U.S. patent application number 11/572741 was filed with the patent office on 2008-03-06 for washing agent dispenser device for dishwashers.
This patent application is currently assigned to RECKITT BENCKISER N.V.. Invention is credited to Marco Moro, Giovanni Perucca.
Application Number | 20080053494 11/572741 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35064723 |
Filed Date | 2008-03-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080053494 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Moro; Marco ; et
al. |
March 6, 2008 |
Washing Agent Dispenser Device for Dishwashers
Abstract
A description is given of a washing agent dispenser device
suitable for use in dishwashers, comprising a first body (1A) which
in turn comprises a container or reservoir (3) for washing agents
to be dispensed, a device (2) for metering/dispensing said washing
agents, and an actuating mechanism (10) associated with said
metering/dispensing device (2) for metering and/or dispensing the
washing agents. The main feature of the device is that it comprises
connection and/or integration means suitable for associating said
first body (1A) with at least one accessory component (1B; 1C, 1D,
1E, 1F) of said dishwasher, for the main purpose of providing
optimal flexibility and efficiency of the washer, which employs the
dispenser device according to the present invention.
Inventors: |
Moro; Marco; (Alessandria,
IT) ; Perucca; Giovanni; (Alessandria, IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
NORRIS, MCLAUGHLIN & MARCUS
875 THIRD AVE
18TH FLOOR
NEW YORK
NY
10022
US
|
Assignee: |
RECKITT BENCKISER N.V.
Siriusdreef 14
Hoofddorp
NL
2132 WT
|
Family ID: |
35064723 |
Appl. No.: |
11/572741 |
Filed: |
July 26, 2005 |
PCT Filed: |
July 26, 2005 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/GB05/02938 |
371 Date: |
April 23, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
134/113 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 15/4409 20130101;
A47L 15/502 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
134/113 |
International
Class: |
A47L 15/44 20060101
A47L015/44; A47L 15/50 20060101 A47L015/50 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 29, 2004 |
IT |
T02004A000529 |
Claims
1. A washing agent dispenser device adapted for use in dishwashers,
comprising a first body which in turn comprises: a container or
reservoir for washing agents to be dispensed, a device for
metering/dispensing said washing agents, an actuating mechanism
associated with said metering/dispensing device for metering and/or
dispensing the washing agents, characterized in that it comprises
connection and/or integration means suitable for associating said
first body with at least one accessory component of said
dishwasher.
2. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that said at
least one accessory component comprises at least one basket for
dishes.
3. A device according to claim 2, characterized in that said at
least one basket for dishes comprises a basket for cutlery and/or
one or more containers for glasses.
4. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that said
connection and/or integration means comprise rigid means of
connection between said first body and said at least one accessory
component.
5. A device according to claim 4, characterized in that said rigid
means of connection between said first body and said at least one
accessory component comprise moulding in a single piece and/or
adhesive bonding and/or hot melting and/or welding of said first
body (1A) to at least part of said at least one accessory
component.
6. A device according to claim 1 4, characterized in that said
connection and/or integration means comprise movable means of
connection between said first body and said at least one accessory
component.
7. A device according to claim 6, characterized in that said
movable means of connection between said first body and said at
least one accessory component comprise hook-like projections on one
part and corresponding slots on the other part.
8. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that said device
comprises means for connecting or positioning or supporting it with
respect to an element inside a washing tank of said dishwasher.
9. A device according to claim 8, characterized in that said
connecting or positioning or support means are shaped and
structured in such a way that said device can be easily placed in
or removed from said washing tank.
10. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that said
device comprises an actuating mechanism for metering and/or
dispensing the washing agents.
11. A device according to claim 10, characterized in that said
actuating mechanism (10) comprises at least actuator means (11)
suitable for controlling said metering and/or dispensing
operations.
12. A device according to claim 11, characterized in that said
actuator means operate completely autonomously.
13. A device according to claim 12, characterized in that said
actuator means comprise a thermoactuator with a heat-sensing
head.
14. A device according to claim 11, characterized in that: said
actuating mechanism additionally comprises: a support integral with
a body of said metering/dispensing device, on which support said
actuator means are supported in the operational configuration in
such a way that said actuator means are able to exert a thrust in
the longitudinal direction of said metering/dispensing device, said
metering/dispensing device in particular being of the drawer type,
a slide integral with a dispensing drawer of said
metering/dispensing device, wherein a free end of a pusher
belonging to said actuator means is connected to said slide in such
a way that said pusher can act on said slide both in terms of
thrust and in terms of traction, thereby also moving said drawer in
translation, a resilient element or spring, in abutment on the one
hand against an inner wall of said slide and on the other hand
against a stop integral with the body of said metering/dispensing
device.
15. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that it
comprises a dispensing device of the long load type.
16. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that it
consists at least partly of a thermoplastic and/or metal
material.
17. An accessory component adapted to be located in or fixed to the
inside of a washing tank of a dishwasher, characterized in that it
comprises means for connecting it to and/or integrating it with a
first body of a washing agent dispenser device.
