Dosing unit, water bearing household appliance and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12268349-B2
Application number	US-202017617719-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 3, 2020
Priority date	Jul 9, 2019
Publication date	Apr 8, 2025
Grant date	Apr 8, 2025

Abstract

A dosing unit for use in an automatic dosing system of a water-bearing household appliance, for automatically dosing a dosing amount of a solid detergent, the dosing unit comprising a dosing cartridge for storing a bulk of the solid detergent and a dosing device for separating the dosing amount from the bulk and releasing the separated dosing amount by linearly displacing a sliding element from a separating position to a release position, wherein the dosing device includes a dosing channel, wherein, when the sliding element is in the separating position, the dosing channel is configured for receiving at least the dosing amount from the bulk and intermediately storing the dosing amount in a pre-dosing position, and, when the sliding element is in the release position, the dosing device is configured for releasing the dosing amount intermediately stored in the pre-dosing position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A dosing unit for use in an automatic dosing system of a water-bearing household appliance, for automatically dosing a dosing amount of a solid detergent, the dosing unit comprising:
a storage cartridge for storing a bulk of the solid detergent; and
a dosing device for separating the dosing amount from the bulk and releasing the separated dosing amount by linearly displacing a sliding element from a separating position to a release position,
wherein the dosing device comprises a dosing channel,
wherein, when the sliding element is in the separating position, the dosing channel is configured for receiving at least the dosing amount from the bulk and intermediately storing the dosing amount in a pre-dosing position, and, when the sliding element is in the release position, the dosing device is configured for releasing the dosing amount intermediately stored in the pre-dosing position, and wherein the sliding element is configured for poking upwards into the bulk for loosening the bulk.

2. The dosing unit according to claim 1 , wherein the dosing channel is configured for receiving and intermediately storing a plurality of dosing amounts.

3. The dosing unit according to claim 1 , wherein the dosing device comprises a blocking mechanism for holding back detergent intermediately stored in the dosing channel different to the dosing amount intermediately stored in the pre-dosing position when the sliding element is in the release position.

4. The dosing unit according to claim 1 , wherein the storage cartridge comprises a container having an inclined bottom side with respect to a horizontal direction when the dosing unit is oriented as intended for use and an outlet arranged at a lowest position of the container in this orientation.

5. The dosing unit according to claim 1 , wherein the dosing comprises a container having a cylindrical shape with elliptical cross section, which is oriented, when the dosing unit is oriented as intended for use, such that a gravitational vector is parallel to a side wall of the container.

6. The dosing unit according to claim 5 , wherein the container has a taper section in which the container tapers towards an outlet arranged at a lowest position of the container when the dosing unit is oriented as intended for use.

7. The dosing unit according to claim 1 , wherein the dosing unit comprises a cap configured for sealing the dosing unit when the sliding element ( 124 ) is in the separating position.

8. The dosing unit according to claim 1 , wherein one of the storage cartridge or the dosing device has a deflection element configured for carrying a weight of a part of the solid detergent from the bulk arranged vertically above the deflection element when the dosing unit is oriented as intended for use, wherein the deflection element is arranged inside the storage cartridge vertically above an outlet of the storage cartridge when the dosing unit is oriented as intended for use.

9. The dosing unit according to claim 1 , wherein the dosing unit includes a coupling element configured for coupling to an external agitation unit for agitating at least the storage cartridge.

10. The dosing unit according to claim 1 , wherein the solid detergent is provided in form of detergent tablets.

11. The dosing unit according to claim 10 , wherein the dosing channel is configured for aligning the intermediately stored detergent tablets in a line one on top of the other when the dosing unit is oriented as intended for use, wherein the lowest detergent tablet is in the pre-dosing position.

12. The dosing unit according to claim 11 , wherein the blocking mechanism comprises an elastic clamping element configured for elastically clamping and holding the detergent tablet arranged directly on top of the adjacent detergent tablet in the pre-dosing position forming the dosing amount when the sliding element is in the release position.

13. The dosing unit according to claim 1 , wherein the sliding element comprises a first element and a second element, wherein the first element and the second element are arranged movably relative to one another.

14. The dosing unit according to claim 13 , wherein the first element and the second element are arranged in a first relative position when the sliding element is in the separating position, and are arranged in a second relative position when the sliding element is in the release position.

15. The dosing unit according to claim 14 , wherein, when the sliding element is in the release position, the first element is arranged in the dosing channel and the second element extends out of the dosing channel, such that an outlet is cleared allowing for release of the dosing amount.

16. A water-bearing household appliance comprising an automatic dosing system, the automatic dosing system comprising a dosing unit for automatically dosing a dosing amount of a solid detergent into washing liquor for treating articles, wherein the dosing unit is implemented according to claim 1 .

17. The water-bearing household appliance according to claim 16 , wherein the automatic dosing system includes a driving unit for actuating the dosing unit for dosing the dosing amount.

18. The water-bearing household appliance according to claim 16 , wherein the automatic dosing system is configured for removably receiving the dosing unit.

19. The water-bearing household appliance according to claim 16 , wherein the automatic dosing system includes an agitation unit for agitating at least the storage cartridge and the storage cartridge includes a coupling element for coupling to the agitation unit.

20. A method for dosing a dosing amount of solid detergent from a dosing unit ( 100 ), the method comprising:
separating at least the dosing amount from a bulk of the solid detergent stored in a storage cartridge by receiving at least the dosing amount in a dosing channel, wherein the step of separating at least the dosing amount comprises agitating the bulk of the solid detergent;
intermediately storing the separated amount of solid detergent in the dosing channel, wherein at least the dosing amount is arranged in a pre-dosing position;
sliding a sliding element from a separating position to a release position;
releasing the dosing amount intermediately stored in the pre-dosing position; and
sliding the sliding element from the release position back to the separating position.

Assignees

• Reckitt Benckiser Brands Ltd
• Bsh Hausgeraete Gmbh

Inventors

• Buogo Alberto
• Schultz Jakob
• Schiele Alexander
• Fletcher Henry Matthew Lawrence
• Smith Iain Christopher
• Carr Joshua
• Kuiper Jelmer Jeroen
• Norp Bram Alexander
• Van Opstal Edwin Petrus Elisabeth
• Pape Gerhard Jan

Classifications

• A47L15/4436 Primary

  in the form of a detergent solution made by gradually dissolving a powder detergent cake or a solid detergent block · CPC title

• A47L15/0015

  other treatment phases, e.g. steam or sterilizing phase · CPC title

• A47L15/00

  Washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware · CPC title

• D06F39/026 Primary

  the powder or tablets being added directly, e.g. without the need of a flushing liquid · CPC title

• A47L2501/07

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