FR2473653A1 - FLUID DISPENSER AND ITS APPLICATION TO HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES ESPECIALLY TO THE WASHER TYPE - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a fluid dispenser using at least one bistable fluidic rocker. The control of this distributor is carried out from short pulses, corresponding to a short-term stopping of the fluid supply, transmitted to a single solenoid valve 30. It applies to household appliances requiring multiple fluid supplies such as for example, washing machines. (CF DRAWING IN BOPI)

Description

The present invention relates to a fluid dispenser and its

  application to household appliances

  and more particularly those of the washing machine type.

  In some household appliances it is necessary to have from a single source of fluid, a distribution of this fluid to dte. places

  different from the device and at times determined.

  This is notaminert the case of devices of the type.

  washing machine. Indeed, the fully self-

  matisée of these air.areils, requires to have a water inlet L some particular instants of the washing sequence, for example in the compartment containing the reserve of laundry, or in one of those

  cor'tortar: softener or bleach.

  It is therefore desirable to have a single-label distributor.

  table, in order to avoid the clutter of this demand as soon as this price falls. On the other hand, there are some things that do not happen. number of relays: .. om. This increases the reliability of C-17. Linen is used in the interior of the world.

  this, near: '; Tr ':. (c) In this context, present genera

  eY 't; ... r: r ....' s:,: i have the ability to feed each of: vo; z ;, cntoles, prnt.n This is for example 2 i, ca & den: .s lre . ::. '! in the French patent ". 487. The distributor described in this patent, which has a deportation of water and water, is constrained by the following: & (, .. n% in water an aut> e> goose, which can

  t.óe pr.jud..l..ab. ' This is what happens when washing is done.

  '::: - sene.ve::- u ise to remedy this incoil--

  a liquid distributor of a fluid carrying a gold..., fluidic basrules of the cypele.

  Xormna bistable; Ldé? x.r a. Electrical technology: one.

  According to one characteristic of the invention, the fluid distributor comprises at least one fluidic flip-flop of the bistable type of which a control channel is closed, a single solenoid valve supplying the distributor, and for each fluidic flip-flop used pressure transmission means connected to the single control lane and the exit lane

  privileged of this flip-flop.

  According to another characteristic, the connection between a pressure transmission means and the preferred exit channel of the corresponding flip-flop is located at an outlet of the fluid distributor.

  Other advantages and features of the invention

  will emerge from the description which follows, illustrated

  with the aid of the figures which represent - FIG. 1, a first example of a flip-flop of the bistable type,

  FIG. 2, a second example of a flip-flop

  FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section showing the arrangement of three flip-flops, of the type of FIG. 2, in a four-way outlet fluid distributor according to the invention; FIG. , a diagram showing the process of

  control of a fluidic rocker according to the invention,

  FIG. 5, a diagram showing the control method of FIG. 4 applied to a distributor comprising three bistable fluidic flip-flops; FIG. 6, a first exemplary embodiment according to the invention of the control of a flip-flop; FIG. 7, a second exemplary embodiment according to the invention of the control of a latch; FIG. 8, a third exemplary embodiment according to the invention of the control of a latch, FIG. 9, a fourth embodiment according to the invention of the control of a rocker, - Figure 10, a variant of the control of

Figure 9.

  As stated above, the present invention aims to define a fluid dispenser for feeding each output independently of the others, the choice of a particular output being made to

  using a single external command.

  In the following description it is envisaged

  a particular embodiment of a fluid distributor with four output channels; a different output number fluid dispenser comprising the

  characteristics are not outside the scope of the invention.

tion.

  The use of the deflection of a fluid jet by a flow in a transverse direction, to direct the flow of the jet between two exit ways is known, and is in particular described in the patent

French 1,037,906.

  To obtain, after deviation of the jet, a stability

  of the latter in the direction imposed by a transverse flow which may be temporary,

  uses according to the prior art the property of attachment-

  of this jet on a wall.:divergent.

  A flip-flop that uses this

  The property of attachment of the jet on a divergent wall generally has a disymmetry in its geometry which is intended to favor, in the absence of transverse flow. an exit route when pressurized, by changing the position, or the value of the angle of inclination with respect to the direction of the jet, of one of the diverging walls with respect to the other; the jet attaches indeed more difficult to a wall if it is further back or has a greater divergence.

  Figure 1 illustrates such a type of bistable flip-flop.

  It comprises a main fluid supply 1, a

  tyere 2 of rectangular section of width e, two

  separated control fluid 3, 4 acting at the level of the diffuser 7 by two ducts 5 and 6. The output of the diffuser 7 is connected to the two output channels 8

  and 9, delimited by a blade 14 having a lower angle

  240; the distance d, between the edge of the blade 14 and the inlet of the nozzle 2, is in this type of latch of

the order of 6th to 8th.