18. An accessory component according to claim 17, characterized in
that it comprises at least one basket for dishes.
19. An accessory component according to claim 18, characterized in
that said at least one basket for dishes comprises a basket for
cutlery and/or containers for glasses and/or any combination
thereof.
20. An accessory component according to claim 17, characterized in
that said connection and/or integration means comprise rigid means
of connection between said first body (1A) and said accessory
component.
21. An accessory component according to claim 20, characterized in
that: said rigid means of connection between said first body and
said accessory component comprise moulding in a single piece and/or
adhesive bonding and/or hot melting and/or welding of said first
body to said at least one accessory component.
22. An accessory component according to, characterized in that:
said connection and/or integration means comprise movable means of
connection between said first body and said accessory
component.
23. An accessory component according to claim 22, characterized in
that: said movable means of connection between said first body and
said accessory component comprise hook-like projections on one part
and corresponding slots on the other part.
24. A dishwasher incorporating a washing agent dispenser device
according to claim 1.
25. A dishwasher incorporating at least one accessory component
according to claim 17 which accessory component is adapted to be
insertable inside a washing tank of a dishwasher.
26. (canceled)
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a washing agent dispenser
device for use in dishwashers, preferably for domestic use. It
furthermore relates to an accessory component, which can be housed
inside a washing tank of a dishwasher.
[0002] As is known, a wide range of washing agent dispenser devices
or simply dispensers are currently used in dishwashers,
particularly for domestic use. These devices essentially make it
possible for the washing agents to be dispensed at certain times
and in certain ways during the washing phases carried out by the
washer. The washing agents are usually stored in containers or
reservoirs inside said devices, either as detergents in liquid or
powder form or in solid form (tablets) for degreasing or cleaning
the dishes stored inside the machine, or as rinse aids which are
usually in liquid form and are essentially provided to prevent the
formation of marks on the treated dishes.
[0003] The main types of known dispenser device will be discussed
below, these main types differing in terms of their location and
the way in which they are associated with the elements of the
dishwasher where they are used and also the type of actuation of
the actuating/dispensing means present therein.
[0004] In dishwashers for domestic use, it is customary to house a
washing agent (detergent and rinse aid) dispenser device in a
manner such that it is almost completely built into the inside of
the door of the dishwasher, wherein there is typically a single
outer surface of said dispenser device which faces out from the
door and is therefore accessible to a user. Usually housed inside
the door are the associated wires, which connect said device to a
management and control system of the dishwasher (typically
consisting of an electronic control and command unit for
implementing the various operating phases of the dishwasher) and
also the actuation and control systems connected thereto and/or
integrated therewith.
[0005] These dispensers, which can be built into the door, exhibit
some well-known disadvantages, including: [0006] a structure of the
door of the dishwasher which is much thicker than in the case of
solutions without built-in dispensers, with the consequence of less
space available in the tank for the dishes to be washed and a
resulting greater complexity in terms of the design of said door;
[0007] the wiring and in general the electrical components
contained in the door are exposed to the risk of damage caused by
any dripping and/or leakage into the door of washing agents that
have escaped from the dispenser device, in particular the liquid
agents (rinse aids) which are particularly aggressive and
corrosive; [0008] difficulty in accessing the various elements of
the dispenser device; [0009] strict limits in terms of the design
of said dispenser, which must be produced with just one surface
which is largely accessible from outside and which can therefore be
used to provide access to the reservoirs and containers for the
washing agents (openings, caps, flaps, etc.).
[0010] Another type of dispenser is formed by those housed in the
washing tank, usually at the side or attached to the walls of the
tank of the dishwasher.
[0011] These fundamentally have the following obvious limitations:
[0012] difficulty in accessing the dispenser device, wherein it is
somewhat inconvenient for a user to refill the washing agent
containers; [0013] reduction in the useful volume available for the
dishes to be washed; [0014] exposure to knocks and to interference
with the dishes themselves.
[0015] Washing agent dispenser devices also exist which are
associated with the baskets of the dishwasher, in particular with
the upper basket. Examples of this type are disclosed in patents EP
0 755 650 and EP 1 319 360.
[0016] In particular, the first document discloses positioning a
washing agent and rinse aid dispenser device in a fixed manner on
the upper basket of a dishwasher, in a front position which is
easily accessible to a user extracting the basket. The dispenser is
equipped with hydraulic connections that extend from the wall of
the tank to the central part of the basket, so as to permit
actuation and dispensing of the washing agents. The second document
discloses placing a washing agent dispenser device in a fixed
manner on the upper basket of a dishwasher, within volumes of the
washing tank at zones that would otherwise not be used by the
dishes to be washed. The actuating system is hydraulic and makes
use of solutions similar to those in the document EP 0 755 650.
