Dispensing device, particularly for domestic appliances
First Claim
1. A long-life substance dispensing device for a domestic electrical appliance, comprising:
- a main body, arranged for being fixed in a stationary position relative to a structure of the appliance and having a positioning region for a support means of a plurality of doses of a substance, sufficient for carrying out a plurality of deliveries or operating cycles of the appliance,an actuation system which is electrically controllable for causing a relative movement between the support means and at least one part of the main body, for the purpose of selectively delivering in a treatment chamber of the domestic electrical appliance at least one dose of the substance contained in the support means,wherein the main body comprises a first body portion prearranged to extend, or to be exposed, inside said treatment chamber and a second body portion prearranged to extend outside said treatment chamber, said positioning region being defined at said first body portion,wherein the actuation system comprises at least one drive element and one driven element, the driven element being capable of cooperating with the drive element to allow said delivery,wherein the actuation system is prearranged to take on an operative condition, in which the drive element is operatively coupled to the driven element, and an inoperative condition, in which the drive element is decoupled from the driven element.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A long-life substance dispensing device for a washing machine, particularly a dishwasher, comprises: —a body (20′, 30′) designed to be sealingly fixed to a structure of the washing machine, —a support means (40) adapted to contain a total amount of a substance sufficient for performing a plurality of washing cycles, —an actuation system (47′, 50″, 61″) which is electrically controllable for causing delivery of at least one dose of the substance contained in the support means (40). The actuation system (47′, 50″, 61″) comprises at least one drive element and one driven element (47′) capable of cooperating to obtain the delivery. The actuation system (47′, 50″, 61″) is arranged for being able to take on an operative condition, wherein the drive element (61″) is operatively coupled with the driven element (47′), and an inoperative condition, wherein the drive element (61″) is decoupled from the driven element (47′).
23 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A long-life substance dispensing device for a domestic electrical appliance, comprising:
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a main body, arranged for being fixed in a stationary position relative to a structure of the appliance and having a positioning region for a support means of a plurality of doses of a substance, sufficient for carrying out a plurality of deliveries or operating cycles of the appliance, an actuation system which is electrically controllable for causing a relative movement between the support means and at least one part of the main body, for the purpose of selectively delivering in a treatment chamber of the domestic electrical appliance at least one dose of the substance contained in the support means, wherein the main body comprises a first body portion prearranged to extend, or to be exposed, inside said treatment chamber and a second body portion prearranged to extend outside said treatment chamber, said positioning region being defined at said first body portion, wherein the actuation system comprises at least one drive element and one driven element, the driven element being capable of cooperating with the drive element to allow said delivery, wherein the actuation system is prearranged to take on an operative condition, in which the drive element is operatively coupled to the driven element, and an inoperative condition, in which the drive element is decoupled from the driven element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A dispensing device for substances for a domestic appliance, comprising:
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a main body, arranged for being fixed in a stationary position with respect to a structure of the appliance, a support means of a substance which is to be delivered, an actuation system which is electrically controllable for causing delivery of the substance, wherein the actuation system comprises at least one drive element and one driven element, the driven element being adapted to cooperate with the drive element to allow said delivery, wherein the actuation system is prearranged to take on an operative condition, in which the drive element is operatively coupled to the driven element, and an inoperative condition, in which the drive element is decoupled from the driven element, wherein the dispensing device further comprises a position or movement transducer comprising a detection unit excitable by at least one excitation means, wherein the detection unit is provided in a fixed position on the main body and the at least one excitation means is provided on at least one of the drive element and the driven element and movable therewith, the at least one excitation means cooperating or interacting with the detection unit for detecting or controlling a relative movement between the drive element or the driven element with respect to at least one part of the main body. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A dispensing device for substances for a domestic appliance, comprising:
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a main body, arranged for being fixed in a stationary position relative to a structure of the appliance and having a positioning region for a support means of a plurality of doses of a substance, sufficient for carrying out a plurality of deliveries or operating cycles of the appliance, an actuation system which is electrically controllable for causing a relative movement between the support means and at least one part of the main body, for the purpose of selectively delivering at least one dose of the substance contained in the support means in a treatment chamber of the domestic electrical appliance, wherein the actuation system comprises at least one drive element and one driven element, the driven element being adapted to cooperate with the drive element to allow said delivery, wherein the actuation system is prearranged to take on an operative condition, in which the drive element is operatively coupled to the driven element, and an inoperative condition, in which the drive element is decoupled from the driven element, wherein the dispensing device further comprises a visual signaling system comprising a window provided on the main body and a movable optical indicator adapted to pointing out an operative position of the support means among a plurality of possible operative positions within the positioning region, wherein the optical indicator is provided on at least one of a movable member of the actuation system and the support means, wherein the window is defined in at least one of a peripheral wall and a bottom wall of said positioning region, and wherein the optical indicator comprises one or more graphic and/or alphabetical and/or numerical symbols viewable through said window.
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Specification