FR2769822A1 - SINGLE DOSE DETERGENT DISPENSER FOR DISHWASHER AND THE LIKE - Google Patents

Abstract

Single-dose detergent dispenser, with a container (13) having at its ends (14, 15) coaxial support hinges (16, 17) on a stationary body (9) which supports the pivot (26) and the actuating means (30) of a lever (24), which are adapted to move the container (30) along an arcuate path between a loading position, a closed starting position and an open position for dispensing detergent during the wash cycle. The actuating means (30) are preferably of a kind which does not require a power supply. The invention applies to dishwashers or the like, especially for domestic use. User loading of detergent is facilitated.

Description

Single-dose detergent dispenser for dishwashers and the like La

  The present invention relates to a single-dose detergent dispenser for washing machines.

  tableware and similar household appliances.

  In the washing of household dishes in the machine, two chemical agents are used, more precisely a detergent and a shining agent. With the aim of releasing such chemical agents, during the washing cycle, so that they disperse in the water which has previously been loaded, in domestic dishwashers automatic dispensers are used, either separate or integrated.

in a single component.

  A typical single-dose detergent dispenser includes a container inserted into the thickness of the machine door so that its cover protrudes slightly from the surface facing the wash tub. After the detergent has been loaded into the container, the lid is kept closed by a closing hook, located on the side opposite its articulation side. An electromagnetic actuator slaved to the dishwasher program unlocks the closing hook, causing the lid to open automatically when the washing cycle is due and the

  consecutive release of the detergent in the tank.

  This widespread solution has the disadvantage that to allow the user to load the detergent, the dishwasher door must be fully open, being very close to the floor

  from the kitchen in which the appliance is installed.

  The disadvantage is thus obvious, especially in the case of the elderly and / or prone to back pain. EP-A-0 554 226 also discloses a multi-dose dispenser which is disposed between the upper cover plane and the tank to allow the user to load the detergent, once a number of washing cycles have been carried out, remaining in a standing position. In this patent, it is asserted but in no way demonstrated that the dispenser can be used both on washing machines and in washing dishes. We therefore do not understand how the proposed solution could be compatible with the usual construction of dishwashing machines, which provides for a front door and a stationary cover plane, in particular in the built-in models, in which the only cover plane is the continuous plan of the kitchen furniture. The use of said dispenser is further limited to liquid detergents which have not yet

enjoyed wide circulation.

  EP-A-755 650 also discloses a construction in which the detergent and gloss agent dispensers are mounted side by side on the front side of one of the dishwashing baskets and are supplied by quick-connect hydraulic seals by the water supply lines going to the reel associated with the basket itself. In this way, undoubtedly access to the distributor for loading the respective chemical agents is improved, but the reliability of the hydraulic seal poses a problem with a negative influence on their dispersion in water. In addition, this solution involves significant modifications to the traditional hydraulic circuit of a dishwasher, for example a solenoid valve which diverts the water taken from the above reel to a diffuser added in the washing cycle phases which do not provide for the use of detergent or of the brightening agent (for example

example, the prewash phase).

  The main object of the present invention is to present a single-dose dispenser for a dishwasher, which is easily accessible on the part of the user for carrying out the loading of detergent, which can indifferently be in the form of powder, of

liquid or lozenge.

  A second aim is to present a dispenser which ensures complete release of the detergent in the dishwasher tank and thus good washing results, without altering the entire construction of

the machine.

  Another object is to present a dispenser which, at least according to a preferred embodiment, is free from electrical components and which thus does not impose on the dishwasher designer connections

  particular for its positioning in the machine.

  A dispenser having the various features of the invention and which will be described in a preferred (but not exclusive) embodiment achieves these goals. To allow a better understanding of the characteristics and advantages of the invention, use will be made of the appended drawings: FIG. 1 shows a front view of a detergent and gloss agent dispenser integrated according to the invention, mounted directly on a dishwasher basket of a household dishwashing machine; Fig. 2 shows the only part relating to the detergent dispenser, for simplicity having been separated from the machine, cut along a plane parallel to the observation plane of FIG. 1; Fig. 3 is a view of the dispenser along a section line X-X of FIG. 2 in its configuration at the time of loading with detergent; Figs. 4 and 5 are similar to Fig. 3 and represent the distributor configurations respectively at the start and at

the end of the wash cycle.

