WO2008034678A1

WO2008034678A1 - Water-conducting domestic appliance comprising a dosing system

Info

Publication number: WO2008034678A1
Application number: PCT/EP2007/058582
Authority: WO
Inventors: Egbert Classen; Helmut Jerg; Kai Paintner
Original assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH
Priority date: 2006-09-19
Filing date: 2007-08-17
Publication date: 2008-03-27
Also published as: DE102006043975A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a water-conducting domestic appliance, in particular a domestic dishwasher (2), comprising a conduit system (14). The invention is characterised by a detergent feed device (18), designed to feed at least one detergent into the conduit system (14) of the domestic dishwasher (2). The invention also relates to a refill body (32).

Description

Water-conducting household appliance with dosing system

The invention relates to a water-conducting domestic appliance with a detergent dosing system according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

For example. For example, household dishwashers have a cleaner and a rinse aid dispenser disposed on the inside door of the dishwasher, which at a given time deliver their entire contents. This requires that before every new rinse such a household dishwasher with cleaners and / or rinse aid must be provided. As an alternative to using separate cleaners and rinse aids, combination products in tablet form are known, which are introduced into the washing compartment at the beginning of each rinse cycle. In this case, these combination agents are designed so that their individual active ingredient components, such as cleaners, rinse aid, glass protection, etc. are released at different times. In domestic dishwasher dishwashing programs, which have a considerably reduced running time, for example 30 minutes and are referred to as fast programs, all the components of such a compressed detergent can not dissolve and therefore do not unfold their optimum effect due to the shortened program running time. Have glasses at the end of such a wash disturbing water spots.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a water-conducting household appliance, which reliably achieves satisfactory cleaning results even with short program run times. It is another object of the invention to provide the operation facilitating aids.

This object is achieved by a water-conducting household appliance with the features of claim 1. Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

The water-conducting household appliance according to the invention, in particular a domestic dishwasher, has a line system in which during operation Rinsing liquor is conveyed by means of a circulation pump from a pump sump and spray arms is supplied in the interior of the washing compartment. According to the invention it is provided that a detergent feed device is provided for feeding detergent into the line system. This improves the dissolution and distribution of the cleaning agents, since they are quickly dissolved by the conveyed rinsing liquor and can thus develop their effect as quickly as possible. In this case, the detergent feed device can be provided for supplying a cleaning agent or any number of cleaning agents, so that it is also possible to provide desired compositions of detergent components with only one function, adapted to the respective rinsing cycle. The detergent feed device has at least one chamber for at least one cleaning agent. The chamber may be provided with a refill opening so that a user can easily refill. Alternatively it can be provided that are provided by interchangeable cartridges, wherein in the case of a plurality of cleaning components, a cartridge may have a plurality of chambers for each component or it may alternatively be provided that for each individual detergent component, a single cartridge used and replaced can.

Preferably, a recirculation pump connected to the detergent feed device is provided. Thus, the household dishwasher is designed such that with the circulation pump, the amount of detergent can be dosed.

For this purpose, valves may be provided which are closed when the detergent is conveyed, or alternatively a water switch is closed. This makes it possible to determine the pressure and the volume flow and thus the amount of cleaner through the speed selection of the circulation pump without the need for additional pumps for metering the cleaning agent.

Further, a conductive sensor is preferably provided, which allows to detect the added amount of cleaner by measuring the conductivity so as to increase the dosing accuracy.

Preferably, the inventive water-conducting household appliance is designed such that a load detection device is provided for the circulating pump. For example. the load detection device can detect fluctuations in the current consumption of the circulation pump. With the load detection device of the circulation pump can be detected on the basis of changes in load with running circulation pump, whether a chamber is still filled with cleaning agents or not. In this case, a control of a domestic dishwasher may be designed such that it generates an optical and / or acoustic signal in the case of an empty chamber, which draws an operator's attention to the empty chamber.

In a first embodiment it is provided that the detergent feed device is arranged in the bottom tray of a household dishwasher. The arrangement of

Reinigungsmitteleinspeisevorrichtung in the bottom tray of a household dishwasher below a dishwasher has the advantage of a compact design, since in addition to the detergent feed device and the circulation pump is integrated in the bottom tray and from there the detergent added with rinse liquor is supplied to the spray arm.

