Device for dispensing detergent, particularly for dishwashers

A liquid-carrying container of machine, such as a dishwasher, has a detergent metering device disposed in a boundary wall thereof. The device has a housing with at least one container in which the detergent may be placed and which may be closed with a cover. The cover may be opened and closed with a control unit. The cover moves linearly, quietly, and with a minimal space requirement in a plane which extends parallel to the boundary wall of the machine.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates to a detergent dispenser, particularly for 
dishwashers, in which the device located in a boundary wall of a 
liquid-carrying container is comprised of a housing with at least one 
container to receive detergents, each of which is closed by a cover which 
can be controllably opened. 
In dishwashers, household dishwashers in particular, dispensers are 
customarily used by means of which various dispensed agents such as 
dishwasher detergents and rinse agents can be added by doses at a 
predetermined point in time of a current wash cycle to wash water 
circulated in the dishwasher, controlled by a programmed control unit. 
Such dispensers have become known heretofore, from European patent 
disclosure EP 0 602 572 or German Offenlegungsschrift DE 38 02 210, for 
instance. As customary, they have at least one container located in a door 
for closing a wash compartment of the dishwasher and directed toward the 
wash compartment. The container has at least one space for at least one 
single dose of detergent. The container for detergents is closed by a 
cover which, as described above, is controllably opened. 
In addition to the container described above, which is customarily used for 
a powdered detergent, the above-cited prior art documents have an 
additional container for liquid rinse agent. 
When opened, the cover in accordance with the above-mentioned prior art 
documents is moved in an upward direction about a horizontal axis as a 
result of the initial tension of a spring. This swinging open of the cover 
has the disadvantage that the rim of the cover opposite the horizontal 
axis completes a semi-circular motion directed into the interior of the 
wash compartment of the dishwasher, which should take place with as little 
obstruction as possible. Such dishwashers customarily have dish racks to 
accommodate the dishes to be washed and one of the dish racks is located 
in the area of the dispenser. This dish rack must therefore be designed so 
that the cover of the detergent dispenser is not hindered from swinging 
open, since if the cover is hindered in opening by projecting dishes or by 
parts of the dish rack, the resulting incomplete opening of the detergent 
container prevents complete dispensing and subsequent flushing of the 
container. This results in reduced detergent concentration in the 
circulated wash water, which leads to an inadequate cleaning result. 
However, a corresponding design of the dish rack, such as by a setback of 
the front edge or by a recess, leads to a constriction of the filling 
space of a dishwasher which is limited in any case. 
A further disadvantage of the well-known swinging motion of the cover is 
that, due to the initial tension of the above-mentioned spring, the cover 
vigorously strikes the door to which the detergent dispenser is fastened, 
thus producing a noise. This may also result in damage to the dispenser. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a device for 
dispensing detergent, particularly for dishwashers, which overcomes the 
above-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices and methods 
of this general type and which integrates into a cover with space saving 
and noiseless movement. 
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in 
accordance with the invention, a combination of a liquid-carrying 
container having a boundary wall, such as a dishwasher with a 
front-loading door, and a device for dispensing detergent disposed in the 
boundary wall of the container. The device comprises: 
a housing defining a container for receiving detergent, and a cover movably 
disposed between a closed position in which the container is closed, and 
an open position in which the container is open; 
the cover being formed so as to move between the closed position and the 
open position substantially linearly and substantially parallel to the 
boundary wall. 
In other words, the object of the invention is solved in that the cover 
completes a substantially linear movement in a plane parallel to the 
boundary wall when it is opened or closed. 
The linear movement of the cover in a plane parallel to that of the wall to 
which the dispenser is attached makes it necessary to provide for an open 
area for the dispenser only at the level of the housing and the cover. 
This results in a substantial savings of space that can be used for 
loading the dish rack. Since, as a result of its linear movement, the 
cover does not come into contact with any additional part of the 
dishwasher, the production of noise, such as that caused by the striking 
of the cover, is effectively avoided. The disadvantages of the above-cited 
prior art are thus avoided in a simple manner with the detergent dispenser 
in accordance with the invention. 
