Textiles: fluid treating apparatus – Machines – Combined
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-22
2001-05-08
Stinson, Frankie L. (Department: 1746)
Textiles: fluid treating apparatus
Machines
Combined
C068S207000, C134S093000, C137S625460
Reexamination Certificate
active
06227012
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a device for housing washing agents which can be used in a washing machine, preferably in a machine for washing laundry.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The devices of the aforementioned kind of the known type, called inappropriately “drawers” in the field, usually comprise a body of the device housing one or more vessels, each containing a quantity of a respective washing agent, such as a detergent, bleach, fabric conditioner or another type, and means for conveying respective flows of water to each of said washing agents housing vessels to remove the agent contained therein and for transporting it to the tub of the machine, where the operation of washing the articles of laundry takes place.
In the “drawers” of the known type said means for conveying the flows of water to the vessels to remove the respective washing agent comprise conveying conduits for respective flows of water, which conduits end with holes formed in a wall of the body of the device situated at said vessels, from which the respective flow of water is poured into corresponding vessels for removing the washing agent contained in the latter.
The use of this kind of device of the known type is disadvantageous from various viewpoints. There is first of all a problem linked to the presence of ions or encrusting agents in the flows of water for removing the washing agents passing through said conduits and holes of the device or “drawer” housing the washing agents. Said flows of water for removal, after a certain period of time of use of the washing machine, therefore have the tendency to leave encrusting deposits which clog the conduits and, more particularly, the holes for transfer of the flow of water to the respective washing agents housing vessels.
This fact, which obviously is felt more greatly in areas wherein the water available has a particularly high degree of hardness, entails, after a certain number of cycles of use of the washing machine, the impossibility of providing any flow of water or a correct flow of water for removing a suitable quantity of detergent. This leads to incomplete washing operations and even those which are damaging to the garments being washed.
In order to avoid these disadvantages, current practice consists in replacing the clogged detergents housing drawer with a new drawer, which operation may only be concluded by specialist staff specially contacted by the domestic user of the washing machine.
This operation is therefore, as well as irritating in that it involves stopping the machine until the specialist technician has answered the call affirmatively, excessively expensive, in that it entails a certain cost inherent in the total cost of the drawer to be replaced and the cost of the work force used during this operation of replacement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
At least some of the problems referred above, to be found in the washing agents housing devices used in washing machines known hitherto, are solved by a washing agents housing device having the features disclosed herein.
More particularly the provision of an attachment of the removable or openable type between the body of the device and a portion of the same body of the device, which forms directly or houses said conduits for conveying flows and if necessary said transfer holes, provides access to said conduits and relative holes and therefore allows the performance of an operation of cleaning of encrustation or if necessary replacement of said removable portion.
A saving of costs is achieved in that it is no longer necessary to replace the entire washing agents housing device or “drawer”.
Since it is not necessary to replace the entire drawer, whose removal from the washing machine entailed performance of operations of detaching of pipes and relevant clips and disconnection of valve assemblies, the aforementioned operations of cleaning of the “drawer” may be performed directly by the user of the washing machine, without it being necessary to rely on specialist assistance personnel, with the further advantages relating to a greater promptness of intervention—it is no longer necessary to wait for the arrival of the specialist staff—and saving in the costs of labour. The secondary claims relate to preferred embodiments of the present invention.
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European Patent Application 125, 627, Nov. 1984.
Borroni Giuseppe
Carli Carlo
Stinson Frankie L.
T&P S.p.A.
Young & Thompson
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