U.S. patent application number 12/160921 was filed with the patent office on 2010-03-18 for multi-dosing detergent delivery device.
This patent application is currently assigned to Reckitt Benckiser N.V.. Invention is credited to Karl Ludwig Gibis, Chris Efstathios Housmekerides.
Application Number | 20100065084 12/160921 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37964713 |
Filed Date | 2010-03-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100065084 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gibis; Karl Ludwig ; et
al. |
March 18, 2010 |
Multi-Dosing Detergent Delivery Device
Abstract
The invention concerns a multi-dosing detergent delivery device
that is removably insertable into an automatic dishwashing machine.
The device comprises a cartridge capable of receiving therein a
rack of dosage elements of a cleaning composition, a collection
area formed in a lid area of said device suitable to collect
water/wash liquor in a main wash cycle of a dishwasher and a
directing means to direct water or wash liquor from said collection
area selectively to an interior part of said device. In particular,
the device of the present invention includes a sieve arrangement
located in the lid area to prevent or impede particles from
blocking water/wash liquor flow into said interior part of the
device.
Inventors: |
Gibis; Karl Ludwig;
(Limburgerhof, DE) ; Housmekerides; Chris Efstathios;
(Ludwigshafen, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PARFOMAK, ANDREW N.;NORRIS MCLAUGHLIN & MARCUS PA
875 THIRD AVE, 8TH FLOOR
NEW YORK
NY
10022
US
|
Assignee: |
Reckitt Benckiser N.V.
Hoofddorp
NL
|
Family ID: |
37964713 |
Appl. No.: |
12/160921 |
Filed: |
January 19, 2007 |
PCT Filed: |
January 19, 2007 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/GB2007/000183 |
371 Date: |
July 15, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
134/18 ;
134/56D |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 15/4445 20130101;
A47L 15/4463 20130101; A47L 15/4472 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
134/18 ;
134/56.D |
International
Class: |
A47L 15/42 20060101
A47L015/42 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 21, 2006 |
GB |
0601247.0 |
Oct 30, 2006 |
GB |
0621575.0 |
Oct 30, 2006 |
GB |
0621580.0 |
Claims
1. A multi-dosing detergent delivery device removably adapted to be
insertable into an automatic dishwashing machine, the device
comprising a cartridge adapted for receiving therein a rack of
dosage elements of a cleaning composition, a collection area formed
in a lid area of said device adapted to collect water/wash liquor
in a main wash cycle of a dishwasher, a directing means to direct
water or wash liquor from said collection area selectively to an
interior part of said device, wherein the device further includes a
sieve adapted to prevent or impede particles from blocking
water/wash liquor flow into said interior part of the device.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein said sieve is located in a lid
area of said device.
3. The device of claim 2, wherein said sieve extends substantially
fully across the full available water collection area of said
lid.
4. The device according to claim 1, wherein said sieve comprises a
non-hydrophobic material.
5. The device according to claim 1, wherein said sieve comprises a
non-plastics material.
6. The device according to 5, wherein said sieve comprises a
metallic mesh.
7. The device according to 6, wherein said sieve comprises a
stainless steel mesh.
8. The device according to claim 6, wherein said mesh has a mesh
size of between 3.5 mm and 0.2 mm.
9. The device according to claim 6, wherein said mesh has a mesh
size of between 1 mm and 0.4 mm.
10. The device according to claim 9, wherein said sieve comprises
market grade, plain square weave, 304 stainless steel.
11. The device according to claim 6, wherein said mesh has an
aperture size in the range of 0.4 mm to 0.42 mm.
12. The device according to claim 6, wherein said mesh comprises
wire having a diameter in the range of 0.2 to 0.24.
13. A method of using a machine dishwasher for washing wares,
comprising the steps of: placing the device according to claim 1
within a wire basket/rack of a dishwasher, and, operating the
machine dishwasher through at least one machine dishwasher
cycle.
