DOSING OF A SOLID DETERGENT IN A DOMESTIC DISHWASHING MACHINE

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to German Patent Application 10 2020 132 502.9, filed on Dec. 7, 2020, and German Patent Application 10 2021 110 759.8, filed on Apr. 27, 2021, the contents of each of which are incorporated by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to the dosing of a solid detergent in a domestic dishwashing machine.

BACKGROUND

In dishwashing machines for private households, technical development is moving towards providing in the machine a magazine in which a larger amount of a solid detergent can be stored. For liquid rinsing aids there are already solutions for storing an amount of liquid that is sufficient for a plurality of operating cycles of the dishwashing machine. For the actual detergent, which is often in the form of compacted detergent tablets or in the form of a pourable detergent powder, storage solutions with automated dosing are likewise increasingly being worked on.

For the prior art relating to solutions for the storage and dosing of a detergent in powder or tablet form in a domestic dishwashing machine, reference may be made, for example, to the following documents: DE 10 2014 115 512 A1; WO 2009/022223 A1; CN 111743495 A; DE 10 2019 009 054 A1.

Detergent tablets are particularly easy for a user to handle. If the user is required to introduce a detergent powder into a magazine of a powder dosing unit, it can easily happen that the user spills some of the detergent powder. Such inconveniences are generally not to be feared with detergent tablets. However, in particular in the case of detergent tablets which do not have a spherical, oval or disk-like shape, it is generally necessary to store the detergent tablets in an ordered manner in the magazine in order to reliably be able to remove a defined number of detergent tablets (generally one tablet per operating cycle) during operation of the dishwashing machine. Magazines for the ordered storage of detergent tablets can form, for example, one or more stacking chutes in which the detergent tablets can be stored stacked one above the other (see e.g. DE 10 2019 009 054 A1).

Another magazine construction which should be given closer consideration within the scope of the present disclosure is that of an annular magazine which allows detergent tablets or specifically measured portions of a detergent powder to be stored in an annular arrangement. The publications WO 2009/022223 A1 and CN 111743495 A mentioned at the beginning disclose annular magazine solutions having a plurality of storage compartments distributed along a ring, in each of which a detergent tablet or powder portion can be stored. According to WO 2009/022223 A1, the detergent contained in a storage compartment is gradually washed out of the storage compartment by a jet of water. Unless the various storage compartments of the magazine are perfectly sealed from one another (which will generally be difficult to achieve), spray can reach the portions of the detergent stored in the other storage compartments, where it can cause undesirable clumping and agglutinations. CN 111743495 A provides a slider for pushing the detergent tablet held ready in a storage compartment laterally out of the storage compartment. The slider causes a considerable additional outlay in terms of construction and control.

SUMMARY

It is an object of the invention to provide a dosing system suitable and intended for use in a dishwashing machine, which dosing system is distinguished by a simple construction and a simple operating principle.

In order to achieve this object, the invention provides a domestic dishwashing machine, wherein the dishwashing machine comprises a dishwashing container, a door, mounted on the dishwashing container so as to be pivotable about a horizontal door pivot axis close to the floor, for closing a dishwashing chamber formed in the dishwashing container, and a dosing system, arranged at the door, for a solid detergent. The dosing system comprises: a rotor arranged in a magazine chamber so as to be rotatable about a rotor axis, which rotor delimits a plurality of radially outwardly open storage compartments, distributed in the circumferential direction about the rotor axis, which are each to receive a portion of a solid detergent; a dosing opening in a boundary wall of the magazine chamber, wherein, by rotation of the rotor, each of the storage compartments can be brought individually in succession into a position radially opposite the dosing opening in order to empty the storage compartment in question through the dosing opening; and a chute connected to the magazine chamber through the dosing opening. The rotor is arranged with its rotation plane substantially parallel to a main plane of the door, wherein the dosing opening is arranged beneath the rotor, such that, when the door is closed and when one of the storage compartments is moved into a position radially opposite the dosing opening, a portion of the solid detergent stored in the storage compartment in question is able to fall, solely by the force of gravity, out of the storage compartment in question through the dosing opening and into the chute.

According to this solution, it is sufficient to rotate the rotor into a position in which one of the storage compartments is in a position radially opposite the dosing opening. In this dosing position of the storage compartment in question, the portion of the solid detergent located therein is able to fall radially out of the storage compartment and fall through the dosing opening into the chute solely by the force of gravity. The storage compartment does not have to be washed out by means of a jet of water, nor is it necessary to push the portion of solid detergent laterally (horizontally) out of the storage compartment by means of an additional pusher. The dosing opening can be formed, for example, in a chamber boundary wall of the magazine chamber which is formed by the chamber housing and encloses the rotor in an annular manner.

In some embodiments, the rotor is installed in the door with its rotation plane substantially parallel to the main plane of the door, wherein the chute adjoins the magazine chamber beneath the magazine chamber. The positional term beneath thereby refers to the state when the door is closed. Typically, the door is mounted on a dishwashing container of the dishwashing machine so as to be pivotable about a horizontal pivot axis close to the floor. The closed door therefore has a vertical orientation; for opening, the door is pivoted in the direction of the horizontal. In order to permit gravity-driven delivery of detergent from the storage compartments and into the chute, the chute is therefore to be arranged beneath the rotor in the direction towards the pivot axis close to the floor. By stepwise further rotation of the rotor, a detergent portion can thus be delivered in succession from each of the storage containers into the chute.

The solid detergent can be present as a pourable powder or in tablet form. Such detergent tablets are conventionally brought into a defined spatial form by compaction from one or more powdered starting substances (with in some cases different active substance compositions). An approximately quadrangular form of the detergent tablets is frequently to be found, in which the detergent tablets, looking at their large face, have an approximately rectangular contour and a length and width, looking at their large face, greater than the thickness, looking at their small face. However, the invention is of course not limited to such quadrangular detergent tablets; the use of detergent tablets of other shapes is likewise conceivable within the scope of the present disclosure. Where mention is made here of a portion of the solid detergent, the portion consists in the case of detergent tablets of a defined number of such detergent tablets, for example a single detergent tablet. In the case of a powdered detergent, a portion consists of the amount of powder introduced into the storage compartment in question. This amount can be specifically measured, in particular when the magazine has been filled with detergent by the manufacturer, or it can be an amount determined by visual judgment, for example when it has been introduced manually by a consumer by way of a first filling or refilling.

In some embodiments, the chute defines a fall section, which extends in particular substantially linearly downwards from the dosing opening to an outlet opening, for the free fall of a portion of the solid detergent in the chute, wherein the chute opens at the outlet opening from the door into the dishwashing chamber. In these embodiments, the portion of the solid detergent removed from the magazine is able to fall through the dosing opening and through the entire chute as far as the outlet opening and out of the outlet opening without additional aids, solely under the effect of gravity. After leaving the outlet opening, the portion of the solid detergent can be taken up and dissolved by the dishwashing water sprayed or collected in the dishwashing chamber.

In some embodiments, the chute is arranged so as to be unmovable relative to the dosing opening. For example, the dosing system comprises a common housing component which delimits at least parts of the magazine chamber and at the same time at least parts of the chute.

In some embodiments, the dosing system comprises a drive mechanism for driving the rotor in rotation such that its direction of rotation can be changed. In addition, a control unit is provided which is adapted to control the drive mechanism with a changing direction of rotation of the rotor. By means of these measures, the dosing system provides the structural and control-related requirements for driving the rotor with a changing direction of rotation.

Changing the direction of rotation of the rotor can serve various purposes. For example, a detergent tablet can easily become caught or otherwise be retained in its storage compartment, so that it does not immediately fall out of the storage compartment once the storage compartment has been moved in a first approaching stroke into a position opposite the dosing opening. Moving the storage compartment to and fro above the dosing opening one or more times can in such a case help the cleaning tablet nevertheless to fall out of the storage compartment. Accordingly, some embodiments provide that the control unit is adapted to control the drive mechanism such that, for emptying one of the storage compartments, the storage compartment in question is moved to and fro at least once. In particular, the storage compartment in question can be moved at least once at least partly beyond the dosing opening and then back into a position radially opposite the dosing opening.

Alternatively or in addition, it can be useful to be able to change the direction of rotation of the rotor in order to verify that a storage compartment has actually been emptied. Accordingly, it is provided in some embodiments that the dosing system comprises a sensor system which allows the presence of a portion of the solid detergent in a storage compartment to be detected before the storage compartment in question is moved into an emptying position (dosing position) relative to the dosing opening, wherein the control unit is adapted to control the drive mechanism such that, after one of the storage compartments has been moved into the emptying position, the storage compartment in question is moved back into the detection range of the sensor system. By moving the storage compartment back, it is possible to check by means of the sensor system whether there is still a portion of the solid detergent in the storage compartment. If not, there is certainty that the storage compartment has been emptied properly, provided that the storage compartment was identified as full before it was moved to the emptying position. If yes, the control unit can emit, for example, a visual or/and acoustic warning message for the user or/and make a further attempt at emptying the same storage compartment or/and try to empty the next storage compartment.

