WO2006108936A1

WO2006108936A1 - Removable reservoir designed to be connected to a household electrical appliance housing

Info

Publication number: WO2006108936A1
Application number: PCT/FR2006/000677
Authority: WO
Inventors: Cédric METAY; Franck Pautet
Original assignee: Seb S.A.
Priority date: 2005-04-12
Filing date: 2006-03-29
Publication date: 2006-10-19
Also published as: FR2884229A1

Abstract

The invention concerns a removable reservoir designed to be connected to a household electrical appliance housing, said reservoir comprising a connecting end fitting including an outlet (611) closed by a ball valve, the valve ball (63) being returned into a closing position of the outlet (611) by spring means (64) when the reservoir is disconnected from the housing and being moved to an opening position, to be brought closer to the spring means (64), by the end of a supply conduit inserted through said connecting end fitting when the reservoir is mounted on said housing, and in that the connecting end fitting comprises a gasket (62) urged into contact with the supply conduit when the connecting end fitting is properly engaged on said supply conduit, the connecting end fitting including at least one resilient tongue which co-operates with one wall of the housing to immobilize the connecting end fitting on the housing (1) in a proper engagement position.

Description

REMOVABLE TANK FOR CONNECTING TO AN ELECTRICAL APPLIANCE HOUSING

The present invention relates to a removable tank intended to be connected to an appliance housing, and relates more particularly to a tank having connection means ensuring a sealed connection of the tank on the housing and ensuring a good seal of the tank when the latter is disconnected from the housing.

It is known on household appliances, such as ultrasonic cleaning devices or some irons, to use a disposable removable container containing a liquid adapted to perform a particular task, the reservoir may for example contain a stain remover, a perfume or even a product facilitating the unwinding according to the device concerned. Such tanks generally comprise a flexible sealing membrane which is perforated, or open at a slot, on a supply tube provided for this purpose when the tank is mounted on the housing.

The tightness ensured by such a connector end has however the disadvantage of not being very reliable, especially when the tank is badly engaged on the housing, and especially not to ensure a perfect seal of the tank when the latter is removed from the housing while it still contains liquid.

Such flows of liquid out of the tank are poorly perceived by the user and may also present a danger when the product contained in the tank is toxic.

Also, an object of the present invention is to overcome these disadvantages by providing a removable tank for a household appliance for the treatment of a textile which comprises connection means ensuring excellent sealing of the connection between the tank and the housing when the tank is mounted on the latter and which guarantee a good watertightness of the tank when it is removed from the housing while it still contains liquid.

For this purpose, the subject of the invention is a removable reservoir intended to be connected to a household appliance housing for the treatment of a textile, characterized in that the tank comprises a connection endpiece comprising an exit orifice closed by a ball valve, the ball of the valve being brought into a closed position of the outlet orifice by spring means when the reservoir is disconnected from the housing and being moved towards an open position, against the spring means, by the end of a supply duct inserted through the connection piece when the tank is mounted on the housing, and in that the connection piece comprises a seal coming into contact with the duct; when the connection piece is correctly engaged on the supply duct, the connection piece comprising at least one resilient tab which cooperates with a wall of the housing for immobilize the connection tip on the housing in a proper engagement position.

Such a characteristic makes it possible to ensure a reliable connection by avoiding the recoil of the connection endpiece under the forces of the spring means of the ball valve.

According to another characteristic of the reservoir according to the invention, the elastic tongue extends longitudinally to the tip and has an arcuate shape, the two ends of the resilient tongue being connected to the tip, the elastic tongue having a boss cooperating with with a stop formed on the wall of the housing to immobilize the connection tip in the correct engagement position. Such a characteristic has the advantage of ensuring a relatively large blocking force of the connecting piece in the correct position of engagement and of generating an expulsion force of the connection piece in the first phase of deformation of the resilient tongues, that is to say when the disconnection tip is not sufficiently engaged on the supply duct.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the connection endpiece comprises two diametrically opposite elastic tongues which come engage in grooves provided on the housing.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the supply duct comprises a frustoconical outer shape.

Such a feature has the advantage of gradually increasing the pressure on the seal when inserting the supply conduit in the latter, which ensures a very good seal.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the seal comprises a tubular portion disposed in the outlet orifice having an end serving as a bearing seat for the ball. According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the connecting piece comprises at least one vent hole of the tank and the seal comprises a membrane extending radially on the vent hole so as to form a valve preventing gravity flow of liquid from the reservoir through the vent hole. According to another characteristic of the invention, the connection tip is carried by a neck which is placed at an edge of the reservoir, the neck extending obliquely with respect to the two walls of the reservoir adjacent to the edge.

Such a characteristic has the advantage of allowing gravity flow of the liquid through the neck when the reservoir is in a substantially horizontal or substantially vertical position.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the reservoir comprises a wall having locally a recess.

Such a feature has the advantage of facilitating the gripping of the reservoir by forming an attachment zone for the fingers of the hand.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the reservoir contains a liquid cleaning composition.