[0017] In both these documents, the described washing agent
dispenser devices give rise to a rather complex structural design
of the dishwasher, in relation to the shape and connections of the
upper basket. This is because the various means of connection to
the dispensers and means of actuating the dispensing phases of the
latter, typically the washing water supply pipes, must reach the
dispensers positioned on the front of the baskets. These
connections are exposed to knocks, which are caused for example by
dishes moving awkwardly in the tank.
[0018] There also exist washing agent dispenser devices of the type
which are positioned inside the washing tank and are usually
connected to the walls or to the basket of the dishwasher and have
actuating mechanisms that are activated directly by the temperature
inside the tank, when said temperature exceeds a certain value.
[0019] One example of this type of dispenser is described in the
British patent application published under No. GB 2 330 522.
[0020] These dispensers are equipped with devices for actuating
metering, dispensing and general means for delivering washing
agents; such devices consist of thermoactuators with a heat-sensing
head of the type particularly sensitive to the temperature of the
surroundings in which they are positioned. These thermoactuators
are designed such that the heat outside them, that is to say in the
washing tank, can pass to the reservoir containing the
heat-sensitive wax, thereby warming the latter. Inside this
reservoir, when a certain temperature threshold is exceeded in the
tank, the heat-sensitive wax starts to expand slowly, actuating a
shaft immersed in said wax, which is then able to move in
continuous translation from a retracted position into an extracted
position of use. The expansion of the wax moves the thermoactuator
to an actuating position, that is to say with the shaft in the
extracted position of use. Vice versa, as the temperature in the
tank decreases, for example following a washing phase using cold
water or a drying phase in ambient air, the heat-sensitive wax
contracts and the shaft assumes a retracted position or a position
of non-actuation of the thermoactuator.
[0021] However, although these dispenser devices are equipped with
actuating mechanisms activated automatically such as the
aforementioned thermoactuators with a heat-sensing head, they
nevertheless exhibit the disadvantages resulting from a fixed
location in the washing tank, as defined when the machine is
designed. This makes the loading of the dishes into the machine
relatively inflexible with regard to any loads of particular dishes
or with regard to particular requirements in terms of inspecting
the dispenser device. These limitations are common to all the known
dispenser types mentioned above.
[0022] Said dispensers also exhibit the drawback of having to be
positioned in a clearly defined position, for example with the
dispensing zone facing downwards. To this end, means for hooking it
onto the basket are provided, said means being able to ensure this
mounting position, with the result that the positioning of the
dispenser in the basket and/or in the machine is extremely limited
or even reduced to the small zones provided with a suitable hooking
point.
[0023] In conclusion, all the known types of washing agent
dispenser devices, particularly for dishwasher applications for
domestic use, exhibit the limitation of having little flexibility
of use inside the washer or dishwasher. For example, they are not
very flexible when the dishwasher operates with loads of dishes
having a particular shape, or when there are particular
requirements regarding accessibility to the dispenser device, for
example in order to make particular adjustments to the device when
it is subject to malfunctions or to carry out ordinary maintenance
on said devices or parts thereof. Moreover, they have a structure
that makes it very difficult for a user to refill the washing agent
containers in a simple, intuitive and definitive manner.
[0024] Furthermore, any integration of the known devices with parts
of the dishwasher is achieved in the prior art in a somewhat
articulated manner which is expensive and not very efficient in
terms of both the economic aspects and the functional aspects
relating to the design and management of a washer, particularly a
dishwasher.
[0025] The main aim of the present invention is to overcome the
abovementioned disadvantages of the prior art and, in particular,
to provide a device, in particular a washing agent dispenser and/or
an accessory component, which in a global and unitary manner
overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages, that is to say is
particularly flexible in daily use, economic to manufacture and to
maintain, functionally valid and efficient in general.
[0026] One aim of the present invention is to provide a device, in
particular a washing agent dispenser and/or an accessory component,
which makes it possible to produce a dishwasher which is
particularly flexible with regard to use requirements of the
volumes inside the washing tank, that is to say useful for housing
dishes to be washed, including those of particular shape and
size.
[0027] Another aim is to provide a dispenser that operates
autonomously, that is to say does not have to be controlled by a
management and control unit of the washer or by any other
connections of mechanical and/or hydraulic type with other parts of
the washer.
[0028] Another aim is to provide a dispenser with considerable ease
of access to any part or component thereof, so as to simplify and
facilitate the operations of loading washing agents and any
ordinary and/or extraordinary maintenance of the dispenser or parts
thereof.
[0029] Another aim is to provide a dispenser that has a structure
that is able to keep it in the correct working position, in
particular without the need to hook it onto parts of the
dishwasher.
[0030] Another aim is that of being able to be used in different
types of machine, in particular in different dishwasher variants
and possibly also in conjunction with other dispensers of the same
type; in particular, the device is able to be used in the various
types of dishwasher which already exist, without particular
adjustments to the machine or device itself.
[0031] Another object of the present invention is to achieve the
aforementioned aims in a simple, rational and therefore generally
efficient and economic manner with regard to the process of
designing and producing the washer or dishwasher in which the
dispensers are used.