  The operation of this fluidic flip-flop is as follows: the fluid coming from the main supply 1 is expanded in the nozzle 2 and jet-injected into the diffuser 7. The outlet of the nozzle 2 being displaced with respect to the axis of symmetry of the two output channels 8 and 9, the jet attaches to the nearest diverging wall, in the absence of control. In the example of FIG. 1, the jet thus attaches to the wall corresponding to the exit lane 8 which is called the preferred lane. If a sufficient fluidic pressure is now applied to the control channel 4, the jet, in the diffuser 7, tilts and attaches to the wall corresponding to the exit channel 9

called unprivileged path.

  This type of rocker, however, presents difficulties

  use, especially when it is desired to mount several cascades to obtain, for example,

  a fluid dispenser with four or more outputs.

  A first difficulty is then the low income

  the dynamic pressure at the output of such a flip-flop which is close to 30%, limiting the number of flip-flops mounted in cascade. This loss of pressure results from the degradation of the flow due to turbulent mixing in the interaction zone (attachment of the jet to the wall of the outlet channel following a double curvature of the fluid jet), and losses in the

broadcaster 7.

  A second difficulty comes from the angle st of the separating blade 14 between the two output channels 8 and 9 which is small, (less than 240) which increases the difficulty of technological realization when cascading because of the small size often

required for these scales.

  FIG. 2 shows a second example of a bistable fluidic flip-flop for obtaining a high efficiency of dynamic pressure and a quasi separation

  perfect of the unused exit route.

  In the nonlimiting embodiment shown in Figure 3, a single control channel 3 is shown, and then operates by applying a pressure or a fluid vacuum; a rocker equipped with two control channels does not come out, however

of the scope of the invention.

  In this FIG. 2, the diffuser 7 is widened on either side of the axis corresponding to the direction

  of the jet from the nozzle 2, by two recirculation zones

  12 and 13. The control 3 is connected directly to one of these recirculation zones via a conduit 5 of appropriate size. This duct 5 opens in the diffuser 7, at the outlet

of the jet of the nozzle 2.

  This configuration makes it possible, on the one hand, by the creation of vortices in these recirculation zones, a greater deflection of the jet, leading to values of the angle v of the blade 14 close to 45, or

  at least greater than 30, and on the other hand

  ration in dynamic pressure at the exit of the rocker, of the order of 50%. This important deflection of the jet makes it possible to reduce the distance d to a neighboring dimension

  three to four times the width of the jet.

  This strong deflection of the jet also results in the appearance of a transverse gradient of pressure and speed. At the beginning of the exit lanes 8 and 9, a guide zone of a few jet widths with practically parallel walls makes it possible to

  rebalance the pressure and speed profiles.

  As for the flip-flop of FIG. 1, the orifice of the nozzle 2 can be off-center with respect to the axis of symmetry of the diffuser 7, thus favoring an outlet channel (outlet channel 8 in FIG. the absence of control pressure. The conventional form of the recirculation zones 12 and 13 in FIG. 2 constitutes only a particular, nonlimiting example.

  of realization, in particular the angle of the discon-

  night 15 can correspond to any value that

  must however remain less than or equal to 9o0.

  This flip-flop further has the advantage that the fluid drive in a non-slip exit path

  fed is very low, or even zero. In addition, the reduction

  distance reduces the importance of rotation.

  lon recirculation in the diffuser 7, which contributes to improving the recovery of the

dynamic pressure.

  Thus the combination of the reduction of the distance d <which modified alone would cause an unstable regime of the fluidic rocker) together with the arrangement of two recirculation zones 12 and 13 on the walls

  side of the diffuser 7, allows a better recovery

  dynamic pressure and a larger deflection angle X than for other types of fluidic scales. Figure 3 shows an example of a four-way exit fluid distributor using three flip-flops

  similar to that described in Figure 2.

  As has been said previously, this type of flip-flop is used in a preferred embodiment, but not limiting, of the distributor according to the invention: it makes it possible to obtain a cascading of several flip-flops because of the fact that significant percentage of dynamic pressure recovery at

the output of such a rocker.

  FIG. 3 shows, for each of the three flip-flops shown, the elements of the flip-flop described in FIG. 2. The value of the distance d of the first flip-flop will generally be chosen smaller than the corresponding values of the distances.

  d 'and' of the other two rockers. This characteristic

  that, which also gives values of the angles A 'and o (' ') lower than the value of the angle 0 <of the

  blade of the first rocker, allows a better diffusion

  fluid flow at the exit channels. For intermediate division stages, in the case of a distributor with n output channels, the distances d

  will be chosen as short as possible in order to

  serve a maximum of dynamic pressure to the fluid. For each of the output channels 8, 9 terminal latches,

  an area 80 having diverging walls is provided.