According to an added feature of the invention, the cover remains 
essentially within the plane of the housing in its closed and open 
positions and during the linear movement from one to the other position. 
This measure brings about a further savings in the space requirement for 
the movement of the cover of the detergent dispenser in accordance with 
the invention. 
According to an additional feature of the invention, the housing has guides 
for the linear movement of the cover. This brings about a simple design 
and thus makes production of the dispenser in accordance with the 
invention simple and cost-effective. 
Advantageously, the guides for the cover are slideways or guide tracks, 
bringing about a further simplification of the dispenser structure. 
According to again another feature of the invention, the slideways are 
located at opposite sidewalls of the housing, which results in an 
additional savings of space by the device in accordance with the invention 
compared to guides in the face wall, for instance. 
The slideways are expediently executed as channels placed in the sidewalls 
of the housing, which brings about yet an additional simplification of the 
device. 
In a particularly advantageous manner, the cover surrounds the sidewalls of 
the housing on which the slideways are located with lateral extensions, in 
which the lateral extensions have sliders projecting into the slideways. 
In addition to simple and cost-effective manufacture, this simple 
construction of the device in accordance with the invention also results 
in further protection against contamination by deposits since the 
slideways are essentially covered by the lateral extensions of the cover. 
According to yet another feature of the invention, the linear movement of 
the cover takes place with the support of or against the force of an 
elastic element. Reliable function of the device in accordance with the 
invention is assured by the support of the movement of the cover by means 
of an elastic element which is tensioned when the cover is closed. 
In an expedient manner, the elastic element is extended essentially 
parallel to the sliding direction of the cover which optimizes the effect 
of the elastic element on the movement of the cover. 
The elastic element is preferably arranged in such a manner that it 
cushions the impact caused by the opening movement of the cover, which 
brings about an additional avoidance of noise. 
According to yet an added feature of the invention, the elastic element is 
a torsion spring acting between the cover and the housing, resulting in 
additional simplification of the device in accordance with the invention. 
Alternatively, the elastic element is a leaf spring acting between the 
cover and the housing. In light of its intended use, the cover contains a 
continuous seal on its surface facing the container which, when the device 
is in its closed position, is in contact with the essentially continuous 
rim of the container projecting toward the cover. By a simple manner and 
means, this measure makes it possible to seal the container in the areas 
in which a sealing effect is desired, particularly as protection against 
detergent from falling or flowing out. 
In a particularly advantageous manner, the seal is sufficiently elastic 
that it raises the cover from the rim of the container when going from the 
closed position. This creates a support for the opening movement of the 
cover of the device in accordance with the invention by a simple manner 
and means, further improving the reliability and functionality of the 
device. 
According to again a further advantageous feature of the invention, the 
cover is guided in the slideways in such a manner that the seal does not 
contact the rim of the container when the cover is moved in a linear 
direction. This effectively avoids damage to the seal and friction arising 
as a result of contact between the seal and the rim of the container, 
which could impair the function of the device in accordance with the 
invention. 
This is achieved in a particularly advantageous manner in that the 
slideways have gradations which are located at a different level in 
relation to the predominant path of the slideways. Thus, contact of the 
seal with the rim of the container during the linear movement of the cover 
can be avoided by a simple manner and means. 
In an expedient manner, the gradations are located at a essentially lower 
level compared to the predominant path of the slideways in relation to the 
rim of the container. This measure makes it certain that the seal of the 
cover does not come into contact with the rim of the container during the 
primary movement of the cover in the predominant path of the slideways and 
that the slideway gradations take over the guidance of the cover in at 
least one end position of the movement of the cover. This makes a further 
simplification of the design and manufacture of the device in accordance 
with the invention possible. 
