Additive fluid dispenser nozzle

• US 5,092,141 A
• Filed: 06/27/1991
• Issued: 03/03/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alliance Laundry Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Quinn, William R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coe, Philip R.
• Application Number:
  US07/725,939
• Time in Patent Office: 250 Days
• Field of Search: 68/17 R, 68/18 FA, 68/23.5, 68/207
• US Class Current: 68/17.00R
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/022 in a liquid state D06F39/024 takes precedence

Abstract

A clothes washing machine including a cabinet having an upper wall portion provided with a clothes receiving opening, an annular cowling within the cabinet and having an inner peripheral portion encircling the clothes receiving opening, the cowling having an annular midportion sloped radially downward to an outer peripheral portion of the cowling which is secured to a rim of a drain tub defining an open end thereof, the drain tub having rotatably supported therein a spin tub with an opening disposed within the open end portion of the drain tub and aligned with the clothes receiving opening, and a liquid soap dispensing system disposed within the cabinet and externally of the drain tub, the soap dispensing system comprising a multi-load reservoir of liquid soap connected hydraulically through a pump to a nozzle having a drain tube with a spout end portion adjacent the inner peripheral portion of the cowling and encircling a delivery tube which is disposed longitudinally and eccentrically within the drain tube, the delivery tube having an input end portion connected hydraulically to the pump and having an opposing spout end portion recessed axially within the spout end portion of the drain tube, the spout end portion of the delivery tube being conically shaped and having extended through a sloped wall portion thereof an outlet orifice which is aligned with a target aperture in the cowling overlooking the opening in the spin tub.

Claims

1. A clothes washing machine comprising:

a stationary drain tub having an imperofrated wall extended axially thereof and terminated in annular rim means of said drain tub for defining a drain tub open end of predetermined size and disposed in a plane;

a spin tub rotatably supported within said drain tub and having an axially extending perforated wall spaced radially from said imperforated wall of said drain tub, said perforated wall being terminated within said drain tub in rim means of said spin tub for defining a spin tub opening adjacent said drain tub open end and having a size smaller than said predetermined size;

annular cowling means having an outer peripheral portion secured to said rim means of said drain tub and extended therefrom in cantilever fashion over said rim means of said spin tub, said cowling means having an inner peripheral portion for defining a cowling opening aligned with said spin tub opening and having a size smaller than said size of said spin tub opening; and

liquid soap dispensing means disposed adjacent said drain tub and externally thereof, said soap dispensing means including a cylindrical nozzle supported on said cowling means for directing a stream of liquid soap through said spin tub opening and into said spin tub.

2. A clothes washing machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cowling means includes an annular midportion sloped radially from said inner peripheral portion to said outer peripheral portion of said cowling means.

3. A clothes washing machine as set forth in claim 2 wherein said midportion includes an annular channel element having an inner peripheral portion connected to said inner peripheral portion of said cowling means and having an outer peripheral portion attached integrally to said outer peripheral portion of said cowling means, said annular channel element being extended from said inner peripheral portion thereof at a convergent radial slope with said plane of said drain tub open end.

4. A clothes washing machine as set forth in claim 3 wherein said nozzle extends radially over a portion of said annular channel element and is provided with a radially directed slope similar to said radial slope of said annular channel element, said nozzle having an output end portion disposed adjacent said inner peripheral portion of said channel element and having an input end portion disposed adjacent said outer peripheral portion of said channel element.

5. A clothes washing machine as set forth in claim 4 wherein said midportion includes a frusto-conical element having a large diameter end portion attached integrally to said inner peripheral portion of said annular channel element and having a smaller diameter end portion attached integrally to said inner peripheral portion of said cowling means, said frusto-conical element having a portion aligned with said output end portion of said nozzle and provided with aperture means for permitting passage of said stream of liquid soap through said cowling means and into said spin tub.

