The invention refers to a dismountable and cleanable detergent products dispenser for a top-loading rotating drum washing machine.

It is known that, on the most recent washing machines, a detergent products dispenser able to dispense, during some stages of the washing cycle, a solid and/or liquid detergent product previously introduced into the appropriate boxes grouped in the same space, laid out on one of the sides or at the back of the loading hopper of the machine or, on some machines, in a box or in a pocket fixed to the bottom of the hopper door and taking place in the space left free between the hopper door and the periphery of the drum.

The automatic delivery at the right time of each of the detergent products induces a relatively dispenser products detergent complexity to obtain their draining by the wash liquid as well as the unavoidable dead angles in the boxes that disturb the dispersion and complete distribution of the detergent products dose. This results in permanent deposits of matter that ends up by reducing the doses of the products brought, which induces a dispenser dysfunction, causing a user's dissatisfaction regarding the quality of the wash. In addition, the user is forced to clean the dispenser products boxes and channels, which are often difficult to access as constructed, especially when the dispenser is integrated in the loading hopper of the machine.

Aware of this problem, all manufacturers have sought to provide solutions. The main such solution consisted in making the dispenser boxes removable to facilitate cleaning or making the dispenser completely removable in order to allow it to be cleaned as completely as possible outside the machine. But nevertheless this involved a constraint that was rather poorly accepted by users, which resulted in neglected maintenance of these dispensers due to the difficulties of access to all of the parts concerned, often partially hidden by projecting edges or located in rather inaccessible nooks, since these dispensers were made from several parts welded together and which cannot be dismantled.

To facilitate direct access to the inside of the dispenser compartments, it was conceived to install the dispenser at the back of the loading hopper, in front of the hopper door's articulation so the said door can be used to close the dispenser compartments, which by this means are completely released when the said door is opened to directly fill the hopper without facilitating the maintenance of the compartments.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a solution for these disadvantages. This invention, as characterized in the claims, resolves the problem consisting to create a detergent products dispenser whose compartments are easily accessible to clean them and their feeding and dispensing channel.

The advantages obtained through this invention consist primarily in that the loading hopper door directly seals the compartments without disturbing the door functioning, while avoiding overflows of detergent products that cause deposits, which are difficult to eliminate after their drying, and in that all of the nooks, deflectors and siphons inside the dispenser are directly accessible for their maintenance, which allows such maintenance to be done regularly.

Other characteristics and advantages will appear in the following description of a method of making the detergent products dispenser for a top-loading washing machine dismountable according to the invention in association with the loading hopper door, given as a non-limiting example with regard to the appended drawings where:

• figure 1 shows a top perspective view of the open door on the loading hopper equipped with the dispenser,
• figure 2 shows an overall perspective view of the detergent products dispenser, and
• figure 3 shows an exploded perspective view of the dispenser.

The figures show in this example the loading hopper 10 of a top-loading washing machine, equipped on the back with a detergent products dispenser 30 made in two parts fitting together where one 31 includes the detergent holding compartments 310 to 312, the liquid inlet and the detergent outlets, and where the other 32 includes the water distribution baffles, the siphons 323 to 325, the inlet edges 326 to 328 of the compartments 310 to 312, two self-cleaning jets 329 and 330 and engagement stops 317. The detergent compartments 310 to 312 are closed by the loading hopper lid 20 that includes closing seals 21 to 23 for this purpose. The two parts 31 and 32 of the dispenser 30 constitute a removable assembly recessed in a seating 12 arranged in the back part 11 of the loading hopper 10. In this case, the said dispenser 30 is constantly held against the back wall of the recessed seating 12 by flexible slats 318 and 319 forming one body with its upper part 32.

In examining figure 1 in more detail, one notices that when the hopper lid 20 is open, it includes on its back part, near its articulation 24, raised parts in a flexible material forming seals 21 to 23, each of which takes on the shape of the inlet edges 326 to 328 of the detergent compartments 310 to 312 that are made with a certain strip, which facilitates the seals 21 to 23 alignment and the contact with the said inlet edges 326 to 328 when the lid 20 closes. This alignment is facilitated by the constant holding of the dispenser 30 and more particularly its upper part 32 against the back wall of the recessed seating 12, made in the back part 11 of the hopper 10, under the action of the flexible slats 318 and 319, each located at the front and ends of the dispenser 30 and bearing against the front wall of the dispenser recessed seating 12. One notes that, in this way, the good conformability of the seals 21 to 23 is obtained and therefore they are in regular contact, which results in obtaining good watertightness that is favourable to the complete distribution of the detergent products. One also notes that, given the free recessed fitting of the dispenser 30 in its seating 12, the dispenser 30 can be easily removed from the machine to be cleaned and even refilled without bother.

By referring now to figures 2 and 3, taken as a whole, one notes first of all on figure 2, showing an overall view of the dispenser 30, that the dispenser only includes two parts 31 and 32 fitting together, with the engagement limited by stops 317 spread around the lower part 31, then on figure 3 that the upper part 32 of the dispenser 30 includes, on the bottom, water distribution baffles, as well as the body of the siphons 323 to 325 penetrating in each of the compartments 310 to 312 located in the lower part 31. The body of the siphon 324 covers a vertical pipe 320 that opens under the main compartment 311 intended to receive a liquid detergent. The other two compartments 310 and 312, intended to receive powder detergent, each include a wide opening on the bottom that facilitates the passage of the powder by overflowing the detergent, when it is flushed at certain steps of the wash cycle, by flowing pressurised water in the distributors also located on the bottom of the upper part 32 of the dispenser 30. During these operations the jets 329 and 330 directly clean the surfaces located between the compartments 310 and 312 and the liquid compartment 311. As one notes, the dispenser 30 is very easily removed from its seating, then opened in half for cleaning, which could be done moreover mechanically by using the home's dish washer.