Filler device, in particular for the regeneration salt of a dishwasher

European Patent Application EP1532918

A filler device, in particular for the regeneration salt of a dishwasher, includes a container (F) provided with supporting legs (L) and open at the bases for the salt loading from the top and the downflow through a bottom outlet, the latter being closed by a shutter (P) that closes it from the outside and extends upward into a rod (A) terminating at the top with a handle (H), the shutter (P) when in the closed position extending downward up to the same level as the bottom end of said supporting legs (L), said rod (A) being supported and slidably guided by a cross-piece (C) secured to the container (F) and being provided with a cochlea (W) to break the lumps and push the salt to the outlet. With this device the salt can be easily poured in the container (F) while the latter is standing on a plane outside the dishwasher, and then the salt reservoir filling operation can be carried out with a single hand and without the help of other tools thanks to the lump-breaking cochlea (W). Moreover, in case of excessive salt load it is still possible to close the outlet simply by pulling up the shutter (P) through the rod (A) and the handle (H), and it is also possible to use the shutter (P) as a hammer by raising and lowering it so as to perform a compacting of the salt inside the reservoir in order to achieve a maximum filling that increases the endurance and reduces the refilling frequency.

Gobbi, Ezio (IT)

EP20030425751

05/25/2005

11/21/2003

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Bonferraro S. P. A. (IT)

A47L15/42; A47L15/42; (IPC1-7): A47L15/42; B67C11/04

A47L15/42D2

GB191121910A
3938563				Funnel with automatic air bleeding and valved outlet
FR2082077A
DE9304714U1
CH98277A
1099706
FR2765092A
DE4214147A1

1. A filler device including a container (F) provided with supporting legs (L) and open at the bases for top loading and downflow through a bottom outlet, the latter being closed by a shutter (P), characterized in that said shutter (P) closes said outlet of said container (F) from the outside and it extends upward into a rod (A) terminating at the top with a handle (H), the shutter (P) when in the closed position extending downward up to the same level as the bottom end of said supporting legs (L), said rod (A) being supported and slidably guided by a structure secured to the container (F).

2. A filler device according to claim 1, characterized in that the supporting structure for the rod (A) consists of a cross-piece (C) with a central bore.

3. A filler device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a cochlea (W) is arranged on the rod (A) in the length between the shutter (P) and the supporting structure for the rod (A).

4. A filler device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the container (F) has a substantially frustoconical shape.

5. A filler device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the container (F) is provided with measure marks.

The present invention relates to a device to fill a reservoir, and in particular to a filler device for the regeneration salt used in a dishwasher softener. Reference will be made hereafter to a dishwasher, while it is clear that the present device can be used also in other domestic appliances having a softener (e.g. a washing machine) or for the filling of other substances in any other application.

It is known that in dishwashers the softener is usually located under the bottom of the washing tank, and the reservoir of the salt used for the regeneration of the resin has an opening arranged on the tank bottom and therefore accessible only from inside the machine. As a consequence, in order to carry out the salt refilling the user must perform a quite inconvenient operation, using a funnel that must be placed on the reservoir mouth and where the salt must be poured.

Not only the position to perform this operation is awkward, but it is often necessary to intervene with a tool inside the funnel to force the downflow of the salt and to break up possible lumps. Moreover, since there is no perception of when the salt reservoir is full, it is inevitable that the latter remains partially empty (resulting in a shorter endurance before the next refill) or that, at the moment when the funnel is lifted, the salt remaining in the funnel is spread in the tank with significant waste and pollution.

An improvement with respect to the above-mentioned simple funnel is the refilling container disclosed in DE 4214147 that provides supporting feet and a slide valve that closes the salt outlet. In this way the container can stand on a plane and can be conveniently filled outside the dishwasher, with a measured amount of salt, and then lifted through a specific lateral handle and positioned on the reservoir mouth. At this moment it is sufficient to manually operate the valve, by laterally moving the slide, to allow the downflow of salt from the container into the reservoir.

A further improvement is illustrated in FR 2765092, that has a similar structure but provides a valve with a shutter that moves axially toward the inside of the container in an automatic manner when the latter is placed on the reservoir mouth. In fact the shutter is connected through a bottom rod to a transverse bar sliding in two slots formed in the supporting feet, whereby when the container is placed on the reservoir mouth the bar is raised and as a consequence it causes the opening of the salt outlet.

Although these known devices overcome some of the drawbacks of the simple funnel, however they too are not free from drawbacks. In the first place they still require the user's intervention with a tool for the downflow of the salt in case of clogging, which is particularly probable in the case of FR 2765092 due to the small passage between the shutter and the salt outlet. On the other hand said passage can not be large in that the upward travel of the shutter is defined by the projection of the reservoir mouth with respect to the tank bottom on which the container feet rest.

