GB2215348A

GB2215348A - Detergent feed device for a washing machine

Info

Publication number: GB2215348A
Application number: GB8900629A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Karl Thier; Wolfgang Proppe
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-02-03
Filing date: 1989-01-12
Publication date: 1989-09-20
Anticipated expiration: 2009-01-12
Also published as: ES2012956A6; IT8919278A0; GB8900629D0; IT1228173B; HK92695A; DE3803196A1; GB2215348B; DE3803196C2; TR24279A

Description

1 DETERGENT FEED DEVICE FOR A WASHING MACHINE The present invention

relates to a detergent feed device for a washing machine, in particular for liquid or powder detergents.

A detergent feed device for this purpose is disclosed in DE-OS 28 13 366. In this device, the base walls of water feed channels are equipped with water exit openings along the walls of detergent chambers. In order that detergent residue can be flushed off the walls, these walls can be arranged to extend obliquely below the exit openings, as disclosed in DEGM 78 34 912. Consequently, water jets issuing from the openings impinge on the chamber walls at a flat angle and flush off adhering detergent residues.

In order to provide the greatest possible volume for liquid or powder detergents in the smallest possible space, vertically upright chamber walls become necessary. In order to wash residue off such walls, it is necessary to arrange the exit openings so that the water jets impinge obliquely onto the vertical walls. For this purpose, it is known from DE-GM 78 34 912 to shape the exit openings as nozzles and to provide them with lateral passages. An arrangement of that kind, however, is too complicated to permit manufacture by simple injection-moulding tools.

There is therefore a need for a feed device in which water jets can impinge obliquely on upright chamber walls and yet in which simple injection-moulding tools may be usable for manufacture, for example core slides withdrawable perpendicularly to a main plane of water feed ducts in the device.

According to the present invention there is provided a detergent feed device for a washing machine, comprising means defining a plurality of chambers for detergent and water feed means arranged above the chambers and comprising a plurality of ducts provided in base walls thereof with water outlet openings for directing water into the chambers to flush out detergent, at least some of the openings being arranged in rows which extend substantially parallel and closely adjacent to respective side wall surfaces of the chambers and which are each disposed in a duct base wall portion inclined at an angle relative to the respectively adjacent chamber side wall surface, and the axes of the openings in each such row being arranged to extend perpendicul ly to the flow axis of the associated duct.

In a preferred embodiment, water conducted into the detergent feed device for the flushing operation is guided in ducts or channels above the detergent chambers and conducted into the chambers through openings arranged in rows arranged parallelly and closely to chamber walls to be flushed. Base wall portions of the channels are inclined at an angle relative to the chamber wall in the region of the row of the openings and the openings have axes extending perpendicularly to the direction of flow in the channels. It has proved that the simple inclination of the channel base wall portions while maintaining the axes of the openings in an orientation perpendicular to the main plane of the channels lying one beside the other. has the effect that theissuing water jets are directed substantially perpendicularly to the channel base wall portions and therefore impinge obliquely on the associated chamber walls.

For preference, the angle lies in the range of 10 to 25'. In the case of a channel base wall portion extending at an angle relative to the chamber wall, the water jets impinge on the chamber walls at r- - 3 a flat angle without splashing. Their energy is employed almost completely for flushing off detergent residue and is not significantly reduced as may occur with too steep an angle of incidence.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be more particulars ly described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a detergent feed device embodying the invention, the section being along the line I-I of Fig. 2; and Fig. 2 is a cross-section, along the section line II-11 in Fig. 1, of the device.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a detergent feed device comprising a housing 1 composed of a lower part 2 and an upper part 3. The two parts can be connected together by, for example, mirror 1 welding. A detergent drawer 6 is pushed along lateral guides 5 into a cavity 4 formed between the two housing parts. The drawer 6 contains three chambers 7, 8 and 9 in which individual quantities of detergent can be kept in reserve. The chambers 7 and 9 are preferably provided for powder detergents and the chamber 8 for a liquid detergent, for example a soft-rinsing agent. Mounted at the end of each of the chambers 7 and 9 is a respective baffle wa.11 10 which, between its lower edge and the chamber base 11, leaves a gap through which water and detergent can escape into a shaft 12, the lower end of which (not illustrated) can be connected with a liquor container in a washing machine.

The upper part 3 of the housing 1 has a feed nipple 13 which is connected with controllable fresh water feed equipment and directed towards an opening 14 of a first channel 15 in the upper part, for each detergent chamber. Since the nipple 13 is not in fact visible in the section plane of the Fig. 1, it is shown in Fig. 1 as part of a broken-away portion. At the end remote from the nipple 13, the first channel 15 branches into two channels 16.and 17, which extend to the right and left of the first channel 15 and parallelly thereto but in opposite direction. At the outflow end, the channels 16 and 17 are each closed_off by a wall 18.

Arranged in the base wall of each channel is a respective row of water outlet openings 19 which, in the case of the first channel 15, are aimed approximately towards a centre line of the associated chamber base 11. The base wall of the first channel 15 extends at least approximately at right angles to the walls 20 and 21 of the associated chamber 9. Thereagainst, at least a portion of each of the base walls 22 and 23 of the channels 16 and 17 is inclined relative to the respective chamber wall 20 or 21 by an angle &C in the region of the openings 19. However, the openings 19 in these base walls 22 and 23 extend perpendicularly to the direction of flow in the channels, i.e. their axes 24 and 25 have a setting deviating by the angle ---C from the right angle onto the inclined base wall portions. The angle eC is preferably in the range of 10 to 25'. The most suitable angle can be determined empirically and may depend on the thickness of the base walls, the diameter of the openings and the expected pressure in the channels. It can also be advantageous to change the angle progressively over the length of a channel, so that the channel has, for example, a base wall which is flatly inclined near its inlet but more strongly inclined at the wall 8.

- In the righthand part of the Fig. 2 it can be seen that the jets 26 issuing from the openings in the base wall parallel to the roof of the device impinge without deflection perpendicularly onto the chamber base. Thereagainst, the jets 27, in departure from the orient ation of the axes 24 and 25 of the openings, impinge obliquely onto the respective chamber walls, so that these walls are flushed with fresh water over a wide area from above and kept free of detergent residue.

It is also possible for the openings, with their vertically oriented axes, to be arranged in nozzles which protrude downwardly from the base walls and the lower end faces of which are inclined in the sense of the illustrated inclined base wall portions of the channels.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A detergent feed device for a washing machine, comprising means defining a plurality of chambers for detergent and water feed means arranged above the chambers and comprising a plurality of ducts provided in base walls thereof with water outlet openings for directing water into the chambers to flush out detergent, at least some of the openings being arranged in rows which extend substantially parallel and closely adjacent to respective side wall surfaces of the chambers and which are each disposed in a duct base wall portion inclined at an angle relative to the respectively adjacent chamber side wall surface, and the axes of the openings in each such row being arranged to extend perpendicularly to the flow axis of the associated duct.

1

2. A detergent feed device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the angle lies in the range of 10 to 250.

3. A detergent feed device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

4. A washing machine provided with a detergent feed device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

Published 1989 atThe Patent Offiee, State House, 6871 High HolbornLondonWCIR 47F.Further copies maybe obtained trom The Patent Offlee. Sales Branch, St Mary Cray, Orpington, Kent BR5 3RD. Printed by MulUplex techniques ltd, St]Lary Cray, Kent, Con- 1/87