AU2021408804A1 - Dishwasher - Google Patents

Abstract

A washing appliance has a detergent compartment which can accept either detergent powder, liquid or detergent tablets. The detergent compartment has a detergent recharge door via which detergent may be loaded into the detergent compartment, and a detergent outlet door from which the dishwasher can reliably release either loaded detergent powder or loaded tablets.

Description

DISHWASHER

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to dishwashers, and more particularly to a dishwasher which can accept detergent powder or detergent tablets.

BACKGROUND ART

Most or all dishwashers have a detergent compartment which can accept a particulate detergent (often referred to as detergent powder), or detergent in liquid form, from which the detergent is released into the interior of the dishwasher during the wash cycle, often by the compartment being flushed by water.

Detergent in (solid) tablet form can also be used. Commonly the tablet is placed into the interior of the dishwasher such as for example in the cutlery basket, before closing the dishwasher and starting the wash cycle. Some dishwashers have a detergent compartment designed to accept detergent tablets. The detergent compartment may not be able to also to accept/dispense detergent powder.

Users sometimes place detergent tablets in the detergent compartment of dishwashers designed to accept and dispense only detergent powder or liquid. The tablet may or may not adequately release into the interior of the dishwasher during the wash cycle. In other dishwashers designed to accept detergent powder, the detergent compartment may be shaped or configured so that it is not possible to fit a tablet.

US7337635B2 discloses a dishwasher with one form of detergent compartment which can accept either detergent powder or tablets.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved, or at least alternative, form of washing appliance with a detergent compartment which can accept either detergent powder or detergent tablets, optionally also detergent in liquid or gel capsule form, and which whether the detergent is added in powder or tablet form will reliably release the detergent into the washing space of the dishwasher during the wash cycle.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

In a first aspect, the invention consists in a detergent dispenser comprising: a detergent recharge door to a detergent compartment, a detergent outlet door from the detergent compartment, and a mechanism coupling the detergent recharge door and the detergent outlet door so that opening of the detergent recharge door, when the detergent outlet door is open, causes closing of the detergent outlet door.

In a second aspect, the invention consists in a washing appliance incorporating the detergent dispenser according to the first aspect.

In a third aspect, the invention consists in a washing appliance comprising: a detergent compartment in a wall of the washing appliance, a detergent recharge door at an upper part of the detergent compartment and covering an upper part of the detergent compartment when closed, and a detergent outlet door below the detergent recharge door and covering, when closed, a lower, and not an upper, part of the detergent compartment.

In this specification "comprising" means "consisting at least in part of". When interpreting a statement in this specification and claims that includes "comprising", features other than that or those prefaced by the term may also be present. Related terms such as "comprise" and "comprises" are to be interpreted similarly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention are described with reference to the accompanying drawings by way of example, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view from the front of an "integrated" drawer-type dishwasher,

Figure 2 is a perspective view from above of the left side front corner of a wash drawer of the drawer-type dishwasher of Figure 1, withdrawn from the outer cabinet and showing the interior of the wash drawer, comprising a detergent compartment according to an embodiment of the invention, and with the detergent recharge door open,

Figure 3 is a perspective view from within the dishwasher of the detergent compartment of the wash drawer of Figure 2, with the detergent recharge door open,

Figure 4 is a perspective view from within the dishwasher of the detergent compartment of the wash drawer of Figure 2, with the detergent recharge door closed and the detergent outlet door open,

Figures 5A-C are a series of diagrammatic/schematic views of a detergent compartment in accordance with an embodiment of the invention with the detergent recharge door in progressing stages of opening and the detergent outlet door in progressing stages of closing, Figure 6 is an exploded view of operative parts of the detergent compartment of Figures 2 to 5,

Figure 7 is a side view of parts of the coupling mechanism of Figure 6 between the detergent recharge and outlet doors,

Figure 8 is a view of a part of the detergent compartment from below and partly cutaway,

Figure 9 is a cutaway view showing parts of the coupling mechanism between the detergent recharge and outlet doors, of an embodiment of a detergent compartment of the invention similar to that of Figures 2 to 8 but comprising a rotary damper associated with the detergent recharge and outlet doors,

Figure 10 is a cutaway view from a different angle of parts of the coupling mechanism of Figure 9,