Some embodiments comprise a drive mechanism for driving the rotor in rotation, a control unit for controlling the drive mechanism, and a sensor system, coupled with the control unit, which allows the presence of a portion of the solid detergent in a storage compartment to be detected. The control unit is adapted, if it is detected that a portion of the solid detergent has remained in one of the storage compartments after that storage compartment has been moved at least once into an emptying position relative to the dosing opening, to control the drive mechanism to move a further one of the storage compartments into the emptying position. Accordingly, even if it is not possible to successfully empty one of the storage compartments (e.g. because a cleaning tablet has become stuck in the storage compartment in question as a result of the action of moisture and has not been able to fall out), the functionality of the dosing system is nevertheless maintained. If a storage compartment cannot be emptied with a predefined number of attempts at emptying, the dosing system tries to empty the next storage compartment. The running of a dishwashing program therefore does not have to be interrupted.

If the control unit detects that it has not been possible to empty a storage compartment despite one or more attempts, the control unit can effect the emission of an audible or/and visual indication for an operator. This indication constitutes a request for the operator to clean the magazine and remove any agglutinated amounts of the detergent.

It is possible that hot steam or/and spray from the dishwashing chamber can enter the chute or/and the magazine chamber. Hot steam or spray can be detrimental to the detergent stored in the annular magazine. For example, the detergent may partially dissolve and form clumps or stick to the walls of the storage compartments. The ingress of hot moisture can be counteracted by a stream of blowing air which is introduced into the magazine chamber or/and into the chute. Accordingly, some embodiments provide that the dosing system comprises a blower for generating a stream of blowing air into the magazine chamber or/and into the chute.

The blower can be in direct blowing air supply connection with the chute. Direct here means that a blowing air supply connection leads from an impeller chamber, in which an impeller of the blower is arranged, directly to the chute without first passing through other parts of the dosing system, in particular the magazine chamber. In other embodiments, it is provided that the blower is in direct blowing air supply connection with the magazine chamber. From there, air that is blown in can then enter the chute. In such embodiments, there is a blowing air supply connection between the blower and the chute through the magazine chamber.

The chute can be able to be selectively shut off and freed. To this end, the dosing system can comprise a shut-off member which is arranged so as to be movable to and fro, in particular in a translational manner, between a shut-off position and a freeing position and which, in the freeing position, frees the chute so that a portion of the solid detergent is able to fall through to the outlet opening and, in the shut-off position, shuts off the chute so that a portion of the solid detergent is unable to fall through to the outlet opening. The shut-off member can in particular be configured such that, in its shut-off position, it closes substantially the entire chute cross section of the chute. Accordingly, when the chute is closed (i.e. when the shut-off member is in the shut-off position), an undesirable ingress of steam or/and spray into the parts of the dosing system located above the shut-off member can be prevented. For dosing purposes, however, the chute must occasionally be opened in order that a portion of the detergent removed from the magazine is able to reach the end of the chute and, from there, the dishwashing chamber of the dishwashing machine. In such open phases of the chute, it is recommended to activate the blower in order that hot steam and/or spray can be kept as far away as possible from the magazine. Embodiments of the invention therefore provide a control unit for the blower, wherein the control unit is adapted to control the blower to generate blowing air at least during a phase in which the shut-off member is in the freeing position.

Of course, it is possible to control the blower to generate blowing air additionally during phases in which the shut-off member is in the shut-off position and the chute is accordingly closed. This is because the presence of defects in tightness through which steam and/or spray can enter the magazine chamber cannot be ruled out. Therefore, it can be expedient to operate the blower also when the chute is shut off. For example, it is conceivable in some embodiments to drive the blower substantially continuously during the entire wet phase of an operating program of the dishwashing machine and if desired additionally even to allow it to run during a subsequent drying phase in which measures for actively drying the dishes are carried out by the dishwashing machine.

According to some embodiments, the dosing system comprises a pusher for urging a portion of the solid detergent stored in one of the storage compartments radially outwards in the fall direction. The pusher can be in the form of, for example, a spring-operated pusher or an electromagnetically actuated pusher.

Some embodiments provide that the dosing system comprises an electrically controllable drive mechanism for driving the rotor in rotation and a magazine cover, in particular a pivotably mounted magazine cover, for closing an access to the magazine chamber. The magazine cover can be removed from the magazine chamber without separating a mechanical drive connection between the drive mechanism and the rotor and, when the magazine cover has been removed, each of the storage compartments is accessible through the access for filling with a portion of the solid detergent.

The rotor can be secured against axial removal from the magazine chamber by at least one fastening member (e.g. a screw), the release of which requires an auxiliary tool.

According to a further aspect, the invention provides a dosing system for a domestic dishwashing machine, comprising: a rotor which is arranged or is able to be arranged in a magazine chamber so as to be rotatable about a rotor axis, wherein the rotor forms a central cup portion delimited by a cup lateral surface and a cup base, and a plurality of storage compartments which are arranged distributed in the circumferential direction radially outside the central cup portion and axially overlap the cup lateral surface, which storage compartments are each to receive a portion of a solid detergent; and an electrically controllable drive mechanism for driving the rotor in rotation, wherein, in an operation ready state of the dosing system, electromechanical or/and mechanical components of the drive mechanism, in particular an electric motor or/and a reduction gear, are accommodated in the interior of the cup so that they are concealed at least partly beneath the cup base. The accommodation of components of the drive mechanism in the central cup portion is beneficial for a small overall height of the dosing system. In particular, the inner circumference of the cup lateral surface can be used for the provision of a toothing with which a drive pinion, arranged in the central cup portion, of the drive mechanism is in meshing engagement.

Yet a further aspect of the invention provides a dosing system for a domestic dishwashing machine, comprising: a rotor which is arranged or is able to be arranged in a magazine chamber so as to be rotatable about a rotor axis, wherein the rotor forms a plurality of storage compartments arranged distributed in the circumferential direction about the rotor axis, which storage compartments are each to receive a portion of a solid detergent; and a photoelectric sensor system which allows the presence of a portion of the solid detergent in a storage compartment to be detected, wherein the sensor system is adapted to shine into each of the storage compartments a sensor light beam which is directed from radially inwards to radially outwards or vice versa. Shining a light beam directed radially or at a comparatively small (acute) angle relative to the radial direction through the storage compartments allows light-emitting or/and light-receiving components to be arranged radially inside or/and radially outside the storage compartments but within the axial height of the storage compartments. The sensor system therefore does not require any additional installation space in the vertical direction. This is advantageous in view of the limitations in terms of installation space which are generally imposed by the door of a domestic dishwasher in the direction of the door thickness.

Each of the storage compartments can be delimited radially on the inside by a wall portion of the rotor provided with a window opening, wherein the sensor system is adapted to direct the sensor light beam through the window opening in each of the storage compartments.

A further aspect of the invention provides a domestic dishwashing machine having a dishwashing container, a door, mounted on the dishwashing container so as to be pivotable about a horizontal door pivot axis close to the floor, for closing a dishwashing chamber formed in the dishwashing container, and a dosing system, arranged at the door, for a solid detergent. The dosing system comprises: a magazine for storing the solid detergent; a chute for conveying, by gravity, a portion of the solid detergent removed from the magazine to an outlet opening; a shut-off member which is arranged so as to be movable to and fro, in particular in a translational manner, between a shut-off position and a freeing position and which, in the freeing position, frees the chute so that a portion of the solid detergent is able to fall through to the outlet opening and, in the shut-off position, shuts off the chute at a shut-off point located downwards of the beginning of the chute so that a portion of the solid detergent is unable to fall through to the outlet opening; an electrically controllable actuator for driving the shut-off member; and a control unit which is adapted to control the actuator such that, while a dishwashing program of the dishwashing machine is running, the shut-off member is in the shut-off position for most of the duration of the program but, on removal of a portion of the solid detergent from the magazine, the removed portion is allowed to fall freely in the chute from the beginning of the chute to the outlet opening.

