EP3270759B1

EP3270759B1 - A device for loading salt in a dishwasher

Info

Publication number: EP3270759B1
Application number: EP15820676.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Uros MILOST; Bostjan Berginc
Original assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc
Current assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc
Priority date: 2015-03-18
Filing date: 2015-12-01
Publication date: 2019-02-20
Anticipated expiration: 2035-12-01
Also published as: EP3270759A1; WO2016148749A1

Description

Field of the invention

The present invention refers to household dishwashers and relates to a device for loading salt in a dishwasher.

Description of the related art

A device according to the preamble of claim 1 is known from FR 2 765 092 A1 . It comprises a shutter which closes the aperture of the hollow container when the latter is not located onto a salt loading aperture in the dishwasher, thereby allowing the pouring of the salt into the container outside the dishwasher.
It is well known that for the proper functioning of household dishwashers it is necessary to supply them periodically with salt. On the bottom of the dishwasher tank there is provided a salt container closed by a screw cap. The dishwasher normally indicates to the user the low level of salt by means of a warning light. In order to fill the salt container the user removes the screw cap and positions a funnel on the loading opening.
The salt is poured into the funnel until the container is filled. Usually the user continues to pour salt into the funnel until the salt comes out of the loading opening because the user has no way to determine in advance how much salt must be loaded into the dishwasher. Therefore, the loading of salt in the dishwasher often involves spreading of salt within the tank of the dishwasher or on the kitchen floor. In addition, since the salt loading opening is generally located on the bottom wall of the dishwasher tank, the user typically needs to bend or kneel down in front of the dishwasher during the loading of the salt.

Object and summary of the invention

The object of the present invention is to provide a device for loading salt in a dishwasher that overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art.
According to the present invention, this object is achieved by a device having the characteristics forming the subject of Claim 1.
The claims are an integral part of the teaching provided in relation to the invention.

Brief Description of Drawings

The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, given purely by way of non-limiting example, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device according to the present invention,
Figure 2 is a sectional perspective view of the device of Figure 1,
Figures 3 and 4 are front views according to the arrow III of Figure 1, respectively in the open and closed position,
Figures 5 and 6 are front views according to the arrow V of Figure 1, respectively in the open and closed position,
Figure 7 is a sectional perspective view of a second embodiment of a device according to the present invention in a extracted position, and
Figure 8 is a sectional perspective view of the device of Figure 7 in a retracted position

