METERING SYSTEM WITH COMPONENT SUPPORT

• US 20110139820A1
• Filed: 01/10/2011
• Published: 06/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Henkel AG & Co KGaA
• Original Assignee: Henkel AG & Co KGaA
• Inventors: Kessler, Arnd, Fileccia, Salvatore, Jans, Gerold, Nguyen, Ba Loc, Schmalz, Roland, Mühlhausen, Hans-Georg
• Granted Patent: US 8,631,972 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/145.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/006 using wireless communication between internal components of the machine
• 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

Abstract

A dispensing system for the interior of a dishwashing machine includes a component carrier on which components are detachably or nondetachably arranged, including at least a dispensing chamber, an actuator, and a closing element as well as an energy source and/or a control unit and/or a sensor unit. The closing element is coupled with the actuator such that movement of the actuator displaces the closing element into a closure or a release position. The at least one dispensing chamber is connected in communicating manner with at least one cartridge chamber and includes an inlet for inflow of washing or cleaning agent from a cartridge chamber and an outlet for outflow of washing or cleaning agent from the dispensing chamber into its surrounding environment. The outlet of the dispensing chamber is closable or openable by the closing element.

Claims

1. A dispensing system (1, 2) for a user to position in the interior of a dishwashing machine, comprising

at least one cartridge (1) for flowable washing or cleaning agents with a plurality of chambers (3a, 3b, 3c) for spatially separate accommodation of different preparations of the washing or cleaning agents, and

a dispenser (2) couplable with the cartridge (1) and comprising

at least one energy source (15),

a control unit (16),

a sensor unit (17),

at least one actuator (18), which is connected with the energy source (15) and the control unit (16) in such a manner that a control signal from the control unit (16) brings about movement of the actuator (18), a closing element (19), which is coupled with the actuator (18) such that movement of the actuator (18) displaces the closing element (19) into a closure or a release position,

at least one dispensing chamber (20) which, when the cartridge (1) and dispenser (2) are assembled, is connected in communicating manner with at least one of the cartridge chambers (3a, 3b, 3c),

the dispensing chamber (20) comprising an inlet (21) for inflow of washing or cleaning agent from a cartridge chamber (3a, 3b, 3c) and an outlet (22) for outflow of washing or cleaning agent from the dispensing chamber (20) into its surrounding environment

at least the outlet (22) of the dispensing chamber (20) being closable or openable by the closing element (19),

wherein the dispenser (2) comprises a component carrier (23), on which components are detachably or nondetachably arranged, the components including at least the dispensing chamber (20), the actuator (18) and the closing element (19) as well as the energy source (15) and/or the control unit (16) and/or the sensor unit (17).

2. The dispensing system according to claim 1, wherein the dispensing chamber (20) is of single-part construction with the component carrier (23).

3. The dispensing system according to claim 1, wherein the dispensing chamber (20) is L-shaped, a receptacle (29) for an actuator (18) being provided on a leg of the L-shaped dispensing chamber (20) which, in a service position, extends substantially horizontally.

4. The dispensing system according to claim 1, wherein the energy source (15), the control unit (16) and the sensor unit (17) are combined in an assembly arranged on or in the component carrier (23).

5. The dispensing system according to claim 1, wherein the component carrier (23) is of a trough-like design and manufactured as an injection molded part.

6. The dispensing system according to claim 5, wherein the trough-like component carrier (23) is closed in liquid-tight manner with a closing element.

7. The dispensing system according to claim 6, wherein the closing element is a film which is bonded in liquid-tight manner with the component carrier (23).

8. The dispensing system according to claim 6, wherein the closing element is a bracket (54), into which the component carrier (23) may be introduced, the component carrier (23) and the bracket (54) interacting in the assembled state in such a manner that a liquid-tight connection is formed between the component carrier (23) and the bracket (54).

9. The dispensing system according to claim 1, wherein the component carrier (23) comprises a receptacle for the actuator, the receptacle being arranged, when the dispenser (2) is in a service position, above the dispensing chamber outlet (22) in the direction of gravity.

10. The dispensing system according to claim 9, wherein, in a service position of the dispenser (2), the dispensing chamber inlet (21) is arranged on the component carrier (23) above the receptacle of the actuator (18).

11. The dispensing system according claim 1, further comprising:

a receptacle for the actuator (18), the receptacle comprising an orifice, which is in line with the dispensing chamber outlet (22); and

a closing element (19) that may be moved to and fro by the actuator (18) through the orifice and the dispensing chamber outlet (22).

12. The dispensing system according to claim 1, wherein the dispensing chamber inlet comprises a plurality of inlets (21a-c), the dispenser outlet comprises a plurality of outlet orifices (22a-c), and the dispenser system comprises receptacles (29a-c) for the actuators (18a-c), the inlets (21a-c), the outlet orifices (22a-c), and the receptacles (29a-c) being arranged in a line which corresponds to a longitudinal axis of the component carrier (23).

13. The dispensing system according to claim 1, wherein the component carrier (23) is formed at least in portions of a transparent material.

14. The dispensing system according to claim 13, wherein the component carrier (23) comprises at least one light guide, via which light from the surrounding environment of the dispenser (2) may be guided to an optical transmit and/or receive unit into and/or out of the interior of the dispenser (2) or of the component carrier (23), the light guide in particular being formed in a single part with the component carrier (23).

15. The dispensing system according to claim 14, wherein at least one orifice is provided in the dispenser (2), through which orifice light from the surrounding environment of the dispenser (2) may be incoupled and/or outcoupled into and/or out of the light guide.