14. (canceled)
Description
[0001] This invention relates to a multi-dosing detergent delivery
device containing a plurality of dosage elements of cleaning
composition, for use in a ware washing machine, for example a
dishwashing machine or a laundry washing machine.
[0002] In multi-dosing detergent delivery devices it is necessary
to selectively feed a compartmentalized cartridge with water and
thereby provide a directed water flow into a single compartment.
This feeding system is susceptible of clogging and needs to be free
of blockages for optimal water flow.
[0003] In European dishwashers a sophisticated water filtering
system is takes care of food soil and lumps coming from soiled
dishware. However, food soil can still enter the system while the
consumer is handling soiled dishes when placing them in the rack of
the dishwasher and in some cases the filtering system of the
dishwasher is not efficient enough.
[0004] In dishwashers commonly in use in North America, this issue
is even more severe. The dishwasher filtering system is generally
much less efficient and therefore food particles stay for prolonged
times in the washing liquor. The food particles are also pumped
around in the dishwasher and can reach the water feeding system of
the device. This leads in every second to third run to complete
blockage of the feeding system and as a result to no or incomplete
dissolution of the detergent in the main wash cycle of the
dishwasher.
[0005] Attempting to solve the problems of ensuring proper
dissolution of the cleaning composition within a given time frame
in a dishwasher environment, is not a trivial exercise as
dishwasher design varies around the world, and filtration systems
in use in dishwashers show such variation.
[0006] Accordingly, it is an aim of preferred embodiments of the
invention to provide a multi-dosing delivery cartridge capable of
overcoming, or minimising the above mentioned problems and
providing good resistance to blockages regardless of dishwasher
type or placement of the device within any given dishwasher.
[0007] According to a first aspect of the invention, there is
provided a multi-dosing detergent delivery device removably
insertable into an automatic dishwashing machine, the device
comprising a cartridge capable of receiving therein a rack of
dosage elements of a cleaning composition, a collection area formed
in a lid area of said device suitable to collect water/wash liquor
in a main wash cycle of a dishwasher, a directing means to direct
water or wash liquor from said collection area selectively to an
interior part of said device, wherein the device further includes a
sieve to prevent or impede particles from blocking water/wash
liquor flow into said interior part of the device.
[0008] Preferably, said sieve is located in a lid area of said
device and, most preferably, extends across substantially a full
available water collection area of said lid.
[0009] Preferably, said sieve comprises a non-hydrophobic
material.
[0010] Preferably, said sieve comprises a non-plastics
material.
[0011] Preferably, said sieve comprises a stainless steel mesh.
[0012] Preferably, said mesh has a mesh size between 3.5 mm and 0.2
mm, most preferably between 1 mm and 0.4 mm.
[0013] In a preferred embodiment, said sieve comprises market
grade, plain square weave, 304 stainless steel. Said mesh may have
a preferred aperture size of 0.4 to 0.42 mm and be made from wire
having a diameter in the range of 0.2 to 0.24.
[0014] Preferably, said device is a cylindrical device having a
diameter of approximately 8 cm.
[0015] Preferably each dosage element is of elongate formation and
is housed within a chamber having at least one opening for
receiving sieved water/wash liquor from said directing means.
[0016] Preferably, the rack is in the form of a parallel array of
elongate chambers, each containing a solid dosage element.
Preferably, the nested form is generally cylindrical for easy
placement within the device.
[0017] Preferably, each dosage element contains between 15 and 25 g
of cleaning composition.