  The purpose of the latter is to recover in the form of a static pressure a fraction of the jet dynamic pressure whose velocity profile has been uniformized in the section of constant section and determined length of the channels.

exit 8 or 9.

  It will also be noted that the connection between the first flip-flop and the two output flip-flops is done directly via two channels with a constant section, playing for the first flip-flop the role of the output channels 8 and 9, and for both other flip-flops the role of the nozzle 2. As a result, the widths e 'and e "are slightly greater than the

  width e of the nozzle of the first rocker.

  The thickness. of the plate in which this distributor is made is a function of the requested flow rate. The material used may be any such as for example glass or a plastic material. A plate, not shown in Figure 3, is disposed over the entire surface A 'of the distributor so as to close all the fluid lines. This plate will generally be made of a similar material

  to that used by the distributor's body.

  In this figure 3 are not represented the

  control circuits of these flip-flops.

  Figure 4 shows a diagram explaining the process

  command used for a fluidic flip-flop.

  In addition to the elements already described, the

  shown in this figure comprises means for transmitting

  pressure mission 22 connected to the control 3 of the fluidic rocker 21 and to the preferred exit channel 8 via a connection 24. The fluid, applied to the input E, is transmitted to the feed 1 of the flip-flop 21, via a

  solenoid valve 30 provided with an external control 20.

  S1 and S2 respectively represent the outputs of the privileged 8 and non-privileged channels 9 of the flip-flop

fluidic 21.

  The operation of this device is as follows. A control signal is applied to the solenoid valve 30 via the control terminal 20.

  fluid is then transmitted to the fluidic rocker 21.

  Because of its asymmetrical design and in the absence of a transverse control flow, a permanent flow is established towards the preferred exit route 8

after a brief transitional regime.

  The preferred exit channel 8 comprises a diffuser, not shown here, in which the flow is recompressed. The recompression level is determined by the size of the outlet port. This pressure is transmitted through the connection 24 to the pressure transmission means 22 which stores this pressure in the form of, for example, mechanical potential energy. If, now, a signal is applied to the control 20 of the solenoid valve 30 so as to interrupt the fluid supply of the flip-flop 21 during a time interval of supposedly short duration, the repressurization will cause the change of the pressure. In fact, if the pressure transmission means 22 has a sufficient inertia, during the pressurization of the fluidic rocker 21 before the end of the time interval of duration t, the fluid out of the nozzle 2 will be attracted by the depression created in the control 3 by the return to the reference pressure of the pressure transmission means 22. Once the attachment achieved, an intense low pressure zone is established on the wall, in a "separation bubble" constituted by a vortex. This depression is applied to the pressure transmission means 22. A second interruption of the solenoid valve 30 during a time interval of duration D ', which may be of a different value, will result in the jet being returned to the preferred exit route. 8 when pressurizing (if '' is of too short duration the tilting

  will not take place). Indeed, before this second inter-

  rupturing the solenoid valve 30, no fluid flow being effected by the preferred outlet channel 8, the pressure transmission means 22 is returned to the reference static pressure in an interval

  duration of time supposed to be less than? . As a result

  during the repressurization, after this

  second interruption of duration '', the absence of

  on the control channel 3, will cause a

  towards the preferred exit lane 8.

  The device of FIG. 5 shows the use of this type of control for an example of a distributor

  Four-way output fluid Si. S 2t S3 and S4.

  This distributor comprises three bistable fluidic flip-flops, according to an arrangement, such as that shown in FIG. 3, giving an input channel E

  and four output channels Si, S S3 and S4.

  The flip-flops can be of any type in this example. For a generalization of this arrangement to a fluid dispenser with n outputs, the use of flip-flops of the type shown in FIG.

preferential realization.

  The device comprises in addition to the elements already

  described for the other figures three flip-flops

  bistables 210, 211 and 212 three commands com-

  three means of pressure transmission 220, 221, 222. The control channel 4 is closed, as for the exerple of Figure 49; or even completely removed, concatenated in the example of flip-flop in Figure 2. The pathways

  output A, S and S3 are assumed to be preferential.

  The operation of this device is as follows at the first power supply, corresponding to the

  start-up, output channels A and S1 are powered

  Tees. A first interruption of the supply of fluid using the solenoid valve 30 receiving a signal on the control terminal 20, causes the flow to flow on the output channel S The duration of the control pulse, therefore the interruption of the fluid supply must be evaluated according to the inertia of the

  means for transmitting pressure 221.

