Auto-Dosing Dispenser Drawer With Self-Closing Fluid Valve
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laundry washing appliances lack an effective solution for auto-dosing liquid laundry treatment products, such as detergents and softeners, due to unsuitable dispensing systems that do not accommodate the evolution in product typologies and composition, leading to inefficiencies in user time and environmental pollution.
Innovation Solution
A dispensing arrangement within the appliance featuring a slidable drawer with a suction pump and valve system that automatically controls the dispensing of dosed amounts of treatment products into the washing tub, utilizing a mixing chamber connected to a water inlet and the tub, ensuring precise dosing and reduced waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a conventional dispensing system is used for liquid laundry treatment products, then the structure remains simple, but the dosing precision and product delivery control are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical gravity-based dispensing with a suction pump system that uses controlled suction to deliver precise dosages of liquid treatment products. The pump mechanism enables metered delivery through controlled aspiration, achieving dosing precision unattainable with simple gravity flow while managing system complexity through integrated pump-valve-drawer design.
Solution Approach 2:
The drawer is designed to automatically close a valve and cut off fluid connection when extracted from the seat, and automatically open the valve when pushed into the seat. This self-actuating mechanism eliminates the need for manual valve control, allowing the system to regulate its own fluid connection state based on drawer position, thereby improving dosing precision without proportionally increasing operational complexity.
2Ease of operation
If the drawer is extracted for refilling, then user access is improved, but fluid connection between container and pump is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The valve mechanism is dynamically linked to drawer position through a position-dependent actuation system. When the drawer is extracted, the valve automatically closes to maintain fluid connection reliability. When the drawer is pushed in, the valve automatically opens to restore product flow. This dynamic response ensures that ease of operation for refilling does not compromise fluid connection reliability during operational states.
Solution Approach 2:
The system preemptively closes the valve when the drawer begins to extract, preventing unintended product leakage or loss of fluid connection before the drawer is fully removed. This preliminary protective action ensures that the fluid connection remains reliable throughout the refilling operation, while still allowing easy drawer access for user maintenance.
3Measurement precision
If a suction pump system is implemented, then dosing precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the suction pump, valve mechanism, and drawer assembly into an integrated dispensing system. The pump and valve are positioned within the drawer structure, and the valve actuation is mechanically linked to drawer movement. This merging consolidates multiple functions into a unified system, achieving precise dosage control through the pump while minimizing the increase in overall device complexity through spatial and functional integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The drawer serves multiple functions: it acts as the user interface for product access, the mechanical actuator for valve control, and the structural housing for the pump system. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components for each function, thereby achieving precise dosing control through the pump system while limiting the net increase in device complexity through functional consolidation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables efficient auto-dosing of laundry treatment products, reducing user effort and environmental impact by ensuring precise dosing and minimizing waste, while maintaining the properties of liquid treatment products.
Implementation Method 1
at least one suction pump associated with the at least one container and fluidly connected to the laundry washing tub for delivering thereto dosed amounts of the treatment products
Implementation Method 2
At least one valve is provided for fluidly connecting the at least one container to the at least one suction pump, said valve being realized so as to automatically close and cut off the fluid connection between the at least one container and the at least one suction pump when the drawer is even partially extracted from the seat, and to automatically open and establish the fluid connection between the at least one container and the at least one suction pump when the drawer is pushed into the seat
Data Source
AI summary
A laundry washing appliance includes a cabinet (105) accommodating a laundry washing tub and a dispensing arrangement for dispensing laundry washing treatment products to be used during laundry washing. The dispensing arrangement includes a drawer (125) slidable within a seat (227) provided in the cabinet (105). The drawer defines at least one container (201a, 201b) for laundry washing treatment products. At least one suction pump (265a, 265b) is associated with the at least one container and is fluidly connected to the laundry washing tub for delivering thereto dosed amounts of the treatment products. At least one valve (235a, 235b; 310, 343a, 343b; 310a, 310b, 343a, 343b) is provided for fluidly connecting the at least one container to the at least one suction pump. The valve is realized so as to automatically close and cut off the fluid connection between the at least one container and the at least one suction pump when the drawer is even partially extracted from the seat, and to automatically open and establish the fluid connection between the at least one container and the at least one suction pump when the drawer is pushed into the seat.