Automatic dosing device and the use of such an automatic dosing device

• US 7,188,754 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2003
• Issued: 03/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Incorporated (AB Electrolux)
• Original Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Incorporated (AB Electrolux)
• Inventors: Menrik, Linda, Miefalk, Hakan
• Primary Examiner(s): Nicolas; Frederick C.
• Application Number:
  US10/481,899
• Publication Number:
  US 20040188467A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,439 Days
• Field of Search: 222156-158, 222412-413, 222240-241, 222/181.1, 222/236, 222/185.1, 222/410, 222/52, 222/58, 222/63, 222/64, 222/333, 222/145.5, 222/145.6, 366/118
• US Class Current: 222/413
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/37 of metering of detergents or additives
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/026 the powder or tablets being added directly, e.g. without the need of a flushing liquid
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 13/005 comprising a screw conveyor

Abstract

The present invention refers to an automatic dosing device. The purpose of the device is to store and dose material, kept inside a container part, and to make it possible for an operator to refill the container with material. The automatic dosing device therefore comprises a refilling container (1), a dosing screw (5), a control system, a driving motor and a guiding mechanism (14–16, 19). The container (1) stores the material, the screw (5) doses it out of the container (1), the system controls the dosing and the mechanism (14–16, 19) guides the container between an inner position where the device can dose material and an outer position where an operator is allowed to refill it with material. The automatic dosing device could preferably be used with a laundry washing machine but there is also possibilities to use the automatic dosing device in another machine that requires an easy handle automatic dosing device.

Claims

1. An automatic dosing device for a machine comprising a container (1) for dosing a material and a dosing screw (5) that feeds the material out from the container (1), wherein at least one of the container (1) and the screw (5) during feeding is in an inner position partly or completely located inside the machine and that the container (1) and the screw (5), arranged on the container (1), constitutes at least a part of a withdrawal unit which moves between the inner position and an outer position outside the machine, wherein the withdrawal unit is arranged on a guiding member by which the withdrawal unit is guided between the outer position and the inner position.

2. An automatic dosing device according to claim 1 characterized in that the screw (5) is detachably mounted by the container (1).

3. An automatic dosing device according to claim 1 characterized in that the guiding member comprises a turnable shaft (15), which is slideably supported by the machine.

4. An automatic dosing device according to claim 1 characterized in that the withdrawal unit in the inner position is detachably connected to a mixer (7) which mixes the material with liquid fed from a liquid inlet, wherein the material and the liquid are transported from the mixer (7), whereby the withdrawal unit is at least guided by the mixer (7) into the machine or detachably fixed to the machine.

5. An automatic dosing device according to claim 1 characterized in that a motor is arranged inside the machine and includes a clutch (13) and a shaft (11) that engage the screw (5) when the withdrawal unit is moved towards the inner position.

6. An automatic dosing device according to claim 5 characterized in that the motor by a bracket (12) is in a fixed position in relation to the unit.

7. An automatic dosing device according to claim 1 characterized in that the container (1) consists of a transparent window through which an operator can see into the container.

8. An automatic dosing device according to claim 1 characterized in that an electronic control arranged inside the machine controls the dosing device in order to feed a right amount the material and in order to indicate a level of the material in the container (1).

9. An automatic dosing device according to claim 8 characterized in that the electronic control in order to achieve the right amount uses an interface by which an operator can choose/adjust the amount of the material.

10. An automatic dosing device according to claim 8 characterized in that the electronic control in order to achieve the right amount uses by the machine itself collected information about at least one of the following parameters:

the material, the liquid, the amount and the use of the material and the liquid, whereby the information might be collected from the internet and/or sensors on the machine.

11. An automatic dosing device according to claim 8 characterized in that the electronic control in order to indicate the level of the material consists of a detector inside the container (1) with a transmitter and a receiver arranged such that the material is in-between sensors blocking a signal transmitted by the transmitter towards the receiver.

12. An automatic dosing device according to claim 11 characterized in that the transmitter and the receiver are placed in a cavity, so that the material blocking the signal at least represents that a certain level of material in the container (1) has not been reached.

13. An automatic dosing device according to any of claim 11 characterized in that the transmitter and the receiver are placed so that the signal is reflected by a mirror and thereafter reaches the receiver, so that the material blocking the signal at least represents that a certain level of the material in the container (1) has not been reached.

14. An automatic dosing device according to claim 11 characterized in that the transmitter and the receiver are placed in an outlet through which the material passes, while being fed out so that the material blocking the signal at least represents that a certain level of the material in the container (1) has not been reached.

15. An automatic dosing device according to claim 8 characterized in that the control device in order to indicate the level of the material consists of a detecting sensor and a moving part which part at least in moves with a surface of the material in relation to the sensor when the container is running empty.

16. An automatic dosing device according to claim 15 characterized in that the detecting sensor is a Hall effect sensor and the moving part comprises a magnetic piece.

17. An automatic dosing device according to claim 1 characterized in that the container (1) has essentially conical shape and in its inner position is placed essentially in a horizontal position and in its outer position is placed essentially in a vertical position with its opening at the top.

18. Use of an automatic dosing device according to claim 1 in a washing machine, a coffee machine or any other type of machine that may require automatic dosing.