In an alternative embodiment it is provided that the detergent feed device is arranged in the interior of the washing compartment, namely in the washing compartment in at least one cutlery basket.

It can preferably be provided that each cutlery basket of the household dishwasher is provided with a detergent feed device. This makes it possible to carry out the respective loading of the respective dish rack adapted detergent dosage and to attach the detergent directly by the immediate proximity to the dishes and cutlery.

In a further embodiment it is provided that the detergent feed device is arranged in the roof area, a side wall or a door. This arrangement has the advantage that easy accessibility is given with the door open the household dishwasher. Preferably, the detergent feed device at least additionally comprises a pumping means for pumping in detergent. This allows liquid detergents and rinse aid to be conveyed directly from chambers into the washing compartment.

Alternatively, it may be provided that an automatic, gravity-related emptying of chambers without mechanical assistance is possible.

In an alternative embodiment, it is provided that the detergent feed device has at least one metering chamber in which the cleaning agents are mixed with the wash liquor. The dosing chambers allow an improved dosage and by mixing with rinsing liquor an improved cleaning performance.

In a preferred embodiment it is provided that the detergent feed device is formed fillable by means of a Nachfüllkörpers. In this case, the refill body has a number of sections corresponding to the number of the chamber of the detergent dosing and thus allows simultaneous filling all the chamber of a detergent dosing, wherein arranged in the emptying position of the refill body with its openings directed downwards, so that in this position due to gravity automatic draining is guaranteed.

For this purpose, the detergent feed device preferably has a connection element which is designed to correspond to a connection of a refill body. For example, cannulas may be provided which cause puncturing of a membrane of the refill body when it is placed on the connection element. If the diaphragm is made of an elastic material, then an additional automatic closing when removing the refill body is ensured, so that no residues can leak.

Furthermore, the invention includes a refill body for a water-conducting household appliance with a connection and with a plurality of chambers, in particular 3 to 10. In this case, the refill body is characterized in that the connection is designed for simultaneous emptying of the chambers of the refill body. The multitude allow this of storage chambers each having a function of cleaning agents and refilling in one step.

For this purpose, the connection preferably has a membrane made of an elastic material, for example rubber. This makes it possible to puncture the membrane with cannulas, which can be arranged on the dishwasher side. At the same time it is ensured that the membrane closes again when the refilling process is completed and the refill is separated from a dishwasher, so that it can not come to any unwanted leakage of cleaning agents.

Furthermore, it is preferably provided that lines extend from the connection to each of the chambers, so that a direct connection is provided.

The refill body can basically have any suitable shape, which in particular allows a simple production of plastic. Preferably, however, it is provided that the refill body has a substantially bottle-shaped basic shape. Thus, for example, the refill body may have a substantially rotationally symmetrical shape with a bottle neck-like taper, at the end of which the connection is arranged. Alternatively, a basic shape with a square base is conceivable.

Finally, it is preferably provided that at least one of the chambers comprises at least one of the following ingredients: alkali carriers, e.g. Caustic, complexing and dispersing agents; e.g. polymers; Enzymes such as amylase, protease or lipase; Bleaching agent, e.g. hydrogen peroxide; Bleach activator, and surfactants, such as e.g. nonionic surfactants. Furthermore, a biocidal fluid can be additionally stored. In particular, biocides can be stored against bacteria (bactericides), against fungi (fungicides), against germs (microbicides), against viruses (virucides) and also against algae (algicides), the addition of which can lead to unpleasant odor developments by e.g. Biofilm formation during longer periods to stop.

In the following the invention will be explained with reference to a drawing. Show it:

1 shows a schematic representation of a first embodiment of a domestic dishwasher according to the invention, FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of a second exemplary embodiment of a domestic dishwasher according to the invention,

FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of a third exemplary embodiment of a domestic dishwasher according to the invention,

FIG. 4 shows a schematic illustration of a fourth exemplary embodiment of a domestic dishwasher,

FIG. 5 shows a schematic representation of a first exemplary embodiment of a detergent feed device according to the invention,

FIG. 6 shows a schematic illustration of a second embodiment of a detergent feed device according to the invention,

FIG. 7 shows a schematic representation of a third exemplary embodiment of a detergent feed device according to the invention,

FIG. 8 shows a schematic representation of a fourth exemplary embodiment of a detergent feed device according to the invention,

Figure 9 is a schematic representation of a fourth embodiment of a household dishwasher according to the invention, and

Figure 10 is a schematic representation of an embodiment of a refill body according to the invention.