In this aspect of the invention, it is ensured by means of the control unit that the free fall of a detergent portion delivered from the magazine into the chute is not temporarily stopped by the shut-off member because the shut-off member is still in its shut-off position. Instead, the control unit ensures that the shut-off member is in its freeing position when a detergent portion removed from the magazine falls into the chute. The detergent portion is thus able to fall through the entire chute at a stroke. To this end, the control unit is suitably programmed or otherwise configured so that it effects the transfer of the shut-off member from the shut-off position into the freeing position in good time before a detergent portion delivered from the magazine into the chute reaches the location of the shut-off member. As soon as the detergent portion has passed the shut-off member, the shut-off member can immediately be moved back into its shut-off position.

Yet a further aspect of the invention provides a domestic dishwashing machine which comprises a dishwashing container, a door, mounted on the dishwashing container so as to be pivotable about a horizontal door pivot axis close to the floor, for closing a dishwashing chamber formed in the dishwashing container, and a dosing system, arranged at the door, for a solid detergent. The dosing system comprises: a magazine for storing the solid detergent; a chute for conveying, by gravity, a portion of the solid detergent removed from the magazine to an outlet opening; a shut-off member which is arranged so as to be movable to and fro, in particular in a translational manner, between a shut-off position and a freeing position and which, in the freeing position, frees the chute so that a portion of the solid detergent is able to fall through to the outlet opening and, in the shut-off position, shuts off the chute so that a portion of the solid detergent is unable to fall through to the outlet opening; an electrically controllable actuator for driving the shut-off member; and a control unit which is adapted to control the actuator such that, in response to a received predefined operating command of an operator, without starting a dishwashing program of the dishwashing machine, the shut-off member is moved out of the shut-off position into the freeing position. This functionality of the control unit allows the shut-off member to be transferred into its freeing position for cleaning purposes, so that a user is able to reach all areas of the chute with a cleaning object, for example a brush or a toothbrush.

According to yet a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a dosing system for a domestic dishwashing machine, comprising: a magazine for storing the solid detergent; a chute for conveying, by gravity, a portion of the solid detergent removed from the magazine to an outlet opening; a shut-off member which is arranged so as to be movable to and fro, in particular in a translational manner, between a shut-off position and a freeing position and which, in the freeing position, frees the chute so that a portion of the solid detergent is able to fall through to the outlet opening and, in the shut-off position, shuts off the chute at a shut-off point located downwards of the beginning of the chute so that a portion of the solid detergent is unable to fall through to the outlet opening; and a sensor system, in particular a photoelectric sensor system, associated with the chute, which sensor system is adapted to check a chute region of the chute above the shut-off point for the presence of a portion of the solid detergent.

The sensor system makes it possible for the chute to be scanned by means of sensors for the falling of a detergent portion removed from the magazine or/and for the presence of a detergent portion which has stopped at the (shut) shut-off member. The functional reliability of the dosing system can thus be increased. The sensor system makes it possible to determine whether, during a dosing operation, a detergent portion has actually entered the chute or/and passed through the chute. For example, the sensor system can work by the functional principle of a light barrier. Mechanical sensors with a sensor arm protruding into the fall path of the detergent in the chute are likewise conceivable as an alternative to a test light beam which is shone into the chute.

A further aspect of the invention provides a domestic dishwashing machine comprising: a rotor which is arranged or is able to be arranged in a magazine chamber so as to be rotatable about a rotor axis, wherein the rotor forms a plurality of storage compartments arranged distributed in the circumferential direction about the rotor axis, which storage compartments are each to receive a portion of a solid detergent; a chute for conveying, by gravity, a portion of the solid detergent removed from one of the storage compartments to an outlet opening; and a sensor system, in particular a photoelectric sensor system, which permits the detection of the presence of a portion of the solid detergent in one of the storage compartments and, independently thereof, the detection of the presence of a portion of the solid detergent in the chute. In this aspect of the invention, the sensor system is adapted both to scan at least one of the storage compartments for the presence of a detergent portion and to monitor the chute for the entry or falling through of a detergent portion.

Where the dosing system in the last-mentioned aspect of the invention comprises a shut-off member which is arranged so as to be movable to and fro, in particular in a translational manner, between a shut-off position and a freeing position and which, in the freeing position, frees the chute so that a portion of the solid detergent is able to fall through to the outlet opening and, in the shut-off position, shuts off the chute at a shut-off point located downwards of the beginning of the chute so that a portion of the solid detergent is unable to fall through to the outlet opening, the sensor system is adapted in some embodiments to check a chute region of the chute above the shut-off point or/and a chute region of the chute below the shut-off point for the presence of a portion of the solid detergent.

The invention additionally provides a domestic dishwashing machine having a dishwashing container, a door, mounted on the dishwashing container so as to be pivotable about a horizontal door pivot axis close to the floor, for closing a dishwashing chamber formed in the dishwashing container, and a dosing system, arranged at the door, for a solid detergent, wherein the dosing system comprises a storage chamber for receiving a supply of the solid detergent and defines a fall section, leading to an outlet opening, for a portion of the detergent extracted from the supply. The outlet opening allows the extracted portion to emerge into the dishwashing chamber. According to the invention, it is provided in such a dishwashing machine that the dosing system comprises, in spatial association with the outlet opening, a movably arranged protective cover for selectively freeing and shutting off the outlet opening, and an electrically controllable, in particular electromotive, actuator with which the protective cover is drivingly coupled for its movement.

DE 10 2014 115 512 A1 mentioned at the beginning already discloses a protective cover for covering an outlet opening at the end of a fall section. The protective cover according to that publication is configured in the manner of a gravity pendulum and closes the outlet opening when the door is open and oriented horizontally. On closing of the door, however, the protective cover pivots under the effect of gravity into an open position in which the outlet opening is freed. The outlet opening is thus free for the entire duration of an operating cycle of the dishwashing machine and spray can pass through the outlet opening into the fall section at any time during the operating cycle. By contrast, changing from a purely passive protective cover that responds to gravity to an actively controllable protective cover allows the protective cover to be closed also during operating phases in which water is sprayed in the dishwashing chamber. This provides a high degree of protection of the detergent stored in the storage chamber (magazine) against impairment by the ingress of moisture.

In some embodiments, in which the dosing system comprises a shut-off member which is arranged so as to be movable to and fro, in particular in a translational manner, between a shut-off position and a freeing position and which, in the freeing position, frees the fall section so that an extracted portion of the detergent is able to fall through to the outlet opening and, in the shut-off position, shuts off the fall section so that detergent is unable to fall through to the outlet opening, the shut-off member is also drivingly coupled with the actuator for its movement. Accordingly, in these embodiments, the shut-off member and the protective cover are drivingly coupled with the same actuator. This permits synchronized actuation of the shut-off member and the protective cover; moreover, the outlay in terms of construction is simplified, since only a single actuator (and optionally only a single reduction gear) must be provided for actuating both components.

In some embodiments, the actuator is controlled such that, while a dishwashing program of the dishwashing machine is running, the protective cover is in a closed position shutting off the outlet opening for most of the duration of the program, but is opened on condition of the occurrence of a predefined event. A predefined event in this sense can be, for example, a dosing operation by which a detergent portion is to be removed from the storage chamber and sent to the fall section. As soon as the dosed detergent portion has been delivered into the dishwashing chamber, the protective cover can be closed again. Overall, the time for which the protective cover frees the outlet opening during an operating program of the dishwashing machine can thus be reduced to a very short period of time of, for example, only a few seconds. Effective protection against the ingress of moisture into the fall section and the storage chamber is thereby provided.

According to a further aspect, the invention provides a domestic dishwashing machine having a dishwashing container, a door, mounted on the dishwashing container so as to be pivotable about a horizontal door pivot axis close to the floor, for closing a dishwashing chamber formed in the dishwashing container, and a dosing system, arranged at the door, for a solid detergent. The dosing system comprises a storage chamber for receiving a supply of the solid detergent and defines a fall section, leading to an outlet opening, for a portion of the detergent extracted from the supply. According to this aspect, the outlet opening, which allows the extracted detergent portion to emerge into the dishwashing chamber, is arranged, looking along the door pivot axis, eccentrically relative to a door transverse center. This is based on the assumption that, at least in some dishwashing machines, a water jet strikes the door approximately centrally (centrally when looking in the transverse direction of the door) during dishwashing operation. By arranging the outlet opening offset with respect to the center, the probability of spray undesirably entering the dosing system via the outlet opening can be reduced.

For example, looking along the door pivot axis, an opening center of the outlet opening can be arranged offset by not less than 4 cm or not less than 8 cm or not less than 12 cm with respect to the door transverse center.