  As shown in Fig. 1, the upper dishwasher basket 1 which is movably mounted in the tank 2 of a domestic dishwasher by means of rollers 3 and associated slides 4 supports on its front side an integrated distributor generally designated by the reference number 5. The latter includes either a single-dose detergent dispenser 6 or a multi-dose dispenser of bright agent liquid 7 provided with a filling plug 8. On the basket 1 is suspended in the lower part a rotating reel, connected to the hydraulic circuit of the machine which, being entirely conventional, will not be presented. Also, if the distributors 6 and 7 are arranged side by side inside a single concave body 9, which is made of plastic by injection and the rear of which is provided with projecting profiles 10 and 11 to be hooked click on the metal bars with which basket 1 is formed - see Figs. 3 and 4 - is therefore described here the only detergent dispenser 6 since the present invention relates exclusively thereto. According to the invention, the detergent dispenser 6 comprises, in addition to a part of the concave body 9 having a semi-circular cross section which ends with a raised edge 12, a container 13 which is assembled, with a large perimeter clearance, for the reasons which will be explained below, to the concave body 9. The container 13, which is also made of injected plastic, comprises two heads 14 and 15, from which protrude two coaxial support pins 16 and 17 which are inserted in corresponding seats (not shown for simplicity) formed inside the body 9. The pin 17 projecting from the head 15 retains a helical torsion spring 18 which presses against the part of the body 9 where the seat is located of the same

pin 17 - see Fig. 2.

  The container 13, which also comprises two substantially parallel walls 19 and 20, the second of which being turned over to retain a lining 21, and an arched bottom wall 22, is open at 23, at the part opposite the wall bottom 21. The container 13 thus has in this form of

  realization, a cross section in the shape of "U" -

  see Figs. 3 and 4 - but could also have a different cross-sectional shape, for example semi-circular or polygonal or open from the

wall opposite the bottom.

  Inside the concave body 9 and along the container axis 13 extends a lever 24 which pushes against a leaf spring 25 on the upper profiled projection 10 and is articulated at 26 on an internal projection belonging to the same body 9. A first end 27 of the lever 24 is maintained in contact with the projecting head 28 of the piston 29 of an actuating cylinder 30, under the action of a counter-effect spring 31 which is brought into abutment against the internal surface of the concave body 9 - see Fig. 2. In this preferred embodiment of the invention, the actuating cylinder 30 is of the type which, in order to obtain the displacements of the piston 29 already mentioned, contains a substance subject to a significant variation in volume in the field of temperatures (of the order from 10 to 65 C) prevailing inside the tank of the

  dishwasher, for example a thermostatic wax.

  Near its second end 32, which is placed at the end of a section folded at a right angle, is fixed on the lever 24 a transverse pin 33 which is capable of moving in a non-through groove 34 provided on the same head 15 of the container 13 on which the helical spring abuts 18. The groove 34 has an arcuate shape with a first enlargement 35 at one end, and a second enlargement 36 in an intermediate position

- see Figs. 3 and 4.

  How the detergent dispenser works 6

is the next.

  At the start of a washing cycle, at "normal" room temperature (in practice, no higher than 30-35 C) the configuration of the detergent dispenser 6 is such that the container 13 is arranged with its opening 23 facing the top - see Fig. 3 - i.e. in front of the user when he opens the dishwasher door to carry out the loading operations. In this arrangement, the pin 33 which is fixed to the lever 24 near its second end 32 is housed in the intermediate enlargement 36 of the arcuate groove 34 which is provided on the head 15 of the container 13. In this way, the arrangement container 13 is stabilized and allows the user to load the detergent (either it is in the form of powder or tablet or even liquid) with maximum ease. It is indeed obvious that by being fixed to the upper basket 1 of the dishwasher which is at a minimum of about 60 cm from the floor, the detergent dispenser 6 becomes accessible to the user, more or

  less without forcing him to bend his back.

  In any case, after having loaded the detergent into the container 13, it suffices that the user exerts with the hand a slight upward push on the outside of the side 20 of the container, preferably on the fold which retains the filling 21. In this way, the pin 33 is forced out of the intermediate widening 36, and by gradually loading the torsion spring 18, to move along the arcuate groove 34 until the final widening 35. The pin 33 remains stably retained at this location due to the opposing action exerted by the leaf spring 25 which in this way closes the container 13, since the lining 21 is in abutment against the edge of

  relief 13 which is at the end of the concave body 9 -

see Fig. 4.

  At this time, the user can start, with an immediate start or, if the machine allows it, delayed, the washing cycle. The latter comprises, as is well known, a phase of reheating the water, from the outlet temperature of the network (for example 15 ° C.) to the temperature of washing the dishes (for example 60 ° C.) simultaneously with the irrigation from the reels. This allows the temperature inside the tank 2 of the dishwasher to increase to a value more or less equal to that of the local kitchen, to the value of the water that we have the end of the above heating phase, which causes a progressive expansion of the substance which is contained inside the actuating cylinder 30. This overcomes the reaction of the opposing spring 31 to the piston 29 to rise from the actuating cylinder 30 by pushing upwards the first end 27 of the lever 24 which, being articulated

  at 26, move the second end down 32 -

  see Fig. 2. The pin 33 is moved from the above end widening consecutively and is forced to move down to the opposite end of the arcuate groove. Thanks also to the simultaneous release of the helical spring 18, this first causes the liner 21 to detach from the raised edge 12 of the concave body 9 and, consequently, the progressive opening of the container 13 , in such a way that its opening always moves further down. When, as has already been said above, the pin 33 arrives at the end of the groove 34 which is furthest from the enlargement 35, the container 13 is in a third arrangement in which its opening 23 is turned downwards, releases the detergent D previously loaded into the machine tank to enter into solution

  hot dishwasher wash water - see Fig. 5.

