Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Ike present invention relates to the field of washing linen
in a machine and its subject us a device designed for employing a
process for washing and cleaning linen in a machine, with a liquid
detergent, of the type described in Canadian Application 479,281,
filed on April 16, 1985 for "Process for washing linen in a machine
with a liquid detergent and device for its application" in the name
of the Applicant Company. The invention thus relates to a device,
in general reweldable, which is first willed with liquid detergent,
and then placed in the drum of the machine with the linen to be
washed. The detergent held in the device is distributed gradually
into the washing medium and into ye linen present in the machine.
The above mentioned patent already provides examples thus-
treating such devices for employing the washing process. In an
embodiment, the device incorporates a filling orifice and vents for
gradual release of the liquid within the linen which is being washed.
The subject of the present invention is an improved device
belonging to the general type just described.
The invention consequently relates to a device for washing
linen in a machine with a liquid detergent, the said device incorpo-
rating at least one filling orifice and a plurality of vents which
are adapted for gradual release of the liquid within the fabrics
during washing, the said device being characterized in that it is
of a substantially spherical shape has a flattening enabling it to
remain in a stable position on a horizontal surface, said filling
orifice and vents king formed in an inwardly extending funnel-
shaped reentrant wall diametrically opposite the flattening, with
the vents spaced around and adjacent to the outer periphery of the
reentrant wall and the filling orifice located in the inner section
thereof, and that said device contains a measured quantity of said
liquid detergent.
The invention also relates to the following characteristics,
considered in isolation or in accordance with all their technically
possible combinations:
- the device has a flattening enabling it to remain in
a stable position on a horizontal surface;
- the flattening is diametrically opposite the filling
orifice;
- the device has a substantially spherical body
equipped with an opening and an added assembly, the said
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assembly covering the said opening and being intended
for filling with and/or d;stribueing the liquid;
- the body and the assembly for a practically
continuous spherical outer surface, the device thus have
in the general appearance of a ball;
- thy assembly us mounted on the body in a remove
able wanner, for example in the form of a quick mounting
by rotation or by pressure;
- the assembly is mounted on the body permanently;
- the assembly incorporates a plurality of vents
distributed circu~ferentially in a uniform manner;
- the assembly is removable and incorporates no
orifices apart from eke distribution vents;
- the assembly is mounted permanently and incur-
prorates at least one central filling orifice and vents distributed at its periphery;
the filling orifice has the shape of a funnel
entering inside the body;
- the end face of the funnel, situated inside the
body, is closed by a Hall and the funnel has holes used
for filling;
- the assembly incorporates grasping jeans
facilitating access to the grasping means;
- the spherical body is interrupted by a crown-
shaped planar surface surrounding its opening concentric
Cole;
- the body is jade of a material which prompts
thy user to see the level of liquid present in the body
during filling;
the body has external markings corresponding
to various liquid levels.
An essential characteris~ir of the present invent
ton lies in the general spherical shape ox the device
the latter thus has the appearance of a ball. Such a
ball is extremely easy to handle and eon place in the dun
of the washing machine. After having introduced the
linen into the latter, it is sufficient to place the bell
on the linen. During operation, the liquid detergent
held in the ball is gradually and uniformly spread in the
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washing medium the end of the washing cycle the ball
is perfectly clean and free from both water and liquid
de~ergsnt. In effect no retention of liquid is found.
~ithout~~ishing to be bound by any theory, it is thought
that this advantageous effect is due to the fact that as
the drum rotates the centrifugal force acting on the move
in ball results in removal of any liquid which may be
present on the latter.
The invention Jill be further illustraecd in the
following description, with the aid of concrete examples
of embodiment. It goes without saying however, that the
invention is not restricted in any Jay to such exemplary
devices. Thus, the diameter and the number of vents de-
pond solely on the viscosity of the liquid detergent.
Surprisingly, it has been found that the use of
a device according to the invention afforded a marked imp
prevent in performance during the washing of linen in
a machine. This improvement is very clearly parked in
machines having physical loss systems resulting on deter-
gent losses, as already mentioned in the French Patent
referred to earlier. The improvement is still appreciable
in many case in machines which do not incorporate such
physical loss Yates for example a program system or
other, and this by virtue of the fact that the bell which
Z5 is placed within the l1non Provides a measured and grad-
vat delivery of the liquid in the linen, which is found
to be generally ~avourable for washing efficiency.
