APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING A LIQUID AND ANOTHER MATERIAL

• US 3,827,600 A
• Filed: 06/20/1973
• Issued: 08/06/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Donald E. Janke
• Original Assignee: Donald E. Janke
• Inventors: Janke, Donald E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Reeves, Robert B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kocovsky, Thomas E.
• Application Number:
  US05/372,465
• Time in Patent Office: 412 Days
• Field of Search: 222/70,135,453 134/570,580,93,100,101
• US Class Current: 222/651
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4409 by tipping containers or opening their lids, e.g. with the help of a programmer

Abstract

An apparatus for dispensing liquid and another material, such as a particulate detergent material, at different times in an operating cycle of an apparatus such as a dishwasher. The liquid may comprise a rinse aid dispensed by the apparatus subsequent to a washing cycle, such as during the last rinse cycle of the dishwasher operation. A single solenoid operator is associated with each of the dispensing means for coordinated operation thereof. The control measures a preselected quantity of the liquid for delivery thereof from a storage tank in the apparatus.

Claims

1. In an apparatus arranged to be operated through a plurality of successive cycles, dispensing means for sequentially dispensing a liquid and a second material respectively during different ones of said cycles, comprising:

a liquid container having an inlet for delivery thereto of a liquid to be dispensed;

first control means for dispensing from said container incremental quantities of liquid, said first control means being selectively disposed in a potentiated arrangement and an actuated arrangement and being constructed to deliver a single one of said incremental quantities of liquid as an incident of being operated from said potentiated arrangement to said actuated arrangement;

a second container subjacent said liquid container for selectively holding a quantity of second material to be dispensed;

means for biasing said second container to an open, dispensing position;

latch means for releasably maintaining the second container in a closed position holding a said quantity of said second material;

second control means for releasing said latch means and thereby permitting said biasing means to open said second container for dispensing of the second material therefrom during one of said apparatus cycles and including electrical means energized for concurrently causing said first control means to be moved into said potentiated arrangement prior to a dispensing of liquid from said container; and

means for de-energizing said electrical means and operating said first and second control means during a subsequent one of said apparatus cycles to concurrently dispense an incremental quantity of said liquid and permit repositioning of said latch means for subsequent manual latching of said second container to releasably maintain a said quantity of second material subsequently placed in said second container.

2. The dispensing means of claim 1 wherein the means for operating said first and second control means includes an electrical actuating means energized by an electrical signal, energization of said actuating means causing the first control means to be disposed in said potentiated arrangement and release of said latch means to permit said second control means to dispense said second material, and de-energization of said actuating means causing said first control means to be disposed in said actuated arrangement and said repositioning of said latch means.

3. The dispensing means of claim 1 wherein said first control means includes a measuring valve arranged to measure said incremental quantity of liquid concurrently with the dispensing of said second material from said second container.

4. The dispensing means of claim 1 including a single spring for concurrently biasing said first control means to said actuated arrangement and said latch means toward a latching arrangement.

5. The dispensing means of claim 1 wherein said liquid container includes an outlet at the bottom thereof overlying said second container.

6. The dispensing means of claim 1 wherein said first control means includes connecting means extending vertically downwardly from said liquid container to rearwardly adjacent said second container.

7. The dispensing means of claim 1 wherein said first control means comprises an annular outlet carried by said liquid container adjacent the bottom thereof, a valve stem extending through said outlet, a first valve closure member on the valve stem in said container adjacent an inner end of the outlet and a second valve closure member on the valve stem adjacent the outer end of the outlet and spaced from said first valve closure member a distance greater than the axial length of said outlet, and means for moving the valve stem for alternatively causing said valve closure members to seat on said outlet for closing the saMe whereby a substantially preselected quantity of liquid is dispensed from the first container as a result of movement of said second valve closure member outwardly away from sealed engagement with said outer end of the inlet and said first valve closure member into seating engagement with said inner end of the outlet.

8. The dispensing means of claim 1 further including a wall defining a chamber into which said liquid and second material are to be dispensed, said liquid container being mounted rearwardly of said wall, said inlet and dispensing means including portions extending through said wall, and said second container being mounted forwardly of said wall whereby said second container is exposed to said chamber in the open arrangement thereof.