Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
' W093/07798 2 1 1 9 2 3 4 PCT/CAgl/~386
. DETERGENT DISPENSING SYSTEM
Backaround of the Invention
, In an institutional kitchen such as a
restaurant or cafeteria, there are typically a variety of
~ 5 different mechanical warewashing machines which have
r; unique functions. For example, one machine or one
j portion of a machine may be particularly designed to
~ presoak dirty dishes. A second machine might be designed
I to wash the presoaked dishes. Another machine might be
designed to scrub pots and panæ and an additional machine
might be designed to wash glassware. Generally, each
machine will use a unique detergent particularly
formulated to perform that unique washing function.
Institutional laundries are similar.
~5 If the wrong detergent is used in the wrong
machine, many problems can occur. One problem might be
that the composition will simply be ineffective. Another
problem could be that the detergent composition miqht
leave spots on glasses. Another problem would be that an
excessively caustic detergent composition in the wrong
machine.
With detergent compositions which are held in a
container, this problem can be reduced to a certain
extent by providing some uniquely shaped container
adapted to fit only in a particular dispenser. But this
requires a unique container and dispenser for each
application. These can also be confusing to an
individual who operates a dishwashing machine since it
may not be readily apparent which detergent to use with
which machine.
, Su D arv of the Invention
The present invention is premised upon the
realization that the above problems can be overcome by
using a dispensing system which incorporates a plural-
ity of different dispensers all designed to project wateragainst a solid or semi-solid detergent to dissolve the
detergent. The different dispensers will each have a
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uniquely shaped opening and chute which will permit only
a particular shape of detergent composition to be placed
~ into the opening. Thus, a presoak will have a defined
3 geometric shape and a pot and pan scrubber will have a
5 different but unique geometric shape so that neither can
be placed in the wrong dispenser.
The different dispensers used can be identi-
cal except for the shape of the chute. Thus, the same
toolîng can be used to maXe different dispensers. only
10 the tooling for the chute need by cbanged.
The invention will be further appreciated in
light of the following detailed description and drawings
in which:
Brief Description of Drawinas
Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic depiction of the
kitchen employing multiple dispensers according to the
present invention;
Fig. 2 i8 a cross sectional view of the present
invention taken at lines 2-2 of ~ig. 1;
Fig. 3A is a top view partially broken away of
- one embodiment of a detergent block for use in the
present invention;
Fig. 3B is a top view of a perspective view of
an alternate embodiment of the detergent block for use in
the present invention; and
~ Fig. 3C is a top view of a second alternate
0~ embodiment of a detergent block for use in the present
invention.
Detailed Description
The present invention is described with respect
to a kitchen. However it should be understood that this
invent~on applies equally to laundry facilities where
there are multiple clothes washing machines as opposed to
dishwashing machines or apparatuses.
As shown in Fig.~l, a kitchen area 10, equipped
witb a plurality of washers lla, llb and llc connected to
~` detergent dispensers 12a, 12b and 12c via drains 23a,
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23b, and 23c. The detergent dispenser 12 of the present
invention is shown more particularly in Fig. 2. It
includes a chute 16 adapted to receive a long bar of
detergent 18 which will be resting on a support 17.
Betw¢en the support 17 and the chute 16 is a small gap 19
which exposes a bottom portion 21 of the detergent bar
18. A stream 22 of water is impelled against this bottom
portion 21 of the detergent bar 18 dissolving it. The
dissolved water is directed to drain 23.
More particularly, the detergent dispenser 12
includes a front wall 24, back wall 25 and two side walls
26 and 27. Inside the detergent dispenser 12 is a water
slide 28. Water slide 28 is bonded to the side walls 26
and 27 holding it in position. Water slide 28 includes a
vertical portion 29 which generally slopes away from the
back wall 25. The vertical sloped portion continues to
s}ope until it turns into the support 17. The ~upport 17
i8 simply the horizontal planar portion of water slide
28.
A first water inlet 31 is directed against the
sloped vertical portion 29 of water slide 28 so that
water sprayed from the inlet forms the stream 22 of
water.
The water slide extends beneath the chute 16
and has a forwardmost edge 32 which is spaced from the
I front wall 24 providing a gap 33 be~ween the water slide
and the front wall.
Beneath the water slide is the bottom wall 34
of the dispenser 12. This is a sloped bottom wall that
will direct water passing down slide 28 and through the
gap 33 to the drain 23.
The chute 16 is relatively interchangeable.
Thus different dispensers can be identical except for the
uniquely shaped chute. The chute includes a planar top
35 wall 35 and a horizontal circumferential chute wall 36
which extends down from the top wall 35. An opening 37
extends throuqh the top planar surface into the chute 16
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which is open at its bottom. Top wall 35 rests on ledge
38 which extends completely around the four walls of the
apparatus 12.
The dispensing apparatus 12 also includes a top
5 cover 39 which covers chute 16. This is connected to the
back wall at hinge 41. The top 39 and the top wall 35 of
chute 16 also include slots or small openings 42 and 49
respectively adapted to permit water sprays to enter the
detergent apparatus.
10As shown in Fig. 2, the dispenser 12 includes a
water inlet 43, connectable with supply line 13, which
extends to an on/off valve 44. As shown, the valve 44
connects to first water spray 31 and second water spray
45 via tubing 46. The orifice size of sprays 31 and 45
15are provided so that about 20 to 100% of the water passes
through spray 31 and acts to dissolve detergent. The
water passing from spray 45 goes directly into tube 47.
The space 48 between the spray 4S and tube 47 should
eliminate the need for any siphon break. Tube 47 leads
20 to drain 23 acting as a drain assist and sucking in
dissolved detergent and foam. Since drain 23 is larger
in diameter than tube 47, dissolved detergent passes
freely down drain 23 to the respective working apparatus.