[0032] These aims are essentially achieved, according to the
present invention, by a device, in particular a washing agent
dispenser and/or an accessory component, having the features
specified in the appended claims, which for all intents and
purposes form an integral part of the present description.
[0033] Further aims, features and advantages of the present
invention will become clear from the detailed description of a few
examples of embodiment which are given below and from the appended
drawings which are given purely by way of non-limiting example and
in which:
[0034] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a device, in particular a
washing agent dispenser and/or an accessory component, according to
the present invention;
[0035] FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 respectively show a front view, a view
along section A-A of FIG. 2 and a view from below of the device of
FIG. 1;
[0036] FIGS. 5 and 6 show a perspective view and a view in
elevation of a section along a horizontal plane of a detail of the
device of FIG. 4;
[0037] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the device of FIG. 1 in
one particular operating state;
[0038] FIGS. 8 and 9 show a perspective view of a first variant of
the device according to the invention;
[0039] FIGS. 10 and 11 show a perspective view of a second variant
of the device according to the invention;
[0040] FIGS. 12 and 13 show two perspective views, one a general
view and one partially exploded, of a third variant of the device
according to the invention.
[0041] One preferred embodiment of a washing agent dispenser device
and of an accessory component of the washer according to the
present invention is shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. The reference number 1
denotes the dispenser device or the accessory component of the
washer in its entirety, hereinafter referred to simply as device
1.
[0042] The device 1 consists of a first element or body 1A and a
second element or body 1B which are rigidly connected to one
another or integral with one another, the rigid means of connection
between said bodies 1A and 1B being produced or moulded together in
a single piece or by adhesive bonding, hot melting or welding of
the two bodies.
[0043] The first body 1A is on the whole structured in the shape of
an L and contains a dispenser device of the long load type, or of
the type able to dispense multiple doses of washing agents that are
housed inside in the form of tablets containing detergent and/or
rinse aid. The dispenser device could also be of the type able to
meter and/or dispense any other type of washing agent, for example
in the form of a powder, paste or liquid.
[0044] The second body 1B forms a basket or a container for some of
the dishes to be washed, in particular a basket for cutlery, of
parallelepiped shape which is open at the top and has the lower
wall and one of the side walls defined by the respective outer
surfaces of the first body 1A with which said second body 1B is
associated.
[0045] The shape and structure of the two bodies 1A and 1B can be
seen with greater ease in the variant shown in FIGS. 8 and 9,
wherein the second body 1B, or the basket for cutlery, is produced
separately from the first body 1A and can be hooked onto the latter
in a movable manner, as will be explained in more detail below.
[0046] For the purposes of the invention, it is important to
emphasize the following points:
[0047] a) that the second body 1B could be any other accessory
element or accessory which can be located inside the dishwasher,
that is to say can be placed inside rather than attached to the
inside of the washing tank in such a way that it can be easily
unhooked by an operator. For example, besides a container for
dishes, in particular a basket for cutlery, the second body 1B
could be any accessory that can be placed in a movable manner
inside the washing tank, such as particular supports for cutlery or
glasses or any other accessory which is or can be located inside
the tank;
[0048] b) that the device 1 could comprise two or three bodies or
elements, that is to say a plurality of accessories of the
dishwasher such as baskets for cutlery or glasses which are
mutually integrated with one another.
[0049] Still referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, the first body 1A consists
of a portion corresponding to the base of the L, which incorporates
a washing agent metering/dispensing device which is shown overall
at 2, and of a container or reservoir 3 for the washing agents;
this device 2 is of the "drawer" type, or of a type that is capable
of taking the dose of washing agent from a first zone and then
carrying it in translation into a second, discharge zone, the
translational movement preferably being of the linear type.
[0050] The metering/dispensing device 2 has a drawer 6 that is
connected in a sliding manner inside said device 2 by means of
suitable connection means (not shown for the sake of simplicity).
In particular, the drawer 6 is associated with an actuating
mechanism, shown overall at 10, in such a way that it can slide
longitudinally in both directions in a manner controlled by the
aforementioned mechanism 10.
[0051] The drawer 6 has a compartment 5 formed internally in the
lower part of the container 3, which container is of parallelepiped
shape and is closed at the top by a cap 4. At the bottom, on the
other hand, the container 3 is open and engages on the
metering/dispensing device 2 at the compartment 5 when the drawer 6
is in the non-dispensing position, that is to say with the
actuating mechanism 10 in the state of non-actuation of the
metering/dispensing device 2, as will be explained in more detail
below.
[0052] These details can be seen in FIG. 4 but above all in FIGS. 5
and 6, where a double view is shown, in perspective and from the
top, of the metering/dispensing device 2. This device 2 is shown
here, for the sake of clarity, without an upper closure wall; this
upper wall has an opening for access to the compartment 5 in
correspondence with the latter, the size of which is at least equal
to the associated upper opening.
