Object of Invention

The object of the invention is a household appliance with circulating water, such as a washing machine or a dishwasher, having a dosing container for a manual system of laundry detergent metering and an integrated system for automatic laundry detergent metering.

Technical Problem

The technical problem is how to conceive a household appliance with circulating water, such as a washing machine or a dishwasher, with a system for both manual and automatic laundry detergent metering that will allow for receiving the laundry detergent and/or laundry aids in one place regardless of the mode of laundry detergent metering and regardless of the type of the laundry detergent, wherein laundry detergent metering must be user-friendly and the manufacturing of such a household appliance must be economically justified.

Prior Art

Household appliances with circulating water, particularly washing machines for washing and laundry care, are nowadays often provided with systems that provide for automatic metering of a laundry detergent. The automatic metering should supply an optimal quantity of a laundry detergent to the process of laundry washing and/or care depending on the parameters such as laundry detergent type, quantity and dirtiness of the laundry, water hardness, and selected washing programme. This type of metering is therefore ecologically more acceptable since a smaller quantity of a laundry detergent is consumed on average. Despite automated metering of a laundry detergent manual metering is still requested, in a conventional way through a dosing container, since many a user wants to have control over the operation of the washing machine and has specific needs, wishes and habits relating to laundry washing and care.

In case of classic, manual metering of a laundry detergent, the latter is put into the washing machine through a dosing container that comprises a housing fixed within the washing machine, an extractable drawer arranged in the housing, and a cover/rinsing part that covers the drawer with the housing. A dosing container is usually arranged on the front side of a machine to be easily accessible to the user. The extractable drawer can be divided into several chambers intended to receive for instance a laundry detergent for the main washing cycle, pre-washing and care of the laundry. The drawer with the chambers is configured to receive a laundry detergent either in a powder or liquid form. These types of dosing containers are generally known. The user puts/pours a laundry detergent manually into a chamber depending on the selected programme for laundry treatment. Dosing of a laundry detergent is left to the user who fills the dosing drawer with a laundry detergent before each washing.

Laundry detergent dosing in modern washing machines is carried out automatically through an automatic dosing system. A liquid laundry detergent which is available in at least one special container is used in the automatic dosing system. The container has a volume that can receive a considerable amount of a laundry detergent for several washing cycles. The container is arranged within or outside a washing machine, such that the user can fill it or replace it with a new, full container. When the container is arranged in the machine, its shape is predetermined and only the prescribed shape can be used. Regardless of whether the container is filled or replaced, it is important that the container is arranged in an area easily accessible to the user and simple to handle.

EP 2478145 Al shows an automatic dosing system having only a dosing container for receiving two types of liquid laundry detergents that are dosed into the washing machine tub through an automatic dosing system. The user neither has a possibility to manually dose the laundry detergent nor a possibility to use a powder laundry detergent.

Washing machines with an automatic dosing system are known that have a dosing container for manual laundry detergent dosing and an extra dosing container which stores a liquid laundry detergent in two containers of a certain shape and size. When the containers are empty, they need to be replaced or re-filled. The containers are arranged in the front, bottom part of the machine. As the containers must be large enough to be able to receive a sufficient amount of a laundry detergent for multiple automatic dosing, they can only be arranged closely to the bottom of the machine since there is no room for them elsewhere due to the shortage of space. The user has access to the containers through a door arranged on the front side of the washing machine. If the user wants to replace the container or refill it, he must bend almost to the ground. Even more, the containers are covered with a swing door, the arrangement of which calls for an extra technological operation. The front side of the washing machine has an additional recess which makes the appearance of the washing machine aesthetically inconsistent, especially vis-a-vis a dryer. Nowadays, there is a tendency for a consistent appearance of both machines since they are often arranged next to each other in a household.

A solution from EP 2053154 Al is known, in which automatic dosing of a liquid laundry detergent is carried out in a way that an extra container with a liquid laundry detergent is inserted in one of the chambers, said container, by means of a special actuating system, then dispensing a certain quantity of the liquid laundry detergent into the dosing drawer and further into the machine tub. A drawback of such an embodiment is elimination of one chamber of the dosing drawer because the extra container is inserted into the dosing drawer. The laundry detergent quantity is also very limited. EP2340326 Al discloses a dosing container with two compartments, wherein the first compartment comprises one chamber for receiving a powder laundry detergent for manual dosing, while the second compartment comprises two chambers, each receiving a different type of a liquid laundry detergent for the automatic dosing system. The dosing container is preferably intended to receive a liquid laundry detergent in the automatic dosing system. If the user would like to use manual dosing, he can only use one type of a powder laundry detergent, the user cannot chose a washing cycle with prewashing and/or laundry softening and cannot use liquid laundry detergents since only one chamber is available. Because the space available in the dosing drawer is very limited, the chambers for receiving the liquid laundry detergent for automatic dosing are relatively small and need to be frequently re-filled.

Solution to the Technical Problem

The technical problem is solved by a household appliance with circulating water of the invention as claimed in the first independent claim. Further characteristics are defined in dependent claims.

