WO2012089712A1

WO2012089712A1 - A washer comprising a liquid cleaning agent dosing means

Info

Publication number: WO2012089712A1
Application number: PCT/EP2011/074054
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ilkan Erdem; Burak Asureciler; Ergun Kiran; Fernando Russo
Original assignee: Arcelik Anonim Sirketi
Priority date: 2010-12-30
Filing date: 2011-12-26
Publication date: 2012-07-05
Also published as: EP2658428A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a washer (1) comprising a washing tub (2) wherein the washing operation is performed, a water intake valve (3), at least one cleaning agent dispenser (4) wherein the liquid cleaning agents are stored, a dosage pump (5), a storage tank (6) open to the atmospheric pressure, wherein water is stored, a dosing means (7) that provides the liquid detergent in the cleaning agent dispenser (4) to be mixed into the washing liquid controllably, conduits (8, 108, 208) that connect the cleaning agent dispensers (4) and the storage tank (6) to the dosing means (7) and a collection channel (9) that extends between the dosing means (7) and the dosage pump (5).

Description

A WASHER COMPRISING A LIQUID CLEANING AGENT DOSING MEANS

The present invention relates to a washer comprising a liquid cleaning agent dosing means.

The utilization of liquid cleaning agents is becoming widespread in washers suitable for use as washing machine or dishwasher. Accordingly, in order to provide convenience of use, automatic dosing means are developed by the producers for storing the liquid cleaning agents in a dispenser in the washer and for delivering them controllably from the dispenser to the washing tub in accordance with the requirements of the selected washing program. The state of the art liquid cleaning agent dosing means provide holding the liquid cleaning agent in a dispenser and mixing the desired amount of liquid cleaning agent with the washing liquid by the simultaneous operation of a valve and pump. Residues of liquid cleaning agents are deposited in the inner periphery of the conduits used for delivering the liquid cleaning agents from the dispenser to the washing tub and these cause the said delivery conduits to be clogged. In order to solve this problem, the liquid cleaning agent is provided to be mixed with the washing liquid right after leaving the liquid cleaning agent dispenser. However, implementing these types of solutions is complicated and costly since the spaces for disposing the liquid dosing dispenser, the valve and the pump in the washer are limited.

In the washing machine described in the state of the art Great Britain Patent Application No. GB2111461A, a valve is explained that mixes the different liquid washing agents controllably with the washing liquid.

In the state of the art European Patent Application No. EP2044877A, a washing machine is explained wherein the liquid cleaning agents are stored and are mixed with the washing liquid controllably.

The aim of the present invention is the realization of a washer wherein the liquid cleaning agents are stored and controllably mixed into the washing liquid.

The washer realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof, comprises cleaning agent dispensers and a dosing means disposed between a water storage tank and the dosage pump which provides the cleaning agents to be mixed into the washing liquid. The dosing means, when in the passive position, does not prevent the water flow between the water storage tank and the dosage pump. Thus, the collection channel that extends between the dosing means and the dosage pump is filled with the water received from the water storage tank.

The water in the water storage tank fills into the collection channel by the effect of atmospheric pressure since the water storage tank is at a higher elevation than the dosing means.

The entire collection channel is swept by the water delivered from the water storage tank since the point where the water storage tank is connected to the collection channel is hydraulically prior to the point where the cleaning agent dispensers are connected.

The dosing means comprises a body, at least two hoses disposed inside the body, one end connected to the cleaning agent dispenser or to the conduit from the storage tank, the other to the collection channel, at least one actuator and at least one deformer that changes position by being actuated by the actuator.

The washer of the present invention is suitable for being used as a dishwasher or washing machine.

In the washer of the present invention, in the dosing means that provides cleaning agents to be added to the washing liquid controllably, the interior of the collection channel is filled with water so that the collection channel wherein cleaning agents flow is not clogged with the residues of the cleaning agent.

The washer realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:

Figure 1 – is the schematic view of a washer.

Figure 2 – is the perspective view of a dosing means.

