Automatic stand-alone dispensing device for laundry care composition

• US 20060107705A1
• Filed: 11/23/2004
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Henkel IP & Holding GmbH (Henkel AG & Co KGaA)
• Original Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care Usa Division Of Conopco, Inc.
• Inventors: Puvvada, Sudhakar, Hsu, Feng-Lung Gordon, Hsu, Gary
• Granted Patent: US 7,481,081 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 68/17.R
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/08 Control circuits or arrangements thereof
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/022 in a liquid state D06F39/024 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/088 Liquid supply arrangements

Abstract

A non-intrusive device for automatically dosing at least one liquid laundry care composition to an automatic laundry washing machine. The device employs a Venturi tube mechanism or a pump to dose the laundry detergent care composition. The dosing is controlled by a machine-generic algorithm capable of determining the actual cycle at any duration of wash for various cycle designs from various washing machines, without the input of precise cycle design; and dose the correct products correctly and is capable of distinguishing between major water addition and a water pulse.

Claims

1. A non-intrusive device for automatically dosing at least one liquid laundry care composition to an automatic laundry washing machine, from a laundry care composition container the device located along water supply feed to the washing machine with an incoming water supply feed to the device and outgoing water supply feed out of the device, the device comprising:

a Venturi tube, the both ends of the tube protruding externally to the device for connections to the incoming and the outgoing water supply feed,

a dip tube for placing into laundry care composition container, the throat of the Venturi tube connected by a conduit to the dip tube;

a sensor for determining water flow through the incoming water supply feed, the sensor located at the incoming water supply feed and connected to

an electronic circuit containing a clock and a processing unit programmed with a machine-generic algorithm to control

a solenoid valve, coupled to the same circuit and located within the conduit connecting the Venturi tube and the dip tube, the valve opening or closing the flow of the laundry care composition through the dip tube from the laundry care composition container.

2. The device of claim 1 comprising at least two dip tubes, one for dosing a laundry detergent and the other for dosing a fabric softener.

3. The device of claim 1 connected to two water supply feeds:

hot water and cold water.

4. The device of claim 3 comprising two Venturi tubes, one connected to the hot water supply feed;

the other connected to the cold water supply feed.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the throats of the two Venturi tubes are connected to each other by a connecting conduit, the connecting conduit being in turn connected to the conduit to the dip tube.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is selected from a pressure transducer and a flow sensor.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the processing unit comprises a clock.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the algorithm resets the clock at the end of the total laundry cycle.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the algorithm differentiates between various wash cycles based on the number of major water additions.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the algorithm differentiates between a water pulse and a major water addition.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the algorithm comprises the instructions to open the solenoid valve which is connected to the Venturi tube which has water flow through it on for longer than about 5 to 30 seconds.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the algorithm comprises instructions to close the solenoid valve if water flow is off.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein the device comprises two dip tubes:

for dosing a laundry detergent and for dosing a laundry softener and wherein the algorithm comprises the instructions to open the solenoid valve controlling the laundry softener dip tube at the point of the second major water addition.

14. The device of claim 1 wherein the device further comprises a safety check assembly located in the conduit connecting the Venturi tube and the dip tube, to prevent water flow into a laundry care container.

15. The device of claim 1 wherein the Venturi tube is connected to two or more dip tubes, to each through a separate opening in its throat connected to a separate conduit to each dip tube.

16. The device of claim 1 further comprising a control panel comprising a selection for reset and for pre-wash.

17. The device of claim 1 wherein the ratio of the internal diameter of the end of the Venturi tube to the internal diameter of the throat of the Venturi tube is greater than 1.65.

18. The device of claim 1 wherein the ratio of the internal diameter of a water supply feed hose to the internal diameter of the throat of the Venturi tube is greater than 1.65.

19. The device of claim 1 wherein the dip tube is removable.

20. The device of claim 1 wherein the laundry care composition is a concentrated composition.

21. The device of claim 1 wherein the laundry care composition comprises a peracid or chlorine bleach.

22. The device of claim 1 wherein the algorithm in the electronic circuit is upgradable via switching a new ROM chip containing a new algorithm or via flashing the ROM with a new algorithm.

23. A non-intrusive device for automatically dosing at least one liquid laundry care composition to an automatic laundry washing machine, the device located along water supply feed to the washing machine with an incoming water supply feed to the device and outgoing water supply feed out of the device, the device comprising:

a water conduit tube, the both ends of the tube protruding externally to the device for connections to the incoming and outgoing water supply feed;

a dip tube for dosing the laundry care composition, the dip tube connected by a conduit to the water conduit tube,

a sensor for determining water flow through the incoming water supply feed, the sensor located at the incoming water supply feed and connected to

an electronic circuit containing a clock and a processing unit programmed with a machine-generic algorithm to control

a pump, coupled to the same circuit, the suction end of the pump connected by a conduit to the dip tube and the discharge end of the pump connected to the water supply feed,