[0018] Preferably, each chamber comprises a sleeve, for example of
a plastics material. Alternatively any other suitable material may
be used, such as, cardboard-based material (especially covered by a
water-resistant material). Laminated cardboard with a suitable
laminate is one material which may be used. Each sleeve may have at
least one opening to allow the dosage element to be washed away in
use. Preferably each sleeve has two openings, at opposite ends so
that water may enter one end (the upper end in use) and leave the
other end (the lower end in use), carrying with it dissolved or
broken away cleaning composition. An upper opening may suitably be
of area at least 10 mm.sup.2, preferably at least 30 mm.sup.2, and
most preferably at least 60 mm.sup.2. Suitably it may be of area up
to 200 mm.sup.2, preferably up to 160 mm.sup.2, and most preferably
up to 120 mm.sup.2. The upper face of the sleeve may suitably be
left totally open. A lower opening may suitably be of area at least
3 mm.sup.2, preferably at least 6 mm.sup.2, and most preferably at
least 10 mm.sup.2. Suitably it may be of area up to 200 mm.sup.2,
preferably up to 60 mm.sup.2, and most preferably up to 20
mm.sup.2. The lower face of the sleeve is preferably not left
totally open, so that it retains the dosage element in place, until
in use it dissolves. There may be one or more intermediate openings
in the side face of the sleeve, i.e. between the upper opening and
the lower opening, and the size thereof preferably conforms to the
definitions given above for the lower opening.
[0019] Preferably the sleeves are formed in one piece. That piece
may be in the form of a moulded or thermoformed tray having
multiple compartments, into which the dosage elements are placed.
The backing material may be secured over the tray to entrap the
dosage elements. In such an embodiment the tray and backing
material together form the sleeves. Alternatively, the backing
material may be on the inside of the sleeves so that the dosage
elements project outwards therefrom e.g. a central core of backing
material with sleeves containing backing material projecting
radially outwards.
[0020] The dosage elements are of a solid cleaning composition and
as such may be of a particulate material, for example powder or
granules, provided that the material is retained until it is washed
away in use; for example in a sleeve as described above. Preferably
however the dosage elements are of a solid cleaning composition in
the sense of being non-flowable. Preferably they are of a coherent
mass; preferably formed by a moulding or shaping process, for
example injection moulding, extrusion, casting or compression
forming. In a particular embodiment of the invention the solid
cleaning composition may be a viscous gel or paste provided that it
is sufficiently viscous so as to be non-flowable.
[0021] Preferably the dosage elements are identical to each
other.
[0022] Preferably the dosage elements are of substantially the same
cross-section along their length; in particular, they preferably do
not taper.
[0023] Preferably the rack is such that, in its nested form, each
pair of dosage elements is separated by a spacing, at least for
part of the depth of the dosage elements. The spacing preferably
extends part-way towards the backing; for example between one-third
and two-thirds of the distance to the backing. The device cartridge
into which the nested rack is placed, in use, preferably has an
array of walls radiating from a hub, wherein spacings must be mated
with divider walls when the article is located in the device
cartridge. There could be one-to-one correspondence between
spacings and divider walls, but preferably there are more spacings
than divider walls. Three or four divider walls will generally
suffice to cause the nested rack to be located correctly in the
device cartridge. In general we may say there are preferably 3-8
divider walls, preferably 4-6.
[0024] The multi-dosing detergent delivery device is generally a
plastics body, rigid and substantial, but the nested rack, once the
dosage elements have gone, is light and may even be rather flimsy.
It suitably comprises just the backing material and the sleeves
(which may be light thermoformed sheet, or film). The rack is
intended as a refill, whilst the remainder of the multi-dosing
delivery device, comprising cartridge, collection area and
directing means, is retained. The wastage of material when the rack
of dosage elements is exhausted is very small. The invention may
thus be seen as a desirably ergonomic solution.
[0025] Preferably the device has means to deliver water to the rack
of dosage elements in sequence, one in each wash. Such means may
operate automatically or be operated by the user, before a wash is
commenced.
[0026] The invention will now be further described, by way of
example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0027] FIG. 1 shows a rack of dosage elements for use with a
multi-dosing detergent delivery device of the present invention in
a nested form, in a perspective view, generally from above;
[0028] FIG. 2 shows the article of FIG. 1 in nested form, in side
view;
[0029] FIG. 3 shows the article of FIG. 1 in flat form;
[0030] FIG. 4 shows the dosage element of FIG. 3 in plan view;
[0031] FIG. 5a shows the article of FIG. 1 being introduced into a
multi-dosing detergent delivery device of FIG. 5b, the cap,
containing the dosage element selecting device, being shown
removed, as FIG. 5c;
[0032] FIG. 6 shows the article of FIG. 1 having been located
within the holder of FIG. 5b; and
[0033] FIG. 7 shows the fully assembled device, with the cap of
FIG. 5c having been placed on the holder and article assembly of
FIG. 6a.
