Automatic washing machine and method for dosing one or more laundry treatment agents

Abstract

The invention relates to a washing machine with a tub for receiving laundry treatment liquid (10) and a drum rotatably mounted in the tub for receiving laundry and a dosing system, wherein the dosing system comprises: - a drawer (6) designed to receive several block-shaped laundry treatment agents (1, 2, 3, 4), - a water inlet (7) designed to spray water (8) onto an interface of one (2) or more of the several block-shaped laundry treatment agents (1, 2, 3, 4) as a rinsing area when activated, so that the laundry treatment liquid (10) is supplied to the tub, which comprises the water (8) and a predetermined dose of the sprayed block-shaped laundry treatment agent (2).Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for dosing one or more laundry treatment agents (1, 2, 3, 4) into a washing machine tub, comprising spraying one or more of the block-shaped laundry treatment agents (1, 2, 3, 4) with water (8) such that an interface of the (2) or of the several of the several block-shaped laundry treatment agents (1, 2, 3, 4) is detached as a rinsing area, so that a laundry treatment liquid (10) is supplied to the tub, which contains the water (8) and a predetermined dose of the sprayed block-shaped laundry treatment agent (2).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a washing machine and a method for dosing one or more laundry treatment agents.

[0002] Liquid laundry treatment products generally contain larger quantities of water. While powdered laundry treatment products do not contain water, their bulk density is typically only 600 to 800 g / l. Therefore, powdered laundry treatment products offer no real advantage over liquid products, at least during transport. However, because bleach can be stably incorporated into powdered laundry treatment products, which is only possible with separate dosing in liquid products, powdered laundry treatment products offer performance advantages. Nevertheless, powdered laundry treatment products are often hygroscopic and tend to clump. To increase the density of the powdered laundry treatment product, the powders can be further compacted.This can be achieved, for example, through compression, extrusion, casting, or other compacting and shaping processes. This results in block-shaped laundry treatment agents in any desired form. Unlike liquid products, such a block-shaped laundry treatment agent can be advantageously packaged with minimal effort, for example, in a simple film or cardboard box.

[0003] Dosing powdered laundry treatment products is generally more difficult than dosing liquid ones. Therefore, liquid dosing methods have become the norm. Block laundry treatment products are advantageous here because they don't soak through completely like powdered products. However, a dosing system is required for block laundry treatment products.

[0004] The invention therefore addresses the problem of providing an advantageous dosing system for block-shaped laundry treatment agents. In particular, the dosing system should be able to dose more than one block-shaped laundry treatment agent.

[0005] According to the invention, this problem is solved by a washing machine with the features of claim 1 and a method with the features of claim 10. Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention are described in the following dependent claims.

[0006] The advantages achievable with the invention include minimal effort for solid dosing, the fact that no or only a few moving parts such as a nozzle are required, the design is simple, and no pump is necessary. Complete coverage for all washing programs and textiles is possible. Furthermore, a better cleaning effect is achieved compared to liquid laundry treatment agents, as a bleaching agent can be integrated into the block-shaped laundry treatment agent. Additionally, the washing machine eliminates the need for a nozzle plate in the conventional detergent dispenser. The design also provides a venting function via the product feed-in, and water safety is maintained. Simple product coding to prevent confusion between individual laundry treatment agents is easily achieved through their shape.

[0007] The invention relates to a washing machine with a tub for receiving laundry treatment fluid and a drum rotatably mounted in the tub for receiving laundry and a dosing system, wherein the dosing system comprises a drawer designed to hold several block-shaped laundry treatment agents, a water inlet designed to, when activated, spray an interface of one or more of the several block-shaped laundry treatment agents with water as a rinsing area, so that the laundry treatment fluid, which contains water and a predetermined dose of the sprayed block-shaped laundry treatment agent, is supplied to the lye container.

[0008] The drawer serves as a chemical carrier. It is designed so that the multiple block-shaped laundry treatment agents are readily accessible to a water jet from the water inlet. Preferably, the water inlet is designed to detach one or more of the block-shaped laundry treatment agents piece by piece with a water jet. In the area of ​​the water inlet, the multiple block-shaped laundry treatment agents are readily accessible, so that their interface is sprayed with a water jet as soon as one or more of the block-shaped laundry treatment agents are to be dosed, causing layer by layer of the sprayed block-shaped laundry treatment agent to detach and the resulting laundry treatment agent, mixed with water, to enter the washing machine's tub.

[0009] In In a preferred embodiment, the washing machine further comprises a feed mechanism designed to push one or more of the multiple block-shaped laundry treatment agents into a region of the water inlet, so that they are readily accessible in the water inlet area. This further ensures that the laundry treatment agents are easily accessible to the water inlet, i.e., to the water jet generated from it for dosing.