In a particularly advantageous embodiment, two gradations arranged at a 
distance from one another are formed in each slideway in which the first 
gradation is located at the extreme end of the particular slideway. The 
spacing between the gradations assures reliable guidance of the cover in 
the gradations and by a simple manner and means makes certain that the 
cover is reliably guided in the gradations when it is moved into the 
closed position and is in the closed position as well, since the extreme 
end of the slideway determines the closed position of the cover. 
In accordance with yet a further feature of the invention, each of the 
lateral extensions of the cover has a front and rear slider with a 
distance between them essentially corresponding to the distance between 
the two gradations of one of the slideways. This measure makes a simple 
design of the device in accordance with the invention possible in which it 
is made certain that the cover is also reliably guided and held in the 
gradations. 
Advantageously, an elevation of the slideway in relation to the rim of the 
container is located in the direction of the opening of the cover after 
the second gradation and adjacent to the second gradation of the 
container. During the closing movement of the cover, this elevation of the 
slideway leads to the front area of the cover with the seal first 
contacting the rim of the container, and then after passing the 
above-cited elevation, the cover comes to rest at essentially the same 
time over the total circumference of the seal in a practically uniform 
lowering movement. This brings about a reliable contact of the seal 
without greater closing movements of the seal, resulting in a substantial 
prolongation of the service life of the seal. 
Referring once more to the above-noted state of the art, there are provided 
locking mechanisms in which the latching of a locking bolt takes place and 
which are located adjacent to the container and left open. For that 
reason, the earlier known detergent dispensers have the disadvantage that 
these locking mechanisms are damaged during the loading or removal of 
table ware, for instance, and that detergent or pieces of dirt get into 
the locking mechanisms when detergents are loaded or dirty tableware to be 
washed is arranged. This can lead to impairment or even prevention of the 
function of the locking mechanisms, i.e., the cover can only be closed 
with effort or no longer closed at all, whereby its closing or attempt to 
close it against the resistance of the accumulated pieces of dirt or 
detergent can lead to damage to the latch. 
It is therefore an additional object of the invention to provide, in a 
simple manner and by simple means, a detergent dispenser in which the 
locking mechanisms are not subject to impairment from accumulations of 
dirt or detergent. 
The additional object of the invention is achieved in that the device is 
equipped with a latching and unlatching system acting between the cover 
and housing and whose locking mechanisms are covered by it in whatever 
position the cover is found. 
Accordingly, the cover moved in a linear direction acts as a covering of 
the locking mechanism so that it is impossible for deposits of dirt and 
detergent to accumulate in the area of the locking mechanism thereby 
effectively preventing an impairment of the function of the locking 
mechanism. 
According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, at least one of 
the lateral extensions of the cover is provided with openings for the 
entrance of liquid. When the cover is in its closed position, the liquid 
entering through the openings can begin to dissolve the detergent filled 
into the container, and when the cover is in its open position, it cleans 
the latching and unlatching system of any deposits present in it, thereby 
ensuring reliable function of the device in accordance with the invention. 
Advantageously, the cover has a wiper or scraper blade running crosswise to 
the direction of sliding and protruding in the direction of the container, 
said wiper being in contact with the rim of the container at least during 
the closing movement of the cover. The wiper pushes a sufficient amount of 
the detergent filled into the container out of the device in accordance 
with the invention so that it is impossible for deposits to accumulate in 
the latching and unlatching system and reliable function of the device in 
accordance with the invention is assured. 
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are 
set forth in the appended claims. 
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a 
device for dispensing detergent, particularly for a dishwasher, it is 
nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since 
various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without 
departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range 
of equivalents of the claims. 
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, 
together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best 
understood from the following description of specific embodiments when 
read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring now to the figures of the drawing in detail and first, 
particularly, to FIG. 1 thereof, there is seen a detergent dispenser 1 
which is installed in a non-illustrated door of a household dishwasher. 
The door is a conventional door which pivots about a horizontal axis, 
towards a wash compartment of the dishwasher which is closed by the door. 
The part of the door projecting into the wash compartment and which closes 
the wash compartment, a so-called inner door, is thus a boundary wall of 
the wash compartment. 