[0034] The rack of dosage elements of FIG. 1 is manufactured as a
flat plastics tray of elongated blister pockets 2, shown in FIG. 3,
comprising a thermoformed plastics tray. The open end of each
blister pocket 2 is formed all around its perimeter with an endless
flange 4 (which can be seen in FIG. 2). Solid rods or sticks of a
cleaning composition 6 (intended in this embodiment to be used for
cleaning in an automatic dishwasher machine) are introduced into
the blister pockets. This can be done in different ways. For
example in one embodiment the cleaning composition can be injected
or cast into the pockets. However in this embodiment the rods or
sticks are pre-formed by injection moulding or extrusion, then cut
to length, then introduced into the pockets. It may be noted that
they are introduced into the pockets to fill each pocket to the
bottom end 8, but to leave a space 10 at the top end. This space 10
is left so that water can enter the pocket, via opening 12 in the
upper end wall of the pocket and, as is discussed later, may also
help in providing complete dissolution of cleaning composition
within a reduced time period. In this embodiment each such opening
12 is circular, and 8 mm in diameter. An identical opening (not
shown) is formed in the lower end wall of the article, to allow
water and entrained or dissolved cleaning composition to exit the
pocket.
[0035] Once all of the pockets have been provided with the rods or
sticks of cleaning composition (by whatever means) a backing sheet
14 is laid over the open ends, and secured to the flanges 4. The
backing may be adhered thereto by any convenient means, for example
by heat or adhesive.
[0036] Next, the flat article, now in the form of a rack or linear
array of rods or sticks, may be curled into its nested form shown
in FIG. 1. In this embodiment the nested form is a generally
cylindrical array. It may be retained in its nested form by a piece
of adhesive tape 16.
[0037] The backing may be printed on its outwards-facing side with
information, for example a trade mark, with product get-up, and/or
with usage information.
[0038] As shown in FIG. 4, each rod or stick--and correspondingly
each blister, has a flat base wall 18 abutting the backing sheet
14. From the base wall 18, each rod or stick, and each blister,
generally tapers to a narrower distal end wall 20. The side walls
initially taper gradually, as at 22, 24, then undergo a somewhat
abrupt inward dislocation 26, then taper at an intermediate rate
(between that of the side wall portion 22 and the dislocation 26)
at 27, until the distal end wall 20 is reached.
[0039] The rods or sticks may be regarded as having the general
shape of a triangular prism (i.e. trigonal). To be more precise, as
noted above the side walls taper in a discontinuous manner.
[0040] It will be noted that the rods or sticks are located on the
backing sheet with a separation 28 between them, at their base
walls 18.
[0041] It may further be noted that the rods or sticks have a
separation 30 between them, at their distal end region, when in
their nested form.
[0042] The backing sheet has, as a result of the mould into which
it is thermoformed during manufacture, preferential fold lines 32.
These fold lines 32 are aligned with the spacings 28 between the
rods or sticks.
[0043] The end result of these features is as follows, and can be
clearly seen in FIG. 1: when the article is formed into its nested
shape the backing sheet is displaced about its fold lines 22, in an
articulated manner. This nesting or folding is permitted by the
spacings 28 and 30; if the sticks or rods simply abutted against
each other the operation would not be permitted, due to physical
obstruction. As can be seen in FIG. 1 the spacings 30 in the distal
end regions may remain even in the nested form (though obviously
narrowed).
[0044] In use, the rack of dosage elements is a refill which is
supplied in its nested form shown in FIG. 1, and also FIG. 5a. In
that nested form it is inserted into a holder, shown in FIG. 5b.