The aims, aspects and advantages of the present invention will be better understood from the description given below of a particular embodiment of the invention presented by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the drawings. annexed in which:

- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a detacher apparatus provided with a removable reservoir according to a particular embodiment of the invention;

- Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 of the apparatus with the removable tank disassembled and oriented to leave visible its connection tip;

- Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the removable reservoir of Figure 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the connecting end of the reservoir of FIG. 1;

- Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the connecting end in the plane of the locking elastic tongues of the connecting piece;

- Figure 6 is a sectional view of the connection tip of Figure 5 engaged in the receiving housing of the housing.

Only the elements necessary for the understanding of the invention have been represented. To facilitate the reading of the drawings, the same elements bear the same references from one figure to another.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a cleaning apparatus comprising a housing 1 equipped with a reservoir 2 containing a cleaning fluid, the housing 1 being connected by a cord 3 to a pen 4 enclosing an ultrasonic source making it possible to vibrate a head of the end of the pen 4 also comprises a spray nozzle 5 which is connected to the reservoir 2 by the cord 3, the casing 1 enclosing a pump making it possible to send the liquid from the reservoir to the reservoir. spray nozzle 5 on command of a button 41 carried by the pen 4.

According to Figure 2, the tank 2 is removably mounted in a receiving housing 10 provided on the housing 1, the housing 10 advantageously having a step 10a on the edge of the housing 1 releasing an access under the tank 2 to facilitate its capture. The tank 2 is provided with an outlet neck 20 comprising a connecting piece 6 which engages in a cylindrical cavity 11 disposed at the bottom of the housing 10, the cavity 11 comprising a rigid tube 13 with a slightly frustoconical outer surface projecting from the the middle of the cavity and being introduced into the connection endpiece 6, this tube 13 being connected to the feed pump of the pen 4 and having an end provided with crenellations 13a.

As can better be seen in FIG. 3, the outlet neck 20 of the reservoir is disposed at an edge of the reservoir 2 and is oriented obliquely with respect to the two adjacent walls 21, 22 of the reservoir 2 so that the neck outlet 20 allows the flow of the liquid contained in the tank 2 regardless of the horizontal or vertical orientation of the latter, thus allowing the operation of the cleaning device when the latter is placed on a table or fixed vertically to a Wall.

The wall 22 of the reservoir facing the housing advantageously comprises a recess 22a which facilitates the gripping of the reservoir 2 and advantageously receives a descriptive label describing the nature of the liquid contained in the reservoir 2.

According to FIGS. 4 and 5, the connecting end 6 of the reservoir 2 has a substantially cylindrical body 61 provided with two elastic tongues 610 which engage in two grooves 12, visible in FIG. 2, formed along the edge of the cavity 11 housing 10 of the housing 1.

The elastic tongues 610 extend longitudinally and have an arched shape, provided with a stop boss 610a disposed substantially at two thirds of the length of the tongue 610, each end of the tongue being connected to the body 61 of the endpiece .

The body 61 of the connecting piece comprises an axial outlet opening 611 which opens on a sleeve 612 forming a housing for a ball valve consisting of a silicone seal 62, a ball 63 and a return spring 64 , the assembly being closed by a cylindrical envelope 65. The cylindrical envelope 65 has an axial opening 650 on the edge of which the spring 64 bears and comprises a radial flange 651 snap inside the sleeve 612, behind a locking rib 612a.

The seal 62 comprises a membrane 620 extending radially at the bottom of the sleeve 612, at the edge of the orifice 611, on which the lower end of the cylindrical envelope 65 bears and the seal 62 comprises also a tubular portion 621 introducing into the orifice 611 of the body 61 and having a lower end provided with a bead 621a.

According to Figure 5, the membrane 620 of the seal 62 extends radially beyond the diameter of the cylindrical casing 65 and covers two vent holes 613 arranged symmetrically on either side of the outlet orifice 611, the vent holes 613 extending longitudinally through the body 61 and placing the interior of the tank 2 in communication with the outside air, the collar 651 of the casing 65 having two orifices 651a in the extension of the holes The operation of the connection end of the reservoir according to the invention will now be described in relation to FIGS. 5 and 6.

Figure 5 illustrates the connection tip 6 when the tank 2 is disconnected from the apparatus. In this situation, the ball 63 is brought into abutment against the seal 62 by the return spring 64 and the membrane 620 of the seal closes the vent holes 613 so that no liquid can escape from the tank 2.

Conversely, when the tank 2 is mounted on the housing 1 of the apparatus, the connection piece 6 is introduced into the cavity 11 by engaging the tongues 610 in the grooves 12, the rigid tube 13 protruding in the center of the cavity 11 engaging through the seal 62 and pushing the ball 63 against the spring 64, the bead 621a of the seal then engulfing the frustoconical outer surface of the rigid tube 13 thus ensuring a perfect seal of the connection, as shown in FIG. 6. During this introduction of the connection endpiece 6 into the cavity 11, the elastic tongues 610 progressively deform against an abutment 120 arranged at the edges of the grooves 12, until the end of the tip 6 arrives at the bottom of the cavity 11. In this position, the boss 610a carried by the elastic tongues 610 is then engaged just behind the stop 120 and cooperates with the latter to prevent the recoil of the tip 6, in particular by counteracting the efforts of the return spring 64, the locking obtained by the engagement of the bosses 610a on the stop 120 being greater than the recoil forces generated by the thrust spring 64.

