Claims
- 1. An apparatus for holding and dispensing metered doses of an active composition into a laundry washing, drying or a dishwashing machine, comprising a supply chamber (1; 12; 19) for containing at least double a quantity of an individual dose of the active composition; a dispensing chamber (2; 13; 20) for containing a single dose of the active composition and for releasing the dose via a discharge passage (8; 17; 26) into an interior of the machine; the dispensing chamber (2, 13, 20) being connected to the supply chamber (1; 12; 19) by a passage (9; 14; 21), means (5, 7; 5′, 7′; 15; 22, 23, 24, 25) for opening the discharge passage (8; 17; 26) and closing, beforehand or simultaneously, the passage (9; 14; 21) between the supply chamber (1; 12; 19) and the dispensing chamber (2; 13; 20), the means for opening and closing being operated by means (3; 3′; 16; 23) that are activated by conditions prevailing in the interior of the machine which occur exclusively during a washing, drying or dishwashing cycle, and means for re-opening the passage (9; 14; 21) between the supply chamber (1; 12; 19) and the dispensing chamber (2; 13; 20) and closing, beforehand or simultaneously, the discharge passage (8; 17; 26) of the dispensing chamber (2; 13; 20), in order to refill the dispensing chamber from the supply chamber (1; 12; 19).
- 2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for opening and closing comprises a fluid reservoir (3; 3′); an expansion mechanism (5; 5′), a one-way valve (4; 4′) disposed between the fluid reservoir (3, 3′) and the expansion mechanism (5; 5′), so that hydraulic fluid (6) is able to flow between the fluid reservoir (3; 3′) and the expansion mechanism (5; 5′); and an opening/closing mechanism (7; 7′) operated by the expansion mechanism (5; 5′) in such a way that the discharge passage (8) of the dispensing chamber (2) is opened and the passage (9) between the supply chamber (1) and the dispensing chamber (2) is closed, beforehand or simultaneously, to enable the active composition in the dispensing chamber (2) to be substantially entirely released into the machine, and wherein the means for re-opening comprises a return mechanism (11; 11′), which re-positions the opening/closing mechanism (7; 7′) to an initial position; and means (10) for enabling the hydraulic fluid (6) to leave the expansion mechanism (5; 5′) when the opening/closing mechanism (7; 7′) is re-positioned by the return mechanism (11; 11′).
- 3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the fluid reservoir is adapted to be compressed, directly or indirectly, by wet or dry laundry to activate the flow of hydraulic fluid from the fluid reservoir (3) into the expansion mechanism (5).
- 4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the opening/closing mechanism (7) comprises a gate valve.
- 5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a pivotably mounted weight (30) adapted to exert pressure on the fluid reservoir (3′) due to rotation of the apparatus with a drum of the machine to activate the flow of hydraulic fluid from the reservoir (3′) into the expansion mechanism (5′).
- 6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the opening/closing mechanism (7′) comprises a float valve.
- 7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the return mechanism (11; 11′) has a return spring.
- 8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for opening and closing comprises a first one-way valve (14) between the supply chamber (12) and the dispensing chamber (13); a water chamber (15) with a second one-way valve (16), such that water disposed in the machine flows through the second one-way valve (16) into the water chamber (15) at a start of an operating cycle, expanding the water chamber (15) to a degree that the dispensing chamber (13) is compressed, the discharge passage (17) from the dispensing chamber (13) is opened and, beforehand or simultaneously, the first one-way valve (14) is closed to permit the active composition in the dispensing chamber (13) to be substantially entirely released into the machine; and wherein the means for re-opening comprises drain means (18) for enabling the water slowly to leave the water chamber (15) causing the dispensing chamber (13) to expand again, such that the first one-way valve (14) is opened and, beforehand or simultaneously, the discharge passage (17) is closed to allow the dispensing chamber (13) to be re-filled from the supply chamber (12).
- 9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the drain means (18) comprise small orifices.
- 10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for opening and closing comprises a one-way valve (21) between the supply chamber (19) and the dispensing chamber (20); means (22, 23, 24, 25) which alter in form, at least to a certain degree, when a temperature in the machine is increased, causing the dispensing chamber (20) to be compressed, the discharge passage (26) from the dispensing chamber (20) to be opened and, beforehand or simultaneously, the one-way valve (21) to be closed, to enable the active composition in the dispensing chamber (20) to be substantially entirely released into the machine, and wherein the means for re-opening comprises the means (22, 23, 23, 25) which alter in form, which undergo a reverse change in form, at least to a certain degree, on cooling, causing the one-way valve (21) to be re-opened and, beforehand or simultaneously, the discharge passage (26) to be closed, in order to refill the dispensing chamber (20) from the supply chamber (19).
- 11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the means which alter in form comprises a rigid chamber (22) with a material (23) disposed therein which expands as the temperature increases and shrinks on cooling.
- 12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the material (23) comprises a wax.
- 13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the rigid chamber (22) has a ram (25) for compressing the dispensing chamber (20), wherein the ram (25) is lifted by a flexible diaphragm (24) which responds to the expansion of the material (23).
- 14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the means which alter in form comprise a bimetallic strip, which bends when the temperature increases and returns to shape on cooling.
- 15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supply chamber (1; 12; 19) is adapted to be refilled from an exterior.
- 16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is firmly but detachably secured in an interior of the machine.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
199 34 592 |
Jul 1999 |
DE |
|
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/EP00/06890, filed Jul. 19, 2000, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
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Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
PCT/EP00/06890 |
Jul 2000 |
US |
Child |
10/054053 |
|
US |