In the attached drawings:
Fig. 1 is a device according to thy invention,
sewn in perspective.
Fig. 2 is a diametral section along line II-II
of Fig. 1.
Fix. 3 shows in perspective the added assembly
of the device of Figs. 1 and 2.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the body of
the device in the embodiment of Figs 1, 2 and 3.
Fig 5 shows an alternative form of embodiment
in perspective
Fig 6 is a diametral section taken along the
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lone VIVA of the device of Fig. S.
Fig 7 is a cross-section similar to that of Fig.
6, showing another embodiment.
, Fig. 8 illustrates in perspective another alter-
native form of embodiment with the body and the core-
sponging coveroassembly, these two parts being shown
separately.
Fix 9. 9 i s perspicuity i Ye vi en of yet another at-
ternativ2 form.
Fig. 10 shows in perspective the cover-assembly
corresponding to the alternative form of Fig I
The device shown in Figs. 1 to 4 is indicated
by the general reference 10v It is substantially sphere-
eel in shape and consists of a body 11 and an aide
assembly or cover 12. In this embodiment, the assembly
12 acts as a cover which can be fixed in a removable man-
nor on the body 11. The device has the general appear-
arc ox a be l l .
In its bottom end the body 11 incorporates a
fla~tQning 13 which enables it to be set in 3 stable Jan-
nor on a horizontal surface. In a zone which is dimwit-
Rockwell opposite this flattening 13, the body 11 incur-
purity on orifice 14 for filling with Lydia detergent.
The walls dQfinin~ the orifice 14 are equipped with rasps
15 permitting the assembly or cover 12 Jo be easily fit-
ted. In this embodiment, the mounting is of the rotary
type known under the name "testify".. It goes without
saying that any other quick mounting of the cover 12 on
the body 11 could be adopted, for example a coupling by
a rim and corresponding groove, to pyre pressure fit-
tying of the cover on the body and conversely, a sepal
ration of these I components by pull on the cover 12.
In the embodiment in Figs. 1 Jo I, it is import
lent to e~phaslse that thy cover-assembly 1Z is removed
during filling with liquid and functions essentially to
distribute the liquid, by virtue of the fact that it has
vents 170 In the exemplar embodiment these vents are
six in number. To ensure uniform delivery of the liquid,
the vents are distributed symmetrically at thy periphery
Lo 6
of the cover 12. Furthermore the latter incorporates
means capable of cooperating with the ramp 15. These
means 16 are shown in Fig. 2 and are known to the exert
in this type of assembly by quick rotation.
the cover 12 us also equipped it jeans 19 Shea
permit easy manipulation. These means 19 consist of a
number of uniformly spaced hollows on the outer periphery
so the cover. There are corresponding hollows 18 on the
body 11 which permit still easier access to the hollows
10 19 of the cover 1Z. In effect, the user can grasp the
cover with the fingertips of only one hand, whatever the
position of the latter relative to the device.
Also shown in the drawings of Figs. 1 and 4 are
markings indicated by the letters A B and corresponding
to various predetermined liquid levels, with a vie to the
filling of the device.
The use of the device just described is as lot-
lows. with the cover 12 removed the body 11 is first
filled with liquid deterrent up to the required level.
Once the filling operation has been completed, the cover
12 is fixed onto the body 11. Furthernore9 the linen has
been arranged in the drum of the washing machine. Thy
ball 10, filled with liquid detergent, is then introduced
into or onto the linen present in the drum. Once the
machine has been started, the liquid held in the ball 10
is uniformly and gradually disturbed through the vents
17 in the cover to. A highly satisfactory washing and
cleaning of the linen is thus ensured.
In eke alternative form of embodiment shown in
Figs. 5 and 6, the device according to the invention,
which is indicated by the general reference 20, is still
generally in the shape of a sphere or ball. It consists
of a body 21 and an added assembly 22. However, in con-
tryst to the embodiment of Figs 1 to I the assembly 22
is permanently fixed on the body 21, Boone suitable
means, for example by gluing or welding. In this case,
the assembly 22 acts as means for both filling with and
distributing the liquid detergent. For this purpose it
has on the one hand, a central opening 24 in the shape
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of a funnel entering inside the body 21 and on the other
hand, peripheral vents 27. in the example chosen, the
vents are four in number The opening 24 is used esseno
tidally for filling and the vents 27 permit gradual no-
lease of the liquid detergent during washing.