In the exemplified embodiment shown, the device 1 has a dispenser 2 for 
liquid rinse agent which is embodied as described in the above-noted 
publication EP 0 602 572. 
A dispenser 3 for detergent used for liquid or powdered detergent is 
located adjacent to the dispenser 2 for liquid rinse agent. This dispenser 
3 for detergent is comprised of a container 10 in a housing 4 of the 
device in accordance with the invention 1 to receive a detergent to be 
added to the wash water circulated in the domestic dishwasher. In the 
filled state the container 10 is closed by a cover 20 which is opened at a 
predetermined time by a programmed controller, which is not shown, in the 
course of a wash cycle selected by the user of the domestic dishwasher. In 
accordance with the invention, the cover 20 completes essentially linear 
movements in a plane parallel to the door when opened or closed, i.e., 
along housing 4 of device 1. 
As is particularly evident from FIG. 8, the container 10 has an inclined 
discharge surface 11 which extends in the lower portion of container 10 
when device 1 is in use and aids the filled detergent in spilling out or 
flowing out as a result of gravity. 
In order to guide the linear movement of the cover 20 in accordance with 
the invention, the housing 4 has guides 30 on it its opposing sidewalls 5, 
6, said guides being designed as slideways 31, 32. These slideways 31, 32 
are formed as channels in the sidewalls 5, 6 of housing 4. The cover 20 
encloses the sidewalls 5, 6 of housing 4, on which the slideways 31, 32 
are located, with lateral extensions 21, 22. The lateral extensions 21, 22 
have sliders 23, 24, 25, 26 which project into slideways 31, 32. 
The linear movement of cover 20 is supported by an elastic element 7 which 
is executed as a torsion spring 7 acting between cover 20 and the housing 
4 in the exemplified embodiment. In the closed state of device 1, the 
torsion spring 7 is under tension. During the opening movement of cover 
20, torsion spring 7 extends parallel to the sliding direction of cover 
20. The position of torsion spring 7 in the closed position of device 1 is 
indicated by dashed lines in FIG. 2 and in detail in FIG. 10. 
The detergent dispenser 1 in accordance with the invention is further 
equipped, which is known per se, with a latching and unlatching system 40 
which acts between cover 20 and housing 4. The latching and unlatching 
system 40 can be embodied as any state of the art system (see, for 
instance, EP 0 602 572 or DE 38 02 210). In the exemplary embodiment 
shown, the latching and unlatching system 40 is comprised of an actuator 
41 (see FIG. 4) located on the back of the housing 4, which turns a 
rotating lever 42 against the force of a spring 43 acting between the 
rotating lever 42 and housing 4 about a predetermined angle to bring about 
the open position of device 1. The rotating lever 42 is fixedly joined to 
a lever 44 located on the front of housing 4 via an axis, which is not 
visible, supported in housing 4, so that the movement of the rotating 
lever 42 causes a movement of lever 44. Lever 44 has a projecting catch 45 
which, in the closed position (FIG. 9) interacts with a catch 27 of cover 
20 by latching. Furthermore, the lever 44 has a handle 46 which is formed 
as an extension of lever 44 and projects past the left rear rim of cover 
20 in its closed position corresponding to FIG. 1. The torsion spring 7 is 
held on a pin 47 of lever 44 by means of a formed loop and at the other 
end to a pin 29 of cover 20 by means of another loop. 
A continuous seal 19 is located on the inside of cover 20 facing container 
10, said seal being in contact with a rim 12 of the container 10 which 
projects toward the cover 20 in the closed position of device 1. In the 
exemplified embodiment, the rim 12 encompasses the vertical lateral edge 
and lower edges of container 10 as seen in FIG. 2 so that the upper edge 
of container 10 remains open. 