Figure 3 – is the exploded view of a dosing means.

The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

Washer
Washing tub
Water intake valve
, 204. Cleaning agent dispenser
Dosage pump
Storage tank
Dosing means
, 108, 208. Conduit
Collection channel
Body
, 111, 211. Hose
, 112. Actuator
, 113. Deformer
, 114, 214. Groove

The washer (1) of the present invention, suitable for use as washing machine or dishwasher, comprises a washing tub (2) wherein the washing operation is realized, a water intake valve (3), at least one cleaning agent dispenser (4) wherein the liquid cleaning agents are stored, a dosage pump (5), a storage tank (6) wherein water is stored, a dosing means (7) that provides the liquid detergent in the cleaning agent dispenser (4) to be mixed into the washing liquid controllably, conduits (8, 108, 208) for connecting the cleaning agent dispensers (4) and the storage tank (6) to the dosing means (7) and a collection channel (9) that extends between the dosing means (7) and the dosage pump (5) (Figure 1).

The dosing means (7) can be in an active position wherein only one of the conduits (8, 208) coming from the cleaning agent dispensers (4) is open and the others closed and the conduit (108) from the storage tank (6) is closed, and in a passive position wherein all of the conduits (8, 208) from the cleaning agent dispensers (4) are closed and the conduit (108) from the storage tank (6) is open. When the dosing means (7) is in active position, the dosage pump (5) operates as well. The cleaning agent in the open one of the conduits (8, 208) coming from the cleaning agent dispensers (4), is sucked by the dosage pump (5) by means of the collection channel (9) and mixed with the washing liquid. When the dosing means (7) is in the passive position, all of the conduits (8, 208) coming from the cleaning agent dispensers (4) are closed and the dosage pump (5) also stops. There is no passage of cleaning agent from the conduits (8; 208) coming from the cleaning agent dispensers (4) to the collection channel (9). On the other hand, the conduit (8) coming from the storage tank (6) is open and the water in the storage tank (6) fills the conduit (108) connecting the storage tank (6) to the dosing means (7) and afterwards the collection channel (9). Thus, after the dosing means (7) stops, in other words, after the cleaning agent required for the washing program mixes into the washing liquid by means of the dosage pump (5), the collection channel (9) wherein the cleaning agents flow before the dosage pump (5) is filled with water. When the dosing means (7) is in the passive position, an open path exists between the dosage pump (5) and the storage tank (6) and the water in the storage tank (6) fills into the collection channel (9). The interior of the collection channel (9) remains full of water until the dosing means (7) changes to the active position again thereby the clogging that may form as a result of cleaning agents remaining in the collection channel (9) is prevented (Figure 1).

The points whereat the conduits (8, 208) coming from the cleaning agent dispensers (4) are connected to the collection channel (9) are between the dosage pump (5) and the point whereat the conduit (108) coming from the storage tank (6) is connected to the collection channel (9). Hence, the water reaching to the collection channel (9) through the conduit (108) coming from the storage tank (6) is provided to fill the collection channel (9) entirely.

The liquids are provided to move towards the collection channel (9) with effect of gravity by positioning the storage tank (6) and the cleaning agent dispensers (4) at a higher point than the dosing means (7). The storage tank (6) is open to atmospheric pressure.

The dosing means (7) comprises a body (10), at least two hoses (11) disposed inside the body (10), one end connected to the conduit (8), the other end to the collection channel (9), at least one actuator (12) and at least one deformer (13) that changes position by being actuated by the actuator (12). There are two separate positions of the actuator (12), in the first position, the actuator (12) applies force to one of the hoses (11), in the second position, to the other hose (11) so as to provide elastic deformation by means of the deformer (13) (Figure 2 and Figure 3).

