Dispenser for storing and dispensing fluent materials
First Claim
1. A dispenser for storing and dispensing fluent material, said dispenser comprising:
- a hollow casing defining a storage reservoir therein for accommodating a supply of fluent material; and
actuating means for automatically dispensing fluent material stored in said reservoir from said hollow casing,said actuating means comprising a release mechanism mounted to said casing and movable relative thereto from a first position at which the release mechanism acts to confine fluent material in said reservoir and a second position at which the release mechanism acts to allow fluent material in said reservoir to flow from said casing, a permanent magnet fixed to one of said casing and the release mechanism of said actuating means, and thermomagnetic mechanism means fixed to the other of said casing and the release mechanism of said actuating means and in operative relational association with said permanent magnet for selectively exhibiting a magnetic characteristic which will cause an attraction between the magnet and the thermomagnetic mechanism means,said thermomagnetic mechanism means including a first lamellar element of an electrically conductive alloy having a Curie-point, a second element of an electrically conductive material, and an electrically energizable heating element interposed between said first and said second elements, whereby when a predetermined voltage potential is applied to said first and second elements, said heating element is energized to heat said lamellar element above the Curie-point thereof.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A dispenser stores and dispenses two fluent materials, such as detergent and rinse aid in a clothes washer or diswashing machine. The dispenser has a hollow casing defining a pair of discrete storage reservoirs for accommodating the detergent and rinse aid. The detergent and rinse aid are released from the dispenser under the operation of a thermomagnetic mechanism. The thermomagnetic mechanism includes a first lamellar element of an electrically conductive alloy having a Cuurie-point, a second electrically conductive element, and an electrically energizable heating element interposed between the first and second elements. The actuator includes a permanent magnet and a release mechanism to which either the permanent magnet or the thermomagnetic mechanism is mounted. An attractive force between the permanent magnet and thermomognetic mechanism maintains the release mechanism in a position in which the detergent and/or rinse aid is confined within a respective storage reservoir. On the other hand, when the heating element heats the first lamellar element to above its Curie-point, the first element loses its magnetic characteristic and the permanent magnet is no longer attracted thereto. In this case, the release mechanism allows the detergent and/or rinse aid to flow from the dispenser.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A dispenser for storing and dispensing fluent material, said dispenser comprising:
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a hollow casing defining a storage reservoir therein for accommodating a supply of fluent material; and actuating means for automatically dispensing fluent material stored in said reservoir from said hollow casing, said actuating means comprising a release mechanism mounted to said casing and movable relative thereto from a first position at which the release mechanism acts to confine fluent material in said reservoir and a second position at which the release mechanism acts to allow fluent material in said reservoir to flow from said casing, a permanent magnet fixed to one of said casing and the release mechanism of said actuating means, and thermomagnetic mechanism means fixed to the other of said casing and the release mechanism of said actuating means and in operative relational association with said permanent magnet for selectively exhibiting a magnetic characteristic which will cause an attraction between the magnet and the thermomagnetic mechanism means, said thermomagnetic mechanism means including a first lamellar element of an electrically conductive alloy having a Curie-point, a second element of an electrically conductive material, and an electrically energizable heating element interposed between said first and said second elements, whereby when a predetermined voltage potential is applied to said first and second elements, said heating element is energized to heat said lamellar element above the Curie-point thereof. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A dispenser for storing and dispensing two fluent materials, said dispenser comprising:
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a hollow casing defining a pair of discrete storage reservoirs therein for accommodating two supplies of fluent material, respectively; and actuating means for automatically dispensing fluent material stored in each of said reservoirs from said hollow casing, said actuating means comprising a respective release mechanism associated with each of said reservoirs mounted to said casing and movable relative thereto from a first position at which the release mechanism acts to confine fluent material in a respective said reservoir and a second position at which the release mechanism acts to allow fluent material in said respective reservoir to flow from said casing, a permanent magnet fixed to one of said casing and a said respective release mechanism of the actuating means, and thermomagnetic mechanism means fixed to the other of said casing and said respective release mechanism of said actuating means and in operative relational association with said permanent magnet for selectively exhibiting a magnetic characteristic which will cause an attraction between the magnet and the thermomagnetic mechanism means, said thermomagnetic mechanism means including a first lamellar element of an electrically conductive alloy having a Curie-point, a second element of an electrically conductive material, and an electrically energizable heating element interposed between said first and said second elements, whereby when a predetermined voltage potential is applied to said first and second elements, said heating element is energized to heat said lamellar element above the Curie-point thereof. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification