Personalized cleaning composition dispensing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9706897-B2
Application number	US-201414548651-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 20, 2014
Priority date	Nov 20, 2014
Publication date	Jul 18, 2017
Grant date	Jul 18, 2017

Abstract

A personalized cleaning composition dispensing device for use in an automatic dishwasher dispensing the right chemistry at the right time during a wash cycle to provide an improved cleaning performance compared to standard automatic dishwasher dispensers. The device includes wash cycle sensing system that controls the release of chemistry via temperature and water flow data measured during the current wash cycle and uses either a preprogrammed product release algorithm for new wash cycles or a modified product release algorithm based on wash cycle data previously stored in the data storage unit for repeated wash cycles.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A personalized cleaning composition dispensing device comprising an upper housing and a lower housing; the upper housing comprising a refill compartment and an upper electronics compartment, the lower housing comprising a dispensing compartment beneath the refill compartment and a lower electronics compartment, the personalized cleaning composition dispensing device comprising:
a. a printed circuit board disposed in the upper or the lower electronics compartment, the printed circuit board comprising a microprocessor and data storage unit linked to the microprocessor;
b. a plurality of sensors disposed in the upper or the lower electronics compartment and linked to the microprocessor;
c. a motor disposed in the upper or the lower electronics compartment and linked to the microprocessor; and
d. a release mechanism disposed between the upper and lower housing separating the refill compartment from the dispensing compartment, the release mechanism is mechanically linked to the motor,
wherein the microprocessor controls actuation of the release mechanism via the motor relative to readings from the plurality of sensors and selects either a pre-programmed product release algorithm or a modified product release algorithm based on wash cycle data stored in the data storage unit.

2. The personalized cleaning composition dispensing device of claim 1 further comprising a power source comprising a battery.

3. The personalized cleaning composition dispensing device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors comprise a temperature sensor, and water flow sensor.

4. The personalized cleaning composition dispensing device of claim 3 , wherein the water flow sensor comprises a capacitor.

5. The personalized cleaning composition dispensing device of claim 1 wherein the data storage unit stores wash cycle data measured by the plurality of sensors as a function of time during wash programs selected by a consumer.

6. The personalized cleaning composition dispensing device of claim 5 wherein the wash cycle data measured by the plurality of sensors as a function of time is compared to wash cycle data stored in the data storage unit to identify the wash program selected as either a new wash program or a repeated wash program.

7. The personalized cleaning composition dispensing device of claim 6 wherein the microprocessor selects either the modified product release algorithm based on data stored in the data storage unit for the repeated wash programmed or the pre-programmed product release algorithm for the new wash program.

8. The personalized cleaning composition dispensing device of claim 7 wherein the wash cycle data for the new wash cycle is stored in the data storage unit.

9. The personalized cleaning composition dispensing device of claim 1 wherein the release mechanism comprises a rotating disc.

10. The personalized cleaning composition dispensing device of claim 1 wherein the motor comprises a stepper motor.

11. The personalized cleaning composition dispensing device of claim 1 , wherein the motor comprises a DC motor which controls the position of the release mechanism via a hall sensor disposed in the lower electronics compartment and a magnet disposed on the release mechanism.

12. The personalized cleaning composition dispensing device of claim 1 further comprising a bottom part attached to the lower housing closing the bottom electronics compartment.

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Van Tol Mik
• Keuleers Robby Renilde Francois
• Hoefte Paulus Antonius Augistinus
• Niestroj Benjamin

Classifications

• A47L2401/11

  Water hardness, acidity or basicity · CPC title

• A47L2401/30

  Variation of electrical, magnetical or optical quantities · CPC title

• A47L15/4472

  Blister packaging or refill cartridges · CPC title

• A47L15/4445

  Detachable devices · CPC title

• A47L15/4409

  by tipping containers or opening their lids, e.g. with the help of a programmer · CPC title