The household appliance with circulating water of the invention includes a system for automatic laundry detergent dosing with a dosing container for receiving a laundry detergent in manual dosing, said dosing container comprising a housing, an extractable drawer arranged in the housing, and a cover part covering both the drawer and the housing, wherein the extractable drawer has more than one compartment for receiving a laundry detergent in a powder and/or liquid form and includes a chamber mounted on the external side of its bottom, and at least one compartment, preferably two compartments, that are in fluid communication through said mounted chamber with the automatic dosing system of the household appliance.

A fluid communication in the form of a tube is established from the container to the dosing container/dosing drawer. The household appliance with circulating water, such as a washing machine or a dishwasher, has an extractable drawer of a dosing container provided with at least one compartment for a liquid laundry detergent and/or laundry aids. The compartment has a discharge opening in its bottom and at least one channel-like chamber mounted on the external side of its bottom and extending along same, said channel forming a fluid communication between an extra compartment and the automatic dosing system arranged within the household appliance.

The extractable drawer has two extra compartments arranged within the extractable drawer along its front side. The compartments are closed by a swing door and have a discharge opening in their bottoms. Each extra compartment is in fluid communication with one channel.

Each channel has an inner width that is proximal to the front side of the drawer and coincides with each discharge opening of the extra compartment, and an inner width which is distant from the front side of the drawer and leads into the discharge opening.

The bottom of the extractable drawer is inclined downwards towards the interior of the appliance.

The housing of the dosing container is provided at its front end with two discharge orifices with a tube connection for receiving a filling tube that connects the housing of the dosing container and the container for the liquid laundry detergent of the automatic dosing system.

The household appliance comprises a fluid communication of the liquid laundry detergent between the dosing container and its extractable drawer on the one hand and the container for the liquid laundry detergent of the automatic dosing system on the other. The household appliance with circulating water of the invention allows for dosing the laundry detergent in one place regardless of the selected mode of dosing, i. e. manual or automatic dosing. Such mode of dosing is more user-friendly and simpler. The user inserts all necessary laundry detergents into the appliance in one standard place of the appliance and the user does not have to bend. Although the household appliance has a built-in automatic dosing system, the user can also use the laundry detergent manual dosing system without limitations for all washing cycles and with various laundry detergents and/or laundry aids in a powder and/or liquid form. The user has a possibility of carrying out various methods of laundry washing/caring, which is made possible by the simple mode of laundry detergent manual dosing or by the automatic dosing method.

In the event of use of the automatic dosing system, the dosing container and its extractable drawer are not formed as a container for the laundry detergent but merely as a component part of the fluid communication established between the dosing container and each laundry detergent container in the automatic dosing system. The household appliance of the invention includes at least one laundry detergent container for automatic dosing, preferably two containers; it might include a plurality of them. The two containers for the liquid washing detergent automatic dosing system can be arranged anywhere within the household appliance, preferably in a location with available space, and can be of any shape adapted to the available space. Since the containers are filled directly through the dosing container, the containers need not be directly accessed from the outside. This further means that the external front side of the appliance is not provided with any additional recesses that would call for additional technological operations and would have a negative impact on the aesthetics of the appliance.

The household appliance of the invention simplifies the manufacturing method. The dosing container built in the household appliance of the invention allows single production regardless of the dosing system type. If only the system for manual dosing of the laundry detergent is used, practically the same method and minimal changes in the tools can be used to manufacture a dosing container for manual dosing of the laundry detergent only, in fact, this is yet additional economical issue which is in favour of the production of the household appliance of the invention.

As the liquid laundry detergent containers of the automatic dosing system are integrated within the appliance and are filled through the dosing container from the front side, the household appliance can be arranged at a wall and does not need any additional space for manipulation.

The technical solution to the household appliance of the invention will be explained in more detail by way of an embodiment and the drawings, representing in

Fig. 1 Schematic view of a washing machine in cross-section

Fig. 2 Dosing container in exploded view

Fig. 3 Drawer cross-section

Fig. 4 Bottom view of the drawer

A household appliance 1 with circulating water, such as a washing machine or a dishwasher, preferably a washing machine, has a tub 3 arranged in a housing 2 and a concentrically rotating drum 4 arranged within said tub for receiving laundry. A user has access to the tub with the drum from the front side of the machine through a door 5 closing the tub 4. In the upper part of a front side 6 of the machine there is a control panel 7 and a dosing container 8 for receiving a laundry detergent, said dosing container being preferably arranged on the left side of the upper part of the machine. A system 26 for automatic dosing of a laundry detergent, which is not the object of this invention, is arranged in the housing 2 of the washing machine. The dosing container 8 comprises a housing 9 of the dosing container, said housing being fastened in any known way to the housing 2 of the washing machine, an extractable drawer 10 arranged in the housing 9, said drawer having more than one compartment for receiving a laundry detergent in a powder and/or liquid form, and a rinsing cover 11 covering the extractable drawer 10 and the housing 9 of the dosing container.