The holder is a cylindrical tub having a hub-like axial projection
40 extending upwards from its base substantially the whole axial
length of the tub. Projecting outwardly from the projection 40 are
four fins 42, set at 90.degree. intervals. The fins extend
approximately four-tenths of the radial distance of the holder.
[0045] The holder has a hanging handle 44.
[0046] The bottom wall of the holder is a large opening (not
shown).
[0047] The holder has a lid shown in FIG. 5c. The lid defines a
water/wash liquor collection area which extends across
substantially a full upper surface area of the lid (in other words,
across substantially the full cross-sectional area of the
cylindrical device) and has a central indexing device 46 surrounded
by a sieve 48, to allow particulate-free water to enter the holder.
The central indexing device has a push button 50 and, around it, a
dial 54 carrying numbers, equalling the number of rods or sticks of
cleaning composition. Each time the dishwasher is to be used, the
user presses the button to advance the control dial by one number,
bringing the next rod or stick of cleaning into use. This is done
by rotating an apertured disc within the lid by one position so
that water entering the holder is directed via directing means
comprising the aperture thereof, now in alignment with the next rod
or stick. Water enters the appropriate blister through the opening
12 which is aligned with the opening within the lid. The water may
fill the spacing 10 above the rod or stick. The rod or stick is
soaked by the water and dissolves and/or crumbles away, leaving the
blister through the bottom opening.
[0048] In cleaning performance tests of the device a specific
number of soiled dishes with specific soils are used. In the tests,
it was found that there is a "bottle neck" within the device that
limits water flow, this bottle-neck being equivalent to a
constriction provided by a hole having the dimensions of
approximately 3 mm.times.4 mm. In a tests featuring a North
American design of dishwasher in every second wash the bottle neck
would, in the absence of a sieving system become completely blocked
mainly by minced meat soil.
[0049] By including a sieve 48 within the device, the following
results were achieved.
[0050] Plastic sieves were initially used (made out of
Polypropylene or Polyethylene) however, these were surprisingly
only found to be effective in terms of providing sufficient
water/wash liquor flow with very large mesh sizes (4 mm in diameter
or more). Such a large size is required because plastics material
has hydrophobic features leading to air bubble formation and a
relatively high observed surface tension/contact angle of the water
on plastic which, on smaller meshes limits water/wash liquor flow
severely. Unfortunately however whilst a large mesh size will allow
sufficient clean water flow, the mesh size is so large that it does
not provide any effective filtration to filter efficiently soil
from the washing liquor.
[0051] Surprisingly, metallic mesh sieves have been found to be
particularly effective. Stainless steel mesh sieves with various
mesh sizes have been tested. Up to a mesh-size of 0.3 mm aperture
water can pass through. Stainless steel sieves of a certain mesh
size can efficiently filter the washing liquor entering the device
and on the other hand do not reduce the water flow to an
unacceptable level (not more than 35% reduction in water flow) and,
indeed, can help to remove the bottleneck from the interior of the
device and smooth overall flow.
[0052] Particularly preferred sieve meshes have been found to be
stainless steel sieves with a mesh size between 3.5 mm and 0.2 mm
apertures , and most preferably between 0.4 to 1 mm aperture for
the efficient filtering of food soil without reducing the water
flow significantly. In preferred embodiments of the invention, the
sieve utilised is known as market grade, plain square weave, 304
stainless steel having a mesh size of 0.415 mm and made from 0.22
mm diameter wire.
[0053] In devices in accordance with the invention, somewhat
surprisingly, we have found that excellent dissolution of the rods
or sticks is achieved. It might have been expected that dissolving
dosage elements of the cleaning composition by directing water to
one end of them in an axial or lengthwise direction might be an
inefficient method. In fact, dissolution or dispersion is excellent
and the arrangement is very space-efficient, in not taking up very
much of the "footprint area" available within the dishwashing
machine.