  During the successive phases of the washing cycle which will be carried out with unheated water, the temperature prevailing inside the tank of the machine decreases again, consequently the substance contained in the actuating cylinder 30 becomes cools and, under the thrust of the opposing spring 31, the lever 24 returns the detergent dispenser to the initial position, shown on

Fig. 3.

  It should be noted incidentally that the user has the possibility of opening by hand the container 13 which is closed, that is to say of moving it from the configuration of FIG. 4 to the configuration of FIG. 3. For this purpose, it is sufficient to lift the second end 32 of the lever 24 with one finger, so that the pin 3 is lowered along the groove 34 until it fits into the intermediate enlargement 36. In other words, the user reproduces by hand the effect obtained automatically by

the actuator cylinder 30.

  It follows from what has been described above that the advantages of the present construction compared to the state of the art described above are obvious in terms of practicality of use, simplicity of construction and operation. An additional advantage consists in the fact that anyway the dishwasher project benefits from the maximum freedom in the choice of the positioning of the dispenser, thanks to the fact that, in the preferred embodiment, it is not at all necessary

to have power supply.

  It therefore remains understood that the present patent also protects an embodiment, in which the actuation of the lever 24 can be obtained by a conventional electromagnetic actuator, provided that the distributor is fitted on the door or possibly in a washing position. - tableware which allows an easy and non-dangerous electrical supply. Finally, it should be noted that the present patent also covers an integrated dispenser construction, in which, thanks to suitable lever systems, a single actuating cylinder, apart from releasing the detergent, also activates the release of the agent.

  glossy, by the multidose dispenser 7.

  To summarize, the invention relates in its most general form to a single-dose detergent dispenser, capable of being mounted on a dishwashing machine or the like, comprising a stationary body and a lever mechanism, the pivot and whose actuating means are supported by the body, to effect a programmed release of the detergent towards the interior of the tank of the machine, characterized by the fact of comprising a container intended for the detergent having on its ends coaxial support pins intended to produce support by the stationary body and actuated by said lever mechanism so as to move along an arcuate trajectory defined on one of the ends, between a first loading position, to carry out the loading of detergent, a second closed position, at the start of the wash cycle, and a third position

open, during the washing cycle.

he

Claims (8)

  1. Single-dose detergent dispenser, capable of being mounted on a dish-washing machine or the like, comprising a stationary body (9) and a lever mechanism (24), including the pivot (26) and the means of which actuation (30) are supported by the body (9), to effect a programmed release of the detergent towards the interior of the tank (29) of the machine, characterized by the fact of comprising a container (13) intended for the detergent having on its ends (14, 15) of coaxial support pins (16, 17) intended to produce support by the stationary body (9) and actuated by said lever mechanism (24) so as to move along a trajectory arcuate (34) defined on one of the ends (15), between a first loading position, for loading the detergent, a second closed position, at the start of the washing cycle, and a third open position, during wash cycle.   2. Single-dose detergent dispenser according to claim 1, characterized in that the junction of said lever mechanism (24) is provided, near its end (32) remote from the actuating means (30), with a journal ( 33) movable   in said arcuate path (34).   3. Single-dose detergent dispenser according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said arcuate path (34) has at least two enlargements (35, 36) at the location of said first and second positions.   4. Single-dose detergent dispenser according to   any one of the preceding claims,   characterized in that the actuating means (30) of the lever mechanism (24) operate as a function of the temperature prevailing inside the washing tank (2), without asking no power supply.   5. Single-dose detergent dispenser according to claim 4, characterized in that it comprises a cylinder filled with a substance subjected to a significant change in volume in the temperature field and from which the head (29) of a piston (28) ) so as to be kept in contact with the corresponding end (27) of the lever mechanism (24) by means of action antagonist (31).   6. Single-dose detergent dispenser according to   any one of the preceding claims,   characterized in that the detergent container (13) has an opening (23) on the wall opposite to the bottom wall (21) and preferably a   "U" shaped cross section.   7. Single-dose detergent dispenser according to   any one of the preceding claims,   characterized by being part of a single integrated distributor (5), for which the same actuation means (30) also serve to actuate an associated multi-dose distributor distributing   liquid intended to make it shine (7).   8. Dish-washing machine or the like, in particular for domestic use, having a single-dose detergent dispenser (6) according to one   any of the preceding claims, characterized   by the fact that said dispenser (6), which can also be part of a single integrated dispenser (5) comprising an associated multidose dispenser of liquid to be shined (7), is hooked to one of the dishwashing baskets ( 11) of the machine, of   preferably on the front side of the upper basket.