In an embodiment of the present invention, the washer (1) comprises one cleaning agent dispenser (4), a conduit (8) connecting the cleaning agent dispenser (4) to the dosing means (7), a hose (11) connecting the conduit (8) to the collection channel (9), a second conduit (108) connecting the storage tank (6) to the dosing means (7) and a hose (111) connecting the second conduit (108) to the collection channel (9). When the dosing means (7) is in the passive position, the actuator (12) is in the first position wherein it is not energized and keeps the hose (11) closed by applying pressure thereon by means of the deformer (13). In this position, the hose (111) and the conduit (108) wherein water flows are open since there isn’t any force acting on the hose (111). The collection channel (9) is full of the water delivered thus. When the dosing means (7) is in the active position, the actuator (12) is in the second position wherein it is energized and keeps the hose (111) closed by applying pressure thereon by means of the deformer (13). In this position, the cleaning agent reaches the collection channel (9) by way of the conduit (8) and the hose (11) since there isn’t any force acting on the hose (11). The cleaning agent is provided to mix into the washing liquid by means of the dosage pump (5) that is operated simultaneously.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the washer (1) comprises two cleaning agent dispensers (4, 204), two conduits (8, 208) connecting the cleaning agent dispensers (4, 204) to the dosing means (7), two hoses (11, 211) connecting the conduits (8, 208) to the collection channel (9), a third conduit (108) connecting the storage tank (6) to the dosing means (7) and a hose (111) connecting the third conduit (108) to the collection channel (9) (Figure 2 and Figure 3).

In this embodiment, the washer (1) comprises two actuators (12, 112) and two deformers (13, 113) that are actuated by these. When the dosing means (7) is in the passive position, the actuator (12) is in the first position and keeps the hose (11) closed by applying pressure thereon by means of the deformer (13). The other actuator (112) is also in the first position and keeps the hose (211) closed by applying pressure thereon by means of the deformer (113). In this position, the hose (111) and the conduit (108) wherein water flows are open since there isn’t any force acting on the hose (111). The collection channel (9) is full of the water delivered thus.

When the dosing means (7) is in the active position, the cleaning agent in any one of the cleaning agent dispensers (4, 204) can be mixed into the washing liquid by means of the actuators (12, 212).

When the cleaning agent in the first cleaning agent dispenser (4) is desired to be added to the washing liquid, the actuator (12) is in the second position and keeps the hose (111) closed by applying pressure thereon by means of the deformer (13), the other actuator (112) is in the first position and keeps the hose (211) closed by applying pressure thereon by means of the deformer (13). In this position, the cleaning agent in the first cleaning agent dispenser (4) reaches the collection channel (9) by way of the conduit (8) and the hose (11) since there isn’t any force acting on the hose (11). The cleaning agent is provided to mix into the washing liquid by means of the dosage pump (5) that is operated simultaneously.

When the cleaning agent in the second cleaning agent dispenser (204) is desired to be added to the washing liquid, the actuator (12) is in the second position and keeps the hose (111) closed by applying pressure thereon by means of the deformer (13), the other actuator (112) is also in the second position and keeps the hose (11) closed by applying pressure thereon by means of the deformer (113). In this position, the cleaning agent in the second cleaning agent dispenser (204) reaches the collection channel (9) by way of the conduit (208) and the hose (211) since there isn’t any force acting on the hose (211). The cleaning agent is provided to mix into the washing liquid by means of the dosage pump (5) that is operated simultaneously.

In a derivative of this embodiment, the dosing means (7) comprises grooves (14, 114, 214) extending parallel to each another inside the body (10) and wherein the hoses (11, 111, 211) are disposed. In this embodiment, the actuators (12, 112) are disposed inside the body (10) such that each one remains between two of the grooves (14, 114, 214) (Figure 2 and Figure 3).

In an embodiment of the present invention, the washer (1) is a dishwasher.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the washer (1) is a washing machine.