Generally, it is an aim to be able to store as large an amount of detergent as possible in the dosing system, so that the user has to refill a magazine of the dosing system only comparatively infrequently. This is also the case for a configuration of the magazine as an annular magazine. If quadrangular detergent tablets are inserted into the magazine in an annular arrangement lying on their large faces (so that their small faces are facing one another), the total number of detergent tablets which can be stored is comparatively small. By contrast, a larger number of detergent tablets can be stored in the annular magazine if a rotor of the annular magazine defines a plurality of tablet compartments distributed in the circumferential direction about a rotor axis and the detergent tablets, which are in the form of flat bodies with opposite large faces and small faces connecting the large faces and, looking at their large face, are longer and wider than they are thick and at the same time are longer than they are wide (such as, for example, in the case of a quadrangular form), are each placed into one of the tablet compartments standing on one of their longitudinal small faces. In particular, the detergent tablets can be placed into the tablet compartments in such a manner that they are each oriented substantially radially, looking axially at the annular magazine. With such a radial orientation, the detergent tablets face one another with their large faces in the circumferential direction. However, it is not excluded to arrange the detergent tablets with an orientation at an angle to the radial direction, looking axially at the annular magazine. Storing the detergent tablets in the annular magazine standing on their small edges (looking axially) in both cases allows a comparatively large number of detergent tablets to be stored.

The invention additionally provides a tablet dosing system for installation in a domestic dishwashing machine, wherein the tablet dosing system comprises a magazine for storing detergent tablets in two stacks arranged side by side, and an extractor for extracting detergent tablets from the stacks and delivering extracted detergent tablets into a chute. The extractor has an extractor member, which is arranged so as to be movable relative to the magazine, for individually serving each of the stacks for the purpose of extracting a detergent tablet from the stack in question. According to the invention, the extractor member is formed by a rotary body which is arranged so as to be rotatable about an axis of rotation, wherein the two stacks are arranged side by side substantially along an orthogonal plane relative to the axis of rotation, and the rotary body has two extraction pockets which are distributed in particular unevenly in the circumferential direction and which are each dimensioned such that a detergent tablet can fall out of the magazine into the extraction pocket in question.

For example, the two extraction pockets can lie within a circumferential segment of the rotary body which extends over not more than 220 degrees or not more than 200 degrees or not more than 180 degrees. The arrangement of the rotary body such that the direction of the side-by-side arrangement of the tablet stacks is substantially parallel to the rotation plane of the rotary body permits a comparatively small installation depth of the extractor in the direction of the axis of rotation of the rotary body. Account can thus be taken of the generally limited available installation space in the door of the dishwashing machine in the direction of the door thickness.

Alternatively or in addition to the configuration of the extractor member as a rotary body, such a tablet dosing system can comprise a blower for introducing blowing air into the magazine, wherein an impeller of the blower is arranged between the two stacks.

The invention additionally provides a tablet dosing system for installation in a domestic dishwashing machine, comprising a magazine for the ordered storage of detergent tablets, a chute for the gravity-driven delivery of a detergent tablet extracted from the magazine to an outlet opening, and a shut-off member which is arranged so as to be movable between a shut-off position and a freeing position and which, in the freeing position, frees the chute so that extracted detergent tablets are able to fall through to the outlet opening and, in the shut-off position, shuts off the chute so that detergent tablets are unable to fall through to the outlet opening. The tablet dosing system is characterized by a blower for generating a stream of blowing air, wherein the blower comprises an impeller seated in an impeller chamber, and the impeller chamber is in blowing air supply connection with the chute or/and with an extractor chamber in which there is received a movably arranged extractor member for extracting a detergent tablet from the magazine and delivering the extracted detergent tablet into the chute. Via the blowing air supply connection, blowing air generated by the blower can enter the chute or/and the extractor chamber and prevent the ingress of hot steam or/and spray into the magazine.

Finally, the invention also provides a domestic dishwashing machine which comprises a dishwashing container, a door, mounted on the dishwashing container so as to be pivotable about a horizontal door pivot axis close to the floor, for closing a dishwashing chamber formed in the dishwashing container, and a dosing system, arranged at the door, for a solid detergent, wherein the door has an inner lining on the door inner side facing the dishwashing chamber when the door is closed. The dosing system comprises a storage chamber for receiving a supply of the solid detergent, and a chute for the gravity-driven delivery of a portion of the solid detergent removed from the supply to an outlet opening. The dosing system further comprises a blower for introducing blowing air into the storage chamber or/and into the chute, wherein the blower comprises an impeller which is rotatably arranged in an impeller chamber and the impeller chamber is in blowing air supply connection with the storage chamber or/and the chute. The impeller chamber is formed by a housing component fitted to the inner lining on the rear side, which housing component has one or more intake slots, which in particular are open towards the inner lining, for drawing air into the impeller chamber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be explained hereinbelow with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows, schematically, a domestic dishwashing machine according to an exemplary embodiment,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the inner side of a door of a domestic dishwashing machine according to an exemplary embodiment,

FIG. 3a shows a tablet dosing system according to an exemplary embodiment for installation in a door of a domestic dishwashing machine in a situation in which a detergent tablet delivered from an annular magazine of the tablet dosing system is lying against a shut-off slider and is waiting for a chute to be freed,

FIG. 3b shows the tablet dosing system of FIG. 3a in a situation in which the shut-off slider has freed the chute and the detergent tablet has fallen through the chute,

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a rotor having multiple tablet compartments which is suitable for use in an annular magazine, according to an exemplary embodiment,

FIG. 5a is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a tablet dosing system having an annular magazine in a situation in which the magazine cover is open,

FIG. 5b is a sectional view of the tablet dosing system of FIG. 5a with the rotor of the annular magazine removed,

FIG. 5c is a plan view of the tablet dosing system of FIG. 5a,

FIG. 6a shows a further exemplary embodiment of a tablet dosing system having an annular magazine in a situation in which a protective cover of the tablet dosing system is open,

FIG. 6b shows the tablet dosing system of FIG. 6a in a situation in which the protective cover is closed,

FIGS. 7a to 7d are different views of a tablet dosing system having an annular magazine according to a further exemplary embodiment,

FIG. 8 shows a detail of an annular magazine having a spring-operated pusher according to an exemplary embodiment,

FIG. 9 shows an annular magazine having an electromagnetic pusher according to an exemplary embodiment,

FIG. 10 is a partially cutaway perspective view of a blower according to an exemplary embodiment mounted on a door of a dishwashing machine,

FIG. 11 shows a tablet dosing system having stack magazines according to an exemplary embodiment, and

FIG. 12 shows a tablet dosing system having stack magazines according to a further exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will first be made to FIG. 1. The dishwashing machine illustrated therein, which is intended for domestic use, is denoted generally 10. It comprises a machine body (dishwashing container) 12 in which a dishwashing chamber 14 is formed. On the machine body 12 there is mounted a door 16 which is pivotable about a horizontal pivot axis 17 close to the floor. The door 16 can be pivoted between a fully open position shown in FIG. 1, in which it is situated with its door plane substantially horizontal, and a closed position, in which it closes the dishwashing chamber 14 to the outside and stands substantially vertically. One or more crockery baskets and optionally a cutlery tray for holding the items of crockery and cutlery to be cleaned can be inserted into the dishwashing chamber 14 in a manner known per se. A control unit 18, indicated by a broken line, is responsible for controlling the operation of the dishwashing machine 10. In the example shown, the control unit 18 is built into the door 16. It will be appreciated that, in other embodiments, at least parts of the control unit 18 can be arranged on the machine body 12.

The control unit 18 is responsible not only for controlling the dishwashing operation and optionally a drying operation of the dishwashing machine 10, but also for controlling a dosing system 20 by means of which, in an automated manner, a portion can be removed from a supply of a solid detergent and delivered into the dishwashing chamber 14. In the further explanations, it is assumed that the solid detergent is in tablet form, that is to say is formed by detergent tablets which are produced with a defined, for example approximately quadrangular, shape. Accordingly, the dosing system 20 will also be referred to hereinbelow as a tablet dosing system.

In the example shown in FIG. 1, the tablet dosing system 20 is arranged at the door 16. The door 16 has an inner lining panel 22 which is arranged on the inner side of the door 16 facing the dishwashing chamber 14 when the door 16 is closed and is typically made of sheet-metal material. At least parts of the tablet dosing system 20 can be fitted externally to the inner lining panel 22. Alternatively or in addition, at least parts of the tablet dosing system 20 can be concealed behind the inner lining panel 22. Alternatively or in addition, the inner lining panel 22 can contain one or more apertures into which at least parts of the tablet dosing system 20 can be inserted.