[0054] In determining the minimum footprint of the device, a number
of factors are involved. Firstly, it is generally the case that for
an efficient cleaning cycle to be carried out by a dishwasher a
dosage element should contain between 15 and 25 g of cleaning
composition. For efficient working within the device of the present
invention, an average density of the composition is set within the
range of 1.0 to 1.5 g/cm.sup.3 and the preferred hardness of the
composition is between 100N-400N.
[0055] In arriving at required dimensions for the device,
dishwasher environments were analyzed for flow of water/wash liquor
and it was found that, in general, water flow rates within a
dishwasher are in the range of 1 g of water to 15 g of water per
square centimetre per minute.
[0056] Tests have shown that standard dishwashing cleaning
compositions (detergents) show a complete dissolution after 5 to 20
minutes in a standard dissolution test comprising complete
immersion of detergent in water, at 40.degree. C., under mechanical
action.
[0057] Where a cleaning composition having a 10 minute standard
dissolution time is utilised, a minimal water flow of 200 g of
water per minute is required through a chamber, whereas for a 20
minute standard dissolution time cleaning composition, a 500 g per
minute water flow has been found to be required. Preferably the
device of the present invention utilises a cleaning composition
having a standard dissolution time of 5 minutes.
[0058] It has been found that a device which can collect and direct
by any means a minimum of 50 g of water per minute into a chamber
is able to dissolve a cleaning composition having a standard
dissolution time of 5 minutes therein in a 50.degree. C. normal
programme.
[0059] It is desirable for the device to function when placed
anywhere within a the dishwasher in which a minimum amount of water
is available to it, and so it has been assumed that perhaps only 1
g water per minute per square cm is available. With this in mind,
to assure that said water collection area is sufficient to provide
50 g of water per minute, a water collection area of 50 cm2 is
desirable, meaning a cylindrical device will require a diameter of
approximately 8 cm2. Whilst the foregoing may be the optimum
dimensions for the device, it will be appreciated that the present
invention may be seen to cover a range of devices with differing
dimensions with, for instance, water collection areas in the range
of 30 cm2 to 80 cm2 and that where high flow rates of water/wash
liquor are known to be present a device, having reduced dimensions
may be utilised. Most preferably, the ratio of said water
collection area to cleaning composition standard dissolution time
is within the range of 5 to 50 and, particularly in the range of 10
to 30.
[0060] Where we refer to standard dissolution times, what is meant
is the time to take for the cleaning composition to be
substantially completely disintegrated in a given test environment.
In such a test dosage elements are provided in separate metal cages
and mechanically agitated in 40.degree. C. water. The dosage
elements are, in fact, not completely dissolved as such as they
contain some water insoluble ingredients, therefore we can not
speak about complete dissolution but "standard dissolution" which
equates here to complete disintegration.
[0061] It has surprisingly been found that the dissolution of
cleaning composition within the device is aided when each dosage
element is housed within a chamber having a larger volume than the
cleaning composition stored within it--hence the spacing 10 above
the rod or stick--and it may also be desirable to provide a spacing
between a lowermost part of the cleaning composition stick and the
bottom of its respective outer sleeve. Dissolution is particularly
improved when the volume of the chamber does not exceed the volume
of the dosage element by more than 40% and most preferably when the
volume of the chamber exceeds the volume of the dosage element by
between 15 and 20%.
[0062] As can be seen in FIG. 6a, when the article is located
within the tub of the holder the fins 42 are located within
spacings 30 of the nested article. The tolerance of the fins in the
spacings 30 is not large and in this way it is assured, that the
rods or sticks, and the upper openings 12, are in the correct
orientation, to align with the opening within the lid.
[0063] FIG. 7 shows the fully assembled device.
[0064] As will be apparent to the skilled man, many variations may
be made to the device without departing from the scope of the
present invention. For instance, whilst the sieve 48 is shown in
FIG. 5(c) is located within a central water collection area of the
lid 46 surrounding the push button 50, it can be utilised
advantageously in different types of device, for instance devices
having automatic indexing systems driven by, for instance a wax
motor. In such cases, the mesh may advantageously extend over a
full top surface area of a lid of the device.
* * * * *