6. A clothes washing machine comprising:

an upright cabinet having an uppermost wall provided with a clothes receiving opening of predetermined size;

a stationary drain tub disposed within said cabinet and having an imperforated axially extending wall terminated in annular rim means of said drain tub for defining a drain tub open end disposed in a plane adjacent said uppermost wall and aligned with said clothes receiving opening;

a spin tub rotatable about a vertical axis within said drain tub and having a perforated axially extending wall spaced radially from said imperforated wall of said drain tub, said perforated wall being terminated within said drain tub in rim means of said spin tub for defining a spin tub opening aligned with said clothes receiving opening and having a size larger than said predetermined size;

annular cowling means having an outer periperal portion secured to said rim means of said drain tub and extended radially therefrom in cantilever fashion over said rim means of said spin tub, said cowling means having inner peripheral means encircling said clothes receiving opening for defining a cowling opening having a size smaller than said size of said spin tub opening and larger than said predetermined size; and

liquid soap dispensing means disposed within said cabinet and externally of said drain tub, said soap dispensing means including a cylindrical nozzle supported on said cowling means in axially spaced relationship with said spin tub opening and in laterally spaced relationship with said clothes receiving opening for directing a stream of liquid soap through said spin tub opening and into said spin tub.

7. A clothes washing machine as set forth in claim 6 wherein said annular cowling means includes an annular midportion sloped downwardly in the radial direction from said inner peripheral portion to said outer peripheral portion of said cowling means.

8. A clothes washing machine as set forth in claim 7 wherein said cylindrical nozzle is extended radially over a portion of said annular midportion of said cowling means and has an output end portion disposed adjacent said inner peripheral portion of said cowling means, said nozzle having an opposing input end portion disposed adjacent said outer peripheral portion of said cowling means and being sloped downwardly from its input end portion to its output end portion.

9. A clothes washing machine as set forth in claim 8 wherein said nozzle includes a drain tube having a predetermined diametric size and having an open spout end portion comprising said output end portion of said nozzle, said drain tube having an open drain end portion disposed adjacent said outer peripheral portion of said cowling means and spaced radially inward therefrom.

10. A clothes washing machine as set forth in claim 9 wherein said nozzle includes a delivery tube having a diametric size substantially smaller than said predetermined diametric size and extended longitudinally in radially eccentric relationship within said drain tube, said delivery tube having a spout end portion recessed axially within said spout end portion of said drain tube and having an opposing input end portion extended longitudinally out of said open drain end portion of said drain tube, said input end portion of said delivery tube comprising said input end portion of said nozzle and being provided with means for receiving therein said stream of liquid soap.

11. A clothes washing machine as set forth in claim 10 wherein said spout end portion of said delivery tube is conically shaped and has extended through a sloped wall portion thereof outlet orifice means for directing said stream of liquid soap out of said open spout end portion of said drain tube.

12. A clothes washing machine as set forth in claim 11 wherein said midportion of said cowling means has aligned with said spout end portion of said drain tube aperture means for permitting passage of said stream of liquid soap through said cowling means and into said spin tub through said spin tub opening.

13. A washing machine comprising:

a cabinet including a defining wall provided with a wash load receiving opening having a predetermined size;

tub means including a rotatable spin tub within said wash load receiving opening, said spin tub having aligned with said wash load receiving opening a spin tub opening provided with a size larger than said predetermined size;

liquid soap dispensing means disposed in said cabinet and including a stationary nozzle supported in axially spaced relationship with said spin tub opening and in laterally spaced relationship with said wash load receiving opening for directing a stream of concentrated liquid soap into said spin tub through said spin tub opening; and

an agitator including a post portion, said post portion being disposed in said rotatable spin tub wherein said directing means further comprises means for directing said stream of liquid soap to impinge on said post portion.

14. The clothes washing machine recited in claim 13 wherein said directing means comprises;

pumping means connected to said reservoir and said nozzle for forcing fluid from said reservoir in a stream through said nozzle.

15. A washing machine comprising:

a drain tub;

a rotable spin tub positioned within said drain tub for processing a wash load, said spin tub having a top opening;

a reservoir holding additive liquid;

means, coupled to said reservoir, for directing a stream of additive liquid from said reservoir in top said spin tub at an angle through said top opening, said directing means comprising a nozzle positioned above said spin tub; and

means positioned directly below said nozzle out of the way of said stream of additive liquid for preventing said additive liquid from dripping from said nozzle into said spin tub.

16. The washing machine recited in claim 15 wherein said preventing means comprises means for channeling dripped additive liquid from said nozzle to a region external to said spin tub.