WASHING AGENT DISPENSING DEVICE, PARTICULARLY FOR A DISHWASHING MACHINE

Abstract

A dispensing device (1) for a dishwashing machine, the dispensing device (1) including a body (2) configured to be mounted to a door of the dishwashing machine; a receptacle (3) formed in the body (2) to receive a quantity of a washing or rinsing agent; a movable lid (5) associated with the receptacle (3) and displaceable in a manner constrained to the body (2) against the action of a spring (8) from an open position into a closed position, where it opens and closes the receptacle (3), respectively; a guiding arrangement for constraining the displacement of the lid (5) between the open position and the closed position, the guiding arrangement including pins (5a, 5b) formed in the lid and corresponding grooves (6a, 6b) formed in the body; and a latching apparatus (11, 13) provided for locking the lid (5) in the closed position and operable to release the lid (5) from the closed position.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a dispensing device for a washing and/or rinsing agent, in particular a dispensing device to be mounted to a wall of a door which faces a washing chamber of a dishwashing machine.

More specifically, the present invention relates to a dispensing device comprising:

• • a body configured to be mounted to a door of the dishwashing machine on the side directed during operation towards a washing chamber of said dishwashing machine;
  • at least one receptacle formed in the body and intended to receive a quantity of a washing or rinsing agent;
  • at least one movable lid associated with said at least one receptacle and displaceable in a manner constrained to the body against the action of resilient return means from an open position into a closed position, where it opens and closes the receptacle, respectively;
  • guiding means for constraining the displacement of the lid between the open position and the closed position, said guiding means comprising a plurality of pins formed in one of said lid and body and corresponding grooves formed in the other of said lid and body; and
  • a latching apparatus provided for locking the lid in the closed position and operable to release the lid from the closed position.

BACKGROUND

Dispensing devices are known, wherein the lid is slidable along rectilinear grooves formed in the body of the dispensing device.

One object of the present invention is to provide an alternative configuration for a dispensing device for dispensing at least one washing agent.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This and other objects are achieved according to the invention with a dispensing device of the type initially specified, characterised in that at least one, and preferably each of said grooves comprises an intermediate, main length having a curved shape with its concavity facing towards the receptacle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, which is given purely by way of a non-limiting example, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1a is a plan view of a dispensing device according to the present invention, in closed position;

FIGS. 1b and 1c are sectioned views of the dispensing device of FIG. 1a, taken along the lines B-B and C-C, respectively;

FIGS. 2a to 2c are views of the dispensing device in an intermediate position, corresponding to FIGS. 1a to 1c, respectively; and

FIGS. 3a to 3c are views of the dispensing device in open position, corresponding to FIGS. 1a to 1c, respectively.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the drawings, the reference number 1 indicates the whole of an integrated dispensing device including a dispenser of washing agent or detergent according to the present invention.

In a per se known manner, such an integrated dispensing device 1 is intended to be fixed to an inner wall of a door delimiting a washing chamber of a dishwashing machine.

Although the attached drawings show an integrated dispensing device also comprising a dispenser of rinse agent or rinse aid, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment of the washing agent dispenser in a form in which it is integrated with such a further dispenser of rinse agent.

The dispensing device 1 comprises a body 2, for example made of moulded plastic, which is intended to be connected (in a manner known per se and not shown) to the door of the dishwashing machine on the side directed during operation towards the washing chamber of this dishwashing machine.

The body 2 comprised a recessed receptacle 3, essentially in the form of a tray. The receptacle 3 is intended to receive a quantity of washing agent, such as a powder detergent or a liquid detergent or a solid washing agent in the form of “soap bar” or tablet. The edge of the receptacle 3 is provided with a peripheral projection 4.

The device 1 comprises a movable lid 5 which is associated with the receptacle 3 and is connected to the body 2. The movable lid 5 is displaceable in a manner constrained to the body 2 between a closed position (FIG. 1a) and an open position (FIG. 3a), where it sealingly closes and opens the receptacle 3, respectively. The lid 5 comprises a gasket arranged on its side facing towards the receptacle 3, which in the closed position is engaged by the peripheral projection 4 surrounding the receptacle 3. However, alternative arrangements are possible; for example, the peripheral projection may be formed on the lid, and the gasket may correspondingly be arranged around the receptacle.

As shown in FIGS. 1c to 3c, the lid 5 comprises, on each of its lateral sides (only one of which is shown in the drawings), a pair of pins 5a, 5b integrally formed with the lid 5 and slidably arranged in respective grooves 6a, 6b formed in the body 2 of the dispenser 1. According to alternative embodiments, the pins may be formed with the body and the grooves may be correspondingly formed in the lid.

A first one of the grooves, 6a, slidably receives a first one of the pins, 5a, and comprises an intermediate, main length 6a′ having a curved shape with its concavity facing towards the body 2. In particular, the intermediate, main length 6a′ may have an approximately parabolic shape. Furthermore, the first groove 6a comprises an end length 6a″ connected to the intermediate, main length 6a′ at a connection point and forming a non-zero angle with a tangent to the intermediate, main length 6a′ at the connection point.

