Cartridge for a water-conducting domestic appliance comprising a detergent dosing system

• US 20100083989A1
• Filed: 08/29/2007
• Published: 04/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgerã¤Te GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Inventors: Classen, Egbert, Jerg, Helmut
• Granted Patent: US 8,382,913 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/93
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0055 Metering or indication of used products, e.g. type or quantity of detergent, rinse aid or salt; for measuring or controlling the product concentration
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4454 with automatic identification means, e.g. barcodes, RFID tags or magnetic strips
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4463 Multi-dose dispensing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4472 Blister packaging or refill cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/449 Metering controlling devices A47L15/4229 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/022 in a liquid state D06F39/024 takes precedence

Abstract

A cartridge for a water-conducting domestic appliance, in particular a domestic dishwasher, which has a detergent dosing system having at least one detergent dispenser for receiving at least one cartridge, wherein the cartridge has separate chambers for storing at least two detergents, the cartridge including a cartridge housing having at least two chambers formed therein, wherein each chamber has a storage capacity for storing detergent which is greater than the quantities required for one washing cycle.

Claims

1-24. -24. (canceled)

25. A cartridge for a water-conducting domestic appliance, in particular a domestic dishwasher, which has a detergent dosing system having at least one detergent dispenser for receiving at least one cartridge, wherein the cartridge has separate chambers for storing at least two detergents, the cartridge comprising:

a cartridge housing having at least two chambers formed therein, wherein each chamber has a storage capacity for storing detergent which is greater than the quantities required for one washing cycle.

26. The cartridge according to claim 25 wherein the storage capacities of the chambers for receiving at least two detergents are dimensioned such that between about 20 and about 40, preferably about 30, washing cycles can be performed using the at least two detergents.

27. The cartridge according to claim 25 wherein the cartridge is formed with chambers separated from one another for storing more than about 2 detergents and less than about 10 detergents, preferably about 7 detergents.

28. The cartridge according to claim 25 wherein the respective chambers are formed in a common cartridge housing.

29. The cartridge according to claim 25 and further comprising a ventilation chamber disposed in the cartridge housing, the ventilation chamber being connected with the chambers containing the detergents.

30. The cartridge according to claim 29 wherein the ventilation chamber is connected with the chambers containing the detergents by ventilation channels formed in a cover covering the individual chambers.

31. The cartridge according to claim 25 wherein at least one openable closure is provided for detergent delivery, which can be opened, in particular automatically, upon insertion of the cartridge into the detergent dosing system and can be closed, in particular automatically, upon removal of the cartridge from the detergent dosing system.

32. The cartridge according to claim 31 wherein the cartridge includes an openable closure for each of the chambers.

33. The cartridge according to claim 31 wherein the openable closure is disposed vertically below in the installation position in the detergent dosing system.

34. The cartridge according to claim 31 wherein the openable closure is formed by a membrane.

35. The cartridge according to claim 25 wherein the at least one cartridge includes at least one delivery device configured for delivering the at least two detergents into the washing compartment of the dishwasher.

36. The cartridge according to claim 25 wherein the delivery of the at least two detergents takes place by the force of gravity.

37. The cartridge according to claim 25 wherein the cartridge housing includes a mechanical coding configured for interaction with a matching coding on the receiving side for defining the installation position in a water-conducting domestic appliance.

38. The cartridge according to claim 25 wherein the cartridge housing is formed with a longitudinal extension along a main axis of the cartridge housing.

39. The cartridge according to claim 38 wherein the main axis of the cartridge housing is longer than secondary axes of the cartridge housing.

40. The cartridge according to claim 38 wherein the chambers of the cartridge are arranged beside one another along the main axis of the cartridge housing.

41. The water-conducting domestic appliance according to claim 38 wherein the extension along the main axis of the cartridge housing is greater by a factor of at least about 1.5 than an extension along a secondary axis of the cartridge housing.

42. The water-conducting domestic appliance according to claim 41 wherein an extension along a first secondary axis of the cartridge housing is greater by a factor of at least about 3 than the extension along a second secondary axis of the cartridge housing.

43. The cartridge according to claim 25 and further comprising means for level measurement of at least one detergent volume contained in the chambers.

44. The cartridge according to claim 43 wherein the means for level measurement is configured to emit a signal when the detergent contained in the cartridge is reduced below a predefined remaining quantity.

45. The cartridge according to claim 44 wherein the means for level measurement is configured to emit a signal when the detergent contained in the cartridge is sufficient for performing a predefined number of washing cycles.

46. The cartridge according to claim 45 wherein the number of washing cycles is between about 2 cycles and about 5 cycles.

47. The cartridge according to claim 43 wherein the means for level measurement is based on at least one of an optical principle of measurement, an acoustic principle of measurement and a capacitive principle of measurement.

48. The cartridge according to claim 43 wherein at least one of the chambers contains at least one ingredient chosen from the group consisting of enzymes, bleaching agents, bleach activators, dispersants and complexing agents, surfactants, alkali carriers and biocides.