Reference is made to FIGS. 1 to 4.

A domestic dishwasher 2 has a washing compartment 4, in which crockery and cutlery (not shown) to be cleaned in dish racks 6 can be arranged. To act on the dishes and cutlery to be cleaned with rinsing spray rotating spray arms 8 are provided in the washing room 4 in Betreib, the Applying rinse liquor are formed on the dishes and cutlery to be cleaned. The rinsing liquor applied to the crockery and cutlery drips down and collects in the bottom area 10 of the washing compartment 4, where it is fed to a circulating pump 12, which again conveys the rinsing liquor into a line system 14 which is in communication with the spray arm 8, so that during the operation of the household dishwasher 2 rinse liquor is conveyed in a circle.

The household dishwasher 2 according to the invention according to FIG. 1 has a detergent feed device 18, which in the present exemplary embodiment has two chambers 20, wherein the first chamber 20 can be filled with a liquid or gel detergent and the second chamber 20 can be filled with a liquid or gel rinse aid. However, it is alternatively conceivable that a plurality of chambers 20 are provided, for example 5 to 7, in which individual cleaners or rinse aid components can be stored which do not have the functionality e.g. have a multi-component cleaner, but a single function such as. Complexes, alkali carriers, enzymes, surfactants or biocidal liquids.

The detergent feed device 18 also has a valve 22 for each chamber 20 so that the respective chamber 20 of the detergent feed device 18 can be separated from the wash liquor cycle described above. By opening the valves 22, however, detergent can be supplied to the rinsing liquor cycle.

The detergent feed device 18 can, as shown in FIG. 3, be arranged in a floor pan 28 below the washing compartment 4 of the domestic dishwasher 2 and has an access opening (not shown), which includes refilling the chambers 20 or exchanging a cartridge (not shown) one or more chambers 20 allowed.

In a further embodiment according to FIG. 4, on the other hand, provision is made for a respective detergent feed device 18 to be arranged in a respective dish rack 6 and to communicate with the line system 14. This arrangement allows by simply pulling a dish rack 6 refilling the chambers 20th to perform or replace a cartridge with detergent-containing chambers (not shown).

A further exemplary embodiment is shown in FIG. 2, in which the detergent feed device 18 is connected to a water intake system 24 of a household dishwasher 2 and thus enables a supply of cleaning agents and / or rinse aid already during the water inlet by opening the valves 22.

Various embodiments of the detergent feed device 18 will now be explained with reference to FIGS. 5 to 8:

FIG. 5 shows a detergent feed device 18 with two chambers 20. Via valves 22 and by means of pumping means, not shown, liquid detergent and liquid rinse aid can be conveyed out of the chamber 20.

A further variant of a detergent feed device 18 is shown in FIG. 6, which has metering chambers 26, which are connected by means of flushing lines 30 to a reservoir (not shown). In the metering chambers 26, a desired amount of cleaning agent and / or rinse aid is provided before the beginning of a metering process, which is then flushed out at the beginning of a metering by inflowing rinsing liquor.

The detergent feed device 18 according to FIG. 7, on the other hand, has two chambers 20 for a powdered or pressed detergent or for rinse aid substance. Before the beginning of a dosing process, rinsing liquor is conducted into the chambers 20 in order to achieve at least partial dissolution of the powder or of the pressed cleaning agent or rinse aid substance. At the beginning of a dosing process, the chambers 22 are emptied.

In contrast, the detergent feed device 18 according to FIG. 8 has two chambers 20 in which liquid cleaning agents or rinse aid are stored. In this case, the chambers 20 are arranged such that due to gravity in the Chambers 20 stocked liquid detergent can automatically leak without motor support.

As in the present example, two chambers 20 may be designed to accommodate, for example, at least one cleaning agent and one rinse aid. Alternatively, it is also conceivable that one chamber each for a substance, such. a cleaner and a rinse aid at different positions in a household dishwasher 2 are arranged.

