ES2332748T3 - DISPENSER FOR A WASHING MACHINE AND WASHING MACHINE. - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a container (3) defining chambers (3A) with a base (31) und a side wall (32). The chamber is adapted and arranged to receive a washing agent, such that washing agent is rinsed with fluid on the chamber. Upper surfaces of the base and the side wall are formed to be hydrophobic and hydrophilic, respectively. The side wall includes a channel (33) as a transition region for the base, where the channel and the base are formed to be hydrophobic. The upper surfaces of the base and the side wall include roughness, which are different from each other.

Description

Dispenser for a washing machine and machine washing machine.

The invention relates to a dispenser for dispensing detergent or treatment media to a washing machine and to a washing machine with a dispenser.

The known dispensers have a container that by means of a bottom and side walls delimits the Less a camera. The corresponding camera is suitable and is Ready to house detergent. It is also planned to rinse the chamber with a liquid expelling the detergent. In the dispensers known means is provided a means to distribute the liquid, with which the liquid distributed to the chamber can be dispensed in several points, to eject the detergent by rinsing the chamber. A half distributor presents to dispense the liquid to the chamber Usually one or several nozzles.

A drawback of the dispensers and the washing machines with such dispensers that are known is that dust remains remain in the dispenser chambers detergent and there sometimes form scale, which at least They have a negative aspect. In various dispensers are oriented the nozzles especially towards the bottom of the chambers to rinse by expelling the detergent residue. However, this does not prevent detergent residue from adhering to the walls lateral. In addition, the endowment of the side walls and from the bottom of hydrophobic surfaces, bringing the water that It dispenses cameras dripping from surfaces. However, this it results in a low wetness in particular of the side walls, with what is possible that the water does not eliminate in the rinse the detergent powder that adheres to the side walls. Yes by the opposite side walls and bottoms are used with high wetting capacity, that is, with hydrophilic surfaces, this it results in water being left at the bottom of the last wash chambers and to the detergent that is introduced below to the next wash cycle forms a sticky dough with this water and viscose, which adheres to the bottom of the cameras.

From document DE 101 22 514 A1 it is known in general the configuration of walls of a dispenser for detergent at least partly with a self-cleaning surface, the surface of the walls being endowed with a surface microstructured, aimed at preventing the adherence of detergents However, with this measure it is not assured that reliably remove detergent residue from both walls lateral as well as the bottom of the chambers when rinsing.

From EP 1 260 629 A1 the configuration on a washing machine of the drum surfaces that are in contact with the laundry such that they present low adhesion characteristics

From document DE 200 04 244 U1 a known dishwasher basket that is equipped with a coating that causes a water distribution to improve the dried

The invention has as a basic task to improve a dispenser in the sense that when rinsing, the Household detergent if possible without leaving any residue.

This task is solved by a dispenser. with the characteristics of claim 1. Executions advantageous and improvements result from the following subordinate claims.

To do this, the bottom surfaces are configured hydrophobic and sidewall surfaces of a hydrophilic chamber. In addition, it is possible that the fund and surfaces have different roughness, presenting the background a lower roughness to the side walls. This can be a instrument to perform the different hydrophobic properties or well hydrophilic at the bottom and side walls respectively. Hydrophobic means in this context that it has a poor wettability of the surface with water, while hydrophilic It means a good wettability of the surface with water.

The side walls of a chamber of a dispenser corresponding to the invention may present as transition zone towards the bottom a hollow throat. In this hollow throat adhesions of remnants of Detergent. To avoid this, the throat area is made hollow with a lower roughness.

In an advantageous execution, the chamber of the dispenser by a plastic material, being roughness stamped on the material's own surface. This is easily performed using the molding tool itself by injection, which presents the roughness prescribed for corresponding surfaces.

In another execution the different one can be generated surface roughness also by coatings Additional or similar.

In a convenient execution, the roughness of the background is somewhat less than or equal to 1.

In an advantageous improvement, the roughness of the bottom is less than or equal to 0.1 µm. To this background extremely smooth they can only adhere to a small extent detergent residue, so that in the rinse the expulsion it improves even more.

The roughness of the side walls is on the contrary, advantageously greater than 3 µm. From this way ensures that water does not flow through the walls laterals too quickly and a wetting is provided throughout the surface. This prevents them from adhering remains of detergent to the side walls. When there are already attached remains of detergent, water can drain along the surface, which dissolves the detergent residue. To improve the In effect, a roughness equal to or greater than 4 µm is used.

The task is also solved with a machine washing machine with a dispenser as described above.

Based on the drawings are described more in detail examples of execution of a dispenser corresponding to the invention. It is shown in:

Figure 1 a front view of a machine washing machine with a dispensing equipment corresponding to the invention;

Figure 2 essential parts of a dispenser corresponding to the invention and

Figure 3 a container of the dispenser.

The washing machine W represented in the figure 1 is constituted externally as a washing machine known by the state of the art On the front face of the washing machine W a known T-gate is observed for a washing machine of the type front loading, through which a drum is accessible washing machine washing machine W to insert or remove the wash. In an area above the door T is provided in the front face of the washing machine W an operation panel e indicator B, on which various push buttons are provided operation and indicator elements. Acting on the buttons the washing machine W can be controlled. In particular it is possible Select a program.

Equally above the door T can the dispenser E or a lid of the dispenser E. The dispenser E is provided in the usual place in washing machines in the upper left corner of the face front of the washing machine W. The guidance indications are refer to the operating position of the washing machine W. In the present case, the dispenser E includes a container 3, which can be removed as a drawer, to introduce detergent into the vessel chamber 3.

