GB2295555A - A detergent dispenser for a washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The dispenser comprises a container 9 having an upper opening 11 for the loading of detergent 10, and an outlet opening 12 which leads to the washing chamber of a washing machine. At least one oscillating-jet spray nozzle 14 is disposed above the container and can emit a jet of water oscillating cyclically in order to wash the detergent out through the outlet opening. Each oscillating-jet spray nozzle is of the stationary type having an oscillation chamber. The nozzle improves the washing-out of the detergent and permits better utilisation thereof. <IMAGE>

Description

A DFERGENT DISFENSER FOR A WASHING MACHINE DESCRIPTION The present invention relates to a detergent dispenser for a washing machine, particularly a laundry-washing machine.

More specifically, the subject of the invention is a device comprising: a body defining at least one container having an upper load opening for the introduction of a quantity of detergent, particularly powder or granules, and an outlet opening which is intended to be put into communication with the washing chamber or tub of the washing machine, and water-supply means disposed above the container for directing at least one jet of water towards the container to wash the detergent out through the outlet opening, in operation.

There are known detergent dispensers of the type specified above in which the water-supply means comprise a series of holes or nozzles formed in the top wall or ceiling of a compartment of the machine in which the body having one or more containers for the corresponding detergents is located.

In order to dispense a detergent housed in a container, water is supplied to the nozzles or openings associated with that container. The water falls vertically like rain through the nozzles onto the detergent and washes it out towards the washing chamber or tub.

The supply of jets of water falling vertically like rain onto a detergent powder does not always remove it completely. In fact, the detergent may form lumps which cannot be discharged through the outlet opening.

An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a dispenser which prevents this problem and thus ensures optimal utilization of the quantities of detergent introduced into the dispenser.

This and other objects are achieved, according to the invention, by a dispenser of the type specified above, characterized in that the water-supply means comprise at least one oscillating-jet spray nozzle which can emit a jet of water oscillating cyclically along a predetermined path towards the at least one container, in operation.

The or each oscillating-jet spray nozzle is advantageously of the stationary type, that is, of the type without moving parts described, for example, in US patent 4,463,904.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become clear from the following detailed description given purely by way of nonlimiting example, with reference to the appended drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a washing machine comprising a device according to the invention, Figure 2 is a section taken essentially on the line II-II of Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a section taken on the line II 1-111 of Figure 2.

Figure 1 shows a washing machine generally indicated 1. In the embodiment shown by way of example, this machine is of the front-loading type and comprises a support housing 2 in the front face 3 of which the load opening, closed by a pivotable door (porthole) 4, is disposed.

The washing machine 1 has a detergent dispenser generally indicated 5 in Figures 1 and 2.

In the embodiment shown, the dispenser comprises (in known manner) a cassette-like body 6 slidable through an upper opening 7 in the front face 3 of the machine.

The cassette-like body 6 forms a plurality of containers, indicated 8 to 10 in Figure 1. Each container is intended to receive a respective quantity of detergent.

The term detergent as used herein means, in general, a detergent or a softening agent, or even a rinsing agent or the like.

At least one of the containers of the cassette-like body 6. is intended to receive detergent powder or granules as shown, for example, in the case of the container 9 of Figure 2. In this drawing, the detergent is indicated 10.

The container 9 has an upper load opening 11 which allows a quantity of detergent 10 to be poured into the container when the cassette-like body 6 is in the pulled-out condition (Figure 1). The container also has an outlet opening 12 which can be put into communication with the washing chamber or tub of the washing machine.

The top wall 13 of the compartment inside the machine 1 in which the cassette-like body 6 is mounted is provided with water-supply means, generally indicated 14 in Figure 2, for directing a flow of water into the container 9 in order to wash the detergent 10 out through the outlet opening 12 when the machine is in operation.