A second one of the grooves, 6b, slidably receives a second one of the pins, 5b, and comprises an intermediate, main length 6b′ having a curved shape with its concavity facing towards the body 2. In particular, the intermediate, main length 6b′ may have an approximately parabolic shape. Furthermore, the second groove 6b comprises a first end length 6b″ and a second end length 6b′″ connected to the intermediate, main length 6b′ at respective connection points. Each end length 6b″ and 6b′″ forms a non-zero angle with a tangent to the intermediate, main length 6b′ at the respective connection point. The first end length 6b″ is at the end of the second groove 6b adjacent to the first groove 6a, while the second end length 6b′″ is at the end of the second groove 6b far from the first groove 6a.

The grooves 6a, 6b and pins 5a, 5b cooperate to define the trajectory of the lid between the closed position and the end position. As shown in FIGS. 1b to 3b, in the mid of this trajectory the lid 5 is farther from the body 2 or, more precisely, farther from a portion of the body 2 underlying the lid 5 (FIG. 2b), while at the end of the trajectory the lid 5 is closer to this portion of the body 2 underlying the lid 5 (FIGS. 1b and 3b). In particular, the end length 6a″ of the first grove 6a and the first end length 6b″ of the second grooves 6b are configured in such a way as that, when the lid 5 is in closed position, the gasket of the lid 5 engages the peripheral projection 4 of the receptacle 3 (FIG. 1b).

As shown in FIG. 1c, the end length 6a″ of the first grove 6a and the first end length 6b″ of the second groove 6b are configured in such a way as that, when the lid 5 is in closed position, it assumes a first orientation represented by line I in FIGS. 1c and 3c, connecting the central points of the pins 5a and 5b in the closed position of the lid. Furthermore, the first groove 6a and the second end length 6b″ of the second groove 6b are configured in such a way as that, when the lid 5 is in open position, it assumes a second orientation represented by line II in FIG. 3c, connecting the central points of the pins 5a and 5b in the open position of the lid. The first orientation I of the lid 5 in closed position and the second orientation II of the lid 5 in open position form a non-zero angle α with respect to each other. Therefore, during displacement between open and closed position the lid 5 performs both a translating and a tilting motion. Advantageously, the curved shape of the grooves 6a, 6b prevents the lid 5 from scraping against the underlying portion of the body 2 during transition between the closed position and the open position.

A resilient return member, such as a spring 8, is associated with the lid 5, said return member tending to cause the latter to slide towards the open position. This return spring may be, for example, a torsion spring.

When the movable lid 5 is situated in the closed position (FIG. 1), a latching apparatus keeps it in this position against the action of the return spring 8 which would tend to bring it back into the open position. This latching apparatus may comprise a resiliently biased latching member (not shown) arranged on the lid 5 and fixedly connected to a manually operated opening member 11, as well as an automatically controlled striker member 13 arranged on the body 2 and operatively connected to an electrically controlled actuator (not shown).

The latching apparatus is provided for locking the lid 5 in the closed position and is operable to release the lid 5 from the closed position, either manually, by operating the opening member 11 with a finger of the user, or automatically, by controlling the actuator associated with the striker member 13. The constitution of the latching apparatus is not essential for the purposes of the present invention.

In the example shown in the drawings, the above described guiding means are applied only to the lid 5 associated to the receptacle for the washing agent. In further embodiments, these guiding means can be applied also to a lid associated to a receptacle for the rinsing agent.

Clearly, provided that the principle of the invention is retained, the forms of construction and the details of embodiment can be varied widely from what has been described herein purely by way of a non-limiting example, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the attached claims.

Claims

1. A dispensing device (1) for a washing and/or rinsing agent, in particular for a dishwashing machine, said dispensing device (1) comprising:

a body (2) configured to be mounted to a door of the dishwashing machine on the side directed during operation towards a washing chamber of said dishwashing machine;

at least one receptacle (3) formed in the body (2) and intended to receive a quantity of a washing or rinsing agent;

at least one movable lid (5) associated with said at least one receptacle (3) and displaceable in a manner constrained to the body (2) against the action of resilient return means (8) from an open position into a closed position, where it opens and closes the receptacle (3), respectively;

guiding means for constraining the displacement of the lid (5) between the open position and the closed position, said guiding means comprising a plurality of pins (5a, 5b) formed in one of said lid and body and corresponding grooves (6a, 6b) formed in the other of said lid and body; and

a latching apparatus (11, 13) provided for locking the lid (5) in the closed position and operable to release the lid (5) from the closed position;

characterized in that at least one of said grooves (6a, 6b) comprises an intermediate, main length (6a′, 6b′) having a curved shape with its concavity facing towards the body (2).

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said intermediate, main length (6a′, 6b′) has an approximately parabolic shape.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein each of said grooves comprise at least one end length (6a″, 6b″, 6b′″) connected to the intermediate, main length (6a′, 6b′) at a connection point and forming a non-zero angle with a tangent to the intermediate, main length (6a′, 6b′) at said connection point.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein said guiding means comprise a pair of pins (5a, 5b) and a pair of corresponding grooves (6a, 6b) arranged at each lateral side of the lid (5).

5. A device according to claim 4, wherein said grooves are arranged in such a way as that, when the lid (5) is in the closed position, it assumes a first orientation (I) and, when the lid (5) is in the open position, it assumes a second orientation (II), said first and second orientations forming a non-zero angle (α) with respect to each other.