In the further figures, elements which are the same or have the same effect are provided with the same reference numerals, wherein, in order to distinguish between different exemplary embodiments, a different lowercase letter is appended to the reference numerals. Unless indicated otherwise hereinbelow, reference may be made in relation to such elements having the same numbering to the observations made in relation to the figures in connection with which the elements in question were explained for the first time.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the tablet dosing system 20a has a cover 24a, which in the example shown is in the form of a screw cover but may alternatively also be in the form of, for example, a hinged or pivotable cover or in the form of a sliding cover. Although not shown separately in FIG. 2, at least part of a magazine of the tablet dosing system 20a in which detergent tablets can be stored can be located beneath the cover 24a. By opening the cover 24a, a user can thus gain access to the tablet magazine. Access can in particular be such that the user is able to refill the tablet magazine or/and is able to remove a fillable magazine component through the access.

The cover 24a can be designed to be transparent at least in one or more cover regions in order to allow a user to check the filling level of the tablet magazine visually without having to remove the cover 24a.

In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2, the tablet dosing system 20a additionally has a hood 26a which covers an outlet opening located at the bottom end of a chute (fall channel or fall section), not shown in greater detail in FIG. 2, through which a detergent tablet removed from the tablet magazine can fall into the dishwashing chamber of the dishwashing machine. It will be seen in FIG. 2 that the hood 26a is arranged offset eccentrically with respect to an imaginary center line M which runs in the middle of the door 16a from the door top edge to the door bottom edge. The door center here means the center as seen along the pivot axis 17a, that is to say in the transverse direction of the door 16a. In the example shown, the tablet dosing system 20a is arranged wholly on the other side of the transverse center of the door 16a. The eccentric offset of the hood 26a and of the outlet opening, concealed therebeneath, of the chute relative to the door transverse center can ensure that spray which strikes the door 16a in the region of the door transverse center cannot enter the chute through the outlet opening. Inasmuch as it is largely to be expected that spray will strike the door 16a in the region of the door transverse center, the probability of moisture entering the chute and the tablet magazine can be reduced by the transversely offset arrangement of the tablet dosing system 20a. The size of the transverse offset—denoted din FIG. 2—can be, for example, at least 10 cm or more, for example up to 15 cm or even up to 20 cm, according to the installation space that is present in the door 16a in the transverse direction thereof. The distance d extends in FIG. 2 from the center line M to an imaginary midpoint of the hood 26a, or of the outlet opening of the chute located therebeneath.

In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2, there is additionally shown in the inner side of the door 16a a cover cap 28a, beneath which there can be located one or more filling openings for various other additives which are necessary for cleaning operation of the dishwashing machine, in particular liquid additives, such as, for example, a rinse aid.

Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 3a, 3b. The tablet dosing system 20b shown therein comprises an annular magazine 30b which has a magazine housing 32b and a rotor 36b rotatable about a rotor axis 34b. The rotor 36b is inserted into a magazine chamber 37b having a circular contour which is formed by the magazine housing 32b. Associated with the annular magazine 30b is a rotor drive unit (generally: drive mechanism), not shown in greater detail in FIGS. 3a, 3b, for driving the rotor 36b in rotation about the rotor axis 34b. The rotor drive unit can comprise, for example, an electric motor as the source of the drive power. The rotor 36b can be removable for cleaning purposes and, looking at FIG. 2, can be arranged concealed behind the cover 24a so that, by opening the cover 24a, a user can gain direct access to the rotor 36b.

The rotor 36b defines a plurality of tablet compartments (generally: storage compartments) 38b, which are distributed in an annular arrangement about the rotor axis 34b. The tablet compartments 38b can also be referred to as storage cells, and for this reason the rotor 36b can also be referred to as a cell wheel or as a distributor wheel. Adjacent tablet compartments 38b are in each case separated from one another by a separating wall structure 40b. In situations as are shown in FIGS. 3a, 3b, a detergent tablet 42b has been placed in some of the tablet compartments 38b. In the example shown, the detergent tablets 42b have an approximately quadrangular shape, wherein they are in the form of flat bodies with opposite large faces 44b and small faces 46b between the large faces 44b. The quadrangular shape of the detergent tablets 42b means that they have two longer small faces 46b, which extend in the longitudinal direction of the quadrangle, and two shorter small faces 46b, which extend in the direction of the width of the quadrangle. The length and width of the quadrangular detergent tablets 42b are greater than the thickness of the detergent tablets 42b measured between the large faces 44b.

In the example of FIGS. 3a, 3b, the tablet compartments 38b are so narrow that the detergent tablets 42b must each be placed in the annular magazine 30b standing on one of their small faces 46b. Standing on a small face means that the detergent tablets 42b face one another with their large faces 44b in the circumferential direction and lie with one of their small faces 46b on an axially oriented bearing surface 47b, which in the example shown is part of the rotor 36b. Owing to the small width of the tablet compartments 38b, the detergent tablets 42b cannot be placed therein lying on their large faces. In the example shown, the detergent tablets 42b are placed in the tablet compartments 38b lying on one of their longer small faces 46b (i.e. longitudinal small faces). In this manner, the overall height of the annular magazine 30b can be kept small. The depth of the tablet compartments 38b measured in the axial direction of the rotor 36b is greater than the width of the detergent tablets 42b; the separating wall structure 40b accordingly protrudes axially above the detergent tablets 42b when the detergent tablets 42b are inserted into the tablet compartments 38b standing on their longitudinal small faces. The detergent tablets 42b placed in the tablet compartments 38b are oriented substantially radially.

The manner of introducing the detergent tablets 42b into the tablet compartments 38b which is shown allows a comparatively large number of detergent tablets 42b to be accommodated in the annular magazine 30b. However, it is in principle not excluded within the scope of the present disclosure to dimension the tablet compartments 38b to be sufficiently wide in the circumferential direction of the rotor 36b that the detergent tablets 42b can be placed therein lying on their large faces, as is shown for the purpose of illustration in FIG. 4. In this figure, only the rotor 36c with its tablet compartments 38c is shown. A detergent tablet 42c which is approximately quadrangular in shape as in the example shown in FIGS. 3a, 3b has been inserted into one of the tablet compartments 38c lying on its large face.

It will be seen in FIG. 4 that the rotor 36c in the example shown is designed in the manner of a disk rotor and has a disk portion 48c from which separating wall structures 40c protrude axially on one side of the disk. The disk portion 48c forms an axial bearing surface for the detergent tablets 42c; alternatively, it is conceivable not to design the rotor 36c as a disk rotor but to design it to be axially completely open in the region of the tablet compartments 38c, so that the detergent tablets 42c lie axially on a chamber base of the magazine chamber 37c.

The separating wall structures 40c are arranged radially outside a central cup portion 50c of the rotor 36c. The central cup portion 50c is delimited by a cup lateral surface 52c extending in the circumferential direction and a cup base 54c, which delimit in the manner of a cup a space in which components of a drive mechanism for driving the rotor 36c in rotation can be accommodated in a space-saving manner. This cup interior is accessible from the other axial side of the rotor 36c (i.e. from the rear axial side remote from the viewer in FIG. 4).

It will further be seen in FIG. 4 that the cup lateral surface 52c in the example shown not only axially overlaps the separating wall structures 40c but even protrudes axially above them. The mentioned components of the drive mechanism can therefore be accommodated in the dosing system approximately in the axial region of the detergent tablets 42c inserted into the tablet compartments 38c. This ensures a small overall height of the dosing system.

Reference will now be made again to FIGS. 3a, 3b. The annular magazine 30b with the rotor 36b can be arranged beneath a magazine cover (for example the cover 24a of FIG. 2), so that the user, after removing the cover, obtains access to the rotor 36b and the tablet compartments 38b. The intended installation position of the annular magazine 30b is substantially parallel to the main plane of the door of the dishwashing machine (e.g. door 16a), that is to say the annular plane of the annular magazine 30b should lie substantially parallel to the door plane. When the door is closed, the rotor axis 34b is accordingly oriented substantially horizontally. Gravity therefore acts substantially along the annular plane of the annular magazine 30b when the door is closed.

The tablet compartments 38b are designed to be open radially outwards. If the rotor 36b is removed from the magazine chamber 37b, detergent tablets 42b, which are inserted into the tablet compartments 38b, are therefore readily able to slide radially outwards out of the rotor 36b. The rotor 36b itself does not contain any structures by which detergent tablets 42b inserted into the tablet compartments 38b are prevented from sliding radially outwards. When the rotor 36b is inserted into the magazine chamber 37b, it is surrounded by a chamber delimiting wall 56b which extends in the manner of an annular wall radially on the outside around the rotor 36b. The chamber delimiting wall 56b is part of the magazine housing 32b and delimits the magazine chamber 37b radially on the outside. In the example shown in FIGS. 3a, 3b, two openings are formed in the chamber delimiting wall 56b. A first of these openings forms a dosing opening 58b, which can also be referred to as an extraction opening and which is located at the 6 o'clock position of the annular magazine 30b (when looking frontally at the vertically standing door). The other opening forms a blowing air supply opening 60b; it is located in the example shown at the 12 o'clock position but may alternatively be situated at a different angular position of the magazine housing 32b, for example somewhere between the 9 o'clock position and the 3 o'clock position.

