Dosage element and chamber

• US 8,375,962 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2007
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Reckitt Benckiser Finish B.V. (Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Reckitt Benckiser N. V.
• Inventors: Gibis, Karl Ludwig, Housmekerides, Chris Efstathios
• Primary Examiner(s): Barr, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): KO, JASON Y
• Application Number:
  US12/160,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20090308414A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,223 Days
• Field of Search: 134/93, 68/17.R
• US Class Current: 134/93
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4445 Detachable devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4463 Multi-dose dispensing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4472 Blister packaging or refill cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/024 mounted on the agitator or the rotating drum; Free body dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

This invention relates to a dosage element of cleaning composition and an associated chamber for use in a ware washing machine, for example a dishwashing machine or a laundry washing machine. The dosage element and chamber are particularly useful in the context of forming part of a multi-dosing detergent delivery device and/or a refill for such a device. The element supports various different configurations of ingress and egress holes for an efficient dissolution of cleaning composition.

Claims

1. An article comprising a rack of dosage elements of a cleaning composition and chambers adapted for use in a ware washing machine, wherein said chambers comprise a container for said dosage element and at least an upper opening and a lower opening for permitting ingress and egress of water/wash liquor to/from the chamber, and further wherein said chambers are retained on a common backing material and further wherein said rack is formable into a nested form.

2. An article according to claim 1, wherein each chamber has two openings at opposite ends adapted to permit water/wash liquor to enter at one end (the upper end in use) and leave at the other end (the lower end in use), carrying with it dissolved or broken away cleaning composition.

3. An article according to claim 1 wherein said upper opening has an area at of at least 10 mm².

4. An article to claim 3, wherein said upper opening has an area in the range of 30 mm², up to 70 mm².

5. An article according to claim 4, wherein said upper opening is approximately 50 mm².

6. An article according to claim 2, wherein the lower opening is of substantially the same size as the upper opening.

7. An article according to claim 2, wherein said upper hole is larger than said bottom hole.

8. An article according to claim 7, wherein said chamber comprises a middle opening intermediate said upper and lower openings.

9. An article according to claim 8, wherein said middle opening is larger than said lower opening and smaller than said upper opening.

10. An article according to claim 8, wherein said upper opening has an area in the range of 15 mm² to 40 mm².

11. An article according to claim 10, wherein said upper opening has an area of approximately 28 mm².

12. An article according to claim 8, wherein said lower opening has an area in the range of 3 mm² to 8 mm².

13. An article according to claim 12, wherein said lower opening has an area of approximately 5 mm².

14. An article according to claim 8, wherein said middle opening has an area in the range of 5 mm² to 10 mm².

15. An article according to claim 14, wherein said middle opening has an area of approximately 7 mm².

16. An article according to claim 1, wherein said rack is in the form of a parallel array of elongate chambers containing solid dosage elements.

17. An article according to claim 1, wherein said article is made in a flat form, and then formed into the nested form, and inserted into a holder, located, or to be located, in a ware washing machine.

18. The article according to claim 1, wherein the nested form is generally cylindrical.

19. A multiple dosing ware washing product comprising an article according to claim 1, in nested form, retained as a refill within a holder, located in a dishwashing machine.

20. A method of making an article according to claim 1, comprising the steps of:

forming a tray comprising a rack of cavities,

introducing a cleaning composition into the cavities,

sealing the cavities with said backing sheet, and

forming the article into a nested form.

21. A method of washing wares in a ware washing machine, the method comprising the steps of:

inserting an article according to claim 1 containing a plurality of dosage elements into said holder,

operating the ware washing machine,

removing the article after all of the dosage elements within the article are spent, thereafter inserting a new article, and operating the ware washing machine.