LIQUID DISPENSER

• US 3,749,288 A
• Filed: 09/09/1970
• Issued: 07/31/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Charles H. Wade
• Original Assignee: Charles H. Wade
• Inventors: Wade, Charles H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Reeves, Robert B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stack, Jr., Norman L.
• Application Number:
  US05/070,772
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• Field of Search: 222/188,442,449,462,518,187,189,70,76 137/575,576,588,589 239/44,145 73/219
• US Class Current: 222/187
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4418 in the form of liquids A47L15/4409, A47L15/4436, A47L15/4445 take precedence

Abstract

A liquid dispenser in which a liquid is transferred from a supply chamber in a preselected maximum amount to a metering chamber where it is ejected as desired. A specific use for the dispenser is for supplying wetting agent to an automatic dishwasher at a selected time in the dishwashing cycle to aid in cleaning dishes.

Claims

1. In a dishwasher, a liquid dispenser comprising:

a container having a supply chamber for said liquid, wall means forming a metering chamber adjacent said supply chamber;

means forming a passage between said supply chamber and metering chamber;

fibrous flow control means in said passage for passing liquid from said supply chamber through said passage by a combination of capillary action and controlled gravity flow into said metering chamber;

vent means communicating between said metering chamber and the ambient atmosphere above said metering chamber to provide substantially uniform capillary action during the filling of the metering chamber;

valved outlet means connected to said metering chamber; and

dispensing control means for causing said valved outlet means to be sequentially opened and closed for dispensing from said metering chamber the metered quantity of liquid passed thereinto prior to opening of the outlet means, said dispensing control means causing said liquid to fill said chamber to maintain the fibrous flow control means contacted by the metered liquid subsequent to the delivery of the metered quantity thereto and prior to the dispensing of the metered quantity therefrom.

2. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said vent means has an end within the metering chamber having means thereon for retaining said fibrous flow control means in liquid conveying position with respect to said passage.

3. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the metering chamber is provided wIth a bottom wall containing said valve outlet means.

4. The dispenser of claim 3 wherein said valve outlet means in said bottom wall comprises an opening in the wall, a movable valve plunger closing said opening, and means for displacing the plunger to expose the opening in said wall, the side of said wall facing the interior of the metering chamber being shaped to provide a funnel surface means for directing liquid flow through said opening when said plunger is displaced.

5. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein there is provided means forming a dispensing chamber communicating with said valve outlet means to receive liquid therefrom with said dispensing chamber including boundary walls one of which contains a plurality of openings through which the liquid flows from the dispensing chamber.

6. The dispenser of claim 5 wherein said one wall comprises a removable cap normally closing a flow passage means comprising said dispensing chamber.

7. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said valve means comprises a closure in the bottom of said metering chamber having an opening therein normally closed by a movable plunger, the plunger having attached thereto a flexible diaphragm extending across a portion of said dispenser to define with said portion an enclosure housing a spring means normally urging the plunger toward valve closing position.

8. The dispenser of claim 7 wherein there is provided means forming a dispensing chamber communicating with said valve outlet means to receive liquid therefrom with said dispensing chamber including boundary walls one of which contains a plurality of openings through which the liquid flows from the dispensing chamber, said diaphragm forming a wall portion of said dispensing chamber.

9. The dispenser of claim 7 wherein the metering chamber is provided with a bottom wall containing said valve outlet means, the valve outlet means comprising means forming an opening in the wall, a movable valve plunger closing said opening, and means for displacing the plunger to expose the opening in said wall, the side of said wall facing the interior of the metering chamber being shaped to provide a funnel surface means for directing liquid flow through said opening when said plunger is displaced.

10. In a dishwasher, a liquid dispenser comprising:

a container having a supply chamber for said liquid;

wall means forming a metering chamber adjacent said supply chamber;

means forming a passage between said supply chamber and metering chamber;

wick means in said passage for drawing liquid from said supply chamber through said passage by a combination of capillary action and controlled gravity flow into said metering chamber;

valve outlet means from said metering chamber; and

vent means extending from said metering chamber to the exterior of the container, said vent means having an end within the metering chamber having means thereon for retaining said wick means in liquid conveying position with respect to said passage and an elongated tube passing through said supply chamber and having a raised end above said container and with the end of said tube within the metering chamber having an extension thereon comprising said means for retaining the wick means in liquid conveying position, said valve outlet means being arranged to cause said liquid to fill said chamber to maintain the wick contacted by the metered liquid subsequent to the delivery of the metered quantity thereto and prior to the disposing of the metered quantity therefrom.

11. A liquid dispenser, comprising:

a container having a supply chamber for said liquid;

wall means forming a metering chamber adjacent said supply chamber;

means forming a passage between said supply chamber and metering chamber;

wick means in said passage for drawing liquid from said supply chamber through said passage by a combination of capillary action and gravity flow into said metering chamber; and

valve outlet means from said metering chamber, said metering chamber being provided with a bottom wall containing said valve outlet means, said valve outlet means in said bottom wall comprising an opening in the wall, a movable valve plunger closing said opening, and means for displacing the plunger to expose the opening in said wall, the side of said wall facing the interior of the metering chamber being shaped to provide a funnel surface means for directing liquid flow through said opening when said plunger is displaced, and said vent means comprising an elongated tube passing through said supply chamber and having a raised end above said container and with the end of said tube within the metering chamber having an annular flange thereon engaging the wick means for retaining it in said position.

12. A liquid dispenser, comprising:

a container having a supply chamber for said liquid;

wall means forming a metering chamber adjacent said supply chamber;

means forming a passage between said supply chamber and metering chamber;

wick means in said passage for drawing liquid from said supply chamber through said passage by a combination of capillary action and gravity flow into said metering chamber; and

valve outlet means from said metering chamber, said valve means comprising a closure in the bottom of said metering chamber having an opening therein normally closed by a movable plunger, the plunger having attached thereto a flexible diaphragm extending across a portion of said dispenser to define with said portion an enclosure housing a spring means normally urging the plunger toward valve closing position, the metering chamber being provided with a bottom wall containing said valve outlet means, the valve outlet means comprising means forming an opening in the wall, a movable valve plunger closing said opening, and means for displacing the plunger to expose the opening in said wall, the side of said wall facing the interior of the metering chamber being shaped to provide a funnel surface means for directing liquid flow through said opening when said plunger is displaced, and said vent means comprising an elongated tube passing through said supply chamber and having a raised end above said container and with the end of said tube within the metering chamber having an extension thereon engaging the wick means for retaining it in said position.

13. In a dishwasher, a liquid dispenser having means for holding a supply of liquid, means defining a measuring chamber and means for rapidly discharging the liquid from the measuring chamber subsequent to the delivery of a preselected quantity of said liquid thereto from said supply, means providing constant controlled communication between said liquid supply and said chamber comprising:

a fibrous mass extending between said liquid supply and said chamber for passing liquid as a result of both capillary and gravity action to effect a controlled flow of the liquid from the supply to the measuring chamber, said fibrous mass being constructed so that the rate of flow of the liquid therethrough carried by said capillary and gravity action is relatively slow;

vent means for applying atmospheric pressure to the fibrous mass portion confronting the measuring chamber to provide substantially uniform capillary action during the filling of the measuring chamber; and

means for controlling the discharge means to cause said liquid to fill said chamber to maintain the fibrous mass contacted by the metered liquid subsequent to the delivery of the metered quantity thereto and prior to the dispensing of the metered quantity therefrom.