[0053] The metering/dispensing device 2 also has a through-hole,
that is to say has openings both at the top and at the bottom, for
the reasons given below.
[0054] The arrangement of washing agents inside the container 3 is
shown in the sectional view of FIG. 3, where there can be seen in
particular the presence of a plurality of tablets 8 stacked in a
column between the walls of the container 3, with the bottom tablet
of the column, shown at 8I, housed inside the compartment 5 of the
drawer 6.
[0055] The drawer 6 is essentially located in sliding bearing above
a wall 7 inside the metering/dispensing device 2, which wall 7 is
arranged horizontally so as to separate an upper zone, where said
drawer 6 slides, from a lower zone. This lower zone ends by
defining externally a substantially flat and horizontal surface,
that is to say a surface which can perform the support function for
the device 2 and thus for the device 1 as a whole.
[0056] The wall 7 is clearly visible in FIG. 3. It consists of a
continuous horizontal plane on which the bottom tablet 8I rests
when the drawer is in the position shown in FIG. 1, that is to say
in a retracted position of use or a position in which no washing
agents are dispensed.
[0057] In said lower zone, in addition to the aforementioned
support means for the device 1 as a whole, there can also be seen
the presence of means for joining 9 the two separate parts which
form the second body 1B, that is to say the container 3, the body
of which furthermore comprises lateral lower parts, and the
metering/dispensing device 2, which comes to lie between said
lateral lower parts. Said joining means consist of teeth in relief
on the outer surface of the metering/dispensing device 2 and of
corresponding seats on said lateral lower parts of the body
including the container 3, which can cooperate in a hooking manner
with said teeth in relief.
[0058] It is clear that said joining means 9 can be of many types,
that is to say any coupling/hooking between the body of the
container 3 and the metering/dispensing device 2.
[0059] There may also be present, although these are not shown in
the figure for the sake of simplicity, known means of connection
between the device 1 and an operational element in the washing tank
of the dishwasher, to which said device may be connected. These
connection means are of a type that can be disengaged immediately
and rapidly by a user of the washer wishing to remove the device 1
from the washing tank of the dishwasher. For example, these could
be known hooking systems with rapid unhooking, including tabs or
teeth in relief or other technical equivalents.
[0060] The element inside the washing tank on which the device 1 is
supported or to which said device is connected could simply be for
example a surface portion of a basket for dishes, or else a fixing
plate anchored thereto or to the side walls of the tank, or else a
particular shaping of the wires forming the basket or a particular
shaping of the internal surface of the washing tank.
[0061] It is also important to emphasize that said connection means
could also not exist for the purposes of the present invention, the
arrangement of the device 1 inside the washing tank being achieved
by simple support means which are able for example to locate the
device 1 on a horizontal surface of the upper basket for dishes.
This concept is the case in the example shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, the
support means of which are formed by the flat horizontal shaping of
the lower zone of the metering/dispensing device 2.
[0062] FIGS. 5 and 6 show in detail the dispensing/metering device
2 including the actuating mechanism 10. The latter consists of:
[0063] a thermoactuator of the type with a heat-sensing head,
denoted as a whole by 11; [0064] a stop 12 for said thermoactuator
11, which is integral with the metering/dispensing device 2, on
which the thermoactuator 11 is supported in the operational
configuration in such a way that a pusher element or pusher of said
thermoactuator 11 is able to exert a thrust in the longitudinal
direction with respect to the body of the metering/dispensing
device 2; [0065] a slide 13 integral with the drawer 6, to which
the free end of the pusher of the thermoactuator 11 is connected in
such a way that said pusher can operate in both directions of
translation on the slide (13), moving the drawer 6 with it; [0066]
a resilient element or spring 14, in abutment on the one hand
against an inner wall of the slide 13 and on the other hand against
a stop 15 integral with the body of the metering/dispensing device
2.
[0067] This actuating mechanism 10 is therefore designed such that,
when the pusher of the thermoactuator 11 is in the extracted
position of use, the spring 14 acts in terms of thrust in
opposition to the movement of said pusher, continuously promoting
the re-entry of the latter into the body of the thermoactuator
11.
[0068] In the same way, the actuating mechanism 10 could be
integrated inside a thermoactuator device of articulated design,
which would comprise, in a single outer body, resilient elements
acting, by contrast, with the pusher. With particular reference to
the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the actuating mechanism 10
that is shown would then not have the support 12 or the spring 14,
these elements being integrated inside the outer body or shell of
the equivalent thermoactuator device.
[0069] With regard to the design details of a thermoactuator of the
type denoted 11 in the present description, and the mode of
operation thereof, more particularly in order to understand the
design details of the reservoir of wax and how the pusher is
connected inside, reference should be made to European patent EP 0
940 577 in the name of the same applicant, the disclosure of which
is hereby fully incorporated in the present description.
