Mechanically actuated additive dispenser for dishwasher

• US 5,033,659 A
• Filed: 07/05/1990
• Issued: 07/23/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Bartloff, William F., Marks, Larry D., Stiles, Richard C.
• Primary Examiner(s): HUPPERT, MICHEAL
• Application Number:
  US07/548,030
• Time in Patent Office: 383 Days
• Field of Search: 222/651-652, 222/129, 222/511, 222/517-518, 134/56 D, 134/57 D, 134/58 D, 134/93, 134/95, 134/99, 68/17 R, 251/263, 137/624.11
• 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

Dishwasher dispensing structure consisting of a reservoir for storing a supply of additive and having an outlet opening to the wash chamber, a cover movably mounted relative to the reservoir between a) a closed position wherein the cover prevents escape of additive from the reservoir outlet into the wash chamber and b) an open position permitting the reservoir outlet to be in communication with the wash chamber, a trigger mounted movably to the dishwasher between a cover block position and a cover release position, with structure on the trigger for maintaining the cover in the closed position with the trigger in its blocked position and releasing the cover to its open position with the trigger in its cover release position, a cover release member, structure driven by the timer mechanism for moving the cover release member through a first prescribed path in response to operation of the timer mechanism as the dishwasing apparatus is cycled and moving the cover release member in a first direction through a portion of the path during one portion of the operating cycle and moving the cover release member to retrace the path portion in a second direction opposite to the first direction during another portion of the cycle, trigger moving structure on the cover release member mounted for movement in a third path as the cover release member moves through the one portion of the operating cycle and in a fourth path that substantially retraces the third path as the cover release member moves in the another portion of the operating cycle.

Claims

1. Structure for dispensing an additive into a wash chamber of a dishwashing apparatus having a timer mechanism for automatically controlling operation of the dishwashing apparatus, said structure comprising:

a reservoir for storing a supply of additive and having an outlet opening in the wash chamber;

a cover for said reservoir;

means mounting the cover for movement relative to the reservoir between (a) a closed position wherein the cover prevents escape of additive from the reservoir outlet into the wash chamber and (b) an open position permitting the reservoir outlet to be in communication with the wash chamber;

a movable member connected to a moving means;

said moving means being driven by said timer mechanism for moving said movable member through a prescribed path in response to operation of the timer mechanism as the dishwashing apparatus is cycled through an operating cycle,

said moving means moving said movable member in a first direction through a portion of said path during one portion of said operating cycle and moving said movable member to retrace said path portion in a second direction opposite to the first direction during another portion of said operating cycle;

a trigger operatively connected between said movable member and said cover;

means mounting the trigger in the path of said movable member so that the movable member moves against and past the trigger as said movable member moves in said path in both said first and second directions; and

cooperating means on the trigger, movable member and cover for (a) causing said movable member to engage said trigger to move said cover relative to said reservoir to allow said cover to move from its closed position to its open position as said movable member moves in said first direction in said portion of said path, and (b) for permitting said movable member to move the trigger relative to the cover as said movable member moves in said second direction in said path without moving said cover from its closed position to its open position.

2. The additive dispensing structure according to claim 1 wherein the cover comprises a plunger that is normally spring biased sealingly against the reservoir outlet.

3. The additive dispensing structure according to claim 1 wherein said cover comprises a plunger which seats over the outlet in its closed position and unseats in its open position, the trigger has a collapsible section extending from said plunger, said movable member draws the trigger with it as it moves against said trigger in the first direction, thereby unseating the plunger and as the movable member moves in the direction opposite the first direction against the trigger the collapsible section collapses to allow passage of the movable member beyond the trigger without unseating the plunger.

4. The additive dispensing structure according to claim 1 wherein said cover comprises a plunger which seats over the outlet in its closed position and unseats in its open position, the trigger has a collapsible section extending from said plunger, said trigger comprises a projection defining a shoulder, a block member is provided and defines a guide slot and the movable member has a pin which is guided in the guide slot through the path portion, said pin, upon said movable member moving in the first direction, engaging said shoulder and moving the collapsible section and plunger to unseat the plunger, said pin, upon said movable member moving in said direction opposite the first direction, engaging the projection and collapsing the collapsible section as the pin moves against and beyond the projection without unseating the plunger.

