Fluid additive dispenser

• US 10,280,550 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2016
• Issued: 05/07/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Inventors: Leibman, Alexander B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ko, Jason Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tate-Sims, Cristie J
• Application Number:
  US15/267,179
• Publication Number:
  US 20180080166A1
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 23/04 and rotating or oscillating about a vertical axis
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/12 adapted for rotation or oscillation about a vertical axis
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/028 Arrangements for selectively supplying water to detergent compartments

Abstract

A washing machine appliance and a fluid additive dispenser therefor. The washing machine appliance includes a wash tub and a wash basket rotatably mounted within the wash tub, a gap is defined between the wash tub and the wash basket. The fluid additive dispenser includes a reservoir with a siphon tube and a siphon cap. The siphon cap includes an overflow inlet. The fluid additive dispenser is in fluid communication with the wash tub and the wash basket only via an outlet of the siphon tube. The siphon tube outlet is positioned for directing fluid into the gap between the wash tub and the wash basket.

Claims

1. A fluid additive dispenser for a washing machine appliance, the fluid additive dispenser comprising:

a reservoir defining an additive inlet;

a water inlet conduit coupled to the reservoir;

a siphon tube comprising a siphon tube inlet and a siphon tube outlet; and

a siphon cap surrounding the siphon tube such that a siphon passage is defined between an inner surface of the siphon cap and an outer surface of the siphon tube for siphoning liquid from the reservoir to the siphon tube inlet, the siphon cap comprising

an overflow inlet in fluid communication with the siphon tube outlet, and

an overflow conduit extending from the overflow inlet, the overflow conduit disposed at least partially within the siphon tube.

2. The fluid additive dispenser of claim 1, wherein the siphon cap comprises a cylindrical body and a top wall, a first open end of the cylindrical body positioned at a bottom wall of the reservoir, and the top wall extending radially inward from a second opposing end of the cylindrical body, the top wall positioned over the siphon tube.

3. The fluid additive dispenser of claim 2, wherein the cylindrical body comprises a longitudinal axis defining a longitudinal direction, the first open end of the cylindrical body and the second opposing end of the cylindrical body are spaced apart along the longitudinal direction.

4. The fluid additive dispenser of claim 2, wherein the overflow conduit of the siphon cap extends from the top wall of the siphon cap such that the overflow inlet is positioned above the top wall of the siphon cap along the longitudinal direction.

5. The fluid additive dispenser of claim of claim 3, wherein the siphon cap further comprises a siphon inlet for the siphon passage, and wherein the siphon cap inlet is positioned below the siphon tube inlet along the longitudinal direction.

6. The fluid additive dispenser of claim of claim 1, wherein the overflow inlet is formed in an upper surface of the top wall of the siphon cap.

7. The fluid additive dispenser of claim of claim 1, wherein the siphon cap further comprises a siphon cap inlet for the passage, and wherein the water inlet conduit and the additive inlet are positioned above the siphon cap inlet along the longitudinal direction.

8. The fluid additive dispenser of claim of claim 1, wherein a fluid storage capacity of the reservoir is determined by a length of the siphon passage along the longitudinal direction.

9. The fluid additive dispenser of claim 1, wherein the overflow conduit is concentric to the siphon tube.

10. A washing machine appliance comprising:

a cabinet defining a vertical direction, the cabinet having a top panel that defines an opening;

a wash tub mounted within the cabinet and configured for containing fluid during operation of the washing machine appliance;

a wash basket rotatably mounted within the wash tub, the wash tub and the wash basket defining a gap between the wash tub and the wash basket;

a fluid additive dispenser positioned adjacent the wash tub and the wash basket, the fluid additive dispenser comprising;

a reservoir defining an additive inlet, the additive inlet positioned at the opening of the top panel;

a water inlet conduit coupled to the reservoir;

a siphon tube comprising a siphon tube inlet and a siphon tube outlet; and

a siphon cap surrounding the siphon tube such that a siphon passage is defined between an inner surface of the siphon cap and an outer surface of the siphon tube for siphoning liquid from the reservoir to the siphon tube inlet, the siphon cap comprising

an overflow inlet in fluid communication with the siphon tube outlet, and

an overflow, conduit extending from the overflow inlet through the siphon tube.

11. The washing machine appliance of claim 10, wherein the siphon cap comprises a cylindrical body and a top wall, a first open end of the cylindrical body positioned at a bottom wall of the reservoir, and the top wall extending radially inward from a second opposing end of the cylindrical body, the top wall positioned over the siphon tube.

12. The washing machine appliance of claim 11, wherein the overflow inlet of the siphon cap is positioned above the top wall of the siphon cap along the vertical direction.

13. The washing machine appliance of claim 11, wherein the overflow conduit of the siphon cap extends from the top wall of the siphon cap such that the overflow inlet is positioned above the top wall of the siphon cap along the vertical direction.

14. The washing machine appliance of claim 10, wherein the overflow inlet is formed in an upper surface of the top wall of the siphon cap.

15. The washing machine appliance of claim 10, wherein an inlet of the siphon cap is positioned below the siphon tube inlet along the vertical direction and the top wall of the siphon cap is positioned above the siphon tube inlet along the vertical direction.

16. The washing machine appliance of claim 15, wherein the water inlet conduit and the additive inlet are positioned above the siphon cap inlet along the vertical direction.

17. The washing machine appliance of claim 10, wherein the fluid additive dispenser is in fluid communication with the wash tub and the wash basket only via the siphon tube outlet.

18. The washing machine appliance of claim 10, wherein the siphon tube outlet is positioned above the gap between the wash tub and the wash basket along the vertical direction for directing fluid into the gap between the wash tub and the wash basket.

19. The washing machine of claim 10, wherein a fluid storage capacity of the reservoir is determined by a length of the siphon passage along the vertical direction.

20. The washing machine appliance of claim 10, wherein the overflow conduit is concentric to the siphon tube.