The essentials of the E dispenser, which is arranged inside the washing machine W, is represented in the Figure 2. The essential parts are formed by a removable container 3, a distributor 2 and a housing (not shown).

The container 3 is arranged as a piece sliding under the distributor 2. The container 3 (see in particular figure 3) presents three cameras 3A, 3B, 3C, being suitable and the three cameras 3A, 3B, 3C being equipped for introduce detergents Camera 3A or camera 3B are provided to house detergents or powder detergents for one cycle Main wash or prewash cycle. The vessel of 3C detergent is intended instead to accommodate liquid softeners

The 3C camera is provided in a previous area of the container 3, while the chambers 3A, 3B are arranged next to each other in the central area and in the back.

The bottom 31 of camera 3A and camera 3B It is tilted back. Cameras 3A and 3B are delimited by a bottom 31 and side walls 32. A wall is not provided later. Due to the lack of the back wall it is possible that liquid that had been dispensed to chambers 3A, 3B from the chambers 3A, 3B from the back of container 3, to reach to the washing container or to the washing drum.

Distributor 2 is planned to dispense water to chambers 3A, 3B, 3C, distributed by different points. He distributor 2 is made such that water can be dispensed separately to each camera. The distribution of the liquid to the corresponding sections 2A1, 2A2, 2A3 is done by calling water distributor (not shown), which in turn is controlled using the control equipment of the washing machine W in function of the washing program.

The first section of distributor 2A is associated to the first 3A camera and is divided into three sections partial. In each of these three partial sections 2A1, 2A2, 2A3 a set of nozzles 24, 25, 26 is provided, through the which liquid can be dispensed to chamber 3A. The nozzles 24, 25, 26 are oriented such that water can be sprayed against the side walls 32 and bottom 31.

The bottom surface 31 at least that of the first chamber 3A, it is made hydrophobic, so that the liquids  they can form drops at the bottom and they barely have the possibility of wet bottom 31. The surface of transition zones 33 with hollow throat shape is then performed equally hydrophobic, at least in part. On the contrary, the walls lateral 32, at least those of the first camera 3A, are made  hydrophilic, so that the liquids wet the walls well lateral 32 and are well distributed along the lateral walls 32. Only in a transition zone of the side walls 32 adjacent to bottom 31, which is configured as hollow throat 33, side walls 32 may also be made in this hydrophobic zone The hydrophobicization of the bottom 31 and the Hydrophilization of the side walls 32 is achieved by different roughnesses of bottom 31 and side walls 32. The bottom 31 has for example a medium roughness with a depth less than or equal to 0.1 µm, while the average roughness of the side walls 32 is about 4 µm. The different degrees of roughness can be achieved by corresponding surface of the tools used to manufacture the container 3. It is also possible to achieve different roughness values or different wettability for water by surface coatings or the like. Too you can think about the subsequent treatment of the surfaces after the manufacture of the container 3, for example by products Chemicals or mechanical treatment, such as grinding or polishing. The transition zone 33 with the shape of a hollow throat is also provided of a low roughness, here less than or equal to 0.1 µm of depth, so also in this area the surface is adjusted as hydrophobic. In the execution of container 3 from Injected cast iron plastic achieves the low roughness of the bottom 31 or transition zone 33 using a very tool smooth for the injection molding process. The biggest roughness for side walls 32 is achieved by carrying the tool in that area by grinding or polishing fine to the desired roughness, as described above.

Claims (12)

1. Dispenser (E) for a washing machine (W) with a container (3) that through a bottom (31) and side walls  (32) delimits at least one camera (3A, 3B, 3C), the camera (3A, 3B, 3C) being adequate and being equipped to house detergent and being the right chamber and being equipped so that it can be ejected by washing from it liquid detergent, characterized in that the bottom surfaces (31) are made hydrophobic and the surfaces of the side walls (32) are hydrophilic. 2. Dispenser (E) according to claim one, characterized in that the side walls (32) have a hollow throat (33) as the transition zone towards the bottom (31), the hollow gorges (33) and the bottom (31) being hydrophobic. 3. Dispenser (E) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the container (3) for housing the detergent has several chambers (3A, 3B, 3C), each delimited by a bottom (31) and side walls (32). 4. Dispenser (E) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the surfaces of the bottom (31) or of the transition zone (33) and of the side walls (32) have a different roughness, to provide hydrophobicization and hydrophilization, respectively. 5. Dispenser (E) according to claim 4, characterized in that the roughness of the bottom (31) or of the transition zone (33) is less than the roughness of the side walls (32). 6. Dispenser (E) according to claim 5, characterized in that the average roughness of the bottom (31) or of the transition zone (33) has a depth less than or equal to 1 µm. 7. Dispenser (E) according to claim 6, characterized in that the average roughness of the bottom (31) or of the transition zone (33) has a depth less than or equal to 0.1 µm. 8. Dispenser (E) according to one of the claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the average roughness of the side walls (32) has a depth greater than 3 µm. 9. Dispenser (E) according to one of the claims 4 to 8, characterized in that the container (3) is made of injection molded plastic, the different degrees of roughness can be achieved by means of the corresponding surface of tools used in the manufacture of the container (3). 10. Dispenser (E) according to one of the claims 4 to 8, characterized in that the different degrees of roughness can be achieved by coating the bottom surfaces (31) and the side walls (32). 11. Dispenser (E) according to one of the claims 4 to 8, characterized in that the different degrees of roughness can be achieved by chemical or mechanical subsequent treatment of the bottom surfaces (31) and the side walls (32). 12. Washing machine (W) with a dispenser (E) according to one of claims 1 to 11.