Figures 11A and 11B are perspective views from above and below respectively of a detergent recharge door of a dishwasher of the invention, comprising a 'push through' detergent bucket,

Figure 12 is a cross-section view through a top part of a detergent compartment according to an embodiment of the invention comprising the detergent recharge door of Figure 11, open and loaded with powder detergent,

Figure 13 is a cross-section view through a top part of a detergent compartment according to an embodiment of the invention comprising the detergent recharge door of Figure 11, similar to Figure 12, but showing a detergent tablet being loaded into the detergent compartment,

Figure 14 is a cross-section view through a lower part of a detergent compartment according to an embodiment of the invention showing the detergent outlet door open and a detergent tablet being released to the wash tub,

Figure 15A is a perspective view of a detergent compartment according to an embodiment of the invention showing a removable detergent bucket insertable on the rear of the detergent recharge door, and

Figure 15B is an enlarged view of the removable detergent bucket inserted on the rear of the detergent recharge door of Figure 15a.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Dishwasher overview

Figure 1 shows as an exemplary washing appliance, a dishwasher 100 of the drawer-type or drawer-style such as our Dishdrawer™ dishwasher (for additional explanation of the layout and operation of which, see for example our prior patent publications WO9323706A and WO9833426A the entire content of which are incorporated by reference herein). The double drawer dishwasher 100, is shown with the lower drawer 101 closed and the upper drawer 102 open. Dishwasher 100 may alternatively incorporate a single drawer 101 or 102.

As is known, each dishwasher drawer is slidably mounted within an outer cabinet and chassis in a drawer-style arrangement, and comprises a front panel 103 which may have a handle 104, internal front wall 105 behind the front panel 103, left and right side walls 106 and 107, and an end wall and base (not shown). The internal walls and base define a wash chamber/tub or wash space having an open top, within the/each wash drawer. In use the wash drawer is withdrawn from the external cabinet for loading and unloading dishes or cutlery, and when loaded or empty is pushed home into cabinet to close the drawer, and enable washing to occur when loaded. When the wash drawer is home in the cabinet the open top of the drawer is closed by an internal lid as an initial step in the wash programme.

Each drawer comprises an associated wash system including a wash pump, rotating spray arm (see Figure 14) which in operation directs wash liquid such as a water and detergent mixture onto items in the wash space, drain pump, heater, and filtration system. Preferably, the wash and drain pumps are combined into a single pump with respective impellers mounted at axially opposite ends of a rotor shaft, the separate functions carried out dependent upon the direction of rotation of the rotor of the pump motor. Washing cycles are initiated via a user interface panel.

A drawer-type dishwasher is referred to by way of example only, and a dishwasher incorporating a detergent compartment of the invention which can accept at least either detergent powder or detergent tablets, may equally be of the common type comprising a front drop-door pivotally mounted about its lower edge for example, or of any other type.

Two door detergent compartment

Figure 2 is a perspective view from above of the left side front corner of a wash drawer of the drawer-type dishwasher of Figure 1, withdrawn from the outer cabinet.

The dishwasher comprises a detergent compartment having a detergent recharge door 110 in the internal front wall 105 of the wash drawer. In Figure 2 the detergent recharge door 110 is shown open. In the embodiment shown the detergent recharge door 110 is a drop-down door and moves as indicated by arrow A in Figure 4, between a closed position shown in Figure 4 and an open position shown in Figure 3. It may for example pivot about its lower edge or be either-side mounted to achieve drop-down movement. When the wash drawer is open the detergent recharge door 110 can be opened before starting the next wash cycle, and powder or liquid detergent added to the detergent compartment, or a detergent tablet or gel capsule placed in the detergent compartment, through the open detergent recharge door 110 (as will be further described for different embodiments).

The dishwasher also comprises a detergent outlet door 120, also in the internal front wall 105 of the wash drawer, vertically displaced below the height of detergent recharge door 110. The detergent compartment is preferably a longitudinal chamber or passage, substantially aligned on a vertical axis, with the doors at or near respective longitudinally-displaced ends. In Figures 2 and 3 the detergent outlet door 120 is shown closed. In the embodiment shown the detergent outlet door 120 is a flip-up door and moves between a closed position shown in Figure 3 and an open position shown in Figure 4. It may for example pivot about its upper edge or be either-side mounted to achieve flip-up movement. During the wash cycle of the dishwasher (i.e., after the wash drawer has been closed and the dishwasher started to wash a load of dishes and/or cutlery) the detergent outlet door 120 opens, releasing the powder or liquid detergent or detergent tablet or gel capsule, that was previously loaded in the detergent compartment to drop under gravity into the interior wash space of the dishwasher through the opened detergent recharge door 110.

