Automatic dispensing device for laundry care composition

• US 7,398,787 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2004
• Issued: 07/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Henkel IP & Holding GmbH (Henkel AG & Co KGaA)
• Original Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA (Unilever PLC)
• Inventors: Vogel, Ronald Frederick, Puvvada, Sudhakar, Hsu, Feng-Lung Gordon, Wolf, Diane, Hsu, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): Stinson; Frankie L
• Application Number:
  US10/967,870
• Publication Number:
  US 20060081016A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,366 Days
• Field of Search: 68/17.R, 682/07
• US Class Current: 134/56.00R
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/022 in a liquid state D06F39/024 takes precedence

Abstract

A non-intrusive device for automatically dosing at least one liquid laundry care composition to an automatic laundry washing machine. The device employs a Venturi tube mechanism or a pump to dose the laundry detergent care composition. The dosing is controlled by a machine-generic algorithm capable of determining the actual cycle at any duration of wash for various cycle designs from various washing machines, without the input of precise cycle design; and dose the correct products correctly and is capable of distinguishing between major water addition and a water pulse.

Claims

1. A non-intrusive device for automatically dosing at least one liquid laundry care composition to an automatic laundry washing machine, the device located along water supply feed to the washing machine with an incoming water supply feed to the device and outgoing water supply feed out of the device, the device comprising:

a Venturi tube, the both ends of the tube protruding externally to the housing of the device for connections to the incoming and the outgoing water supply feed,

a dosing container for holding the laundry care composition, the throat of the Venturi tube connected by a conduit to the dosing container;

a sensor for determining water flow through the incoming water supply feed, the sensor located at the incoming water supply feed and connected to

an electronic circuit containing a clock and a processing unit programmed with a machine-generic algorithm to control

a solenoid valve, coupled to the same circuit and located within the conduit connecting the Venturi tube and the dosing container, the valve opening or closing the flow of the laundry care composition from the dosing container;

wherein the machine-generic algorithm is capable of determining the actual cycle at any duration of wash for various cycle designs from various washing machines, without the input of precise cycle design; and

dose the correct products.

2. The device of claim 1 comprising at least two dosing containers, one for holding a laundry detergent and the other for holding a fabric softener.

3. The device of claim 1 connected to two water supply feeds:

hot water and cold water.

4. The device of claim 3 comprising two Venturi tubes, one connected to the hot water supply feed;

the other connected to the cold water supply feed.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the throats of the two Venturi tubes are connected to each other by a connecting conduit, the connecting conduit being in turn connected to the conduit to the dosing container.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is selected from a pressure transducer and a flow sensor.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the processing unit comprises a clock.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the algorithm resets the clock at the end of the total laundry cycle.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the algorithm differentiates between various wash cycles based on the number of major water additions.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the algorithm differentiates between a water pulse and a major water addition.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the algorithm comprises the instructions to open the solenoid valve which is connected to the Venturi tube which has water flow through it on for longer than about 5 to 30 seconds.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the algorithm comprises instructions to close the solenoid valve if water flow is off.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein the device comprises two dosing containers:

a dosing container for a laundry detergent and for a laundry softener and wherein the algorithm comprises the instructions to open the solenoid valve to the laundry softener dosing container at the point of the second major water addition.

14. The device of claim 1 wherein the device further comprises a safety check assembly located in the conduit connecting the Venturi tube and the dosing container, to prevent water flow into the dosing container.

15. The device of claim 1 wherein the Venturi tube is connected to two or more dosing containers, to each through a separate opening in its throat connected to a separate conduit to each dosing container.

16. The device of claim 1 further comprising a control panel comprising a selection for reset and for pre-wash.

17. The device of claim 1 wherein the ratio of the internal diameter of the end of the Venturi tube to the internal diameter of the throat of the Venturi tube is greater than 1.65.

18. The device of claim 1 wherein the ratio of the internal diameter of a water supply feed hose to the internal diameter of the throat of the Venturi tube is greater than 1.65.

19. The device of claim 1 wherein the dosing container is removable.

20. The device of claim 1 wherein the laundry care composition is a concentrated composition.

21. The device of claim 1 wherein the laundry care composition comprises a peracid or chlorine bleach.

22. The device of claim 1 wherein the algorithm in the electronic circuit is upgradable via switching a new ROM chip containing a new algorithm or via flashing the ROM with a new algorithm.