As can be seen best in FIG. 7, the slideways 31, 32 have gradations 33, 34, 
35, 36 which are located at a lower level than the predominant path of the 
slideways in relation to the rim 12 of container 10. Two gradations are 
proved in each slideway 31, 21, in which a first gradation 33, 35 is 
located at the extreme end of the particular slideway 31, 32, i.e., 
adjacent to the dispenser 2 for liquid rinse agent. Each of the additional 
second gradations 34, 36 is located at a distance. Each of gradations 33, 
34, 35, 36 has a lift gradient. In the direction of opening of the cover 
after the second gradation 34, 36, an elevation 37 in relation to rim 12 
of the container 10 is provided which is designed as a continuation of the 
above-mentioned lift gradient of the recess 34, 36 and its function will 
be described further below in the description of the function of device 1 
in accordance with the invention. 
At each of its lateral extensions 21, 22, the cover 20 has a front slider 
23, 25 and a rear slider 24, 26 which are located at a distance from each 
other essentially corresponding to the distance between the two gradations 
33, 34 and 35, 36 of one of the slideways 31, 32. 
In the exemplified embodiment shown, both lateral extensions 21, 22 of 
cover 20 are provided with openings 18 (FIGS. 5, 6 and 7) for the for the 
entrance of liquid which begins to dissolve the detergent contained in 
container 10 when cover 20 is in its closed position and cleans the 
latching and unlatching system 40 and the elastic element 7 when cover 20 
is in its open position. 
A wiper 17 fixed to cover 20 projecting in the direction of container 10 
and running crosswise to the direction of slide of cover 20 can be best 
seen in FIG. 7. At least during the closing movement of cover 20, the 
wiper 17 contacts the rim 12 of container 10. 
The function of the device 1 in accordance with the invention will be 
described in detail below corresponding to the embodiment shown. In order 
to introduce the detergent, the user opens the door of the domestic 
dishwasher so that device 1 is essentially in a horizontal position. As 
described further below, device 1 is in its open position after completing 
a previous wash cycle, i.e., container 10 can be filled without 
difficulty. Should device 1 be in its closed position, such as in the case 
of a new domestic dishwasher, it is possible to open the cover 20 by a 
slight sideways pressure on handle 46 of lever 44, as a result of which 
lever 44 is turned and catch 45 releases catch 27 of cover 20. 
The user of the domestic dishwasher fill an appropriate amount of the 
desired detergent into container 10 and closes cover 20 by manually 
pushing cover 20 against the force of torsion spring 7 from its open 
position into its closed position, whereby tension is placed on torsion 
spring 7 (FIG. 9). 
In the open position and during the movement from the open position into 
the closed position of device 1, the sliders 23, 24, 25, 26 are located in 
slideways 31, 32 at a higher level in relation to the rim 12 of the 
container 10 than in the closed position. When cover 20 is pushed in a 
linear direction, seal 19 thus does not come into contact with rim 12 of 
cover 20. Almost at the end of the closing movement of cover 20, i.e., 
when the front slider 23, 25 is located just in front of gradation 33, 35, 
each rear slider 24, 26 is located on elevation 37. Thus cover 20 assumes 
a slightly inclined position. The makes it easier for the user to close 
cover 20 because seal 19 comes into contact with rim 12 of container 10 
only gradually. As the user continues the linear movement of cover 20, the 
front slider 23, 25 slides into gradation 33, 35 via the lift gradient and 
causes the front part of seal 19 to come into contact with rim 12 while 
the rear part of cover 20 still remains raised above rim 12 of container 
10. 
During the linear movement of cover 20 from its open position into its 
closed position, the wiper 17 slides over rim 12 of container 10 and thus 
pushes any excess detergent out of device 1 in accordance with the 
invention so that no deposits are possible in the latching and unlatching 
system 40. 
After passing elevation 37, the rear slider 24, 26 now reaches the 
corresponding recess 34, 36, with the result that seal 19 gradually comes 
into complete contact with rim 12 of container 10. The lowering movement 
essentially prevents seal 19 from being pushed past rim 12 of container 
10, since after slider 24, 26 has passed the corresponding elevation 37, 
the movement of cover 20 is essentially vertical and thus seal 19 is 
brought into contact with rim 12 by means of pressure and not by means of 
a pushing movement. 
Concurrent with the movement of cover 10 by sliders 24, 26 after passing 
elevation 37, catch 27 is latched with catch 45 of lever 44. As a result, 
the cover is latched and secured. 
As can be seen in FIG. 7, the front gradations 33, 35 have a short and 
straight section running parallel to slideways 31, 32. In the final closed 
position of cover 10, the slider 23, 25 guided in the front recesses 33, 
35 also holds seal 19 on rim 12 of container 10 with initial tension and 
thus supports the latching function of the two catches 27, 45. 
After completing the action of filling the detergent into device 1 and 
after closing cover 20, the user closes the door of the domestic 
dishwasher and starts it with a selected wash cycle. 
As the "Pre-Rinse" or "Wash" subprogram of the cycle now starts, 
circulating wash water circulated by means of a circulating pump is 
sprayed onto the loaded dishes to be washed by means of spray devices, in 
which the inner door projecting into the wash compartment is also 
contacted by the wash water. Therefore, liquid also penetrates through 
openings 18 in the lateral extensions 21, 22 of cover 20 into container 10 
and thus begins to dissolve the detergent filled into container 10. 
At a prescribed time during the "Wash" subprogram, the programmed 
controller activates actuator 41 which turns the rotating lever 42 and the 
lever 44 connected with it against the force of spring 43. The angular 
movement of lever 44 causes latch 45 to be moved away from latch 27 and 
releases latch 27. The force of the tensioned torsion spring now pushes 
cover 20 in the slideways 31, 32 into the open position of device 1. The 
opening movement of cover 20 is supported by the fact that seal 19 is 
sufficiently elastic to raise cover 20 from the rim 12 of container 10 
when moving from the closed position. Practice has shown that, due to the 
restoring force of seal 19, it would be possible to overcome the lift 
gradients of gradations 33, 34, 35, 36 even without the force of torsion 
spring 7. The force exerted by torsion spring 7 is in any case sufficient 
to make it possible to overcome the lift inclines of gradations 33, 34, 
35, 36 and elevation 37 and to move cover 20 into its open position in 
slideways 31, 32 by means of sliders 23, 24, 25, 26. At the same time, 
torsion spring 7 extends essentially parallel to the sliding direction of 
cover 20. Due to this process, the device 1 in accordance with the 
invention changes from its closed position (FIGS. 1, 6 and 7) into its 
open position (FIGS. 2 and 5). The streams of wash water from the spray 
devices discussed above flush the quantity of detergent already partially 
dissolved from container 10 of device 1. However, the wash water sprayed 
by the spray devices also penetrates through the openings 18 of cover 20 
into the space between cover 20 and housing 4 of the device 1 in 
accordance with the invention and is able to clean the parts of the 
latching and unlatching system 40 as well as torsion spring 7 located in 
this space. The wash water that has penetrated can flow out again through 
openings 18 which lower openings when in use. 
The opening movement of cover 20 is cushioned by torsion spring 7. The 
cushioning of cover 20 and the avoidance of an impact on the interior side 
of the door or housing 4 of the device 1 eliminates noise in the operation 
of the device 1 in accordance with the invention. In the closed and open 
position as well as during the linear movement from one to the other 
position, cover 20 remains essentially within the plane of housing 4, 
which once more demonstrates the low space requirement of the device 1 in 
accordance with the invention. 
The wash cycle selected by the use is continued to completion, while liquid 
rinse agent is possibly added from device 2 by the known manner and means 
during the "Rinse" subprogram. Both when cover 20 is closed (FIG. 1) as 
well as when it is open (FIG. 2), the locking mechanisms of the latching 
and unlatching system 40 and torsion spring 7 are constantly covered by 
cover 20 and are thus protected against deposits of detergent or particles 
of dirt as well as against mechanical shock. 
The term "detergent" is generically used herein for any type of cleanser or 
other additive to be dispensed into a cavity, such as a wash liquid 
container of a dishwasher.