In the embodiment shown the detergent compartment and detergent recharge door 110 and outlet 120 doors are in the internal front wall 105 of the wash drawer, but alternatively the detergent compartment may be provided in the inside wall of the door of a front drop-door-type dishwasher or the left or right internal side walls of the diswasher. Alternatively again, the detergent recharge door 110 may be provided in the front outside of the dishwasher i.e. in front panel 103 in Figure 1. In the embodiment shown in Figures 2 to 4 both the detergent recharge door 110 and outlet door 120 are pivoting doors but in other embodiments one or both may be a sliding door (e.g., sliding up and down), for example.

Two door operation

A mechanism couples the detergent recharge door 110 and the detergent outlet door 120 so that opening of the detergent recharge door 110 (while the wash drawer or dishwasher door is open) to add detergent to the detergent compartment, also causes the detergent outlet door 120 to close. Figures 5A-C schematically show the detergent recharge door 110 in progressing stages of opening and, simultaneously, the detergent outlet door 120 in progressing stages of closing. At the start of a wash cycle after the dishwasher drawer/door has been closed, both the detergent recharge 110 and outlet 120 doors are closed. As stated, during the wash cycle, the detergent outlet door 120 opens under control of a dishwasher controller to allow the detergent in the detergent compartment to exit into the interior of the dishwasher through the opened detergent outlet door 120. When the dishwasher drawer/door is opened at the end of a washing cycle to unload dishes and cutlery, the detergent outlet door 120 is open and the detergent recharge door 110 is closed - this state is shown schematically in Figure 5A. Subsequently, before starting a new wash cycle, when the user opens the detergent recharge door 110 to add detergent to the detergent compartment, this opening action also closes the coupled detergent outlet door 120 via a coupling mechanism. Figure 5B shows the detergent recharge door 110 part way through opening and the detergent outlet door 120 part way through closing, and Figure 5C shows the detergent recharge door 110 fully open and the detergent outlet door 120 fully closed.

Bottom door locks closed but top door can be re-opened

In the embodiment described, when the detergent recharge door 110 is open and is then closed, causing the detergent outlet door 120 to closed as described, the detergent outlet door 120 also locks or latches shut, against subsequent opening until the dishwasher has completed a wash cycle, to prevent premature release of added detergent. However this does not also cause the detergent recharge door 110 to lock closed. This enables the user to reopen the detergent recharge door 110 before the dishwasher is closed, and without causing the detergent outlet door 120 to open, to check that there is detergent in the detergent compartment.

Bottom door closes first

Also, in one embodiment, the coupling mechanism couples the detergent recharge door 110 and the detergent outlet door 120 so that opening of the detergent recharge door 110 (when the detergent outlet door 120 is open), to a part but not fully open position, causes closing of the detergent outlet door 120. That is, when a user opens the detergent recharge door 110 which closes the detergent outlet door 120, during the connected motion of the two doors the detergent outlet door 120 closes (fully) before the detergent recharge door 110 has completed its opening movement to its fully open position.

Optional rinse aid door also

In its closed position the detergent recharge door 110 is held closed by a latch which may be in any form but is shown in the figures as a plastics snap latch 111 between the door 110 and the dishwasher wall 105. In particular in the embodiment shown the latch 111 operates between the top of the door 110 and a surrounding frame 109 which may also be formed of a plastics material, of a detergent module generally indicated at 112. In the embodiment shown, the detergent dispensing module 112 is a wash additive module 112 also incorporating an internal reservoir for rinse-aid, which is filled through a rinse-aid refill port 114 behind rinse-aid refill door 113 adjacent the detergent recharge door 110 as shown - see Figures 2-4, and comprising snap plastics latch Illa.

