Dishwasher accessory

Abstract

 A dishwasher accessory comprising a device (1) provided with means suitable to introduce vinegar in the dishwasher during the washing cycle.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a dishwasher accessory.

[0002] It is known that dishwashers perform their washing cycle by using water drawn from the mains and in the presence of substances that are introduced in them at appropriately provided seats.

[0003] Such substances notoriously comprise salt, detergent and rinse aid, which certainly work effectively, although it is often noted that the washing does not provide optimum results.

[0004] The aim of the present invention is to provide an accessory that can be provided together with the dishwasher in order to allow it to work in an optimum manner without however causing a significant cost increase.

[0005] This aim is achieved by a dishwasher accessory according to the invention, characterized in that it comprises a device provided with means suitable to introduce vinegar in the dishwasher during the washing cycle.

[0006] Further characteristics and advantages will become better apparent from the description of some preferred but not exclusive embodiments of the invention, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view of a first embodiment of the invention, inserted in the rack of a dishwasher;

Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 are views of further embodiments of the invention.

[0007] With reference to Figure 1, the reference numeral 1 generally designates the accessory according to the invention, inserted within a rack 2 of a dishwasher.

[0008] The accessory 1 comprises a container in the form of a small bottle 3 adapted to contain vinegar, which in the situation shown in the figure reaches a level 4; the bottle is suitable to be rested at its bottom 5 on the base grille of the rack 2.

[0009] The bottle 3 is provided with a removable top 6, which allows refilling with vinegar after every emptying and supports hermetically the siphon tube 7, which reaches the vicinity of the bottom 5 of the bottle and exits from the top at the portion 7a, which is bent back to prevent the inflow of the washing water into the bottle, in an appropriately raised position in order to prevent the spontaneous outflow of the vinegar.

[0010] The expansion of the air pocket that lies above the level 4 of the vinegar inside the bottle 3 as a consequence of the heating of the air that occurs during the operation of the dishwasher determines a pressure on the underlying vinegar that causes said vinegar to exit from the portion 7a of the tube 7 and to enter the washing water: the vinegar also expands due to heating, and this fact also causes outflows of the vinegar, albeit minimal ones.

[0011] Clearly, the user can, by opening the top 6, introduce vinegar in the bottle 3 up to the level 4 or proximate thereto, and the type of operation described now occurs already from the first wash, but the bottle 3 might also be filled completely by the user, and in this case a weak outflow of vinegar occurs during the first washes but tends to increase, reaching the above described conditions as the volume of the air pocket above the level of the vinegar increases.

[0012] The effect of the presence of vinegar in the washing water is very positive: it in fact degreases, polishes and disinfects the kitchenware introduced in the dishwasher, also removing any odor, thus achieving a truly optimum result of the operation without causing a significant cost increase.

[0013] Moreover, one is in the presence of a biological substance having no toxicity risk.

[0014] Figure 2 illustrates a different embodiment of the invention, in which the vinegar container 8 is formed monolithically within the basket 9 designed to contain cutlery.

[0015] The container is provided with the top 10, which supports hermetically the siphon tube 11, which is fully similar to the tube 7.

[0016] Further embodiments of a container designed to contain vinegar and provided with a siphon tube of the described type might be obtained by producing the container as an integral part of the structure of the dishwasher or of any element of said dishwasher.

[0017] Another embodiment of a vinegar container with siphon tube is shown in Figure 3, in which the invention is provided as a single body 12, typically obtained by molding plastics, which comprises the container 13 of vinegar 14 and the tube 15 that protrudes from the bottom of the container and exits at 15a: this embodiment is of the single-use type and is thus adapted to be discarded once emptied of its contents.

[0018] Figure 4 is a view of an embodiment of the invention that comprises the container 16 of vinegar 17, provided with the filling plug 16a and with the valve 18 at the bottom.

[0019] The valve comprises a flow control element formed by the plates 19a and 19b, which are monolithically connected by the stem 19c, which is kept in the closed position shown in the figure by the action of the spring 20 and is meant to be lowered, with a separation of the plate 19a from the sealing surface that produces a graduated outflow of vinegar, by the thrust applied as a consequence of the expansion of the fluids, air and vinegar, that are present in the container 16 due to their heating during the washing cycle.

[0020] In the embodiment of Figure 5, the outflow of the vinegar 21 from the container 22 is no longer determined, as in the preceding cases, by the expansion of the fluids that are present in the container.

[0021] At the bottom of the container there is in fact the plug formed monolithically by the plates 23a and 23b, which are connected by the stem 23c; said plug is normally closed, as shown in the figure, due to its own weight and to the weight of the overlying vinegar, and is suitable to be lifted, with consequent separation of the plate 23b from the sealing surface and graduated outflow of vinegar, by the action of the jets of washing water applied to the plate 23a.

[0022] The described invention is susceptible of numerous other modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the inventive concept; thus, for example, the vinegar containers can be provided with a hook that allows to insert them in the dishwasher so that they hang.

[0023] Finally, it almost goes without saying that the term "vinegar" used repeatedly herein is intended to designate both pure vinegar and a vinegar solution.

[0024] The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. MN2001A000017, from which this application claims priority, are incorporated herein by reference.

[0025] Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the scope of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

1. A dishwasher accessory, characterized in that it comprises a device provided with means suitable to introduce vinegar in the dishwasher during the washing cycle.

2. The accessory according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a vinegar container provided with means that are suitable to determine the outflow of vinegar within the dishwasher as a consequence of the expansion of the fluids, i.e., vinegar and air, contained in said container as a consequence of the heating that occurs during the washing cycle.

3. The accessory according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that it comprises a vinegar container provided with a siphon tube that reaches the vicinity of the bottom at one end and protrudes from the container in a raised position at the other end, inside the dishwasher.

4. The accessory according to claim 3, characterized in that the siphon tube protrudes from the container so that it is appropriately bent.

5. The accessory according to claim 3, characterized in that the vinegar container is a small bottle meant to be inserted in the dishwasher and provided with a removable top that comprises the siphon tube.

6. The accessory according to claim 3, characterized in that the vinegar container is a single-use element meant to be inserted in the dishwasher.

7. The accessory according to claim 3, characterized in that the vinegar container is provided as an integral part of the dishwasher structure.

8. The accessory according to claim 3, characterized in that the vinegar container is formed as an integral part of an element of the dishwasher.

9. The accessory according to claim 3, characterized in that the vinegar container is formed monolithically within the cutlery containment basket.

10. The accessory according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that it comprises a vinegar container provided, at the bottom, with a valve with a flow control element that is kept in the closed position by the action of a spring and is suitable to reach an open position that allows a graduated outflow of vinegar as a consequence of the pressure produced by the expansion of the fluids, i.e., vinegar and air, that are contained in said container.

11. The accessory according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a vinegar container that is meant to be inserted in the dishwasher and is provided, at the bottom, with a normally closed plug that is suitable to be moved, by the pressure applied by the washing water, into an open position that allows graduated outflow of vinegar.

Drawing