[0070] In the thermoactuator 11 with a heat-sensing head which is
used in the present example of embodiment of the invention, the wax
container is made of a particularly heat-conductive material, that
is to say with a particularly low heat inertia (typically of
metallic material), so as to be particularly sensitive to heat
exchanges with the air present in the washing tank where said
thermoactuator 11 is located. This is because the wax present in
its container, within which a pusher is immersed, is of a type
which is able to expand within a temperature range preferably from
10 to 65.degree. C., and is very sensitive to the temperature
variations in the tank and therefore to any implementation of a hot
phase inside the dishwasher.
[0071] The thermoactuator 11 is therefore an actuator of a type
with completely autonomous operation, that is to say it is not
controlled by any wiring system connected to a management and
control unit of the dishwasher and/or hydraulic connections or the
like, since it is actuated autonomously in dependence solely on the
temperature inside the washing tank, that is to say within the
surroundings in which it is installed for operation.
[0072] The metering/dispensing device 2 is furthermore provided
with a through-hole, or has holes both at the top and at the
bottom, so as to allow the water or hot steam which may be present
in the washing tank to come into contact with the head of the
thermoactuator 11, then allowing said liquid or steam phase to flow
out of the device 2.
[0073] The operation of dispensing the washing agents, that is to
say the bottom tablet 8I of the stack contained in the reservoir 3,
takes place following the implementation of a hot phase in the
washing tank of the dishwasher when the device 1 is inserted,
supported or connected in a movable manner inside the washing
tank.
[0074] The increase in temperature in the tank to above a certain
threshold (for example 30-40.degree. C.), as a result of a hot
phase being implemented, gives rise to a considerable expansion of
the wax inside the heat-sensitive container, which brings about a
gradual exit of the pusher out of said container, into the
extracted state of use or of actuation of the thermoactuator 11.
The longitudinal translation of the pusher, and with it also of the
slide 13, gives rise to a gradual forward movement of the drawer 6,
which then assumes a position in which the compartment 5 is
completely extracted from the first body 1A, as shown in FIG. 7.
The bottom tablet 8I, now without the presence of the wall 7, falls
by gravity into the washing tank, descending so as then to be
dissolved gradually inside the well of the dishwasher.
[0075] Advantageously, the formation of the device 1 which is
connected to and/or integrated with an accessory of the dishwasher,
in the present example with the basket for cutlery which is defined
by the second body 1B, facilitates the positioning of said device
centrally with respect to the washing tank, helping the descent of
the tablet 8I directly into the well of the dishwasher and the
subsequent disintegration of said tablet.
[0076] The drawer 6, given the particular sensitivity of the wax of
the thermoactuator 11 to the transfer of heat from the tank,
preferably returns to the closed position shown in FIG. 1 only once
the temperature in the washing tank has significantly decreased,
that is to say after one or more phases of cold rinsing and/or
drying in ambient air have taken place. Only under these conditions
does the pusher of the thermoactuator 11, biased by the spring 14
to move back inside the wax container, return to the retracted
position of use or of non-actuation of the thermoactuator 11,
carrying along with it the slide 13 and therefore the drawer 6,
which returns to a closed position or a position of non-actuation
of the metering/dispensing device 2. A new tablet 8 is loaded into
the compartment 5 only once the drawer 6 is completely closed, and
said tablet falls into the compartment by way of gravity, supported
by the wall 7, with the washing agent dispenser device 1 returning
to the configuration shown in FIG. 1. The device is thus ready for
the next operation of dispensing a new bottom tablet 8I when a
certain temperature is reached inside the washing tank, repeating
the dispensing operation in a manner analogous to what has been
described above.
[0077] The particular type of dispenser is described purely by way
of example, but it could also be of a different type, for example
comprising actuation kinematics and/or metering/dispensing devices
which are different and much more complex.
[0078] The advantages of the washing agent dispenser device
according to the present invention are clear from the description
thus far, in particular from the example of embodiment just
described.
[0079] These advantages can substantially be attributed to an
innovative technical concept which is disclosed and introduced in
the field of washing agent dispenser devices: integrating a first
body (containing a dispenser which in turn can be composed of one
or more bodies), comprising at least some of the functional
elements of a dispenser device per se, with one or more accessory
elements of the dishwasher.
[0080] This accessory element (or a plurality thereof) obviously
cannot be regarded as being either one of the main baskets for
dishes, which can typically move on sliding guides and can be
removed from the washing tank so as to allow easy positioning of
the dishes to be washed therein, or a sprayer of washing water in
the tank or any other elements which are indispensable for correct
operation of the dishwasher.
[0081] The accessory element may furthermore exhibit the feature of
being typically supported in or connected inside the washing tank
of the dishwasher in a manner so as to be easily and immediately
removable by a user, such as in particular a container for cutlery
or a leaning support or movable support on the basket which is able
to house cutlery or glasses, or some other element having the
aforementioned feature.