Detergent door coupling mechanism

The coupling mechanism between the detergent recharge door 110 and detergent outlet door 120 may be in any mechanical form or electro-mechanical form which will co-ordinate operation of the detergent recharge door 110 and detergent outlet door 120 as described. Referring to Figures 6 and 7, in the embodiment shown the coupling mechanism includes a mechanical link arm 130 between the detergent recharge door 110 and the outlet door 120. The link arm 130 is pivotally coupled at its upper end 130a to a lever 131 at the side of the detergent recharge door 110. At its lower end 130b the lever 131 is coupled to a lever 132 at the side of the detergent outlet door 120. The detergent recharge door 110 is lightly spring-biased open, preferably with an over-centre action, by torsion spring 133 between the lever 131 and a fixed part of the dishwasher such as the detergent dispensing module 112. The detergent outlet door 120 may be spring-biased towards its open position.

When the latch 111 is released and the detergent recharge door 110 is opened or opens under spring bias from spring 133, this pulls the link arm 130 up in the direction of arrow C in Figures 6 and 7, which pulls the outlet door 120 closed. The outlet door 120 is then held closed by an electro-mechanical actuator (see Figure 8 and below) which is released by the dishwasher controller during the wash cycle to allow the outlet door 120 to then spring open (releasing the detergent in the detergent compartment into the interior wash space of the dishwasher's tub). Until this occurs, i.e. while the outlet door 120 is held closed by the actuator, closing of the recharge door 110, which pushes the link arm 130 down in the direction of arrow D in Figures 6 and 7, does not move the closed outlet door 120. This is because the lower end of the link arm 130 is coupled to the side of the outlet door 120 by a sliding hook end as shown. Accordingly, opening movement of the detergent recharge door pulls lever 132 up to close the outlet door 120 when it is open, but subsequent closing of the detergent recharge door 110 moves lever 132 down but does not open the outlet door 120. This arrangement also allows the recharge door to be re-opened and re-closed without altering the state of outlet door 120. During movement of the link arm 130 as indicated by arrow D, the hook end of the link arm 130 slides relative to a pivot pin 132a on lever 132.

Referring to Figure 8 which is a cutaway view of a part of the detergent compartment and outlet door 120 from below, the dishwasher or in particular the detergent compartment comprises electro-mechanical actuator 137 associated with the detergent outlet door 120. A detent 120a is provided on a rear side of the detergent outlet door 120. When the outlet door 120 closes the detent 120a rides over and locks behind an arm 138 carried by the actuator 137, which locks the outlet door 120 closed. During the wash cycle the actuator 137 is operated to move the arm from engagement with the door detent, for example by rotating the arm upwards, which allows the outlet door 120 to then spring open releasing the detergent in the detergent compartment into the interior wash space of the dishwasher as described.

As stated, preferably the coupling mechanism couples the detergent recharge 110 and outlet 120 doors so that opening of the detergent recharge door 110, when the detergent outlet door 120 is open, causes faster closing of the outlet door 120 so that the outlet door 120 closes before the recharge door 110 is fully open. In the coupling mechanism embodiment shown in Figures 6 and 7 the lever 131 is longer than the lever 132 for this purpose. Referring to Figure 7, in particular the dimension D between the connection point of lever 131 to the side of the recharge door 110 and the pivot connection 131a between the lever and the link arm, is longer than the dimension d between the connection point of lever 132 to the side of the outlet door 120 and the pivot pin 132a on the lever 132.

In the embodiment shown and referring to Figure 6, the detergent recharge door 110 opens into an upper interior part 108a of the detergent compartment and the detergent outlet door 120 opens from a lower interior part 108c below the upper part 108a of the detergent compartment. The detergent compartment comprises an intermediate interior part 108b or channel, between the upper and lower interior parts 108a and 108c, behind front cover part 117 (see Figures 3 and 4) of the detergent compartment, between the door 110 above and door 120 below.

Soft open/close of doors

Opening of the detergent recharge door 110 and/or closing of the detergent outlet door 120, may be provided with a damped 'soft open/soft close' action. This may be provided for example instead of the over-centre action as referred to previously. To achieve this, a small rotary damper may be associated with either of the recharge door 110 and/or lever 131 or outlet door 120 and/or lever 132, or any other moving part of the mechanism. Figures 9 and 10 show an embodiment in which rotary damper 135 is associated with the recharge door 110 and/or lever 131. In this embodiment the detergent recharge door is biased open by coil spring 136 which is lengthened when the detergent recharge door is closed.