Through the dosing opening 58b, the magazine chamber 37b is connected to a chute 62b, which extends substantially vertically downwards (when looking at the vertically standing door from the front) from the magazine chamber 37b and allows a detergent tablet 42b to fall freely, solely by gravity, from the magazine chamber 37b to an outlet opening 64b located at the end of the chute 62b. The chute 62b is formed by a chute housing 66b which is fixedly connected to the magazine housing 32b; for example, the magazine housing 32b and the chute housing 66b can be formed by a one-piece integral housing component. At the outlet opening 64b, the chute 62b opens on the inner side of the door to the region surrounding the door. When the door is closed, a detergent tablet 42b which falls out at the outlet opening 64b can accordingly pass into the dishwashing chamber of the dishwashing machine and be taken up and dissolved by the dishwashing water sprayed or collected there. Looking at the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2, the outlet opening 64b is located in the region of the hood 26a.

Associated with the chute 62b is a shut-off slider 68b which is linearly adjustable between a shut-off position shown in FIG. 3a and a freeing position shown in FIG. 3b. For driving the shut-off slider 68b, the tablet dosing system 20b can have an actuator (not shown in greater detail in FIGS. 3a, 3b), for example an electromotive actuator, which is controlled by a control unit, for example the control unit 18 of FIG. 1. In the shut-off position according to FIG. 3a, the shut-off slider 68b blocks the fall of detergent tablets 42b through the chute 32b; in the freeing position according to FIG. 3b, the shut-off slider 68b has moved sufficiently far out of the chute 62b that detergent tablets 42b are able to fall through the chute 62b. A purpose of the shut-off slider 68b is to prevent spray or/and hot steam from rising through the chute 62b towards the magazine chamber 37b. Therefore, the shut-off slider 68b closes the chute 62b substantially over its entire chute cross section in its shut-off position.

For the dosing (i.e. extraction) of a detergent tablet 42b, the rotor 36b is moved into a position in which a tablet compartment 38b filled with a detergent tablet 42b is in the 6 o'clock position, that is to say assumes a position radially opposite the dosing opening 58b. The dosing opening 58b is sufficiently large to allow the detergent tablet 42b stored in the tablet compartment 38b in question to fall through the dosing opening 58b into the chute 62b. However, it is possible that the detergent tablet 42b, despite the tablet compartment 38b in question being oriented precisely relative to the dosing opening 58b, does not immediately fall into the chute 62b. For example, it can be possible that the detergent tablet 42b is not lying completely loosely in its tablet compartment 38b. In order to eliminate any obstacles which can prevent the detergent tablet 42b from immediately falling out of the tablet compartment 38b, a conceivable movement pattern for the rotor 36b can comprise moving the tablet compartment 38b in question towards the dosing opening 58b in a first direction of rotation (e.g. clockwise) and partly moving it past the dosing opening 58b in the same direction of rotation. According to this movement pattern, the rotor 36b is then moved back in the opposite direction of rotation (e.g. counter-clockwise) until the tablet compartment 38b in question is again in a position precisely radially opposite the dosing opening 58b. If required, this backwards movement of the rotor 36b can continue slightly further, so that the tablet compartment 38b in question also moves past the dosing opening 58b slightly in the opposite direction. Overall, the movement pattern of the rotor 36b for emptying a tablet compartment 38b can thus comprise moving the rotor 36b to and fro in the region of the dosing opening 58b at least once. By means of such a to and fro movement, any blockages preventing the detergent tablet 42b located in the tablet compartment 38b from immediately falling out can be removed.

On emptying of a tablet compartment 38b, the shut-off slider 68b can assume its shut-off position, as is shown in FIG. 3a. The detergent tablet 42b which has fallen out of the tablet compartment 38b is then stopped from falling by the shut-off slider 68b and remains in front of the shut-off slider 68b until the shut-off slider 68b is moved into its freeing position according to FIG. 3b. It is conceivable to discharge a detergent tablet 42b from the annular magazine 30b into the chute 62b only after an operating program of the dishwashing machine has started. Alternatively, it is conceivable to discharge a detergent tablet 42b from the annular magazine 30b into the chute 62b even before an operating program of the dishwashing machine has started and to hold the detergent tablet 42b ready there by means of the shut-off slider 68b until it is actually required once the program has started. In order to deliver the detergent tablet 42b extracted from the annular magazine 30b into the dishwashing chamber of the dishwashing machine, the shut-off slider 68b then simply has to be moved into its freeing position. For example, it is conceivable to discharge a detergent tablet 42b from the annular magazine 30b into the chute 62b at the end of an operating cycle of an operating program of the dishwashing machine and to hold it ready by means of the shut-off slider 68b until the next time an operating program of the dishwashing machine is started.

An alternative dosing procedure provides that, at the precise moment at which a detergent tablet 42b is discharged from the annular magazine 30b into the chute 62b, the shut-off slider 68b is already in its freeing position according to FIG. 3b. The detergent tablet 42b which has fallen into the chute 62b is then not stopped by the shut-off slider 68b but is able to fall freely and uninterruptedly through the entire chute 62b to the outlet opening 64b. The shut-off slider 68b is not opened, for example, until shortly before the detergent tablet 42b is extracted from the annular magazine 30b, and the shut-off slider 68b is closed again as soon as the detergent tablet 42b has passed through the chute 62b.

FIGS. 3a, 3b show, schematically, sensors 70b, 72b which can monitor the chute 62b by means of sensors in respect of the falling through of a detergent tablet 42b. For example, these sensors 70b, 72b each operate in the manner of a light barrier, which is broken for a short time when a detergent tablet 42b falls through the test light beam of the light barrier in question. In the example shown in FIGS. 3a, 3b, the sensor 70b is arranged above the shut-off point at which the shut-off slider 68b can shut off the chute 62b; the sensor 72b is arranged below this shut-off point. It will be appreciated that it can be sufficient to provide only one of the sensors 70b, 72b (either the sensor 70b or the sensor 72b). This is the case in particular when a detergent tablet 42b extracted from the annular magazine is not to be stopped in its free fall by the shut-off slider 68b. Accordingly, when the dosing system 20b is operated such that a detergent tablet 42b extracted from the annular magazine 30b falls through the entire chute 62b in an uninterrupted slide, it can be sufficient to provide a single light barrier (or generally a single sensor) in the region of the chute 62b. If, however, the operation of the dosing system 20b is so configured that a detergent tablet 42b which has fallen into the chute 62b is first stopped by the shut-off slider 68b (corresponding to the illustration in FIG. 3a), it can be expedient to provide a sensor both above and below the shut-off slider 68b. The sensor located above the shut-off point, in the example shown the sensor 70b, is then expediently so positioned that it is able to detect the presence of a detergent tablet 42b when the detergent tablet 42b is lying against the closed shut-off slider 68b.

The blowing air supply opening 60b connects the magazine chamber 37b to an impeller chamber 74b in which an impeller 76b of a blower generally denoted 78b is seated. The impeller chamber 74b is formed by a blower housing 80b, which is fixedly connected to the magazine housing 32b; for example, the blower housing 80b and the magazine housing 32b are formed integrally in one piece. The blower 78b serves to generate a stream of blowing air into the magazine chamber 37b. From the magazine chamber 37b, the blowing air which has been introduced passes through the dosing opening 58b into the chute 62b. The blowing air acts against the ingress of hot steam through the outlet opening 64b into the chute 62b and can generate a drying action if moisture has entered the dosing system 20b.

