Device for and a method of adding rinse aids to a home appliance containing liquids

• US 20050155633A1
• Filed: 12/03/2004
• Published: 07/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Incorporated (AB Electrolux)
• Original Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Incorporated (AB Electrolux)
• Inventors: Fueglein, Stefan, Forst, Klaus-Martin, Daume, Christian
• Granted Patent: US 7,578,303 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/25.200
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4246 Details of the tub A47L15/4272 takes precedence; insulation arrangements A47L15/4209
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4409 by tipping containers or opening their lids, e.g. with the help of a programmer

Abstract

The invention concerns a device and a method of adding rinse aids to a home appliance containing liquid, especially a household dishwasher, with a main tub (1), which has a service opening (4) to put the things to be washed into the main tub (1), whereby the device includes at least one dispensing unit (6) to hold and dispense the rinse aid. The dispensing unit (6) is placed in the main tub (1), whereby at least part of the dispensing unit (6) is placed so it can move or is movable and can be pulled out of the main tub (1), at least partly, in the direction of the service opening (4).

Claims

1. A device for adding rinse aids to a home appliance that runs with liquid, especially a household dishwasher, with

a) a main tub (1), which has a service opening (4) to put things to be cleaned into the main tub, including

b) at least one dispensing unit (6) to hold and dispense rinse aids,

c) whereby the dispensing unit (6) is placed in the main tub (1),

d) whereby at least part of the dispensing unit is placed so it can move or is movable, and

e) can be pulled, at least partly, out of the main tub (1) in the direction of the service opening (4).

2. The device in claim 1,

whereby the dispensing unit (6) can, at least partly, be taken out of the main tub.

3. The device in claim 1,

whereby the dispensing unit (6) is placed so it can move, at least partly, or is movable on one inside (5) wall of the main tub (1), especially on the inside (5) of the ceiling (3) of the main tub (1).

4. The device according to claim 1,

whereby on the inside (5) wall of the main tub (1) on which the dispensing unit (6) is placed, and/or on the s dispensing unit (6), at least one means of attaching the dispensing unit (6) and/or at least one means of guiding at least part of the dispensing unit (6) in the main tub (1) is/are provided, especially at least one guide rail (16).

5. The device according to claim 1,

whereby at least one handle is provided on the dispensing unit to move the dispensing unit and/or at least one means is provided that holds the dispensing unit in place when it is pushed in.

6. The device according to claim 1,

whereby the dispensing unit (6) includes at least one storage chamber (10) to hold at least one rinse aid.

7. The device according to claim 1,

whereby the dispensing unit (6) and/or at least one storage chamber (10) include at least one fill hole (7, 8, 9) for at least one rinse aid and at least one dispensing hole (11, 12, 13) for at least one rinse aid.

8. The device in claim 7,

whereby at least one fill hole (7, 8, 9) is aligned toward the wall of the main tub (1), on which the dispensing unit (6) is placed.

9. The device in claim 7,

whereby at least one dispensing hole (11, 12, 13) is aligned in the main tub (1), especially in a direction basically perpendicular to the wall of the main tub (1) on which the dispensing unit is placed.

10. The device according to claim 1,

whereby at least one part of the dispensing unit (6) can be pulled out of the main tub (1) at least so far that at least one fill hole (7, 8, 9) is freed.

11. The device according to claim 1,

whereby at least one storage chamber (10) is designed so that it can hold maximally a predetermined amount of rinse aid for a work cycle or maximally a predetermined amount of rinse aid for several work cycles.

12. The device according to claim 1,

whereby the dispensing unit (6) includes at least two storage chambers (10) to hold rinse aids, especially at s least one storage chamber (10) to hold a detergent and at least one storage chamber (10) to hold a rinse aid, for example a clear rinse.

13. The device in claim 12,

whereby at least one storage chamber (10) for the rinse aid can hold a predetermined amount of rinse aid for several work cycles and at least one storage chamber (10) for the detergent can hold a predetermined amount of rinse aid for a wash cycle.

14. The device according to claim 1,

whereby the dispensing unit (6) is connected to a hydraulic circuit in the home appliance, so that at least some of a working liquid flows through the dispensing unit (6).

15. The device according to claim 1,

whereby at least one liquid distribution device is provided, through which the working liquid is distributed to the individual areas in the dispensing unit (6) and/or through which the amount of liquid and/or the distribution can be controlled.

16. The device in claim 15,

whereby at least one liquid distribution device is built into the dispensing unit (6).

17. The device according to claim 1,

whereby a liquid-distribution device is provided for metering the working liquid in at least one storage chamber (10).

18. The device in claim 17,

whereby the storage chamber (10) is designed so that the rinse aid is carried out of the storage chamber (10), at least partly, through the dispensing hole (11, 12, 13) by the working liquid which is added.

19. The device according to claim 1,

whereby the dispensing unit (6) includes at least one spray unit (14) for spraying at least some of the working liquid circulated in the main tub (1), especially at least one spray nozzle (14) and/or one spray arm.

20. The device in claim 19,

whereby at least one channel and/or at least one means is/are provided in the dispensing unit (6) to supply at least one spray unit (14) with working liquid.

21. The device according to claim 1,

whereby a liquid distribution device is provided to meter the working liquid into at least one spray unit (14), which preferably corresponds to the liquid distribution device for metering the working liquid into at least one storage chamber (10).

22. The device according to claim 1,

whereby at least one sensor is built into the dispensing unit (6) to monitor the fill level in a storage chamber.

23. The device according to claim 1,

whereby the dispensing unit (6) includes at least one sensor to monitor the loading of the main tub and/or to monitor the rotation of the spray arm.

24. The device according to claim 1,

whereby the dispensing unit (6) has at least one display unit, especially at least one LED or at least one display, and/or at least one unit for transmitting signals to a control unit.

25. The device according to claim 1,

whereby the dispensing unit (6) includes a lighting unit (15) to light up the main tub (1).

27. A method of adding rinse aids to a home appliance that runs with liquid, especially a household dishwasher, with a main tub (1), which has a service opening (4) for putting things to be cleaned into the main tub (1), especially using a device according to claim 1,

a) in which at least part of a dispensing unit (6) placed in the main tub (1) is pulled out of the main tub (1), at least partly, in the direction of the service opening (4) and is filled with at least one rinse aid and

b) in which the dispensing unit dispenses at least some of at least one rinse aid into the working liquid and/or into the main tub (1) during a work cycle.

28. The method in claim 27,

in which a working liquid flows through the dispensing unit (6) and at least one rinse aid is flushed out, at least in part, with the working liquid into the main tub (1).

29. The method in claim 27

in which at least some of at least one rinse aid falls out of the dispensing unit (6) into the main tub (1) due to the force of gravity.

26. (canceled)