Tablet push through detergent bucket

Figures 11A and 11B are perspective views from above and below respectively of a detergent recharge door 110 (viewed from the rear side thereof) of a dishwasher encompassing an embodiment of the invention, comprising a detergent bucket 140 on the rear of the detergent recharge door 110. As described previously the detergent recharge door 110 is spring biased towards its open position. When the detergent recharge door 110 is open, detergent in powder or liquid form can be added to the detergent bucket 140, and temporarily stored therein. Figure 12 is a cross-section view through a top part of a detergent compartment comprising the detergent recharge door 110 and bucket 140 of Figure 11, open and loaded with powder detergent P.

In the embodiment shown the detergent bucket 140 is defined by left and right side walls 141 and 142 and a floor comprising pivoting flap 143. The flap 143 is mounted for movement as indicated by arrow E about axis I-I. Pins from the left and right corners of the flap 143 are journaled in the left and right side walls 141 and 142. A small torsion spring 145 operating between the flap 143 and adjacent side wall 141/142 biases the flap 143 to its closed position shown in Figures 11A, 11B and 12. A small rotary damper 144 (see gure 11 B) may be associated with the pivot mounting of the flap 143 on one side. When the detergent recharge door 110 is open, detergent in powder or liquid form can be added to the detergent bucket 140 (the flap 143 being in its closed position). It will be appreciated that overfilled liquid or powdered detergent will be able to spill over the rear wall of bucket into the detergent compartment, in preference to spilling over the bucket's higher front or side walls.

When detergent is added as a tablet or gel capsule, the tablet or gel capsule can be pushed through/past the flap 143, pushing the flap 143 open against the resistance of the rotary damper 144. When the tablet or gel capsule has passed, the flap 143 may return under spring bias to its normal/closed position, preferably with a damped/soft closing action. Figure 13 show another tablet dispensing option whereby flap 143 may be moved into an inoperative position by the user to allow free access directly to the detergent compartment. In this alternative embodiment, the user pushes the flap 143 from beneath the bucket. The flap is preferably an interference fit with a feature such as a lip on the side or rear wall of the bucket and a small pushing force will move the flap past the interference feature. Flap 143 then springs upwards due to the bias of spring 145 to provide unobstructed access to the detergent compartment for tablets. The user may then load a tablet into bucket 140 and slide/drop under gravity to the bottom of the detergent compartment. The flap will remain in this position until the user reverses this operation.

Detergent release

In operation, during the wash cycle of a dishwasher, water is commonly directed from an orifice above detergent bucket 140, into the detergent bucket as a jet or spray, which flushes detergent from the detergent bucket into and through the detergent compartment 112 towards the detergent outlet and eventually into the interior of the dishwasher during a washing cycle. In the embodiments of the invention described above this occurs once the dishwasher controller has caused the detergent release door 120 to open during a washing cycle. The detergent recharge door 110 remains closed during washing cycles.

Figure 14 is a cross-section view through a lower part of the detergent compartment 112 showing the detergent outlet door 120 open when the dishwasher is in operation (that is, during a washing cycle). The dishwasher has been loaded with a detergent tablet T that has passed through bucket 140 and dropped to the bottom of the detergent compartment 112. When the detergent outlet door 120 opens the detergent tablet T may be completely or partially dissolved by the flushing water in the detergent compartment and/or may fall out of the door 120, and into the interior wash space of the dishwasher to be dissolved therein. In a preferred embodiment, as shown a water outlet on each end of the rotating spray arm 200 of the dishwasher, is angled to direct water W into/through the bottom part of the detergent compartment, to dissolve a tablet T which remains in the bottom of the detergent compartment as shown.

The base of the detergent compartment is angled so that liquid/dissolved detergent will run into the washing tub, but is not so steep that solid tablets/capsules will slide easily into the tub once door 120 opens. In this way, the likelihood that a large tablet/capsule will drop into the washing tub and block the spray arm's rotation is reduced. Ideally, the tablet/capsule is substantially dissolved whilst remaining in the base of the detergent compartment, or is washed from the detergent compartment only when it is small enough that it can completely dissolve in the washing liquid beneath the spray arm without blocking its rotation. It may be beneficial to provide a lip or other type of restriction at the lower opening of the detergent compartment. Such a restriction could help restrain tablets or gel capsules from falling into the washing tub until they have dissolved sufficiently but would include a bypass channel or channels to enable liquid detergent or dissolved powder to enter the tub without delay.

