, 902, 1002

collection

822, 924

obliquely to the viewer lying surface

823, 923

mark

A1, A2

route

Claims (9)

1. Automatically controlled washing machine having a detergent inlet device (8) embodied as a drawer (9) in the housing (1) that is accessible from the front, having at least one chamber (11, 12, 311, 312, 313, 411, 413, 511, 513, 611, 612, 613, 711, 712, 811, 813, 911, 1011, 1013) disposed in the front region of the drawer (9) for manually measured addition of a portion of laundry treatment agent and with one or more refillable reservoir tank(s) (17, 317, 417, 517, 518, 617, 717, 817, 917, 918, 1017) for liquid laundry treatment agent mounted inside the drawer (9), characterised in that chamber parts (20, 320, 420, 520, 620, 720, 820, 920, 1020) of the reservoir tank or tanks (17, 317, 417, 517, 518, 617, 717, 817, 917, 918, 1017) extend so far into the front region of the drawer (9) that the chamber part or parts (20, 320, 420, 520, 620, 720, 820, 920, 1020) is or are located adjacent to the chamber or chambers (11, 12, 311, 312, 313, 411, 413, 511, 513, 611, 612, 613, 711, 712, 811, 813, 911, 1011, 1013), and in that an electrically-driven feed pump (18) is provided for the reservoir tank or for each reservoir tank (17, 317, 417, 517, 518, 617, 717, 817, 917, 918, 1017), of which the suction side (19.1) communicates with the interior of the reservoir tank (17, 317, 417, 517, 518, 617, 717, 817, 917, 918, 1017) and of which the pressure side (19.2) leads into a shaft (14, 314, 414, 514, 614, 714, 814, 914, 1014) that is in fluid communication with the detergent container (2) of the washing machine.
2. Washing machine according to claim 1, characterised in that larger regions of the reservoir tank or tanks are disposed behind the chamber or chambers (11, 12, 311, 312, 313, 711, 712, 811, 813, 911, 1011, 1013) of the drawer (9) in relation to the direction (23) in which it is to be pushed.
3. Washing machine according to claim 2, characterised in that, when viewed in the direction (23) in which the drawer is to be pushed, at least one chamber (312) among the chambers (311, 312, 313) located adjacent to one another is shorter than the adjacent chamber (311) or chambers, and the chamber part (320) or parts of the reservoir tank (317) or tanks extends into the shortening space.
4. Washing machine according to claim 1, characterised in that the chamber or chambers (Figures 4 to 6) are disposed on one side of the drawer (9) and the reservoir tank or tanks (417, 517, 518, 617) are disposed on the other side of the drawer (9).
5. Washing machine according to claim 1, characterised in that only one chamber (11, 12, 711, 712, 811, 813) for a manually measured main wash agent and one chamber for a fabric conditioner are provided.
6. Washing machine according to claim 1, characterised in that only one chamber (1011, 1013) for a manually measured prewash agent and one chamber for a manually measured main wash agent are provided.
7. Washing machine according to claim 1, characterised in that only one chamber (311, 911) for a manually measured main wash agent is provided.
8. Washing machine according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterised in that the shaft (714, 914, 1014) is assigned to the chamber for a manually measured main wash agent (711, 911, 1011).
9. Washing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the chamber parts (20, 320, 420, 520, 620, 720, 820, 920, 1020) of the reservoir tank (17, 317, 417, 517, 518, 617, 717, 817, 917, 918, 1017) have a closable refill opening (21, 321, 421, 521, 522, 621, 721, 821, 921, 922, 1021) disposed on their respective top sides and as close as possible to the front side of the drawer (9).

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