[0010] Preferably, the water inlet is designed as a movable nozzle or a cross-flow water diverter. To dose more than one of the block-shaped laundry treatment agents, the water jet can thus be directed individually at the different block-shaped laundry treatment agents.

[0011] In In a preferred embodiment, there is a spatial separation between the respective rinsing areas of the several block-shaped laundry treatment agents. This prevents the unintentional rinsing of a further block-shaped laundry treatment agent than the one intended.

[0012] Preferably, the washing machine further comprises a measuring device which is arranged and configured to measure the concentration of the laundry treatment agent in the washing liquid by measuring the conductivity of the washing liquid in the washing tank or of the washing liquid flowing into the washing tank. This ensures correct dosing.

[0013] In In a preferred embodiment, the washing machine further comprises a control and / or regulating device configured to control and / or regulate a laundry treatment process such that water is supplied to the water inlet from a fresh water line and / or that water is supplied to the water inlet from the washing tank in the form of the laundry treatment fluid. Supplying the water from the washing tank has the advantage that it allows for replenishment without changing the water level in the washing machine, thereby increasing process reliability and enabling staggered dosing.

[0014] In In a generally suitable design, the washing machine includes a sensor, preferably a displacement sensor, which is attached to or within the dispenser compartment and is configured to detect the length of the detergent block or the change in length during the spraying process. The sensor is operatively connected to the control and / or regulating device and serves to determine the preset dosage. Both the remaining quantity and the amount of detergent dissolved during the spraying process can be detected. The control device can stop the spraying process as soon as the preset dosage has been dissolved. The detergent released from the block is rinsed into the tub or drum of the washing machine to mix the water introduced into the tub with detergent.

[0015] Preferably, the washing machine further comprises an empty or full level indicator designed to show whether one or more of the laundry treatment agents arranged in the drawer are empty or in what quantity they are present in the drawer. Preferably, the empty or full level indicator includes a displacement sensor.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment, the drawer is designed such that water splashed from the water inlet remains in it. Individual sections of the drawer for the multiple block-shaped laundry treatment agents can thus also be used as an emergency dispenser if no block-shaped laundry treatment agent is present.

[0017] The invention further relates to a method for dosing one or more laundry treatment agents into a lye container of a washing machine, comprising spraying one or more of the block-shaped laundry treatment agents with water in such a way that an interface of the or several of the several block-shaped laundry treatment agents is removed as a rinsing area, so that a laundry treatment liquid is supplied to the lye container which contains the water and a predetermined dose of the sprayed block-shaped laundry treatment agent.

[0018] An embodiment of the invention is shown schematically in the drawings and is described in more detail below. It is shown schematically and not to scale. Fig. 1 shows a partial cross-sectional view of a washing machine according to the invention; and Fig. 2 shows a partial cross-sectional view of another washing machine according to the invention.

[0019] Fig. 1 Figure 1 shows a partial cross-sectional view of a washing machine according to the invention. The washing machine has a tub (not shown) for holding laundry treatment fluid 10, a drum (not shown) rotatably mounted in the tub for holding laundry (not shown), and a dosing system. The dosing system has a drawer 6 configured to hold several block-shaped laundry treatment agents 1, 2, 3, 4, and a water inlet 7 configured, upon activation, to spray water 8 onto an interface 2 of one or more of the several block-shaped laundry treatment agents 1, 2, 3, 4 as a rinsing area, so that the laundry treatment fluid 10 is supplied to the tub. The laundry treatment fluid comprises the water 8 and a predetermined dose of the sprayed block-shaped laundry treatment agent 2.

[0020] In Drawer 6 contains several block-shaped laundry treatment products (1, 2, 3, 4) – for example, four. Laundry treatment product 1 is a color detergent, laundry treatment product 2 is a general-purpose detergent, laundry treatment product 3 is a delicate detergent, and laundry treatment product 4 is a fragrance and / or fabric softener.

[0021] During operation, the water inlet 7 sprays water 8 onto the second component 2 during a dosing process of a pre-programmed wash cycle, thus forming the washing liquid 10, which is then fed into the washing machine's tub to enable the washing of laundry. As indicated by the arrows, the water inlet 7 is movable, allowing it to also spray water onto the first, third, or fourth laundry treatment agent 1, 3, 4 to dose them into the tub. The dividers 9 further enable individual spraying of each desired laundry treatment agent 1, 2, 3, 4. The feed mechanism 5 ensures that all laundry treatment agents 1, 2, 3, 4 are positioned in a sprayable position in the drawer 6.

