Automatic dispensing device for laundry detergent composition with intermediate chamber
First Claim
1. A non-intrusive device for automatically dispensing 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 Venturi tube, the both ends of the tube protruding externally to the housing of the device for connections to the incoming and the outgoing water supply feed, a dosing container for holding the laundry care composition, an intermediate dosing chamber connected to the dosing container with an on/off valve, the throat of the Venturi tube connected by a conduit to the intermediate dosing chamber;
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 intermediate dosing chamber, the valve opening or closing the flow of the laundry care composition from the intermediate dosing chamber.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A non-intrusive device for automatically dispensing 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 either manually controlled or 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.
55 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A non-intrusive device for automatically dispensing 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:
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a Venturi tube, the both ends of the tube protruding externally to the housing of the device for connections to the incoming and the outgoing water supply feed, a dosing container for holding the laundry care composition, an intermediate dosing chamber connected to the dosing container with an on/off valve, the throat of the Venturi tube connected by a conduit to the intermediate dosing chamber;
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 intermediate dosing chamber, the valve opening or closing the flow of the laundry care composition from the intermediate dosing chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A non-intrusive device for automatically dispensing 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:
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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 dosing container for holding the laundry care composition, the container connected by a conduit to an intermediate dosing chamber, 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 intermediate dosing chamber and the discharge end of the pump connected to the water supply feed,
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Specification