In operation, the top cover 39 of the dispenser
25 is lifted and a bar of detergent is dropped into the
opening 37 of chute 16. As shown in Fig. 1 and Figs.
3A-3C, the detergent bar has a cross sectional
configuration which corresponds to the cross sectional
configuration of opening 37 of chute 16. The detergent
30 bar drops through the chute 16 and rests on the support
17 which is the horizontal portion of the water slide 28.
Val~ve 4-g~ls opened and water from inlet 43 flows through
up tube 46 to sprays 31 and 45. A first water supply
flows through spray 31. This directs water down the
35 water slide 28 against its sloped vertical portion 29.
As this water flows down, it widens out in a fan-shaped
pnttern or a sheet of water. This sheet of water
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impinges against the bar of detergent 18 at the exposed
bottom portion 21. This dissolves the exposed portion 21
of the detergent bar. In turn, the dissolved detergent
passes beyond the water slide and down to the bottom wall
34 to the drain 23. This is then mixed in drain 23 with
the second stream of water which flowed from spray 45
down tube 47 into drain 23.
As shown in the Fig. 2, chute 16 includes an
optional pressure switch gO which is adapted to sense the
presence of a detergent bar within the chute !6. This
can be connected to a warninq light which would tell an
operator to insert an additional bar of detergent into
the chute 16.
One of the primary benefits of the present
invention is the ability to use basically the same
dispenser for different detergents without significant
modification of the dispenser. Thus, one mold can be
used to form a large portion of the dispenser. only the
chute need be different to make the dispenser suitable
for use only with the appropriate detergent.
As shown in Figs. 3A-~c, the detergent bars
each having unique chemical compositions will also have
unique shapes. T~ree are sbown but there can be as many
as required. Thus, the dishwashing detergent I8a which
is formulated for use as a pot and pan scrubber might
have an oval shape as shown in Fig. 3A and be inserted in
dispensers 12a. The detergent 18b which is used to wash
plates and the like and having a composition especially
adapted for that application miqht have a square
cross-sectional configuration as shown in Fig. 3B and be
inserted in dispensers 12b. The detergent composition
18c whncl~is used to wash silverware might have a
- cylindrical configuration as shown in Fig. 3C and be
inserted in dispensers 12c.
As seen in Fig. 1, a kitchen using a plu-
rality of detergents dispensers would have a dispenser
for each of these detergents. More particularly, each
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one of these dispensers would have a chute corresponding
in shape to the shape of the detergent 3A-3c. Thus the
dispenser for the pot and pan scrubber would have an oval
~ shaped chute. This would prevent the operator from
¦ 5 inserting round or square detergent bars.
Any solid detergent formulation can be
used as part of the present invention. A suitable
detergent formulation i8 disclosed in Bruegge application
"Method of Making Paste Detergent and Product Produced, n
Serial No. 476,297, filed February 7, 1990, and is hereby
incorporated by reference.
As an added feature of the present
invention, the detergent compositions 18a, 18b and 18c
will preferably be covered in a water soluble wrapper 55
as shown more particularly in Fig. 2 and Figs. 3A-3C.
Such material is sold by CMS Gilbreath under brand name
di~solvo pouching DP45. To further facilitate use of the
appropriate detergent in the appropriate dispenser, the
top 39 of the dispenser can be color coded for the
particular detergent. Thus, the oval detergent which is
adapted to be used to wash pots and pans, and be used
only in an ova} chute, might have a green wrapper. The
top 39 of the dispenser for the pot and pan ~crubber
likewise would be green.
Likewise, the detergent bar formulated for
washing dishes, which is square in shape, might have a
blue water soluble wrapper. The top of the dispenser
covering the square chute for the dishwashing machine
dispenser would likewise be blue and so on.
In a kitchen which would include two, three or
more dispensers, this provides many unique advantages.
Tbe~color~,~coating quickly tells an operator what
detergent to be used in what dispenser. Since the chutes
have a cross sectional configuration which must
correspond to the cross sectional configuration of the
-~ detergent bar, it is almost impossible to use the wrong
detergent in ~he wrong dispenser.
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With smaller tablets, it is possible to force
fit the wrong detergent into the wrong dispenser. But
with an elongated bar such as this, it is almost
impossible to force fit the bar into the detergent
dispenser. Since this is a gravity feed dispenser, if
the wrong detergent was force fitted into the dispenser,
it would not continue to fall down the dispenser where it
would be contacted with a lateral spray of water.
The dispenser of the present invention provides
many safety features. Since the spray of water is
lateral, it is very unlikely t~at it is going to spray
out of the dispenser from the top. Since an elongated
chute is used this possibility is then again reduced.
The water would simply have to go too far up the
dispenser chute to spray out the top.
Since the lateral spray of water is very
focused against a relatively small portion of the
detergent bar, the possibility of chunks of detergent bar
breaking off and falling into the drain, clogging the
drain, is substantially r~duced. This is a significant
improvement over dispensers which spray upwardly against
a tub of detergent.
Further, due to ~ fact that a water soluble
wrapper is employed, there is no container to dispose.
This substantially reduces the need to dispose of plastic
containers which generally are not biodegradable. This
also eliminates the problem of the need to rinse spent
containers.
And finally, an extremely significant feature
of this invention, it allows almost identical apparatuses
, to be employed to dispense multiple detergents. Only one
piece of each dispenser would be different. This
substantially reduces the costs of manufacturing the
i various dispensers.
j 35 Thus, the present invention provides a
¦ multitude of different advantages which aid the user of
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the dispenser as well as the manufacturer of the
dispenser.
$he preceding has been a description of the
present invention and the preferred method currently
known of practicing the invention. Howe~er the invention
should be defined only by the appended claims wherein we
claim:
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