Detailed description

With reference to figures 1-6, numeral 10 indicates a device for loading salt in a dishwasher. The device 10 comprises a hollow container 12 open at the top and adapted to contain a charge of salt corresponding to the amount of salt required for a refill of a dishwasher.
The hollow container 12 has a cylindrical lateral wall having at the bottom two first conical walls 14 circumferentially separated from each other by two first apertures 16. The first conical walls 14 and the first apertures 16 are diametrically opposite to each other. Each first conical wall 14 and each first aperture 16 has an angular extension of 90°.
With reference to Figures 5 and 6, the bottom end of the hollow container 12 is divided in circumferential direction into four sectors, each of which has an angular extension of 90°. Two diametrically opposed sectors are formed by the first apertures 16 and two diametrically opposed sectors are formed by the first conical walls 14.
With reference to Figure 2, the first conical walls 14 converge towards a central pin 18. The central pin 18 projects downwardly and is formed integrally with the first conical walls 14. The pin 18 is hollow and is provided with longitudinal slots 20. At the lower end of the pin 18 there are formed snap engagement teeth 22.
In the embodiment of figures 1-6 the hollow container 12 with the first conical walls 14 and the central pin 18 is formed in a single piece of injection molded plastic material.
The device 10 comprises a connecting element 24 open at the bottom and shaped to mate with a salt loading aperture of a dishwasher. The connection element 24 is rotatably coupled at a lower end of the hollow container 12. The hollow container 12 and the connecting element 24 are rotatable relative to one another around a longitudinal axis A.
With reference to Figure 2, the top of the connecting element 24 has two second conical walls 26 facing the bottom of the hollow container 12. With reference to Figure 3, the second conical walls 26 are circumferentially separated from each other by two second apertures 28. The two second conical walls 26 and the two second apertures 28 are diametrically opposite to each other. The top of the connecting element 24 is angularly divided into four sectors, each with an angular extension of 90°, two of which are formed by the second openings 28 and two of which are formed by the second conical walls 26.
With reference to Figure 2, the two second conical walls 26 converge on a central cylindrical hub 30, which is snap engaged in a rotatable manner on the pin 18 of the hollow container 12. The central cylindrical hub 30 is rotatable on the outer surface of the pin 18 and is axially constrained to the pin 18 by the snap engagement teeth 22.
Preferably, the connecting element 24 has an outer wall 32 and an inner wall 34. The outer wall 32 is shaped for mating with a salt loading aperture of the dishwasher. Both walls 32, 34 are open at their lower end. The second openings 28 of the connecting element 24 are located in positions radially internal with respect to the inner wall 34. The outer wall 32 has at its upper end a collar 36 with a circular cross section, located outside a lower cylindrical portion 38 of the hollow container 12.
The connecting element 24 with the second conical walls 26, the central cylindrical hub 30, the walls 32, 34 and the collar 36 is formed in a single piece of injection molded plastic material.
The hollow container 12 and the connecting element 24 are rotatable relative to one another about the axis A between a closed position and an open position. In the open position, shown in Figures 3 and 5, the second apertures 28 of the connecting element 24 are aligned to corresponding first openings 16 of the hollow container 12. In the closed position shown in Figures 4 and 6, the second conical walls 26 are aligned to the first apertures 16 and the second apertures 28 face the first conical walls 14. In this condition the first openings 16 are closed by the second conical walls 26.
The operation of the device 10 is as follows. The device 10, initially empty and in the closed position, is placed on a kitchen top and the hollow container 12 is filled with a charge corresponding to the quantity of salt required to refill the dishwasher. The salt is poured into the hollow container 12 through the upper opening. Salt is poured into the hollow container 12 without spilling of salt in the dishwasher or on the kitchen floor. Filling of the hollow container 12 is simplified because the device 10 can be positioned on a surface comfortable for the wearer. The user can fill the hollow container 12 with the exact amount of salt to be loaded in the dishwasher. The device 10 remains upright on the lower edge of the connecting element 32 during filling of the hollow container, so that the user has both hands free to pour salt in the hollow container 12.
After filling the container 12 with the amount of salt required to recharge the dishwasher, the user removes the screw cap of the salt container disposed on the bottom wall of the dishwasher and positions the connection element 24 within the salt loading opening of the dishwasher. The outer wall 32 of the connecting element 24 is designed to mate with a corresponding inner wall of the salt loading opening of the dishwasher. The inner wall 34 of the connecting element 24 is inserted inside the salt loading hole of the dishwasher. After positioning the device 10 on the salt loading opening of the dishwasher, the user rotates of 90° the hollow container 12 with respect to the connecting element 24, thereby placing the device 10 in the open position. In this condition, the salt contained within the hollow container 12 comes out through the aligned openings 16, 28 and is conveyed into the inner wall 34.
The device 10 allows the user to charge the dishwasher with salt in a fast and simple way, without the need to bend or kneel down in front of the dishwasher during filling. The device 10 prevents spilling of salt on the kitchen floor or in the dishwasher. The user can easily measure the exact amount of salt to be loaded into the dishwasher.
A second embodiment of the device 10 is shown in figures 7 and 8. In these figures the elements corresponding to those previously disclosed are indicated by the same reference numbers.
In the embodiment of figures 7 and 8 the hollow container 12 comprises an upper tubular portion 40 and a lower tubular portion 42. The lower tubular portion 42 has a cylindrical wall 44 having at the bottom two first conical walls 14 circumferentially separated from each other by two first apertures 16. The cylindrical wall 44 of the lower tubular portion 42 has a lower end collar 46 which is rotatably coupled with an upper edge 48 of the connecting portion 24. The connecting element 24 is substantially the same as the connecting element 24 of the first embodiment.
The upper tubular portion 40 has a cylindrical wall 50 coaxial and external to the cylindrical wall 44 of the lower tubular portion 42.
The upper tubular portion 40 and the lower tubular portion 42 are telescopically movable with respect to each other along the longitudinal axis A between an extended position shown in figure 7 and a retracted position shown in figure 8. An engagement part 52 is formed at the lower end of the cylindrical wall 50 of the upper tubular portion 40. In the extended position of figure 7 the engagement part 52 engages a conical edge 52 formed at the upper end of the cylindrical wall 44 of the lower tubular portion 42. In the retracted position the engagement part 52 engages a radial projection 54 of the connecting element 24, to prevent disengagement of the upper tubular portion 40.
In the extended position the upper tubular portion 40 and the lower tubular portion 42 are held in position by friction and/or snap elements. Preferably, a relatively low force is provided for extending the container 12 and a relatively higher force is provided for retracting the container 12.
For loading salt in a dishwasher the container 12 is extended as shown in figure 7. In the extended position the operation is the same as described above for the first embodiment. After charging the dishwasher the device 10 is retracted as shown in figure 8 for easier storage.
Of course, without prejudice to the principle of the invention, the details of construction and forms of embodiment may be varied widely with respect to those described and illustrated without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims that follow.