As may be seen in Figure 14, it will also be appreciated that detergent outlet door

120 may form only a lower portion of a pivoting door panel that also has an upper portion forming an internal door or flap 121 within the detergent compartment. The pivot axis of the door panel including both doors 120 and 121 is between the lower edge of door 120 and the upper edge of door/flap 121, and in or near the plane of the front or front cover part 117 of the detergent compartment. As door 120 opens, internal door/flap 121 pivots downwardly so that it closes off the detergent compartment at or around lower interior part 108c. In this way, when detergent release door 120 opens and washing liquid from spray arm 200 enters the bottom part of the detergent compartment, the washing liquid (which is not clean water but instead contains "soil", food residues, oil, fat etc.) will be blocked by door/flap

121 from contacting most of the internal surface of the detergent compartment so that residue or soil build up cannot occur thereon. When door 120 is closed (when door 110 is opened), internal door/flap 121 pivots upwardly, back to a substantially vertical plane so that detergent powder/tablets/capsules/slurry may again freely pass downwardly through the detergent compartment.

Alternative tablet-dispensing design

With reference now to Figures 15A and 15B, an alternative embodiment of detergent compartment 112 will now be described. This alternative embodiment is similar to the previously described embodiments and so the previously-described common aspects, such as the coupling mechanism between door 110 and 120, will not be repeated.

It will be seen from the drawing figures that a single detergent and rinse-aid recharge door 110a is provided, rather than respective separate doors for accessing detergent bucket 140 and rinse-aid refill port 114. Accordingly, in this embodiment, both the detergent refill "port" and the wash additive refill port may be provided on the rear of a single pivoting door 110a. As shown in Figure 15A, door 110a may simply include an opening which forms the detergent refill port. That is, the rear side of the door does not incorporate a bucket (such as detergent bucket 140 shown in Figures 11A and 11B) and so has no flap door 143 forming a detergent bucket base and there is no bucket rear wall. This alternative design is particularly suited to dispensing detergent tablets or capsules, which are becoming the dominant dishwashing detergent format. To load the detergent compartment with a tablet or capsule the user simply pivots open the door 110a as previously described to reveal a large detergent additive opening through which tablets can be dropped into the detergent chamber. Rinse-aid or other wash additives may be added to the additive reservoir by unclipping and opening a door 113a which is pivotally-mounted to door 110a. Once rinse- aid/additive port door 113a is closed, the washing cycle progresses as has already been explained.

To enable a user to have the option of using powder/liquid detergents with this alternative detergent compartment, an insertable/removable bucket 150 may be provided as an accessory. As shown in Figure 11A, installation of bucket 150 is accomplished simply by pushing bucket 150 into the tablet-receiving opening on the rear of door 110a. Once in its operational position, features of bucket 150 will mate with stopping/clipping features on the rear of door 110a so that the bucket cannot fall into the detergent compartment and so that door 110a will not be restricted from closing.

Bucket 150 integrally includes side, front and rear walls, and a base wall, preferably in a unitary or monolithic construction. The front, rear and base walls could, as illustrated, be incorporated in a single curved or 'cup' shape. Bucket 150 is preferably formed as an injection moulded plastics component. The height, in the normal operational orientation (when door 110a is closed) of the rear wall is lower than the height of the front wall so that, once door 110a is pivoted closed, powdered/liquid detergent will easily fall/flow under gravity down into the detergent compartment, particularly once the bucket is subject to the jet or spray of detergent-flushing water. Should the user decide to revert to detergent tablets or capsules, bucket 150 may be slid out of its position in the rear of door 110a.

Module

In the embodiments described with reference to the drawing figures, the detergent compartment, detergent recharge door, detergent outlet door, and coupling mechanism comprise part of a separate detergent module (or washing additive module) which is mounted in an inside wall of the dishwasher. This enables the detergent module, or at least most of its parts, to be moulded from a plastics material for example. Accordingly, the inside walls of the dishwasher's washing tub may therefore be formed from a different material, such as for example stainless steel. Alternatively however where the dishwasher drawer is also moulded from a plastics material, the detergent doors 110 and 120 may mount directly in a plastics wall, such as the internal front wall 105 of the washing tub.

