Dosing device for the addition of an additive to a treatment chamber and dishwasher machine with a dosing device

• US 8,182,615 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2006
• Issued: 05/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgerã¤Te GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Inventors: Classen, Egbert, Jerg, Helmut
• Primary Examiner(s): Barr, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ko, Jason
• Application Number:
  US11/640,506
• Publication Number:
  US 20070193609A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,985 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 134/56.D
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4418 in the form of liquids A47L15/4409, A47L15/4436, A47L15/4445 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4454 with automatic identification means, e.g. barcodes, RFID tags or magnetic strips
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4463 Multi-dose dispensing arrangements

Abstract

A dosing device for the addition of an additive to a treatment chamber (8) is described, wherein the additive can be added to the treatment chamber (8) by means of a conveying device (5, 6, 7), characterized in that the dosing device (1) has at least one actuator (9, 10, 11) which has at least one transmission means each having two electrodes and a polymer electrically operatively connected thereto, in which a first section of the polymer can be deflected depending on an electric field generated by the two electrodes.

Claims

1. A dosing device for the addition of an additive to a treatment chamber for a water-carrying household appliance, the device comprising:

a conveying device driven by an actuator adding the additive to the treatment chamber, the actuator including an electroactive polymer driving the conveying device, wherein the conveying device includes a reciprocating pump having a pump chamber and the actuator being actuated to change the volume of the pump chamber.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a mechanical transmission means for driving the conveying device and having two electrodes electrically operatively connected to the polymer, the polymer including a first section being deflectable in response to an electric field generated by the two electrodes to convert electrical energy into mechanical energy.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the polymer includes a second section having a support means supporting the conversion of electrical energy into mechanical energy of the polymer and including at least one of a spring and a force-guiding frame.

4. The device according to claim 2, wherein the actuator of the conveying device is assigned to the dosing device.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the reciprocating pump includes at least one of a micro-membrane pump and a piston pump.

6. The device according to claim 2, wherein the conveying device controls a flow of the additive present as a fluid, wherein the conveying device has a surface in contact with the fluid, which surface is in operative connection with the transmission means, wherein a change in the flow rate of the additive can be brought about by a deflection of the polymer.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the treatment chamber includes a washing container of a dishwasher machine.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the treatment chamber includes a micro-reactor in which a reaction mixture can be produced by adding a plurality of different additives while a chemical reaction takes place.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein said device has a plurality of conveying devices for adding respectively one basic chemical to the treatment chamber, wherein each of the conveying devices includes a corresponding actuator.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of conveying devices includes a micro-dosing pump and the actuator is used to produce a rotational movement driving a conveying means.

22. The device according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of conveying devices includes a metering valve.

11. A dosing device for the addition of an additive to a treatment chamber for a water-carrying household appliance, the device comprising:

a conveying device driven by an actuator adding the additive to the treatment chamber, the actuator including an electroactive polymer driving the conveying device, wherein the conveying device includes a metering valve.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the actuator comprises a mechanical transmission means for driving the conveying device and having two electrodes electrically operatively connected to the polymer, the polymer including a first section being deflectable in response to an electric field generated by the two electrodes to convert electrical energy into mechanical energy.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the polymer includes a second section having a support means supporting the conversion of electrical energy into mechanical energy of the polymer and including at least one of a spring and a force-guiding frame.

14. The device according to claim 12, wherein the actuator of the conveying device is assigned to the dosing device.

15. The device according to claim 12, wherein the conveying device controls a flow of the additive present as a fluid, wherein the conveying device has a surface in contact with the fluid, which surface is in operative connection with the transmission means, wherein a change in the flow rate of the additive can be brought about by a deflection of the polymer.

16. The device according to claim 11, wherein the treatment chamber includes a washing container of a dishwasher machine.

17. The device according to claim 11, wherein the treatment chamber includes a micro-reactor in which a reaction mixture can be produced by adding a plurality of different additives while a chemical reaction takes place.

18. The device according to claim 11, wherein said device has a plurality of conveying devices for adding respectively one basic chemical to the treatment chamber, wherein each of the conveying devices includes a corresponding actuator.

19. The device according to claim 18, wherein said plurality of conveying devices includes a micro-dosing pump and the actuator is used to produce a rotational movement driving a conveying means.

20. The device according to claim 18, wherein said plurality of conveying devices includes a reciprocating pump having a pump chamber and the actuator being actuated to change the volume of the pump chamber.

21. The device according to claim 20, wherein the reciprocating pump includes at least one of a micro-membrane pump and a piston pump.

23. A dishwasher comprising:

a treatment chamber;

a dosing device for addition of an additive to the treatment chamber and comprising a conveying device; and

an actuator driving the conveying device and adding the additive to the treatment chamber, the actuator including an electroactive polymer driving the conveying device, wherein the conveying device includes a metering valve.

24. The dishwasher according to claim 23, wherein the treatment chamber includes a micro-reactor in which a reaction mixture can be produced by adding a plurality of different additives while a chemical reaction takes place.

25. The dishwasher according to claim 23, wherein said device has a plurality of conveying devices for adding respectively one basic chemical to the treatment chamber, wherein each of the conveying devices includes a corresponding actuator.

26. The dishwasher according to claim 23, wherein the additive includes at least one basic chemical that can be supplied to the washing container.

27. The dishwasher according to claim 26, wherein the at least one basic chemical is stored in a storage container which is embodied in the form of a common housing with at least one of partition walls and individual separate units, the storage container being at least one of refillable and exchangeable.

28. The dishwasher according to claim 23, wherein the actuator comprises a mechanical transmission means for driving the conveying device and having two electrodes electrically operatively connected to the polymer, the polymer including a first section being deflectable in response to an electric field generated by the two electrodes to convert electrical energy into mechanical energy.

29. The dishwasher according to claim 28, wherein the polymer includes a second section having a support means supporting the conversion of electrical energy into mechanical energy of the polymer and including at least one of a spring and a force-guiding frame.

30. The dishwasher according to claim 28, wherein the actuator of the conveying device is assigned to the dosing device.

31. The dishwasher according to claim 25, wherein the plurality of conveying devices includes a reciprocating pump having a pump chamber and the actuator being actuated to change the volume of the pump chamber.

32. The dishwasher according to claim 31, wherein the reciprocating pump includes at least one of a micro-membrane pump and a piston pump.

33. The dishwasher according to claim 28, wherein the conveying device controls a flow of the additive present as a fluid, wherein the device has a surface in contact with the fluid, which surface is in operative connection with the transmission means, wherein a change in the flow rate of the additive can be brought about by a deflection of the polymer.

34. The dishwasher according to claim 25, wherein the plurality of conveying devices includes a micro-dosing pump and the actuator is used to produce a rotational movement driving a conveying means.