Detergent dispenser for use with solid cast detergent

• US 5,549,875 A
• Filed: 06/06/1995
• Issued: 08/27/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sunburst Chemicals
• Original Assignee: Sunburst Chemicals
• Inventors: Grant, Robert C., Laughlin, Timothy E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): JASTRZAB, KRISANNE MARIE
• Application Number:
  US08/466,396
• Time in Patent Office: 448 Days
• Field of Search: 137/268, 137/110, 251/5, 422/112, 422/113, 422/261, 422/266, 422/278, 422/282, 134/93, 222/181, 222/185, 222/190
• US Class Current: 422/266
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/08 for solid soap
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4436 in the form of a detergent solution made by gradually dissolving a powder detergent cake or a solid detergent block
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 21/00 Dissolving separating by dissolving B01D; dissolving to effect cooling F25D5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 21/22 using additional holders in conduits, containers or pools for keeping the solid material in place, e.g. supports or receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/45 using flow mixing
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/483 using water for diluting a liquid ingredient, obtaining a predetermined concentration or making an aqueous solution of a concentrate
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/7179 using sprayers, nozzles or jets
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/4891 With holder for solid, flaky or pulverized material to be dissolved or entrained
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86871 Plug
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/877 With flow control means for branched passages
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8782 Rotary valve or deflector
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87909 Containing rotary valve

Abstract

A detergent dispenser that is coupled to a source of fluid and which has a chemical source in solid cast form. A spray generator is designed to generate a fluid spray bearing on the chemical source, the fluid spray generating a concentrated solution of the chemical. The concentrated solution of the chemical is discharged through a discharge conduit. A single valve controls a flow of fluid from the source of fluid. The valve has an inlet that is operably fluidly coupled to the source of fluid, an outlet that is operably fluidly coupled to the spray generator, and an outlet that is operably fluidly coupled to the discharge conduit. A metering device for selectively metering portions of the flow of fluid to the spray generator and to the discharge conduit is disposed within the valve and selectively fluidly couples the inlet to the outlet that is operably fluidly coupled to the spray generator and to the outlet that is operably fluidly coupled to the discharge conduit. A pressure feedback shutoff system is utilized to ensure that fluid flow to the spray generator is disabled at the time that the flow in the discharge conduit is disabled.

Claims

1. An improved detergent dispenser coupled to an external source of fluid flow under pressure and having a chemical source being in solid cast form, a spray generator designed to generate a fluid spray being fluidly coupled to the fluid source and the fluid spray generated by the spray generator bearing on the chemical source and generating a solution of the chemical, means to selectively discharge the solution of the chemical through a discharge conduit, wherein the improvement comprises:

a fluid inlet conduit fluidly coupling the source of fluid to the spray generator having pressure reduction means disposed in said fluid inlet conduit for reducing the pressure of the flow of fluid in said fluid inlet conduit; and

a pressure feedback means for disabling a flow of fluid from the source of fluid to the spray generator responsive to selective discontinuation of the discharge flow of the solution of the chemical through the discharge conduit, the pressure feedback means including back pressure actuated valve means disposed in said fluid inlet conduit downstream of said pressure reduction means, the back pressure actuated valve means being fluidly coupled to the discharge conduit for discontinuing the fluid flow to the spray generator responsive to reception of a fluid feedback pressure from the discharge conduit, the fluid feedback pressure being greater than the reduced flow pressure produced in said fluid inlet conduit by the pressure reduction means.

2. An improved detergent dispenser as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pressure reduction produced by the pressure reduction means is between five and thirty pounds per square inch.

3. An improved detergent dispenser as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pressure reduction produced by the pressure reduction means is twenty pounds per square inch.

4. An improved detergent dispenser, having a solid cast detergent and being designed to be wholly operated by fluid flow and fluid pressure, being fluidly coupled to an inlet source of fluid under pressure and being fluidly coupled to an outlet flow discharge conduit for providing a discharge flow from said detergent dispenser, the flow discharge conduit having a flow enabling device designed to selectively enable fluid flow from the discharge conduit and to discontinue fluid flow from the inlet source of fluid to said detergent dispenser, wherein the improvement comprises;

nozzle means for directing a spray of fluid on the solid cast detergent responsive to a flow enabling selection by the flow enabling device, said spray dissolving a portion of the solid cast detergent and producing a detergent solution thereby, the detergent solution accumulating in an accumulator;

pump means for pumping the detergent solution from the detergent dispenser being fluidly coupled to the source of fluid, the flow discharge conduit, and the accumulator, wherein fluid flow through the pump means responsive to a flow enabling selection by the flow enabling device generates a negative pressure region within the pump means, the negative pressure being applied to the accumulator through the fluid coupling therewith, the negative pressure acting to draw the detergent solution through the pump means; and

pressure feedback means for discontinuing fluid flow to the nozzle means being fluidly coupled to the flow enabling device and acting to discontinue said fluid flow responsive to the back pressure resulting from the flow enabling device selecting flow discontinuance.

5. A detergent dispenser as claimed in claim 4 wherein the pump means is a venturi pump.