  A second interruption causes the flow to flow through channels B and S3 under the effect of the created impulse

  by the pressure transmission means 220.

  After this second interruption, the pressure transmission means 220 accumulates an energy corresponding to the depression establishing itself on the track.

  3 of the flip-flop 210, so that a third

  the interruption of a suitable period of food

  E, caused by the solenoid valve 30, leaves the jet of fluid on the exit path B and the

output S4 is powered.

  After a fourth interruption of the supply E of fluid, of sufficient duration for the pressure transmission means 220 and 222 to return to the equilibrium point, corresponding to the static reference pressure, the pressurization feeds the tracks

output A and S1.

  The duration of the four pulses mentioned depends on the inertia of the pressure transmission means 220, 221 and 222, that is to say the time they need.

  to return to the equilibrium position.

  Figures 6 to 10 show some non-limiting examples of embodiments of the aforementioned pressure transmission means. The fluidic flip-flops schematized in these figures comprise at least one diffuser and an outlet orifice 40 on the preferred channel 8 allowing

  a rise in pressure at the exit of this lane 8.

  FIG. 6 shows a manometric device comprising a volume of air or gas 43 imprisoned

  in an inverted U-tube 45. The reserve is entitled

  properly distributed between the two branches of the U-tube; to maintain this sharing and thus have a proper operation of the device, it is preferable, but not necessary, to provide a floating ball 41 and a stop 42 constituted for example by a localized narrowing of the tube 45, in order to limit

  the rise of water and thus the siphoning of the tube 45.

  FIG. 7 shows a device comprising a chamber 46 separated in two parts by a flexible membrane 48 on which is attached a weight 47 of value

  suitable for producing a sufficient depression

at the moment of tipping.

  Figure 8 shows a variant of the device of

  Figure 7. The membrane-48 and the ballast 47 are replaced -

  by a bellows 49 optionally reinforced with a spiral spring 51. A variant of the device of Figure 7 is to replace the ballast with a metal frame

  possibly comprising a magnet and attracted or repulsed

sée by a second fixed magnet.

  FIG. 9 shows a device making it possible to take into account the possible delay in the opening or closing of the solenoid valve 30. The dispersion on these times inherent in the solenoid valve 30 leads to an increase in the duration of action of the solenoid valve 30. means of pressure transmission. The device of this FIG. 9 makes it possible to synchronize the action of the pressure transmission means with the pressurizing of the distributor.

of fluid.

  It comprises in addition to the elements already described two chambers 46 and 53 in communication, a pipe 50 connecting the chamber 53 to the feed 1 of the fluidic rocker, and a set of two balls 59 secured to one another by a rod , a first ball is

  finding in room 46 the other in room 53.

  These two balls have a diameter greater than that of

  leads connecting rooms 46 and 53.

  Use of any means other than two marbles

  related does not go beyond the scope of the invention.

  The operation of this device is as follows: During the pressurization of the fluidic rocker, the pressure of the feed path 1 causes, via the conduit 50, the closure of the chamber 53 and the communication of the chamber 46 with the conduit 45. The pressure caused by the flow of fluid in the preferred channel 8 at the diffuser, compresses the bellows 49 and causes a transient control flow through the chamber 46 and the control channel 3 reinforcing the attachment of the jet in the preferred lane 8. The interruption of the supply causes the closure of the chamber 46, due to a beginning of relaxation of the bellows 49 and the pressure drop in the duct 50. obtain in the control 3, a depression, allowing during the repressurization

the tilting of the jet.

  FIG. 10 shows a variant of the device with two balls 52 of FIG. 9. It comprises, in the chamber 53, a flexible membrane 60 connected by a rod to a valve 61 allowing a good isolation of the

  chamber 46 using the flanges 62 adapted to the valve

  61, and a bellows 49 separating into two parts the

room 46.

  In this variant, the operation is similar

  the two-ball device 52 of Figure 9; the initiation

  Valve 61 depends on the pressure difference in the lines 50 and 45 plus the resistance

bending the membrane 60.

  A fluid dispenser and its application to home appliances have been described, more

  particularly of the washing machine type.

  In all the cases described, a calibrated leakage disposed between the chamber 46 and the pipe 45, or between the chamber 46 and the control pipe 3, allows the

  return to the balance of the bellows after a determined time.

