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(11) | EP 0 005 989 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Washing machine dispensers |
| (57) A powder dispenser (2) for a washing machine comprises a pre-wash compartment (6)
and a wash compartment (8) each provided with a door (10 or 12) which is opened when
the powder in the compartment is required. Opening of both doors (10 and 12) is achieved
by operating a single solenoid (63), a selector mechanism (68) being provided to determine
which door is to be opened. In a preferred embodiment, the selector mechanism (66)
is moved to a first position, in which the solenoid (63) is operable to open the pre-wash
compartment door (10). in response to the closing of this door (10). On the opening
of this door (10), the selector mechanism (66) is caused to move to a second position
in which the solenoid (63) is operable to open the wash compartment door (12). |
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] This invention relates to dispensers for washing machines. The invention is particularly applicable to powder dispensers, for automatic washing machines, which have two compartments, one of which is opened to allow washing powder therein to be used in a "pre-wash" part.of the washing machine cycle, and the other of which is opened at a later stage to allow the powder therein to be used in the "wash" part of the machine's cycle.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Automatic washing machines generally include a powder dispenser having two compartments in each of which a user of the machine deposits washing powder. During the cycle of the machine, a mechanism is operated to open a door of one of the compartments to allow the powder therein to be used in a so-called "pre-wash" operation. At a later stage, a further mechanism is automatically operated to open the door to the other compartment so that the powder therein can be used in a "wash" operation.
[0003] In general, the cycle of the machine can be selectively altered to dispense with the "pre-wash" operation if desired. In this case, only one of the compartments need be used.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
[0004] In accordance with the invention, a dispenser for therefore, the operation of the actuator can be controlled in a simple manner simply by leaving the pre-wash compartment door open if the pre-wash part of the cycle is not required, and closing this door after depositing powder in the compartment if the pre-wash part of the cycle is required. This avoids the requirement of providing switching arrangements to ensure the correct operation of the actuator.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0005]
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a powder dispenser in accordance with the invention.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of a selector mechanism of the dispenser of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a plan view of the selector mechanism of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a view similar to that of Figure 3, illustrating the operation of the selector mechanism when in its first position.
Figure 5 is a view similar to that of Figure 3, illustrating the operation of the selector mechanism when in its second position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0006] Referring to Figure 1, a dispenser 2 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention has a base 4 carrying two compartments, 6 and 8. The compartments 6 and 8 have lids or doors 10 and 12 respectively, each door being pivotally mounted for movement between the open position shown and a position in which its compartment is closed. The doors 10 and 12 are biased to their open positions by springs 14 and 16 respectively.
[0007] The catch member 18 has an upper surfac. 44, and at each side thereof a downwardly sloping cal surface 46 and 48. The surfaces 46 and 48 form the upper surfaces of two sideways-projecting lips 56 and 58, respectively (see Figures 1 and 2). The' member 18 also has two rearwardly sloping cam surfaces 50 and 52 at its front end.
[0008] The member 18 is supported at its front and rear ends, so that a transverse gap extends through the central portion of the member, under the top surface 44.
[0009] As the door 10 is moved to its closed position, the outer edge 54 of its locking bar 24 engages the sloping cam surface 46 on the catch member 18. Further movement of the door 10 causes the bar 20 to pivot at its rear end as the side 54 engaging the cam surface 46 is pushed inwardly. As the door 10 reaches its closed position, the bar 20 is moved past the lower end of the surface 46, and is caused to locate under the sideways-projecting lip 56 of the catch member 18 by the resiliency of the spring 36.
[0010] The engagement of the locking bar 20 with the underside of the lip 56 locks the door 10 in its closed position. The door 12 can be locked in the same manner by the action of the locking bar 22. Each of the doors is cut away as indicated at 60 and 62 to allow sufficient room for the catch member 18 to be located under the edges of the doors when they are closed.
[0011] Referring to Figures 2 to 5, an actuator in the form of a solenoid 63 having an armature 64 is provided to open the doors 10 and 12. The armature 64 is connected to a spring biased operating member in the form of a yoke 65, which is coupled to a selector mechanism formed by a shaft 66. The shaft When the door 10 is to be opened, a pulse of electricity is passed through the solenoid 63. Referring to Figure 4, this causes the armature 64 and operating member 65 to move in such a manner that the shaft 66 is rotated in the direction indicated by arrow C. This in turn causes a corner 94 of the cam surface 68 to hit the surface 54 on the locking bar 20. The locking bar is thus displaced from under the lip 56. The door 10 is thus released, and springs to its open position.
[0012] As this occurs, the peg 90 moves out of the hole 88, to allow the spring plate 70 to push the shaft 66 upwardly. This movement is limited by the engagemenet of the end of the arm 76 with the undersidel of the arm 80 of the operating member 65, so that the end of the arm 74 stays in the recess 82 in the arm 78. When the member 65 returns to its original position, the end of the arm 76 moves under the recess 84 of the arm 80. The shaft 66 can thus move further upwardly, thus bringing the end of the arm 76 into the recess 84 and the end of the arm 74 out of the recess 82.
[0013] Thereafter, when the door 12 is to be opened, a second pulse of electricity is passed through the solenoid 63. This causes the shaft 66 to rotate as indicated by the arrow D in Figure 5. A second corner portion 96 of the cam surface 68 hits the side 54 of the locking bar 22 to displace this from under the lip 58. This allows the door 12 to open under the force of its spring 16.
[0014] The compartments 6 and 8 are used as respectively the pre-wash and the wash compartments of the dispenser. Any washing additive in either of the compartments can be dispensed, when the door of the respective compartment is open, in any conventional manner. For example, the dispenser may be sloped so that most of the additive falls out when the door is opened, and
1. An additive dispenser for a washing machine, comprising two compartments each having
a door which - can be opened to allow the contents of the compartment to be dispensed,
an actuator having an operating member which is moved in response to operation of
the actuator, and a common member selectively movable by the operating member either
to open a first one of said doors or to open the other door.
2. A dispenser as claimed in claim 1,. arranged such that, when both doors are closed,
said common member is effective on operation of the actuator to open said first door,
and, when said first door is open, said common member is effective on operation of
the actuator to open said other door.
3. A dispenser as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said common member is selectively
locatable in one of two positions, in a first one of which the common member is effective
on operation of the actuator to open said first door, and in a second one of which
the common member is effective on operation of the actuator to open said other door.
4. A dispenser as claimed in claim 3, wherein the common member is biased to its said
second position, but is moved to its said first position in response to the first
door being closed.