The blower 78b comprises a drive unit, not shown in greater detail in FIGS. 3a, 3b, for driving the impeller wheel 76b in rotation. A control unit, likewise not shown, for example the control unit 18 of FIG. 1, serves to control the drive of the blower 78b. This control unit controls the blower 78b in such a manner that blowing air is generated at least when the shut-off slider 68b is in its freeing position according to FIG. 3b during a dishwashing phase of the dishwashing machine. It may be advantageous to drive the blower 78b to generate blowing air additionally at least during part of the operating phases of the dishwashing machine in which the shut-off slider 68b is in its shut-off position according to FIG. 3a. This is because, even when the shut-off slider 68b is closed, the undesirable ingress of hot steam through the chute 62b into the magazine chamber 37b or/and past a cover (for example the cover 24a of FIG. 2) arranged above the annular magazine 30b cannot always be ruled out completely. It may be that the shut-off slider 68b does not seal the chute 62b perfectly in its shut-off position. Likewise, it may be that the seal between the magazine housing 32b and a magazine cover seated thereon, such as, for example, the cover 24a of FIG. 2, is not perfect. The presence of defects in tightness through which hot steam or/and spray can penetrate the inner regions of the dosing system 20b and impair the quality of the stored detergent tablets 42b must therefore usually be expected. Therefore, it can be expedient to drive the blower 78b also during phases in which the shut-off slider 68b is closed. For example, it is conceivable to allow the blower 78b to run substantially uninterruptedly during the entire phase in which, while an operating program of the dishwashing machine is being carried out, dishwashing water is sprayed in the dishwashing chamber of the dishwashing machine.

Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 5a to 5c. This does not differ substantially from the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 3a, 3b. There can be seen in FIGS. 5a to 5c a slider housing 82d, which forms a slide channel for a linearly movably arranged shut-off slider (e.g. the shut-off slider 68b of FIGS. 3a, 3b), by means of which the chute 62d can selectively be shut off and freed at a distance beneath the dosing opening 58d. The slider housing 82d can be integrally connected to the chute housing 66d.

There can additionally be seen in FIG. 5a a cover 24d which is pivotably attached to the chute housing 66d and by means of which the annular magazine 30d is closable. By opening the cover 24d, the user is able to access the magazine chamber 37d and the rotor 36d inserted therein. In particular, the access can be such that, when the cover 24d is open, the rotor 36d can be removed from the magazine chamber 37d and from the annular magazine 30d, for example after a fastening screw, not shown, which is accessible by opening the cover 24d, has been removed. The rotor 36d can accordingly be installed fixedly but releasably in the annular magazine 30d, in particular in such a manner that it cannot be removed solely by hand without an auxiliary tool (e.g. screwdriver).

There are additionally shown in FIG. 5b components of a drive mechanism 84d which is serves to drive the rotor 36d in rotation. The drive mechanism 84d uses, for example, an electric motor (not shown in detail) as the source of the drive power and comprises a gear train 86d with a reduction function for transmitting the drive power of the source to the rotor 36d. In the example shown, the gear train 86d comprises a drive pinion 88d, which is arranged in the central cup portion 50d concealed beneath the cup base 54d and is in meshing engagement with a toothing (not shown in greater detail in FIG. 5b) formed on the inner circumferential side of the cup lateral surface 52d. With appropriate dimensioning of the cup portion 50d, the entire gear train 86d, together with the mentioned electric motor, can be accommodated in the cup interior delimited by the central cup portion 50d. The force-transmitting engagement of the drive pinion 88d with the cup lateral surface 52d at the inner circumference thereof permits a small overall height of the annular magazine 30d.

When the cover 24d is open, the user has access to all the tablet compartments 38d of the annular magazine 30d. Without having to rotate the rotor 36d, the user is accordingly able to fill each of the tablet compartments 38d with a detergent tablet 42d when the cover 24d is open. To this end, the rotor 36d can remain in the magazine chamber 37d; the rotor 36d does not have to be removed from the magazine chamber 37d. Filling of the rotor 36d with detergent tablets 42d can accordingly be carried out in a state in which the rotor 36d is in force-transmitting engagement with the drive mechanism 84d.

The exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 6a, 6b differs from the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 5a to 5c substantially by the additional provision of a protective cover 90e, which in the example shown is in the form of a pivotable cover and is held on the chute housing 66e so as to be pivotable between an open position shown in FIG. 6a and a closed position shown in FIG. 6b. In the open position according to FIG. 6a, the protective cover 90e frees the outlet opening 64e, so that the outlet opening 64e is freed for the discharge of detergent tablets 42e. In the closed position according to FIG. 6b, the protective cover 90e is pivoted over the outlet opening 64e, so that the outlet opening 64e is shut off against the falling out of detergent tablets 42e. The protective cover 90e, when it is in the closed position according to FIG. 6b, prevents hot steam or spray from entering the chute (not shown in greater detail in FIGS. 6a, 6b) formed in the interior of the chute housing 66e at the outlet opening 64e.

The dosing system 20e of FIGS. 6a, 6b is in this respect equipped with a double barrier for preventing the rise of steam or/and spray through the chute into the region of the annular magazine 30e. A first barrier is formed by the protective cover 90e; a second barrier is formed by the shut-off slider 68e, indicated only by a broken line in FIGS. 6a, 6b, which is movably guided in the slider housing 82e and is able to shut off the chute at a shut-off point between the top and the bottom chute end.

Also depicted in FIG. 6a is an actuator 92e, indicated schematically, which is coupled via a mechanical drive connection 94e with the shut-off slider 68e and is coupled via a mechanical drive connection 96e with the protective cover 90e. The drive connections 94e, 96e comprise, for example, one or more gears, the actuator 92e is in the form of, for example, an electromotive actuator. Via the drive connections 94e, 96e, the protective cover 90e and the shut-off slider 68e can be supplied with drive power from a single, that is to say common, source. In particular, the actuator 92e is so controlled and the drive connections 94e, 96e are so configured that the shut-off slider 68e and the protective cover 90e open and close in a synchronized manner when the actuator 92e is actuated. Thus, when the shut-off slider 68e is moved from the freeing position according to FIG. 6a into the shut-off position according to FIG. 6b, the protective cover 90e is at the same time pivoted from the open position according to FIG. 6a into the closed position according to FIG. 6b, and vice versa. The actuator 92e is controlled by a suitable control unit, for example the control unit 18 of FIG. 1.

Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 7a to 7d. FIG. 7a is a perspective view of the annular magazine 30f, as a user sees it when he has opened a magazine cover (for example the cover 24a of FIG. 2 or the cover 24d of FIG. 5a). FIG. 7b is a view similar to FIG. 7a, but wherein the cup base 54f of the central cup portion 50f of the rotor 36f has been removed so that it is possible to see into the interior of the central cup portion 50f. FIG. 7c shows a section through the annular magazine 30f, and FIG. 7d is a partially cutaway overall view of the tablet dosing system 20f equipped with the annular magazine 30f of FIGS. 7a to 7c, wherein a tablet compartment 38f that is to be emptied next is located in a test position.

It will be seen that, in the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 7a to 7d, a window opening 98f is formed in the cup lateral surface 52f of the rotor 36f in the region of each of the tablet compartments 38f. Arranged stationarily relative to the magazine housing 32f, the annular magazine 30f additionally comprises a photoelectric sensor component 100f (FIG. 7d) which is accommodated in the cup interior of the central cup portion 50f and implements, for example, a light barrier or part thereof and serves to detect the presence or absence of a detergent tablet in one of the tablet compartments 38f. The sensor component 100f is so arranged that it is able to check, in a test position angularly offset with respect to the dosing position, a tablet compartment 38f that is to be emptied next for the presence or absence of a detergent tablet. The test position is consequently angularly offset with respect to the 6 o'clock position; in the example shown in FIG. 7d, the test position corresponds approximately to the quarter past five position. The test position corresponds to an angular position in which the tablet compartment 38f in question is not yet situated wholly opposite the dosing opening 58f, so that, in the test position, a detergent tablet present in the tablet compartment 38f in question is not yet able to fall out of the tablet compartment 38f into the chute 62f In the example shown, the test position corresponds to an angular position in which the tablet compartment 38f in question is located substantially outside the extent of the dosing opening 58f. At the same time, the test position is sufficiently close to the dosing position to ensure that, on rotation of the rotor 36f, the tablet compartment 38f in question is the next tablet compartment to move into the dosing position (i.e. no other tablet compartment 38f should reach the dosing position beforehand).

In this manner, before a tablet compartment 38f is moved into a position radially opposite the dosing opening 58f, it is possible to check, by means of the sensor component 100f, whether there is a detergent tablet in the tablet compartment 38f in question. If the magazine controller (formed, for example, by the control unit 18 of FIG. 1) determines that the tablet compartment 38f in question is empty, it can emit, for example, a visual or/and acoustic indication by means of which the user is requested to fill the annular magazine 30f with new detergent tablets. Other predefined control actions are of course likewise conceivable. Moreover, the magazine controller, once one of the tablet compartments 38f has been moved into a position radially opposite the dosing opening 58f, can check whether the tablet compartment 38f in question has actually been emptied. To this end, the magazine controller can instigate a backward movement of the rotor 36f into a rotational position in which the tablet compartment 38f in question is again in the test position, so that the sensor component 100f can check the tablet compartment 38f in question again. If the magazine controller then determines that the tablet compartment 38f in question is empty, it knows that the detergent tablet previously located therein has actually been emptied properly into the chute 62f.