Claims

A device for loading salt in a dishwasher, comprising:
- a hollow container (12) open at the top adapted to contain a charge of salt and having at a bottom end at least one first conical wall (14) and at least one first aperture (16), and

- a connecting element (24) open at the bottom and shaped so as to mate with a salt loading aperture of a dishwasher, characterized in that the connecting element (24) is rotatably mounted at a lower end of the hollow container (12), wherein the connecting element (24) has at least one second conical wall (26) and at least one second aperture (28) facing the bottom end of the hollow container (12), wherein said connecting element (24) and said hollow container (12) are rotatable relative to one another around a longitudinal axis (A) between a closed position in which said first aperture (16) and said second aperture (28) are angularly offset with respect to each other and an open position in which said first opening (16) and said second opening (28) are aligned with each other so as to allow the discharge of the charge of salt contained in the hollow container (12) from the bottom of the connecting element (24).
A device according to claim 1,
wherein said at least one second conical wall (26) converges on a central cylindrical hub (30) rotatably engaged on a central pin (18) projecting downwardly from a bottom end of said at least one first conical wall (14) of said hollow container (12).
A device according to claim 2,
wherein said central cylindrical hub (30) and said central pin (18) are snap engaged with each other.
A device according to claim 1,
wherein said connecting element (24) has an outer wall (32) with polygonal cross section and an inner wall (34) with circular cross section.
A device according to any one of the preceding claims,
wherein said hollow container (12) has two first openings (16) diametrically opposite with respect to each other and said connecting element (24) has two second openings (28) diametrically opposite with respect to each other.
A device according to any one of the preceding claims,
wherein said hollow container (12) and said connecting element (24) are each formed of a single piece of injection molded plastic material.
A device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
wherein the hollow container (12) comprises an upper tubular portion (40) and a lower tubular portion (42) telescopically movable with respect to each other along said longitudinal axis (A) between an extended position and a retracted position.
A device according to claim 7,
wherein the upper tubular portion (40) has a cylindrical wall (50) coaxial and external to a cylindrical wall 44 of the lower tubular portion 42.
A device according to claim 8,
wherein an engagement part (52) is formed at the lower end of the cylindrical wall (50) of the upper tubular portion (40), wherein in the extended position the engagement part (52) engages a conical edge (52) formed at the upper end of the cylindrical wall (44) of the lower tubular portion (42) and in the retracted position the engagement part (52) engages a radial projection (54) of the connecting element 24.