5. The additive dispensing structure according to claim 1 wherein said cover comprises a plunger which seats over the outlet in its closed position and unseats in its open position, the trigger has a collapsible section extending from said plunger, said trigger comprises a projection defining a shoulder, block member is provided and defines a guide slot and the movable member has a pin which is guided in the guide slot through the path portion, said pin, upon said movable member moving in the first direction, engaging said shoulder and moving the collapsible section and plunger to unseat the plunger, said pin, upon said movable member moving in said direction opposite the first direction, engaging the projection and collapsing the collapsible section as the pin moves against and beyond the projection without unseating the plunger, wherein said slot comprises a vertical portion and an offset portion and the pin moves through the vertical portion and then said offset portion as the movable member moves in the first direction and as the pin moves into the offset portion the movable member separates from the trigger thereby allowing the cover to reseat.

6. The additive dispensing structure of claim 1 wherein there is a door with a liner on the dishwashing apparatus, said cover is pivotable between said open and closed positions, there is a latch connected to said trigger, means mounting the latch to the liner for movement between a first position wherein its blocks the cover in its closed position and a second position wherein the cover can be opened, means mounting said trigger for movement relative to the latch and upon said movable member moving against the trigger in the first direction the trigger causes the latch to move to its second position so that the cover can open and upon the movable member moving against and beyond the trigger in said direction opposite the first direction the trigger moves relative to the latch without causing movement of the latch.

7. Structure for dispensing an additive into a wash chamber of a dishwashing apparatus that is automatically controlled through an operating cycle by a timer mechanism, said structure comprising:

a reservoir for storing a supply of additive;

a cover for said reservoir;

means mounting the cover for movement relative to the reservoir between (a) a closed position wherein the cover prevents escape of additive from the reservoir into the wash chamber and (b) an open position where the reservoir is in communication with the wash chamber;

a latch engaging said cover;

means mounting the latch for movement relative to the cover between (a) a first position for maintaining the cover in said closed position and (b) a second position wherein the cover can be moved from the closed position to the open position;

a link operatively connected between said timer mechanism and a trigger arm;

means mounting the link for movement in response to operation of the timer mechanism through a prescribed path as the dishwashing apparatus is operated through an operating cycle,

said link moving in a first direction through a portion of the path at one stage in an operating cycle and retracing said path portion in a direction opposite to the first direction at another stage in an operating cycle;

means cooperating between said trigger arm and said link for permitting engagement therebetween; and

means mounting the trigger arm to the latch for movement relative to thereto so that (a) a part of the link moving in the first direction through said path portion engages and moves the trigger arm thereby causing the latch to move between the first and second positions as the link part moves against and beyond the trigger arm in said first direction and (b) said link part engages and moves the trigger arm relative to the latch as the part moves against and beyond the trigger arm with the link moving through said path portion in said direction opposite to the first direction without moving the latch between the first and second positions,

whereby the latch moves from the first to the second position only with the link moving in the first direction.

8. The additive dispensing structure according to claim 7 wherein the means mounting the latch mount the latch pivotally between the first and second positions, a lever is provided on the latch and means mounting the trigger arm onto the lever so that as the link part moves against and beyond the trigger arm in the first direction of movement of the link the trigger arm bears against and moves the lever, and as the link part moves against the trigger arm in the direction opposite the first direction the trigger arm moves relative to the lever sufficiently to allow the link part to move beyond the trigger arm.

9. The additive dispensing structure according to claim 7 wherein the link movement is translatory in the path portion and the trigger arm is pivotally mounted for rotation relative to the lever.

