Patent ID: 7036176
Filing Date: 2006-05-02
Classification: D06F

Abstract:
1. A system for providing sequential dispensing of laundry additive materials into several stages of a laundering cycle which occur during an operation of an drum-containing automatic fabric laundering washing machine, which system comprises: A) a rigid housing structure positioned within said washing machine in a fixed spatial relationship to said washing machine drum, which housing structure comprises a base and an openable and closable lid for said base; B) a multi-compartmented insert which can be placed within said housing structure at the beginning of the laundering operation, said insert containing within at least two different compartments thereof at least two different laundry additive materials which are to be added at different times to the contents of the washing machine drum during the laundering cycle; C) means associated with said rigid housing structure for opening at least a first compartment of the multi-compartmented insert upon closing of the lid of said housing structure when said insert is positioned inside said housing with said opening permitting the dispensing of the material within said opened compartment into said washing machine drum; and D) means associated with said housing structure and/or with said multi-compartmented insert for opening one or more additional compartments of said insert containing laundry additive material different from that in said previously opened first compartment, said opening of said additional compartments occurring after initiation of the spin cycle of said washing machine operation, and said means for opening said additional compartments being activated by the centrifugal force arising from the spin cycle during the operation of said automatic washing machine; said opening permitting the dispensing of the material within said additional compartment(s) into said washing machine drum.