Furthermore, the two chambers 20 can accommodate two substances, e.g. Be trained cleaner and rinse aid. The cleaner may comprise alkali carriers, complexing agents and dispersants (inter alia surfactants, polymers, enzymes / bleach (including bleach activator), while the rinse aid may contain complexing and dispersing agents in addition to water and surfactants, as well as other substances such as glass protection In this case, both the detergent and the rinse aid may be in liquid form, in powder form (loose or pressed) or as an element compressed into a tablet.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 9 and 10.

Furthermore, it can alternatively be provided to provide a refill body 32 which has a plurality of sections 36 for a single cleaner or rinse aid components with only one functionality. The refill body 32 allows a simultaneous filling of the chambers 20 of a detergent feed device 18 by gravity-induced emptying (see Figure 9). For this purpose, the refill bottle 32 to a refill (not shown) of a domestic dishwasher 2 corresponding port 34, for example, with a cannulas pierceable membrane (not shown), so that only a single opening is possible. Possible ingredients of such a refill body 32 may be: alkali carriers, for example lye, complexing agents and dispersants; eg polymers; Enzymes such as amylase, protease or lipase; Bleaching agents, eg hydrogen peroxide; Bleach activator and surfactants, such as nonionic surfactants. Furthermore, a biocidal fluid can be additionally stored. In particular, biocides against bacteria (bactericides), against fungi (fungicides), against germs (microbicides), against viruses (virucides) and also against algae (algicides) are stored, their addition unpleasant odor developments by eg biofilm formation during extended periods to stop.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

2 household dishwasher

4 washroom

6 crockery basket

8 spray arm

10 floor area

12 circulation pump

14 pipe system

16 water switch

18 detergent feed device

20 chamber

22 valve

24 water intake system

26 dosing chamber

28 floor pan

30 flushing line

32 refill body

34 connection

36 section

Claims

1. Water-conducting household appliance, in particular domestic dishwasher (2) with a line system (14), in which during operation rinsing liquor by means of a

Circulating pump (12) conveyed from a pump sump and spray arms (8) in the interior of the washing compartment (4) is supplied, characterized in that a Reinigungsmitteleinspeisevorrichtung (18) for feeding detergent into the conduit system (14) is provided.

2. Water-conducting household appliance according to claim 1, characterized by a with the detergent feed device (18) in communication circulating pump (12).

3. Water-conducting household appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a conductivity sensor for detecting the conductivity of wash liquor.

4. Water-conducting household appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by load detection means for detecting load fluctuations of the circulation pump (12).

5. Water-conducting domestic appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the detergent feed device (18) in the region of a bottom trough (28 of the household dishwasher (2) is arranged.

6. Water-conducting domestic appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the detergent feed device (18) in at least one cutlery basket (6) of the household dishwasher (2) is arranged.

7. Water-conducting household appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the detergent feed device (18) pumping means for introducing at least one cleaning agent.

8. Water-conducting household appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the detergent feed device (18) has at least one metering chamber (26).

9. Water-conducting household appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the Reinigungsmitteleinspeisevorrichtung (18) is designed for gravity-induced automatic emptying.

10. Water-conducting household appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the detergent feed device (18) by means of a

Refill body (32) is formed fillable.

1 1. A water-conducting household appliance according to claim 10, characterized in that the detergent feed device (18) has a connection element that is formed corresponding to a connection (34) of a refill body (32).

12. Refill body (32) for a household dishwasher (2), in particular according to one of claims 1 to 1 1, with a connection (34) and with a plurality of chambers, in particular 3 to 10, characterized in that the connection ( 34) is designed for simultaneous emptying of the chambers of the refill body (32).

13. Refill body (32) according to claim 12, characterized in that the connection (34) has a membrane made of an elastic material.

14. refill body (32) according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that extending from the terminal (34) lines to each of the chambers.

15. refill body (32) according to any one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that the refill body (32) has a substantially bottle-shaped basic shape.

16. refill body (32) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the chambers at least one of the following Ingredients include: enzymes, bleaching agents, bleach activators, dispersing and

Complexing agents, surfactants, alkali carriers and / or biocides.