In the embodiment shown, the water-supply means comprise a supply pipe 15 through which pumping means (not shown) of the machine 1 supply a flow of water under pressure towards a spray nozzle 16 with oscillating jets. This spray nozzle is, for example, of the type described in detail in US patent 4,463,904 and will be described briefly below with reference to Figure 3.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, the spray nozzle 16 comprises a body 17, for example, of plastics material having an outlet opening 18 in an end face 17a. The opening 18 for the emission of the oscillating jet is formed at the end of an oscillation chamber 20 opposite to a chamber 19.

Two feed-back ducts 21 and 22 extend substantially parallel to the oscillation chamber 20 between lateral openings 23, 24 of the chamber adjacent the narrow portion 19a and openings 25, 26 near the outlet opening 18.

The cross-section of the oscillation chamber 20 in the plane of the section shown in Figure 3 diverges progressively towards the outlet opening 18. This section is defined, in particular, between two shaped walls 27 and 28.

In operation, when the detergent 10 housed in the container 9 is to be dispensed into the washing tub of the machine, the unit for controlling the operation of the machine causes water to be supplied under pressure to the pipe 15. This flow of water reaches the chamber 19 and, through the narrow portion 19a, the oscillation chamber 20. The flow of water in the chamber 20 towards the opening 18 takes place alternately adjacent the wall 27 and adjacent the wall 28, in known manner (as described in US patent 4,463,904).

When the flow of water moves adjacent the wall 27, the jet of water emerging from the opening 18 is directed essentially in the direction indicated X in Figure 3.

In this situation, a recirculation of water is created through the feed-back duct 21 from the opening 25 towards the opening 23. This recirculation flow has the effect of displacing the flow of water from the wall 27 towards the wall 28 of the oscillation chamber 20 and, as soon as this happens, the flow of water emerging from the opening 18 is directed essentially in the direction Y. In this condition, the water recirculates through the feed-back duct 22 from the opening 26 towards the opening 24, tending to return the flow of water to the vicinity of the wall 27.

The angular displacement of the jet takes place cyclically so that, in operation, a jet of water oscillating cyclically between the boundary directions X and Y, as shown qualitatively in Figure 3 emerges from the opening 18 of the spray nozzle 16.

The brief description given above of the structure and operation of a spray nozzle with oscillating jet is not intended to be exhaustive, since the invention excludes the selection of the specific spray nozzle used. This description is therefore provided purely by way of example.

The use of (at least) one spray nozzle with oscillating jet improves the washing-out of the detergent and, in short, permits better utilization thereof.

Naturally, the principle of the invention remaining the same, the forms of embodiment and details of construction may be varied widely with respect to those described and illustrated purely by way of nonlimiting example, the protection extending to all models which achieve equal utility by means of the same innovative concepts.

In particular, the invention is not intended to be limited to detergent dispensers in which the detergent container or containers are disposed in a cassettelike body which can be pulled out but also includes dispensers in which the body is fixed removably to the structure of the washing machine.

Moreover, the invention is not limited to the number and arrangement of spray nozzles described by way of example with reference to the drawings but also includes any variants in which an arrangement or number of spray nozzles other than those described above is used.

Claims (4)

1. A detergent dispenser (10) for a washing machine (1), particularly a laundry-washing machine, comprising a body (6) defining at least one container (9) having an upper load opening (11) for the introduction of a quantity of detergent (10), particularly powder or granules, and an outlet opening (12) which is intended to be put into communication with the washing chamber or tub of the washing machine, and water-supply means (14) disposed above the container (9) for directing at least one jet of water towards the container (9) to wash the detergent (10) out through the outlet opening (12) in operation, characterized in that the water-supply means comprise at least one spray nozzle (14) with oscillating jet which can emit a jet of water oscillating cyclically along a predetermined path towards the container (9) in operation.

2. A dispenser according to Claim 1, characterized in that the at least one spray nozzle (16) with oscillating jet is of the stationary type.

3. A detergent dispenser substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

4. A washing machine including a detergent dispenser according to any preceding claim.