  However, in the configuration shown in Figures 9 and 10 o the controlled valve is disposed between the channel 8 and the control bellows, it is possible to arrange the assembly in a position such that air remains trapped in the chamber 46. In

  this case, at the first pressurization, the air is compressed

  kept under pressure during the closure of the

  valve controlled. The bellows 49 remains compressed and provokes

  that the tilting of the flow on the channel 9 after an interruption of the flow. But at this time, the air trapped in the chamber 46 is without pressure, so that if the volume of the chamber is sufficient, the bellows can relax during a further interruption of the flow. The device operates as a binary divider in a sequential mode, alternately feeding the

  channels 8 and 9 at each break and it is no longer necessary

  to predict calibrated leakage.

  A 3-way output operation is still possible in accordance with FIG. 5 but only having a second flip-flop on channel A. The order of the sequences is unchanged: AS, AS2, B. After a further interruption of flow, the system is found in

its initial state.

Claims (18)

  1. Fluid dispenser comprising at least one fluidic flip-flop of the bistable type (22), an output channel 8 is preferred and a solenoid valve (30), characterized in that it comprises for each used latch means for transmitting pressure ( 22) connected to the control channel (3) used and to the   preferred exit route (8) of this fluidic rocker   that (21), as they exert an aspiration on the   control channel 3 when the flow is interrupted.   and that the solenoid valve is unique (30) and   connected to the inlet of the fluid dispenser.   2. Dispenser according to claim 1, characterized   characterized in that the unused control channel (4) is closed.   Fluid dispenser according to claim 1, characterized in that the connection (24) between a pressure transmission means (22) and the exit route   (8) of the corresponding scale is locally   on an outlet of the fluid dispenser.   Fluid dispenser according to claim 1,   characterized in that at least one of the flip-flops   bistable used comprises a nozzle (2)   both a diffuser (7> with diverging walls, in which are cut two recirculation zones (12, 13).   5. Fluid dispenser according to claim 4, characterized in that furthermore the distance between the edge of the blade (14) separating the two output channels and the outlet of the nozzle (2) of this flip-flop is lower or the order of four times the width of the jet.   Fluid dispenser according to claim 4,   characterized in that at least one of the flip-flops   used has an angle cK between the channels of Fluid dispenser according to claim 4,   characterized in that at least one of the flip-flops   used at the beginning of his two lines of   exit a region with parallel walls.   8. Fluid dispenser according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one pressure transmission means (22) comprises an inverted U-tube (45) in which is trapped between two zones of fluid, a volume of gas.   9. Fluid dispenser according to claim 8, characterized in that a ball (41) of diameter approximately equal to the inside diameter of the tube (45) and of average density less than the density of the fluid.   used is in the part of the tube (45) comprising -   the volume of gas (43), and in that said tube comprises means (42) preventing the ball (41) from passing from one branch of the U-tube to the other and sealing against water. Fluid dispenser according to claim 1,   characterized in that at least one of the means for transmitting   pressure device (22) used comprises a chamber (46) separated into two compartments sealed with respect to each other by a flexible membrane (48) comprising a ballast (47).   Fluid dispenser according to claim 1,   characterized in that at least one of the trans!   pressure-operated mission (22) comprises a chamber (46) separated into two watertight compartments, one per   relation to the other, by a bellows (49). -   Fluid dispenser according to claim 11, characterized in that the bellows (49) comprises a spiral spring (51).   13. Fluid dispenser according to claim 10, characterized in that the ballast is replaced by the attractive force of a magnet or by the repulsive force of two opposite magnets.   Fluid dispenser according to claim 1,   characterized in that at least one of the means for transmitting   used mission (22) comprises a first conduit (50) connecting the supply (1) of the latch considers a first chamber (53), the first chamber (53) being connected firstly to a second chamber (46) it itself connected to the control (3) of the fluidic rocker, and secondly to a second conduit (45) connected to the   preferred exit route (8), and means of closing   ture (52) for connecting the conduit (45) to one of the two chambers (46 or 53) depending on the value of the pressure difference existing in both conduits (45, 50).   Fluid dispenser according to claim 14, characterized in that the closure means (52)   have two balls interconnected by a rod.   16. Fluid dispenser according to claim 14, characterized in that the closing means (52) comprise a bellows (49) sealingly separating the second chamber (46) in two compartments, a flexible membrane (60) sharing in a manner waterproof the   first chamber (53) has two compartments, a   pe (61) connected to the membrane (60), this valve allows   putting in control the linking of the second   chamber (46) with the second conduit (45).   Fluid dispenser according to claim 1,   characterized in that at least one of the flip-flops   used (21) has at least one diffuser (40)   at the end of its preferred exit lane (8).   18. Domestic appliance, more particularly of the washing machine type, characterized in that it comprises   a fluid dispenser according to one of the claims previous