[0082] The aforementioned integration between the dispenser per se
and one or more accessories of the dishwasher advantageously allows
considerable flexibility, economy of production and of any
maintenance on the washer, particular a dishwasher, which
incorporates said solution. In particular: [0083] it makes it
possible to locate the dispenser device at any point of the washing
tank, that is to say even at those points where they are not
usually located, so as to facilitate the placement of dishes of
particular shape or particular size. This is achieved by the design
and manufacture of the device with a specific structural
configuration and a clearly defined position as to where it should
be located, that is to say in a zone of the tank which has suitable
hooking points; [0084] it can be easily inspected since it is
completely removable and can be removed together with the accessory
with which it is integrated; [0085] it can immediately be unhooked
and repositioned anywhere in the tank where there is a support or
suitable connection means; [0086] it reduces the size compared to
the production of the individual components of which it consists;
[0087] it has a particularly simple type of connection inside the
washing tank, in particular simple supports; [0088] it integrates
accessories or parts thereof in individual structural units, and
therefore overall uses less plastic and is more economic and
rational; [0089] it is possible to locate a plurality of these
dispenser devices 1 inside one and the same machine, or a single
device 1 can be used for more than one washer.
[0090] Advantageously, the washing agent container 3 can be easily
loaded, in particular from the top.
[0091] Also advantageously, the dispenser operates completely
independently of any control system of the dishwasher, being
actuated autonomously in dependence on the temperature in the
washing tank. It therefore has no wiring and/or electrical and/or
hydraulic connection to any other part of the tank or of the
machine, which helps to make it possible to design the machine in
an economic and highly efficient manner, wherein all the internal
volumes of the tank can be exploited in the best possible way.
[0092] It is clear that many variants of the washing agent
dispenser devices described by way of example are possible for the
person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of
novelty of the inventive idea.
[0093] For example, the first body 1A could contain the structural
and functional elements of any type of known dispenser, even if a
dispenser of the multidose type is preferred, that is to say a
dispenser which is able to house a plurality of doses of washing
agents and is able to dispense said plurality of doses at different
times.
[0094] FIGS. 8 and 9 show a perspective view of one possible
variant of the dispenser device, which is still denoted overall by
reference number 1 for the sake of simplicity. In the figures,
elements analogous to those of the previous example still bear the
same reference numbers for the sake of simplicity.
[0095] The variant shown differs from the previous example only in
that the bodies 1A and 1B are produced independently of one
another. The way in which the bodies 1A and 1B are connected to one
another is therefore different, and the shape of the second body 1B
is also different. Said second body consists of a box of
essentially prismatic shape which is open at the top and optionally
at the bottom.
[0096] These bodies 1A and 1B have means for connection to one
another, shown overall at 20, which make it possible to remove the
second body 1B from the first body 1A.
[0097] Specifically, these connection means 20 consist of hooks
formed by a plurality of teeth 21 integral with the outer surface
of the container 3, which teeth engage in the slots 22 mounted to
project from a surface of the second body or accessory body 1B
which, when assembled, faces the outer surface of the container 3.
These slots 22 are in particular able to flex slightly during the
operation of assembly to the teeth 21.
[0098] It is clear that, in a corresponding manner, use could also
be made of other means of connection 20 between the bodies 1A and
1D, equivalent to the previous means or of a different type, which
have the feature of allowing assembly of the bodies 1A and 1B
during or after production, and possibly disassembly of said
bodies, for example in order to make it possible to replace the
basket for cutlery 1B of FIGS. 8 and 9 with a different type of
dishwasher accessory. These connection means 20 could be formed by
known types of hook-shaped projections on one part and
corresponding seats on the other part, such as for example seats
formed at the end or elastic tabs. The projections or seats could
moreover be present indifferently on the first body 1A or second
body 1B.
[0099] The flexibility of the device 1 is thus increased compared
to the example of embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 7, making it possible to
integrate a variety of accessories of the washer with the dispenser
device, in particular with the first body 1A which contains the
dispenser per se inside it.
[0100] Advantageously, the described solution makes it possible to
mould the body of the device 1 according to the invention in a more
economic manner, since it is known that these components are
preferably manufactured by moulding of plastics materials, and this
moulding and subsequent assembly of the parts is made much more
complicated by the presence of closed box shapes. It is therefore
possible to avoid having to carry out welding, adhesive bonding or
hot-melt operations, which are by contrast required in order to
produce the final body of the example of embodiment shown in FIGS.
1 to 7.
[0101] Another example of embodiment of the dispenser device
according to the invention is shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, wherein the
device is once again denoted 1. This is the same as the example of
FIGS. 1 to 7, differing in that the container or first body 1A, or
the container or reservoir 3, now has a substantially cylindrical
shape and is generally provided to house any type of washing agent,
in solid form or in powder, in gel or in liquid form. At the
bottom, it has any type of device (known in the art) for
metering/dispensing the washing agents stored in the container 3,
such as for example devices with a sliding drawer or a rotating
drawer or provided with a metering chamber or rotating opening so
as to allow the dispensing of said agents.