The window openings 98f in the cup lateral surface 52f of the rotor 36f allow the sensor component 100f to “see”, figuratively speaking, into the tablet compartments 38f To this end, the sensor component 100f can comprise, for example, a light-emitting diode which transmits a sensor light beam 101f (FIG. 7d) oriented radially or at a comparatively small angle relative to the radial direction. The sensor light beam 101f passes through the window opening 98f of the tablet compartment 38f in question (when it is in the test position) and either strikes a detergent tablet, if one is present in the tablet compartment 38f, or passes through the entire tablet compartment 38f radially outwards to the chamber delimiting wall 56f. According to some embodiments, a photodetector (e.g. photodiode or phototransistor), not shown in greater detail, can there be seated in the chamber delimiting wall 56f in a position substantially radially opposite the sensor component 100f. According to other embodiments, such a photodetector can be contained in the sensor component 100f, wherein the light barrier then works by the reflection principle and utilizes different degrees of reflection according to whether the sensor light beam 101f strikes a detergent tablet or the chamber delimiting wall 56f.

The two exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 8 and 9 differ from the preceding exemplary embodiments by the presence of a pusher, which is able to impart a pulse-like thrust in the direction of fall (i.e. in the direction of gravity) to a detergent tablet that is in the dosing position (i.e. in a position radially opposite the dosing opening) in a tablet compartment. Such a push can help the detergent tablet to fall out of the tablet compartment in question and into the chute, for example if agglutinations prevent the detergent tablet from falling downwards out of the tablet compartment independently.

In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 8, the mentioned pusher is in the form of a spring-operated pusher 102g, which generates the desired push from its inherent spring tension. In the example shown, the spring-operated pusher 102g is formed by a spring bow 104g, which forms a resiliently deflectable pusher nose 106g. The spring bow 104g can be formed by a metal strip which has been bent into the desired shape by bending. When one of the tablet compartments 38g is in the dosing position (i.e. in a position radially opposite the dosing opening at the entry to the chute), the pusher nose 106g then protrudes to a certain extent into the tablet compartment 38g in question through a window opening 107g formed in the cup lateral surface 52g of the rotor 26g. Each of the tablet compartments 38g of the rotor 36g is designed with such a window opening 107g. Looking at the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 7a to 7d, the window openings 98f therein can serve as the window openings 107g of FIG. 8. On rotation of the rotor 36g, the opening edge of the window opening 107g in question pushes the pusher nose 106g radially inwards, so that the cup lateral surface 52g is able to slide past the pusher nose 106g until the next window opening 107g moves into the region of the pusher nose 106g. The pusher nose 106g, owing to its inherent spring tension, then snaps into that next window opening 107g and pushes against a detergent tablet located in the associated tablet compartment 38g. The detergent tablet is thus actively pushed into the chute.

In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 9, an electromagnetic pusher 108h is provided instead of a spring-operated pusher, which electromagnetic pusher has an electromagnetic actuator 110h and a pusher head 112h which can be advanced in a pulse-like manner by excitation of the electromagnetic actuator 110h. The pusher head 112h has the same function as the pusher nose 106g of the spring-operated pusher 102g of FIG. 8; on excitation of the electromagnetic actuator 110h, the pusher head 112h moves to a certain extent through the window opening 98h of the tablet compartment 38h that is currently in the dosing position, that is to say in a position radially opposite the chute, into the tablet compartment 38h in question. Provided that there is a detergent tablet therein and the detergent tablet has not yet fallen into the chute by itself, the pusher head 112h pushes against the detergent tablet and thereby initiates its fall into the chute.

FIG. 10 is a partially cutaway view of an exemplary embodiment of the blower 78i with the impeller 76i housed in the blower housing 80i. It will be seen that the blower housing 80i is fitted to the rear side of the door lining panel 22i of the door 16i (rear side means the side of the door lining panel 22i that faces towards the inside of the door, that is to say away from the dishwashing chamber). The intake of air by means of the impeller 76i takes place through intake slots 114i which are formed in the blower housing 80i and are open towards the inner lining panel 22i. By fitting the blower housing 80i to the inner lining panel 22i, the intake slots 114i are accordingly closed at the end. Such intake slots 114i can be provided along all four sides of the blower housing 80i, which in the example shown has a quadrangular contour. Owing to the position of the intake slots 114i close to the panel, the intake of air takes place close to the inner lining panel 22i. Air flows substantially along the inner lining panel 22i through the intake slots 114i into the impeller chamber 74i and is pushed by the impeller 76i into the magazine chamber of the annular magazine and adjoining parts of the dosing system.

In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 11, the tablet dosing system 20k comprises not an annular magazine but a stack magazine 116k having two magazine chutes 118k, each of which allows a plurality of detergent tablets 42k, which in the example shown are of quadrangular shape, to be stored in a tablet stack. The two magazine chutes 118k extend at least over a portion of their chute length at a distance from one another, wherein the gap between the two magazine chutes 118k is used to accommodate the blower 78k, more precisely to accommodate the blower housing 80k of the blower 78k housing the impeller 76k. Both magazine chutes 118k can thus be supplied uniformly with blowing air by the blower 78k. The blowing air is blown directly by the blower 78k into the chute chambers of the magazine chutes 118k.

For individually serving the two tablet stacks, that is to say for individually removing a detergent tablet 42k from a chosen tablet stack, the tablet dosing system 20k comprises an extractor slider 120k, which is linearly adjustable by means of a slider drive unit, not shown in greater detail, for example an electromotive slider drive unit, between different positions in which it is ready to receive a detergent tablet 42k from one of the tablet stacks (corresponding to the illustration of FIG. 11) and to deliver the received detergent tablet 42k into the chute, only the chute housing 66k of which is visible in FIG. 11. Further details of the construction and function of the extractor slider 120k can be found in DE 10 2019 009 054 A1 and in particular in the explanations given therein relating to the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 7 to 10. The content of the mentioned DE specification is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

There are shown in FIG. 11 further blowers 78′k and 78″k, which are arranged at a different location of the dosing system 20k to the blower 78k and illustrate alternative or additional arrangement positions for such blowers. The blower 78′k is in direct blowing air supply connection with the chute inside the chute housing 66k, the blower 78″k is in direct blowing air supply connection with the slider chamber in which the extractor slider 120k is slidably received. It will be appreciated that not all three blowers 78k, 78′k, 78″k have to be provided. Provided that one of the mentioned three blowers is sufficient to ensure a flow of blowing air through the magazine chutes 118k, the chute and the slider chamber, the remaining blowers can be omitted.

In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 12, the tablet dosing system 20l again comprises a stack magazine 116l having two magazine chutes 118l which, as in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 11, are served by a common extractor member. In the case of the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 12, this extractor member is in the form of a rotary extractor 122l which is received in an extractor housing 126l so as to be rotatable about an axis of rotation 124l. In the installed situation of the tablet dosing system 20l, the axis of rotation 124l is substantially orthogonal to the main plane of the door of the dishwashing machine; the two magazine chutes 118l are thus fitted into the door such that the tablet stacks formed in the magazine chutes 118l by the detergent tablets 42l are arranged side by side along an orthogonal plane to the axis of rotation 124l.

The rotary extractor 122l has two extraction pockets 128l, which are each dimensioned to receive a detergent tablet 42l. As can readily be seen in FIG. 12, the two extraction pockets 128l are unevenly distributed in the circumferential direction of the rotary extractor 122l, that is to say they are not diametrically opposite one another. Instead, the two extraction pockets 128l are formed in the example shown within a 180° segment of the rotary extractor 122l. During operation, the rotary extractor 122l can be controlled such that, for example, it serves one of the tablet stacks with one of the extraction pockets 128l (i.e. extracts a detergent tablet 42l from the tablet stack in question) and is then rotated into a position in which the received detergent tablet 42l is able to fall out of the extraction pocket 128l in question into the chute 62l and then, by comparatively slight further rotation or backward rotation of the rotary extractor 122l, the other of the two extraction pockets 128l is brought beneath the other of the tablet stacks, so that a detergent tablet is then able to fall from the other tablet stack into the rotary extractor 122l. By repeatedly changing the direction of rotation of the rotary extractor 122l, each of the tablet stacks can thus be served alternately, wherein the extraction pockets 128l are each always used for the same tablet stack.

Number	Date	Country	Kind
102020132502.9	Dec 2020	DE	national
102021110759.8	Apr 2021	DE	national

DOSING OF A SOLID DETERGENT IN A DOMESTIC DISHWASHING MACHINE

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