The crenellations 13a of the end of the rigid tube 13 then define openings which are in communication with the liquid of the tank 2, thus allowing the latter to flow through the rigid tube 13 and feed the pump of the apparatus. The flow of the liquid by gravity causes a slight depression of the reservoir 2 which is compensated by the intake of air into the reservoir at the vent holes 613, this air inlet in the tank 2 being obtained by bending of the membrane 620 under the pressure of the air. The presence of the cylindrical envelope 65 resting on the membrane 620 creates a distance between the air supply through the vent holes 613 and the liquid outlet through the rigid tube 13 so that the risks of aspiration of air bubbles through the pump housing 1 are eliminated.

When the user wishes to replace the tank 2, either because it is empty, or to use a tank 2 containing another type of product, it is sufficient to grab the tank 2 and shoot firmly to pass the point of blocking generated by the cooperation of the bosses 610a with the stops 120, this input being facilitated by the presence of the step 10a at the base of the receiving housing 10 which releases an access under the tank 2 at its recess 22a.

Once the boss 610a disengaged from the stop stop 120, the force exerted by the return spring 64 of the ball valve and the deformation of the tongues 610 when the stop 120 presses upstream of the boss 610 then have the advantage of generate an expulsion force of the connection piece 6 which facilitates the withdrawal of the reservoir 2. Such a force expulsion of the connection piece 6, when the bosses 610a of the tabs 610 are not engaged behind the stops 120 , also has the advantage of allowing the user to immediately visualize the non connection of the tank 2 on the housing 1 of the device, the reservoir 2 then being pushed back almost a centimeter on the body of the housing 1, in a position where the orifice of outlet 611 is sealingly closed by the ball valve. The tank thus produced thus has the advantage of not being able to occupy an intermediate position in which the sealing of the connection between the tank and the housing is not perfectly ensured, a tank not perfectly engaged being rejected by the joint efforts of the spring of the valve and resilient tongues in a position such that the sealing of the reservoir is ensured by closing the ball valve. In addition, such a tank also has the advantage of allowing visual identification of the non connection of the tank.

In an alternative embodiment not shown, the return spring of the ball may be replaced by another type of biasing means such as an elastic strap from molding with the silicone seal. This elastic strap may for example have the shape of a hoop surrounding the ball to press against the tubular portion of the seal, the elasticity of the strap allowing the recoil of the ball during the introduction of the rigid tube . Such an alternative embodiment avoids the use of a metal spring that can be etched chemically by the liquid in the tank.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the described and illustrated embodiments which have been given by way of example. Modifications are possible, particularly from the point of view of the constitution of the various elements or by substitution of technical equivalents, without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.

Thus, in an alternative embodiment, the invention may be applied to an additive tank for an iron.

Claims

1) removable tank (2) intended to be connected to a housing (1) of household appliance, said tank (2) comprising a connection piece (6) comprising an outlet orifice (611) closed by a ball valve, the ball (63) of the valve being brought into a closed position of the outlet (611) by spring means (64) when the reservoir (2) is disconnected from the housing (1) and moved to a position d opening, against the spring means (64), by the end of a supply duct (13) inserted through said connection piece (6) when the tank is mounted on said casing (1), and in that the connection tip (6) has a seal (62) engaging the supply conduit (13) when the connection tip (6) is properly engaged with the supply conduit (13), characterized in that the connecting piece (6) comprises at least one resilient tongue (610) which cooperates with e with a wall of the housing for immobilizing the connection tip (6) on the housing (1) in a proper engagement position.

2) tank (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that said elastic tongue (610) extends longitudinally to the tip (6) and has an arcuate shape, the two ends of the elastic tongue (610) being attached at the tip (6) and in that said tongue has a boss (610a) cooperating with a stop (120) formed on the wall of the housing to immobilize the connection piece (6) in the correct engagement position . 3) tank (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the connection piece (6) comprises two elastic tongues (610) diametrically opposed which engage in grooves (12) provided on the housing (1).

4) tank (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said supply duct (13) has a frustoconical outer shape. 5) tank (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the seal (62) comprises a tubular portion (621) disposed in the outlet orifice (611) having a serving end support seat for the ball (63). 6) tank (2) according to claim 5, characterized in that said connecting piece (6) comprises at least one vent hole (613) of the tank and in that said seal (62) comprises a membrane (620) extending radially on said vent hole (613) to form a valve preventing gravity flow of liquid from the reservoir through the vent hole (613).

7) Tank (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the connecting piece (6) is carried by a neck (20) which is placed at a ridge of the tank (2). ), said neck (20) extending obliquely relative to the two walls (21, 22) of the reservoir adjacent to said edge. 8) Tank according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the reservoir (2) has a wall (22) locally having a recess (22a).

9) Tank according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the reservoir (2) contains a liquid cleaning composition.