The drawings of Figs 5 and S also show hollows Andy I respectively on the body 21 and on the assembly 22.
In fact, such an arrangement is not e3sen~ial in any Jay
when the user does not have to manipulate the assembly 22.
In another alternative form, however, it is quite
possible to provide an assembly 22, such as is shown in
Figs. 5 and 6, in a removable mounting, be it by rotation
or by pressure, as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4.
The alternative form of embodiment shown in Fig.
I, which is a cross-section similar to Fix. 6, incur-
pyres a body 31 and an added assembly 32. the latter
is permanently fixed on the body 31~ The construction
of Fig. 7 is very similar to that of Fig. 6, except where
the construction of the assembly 32 i s concerned. The
latter has a central opening 34 in the for of a funnel
entering inside the body 31 and terminating in an end
- wall 35. The assembly 32 incorporates orifices 36 which,
in the example shown, are three in number and which are
provided in the walls of the -funnel I which terminate
US in the end wall 35. The orifices 36 are used for filling
with liquid detergent Furthermore the assembly 32 in-
carports like assembly Z2 of Fig. 6, a certain number of
vents 37 permitting gradual release of the liquid detergent
during aching Also shown in Fig. 7 is the flattening 33
of the body 31, together with the hollows 38 and 39,
although the presence of such hollows is nut absolutely
necessary.
Fig. 8 illustrates in Perspective another alter-
native form of embodiment stoking a cover assembly 42 an
I a boy 41 permitting reviewable fixing of the Dover 42.
The peculiarity of this alternative for lies in the
shape of the body 41. Effectively, thy latter, which is
generally spherical in shape us interrupted by a crown-
shaped planar surface 48, surrounding the opening 44
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concentrically. The Figure alto shows the flattening 43
of the body 41 as jell as the means 45 which, on thy
example chosen, permit fixing, by quick crying of the
cover-assembly 42. The latter is equipped with cores
S pounding means which are jot shown in the draying. As in
the other embodiments, the device of Fig. 8 incorporates,
on the cover assembly 42 fitted on the body 41, vents 47
for delivering liquid detergent during washing. Hollows
49 form means for grasping the cover-assembly 42.
Another alternative form ox embodiment is shown
in Fig. 9, the corresponding coYer-assembly of which is
shown in Fig. I The device of Fig. 9, Shea is denoted
by the general reference OWE incorporates a body 51 and
a cover-assembly 52 to form a device of a generally
spherical shape. The body 51 is similar to the body 41
of Fig. 8, and thus has a planar surface 58 surrounding
the opening 54 concentrically In the alternative form
illustrated in the drunks the cover-asse~bly 52 is
permanently fixed on the body 51. This cover-assembly
is shown in greater detail in Fig 10, from which it can
be seen that it incorporates, as in the embodiment thus-
treated in Fig. 7, a central opening I in the shape of
a funnel entering inside the body 51. This Panel term
naves in an end Hall 55. The side surface of the funnel
Z5 54 incorporates orifices I intended to permit fulling
it the liquid detergent. Furthermore, the cover-assem~
by 52 incorporates a certain number of vents 57 arranged
uniformly on the part opposite the Hall So. Lastly, the
cover-assembly 52 incorporates hollows 59 permitting
easier grasping of the whole device, which can thus be
cast lye handled.
As mentioned earlier, the expert can add eon the
embodiments described above by Jay ox examples all kind
ox modifications which do not depart from the scope of
the present invention.
As an example and whatever the form of embody-
mint in the Figures illustrated earlier, the ball may be
available for use after it has been Profiled with
liquid detergent. This form ox presentation can, in
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particular, consist of a test quintet. In this case
it it appropriate to provide a system of blocking the
vents Shea are intended, in use, to deliver liquid de-
tergent during washing. This blocking system may consist
of capping with a film which can be torn off, or Thea
quick tear-off means Shea uncover the vents. A possible
embodiment then consists in providing nipples ox a kind
which are respectively engaged in the vents and which can
be removed at the same tine or separately with one or
more tear strips These are different forts of present
station which nevertheless result on one and the same type
of device which in accordance with the invention, may
be employed on a process of washing and cleaning linen
on a machine, in which process, once the device has been
15 placed in the drum of the machine with the linen to be
washed, the detergent held in the device it gradually
distributed in the Asian medium and in the linen which
i t contain no .
