Patent ID: 7340790
Filing Date: 2008-03-11
Classification: D06F

Abstract:
1. A system for dispensing laundry additive materials into one or more stages of a laundering cycle which occurs during the operation of a drum-containing automatic fabric laundering washing machine, which system comprises: A) a housing structure positioned within the washing machine in a fixed spatial relationship to the washing machine drum, which housing structure comprises a base and an openable and closable lid for the base; B) an insert having at least one compartment which can be placed within the housing structure, the insert containing a laundry additive; and C) a selectively actuatable puncturing element that controls the time at which a compartment containing a laundry additive is punctured, the selectively actuatable puncturing element being movable between a first position in which the selectively actuatable means does not pierce the insert to a second position in which the selectively actuatable puncturing element pierces the insert, and wherein the selectively actuatable puncturing element cooperates with a feature in the insert such that the selectively actuatable puncturing element pierces the insert when the lid is closed after placing the insert in the housing structure, or the selectively actuatable puncturing element does not pierce the insert when the lid is closed depending upon whether the feature is present or absent in the insert.