Another drawback stems from the fact that in case of an excessive load of salt in the container, so that upon filling of the reservoir some salt remains in the container, it becomes difficult to close the valve to prevent the remaining salt from falling in the washing tank. In fact both in the slide valve of DE 4214147 and in the shutter valve of FR 2765092 the mobile shutting member finds the remaining salt on his path and can not easily return to its seat. Moreover, in the case of FR 2765092 the salt below the shutter inevitably falls out of the container when the latter is lifted.

Therefore the object of the present invention is to provide a device which is free from said drawbacks. This object is achieved by means of a device in which the shutter is axially mobile outwards with respect to the container and it is connected to a top rod provided with a cochlea and a top handle. Other advantageous features of the present device are disclosed in the dependent claims.

A first great advantage of the present device is that it is possible to carry out the reservoir filling operation with a single hand and without the help of other tools, thanks to the lump-breaking cochlea that can push the salt toward the outlet.

Another significant advantage of this device stems from the fact that in case of excessive salt load it is still possible to close the valve simply by pulling up the control rod through the handle, so as to prevent any salt waste and pollution.

Still another advantage is given by the possibility of using the shutter as a hammer by raising and lowering it through the rod handle, so as to perform also a compacting of the salt inside the reservoir in order to achieve a maximum filling that increases the endurance and reduces the refilling frequency.

Further advantages and characteristics of the device according to the present invention will be clear to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of an embodiment thereof, with reference to the annexed drawings wherein: Fig.1 is a diagrammatic view in longitudinal section of the device in the load position, standing on a plane; Fig.2 is a view similar to the preceding one of the device in the reservoir filling phase; and Fig. 3 is a view similar to the preceding one of the device in the phase of compacting the salt already poured in the reservoir.

With reference to fig.1, there is seen that the device according to the present invention conventionally includes a container F of substantially frustoconical shape and provided with supporting legs L that allow it to stand on a plane. Container F is open at the bases for the salt loading from the top and the salt downflow through the bottom outlet, the latter being closed by a shutter P.

The novel aspect of the present device is given by the fact that shutter P closes the outlet of container F from the outside (i.e. it is lowered for the opening), and it extends upward into a rod A terminating at the top with a handle H. It should be noted that shutter P in the closed position extends downward up to the same level as the bottom end of the supporting legs L. Rod A is supported and slidably guided by a cross-piece C with a central bore, but it is clear that any other suitable structure secured to container F could be used.

Furthermore, a cochlea W is preferably arranged on rod A in the length between shutter P and cross-piece C, and container F is preferably provided with measure marks showing the amount of the salt load.

The simple and effective operation of the present device is readily understood from the description above with the help of figures 2 and 3.

The user pours the desired amount of salt in container F standing on a plane, the outlet being closed by shutter P that also abuts on the plane. The user then lifts the device by grasping handle H, whereby the device weight itself keeps in the closed position shutter P no longer abutting on the supporting plane.

It should be noted that this arrangement with the central handle H substantially aligned with the center of gravity of the device loaded with salt results much more convenient for the user with respect to known devices provided with a lateral handle. In fact, with the lateral handle the user must not only exert effort to overcome the weight of the loaded device, which can be over 2 kg, but also to overcome the torque due to the distance between the center of gravity of the device and the holding point by the user.

As shown in fig.2, when the device is placed at the mouth M of the salt reservoir R, legs L keep it standing on the tank bottom while shutter P has no supporting surface. As a result, as soon as the user releases handle H shutter P moves down by gravity under the push of the weight of salt S, thus allowing the downflow thereof into reservoir R.

The travel of shutter P is limited, through rod A, by handle H that abuts against cross-piece C and therefore remains easily accessible by the user. In this way, when the salt has difficulty in flowing down due to clogging, lumps or the like, the user can turn handle H so that cochlea W forces the downflow of the salt into reservoir R.

Moreover if some salt S remains in container F because reservoir R is full, the user can use shutter P as a hammer (still through handle H and rod A) to compact the salt and thus fill reservoir R to the maximum, as shown in fig.3. In case some salt is still contained in container F even after the compacting, it is however easy to return shutter P to the closed position by pulling on handle H so as to raise the remaining salt and to allow the closing of the outlet.

It is clear that the above-described and illustrated embodiment of the device according to the invention is just an example susceptible of various modifications. In particular, the shape of container F, shutter P and legs L can be freely changed according to the needs, as well as the size and position of cochlea W and cross-piece C.