The invention relates to a device status indicator for a multi-dosing detergent delivery device.
For many devices, it is desirable to display an external indication denoting the internal state of a device. For a multi-dosing detergent delivery device, it is necessary to provide an external indication showing either how many doses of detergent have already been delivered, or how many doses are remaining within the device.
Conventionally, in simple mechanical devices where it is desired to avoid any electrical or electronic components, a numbered or coloured dial might be used so as to provide a status indication or similar. However, in certain harsh environments, such as dishwashers, it is also desirable to provide as much isolation between internal working parts of a device, and external housing components. Here, it may be imagined that in certain environments it is desirable to provide complete isolation of internal components. Also, an external casing and housing may need to be robust so as to avoid the penetration of the housing from fluids, contaminants or other items.
In addition, whenever there is a direct mechanical linkage between internal and external components of a device the linkage itself it susceptible to mechanical wear of may in itself simply cause a device weakness.
GB 1,096,550 (INVENTIO AKTIENGESSELSCHAFT) discloses a rotation indicator for indicating the movement of a rotary body enclosed in a sealed housing without having an aperture through the housing, wherein a magnet on the rotary body has poles disposed asymmetrically with respect to the axis of rotation of the rotary body, a circular path being provided outside the housing and an indicator member of magnetisable material being provided in the form of a roller member having an indicator marking and a circular rolling track surface of a different maximum diameter from that of the circumference of the circular rolling path and which is rolled on the circular rolling path by the attraction of the magnet on rotation of the rotary body.
It is an aim of the embodiments of the invention to provide an external lifetime or status indicator providing an external indication of an internal state of a multi-dosing detergent delivery device wherein the structural integrity of the device housing is not impaired by the indication mechanism.
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a multi-dosing detergent delivery device including a status indicator for providing an external indication of the internal status of a device, wherein said indicator comprises: a first element internal to a main housing part of said device and whose position is directly related to the status of said device; and a second element external of said main housing, wherein said second element and said first element are linked together by means of magnetic attraction.
Preferably, wherein said second element is provided within a transparent sub-housing to facilitate a user viewing the position of said second element.
Preferably a static indicator scale is provided aligned with a path of movement of the second element.
Said indicator may be numbered and/or coloured or otherwise marked so as to correspond with the status of the device.
Said first element is preferably mounted onto a shaft of the device and the rotational position of the shaft corresponds directly to the device status.
Preferably the status indicator of the device indicates a wash number of the multi-dosing detergent delivery device so as to indicate a number of washes undertaken or remaining and hence a number of detergent doses dispensed or remaining to be dispensed by the device. Preferably, said shaft forms part of a detergent dispensing mechanism.
Preferably said shaft corresponds to the shaft of a refill holder, and the position of said shaft indicates how many dosage elements of the multi-dosing system remain or have been used.
Preferably said first element comprises a magnet and said second element comprises a sphere of ferro-magnetic material.
For a better understanding of the invention, a preferred embodiment will now be described, by way of example only, in which:
Reviewing now to
Whilst the particulars of the device itself are not important to the understanding of the present invention, it should be noted that the device of
A brief summary of the workings of the device shown in
The device of
The refill cartridge is carried by a refill holder, which during said movement phase, rotates by an amount equivalent to the spacing between chambers. Here, the rotation is 30° (one twelfth of 360°—as there are 12 chambers per refill). The refill holder, has, at a top portion thereof, a mechanically fixed magnet 140. This magnet 140 will, as the refill holder rotates, also rotate. Because the sphere 120 held beneath transparent dome 110 is of a ferro-magnetic material, the sphere is attracted to the position of the magnet 140. Thereby, each time the refill holder 130 rotates, the magnet 140 rotates, and the sphere 120 will adopt a new position over the magnet 140. By providing an external static scale on the lid 100, a status indication is very conveniently given to the user, to indicate how many washing cycles remain, before the device needs to be replenished with a new refill.
As long as the magnet may be affixed to a position adjacent to a housing wall, and, within the limitations of the thickness of the housing wall and the strength of magnet, an easy visual location may be provided to a user as to the device status itself.
It will be appreciated that the device described above provides a magnetic wash number indicator of a multi-dosing detergent delivery device which is extremely advantageous and susceptible of providing reliable operation within the harsh environments found within a dishwasher.
By providing indication via magnetic attraction, it will be appreciated that the status of the device may be displayed, even when the internal parts of the device are completely sealed, in a watertight, gastight manner, from the external environment. In other words, by providing such an indication as described herein, an extremely robust device may be provided. By the elimination also of mechanical indicating devices, fewer moving parts are required and there is a higher resistance to failure.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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0621576.8 | Oct 2006 | GB | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/GB2007/004115 | 10/29/2007 | WO | 00 | 11/4/2009 |