10. In a dishwashing apparatus having a tub defining a wash chamber, said tub having an opening and an associated movable door for covering the opening, means defining a reservoir, dispensing structure for delivering an additive from said reservoir into the wash chamber, a timer mechanism for controlling operation of the dishwashing apparatus in a dishwashing cycle, cam means on the timer mechanism for controlling operation of the dishwashing apparatus in a dishwashing cycle, cam means on the timer mechanism for controlling operation of the dispensing structure for causing delivery of additive from the reservoir to said wash chamber at a preselected time in the dishwashing cycle, and actuating structure interconnecting the timer mechanism and dispensing structure, said actuating structure comprising:

an elongate actuating link;

means mounting the actuating link to the door for longitudinal movement;

means connecting said cam means on said timer mechanism to said actuating link for causing longitudinal movement of said actuating link through a prescribed path,

said connecting means moving said actuating link in a first longitudinal direction through a portion of said prescribed path during a first portion of the dishwashing cycle and during a second portion of the dishwashing cycle through said path portion in a direction opposite said first direction;

a cover for said reservoir;

means movably mounting the cover to the door for movement between an open position and a closed position, including means for biasing said cover to said open position;

a latch for said cover mounted rotatably between a first position and a second position;

said latch in said first position locking said cover in a closed position,

said latch in said second position releasing said cover to allow said biasing means to move said cover to its open position;

a trigger;

means movably mounting the trigger to the latch in the path of the actuating link to be engaged by the actuating link; and

cooperating means on the trigger, latch, and actuating link for (a) movement of the trigger against the latch for movement of the latch from its first position to its second position upon the actuating link moving in the first longitudinal direction and (b) movement of the trigger relative to the latch without moving the latch with the latch in its first position as the actuating link moves in the opposite longitudinal direction against and past the trigger,

whereby said cover is released to said open position only when said actuating link moves against and past said trigger in said first longitudinal direction.

11. The actuating structure according to claim 10 wherein the means for moving said latch comprises a lever, means pivotally mounting the lever to the latch for rotation about a first axis and means mounting the trigger to the lever for rotation about a second axis that is substantially parallel to the first axis.

12. The actuating structure according to claim 10 wherein the means for moving said latch comprises a lever, means pivotally mounting the lever to the latch for rotation about a first axis and means mounting the trigger to the lever for rotation about a second axis.

13. The actuating structure according to claim 10 wherein the means for moving said latch comprises a lever, means pivotally mounting said lever to the latch for rotation about a first axis, means mounting the trigger to the lever for rotation about a second axis, whereby movement of the link in the first longitudinal direction bears the trigger against the lever so that the lever pivots, thereby allowing the lever to move the latch from the first position to the second position and movement of the link in the opposite longitudinal direction pivots the trigger in a first rotational direction relative to the lever without pivoting the lever.

14. The actuating structure according to claim 10 wherein the means for moving said latch comprises a lever, means pivotally mounting said lever to the latch for rotation about a first axis, means mounting the trigger to the lever for rotation about a second axis, whereby movement of the link in the first longitudinal direction bears the trigger against the lever so that the lever pivots, thereby allowing the lever to move the latch from the first position to the second position and movement of the link in the opposite longitudinal direction pivots the trigger in a first rotational direction relative to the lever without pivoting the lever and further including means biasing the trigger in a rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction.

15. The actuating structure according to claim 10 including means biasing the latch to its first position.

16. The actuating structure according to claim 10 wherein the means for moving said latch comprises a lever, means pivotally mounting said lever to the latch for rotation about a first axis, means mounting the trigger to the lever for rotation about a second axis, whereby movement of the link in the first longitudinal direction bears the trigger against the lever so that the lever pivots, thereby allowing the lever to move the latch from the first position to the second position and movement of the link in the opposite longitudinal direction pivots the trigger in a first rotational direction relative to the lever without pivoting the lever and further including means biasing the trigger in a rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction and against the lever so that the lever biases the latch towards the first position.

17. The actuating structure according to claim 10 wherein said cooperating means comprises said trigger having an arm and a portion of the link moves against said trigger arm upon the link moving through said path portion, there is a ramped surface on at least one of the trigger arm and link portion, said ramped surface on the one of the trigger arm and link portion is in the path of and engages the other of the trigger arm and link portion as the link moves in the first direction and thereby shifts the trigger causing movement of the latch between its first and second positions.