[0102] Advantageously, this variant gives an example of how the
integration between the device per se, or the first body 1A, and
the container for cutlery, or second container 1B, can take place
essentially in the case of all types of known dispenser equipped
with any known metering/dispensing system. The first body 1A can be
configured in any manner and designed so as to incorporate any type
of known dispensing device, because of the fact that it may assume
any spatial shape.
[0103] The variant of FIGS. 10-11 thus shows a different embodiment
of the dispenser device, wherein both aesthetic characteristics and
functional characteristics are effectively integrated. The cap 4
furthermore has an aesthetic function and may be suitably screwed
or hooked onto the body of the container 3 so as not to allow water
to penetrate into said container 3.
[0104] The second body or accessory element 1B has two ends or
extensions P of the side walls which are able to be hooked or
engaged onto the first body 1A of the device 1 by suitable
connection means of known type which are not shown for the sake of
simplicity. For example, the extensions P are preferably of
slightly curved shape or are closed at the ends facing the first
body 1A and are able to coil round at least part of the circular
profile of this first body 1A, being able to engage onto the latter
on account of their elasticity. The extensions P could be made of a
thermoplastic material or may be made in whole or in part of a
different material, such as a metal.
[0105] In one version of this variant which is not shown, the
extensions P of the second body 1B could be extended to coil
completely around the profile of the body 1A, forming a closed
profile or being joined together to form a cylindrical seat for the
first body 1A which houses inside it the functional elements of the
dispenser. These elements could be housed or inserted in this
cylindrical seat, for example with a movement from the top to the
bottom, or vice versa.
[0106] What has been illustrated and described is just one example
of the aesthetic and functional characteristics that can be
achieved by exploiting the concept of integration according to the
present invention. Other solutions and variants can be obtained by
drawing upon technical equivalents of the solutions described. For
example, the dispenser per se, which is housed in the first body
1A, could be of any known type.
[0107] Furthermore, according to the invention, the second body 1B
may comprise and/or constitute any accessory of the washer or
dishwasher including the dispenser device according to the
invention.
[0108] Another example of embodiment is shown in the appended FIGS.
12 and 13, wherein the dispenser device is still denoted overall by
1 and identical, similar or analogous components are still denoted
by the same reference numbers and are not described in any further
detail for the sake of simplicity.
[0109] Thus, with reference to the previous terms and reference
numbers, the device 1 has the second body 1B shaped like a saddle
and stiffened centrally by the presence of the first body 1A which
houses inside it the device per se, that is to say a
container/reservoir 3 for the washing agents and a device for
metering/dispensing said agents of one of the types mentioned above
which are not described in any further detail here.
[0110] In this embodiment of the invention, the concept of
integration between the dispenser device per se and one or more
accessories of the dishwasher is implemented in the second body 1B,
which is essentially a support that is able to carry and integrate
a plurality of other accessories, represented here by way of
example by containers for glasses 1C, 1D, 1E and 1F. These
containers for glasses 1C-1F are associated with the second body 1B
via connection means, still denoted overall by 20 for the sake of
simplicity. The connection means 20 are hooks 23 present on the
containers for glasses 1C-1F, which hooks can engage in
corresponding openings 24 present in the side parts of the
saddle-shaped second body 1B of the device 1. Said second body 1B
is shaped so as to have at the bottom a substantially flat support
surface which is therefore able to bear against a flat surface of
the washing agent dispenser device 1 as a whole, which may comprise
at least one or more containers for glasses 1C-1F which are hooked
onto the second body 1B and can be unhooked when necessary with
relative ease.
[0111] In some variant embodiments, the second body 1B could be
integrated at least partly in the first body 1A, which is shaped as
in the previous examples of embodiments of FIGS. 1-11, and provided
with hooks or with means for associating it with the first body 1A,
said means being more or less the same as said connection means
20.
[0112] Advantageously, the aforementioned example of embodiment
provides one possible application of the inventive concept on which
the present document is based, with respect to all the many
possible embodiments, which are nevertheless susceptible to many
other variants, both in terms of the aesthetic and functional
characteristics and in terms of the specific implementation of the
details, without departing from the inventive idea. For example,
the thermoactuator with a heat-sensitive head could be replaced by
any known actuator which is suitable for this purpose, such as an
actuator of the bimetal disc type, or formed by shape memory alloys
which, as is known, are equally sensitive to temperature variations
within the ranges of interest.
[0113] The materials used to produce the device 1 according to the
invention can also be chosen at will, said device typically being
made of thermoplastic material. These devices can furthermore be
formed of a plurality of materials, as a partial or total
replacement for the thermoplastic material of which the dispenser
devices and at least in part the container baskets are usually
made. For example, the second body 1B could be made at least partly
of metal, for example of cut, perforated and folded sheet metal, or
of parts or wires which are welded together or interlaced, or using
any known technique for producing baskets for dishes and related
accessories of a dishwasher.
* * * * *