Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02612953 2007-10-10
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[001] The present invention relates generally to laundry washing machines but
more particularly to a laundry washing machine that dispenses laundry
products over several washings.
PtACKGROI EMD OF THE M&ENTtON
[0021 There exists a number of laundry washing machines that dispense
laundry prvducts automatically and in a given sequence, for example a
] 0 laundry detergent and bleach once the tub is fiied and then a softening
product later on during the wash cycle. VVhat none of the prior art shows
is a system that has tanks that can hold up laundry products for more
than one wash cycle, so a user has to refill the tanks before each new
wash cycle.
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SUMMARY pznE iNVENTIbN
f003.1 It is a main advantage of this invention to provide for a washing
machine
that has tanks for various laundry products capable of containing
products for several wash cycles.
[004] It is another advantage of this invention to have a system for cont-
zSlling
the sequence, quantities and types of products required as per user
selected options.
[005} In order to do so, the invention comprises a plurality of tanks with
each
one containing one type of laundry product. Pumping means pump the
required amount of laundry product into the tub at predetemiined times
during the wash cycle.
[006] The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of this
invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed
description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the
accompanying drawings, wherein the preferred emboqiment of the
invention is shown and described, by way of examples. As will be
realized, the invention is capaple of other and different embodiments,
and its several details are capable of modifir.ations in various obvious
respects, all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the
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drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and
not as restrictive.
Bf~' I~~ESCR1PTION OF iN>~ DRAYVINGS
5[007] Fig.1 Front view of a washing machine.
10081 Fig.2 Front view of the panel.
[Otl9] Figs.3a-d Front, side, fnani cutaway and top views, respectively, of
the
tanks.
[0010] Figs.4a-c Front, side,and top views, respectively, of funnel coinduits
leading to the tanks forfront loading washing machine,
[0011] Figs.Ba-b Side and front views, respectively of the tanks in context
with
the funnel conduits leading to the tanks for both the front and top loading
washing machine.
(0012) Fig.ta Top view of the wasrthing machine showing the funnel conduits
grouped together.
[00.1.3) Fig.7 Top view of the wasnhing machine showing an altemate
embodiment with the funnel conduits separated and in different comers,
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[00141 Fig.8 Top view of the wasnhing machine showing the tubes and the
tanks.
[0015] Fig.9 Front view of a front ioadng washing machine showing the
location of the tanks.
SDETAIE.ED DESC~~PT1ON
(0016] A laundry washing machine with automatic dispensers (10) is comprised
of a plurality of product tanks (12', 12", 12'") with each one containing
one type of laurtdry produd_ Pumping nroeans (14', 14", 14"') pump the
required amount of laundry product into a tub (16) at predetermined
times during ihe wash cycle.
(0017] Laundry produtxs pumpirtg means (14', 14", 14"') are simple in design
and are of the type known in the art. For excample pumping means (14',
14", 14'") used in the automotive industry for spraying windshield
cleaner could be readily used.
15[00181 Besides the standard buttons found on typical clothes washing
machines such as water level button (1), water temperature button (2),
type of washing button (5) there is a new type of button located on a
washing machine control panel (17) known as product dispensing button
(18), with related monitoring lights (4), all controlled by an electronic
PCB controller (not shown) which controls the type and amount of the
various laundry products that need to be dispended in function of the
wash load. Of course, in the case of a wasing mdchine having electronic
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controls instead of buttons, this function would be Integrated as part of
the available functions provided by the control panel. The user inputs
the type of loads (smalt, medium, large) on the water level button (1)
and a given amount of water fills the tub (16), this part is known in the
5 art, what is new in the interrelation between the amount of water
selected and the amount of laudry product dispensed. Given that the
pumping means (14', 14". 14"') have a set dispensing volume per
second, by simply allowing the given one of the pluraiity of pumping
means (14', 14", 14"') to run a given amount of seconds wiM reliably
dispense a given amount of laudry product. It is understood that the
iaundry detergent needs to be in liquid form as opposed to granular
form. What is also relatively new is that at the same time that the user
selects its load, the type of washing is also selected, that is detergent;
datergent/bleach; detergent/softener; detergentlbieachlsoftener.
15[0019] Products tanks (12', 12", 12"") are advantageously positioned in the
empty eomers (20', 20", 20'") of Conventioani washing machines (22).
Those comers (20, 20'. 20", 20"') are usually empty since the tub (15) is
round. For front loading washing machines (22'), comers (20', 20", 20"')
can also bu used except that the tanks (12', 12", 12"') would be laid
horizontally instead of vetacaiiy but would stiq be capable of holding the
same amount of laundry products. The tanks (12', 12", 12"') can be
grouped together or can be spaced apart, one per each of the comers
(20', 20", 2D'"). A funnel conduit (21', 21", 21") leads a iaundry product
that is being poured into any given tank tank (12', 12",12
25[0020) Products tank (20', 20", 20"') are mare of compounds designed to
withstand the long term chemical effect that laundry products can have
and so are the hoses (24', 24", 24'") and intemal pump means
components (not shown) that come in contact with the laundry products.
,a
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[0021.) Sensors (19' 19", 19"') in each tank (20',' 20", 20"') measures water
level and light indicators (26, 26', 26"), one for each tank (20', 20", 20
"') ,
indicate when liquid level is low_
5[0022J Each tank (20', 20", 20"') has a removable cap (not shown) through
which refilling is done. Since pumping means (14', 14", 14wiu be
emptying those tanks (20', 20", 20"'), it is obvious that a smaA hole (not
ihown) is made either in the cap (not shown) itsetF or some other
location on the tank (20', 20", 20'") so that air can replace the liquid
t0 being pumped out_
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