The foregoing describes the invention including preferred forms thereof and alterations and modifications as will be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be incorporated within the scope hereof.

Claims (20)

1. A detergent dispenser comprising: a detergent recharge door to a detergent compartment, a detergent outlet door from the detergent compartment, and a mechanism coupling the detergent recharge door and the detergent outlet door so that opening of the detergent recharge door, when the detergent outlet door is open, causes closing of the detergent outlet door.

2. The detergent dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the mechanism couples the detergent recharge door and the detergent outlet door so that opening of the detergent recharge door when the detergent outlet door is open causes closing, and locking or latching closed against subsequent opening, of the detergent outlet door but not of the detergent recharge door.

3. The detergent dispenser according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the mechanism couples the detergent recharge door and the detergent outlet door so that opening of the detergent recharge door when the detergent outlet door is open, to a part open but not fully open position of the detergent recharge door, causes complete closing of the detergent outlet door.

4. The detergent dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the mechanism coupling the detergent recharge door and the detergent outlet door comprises a link arm.

5. The detergent dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the mechanism coupling the detergent recharge door and the detergent outlet door comprises a link arm pivotally coupled to the detergent recharge door and coupled to the detergent outlet door with a sliding coupling.

6. The detergent dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the detergent recharge door is pivotally mounted for opening movement in which, during opening, an upper edge of the detergent recharge door moves away from its closed position.

7. The detergent dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the detergent outlet door is pivotally mounted for opening movement in which, during opening, a lower edge of the detergent outlet door moves away from its closed position.

8. The detergent dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the detergent recharge door is a pivoting door that carries, on an inner side thereof, a detergent-receiving bucket, a wall of the bucket comprising a flap that is movable between a closed position wherein the bucket is formed, and an open position.

9. The detergent dispenser according to claim 8, wherein the flap is biased towards its closed position by a biasing force.

10. The detergent dispenser according to claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the pivoting door also carries an inlet port to a wash additive reservoir.

11. The detergent dispenser according to any one of claim 1 to 7, wherein the detergent recharge door is a pivoting door that carries, on an inner side thereof, a removable detergent-receiving bucket.

12. The detergent dispenser according to claim 11, wherein when the detergent recharge door is opened and the detergent-receiving bucket detached from the detergent recharge door, an opening is provided directly to the detergent compartment via the detergent recharge door.

13. A washing appliance incorporating the detergent dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims.

14. The washing appliance according to claim 13, wherein the washing appliance is a drawer-type washing appliance or a front drop-door-type dishwasher and comprising an interlock which enables the detergent outlet door to open only when a wash drawer of the drawer-type washing appliance, or a main door of the front drop-door-type dishwasher, is closed and a washing cycle is in progress.

15. The washing appliance according to claim 13 or claim 14, wherein both the detergent recharge door and the detergent outlet door are in an inside wall of the washing appliance.

16. The washing appliance according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the detergent recharge door and the detergent outlet door are both in an inside wall of a drawer-type washing appliance or an inside wall of a main door of a front dropdoor-type dishwasher.

17. The washing appliance according to any one of claims 13 to 16, comprising the detergent compartment in a wall of the washing appliance, the detergent recharge door opening into an upper interior part of the detergent compartment and the detergent outlet door opening from a lower interior part of the detergent compartment below the upper part, an intermediate interior part of the detergent compartment provided between the upper and lower interior parts.

18. The washing appliance according to any one of claims 13 to 17, wherein the detergent recharge door, detergent outlet door, and mechanism coupling the detergent recharge door and the detergent outlet door, comprise a separate detergent module mounted to, or in, an inside wall of the dishwasher.

19. A washing appliance comprising : a detergent compartment in a wall of the washing appliance, a detergent recharge door at an upper part of the detergent compartment and covering an upper part of the detergent compartment when closed, and a detergent outlet door below the detergent recharge door and covering, when closed, a lower, and not an upper, part of the detergent compartment.

20. The washing appliance according to claim 19, further comprising a mechanism coupling the detergent recharge door and the detergent outlet door so that opening of the detergent recharge door, when the detergent outlet door is open, causes closing of the detergent outlet door.

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