Liquid detergent dispensing system for automatic washer

Abstract

A liquid laundry detergent dispenser for an automatic washing machine employs a reservoir that holds a quantity of the detergent sufficient for numerous wash cycles. An air / fluid chamber fills through a check valve from the base of the reservoir. To commence a dispense cycle, a timer circuit is actuated to run an air pump that supplies air under pressure through an air hose to the air / fluid chamber, and this displaces the detergent from the chamber and through a detergent dispense hose into the tub or drum of the washing machine. At the end of the dispense cycle, a bleed valve opens to relieve pressure on the air hose and the air / fluid chamber. The automatic detergent dispenser can be attached to existing washers or built in. A multiple arrangement can be used with a bank of washers at a commercial laundry.

Description

[0001] Applicant claims priority of Provisional Application 60 / 633,321, Dec. 6, 2004. The disclosure of such provisional application is incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention is directed to the automatic washing machines, e.g., for clothes washing and laundry, although the principles could be applied to dishwashers and other automated washing or cleansing systems. The invention is more particularly concerned with systems and devices for automatically injecting a measured amount of detergent and moving it from a storage tank or container into the washing machine. [0003] Automatic washing machines have been used commercially and in homes for many decades. In each case, the user has to measure and dispense a quantity of detergent into the machine at the commencement of a wash cycle. There is always human error in administering the detergent to the machine, and often too much detergent is dispensed. Further, it is inconvenient for the user to ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006] Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a simple and cost effective system for automatically dispensing liquid laundry detergent directly into a washing machine, that avoids the drawbacks of the prior art.

Problems solved by technology

There is always human error in administering the detergent to the machine, and often too much detergent is dispensed.

Further, it is inconvenient for the user to have to measure and pour in the detergent.

However, these only hold enough detergent for a single wash cycle.

Typically, the cap of the detergent container is marked for full and partial loads, but many people find it difficult to fill the cap up to a partial level.

More typically, in the case of a medium or light load, the person will simply fill the cap to the “full load” level, even when that is not necessary, e.g., for a medium or light load, resulting in wasted detergent, and creating an environmental burden by injecting unnecessary amounts of the detergent into the fluid waste stream.

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