Detergent cartridge for a dishwasher

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12029372-B2
Application number	US-202117460732-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 30, 2021
Priority date	Jun 19, 2019
Publication date	Jul 9, 2024
Grant date	Jul 9, 2024

Abstract

A detergent dispenser may be positioned to dispense detergent into a wash tub of a household appliance. The detergent dispenser may include a detergent cartridge. The detergent cartridge may include a detergent strip having a plurality of detergents. One or more ejection mechanisms may be used to expel the detergent from the detergent strip through an outlet of the detergent cartridge.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dishwasher comprising:
a wash tub; and
a detergent dispenser positioned in the wash tub to dispense detergent into the wash tub including
a detergent cartridge including:
an outlet;
a load compartment;
a detergent strip comprising a plurality of detergents;
an unload compartment having a spool wheel, wherein the spool wheel includes an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder fixed to and substantially concentric with the inner cylinder and offset from each other to define a continuous annular channel entirely around the inner cylinder and one or more slots in the outer cylinder securing an end of the one or more detergent strips;

a spool wheel driver configured to rotate both the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder of the spool wheel and progressively coil the detergent strip containing a plurality of the detergents from the load compartment to the unload compartment to expel at least one detergent of the plurality of detergents from the detergent strip through the outlet.

2. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein the detergent cartridge includes one or more cams positioned between the load compartment and the unload compartment adjacent the outlet configured to expel the at least one detergent into the wash tub.

3. The dishwasher of claim 2 wherein the one or more cams is stationary within the detergent cartridge.

4. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein the detergent cartridge includes a base and a cover defining the unload compartment and the load compartment, wherein the cover is configured between a closed position and an opened position relative to the base, and when the cover is in the closed position the cover closes a single end of the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder thereby closing a top portion of the one or more slots to engage the detergent strip to the spool wheel and when the cover is in the opened position the cover opens the single end of the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder thereby opening the top portion of the one or more slots to install and/or remove the detergent strip from the spool wheel.

5. The dishwasher of claim 1 further comprising a dishwasher door, wherein the dishwasher door includes a housing for receiving the detergent cartridge.

6. The dishwasher of claim 1 further comprising a break beam sensor adjacent an ejection window into the wash tub downstream of the outlet of the detergent cartridge.

7. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein the end of the detergent strip is a closed looped end, and wherein the closed looped end is longitudinally positioned in a radial space defined by the annular channel between the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder with a portion of the detergent strip longitudinally positioned in the one or more slots and radially passing through the one or more slots in the outer cylinder.

8. A dishwasher comprising:
a wash tub;
a dishwasher door defining the wash tub and provides external access to the dishwasher, wherein the dishwasher door includes a detergent dispenser to dispense detergent into the wash tub including
a compartment with a lid positioned in the dishwasher door, wherein the lid is positionable between an opened position and a closed position relative to the compartment,
a detergent cartridge including:
an outlet;
a spool wheel, wherein the spool wheel includes an attachment mechanism to secure an end of one or more detergent strips, wherein the attachment mechanism includes an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder fixed to and substantially concentric with the inner cylinder and offset from each other to define a continuous annular channel entirely around the inner cylinder and one or more slots in the outer cylinder;
one or more cams positioned adjacent the outlet configured to expel the detergent into the wash tub;
the one or more detergent strips containing a plurality of the detergents;

a spool wheel driver configured to rotate both the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder fixed to the inner cylinder and progressively coil the one or more detergent strips containing the plurality of the detergents into engagement with the one or more cams thereby expelling the detergent from the one or more detergent strips through the outlet.

9. The dishwasher of claim 8 wherein at least one of the compartment and the lid includes an ejection window.

10. The dishwasher of claim 9 further comprising a break beam sensor adjacent the ejection window downstream of the outlet of the detergent cartridge.

11. The dishwasher of claim 8 wherein the spool wheel is positioned in an unload compartment.

12. The dishwasher of claim 8 the detergent cartridge includes a cover and a base, wherein the cover is positionable between an opened position and a closed position relative to the base.

13. The dishwasher of claim 8 wherein an outer periphery of the detergent cartridge includes the outlet and the one or more cams are positioned inwardly from the outlet.

14. The dishwasher of claim 8 wherein the end of the one or more detergent strips is looped, and wherein the looped end is positioned in a radial space defined by the annular channel between the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder with a portion of the one or more detergent strips passing through the one or more slots in the outer cylinder.

15. A detergent dispenser positioned to dispense detergent into a household appliance, comprising:
a detergent cartridge having a plurality of detergents within one or more detergent strips, including:
at least one of a base and/or a cover defining an outlet, and wherein the cover is positionable between an opened position and a closed position relative to the base;
one or more cams adjacent the outlet; and
a spool wheel wherein the spool wheel includes an attachment mechanism to secure an end of the one or more detergent strips, wherein the attachment mechanism includes an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder fixed to and substantially concentric with the inner cylinder and offset from each other to define a continuous annular channel entirely around the inner cylinder and one or more slots in the outer cylinder;

a spool wheel driver configured to rotate both the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder of the spool wheel and progressively coil the one or more detergent strips containing the plurality of detergents to expel the detergent from the one or more detergent strips through the outlet; and
a housing configured to receive the detergent cartridge, the housing including an ejection window.

16. The detergent dispenser of claim 15 wherein the household appliance is a dishwasher and the housing is coupled to a dishwasher door that provides external access to the dishwasher.

17. The detergent dispenser of claim 15 wherein the housing includes a break beam sensor adjacent the ejection window.

18. The detergent dispenser of claim 15 wherein the detergent cartridge includes a load compartment and an unload compartment with one or more cams therebetween, and wherein the unload compartment includes the spool wheel.

19. The detergent dispenser of claim 15 wherein at least one of the base and/or the cover is translucent.

20. The detergent dispenser of claim 15 wherein the end of the one or more detergent strips is a closed looped end, and wherein the closed looped end is longitudinally positioned in a radial space defined by the annular channel between the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder with a portion of the one or more detergent strips passing through the one or more slots in the outer cylinder.

Assignees

• Midea Group Co Ltd

Inventors

• Fawaz Bassam
• Digman Robert M
• Boyer Joel
• Dietrich Russell

Classifications

• B65H75/08

  of circular or polygonal cross-section (cans or receptacles B65H75/16) · CPC title

• B65H75/28

  Arrangements for positively securing ends of material · CPC title

• A47L15/449

  Metering controlling devices (A47L15/4229 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A47L2401/30

  Variation of electrical, magnetical or optical quantities · CPC title

• A47L2501/07

  Consumable products, e.g. detergent, rinse aids or salt · CPC title