[0022] Fig. 2 shows a partial cross-sectional view of another washing machine according to the invention. The washing machine in Fig. 2 The washing machine shown corresponds to the one in Fig. 1The washing machine shown differs in that its drawer 6 is designed to hold three laundry treatment agents 11, 12, and 13. Laundry treatment agent 11 has a hydrogen peroxide carrier and is block-shaped. Laundry treatment agent 12 has a bleach activator and is block-shaped. Laundry treatment agent 11 and / or laundry treatment agent 12 may each further contain a builder such as zeolite, citrate, aminocarboxylate, phosphonate, and / or biopolymer; a surfactant such as an anionic, nonionic, amphoteric, and / or cationic surfactant; an enzyme such as protease, amylase, lipase, mannase, and / or cellulase; and / or a performance polymer such as a performance polymer to prevent color transfer and / or a performance polymer to prevent soil transfer.Furthermore, the laundry treatment agent 11 and / or the laundry treatment agent 12 may each contain an optical brightener, a processing aid, a tracer for concentration determination, and / or a dye. The optional laundry treatment agent 13 is in the form of a block-shaped fragrance and / or fabric softener.

[0023] When laundry treatment additives 11 and 12 are added together to the detergent dispenser, a heavy-duty detergent with very good bleaching and hygiene properties is produced. If only laundry treatment additive 11 is added to the detergent dispenser, a heavy-duty detergent with low bleaching and satisfactory hygiene properties is produced, suitable, for example, for colored laundry. If only laundry treatment additive 12 is added to the detergent dispenser, a detergent for colored and delicate fabrics is produced, which, depending on the dosage, is also suitable for sensitive textiles such as wool and silk. Reference symbol list

[0024] 1, 2, 3, 4, 11, 12, 13 each laundry treatment agent 5 Feed mechanism 6 Drawer 7 Water inlet 8 Water 9 Separation 10 Laundry treatment fluid

Claims

1. Washing machine with a tub for receiving laundry treatment liquid (10) and a drum rotatably mounted in the tub for receiving laundry and a dosing system, wherein the dosing system comprises: - a receiving compartment (6), preferably a drawer (6), which is designed to receive one or more block-shaped laundry treatment agents (1, 2, 3, 4), - a water inlet (7), which, when activated, is designed to spray an interface of one (2) or more of the several block-shaped laundry treatment agents (1, 2, 3, 4) as a rinsing area with water (8), so that the laundry treatment liquid (10), which comprises the water (8) and a predetermined dose of the sprayed block-shaped laundry treatment agent (2), is supplied to the tub.

2. Washing machine according to claim 1, characterized bya feed mechanism (5) which is designed to push one or more of the several block-shaped laundry treatment agents (1, 2, 3, 4) into an area of ​​the water inlet (7) so that they are openly accessible in the area of ​​the water inlet (7).

3. Washing machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the fact that the water inlet (7) is designed as a movable nozzle or a cross-flow water diverter.

4. Washing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that a spatial separation (9) exists between the respective rinsing areas of the several block-shaped laundry treatment agents (1, 2, 3, 4).

5. Washing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bya measuring device which is arranged and designed to measure a laundry treatment agent concentration of the laundry treatment liquid (10) by means of a conductivity measurement of the laundry treatment liquid (10) located in the lye container or of laundry treatment liquid (10) flowing into the lye container.

6. Washing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a control and / or regulating device designed to control and / or regulate a laundry treatment process for treating the laundry in such a way that the water (8) is supplied to the water inlet (7) from a fresh water line and / or that the water (8) is supplied to the water inlet (7) from the lye container in the form of the laundry treatment liquid (10).

7. Laundry treatment system according to claim 6, characterized bya sensor, preferably a displacement sensor, which is attached to or in the receiving compartment and is designed to detect the length of the detergent block or to detect the change in length during spraying, wherein the sensor is in operative communication with the control and / or regulating device and serves for the predetermined dosage.

8. Laundry treatment agent system according to an empty or full level indicator, which is designed to indicate whether one or more of the laundry treatment agents arranged in the drawer (6) are empty or in what quantity is or are present in the drawer (6), wherein the empty or full level indicator preferably has a displacement sensor.

9. Washing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the drawer (6) is designed in such a way that water sprayed from the water inlet remains in it.

10. Method for dosing one or more laundry treatment agents (1, 2, 3, 4) into a tub of a washing machine, characterized by Spraying one or more of the block-shaped laundry treatment agents (1, 2, 3, 4) with water (8) such that an interface of the (2) or of the several of the several block-shaped laundry treatment agents (1, 2, 3, 4) is removed as a rinsing area, so that a laundry treatment liquid (10) is supplied to the lye container, which contains the water (8) and a predetermined dose of the sprayed block-shaped laundry treatment agent (2).

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