Dispenser

• US 5,782,109 A
• Filed: 05/06/1996
• Issued: 07/21/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ecolab, Inc.
• Inventors: Boche, Daniel K., Tolliver-Rogers, Loleta T., Howes, Ronald Bruce, Hoerning, Douglas Sherwin, Spriggs, John Ross
• Primary Examiner(s): Coe, Philip R.
• Application Number:
  US08/644,620
• Time in Patent Office: 806 Days
• Field of Search: 68/17 R, 68/207, 222/651, 222/652
• US Class Current: 68/17.00R
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4418 in the form of liquids A47L15/4409, A47L15/4436, A47L15/4445 take precedence
• 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: D06F 39/022 in a liquid state D06F39/024 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/4891 With holder for solid, flaky or pulverized material to be dissolved or entrained

Abstract

A dispenser 100 for dispensing a chemical product that is dissolved by diluent. The dispenser includes a package 170 having a diaphragm, or fingered collar 180 attached to its opening. The diaphragm 180 has a plurality of flexible members or flexible fingers 185. The dispenser may utilize an injection manifold 109 that is sized and configured to be positioned on a washing machine top proximate the gap between the washing machine'"'"'s top and lid. Still further, the invention includes a low level chemical product indicator. The indicator includes a focused light source 98a and 98a. The focused light source is a high intensity light emitting diode having a viewing angle of less than 6° and an intensity of above 10,000 mcd. The dispenser also includes an apparatus and method in which a dispensing time of a dispenser is dynamically varied in response to diluent temperature during operation of the dispenser.

Claims

1. A chemical product injection manifold for use with a washing machine of the type having an opening in its top and a lid, the lid being sized to be smaller than the opening so as to form a gap between the top and the lid, said manifold comprising:

(a) a fitting adapted to receive a hose from a chemical dispenser;

(b) a housing having an inner cavity, said cavity in fluid communication with said fitting, said housing having a bottom;

(c) means for positioning said manifold on the washing machine top proximate the gap between the top and lid, said positioning means operatively connected to said housing; and

(d) an outlet in fluid communication with said cavity, said outlet generally elongate and extending generally parallel to the gap and having a width less than the width of the gap.

2. The manifold of claim 1, wherein said width of said outlet is less than 0.18 inches.

3. The manifold of claim 2, further comprising, said outlet having a generally elongate orifice having a length of at least 3 inches.

4. The manifold of claim 3, wherein the width of the orifice is between 0.05 to 0.06 inches.

5. The manifold of claim 1, wherein said fitting, housing and outlet are rigid.

6. The manifold of claim 5, wherein said fitting, housing and outlet are integral.

7. The manifold of claim 1, wherein said positioning means further comprises an elongate member operatively connected to said bottom of said housing and said elongate member extending beyond said housing and having mounting holes formed therein.

8. The manifold of claim 1, wherein said outlet does not extend below a bottom of the lid.

9. A chemical product injection manifold for use with a washing machine of the type having an opening in its top and a lid, the lid being sized to be smaller than the opening so as to form a gap between the top and the lid, said manifold comprising:

(a) a fitting adapted to receive a hose from a chemical dispenser;

(b) a housing having an inner cavity, said cavity in fluid communication with said fitting, said housing having a bottom;

(c) means for positioning said manifold on the washing machine top proximate the gap between the top and lid, said positioning means operatively connected to said housing; and

(d) an outlet in fluid communication with said cavity, said outlet generally elongate and having a width less than the width of the gap wherein said width of said outlet is less than 0.18 inches and said outlet having a generally elongate orifice having a length of at least 3 inches and the width of the orifice is between 0.05 to 0.06 inches.

10. A chemical product injection manifold for use with a washing machine of the type having an opening in its top and a lid, the lid being sized to be smaller than the opening so as to form a gap between the top and the lid, said manifold comprising:

(a) a fitting adapted to receive a hose from a chemical dispenser;

(b) a housing having an inner cavity, said cavity in fluid communication with said fitting, said housing having a bottom;

(c) means for positioning said manifold on the washing machine top proximate the gap between the top and lid, said positioning means operatively connected to said housing;

(d) an outlet in fluid communication with said cavity, said outlet generally elongate and having a width less than the width of the gap; and

(e) said positioning means further comprises an elongate member operatively connected to said bottom of said housing and said elongate member extending beyond said housing and having mounting holes formed therein.