HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE HAVING A PHYSICAL ALTERATION ELEMENT

• US 20140060121A1
• Filed: 10/10/2013
• Published: 03/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: LATACK, THOMAS A., BURGER, THOMAS L., MAGHAS, RACHEL A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,850,618 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 68/17.R
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0049 Detection or prevention of malfunction, including accident prevention arrangements to prevent clogging of filters A47L15/4208; safety arrangements for preventing water damage A47L15/421
• 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 15/44 Devices for adding cleaning agents; Devices for dispensing cleaning agents, rinsing aids or deodorants
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4409 by tipping containers or opening their lids, e.g. with the help of a programmer
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/026 Nature or type of the consumable product, e.g. information on detergent, e.g. 3-in-1 tablets, rinsing aid or salt
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/26 Indication or alarm to the controlling device or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/203 Laundry conditioning arrangements

Abstract

A household appliance for treating at least one item according to at least one cycle of operation includes a treating chemistry dispenser receiving a unit dose container and having a door moveable between an opened position and a closed position, a piercing mechanism located proximate to the treating chemistry dispenser and having a piercer that is moveable between a non-piercing position and a piercing position where the piercer is moved to perforate a unit dose container received within the treating chemistry dispenser.

Claims

1. A household appliance for treating at least one item according to at least one cycle of operation, comprising:

a treating chemistry dispenser receiving a unit dose container and having a door moveable between an opened position and a closed position;

a piercing mechanism located proximate to the treating chemistry dispenser and having a piercer that is moveable between a non-piercing position and a piercing position where the piercer is moved to perforate a unit dose container received within the treating chemistry dispenser; and

wherein when the door is moved to the closed position the door contacts a portion of the piercing mechanism and the piercer is moved to the piercing position by the door moving to the closed position.

2. The household appliance of claim 1 wherein the piercer comprises a needle.

3. The household appliance of claim 2 wherein the needle comprises a hollow interior through which the treating chemistry may be withdrawn.

4. The household appliance of claim 3 wherein the treating chemistry dispenser comprises a pump fluidly coupled to the hollow interior of the needle to pump the treating chemistry from the unit does container.

5. The household appliance of claim 2 wherein the piercing mechanism further comprises a follower operably coupled to the needle and guides the needle between the non-piercing position and the piercing position when the door is moved to the closed position.

6. The household appliance of claim 5 wherein the needle and the follower are integrally formed.

7. The household appliance of claim 5 wherein the piercing mechanism comprises a crank that is contacted by a portion of the door and includes a yoke in which a portion of the follower is guided with movement of the crank.

8. The household appliance of claim 1 wherein the treating chemistry dispenser further comprises a drawer operably coupled to the door and slidable between a load position, where the unit dose container may be loaded into the drawer, and a use position, where the unit dose container is positioned for dispensing.

9. The household appliance of claim 8 wherein the piercer perforates the unit dose container as the drawer is being slid to the use position.

10. The household appliance of claim 8 wherein a portion of the drawer is angled such that a unit dose container received therein is angled downwards towards the piercer in the piercing position.

11. The household appliance of claim 1, further comprising a biasing element operably coupled to the piercer to provide a biasing force to return the piercer to the non-piercing position when the door is moved to the opened position.

12. A household appliance for treating at least one item according to at least one cycle of operation, comprising:

a treating chemistry dispenser receiving a unit dose container; and

a piercing mechanism located proximate to the treating chemistry dispenser and comprising;

a crank having a yoke and moveable between a first position and a second position;

a piercer that is moveable between a non-piercing position and a piercing position where the piercer is moved to perforate a unit dose container received within the treating chemistry dispenser; and

a follower operably coupled to the piercer and retained within the yoke;

wherein the follower guides the piercer between the non-piercing position and the piercing position when the crank is moved between the first position and the second position.

13. The household appliance of claim 12, further comprising a door that is movable between an opened position and a closed position and wherein when the door is moved to the closed position the door contacts the crank and moves the crank from the first position to the second position and the piercer is moved to the piercing position.

14. The household appliance of claim 12 wherein the piercer comprises a needle having a hollow interior through which treating chemistry may be withdrawn and movable between the piercing position, where the needle extends into the unit dose container, and the non-piercing position, where the needle resides exteriorly of the unit dose container.

15. The household appliance of claim 14 wherein the treating chemistry dispenser comprises a pump fluidly coupled to the hollow interior of the needle to pump the treating chemistry from the unit does container.

16. The household appliance of claim 14 wherein the needle and the follower are integrally formed.

17. The household appliance of claim 12, further comprising a biasing element operably coupled to the follower and providing a biasing force to return the piercer to the non-piercing position when the crank is moved to the first position.

18. The household appliance of claim 12 wherein the treating chemistry dispenser further comprises a drawer slidable between a load position, where the unit dose container may be loaded into the drawer, and a use position, where the unit dose container is positioned for dispensing.

19. The household appliance of claim 18 wherein when the drawer is moved to the use position a portion of the drawer contacts the crank and moves the crank from the first position to the second position.

20. The household appliance of claim 18 wherein a portion of the drawer is angled such that a unit dose container received therein is angled downwards towards the piercer in the piercing position.