Laundry Washing Machine with a Water Softening Device
First Claim
1. A Laundry washing machine comprising:
- an outer casing;
a washing tub inside said outer casing;
a rotatable drum arranged in an axially rotating manner inside the washing tub and structured for receiving the laundry to be washed;
a detergent dispensing assembly structured for supplying detergent into the washing tub;
a fresh-water supply circuit structured for selectively channeling a flow of fresh water from water mains towards the detergent dispensing assembly and/or the washing tub; and
a water softening device interposed between the fresh-water supply circuit and the detergent dispensing assembly or the washing tub, and structured for reducing a hardness degree of the water supplied to the washing tub;
wherein the water softening device includes;
a water-softening agent container crossed by fresh water arriving from the fresh-water supply circuit and is filled with a water softening agent able to reduce the hardness degree of the fresh water flowing through the water-softening agent container;
a regeneration-agent reservoir structured to receive a salt or other regeneration agent for performing a regeneration of a water softening function of the water softening agents stored into the water-softening agent container; and
a water supply circuit structured for selectively channeling a given amount of fresh water into the regeneration-agent reservoir to form brine; and
an electrically-powered brine-circulating pump assembly interposed between the water-softening agent container and the regeneration-agent reservoir and which is structured for transferring/moving the brine from the regeneration-agent reservoir to the water-softening agent container when activated, and for watertight sealing/isolating the regeneration-agent reservoir from the water-softening agent container when deactivated.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A laundry washing machine (1) includes an outer casing (2) and, inside said outer casing (2), a washing tub (3), a detergent dispensing assembly (9), a fresh-water supply circuit (10) for selectively channeling a flow of fresh water from the water mains towards the detergent dispensing assembly (9) and/or the washing tub (3), and a water softening device (11) interposed between the fresh water supply circuit (10) and the detergent dispensing assembly (9) or the washing tub (3), and being structured for reducing the harness degree of the fresh water supplied to the washing tub (3). The water softening device (11) includes a water-softening agent container (26), crossed by fresh water arriving from the fresh-water supply circuit (10) and is filled with a water softening agent; a regeneration-agent reservoir (27) being structured to receive a salt or other regeneration agent for performing a regeneration of the water softening function of the water softening agent; and a water supply circuit (28) for selectively channeling a given amount of fresh water into the regeneration-agent reservoir (27) to form brine; and an electrically-powered brine-circulating pump assembly (29) interposed between the water-softening agent container (26) and the regeneration-agent reservoir (27), and being structured for transferring/moving the brine from the regeneration-agent reservoir (27) to the water-softening agent container (26) when activated, and for watertight sealing/isolating the regeneration-agent reservoir (27) from the water-softening agent container (26) when deactivated.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A Laundry washing machine comprising:
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an outer casing; a washing tub inside said outer casing; a rotatable drum arranged in an axially rotating manner inside the washing tub and structured for receiving the laundry to be washed; a detergent dispensing assembly structured for supplying detergent into the washing tub; a fresh-water supply circuit structured for selectively channeling a flow of fresh water from water mains towards the detergent dispensing assembly and/or the washing tub; and a water softening device interposed between the fresh-water supply circuit and the detergent dispensing assembly or the washing tub, and structured for reducing a hardness degree of the water supplied to the washing tub; wherein the water softening device includes; a water-softening agent container crossed by fresh water arriving from the fresh-water supply circuit and is filled with a water softening agent able to reduce the hardness degree of the fresh water flowing through the water-softening agent container; a regeneration-agent reservoir structured to receive a salt or other regeneration agent for performing a regeneration of a water softening function of the water softening agents stored into the water-softening agent container; and a water supply circuit structured for selectively channeling a given amount of fresh water into the regeneration-agent reservoir to form brine; and an electrically-powered brine-circulating pump assembly interposed between the water-softening agent container and the regeneration-agent reservoir and which is structured for transferring/moving the brine from the regeneration-agent reservoir to the water-softening agent container when activated, and for watertight sealing/isolating the regeneration-agent reservoir from the water-softening agent container when deactivated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification