Dispenser for washing machines

Abstract

The invention relates to a dispenser for washing machines, comprising a casing (1) provided with openings (2) that can house a container (3) for an active substance, and is characterized in that it also comprises a structure (4) placed inside said casing (1), said structure (4) being of a harder material than the material of said casing (1). It allows the casing to be of a material which is soft enough to not damage the clothing during the washing process, and the structure to be of a material which is hard enough to protect the active substance inside the casing.

Claims

1. Dispenser for washing machines comprising: a casing provided with openings for a passage of liquid and formed by a first body and a second body, a housing capable to accommodate a container for an active substance formed in the first body and the openings being provided in the first body, and a structure placed inside said casing, said structure being of a harder material than the material of said casing, wherein the first body and the second body are articulated to each other and can be coupled to one another, said first body comprises one or more magnets, a center portion of the first body is cylindrically bulged out to form the housing and an edge portion of the first body is flat, the edge portion being adapted to be coupled with the second body, said second body is flat with no openings and is configured to fix to a washing machine drum, and the hardness of said casing is less than 80 Shore A.

2. Dispenser for washing machines according to claim 1, wherein said structure is formed by a plurality of rods attached to one another.

3. Dispenser for washing machines according to claim 1, wherein said structure is of a plastic material.

4. Dispenser for washing machines according to claim 3, wherein said structure is of polyethylene, polypropylene or polyamide.

5. Dispenser for washing machines according to claim 1, wherein said casing is of elastomer.

6. Dispenser for washing machines according to claim 1, wherein said casing comprises at least one tab.

7. A kit of parts for washing machines comprising: the dispenser for washing machines according to claim 1, the active substance, and the container for the active substance.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) To better understand the preceding description a set of drawings is attached in which a practical embodiment is schematically depicted by way of non-limiting example.

(2) FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of the dispenser for washing machines according to the present invention, with an active substance capsule therein;

(3) FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the dispenser for washing machines according to the present invention; and

(4) FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view similar to FIG. 1, with the structure and the active substance capsule separated from one another.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(5) The dispenser according to the present invention is particularly designed to be used in washing machines, providing an active substance during the clothing or fabric washing process.

(6) Said dispenser comprises a casing 1 formed of a material which could be referred to as soft, i.e., it does not damage the clothing or the fabric inside the washing machine, taking into account that the casing rubs against the clothing during the washing process, in which the washing machine drum can turn very quickly.

(7) In particular, said casing 1 is preferably of elastomer or of any suitable material that cannot damage the clothing.

(8) Said casing 1 is preferably formed by two bodies 1a, 1b which can be coupled to one another in any suitable manner, one of said bodies 1a being provided with a housing for an active substance 3 (for example in capsule form or placed inside a membrane) and with a plurality of openings 2 for delivering or releasing the active substance during the washing process.

(9) The need to mechanically reinforce the casing of the appliance is for two main reasons: on one hand, to prevent the device from being able to exceed the compressive strength of the container for the active substance since it is subjected to the mechanical pressure of wet clothing; on the other hand, to maintain the free circulation of water inside the casing and prevent the metering of active substance from being less than that desired since the device is compressed.

(10) A structure 4 is placed inside said casing 1, as can be best seen in FIG. 3. This structure 4 is of a material that could be referred to as hard, i.e., it is rigid enough to protect said active substance 3, because said structure at least partially surrounds said active substance 3.

(11) For example, said structure 4 can be of plastic, such as polyethylene, polypropylene or polyamide, or any other material that is hard or rigid enough. In practice, it has been found that a suitable material is any material having a degree of hardness of about 80 Shore A.

(12) According to a preferred embodiment, said structure 4 is formed by a plurality of rods attached to one another in order to not limit the delivery of the active substance.

(13) In a preferred embodiment, the reinforcement structure is simply arranged inside the casing without being physically attached to it. Alternatively, the two parts could also be attached by any known attachment means, including, but not limited to, glue, welding, overmolding, etc.

(14) In order to detachably fix the casing 1 to a washing machine drum, said casing 1 comprises at least one magnet 5. In the depicted embodiment, the casing 1 comprises four magnets 5 placed in the corners of one of the bodies 1a forming the casing 1.

(15) In turn, the other body 1b of the casing 1 is substantially flat and is provided with at least one tab 6 to make it easier to remove the casing 1 from the washing machine drum.

(16) To use the dispenser for washing machines according to the present invention, it must simply be placed inside the washing machine drum, remaining fixed therein as a result of the magnets 5 of the casing 1.

(17) Once the washing process starts, the water of the washing machine is introduced in the casing 1 through the openings 2 and mixed with the active substance 3, water mixed with said active substance 3 exiting the casing 1, improving the washing quality.

(18) When the washing process ends, the dispenser of the present invention can comfortably be removed from inside the washing machine drum by pulling the tab 6 against the magnetic force of the magnets 5.

(19) For the next washing process, a new active substance 3 in a capsule or membrane is simply placed inside the housing of said casing 1. Alternatively, a container for an active substance suitable for being used during several washing cycles could be considered.

(20) Although reference has been made to a specific embodiment of the invention, it is obvious for a person skilled in the art that the dispenser for washing machines that has been described is susceptible to a number of variations and modifications, and that all the mentioned details can be replaced with other technically equivalent details without departing from the scope of protection defined by the attached claims.