In the washer (1) of the present invention, the collection channel (9) extending between the dosing means (7) and the dosage pump (5) is prevented from being clogged with drying of the cleaning agent residues by also connecting the storage tank (6) containing water to the dosing means (7) parallel to the cleaning agent dispensers (4) and by the water in the storage tank (6) filling the collection channel (9) when the dosing means (7) is in the passive position.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited by the embodiments disclosed above and a person skilled in the art can easily introduce different embodiments. These should be considered within the scope of the protection postulated by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

A washer (1) comprising a washing tub (2) wherein the washing operation is performed, a water intake valve (3), at least one cleaning agent dispenser (4) wherein the liquid cleaning agents are stored, a dosage pump (5), a storage tank (6) open to the atmosphere and wherein water is stored, a dosing means (7) that provides the liquid detergent in the cleaning agent dispenser (4) to be mixed into the washing liquid controllably, conduits (8, 108, 208) connecting the cleaning agent dispensers (4) and the storage tank (6) to the dosing means (7) and a collection channel (9) that extends between the dosing means (7) and the dosage pump (5), characterized by the dosing means (7) which can be in an active position wherein only one of the conduits (8, 208) coming from the cleaning agent dispensers (4) is open and the other closed and the conduit (108) coming from the storage tank (6) is closed, and in a passive position wherein all of the conduits (8, 208) coming from the cleaning agent dispensers (4) are closed and the conduit (108) from the storage tank (6) is open.
A washer (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the conduit (108) and the collection channel (9) that is filled with water received from the storage tank (6), and that connects the storage tank (6) to the dosing means (7) when the dosing means (7) is in the passive position.
A washer (1) as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized by the storage tank (6) that is open to atmospheric pressure.
A washer (1) as in any one of the above Claims, characterized by the conduits (8, 208) coming from the cleaning agent dispensers (4) whereof the points whereat they are connected to the collection channel (9) are between the dosage pump (5) and the point whereat the conduit (108) from the storage tank (6) is connected to the collection channel (9).
A washer (1) as in any one of the above Claims, characterized by the storage tank (6) and the cleaning agent dispensers (4) that are positioned at a higher point than the dosing means (7).
A washer (1) as in any one of the above Claims, characterized by the dosing means (7) comprising a body (10), at least two hoses (11) disposed inside the body (10), one end connected to the conduit (8), the other end to the collection channel (9), at least one actuator (12) and at least one deformer (13) that changes position by being actuated by the actuator (12).
A washer (1) as in Claim 6, characterized by the actuator (12) having two separate positions, that in the first position, applies force to one of the hoses (11) and to the other hose (11) in the second position, by means of the deformer (13) so as to provide elastic deformation.
A washer (1) as in Claim 6 or 7, characterized by a cleaning agent dispenser (4), a conduit (8) connecting the cleaning agent dispenser (4) to the dosing means (7), a hose (11) connecting the conduit (8) to the collection channel (9), the second conduit (108) connecting the storage tank (6) to the dosing means (7) and a hose (111) connecting the second conduit (108) to the collection channel (9), the actuator (12) that keeps the hose (11) closed by applying pressure thereon by means of the deformer (13) when the dosing means (7) is in the passive position and keeps the other hose (111) closed by applying pressure thereon by means of the deformer (13) when the dosing means (7) is in the active position.
A washer (1) as in Claim 6 or 7, characterized by two cleaning agent dispensers (4, 204), two conduits (8, 208) connecting the cleaning agent dispensers (4, 204) to the dosing means (7), two hoses (11, 211) connecting the conduits (8, 208) to the collection channel (9), a third conduit (108) connecting the storage tank (6) to the dosing means (7) and a hose (111) connecting the third conduit (108) to the collection channel (9), two actuators (12, 112) and two deformers (13, 113) actuated by these.
A washer (1) as in Claim 9, characterized by grooves (14, 114, 214) extending inside the body (10) parallel to one another and wherein the hoses (11, 111, 211) are disposed and the actuators (12, 112) that are disposed inside the body (10) such that each one remains between two of the grooves (14, 114, 214).
A washer (1) as in any one of the above Claims, which is a dishwasher.
A washer (1) as in any one of the Claims 1 to 11, which is a washing machine.