The extractable drawer 10 is substantially box-shaped and has a bottom 10.1 enclosed by two lateral walls 10.2, 10.3 and a front wall 10.4, said front wall being substantially part of the front wall of the washing machine 1. The extractable drawer 10 is open at its rear side, allowing the laundry detergent/laundry aids to flow together with the water from the drawer into the housing 9 of the dosing container and further into the tub 3 of the washing machine 1. In its interior, the extractable drawer 10 comprises more than one, preferably three compartments 12, 13, 14 for receiving a laundry detergent and/or laundry aids for manual dosing. The compartments 12, 13, 14 can be arranged parallel to each other and can extend along the length of the extractable drawer 10. The size of each compartment 12, 13, 14 is freely selectable and depends on the type of the laundry detergent/laundry aids it receives. Apart from the compartments 12, 13, 14, the extractable drawer 10 preferably has two extra compartments 15, 16 for the liquid laundry detergent and/or laundry aids for the automatic dosing system. The compartments 15, 16 for automatic dosing are arranged at the front side 10.4 of the extractable drawer 10. Each extra compartment 15, 16 is provided in its bottom with a discharge opening 15.2, 16.2 and is closed by a swing cover 15.1, 16.1. The number of extra compartments is identical to the number of the containers for the liquid laundry detergent in the automatic dosing system.

On the external side of the bottom 10.1 of the extractable drawer 10, at least one channel-like chamber, preferably two channel-like chambers 17, 18 are mounted over its total length. Each channel 17, 18 extends along the bottom of the extractable drawer 10 in a way that each inner width of the channel that is proximal to the front side 10.4 of the drawer coincides with each discharge opening 15.2, 16.2 of the extra compartment, and each inner width of the channel that is distant from the front side 10.4 of the drawer terminates with a discharge opening 17.1, 18.1.

For reasons of a better discharge of the laundry detergent from the extractable drawer, the bottom 10.1 of the extractable drawer can be inclined downwards towards the interior of the machine, such that the end of the bottom, which is closer to the front side 6 of the machine 1 , is higher, i. e. closer to the upper part of the machine, than the second end of the drawer 10 facing away from the front side 6 of the machine and facing the interior of the machine. The channels 17, 18 follow this inclination.

The housing 9 of the dosing container 8, which is fastened on the housing 2 of the washing machine, substantially encloses the extractable drawer 10. The housing 9 is open at the front end along the front side to allow the extractable drawer 10 to be extracted. The housing 9 of the dosing container 8 is provided at its front end with two discharge orifices 20, 21 each having a tube connection for receiving each filling tube 22, 23 that connects the housing 9 of the dosing container and each container 24, 25 for the liquid laundry detergent of the automatic dosing system. The containers 24, 25 are arranged in the interior of the washing machine, preferably in the bottom part of the machine between the tub 3 and the housing 2 of the machine. Each container 24, 25 can have any volume depending on the available space in the machine and must at least hold an amount sufficient for several laundry cycles. A fluid communication is established between the dosing container 8 and its extractable drawer 10 and the containers 24, 25, said fluid communication continuing further to the automatic dosing system which is not the object of the present invention.

In a household appliance with circulating water of the invention, such as a washing machine or a dishwasher, the user has a free choice to select between a manual system for laundry detergent dosing or automatic laundry detergent dosing. The selection of the system is confirmed via the control panel of the machine. If the manual dosing system is used, the extractable drawer 10 is pulled out, and the laundry detergent and/or laundry aids in a powder and/or liquid form is inserted/poured into a compartment 12, 13, 14 depending on the selected washing cycle.

If the automatic dosing system is selected, the containers 24, 25 or at least one of them must contain a sufficient quantity of a laundry detergent. Should this not be the case, the user is prompted on the control panel to refill the containers 24, 25. The user then pulls out the extractable drawer 10 to its end position, in which the discharge opening 17.1, 18.1 of each channel 17, 18 overlaps with a respective discharge orifice 20, 21 of the housing 9 of the dosing container 8. The discharge orifices 20, 21 are connected via tube connections with the filling tubes 22, 23 which conduct the liquid laundry detergent to a respective container 24, 25. When a container is filled up to a predetermined level, the user is informed thereof via the control panel. If the container is overfilled, the liquid laundry detergent flows from the extra compartment/filling tube down the bottom of the housing 9 of the dosing container 8, which is dedicated to the discharge of the laundry detergent in manual dosing, through a discharge 9.1 and further into the tub 3. The end position of the extraction of the extractable drawer 10 can be limited in a variety of ways. One of possible ways is a magnet - magnetic sensor combination. One part of the sensor system is arranged on the fixed part, for instance on the housing of the dosing container or on part of the housing of the appliance, while the other part is arranged on the movable part, i. e. the extractable drawer.

In the event of the automatic dosing system, the household appliance with circulating water of the invention, such as a washing machine or a dishwasher, also allows for the use of the external container for a liquid laundry detergent. In this case, adequate connection elements are arranged on the rear side of the extractable drawer 10, through which elements the liquid laundry detergent flows into the extractable drawer, further into the housing 9 of the dosing container, and into the tub 3.

Self-evidently, a person skilled in the art can configure other embodiments without circumventing the essence of the present invention.